as they be very necessary for the well vnderstanding of the History which is the Register of times so hath it much troubled me being altogether neglâ—cted by the most ancient Writers borne in the first obscure ages The learned which haue happily handled this subiect before me finding plainly this notable difficultie haue held it expedient to make litle or no accompt to obserue the dates which was iâ— my conceipt vnder correction be it spoken to cut the knot a sunder insteed of vnloosing it But it hath made me more carefully to labour in this search â—o finde out some meanes amidst these extremities And therefore I haue distinguished the most nâ—table chaâ—ges not onely from one Race to another but in the Races themselues placing the dates iâ— the â—ront of the whole discourse as a Boundston to limit the Lands Moreouer I haue faithfully collected in grosse the yeares of euery reigne and haue deuided them as I thought most likely by the continuance of publike and priuate actions It is all I could do iâ— the most ancient reignes being vnable to deuine further but in those that approach neerer to our age the Reader shall see the vniting of things from yeare to yeare by degrees whereby he may marâ—lâ—e plaâ—nly in so goodly a light without any confusioâ—â— The Diagâ—â—mmes shall supply the particuler default of times which we cannot otherwise distinguish But let vs first see the whole patterne of our Monarchie without â—â—y câ—lour or fâ—â—â—â—ish whatsoeuer A generall Diagramme WHich notes onely the names of the Kings of France according to the order and succession of three Races from Pharamond the first King vnto Henry the 4. King of France and of Nauarre now raigning in number three score and three The first Race called Merouingiens in number twenty and two Kings 1. Pharamond 2. Clodion or Cloion the hayrie 3. Merouee Who vpon the foundation laid by his Ancestors of this Monarchie made the building appeare more resplendent and beautifull 4. Chilperic the first 5. Clouis the Great the first Christian King and the first of that name 6. Childebert the first 7. Clotaire the first 8. Cherebert 9. Chilperick the second 10. Clotaire the second 11. Dagobert the first 12. Clouis the second 13. Clotaire the third 14. Childeric or Chilperic the third 15. Theodoric or Thierry the first 16. Clouis the third 17. Childebert the second 18. Dagobert the second 19. Chilperic or Childeric the fourth 20. Thierry the second 21. Chilperic or Childeric the fift 22. Charles Martel Maior of the Palace in name but King in effect hauing layde the foundation of the royall Authoritie to his posteritie and so reckoned among the Kings the two and twentie The second Race of Carlouingiens or Carlees of Charles Martell or of Charlomaigne in number 13. Kings 23. Pepin the short or the briefe sonne of Martell 24. Charlemaigne King and Emperor hauing drawne the Empire of the West into France 25. Lewis the gentle King and Emperor his sonne first of that name 26. Charles the first called the bald King and Emperor his sonne 27. Lewis the second called the lisping King and Emperor his sonne 28. Lewis the 3. and Carloman basâ—ards to Lewis receiued by the estates against the Insâ—itution of Lewis by his will who had named Eudes for Regent they gouerne the Realme togither in the first yeare of the minoritie of Charles the simple pupill and lawfull heire to Lewis and yet being crowned Kings although they were but Regents are accompted amongst the Kings and make but one In the libertie of this Nonage Lewis the do nothing or idle Sonne or Brother to Carloman takes vpon him to be King but not being acknowleged by the French as they were readie to dispossesse him hee dyed and is not reckoned for any 29. Charles the 2. called the grosse a Prince of the bloud of France and Emperour of Germanie confirmed in the Regencie by the States following the example of these bastards is Crowned King hee was degraded from the Empire and the Crowne And in his place 30. Eudes or Odo Duke of Anger 's named by the Kings testament as is sayd is called and crowned as the other Regents and for this cause accompted among the Kings in the end the Crowne comes to 31. Charles the simple the lawfull King after 22. yeares but being forced to renounce it he dyes for sorrow in prison and leaues for his lawfull successor Lewis the 4. his sonne carried into England by his Mother yeelding to the violence of the victorious league by the which 32. Ralfe or Raoâ—l Duke of Burgondie Prince of the Bloud was called to the Crowne and and so is accompted among the Kings although he were an Vsurper and he being dead 33. Lewis the 4. called Doutremer or beyond the Sea Sonne to Charles the Simple is restored and leaues the Crowne to 34. Lothaire and he to 35. Lewis the 5. his onely sonne who dyed without issue Male hee was the last of this second Race leauing the Throne empty to Hugh Capeâ— the Stocke and first King of the third Race following The third Race called the Capeuingiens or Capets in number 27. Kings 36. Hugues or Hues Capet to whom succeeded 37. Robert his sonne alone of that name and to Robert 38. Henâ—y thâ— 1. his sonne And to Henry 39. Philip the 1. his sonne And to him 40. Lewis the 6. surnamed the Grosse his Sonne And to Lewis the 6. 41. Lewis the 7. called the young his Sonne And to him 42. Philip the 2. surnamed Augustus his Sonne And to Philip the 2. 43. Lewis the 8. his Sonne father to the King St. Lewis the most ordinary marke of his name And to Lewis the eight 44. Lewis the 9. honoured by the name of Saint for his singuler pietie and vertue to whom succeeded 45. Philip the 3. his sonne surnamed the Hardy and to him 46. Philip the 4. called the Faire his Sonne who was also King of Nauarre by his wife Ioane And to him succeeded 47. Lewis the 10. called Hutin his Sonne also King of Nauarre by his Mother he had one Sonne borne after his death called Ianenterre but not numbred among the Kings for that he dyed in the Cradle so by the lawe of State 48. Philip the 5. called the Long sonne to Philip the Faire succeeded his Brother Lewis Hutin he dyed without issue Male who left the Crowne to 49. Charles the 4. called the Faire his Brother who also dying without issue Male the Crowne came by right of inheritance to 50. Philip of Valois the 6. of that name first Prince of the bloud and first King of the royall line of Valois to whom succeeded 51. Iohn his sonne onely of that name vnfortunate to him succeeded 52. Charles the 5. surnamed the Wise who preserued the State during a horrible combustion to him succeeded 53. Charles the 6. his sonne called the Welbeloued and yet too wâ—ll noted by his long and vnhappy reigne amiddest the furies of
called the Bald King anâ— Emperour who raigned 33 yeares and to Charles the 2. succeeded 879. 27. Lewis the 2. his sonne called the Stuttering King and Emperour who raigned but a yeare and six moneths   At his death he left his wife with child who being borne was acknowledged for lawfull King and called Charles the Simple his minoritie lasted 22. yeares Many Tutors many confusions These Regents are crowned Kings and acknowledged by that name doe hold the ranke among Kings and so we must diuide these 22. yeares to euery Regent according to his raigne 881. 28. Lewis the 3. and Caroloman bastard of Lewis the stuttering raigne as Regents fiue yeares 889. 29 Charles the 3. a Prince of the bloud called the grosse as Regent he raigned 7. yeares being both King and Emperour he was put from them both 896. 30. Eudes or Odon sonne to Rob. Duke of Aniou as Regent he raigned 10. y. In the confusion of these last Maisters the royall autâ—oriâ—y being greatly weakned many Countries freed themselues from the obedience of the French Monarchie So fell out   THE ECLIPSE OF THE EMPIRE   Both in Germanie Italy The body of the Empire remained in Germanie being afterwards gouerned by an Emperour chosen by the Princes Electors And Italy was dismeÌ„bred into diuers Principalities vnder diuers Potentates In the end after this minority of 22. â—eares 899. 31. Charles the 4. called â—he Simple sonne to Lewis the Stuttering was crowned as lawfull King raigned 25. yeares But Raoul of Boâ—rgongâ—e 923. 32. A Prince of the bloud was called by the League to put downe King Charles called the Simple being imprisoned by them and forced to renounce the Crowne Charles dying with griefe Raoul raigned 13. yeares but in the end was expelled from this vniust vsurpation 936. 33. Lewis the 4 called d'Outremer or beyond the sea sonne to Charles the Simple being called out of England whether his Moâ—her had carried him to preserue him from the League was acknowledged King and raigned twenty and nine yeares 954. 34. Lothaire his sonne suâ—câ—eded him who raigned thirtie and three yeares 986. 35. Lewis the 5. sonne to Lothaire raigned about two yearâ—s and dying without issue interred with him the race of Charles Martel as his Ancestors had of long time obscured his vertues and that of the valiant Charlemagne vnfortunate in their successors Thus the second race called Carlâ—â—ingiens hauing raigned 230. yeareâ— ended 〈◊〉 Lewis the 5. and gaue place to the third raâ—e which raignes at this day 750. PEPIN the short the 23. King of France and first of the second race PIPIN KING OF FRANCE XXIII THE French thus freed by the Popes dispensation from their oth of obedience assemble their generall Estates and to auoyde confusion in the Realme apparently growen by the negligence of their Kings they conclude to reiect Childeric and to choose Pepin the one vnworthie to raigne by reason of his vices and the other most worthie to be King for his royall vertues And to the end the fundamentall Law of state should not bee directly infringed in this new election they bring Pepin from the race of great Clouis of whome they sayd hee should be acknowledged for the next heire Pepin chosen King by the Parliâ—ment and Childeric reiected seing that vertue his race being duely weighed he approched nerest to him in vertue Pepin himselfe would not assist at this assemblie that the offer of this dignitie being made without his appareÌ„t seeking it might be the more honorable Being called to heare the general conclusion of the Parliament and the common desire of all the French hee presents himselfe being pleasing to all men in more then an ordinary sort little of bodie but shewing in his countenance the greatnes of his spirit amiable by his mild and modest behauiour and admirable for his graue pleasing Maiestie The Assembly lets him vnderstand by Boniface Archbishop of Mayence or Mentz that the French in regard of his vertues and their future hope hâ—d by a free and generall consent chosen him King of France And for execution of the said decree hee was instantly in the presence of them all installed King the royall Crowne was set vpon his head by the said Archbishop and then he was raysed vpon a target and carried about the assembly after the ancient ceremonie of the French And by vertue of the same decree Childeric was chalenged as vnworthy of the Crowne degraded shauen and confined into a Monastery thereto passe the remainder of his daies This notable change happened in the yeare 750. in the Citty of Soissons but with so resolute a consent of all the French nationâ— as there appeared not any one that made shew to dislike thereof A most assured testimony that Goâ— had so determined Soueraigne câ—uâ—es of this chaâ—ge hauing resâ—rued to himselfe the soueraigne authority ouer Kings to place and diâ—â—lace gird vngird raise and cast downe according to his good pleasure alwaies iust alwaies wise To him we must ascribe the principall and soueraigne cause of all changes For God is the gouernour as hee is the Creator It being a necessary consequence that he gouernes that which he hath created and by his prouidence watâ—â—eth especially ouer mankinde for whom he hath made the world If we shall otherwise seeke the neerest causes of this alteration we may iustly say that vice dispossessed Childeric vertue set Pepin in possession of the Crowne loue the reuerence of sâ—biects being the sâ—pport of publike authority hate and contempt the ruine thereof To the end that Princes by so worthy an example may learne to banish vice which making them hatefull contemptible thrusts them from their Thrones and to plant vertue which causing them to be respected and honored makes them to raigne ouer nations Now we begin a new gouernment vnder new Kings and in a new race In the beginning we shall see two great Princes The estate of this second race vnder whom good order shall make an alteration of affaires with an abundance of all blessings both spirituall temporall Iustice wisdom pollicie armes valour large limits of territories abundance of peace the excellent knowledge of learning to raise this estate to the greatest happines that euer it enioyed scarse any other kingdom whatsoeuer let forraine nations say what they please But the happines of these two Kings shall not be hereditary in their posteâ—ity who beginning soone to degenerate shall decline by degrees vntil that vice depriuing them of the Crowne vertue shall giue it to another who shall shew himselfe a more lawfull successor and righter heire to Charlemagne hauing a better part in his vertues This second race shall enioy the kingdom 237. yeares beginning to raigne in the yeare 750. ending in the yeare 987. hauing begun by vertue and ended by vice A goodly lâ—sâ—on for Potentates thâ—t bounty wisdom and valour Inâ—â—â—uction for
of the Church and state in breaking the sacred Lawes of God and nature hee dismembers himselfe by peece-meale loosing his goods honour and quiet for assuâ—ed gages of the horrible torments which attend him in the euerlasting prisons appointed to tame the vntamed and to make them suffer the infinit paines of their infiâ—it wickednesse Charles and Lewis were well satisfied to haue preuented their brothers desseins not making any further pursuite of their victory An â—accord betwâ—xt Câ—aâ—lâ—s and Lewis They seeke to confirme tâ—ue concord by the settling of their Estates Hauing stayed sometime vpon the place where the battaile was fought buried the dead released prisoners and proclaimed a generall pardon to all that would followe their armes they call the Bishops to take their aduice vpon ocurrents who beeing sollemnly assembled exhort them vnto concord laying plainely before them the iust iudgement of God against their brother Lothaire least they should drawe the people againe into these extremities by their dissentions The Brethren beleeuing their good aduice part good friends but when as Lothaire sought to renue the quarrell they met againe but this striuing was in vaine they assemble in the Citty of Strasbourg then belonging to this Crowne and there make a sollomne alliance for theÌ„ their subiects to liue togither in peace concord The forme is double one in the Romain tongue the other in Dutch that is to say the Germaine As for the Romaine it seemes to be that of Languedoc and Prouence by the Language although there bee some words which are not at this day in vse with vs as the reader curious of this antiquity may see in their proper places excusing my stile which suffers me not to dilate any further but onely to note what may be found in the originalls touching this subiect This allyance made they come to the diuiding of their parts and to this end they appoint twelue deputies whereof Nitard saies he was one who without respect of fertility or quantity regard that onely which was most conuenient for the nerenesse and commodity of their â—states I know this partition is diuersly set downe by many and who sees not in so obscure antiquity that it is impossible to make a true dessignation seeing that in small successions there is so great diuersity But in all this varietie of opinions it remaynes for certaine that Charles the onely sonne of the second bed who had beâ—ne so much persecuted by the Children of the first wife remayned sole King of France that the territories of the Empire were much decayed nothing remayning in effect but the name of those which lie on this side the Rhin especially in the dependances of the Realme of Bourgongne as Daulphiné and Prouence The portionâ— of Charles and Lewis Daulphiné doth yet carry the ancient name of the Empire in respect of the riuer of Rosne which doth seperate it from Viuaretz a Country opposite called by an expresse name the Realme as also for this cause Charles was called by expresse words in the designaâ—â—â—n of his portion King of France it confines at the one end with Lionnois at the oâ—â—er with Vzege which extends from Saint Esprit to Ville-neuue of Auignon along the Rosne all the sayd limits beeing of his portion bee called by a particular name the Realme vnto this day especially in their Leases which retayne more plainly the traces of the ancient tongue An obseruation which I ought vnto my Country for the which I keepe a ranke in the Theater whereon I meane to represent the Estate of our goodly Prouinces of Gaule Narbonoise in old time honored with the name of a second Italy and at this day so grosly vnknowne to strangers as in the Theater of the world they leaue a blanke for it like to the deserts of Affricke although it yeelds not to any Prouince of this great and goodly Kingdome whereof it is one of the cheefe parts and worthiest memâ—ers So Daulphiné and Prouence were left to Lewis in his partage for the comâ—odity of Italy the which was giuen him notwithstanding the pretensions of Bernards Children But Lewis enioyed not long these great possessions for the which he had so much troubled his poore father 829. his miserable subiects and himselfe for he die◠〈◊〉 â—â—ter Lewis dies without any issue male his great Estates 847. Behold the last rebellious sonne of the father and one of his scourges dead without any great memory the which was like-wise extinguished in his daughter anâ—â—n the diuers changes happened in these Estates Thus the Children impatient â—oâ—â—e their poore father liue died after many fruitlesse toyles the one in a monastery the other without heire to carry his name although the imagination of a famous race and of an extraordinary raigne had made them forget the holy Lawes of nature against their father Charles and Lewis had made profession of more then brotherly loue as their familiarities carefully obserued by Nitard in eating lying and playing togither do tesâ—ifie leauing to the wise reader to iudge howe vncertain the loue of brethren is when as Couetousnes and ambition creepes into their councells Charles married his Neece Hermingrade daughter to his brother Lewis to Boson Earle of Ardennes brother to his wife Richilde His colour was to match his Neece with a Prince of a good house Hermingrade daughter to Lewâ—s married to Boson King of Aâ—les and of more vertue and thereby to binde Boson vnto him but his intent was other as we shall hereafter see Boson tooke possession of the Countries belonging to his wife as her dowry calls himselfe King of Arles A point very remarkable to vnfold many difficulties that shall followe in the foresayd Countries and especially in Prouence where haue happened many changes the which wee will endeauour to represent in their proper places This was the Estate of the heires of great Charlemagne but his posterity did worse where the most famous memory of our Kings shal be noted by their vices eyther of body or minde one being called the stuttering an other the bald the simple the cruell the Barren and all mâ—sfortunes to shewe as it were in a goodly table that all the greatnes of this world is but meere vanity CHARLES surnamed the bald sonne to Lewis the gentle the 26. King and Emperour CHARLES .2 KING OF FRANCE XXVI · CHARLES called the bald King of France beganne to raigne the the yeare 841. and raigned thirty eight yeares 841 He caused himselfe to be proclaimed Emperour after the death of Lewis who suruiued Lothaire without contradiction The greatest part of his raigne passed in the confusions before mentioned or in the hatred and dissentions of brethren or in combustions and open warâ—es But why â—â—ould I encrease mine owne trouble and the readers with the report of these particularities vnworthy of brethren and worthy of eternall forgetfullnes A raigne of small fame but onely to note the confusion from whence
sprong the first occasion of the fall of this race a King of small merit A confused and vnhappy raigne hauing performed nothing praise worthy for in that wherein hee desired to winne the reputation of doing well hee did exceeding ill His greatest ambition was to seeme a good Vncle to the onely daughter of his brother Lewis with whome hee had made so strict a League of loue He married her to Boson as I haue sayd but the euents shew that he married her with an iâ—tent to goâ—erne her inheritance at his pleasure Being proclaymed Emperour hee leuies a great and mightie army and goes in person into Italie His pretext was to suppresse the Dukes of Spoletum and Beneuent who â—ought to free themselues from the subiection of the Empire and to become Soueraigâ—es but â—is intent was to seize vpon the strong places of Italie Charles seekes to deceiue hiâ— Neece and so â—y conseqâ—eâ—ce of that which belonged to his Neece Hermingrade But Bosâ—n her husband discouering her Vncles intent preuented him ioyning with the sayd Dukes and prouiding for the Citties of Italie with all expedition 879. as his wiues inheritance and then hee aduertised Charles entring into the Countrie that it was needlesse for him to passe any farther and to put Italie to vnnecessarie charges seeing that he himselfe could gard it sufficiently the foresaid Dukes did submit themselues to reason But being easie to iudge that Charles hauing an armie in field Charles diuerted from the warre of Italy and a resolute desseine would not retyre without constraint Boson makes factions in France in the heart of his Estate to diuert him An easie matter both for their discontents against him and the miserie of that age nourished in the libertie of vnciuill warres This occasion drew Charles from this vniust desseine for at the first brute of rebellion he turnes head towards France but there chanced more to him then he expected for he not onely left his Neeces patrimonie but his owne life in Italie with a notable instruction Not to loose this life for the desire of an other mans goods Thus died Charles the bald at Mantoua the yeare 879. leauing the Realme to his sonne Lewis Where he dies the which hee sought to augment with an others right LEVVIS the second called the stuttering 27. King and Emperour LVDOWICK .2 KING OF FRANCE XXVII HE raigned onely two yeares and succeeded his father likewise in the Empire but not without opposition for the Princes of Italie sought to be Soueraines and the Germaines bearing impatiently the confusions passed desired to restore the beauty of the Imperial dignity greatly decayed in Italie by such as possessed the â—aâ—ds of the Empire They spared not the Pope himselfe who by little and little vsurped the Imperiall rights in Italie These complaints being made to Lewis the Emperour Iohn the 3. Pope of Rome came into France to redresse that which conceâ—ned the Sea of Rome He was courteously receiued by the King 880. staied in France a whole yeare and there held a Councell at Troyes in Champagne The raigne of Lewis was very short The Pope was scarcegâ—ne but hee was lodged in the bed of death He had no lawfull children but two bastards Lewis and Caroloman both men growne whereof the one was already married to the daughter of Boson King of Arles His wife was with child In the doubtfulnesse of the fâ—â—ite which should be borne he must prouide a Regent to gouerne the realme if it were a sonne And although Lewis loued his two bastards deere'y yet would he not haue them Regents but made choise of Eudes or Odon Duke that is to say gouernour of Anger 's the sonne of Robert of the race of Widichind of Saxony of whom we haue before made mention to bee Regent of the Realme and experience taught Lewis leaues his wife with childe that his iudgement was good Thus Lewis dyed hauing left nothing memorable but a sonne wherein I obserue three notable things The efficacie of the Lawe of State preseruing the right of the lawfull heire not yet borne The minoritie of a King subiect to many confusions and miseries and the liberty of great men in the weakenesse of a young Prince who fiâ—he boldly in a troubled streame In this raigne happened the Eclipse of the Empire The first check giuen to this second race was by a League which dying in shew made the King to dye in effect and in the end carryed away the Crowne burying both the King and all his race in one tombe This History is very obsâ—ure by reason of the Regents which are numbred among the Kings during the minoritie of the lawfull heire and therefore good directions are needfull in so confused a laborinth of diuers raignes Behold therefore the simple and plaine truth Lewis the Stuttering being dead the Parliament assembled to resolue for the gouernment of the realme vntill that God should send the Queene a happy deliuery The estates honour the Queenes wombe and if it were a sonne appoint who should be Gouernour to the King and Regent of the Realme vntill he came to the age of gouernment There was no Prince that made any question to the Infants title that was to bee borne or that sought to take the adâ—antage of the time to aduance himselfe vnder colour of neerenesse of bloud but it was concluded by common consent they should carefully preserue the Qâ—eenes wombe vntill her deliuery The Kings will was plaine for he called Eudes as we haue said to be Gouernour to his child vnborne and Regent of the realme Regents crowned as Kings but Lewis and Caroloman bastards of France had so laboured for voyces as they preuailed against this Testamentary decree and were chosen Regents by the Estates who for confirmation of this authoritie decreed they should be crowned yet with a profitable exception for the pupils interest the lawfull heire of the Crowne A dangerous proceeding A dangerous course making seruants taste the sweetnesse of Soueraigne command which made the way to a horrible confusion and multiplying the authoritie of many masters did greatly preiudice the lawfull heire the which may not without extreame danger be imparted but to one onely The Queene was happily deliuered of a sonne the which was saluted King and was called Charles of whom wee shall speake hereafter The day of his birth was the 12. of December Charles borne after his â—athers death in the yeare 881. But we must now passe 22. yeares full of troubles before our pupill comes to age so as to marche safely in so obscure a laborinth wee must distinctly note the diuers parcels of this interreigne 882. The Minoritie of Charles called the Simple the which continued 22. yeares vnder 4. Regents whom they call Kings LEwis and Caroloman Brothers the bastards of Lewis the Stuttering chosen by the States raigned two yeares or there abouts to whom they adde Lewis the idle the sonne of
these butchers attending their misery Lewis King of France punisheth the rebells shut themselues into the great Tower of S. Donas Lewis doth first bury the body of this good Earle honourably the which had lien without sepulchre and then doth punish the murtherers and their complices rigourously But this is not all He must prouide for the Earledome remayning without a Lord by the death of Count Charles deceassed without children Pretendants for the Earledome of Flanders There wanted no pretendants William of Ypre sonne to Philip of Flanders the second sonne of Robert the Frison King Henry of England who desired greatly to ioyne this goodly Country with his Normandy Stephen of Blois Earle of Montreuill and Bologne Baldwin Earle of Hainault and William the sonne of Robert called Court-house brother to the King of England but his sworne enemy hauing vsed his father ill and kept him prisoner Lewis was soueraigne Iudge of this controuersy Flanders depending on the crowne of France He assigned all the pretendants of the Citty of Arras signifiyng that his intent was to do him iustice but in effect he inclined to fauour adiudging the Earledome of Flanders to the last that is to William of Normandy to binde him with more strict bounds against his â—â—nsman On the other side the Flemings assemble at Ypre and chose William of Loâ— Lord of Ypre The King aduanceth with his forces to Ypre to preuent this popular election where he enters the stonger and forceth William to renownce it VVilliam of Normandy made Earle of Flanders From thence he goes to all other good Citties where by his authority he causeth William of Normandy to be receiued for lawfull Earle and puts him in solemne possession by a publike act But his fauour had ill bestowed this goodly inheritance of an vnworthy man whose fury depriued him presently Lewis hauing installed him He oppresseth his newe subiects returnes into France William insteed of winning his newe subiects by equity and mildnesse begins to oppresse them after a rigorous and imperious manner by infringing of their preuileges ostentations of his authority taxes subsidies newe impositions and by all other meanes which Princes that seeke to loose their Estates hold to torment their subiects He had so far exceeded as the Citties without any wauering resolue to prouide a better Earle and to this intent they seeke a head The memorie of their good Earle makes them to cast their eyes vpon him that hath most right to this inheritance as the neerest kinsman which is Thierri son to the Duke of Alsatia and of Gertrude daughter to Robert the Frison The Flemings intreat him to come into their country The Flemings chooâ—e them a new Earle promising him all assistance to conquer the State He comes and is receiued with an extraordinary ioy by all the people All the Citties assemble to acknowledge him by order and dismisse William of Normandy who seeing a flat repulse by this people thus freed repayres to Lewis for succour in this extremity Lewis fayles him not his army marcheth with great speed hee himselfe comes in person and is receiued into Arras from thence he adiornes Thierry to come and answer before him as his soueraigne by what warrant hee carries himselfe for Earle this sommons is made vnto him at Ypre whether he had retired himselfe Hauing condemned him by default Thierrithe new Earle of Flanders defeated he approcheth his army to Ypre to vexe the inhibâ—bitants Thierri sallies forth with a notable troupe of men they ioyne the fight is fierce but the check falles vpon Thierries forces who with much a doe saues himselfe in Alost William pursues him and approcheth the towne sommoning the Inhabitants to obey and to deliuer vp Thierri as an Vsurper VVilliam of Normandy stâ—â—â—e in Flanders But he was not aduised that one with a Crossebow shot an arrow at him and pierced him through the arme Behold hee is wounded and within two dayes he dies Thierri and the Flemings send presently to Lewis to beseech him to receiue them into fauour whereby he may be assured of theyr faithfull seruice Lewis consents and confirmes him and hauing caused him to take the oath of fidelity and receiued his homage after the manner of his Ancestors 1121. he returnes into France But Flanders continued not long in quiet as we shall see hereafter To these stirres of Flanders were added some garboyles in Bourbonois and Auuergne Archibauld Earle of Bourbon was deceassed leauing one sonne of the same name Troubles in Bourbonois but a young man and a brother called Haman who abusing the time in the weake minoritie of his Nephew would make himselfe Maister of Bourbonois pretending the Earledome to appertaine vnto him by the death of his elder brother to whom hee must succeed in order as the yongest of the house The mother and friends of Archibauld opposed against Hamon the right of representation inuiolable in France in great houses which is that the sonne of the eldest brother represeâ—ts the Father and without doubt succeeds in all his rights to enioy them as if he himselfe liued for that the Father reuiues in the Sonne Hamon building his chiefe interest vpon force would not admit any reason that made for his Nephew so as the matter was brought before the King who by the aduise of his Councell declares Archibauld the lawfull heire and puts Haman from his pretensions commanding him to leaue the possession of Bourbonois free to his Nephew 1123. This Archibauld did afterwards marrie his daughter Beatrix to Robert Earle of Clermont in Beauuoisis sonne to the King S. Lewis The stâ—â—ke of the house of Bourbon and of this marriage by the royall stemme is discended the most famous race of Bourbon the which at this day doth happily enioy the Crowne and realme of France But Haman who held some places in Burbonois would not leaue the possession refusing to obey the Kings commandement relying vpon the fauour of Eustache Earle of Auuergne who sought to free himselfe There was a priuate subiect of complaint against him hauing displaced the Bishop of Clermont against the Kings will These occasions drew the King into Bourbonois where hauing besieged Haman he ended this controuersie in fauour of Archibauld The affaires of Auuergne were more difficult by reason of William Duke of Guienne who imbraced the cause for the Earle of Auuergne pretending that he was his vassall This quarrell seemed to take a long course but it was pacified by this meanes Lewis had six sonnes Philip Lewis Henry another Philip Peter Robert and one Daughter Constance He had crowned his eldest sonne Philip who dyed by a strange accident going to take the aire on horseback Philip eldest sonne to Lewis died by a strange accident a Hog passed vnder the bellie of his horse the which being feared did shake this young King so violently as he threw him downe and so brused him as within few dayes after hee
of Vallois Iohn Charles the 5. Charles the 6. Charles the 7. Lewis the 11. Charles the 8. who dying without Children the lawe calles the children of Lewis Duke of Orleans The house of Oâ—leâ—ns called to the crowne the sonne of Charles the 6. to raigne one after an other Charles Duke of Orleans and Iohn Duke of Angoulesme for Lewis the sonne of Charles raâ—gned vnder the name of Lewis the 12. who dying without issue male the lawe takes the other branche of Iohn of Angoulesme so as it sets the Crowne vpon the head of Francis the 1. his onely sonne and from Francis the 1. to Henry the 2. his sonne and so in order to Francis the 2. Charles the 9. Henry the 3. his children successiuely from brother to b other This direct line ending in Henry the 3. the last King of the house of Vallois the law calles the second sonne of S. Lewis named Robert who giues the royall branche to Bourbon Out of the which is issued Henry of Bourbon the fourth of that name King of France and of Nauarre now raigning but we will set downe his genealogie distinctly in the end of the royall race of Vallois It sufficeth to haue noted the order of the following raignes returning to the course of our Historie Thus S. Lewis the 9. liued and thus he dyed the honor of vertue in our Kings leauing Philip his eldest Sonne for his successor PHILIP the third called the Hardie the 45 King of France PHILIPPE .3 KING OF FRANCE XXXXV THE authoritie of Lewis was so great as neither his absence not his death could alter any thing in the estaâ—e of France 1270. Being dead Philip his eldest Sonne was procâ—aimed King in the Armie and as much as the time would permit was recâ—iued with a generall applause of all men as hee in whom the Fathers vertue and authoritie was yet liuing The Armie in the meane time is fortified with the Fleetes of England and of Sicilia so as the Barbarians seeing the whole Countrie in Armes and on fire they demand a truce and obtaine it vpon condition That they should suffer the Christians which were dispersed in diuers parts of Affricke to liue in peace But that which did most presse Philip was his returne into France Queene Isabel dyes So as hee gathers his troupes together the remainder of the plague and of the vnciuill vsage of that barbarous Countrie and parts from Affricke into Sicilia where his losses encrease for his Wife Isabell dyes there And his Vncle Alphonsus with his Wife the Countesse of Tholouse dye soone after at Bologne without any Children so as according to the contract of marriâ—â—e the Earledome of Tholouse should be incorporate to the Crowne Another sinister accident chanced to Richard the Sonne of Henry King of England to the end the English might likewise reckon their gaines in this voyage for being arriued at Viterbo a Ciâ—tie of the Popes walking in Saint Lawrence Church Richard sonne to Henry King of England slaine traiterouslie suspecting no enemie behold this Guy of Montford the Sonne of Simon of whom wee haue spoken kills him in the presence of all his followers and drawing his Sword hee makes his way to the Church doore where finding a Horse ready he flies into Tuscane whereat neither the Pope Philip nor Charles were any thing moued This murther thus neglected shall bleed hereafter But these were not all the occurrents which Philip had in his returne home Pope Clement the 4. borne in Langâ—edoc being dead the Cardinals loth to yeeld one vnto another disagree in the election of a new Pope and continued in this contention two yeares nine moneths and one day as Platina reporteth Great contention for the election of a new Pope Our Philip and Charles his Vncle intreate the Colledge of Cardinalls to make an end of so scandalous a discention The respect of their admonition was not frutelesse For the Cardinals resolue that not any one of the Colledge that had assisted at this tedious controuersie should be Pope Thibaud of Plaisance Archedeacon of Leege being absent in the voyage of the East was chosen and called Gregorie the tenth In the end Philip returnes into France to the great content of his Subiects Hauing interred the dead his Father Wife Vncle Ante and Cousine hee disposed of the affaires of Iustice according to the instructions and example of his Father Saint Lewis famous amongst all our Kings And then hee married with Mary the Daughter of Henry Duke of Brabant hauing three Sonnes by Isabell his first Wife Lewis eldest sonne to Philip poisoned Lewis Philip and Charles But here wee shall not finde the happinesse of our Saint Lewis for this second marriage was blemished with a sadde and foule suspect Lewis the eldest Sonne of King Philip dyed with apparent signes of poison This mischiefe encreaseth by the iealousie is had of Queene Marie his Mother in Lawe and Peter de la Broche chiefe Chamberlaine to the King and principall Intendant of his Treasure being the Queenes fauorite is accused for this fact and being prisoner he confesseth the crime and accuseth the Queene as hauing poisoned Lewis by her command Moreouer as one mischiefe commeth not alone La Broche is found guiltie of Treason by his owne Letters giuing intelligence to the King of Castile of the estate of France being then no friend to this Crowne This crime alone was sufficient for his death being hanged leauing Mary in trouble by his accusation and by the strange euent a notable example of the inconstancie of the Court and the vanitiâ— of the world Marie denies the fact by othe The King desirous to bee satisfied proceedes strangely For want of common proofe hee resolues to learne the trueth by a Sorceresse to whom hee sends a Bishop and an Abbot This Witche remained in Holland and was Subiect to the Duke of Brabant the Queenes Father The Bishop and Abbot at their returne faâ—e not to absolue the Queene by her report but they free her not from the generall iealousie of the French nor in the Kings conceit who after this accusation did neuer enioy any rest in his house These were the beginnings of the raigne of Philip whose progresse and end shall bee nothing better His Vncle Charles King of Sicilia shall crosse his life with many toyles and end it with perplexitie But let vs obserue euery thing in order As by the decease of Alphonsus and Ioane his Wife being dead without Children the Countie of Tholouse came to the Crowne The Countie of Tholouse annexed to the Crowne so Philip failed not to take possession thereof as one of the most important peeces of his Estate but hee found some alterations there through the priuate quarrels of his Subiects The Earle of Foix hauing a notable quarrell with Girard of Casebonne had taken his house from him by force Girard fled to the King for Iustice but the Earle trusting to his Fortes and the
transported with ioy as he falls into a quotidian with a Catarre amidst all his iollitie the which carried him within three dayes after to the graue being the first of December This death did greatly impaire the Emperours affaires in Italy and bred new gouernments new Councels and a new estate of affaires in the Duchie of Milan The Cardinals of Medicis and Sion Alterations after this death went to assist at the election of a new Pope The imperialls reteined fifteene hundred Suisses and dismissed the rest The Lansequenets likewise departed The Florentine companies returned into Tuscanie Guy of Rangon lead part of those of the Church to Modena the other remained with the Marquis of Mantoua in the Duchie of Milan And the Duke of Ferrara making his profit of this occasion recouered with the liking of the inhabitants Bondene Final the mountaine of Modene and Garfagnane he tooke Lugo Bagnacaual and other Townes of Romagnia Likewise Francis Maria being expelled his Duchie of Vrbin by Leo 1522. and called home by the people recouered it in few dayes Our Commanders slept not but the chance was turned The Admirall of Bonnaue with three hundred Launces Frederic of â—ossoâ—e and Marc Anthonie Colonnet leading fiue thousand French and Italians Paâ—ma beseeged in vaine went to beseege Parma the which after many distresses incident to the Townes beseeged was pâ—eserued by the wise resolution and singular direction of Francis Guiciardin gouernour thereof In the meane time the Cardinalls at Rome did striue for Saint Peters chaire The Cardinall of Medicis for the reputation of his greatnesse for his reuenues and glory gotten in the Conquest of Milan had alreadie gotten the voices of fiâ—teene Cardinals But the rest could not endure two Popes togither of one familie which might haue beene a President to vsurpe a right of succession in the Popedome The most ancient Cardinals opposed themselues against his nomination euery man pretending that dignitie for himselfe which an other sought so greedily During their controuersies Cardinall Adrian Bishop of Derthuse borne at Trect and somet me scholemaster to the Emperour Charles was put in the election not with any intent to install him in the place of the deceassed but onely to spend that morning and by delayes coole the heat of the most violent sutors But the Cardinall of Saint Sixte hauing by a long 〈◊〉 amplified his vertues and knowledge some yeelded vnto him it may bee the Eâ—perour would haue beene displeased if they had reiected his election others followed them so as all the Cardinals agreeing A new Pope called Adrian the sixth by a common consent hee was created Pope when as he least dreamed of it being absent a stranger vnknowne hauing neuer seene Italie and without thought or hope euer to see it Being loth to change his name he was called Adrian the sixth But what shall this poore Fleming get to runne so far to sit in a chaire so much enuied He came from Spaine where the Emperour had made him gouernour in his absence to seeke his death at Rome He shall bee little esteemed during his Popedome and they will bee glad to send him speedily after his Predecessor The winter passed and our souldiars scattered their harnesse to arme againe The warre â—â—uiued the one sort to preserue their Conquests and the other to recouer their losses To this end the King sent Renè bastard of Sauoie Earle of Villars Lord Steward of France the Maâ—shall of Saint Chabannes Galeas of Saint Seuerin maister of his horse and the Lord of Montmorency newly created Marshall of France to make a leuie of sixteene thousand Suisses for to succour Lautrec And to crosse him the Emperour by meanes of the King of Englands money estranged from the loue of France sent Ierâ—sme Adorne to make a leuie of sixe thousand Lansquenets to put into Milan with Francâ—s Sforce Adorne coming to Trent vnderstood that the Milanois had alreadie entertained foure thousand foote with the which hee retired to Milan whilest the other sixe thousand did arme In the meane time there wanted no practises at Milan by Ierosme Moron and his partisans to kindle the peoples hatred against the French It is not alone in our late troubles that wee haue tried with what efficacie seditious sermons touch the peoples hearts Andrew Barbato an Augustine by profession preaching with a great concurse of people did wonderfully incourage them to defend their religion goods families liues and Countrie A vehement Preacher and gratious to the people leads them as hee pleaseth and it is the ordinarie mask of the wise men of this world to settle their affaires It is no lesse honour to preserue then to get Tenne thousand Suisses were alreadie come and Prosper Colonne to keepe the French from entring into Milan by the Castle and to furnish it with victuall and munition hee caused to bee made after the manner of the ancient Romaines without the sayd Castle betwixt the gates that go to Verceil and Come two trenches distant twentie paces one from another about a mile long and at the end of either of the sayd trenches a Caualier or Mount verie high and well furnished to indammage the ennemie with Cannon if hee approched on that side so as the succours could not enter nor the beseeged go forth Lautrec hauing by chance surprised and defeated the troupe of Lewis of Conzague repayred his Companies and the Venetians assembled theirs about Cremona who being ioyned with the Suisses passed the riuer of Adde the fiâ—st of March and Iohn de Medicis with them who perswaded by the Kings great and certaine entertainment was newly drawen to his seruice They march like men resolued to assaâ—â—e the rampaâ— but the trenches stay them the third day Marc Anthony Colonne and Camille bastard sonne to Iohn Iaques of Triuulce Milan beseeged walking togither in a house and deuising to make a mount to shoot from with their artillerie betwixt the enemies two trenches a voâ—ce of Cannon shot from the Towne did beate downe the sayd house and buried them in the ruines thereof Thus Lautrec despayring to take Milan by assault conuertâ—th all his thoughts to vanquish it in time by famine he wasts the Countrie stops the victual breaks the miâ—s and cuts off theiâ— water But not to fall into their hands whome they feare they dread not death The peoples hatred against the French and the desire of their new Duke whome they expected makes them to endure all distresses patiently Francis Sforce comes to Trent with six thousand Lansquenets who by the taking of the Castle of Croare hauing opened the passage of Po arriued without any let at Pauia The way was dâ—fficult from Pauia to Milan for at the first brute of their approch Lautrec went to lodge at Cassin and the Venetians at Binasque vpon the way to Pauia There fâ—ll out an accident which helpt Sforce The Marshall of Foix came out of France with money and some troupes of footmen Lautrec sent
had beene so abandoned to mischiefe as neyther the feare of God nor the dignity of his person could disswade them from this horrible sacrilege Onethiâ—g saied hee doth comfort mee that I reade in your faces with the griefe of your hearts and the sorrowe of your soules a goodly and commendable resolution to continue vnited for the preseruation of that which remaynes whole of my Estate The Kings last speeches and the reuenge which you owe vnto the memorie of him who hath loued you so deerely I seeke not the last curiously leauing the punishement of my enemies vnto God I haue learned in his schoole to forgiue them as I do with al m heart But as I am chiefely bound to procure peace and reast vnto this realme I coniure you all by that inuiolable faith which you owe vnto your Countrie that you continue fiâ—me and constant defenders of the common libertie and that you neuer laye downe armes vntill you haue purged the Realme of the troublers of the publike quiet And forasmuch as diuision aloane vndermines the foundations of this Monarchie resolue to bee vnited in one will I knowe and I dare assure you that the King of Nauarre my Brother in Lawe and lawefull successor to this Crowne is sufficiently instructed in the Lawes to knowe howe to raigne well and to commaunde reasonable things and I hope you are not ignorant of the iust obedience you owe vnto him Referre the difference of religion to the Conuocation of the Estates of the Realme and learne of mee that pietie is a dutie of man vnto God ouer which worldly force hath no power Thus spake Henry euen as the last pangs of death carried him within few houres after from this vnto an other world but a notable circumstance in the same chamber where the Councell was held on that fatall day of Saint Bartlemewe in the yeare 1572. By his death hee extinguished the second parcell of the third race of Capets in the branch of Valois leauing the Crowne to the third roiall branch of the Bourbons wherevnto the order of the fundamentall Law did lawfully call him A mild and tractable Prince courteous wittie eloquent and graue His manners but of easie accesse deuout louing learning aduancing good witts a bountifull rewarder of men of merit desirous to reforme the abuses of his officers a friend to peace and capable of counsell but weak and yeelding in aduersities and by that meane making his enemies ouer-bold in their ambitious desseins Finally a Prince who deserued to be placed amongst the worthiest of this Monarchie if volupâ—uousnes luxury excessiâ—e prodigalitie to some of his fauorites the which might without enuie haue beene diuided amongst many men of honour had not made him negligent and carâ—lesse of the politike gouernment of his estate and so blemished the goodliest graces which nature had planted in his soule THE THIRD PARCELL OF THE THIRD RACE OF CAPETS IN THE ROYALL BRANCHE OF the Bourbons beginning at Henry now King of Nauarre and the fourth of that name of France and of Nauarre Our King shall iudge vs and go before vs and shall conduct our battailes for vs. And God hath annointed thee ouer his inheritance for Prince and thou shalt deliuer his people from the hands of their enemies that are about them And The Lord his God is with him and a crie of the Kings victorie in him HENRY the fourth before King of Nauarre the first of the third royall branch of the Bourbons 63. King of France HENRY IIII. KING OF FRANCE AND NAVAR · · BEhold the Theatre of mans life diuers passions appeare in diuers acts But sorrow yeeldes to ioy and happines chaseth away heauinesse God gouernes the being of this world by seasons Men reape not before they haue sowed neither doe they sowe before they haue laboured Thus he gouerns the society of mankind by certaine degrees that man may know that he deserues not the sweet that hath not tasted of the sowre and that the force of his wit can no waye aduance the happy successe of his Estate without the helpe and grace of that great Gardien who by miraculous meanes preserues Estates from apparent ruine This reigne hath two parcells The beginning is painefull full of crosses and confused vntill that our Henry sollemnly installed be acknowledged lawfull King by alâ— his subiects for till then the most impudent and passionate called him the Bearnois 〈◊〉 disdaine others more modest left him his first title of King of Nauarre or at the least of Prince of Bearne But the successe will teach vs that euen nowe the Lord would suoâ—our this Monarchie and in despight of all the violent oppositions of man make our King to triumphe ouer all domesticall and forrayne insolencies which had â—â—â—allowed him for the lawfull successor and almost dispossessed him of his Realme Doubtlesse we must confesse without flattery that France had neede of this Prince to roote out like an other French Hercules those hideous monsters which made it horrible and fearefull to her owne children to restore the French to the greatnes of their reputation and this crowne to her former beauty It is of him that the Princes of our age and of future ages shall learne to be Captaines He himselfe alone hath made more warre then all they haue seene together Let vs also obserue a great conformity of his raigne with that of Dauid in afflictions and blessings and 〈◊〉 that God would make him equall in the zeale of pietie and iustice the chiefe and fiâ—mest pillers of a royalty let vs hope that with a holy ambition being borne a King he will shew himselfe so and that he may long reigne happily to the glory of God the good of his subiects and the health of his owne soule But let vs see by what degrees the fundamentall lawe of this Estate calles him to this monarchie The Genealogy of the King Saâ—â—t Lewis Lewis surnamed Saint .44 King of France had many sonnes Philip his successor surnamed the hardy Peter Earle of Alançon Robert also Earle of Alançon by the death of Peter and Robert Earle of Clermont in Beauuaism the first and the last haue left issue the two others died without heires and before their father Philip hath left by order successiue in direct line masculine and lawfull or collaterall from the neâ—rest to the neerest kinne all our Kings which haue continued in the tâ—ird royall race euen vnto Henry the 3. King of France and of Poland by whoâ—e death the name and family of Valois being extinct the lawe seekes to the line of Robert Earle of Clermont in Beauuasm and findes not any one neerer then the house of Vendesme whereof our Henrie is the sole and lawfull heire Male as descending in the â—irect masculine and lawfull line from the said Robert Robert For Robert had by Beatrix the onely daughter and heire of Archibauld Earle of Bourbon Lâ—wis the first Duke of Bourbon Lewis whose lands were
head of the Albigeois in the raigne of Philip Augustus fol. 165. The Popes Legat slaine by the Albigeois ibid. An Aâ—my against the Albigeois a great slaughter of them by Symâ—n oâ— Monfort ibiâ— Count Raymond and his confederats defâ—ated by Symâ—â— of Monfort 〈◊〉 167 The Councell of Latran The Eaâ—ldome of Tholouse giuen to Symon of Montfort ibid Symoâ— hated by his subiects of Languedock is slaine before Tholouse Count Raymond is receiued againe into Languedock ibid Warre in Guienne against the English fol. 168. Lewis compounds for Languedock with the Sonnes of Simon of Monfort ibid. Count Raymond submits himselfe to the Pope Desolation of the Albigeois ibid. Lewis dies ibid. Lewis the ninth called Saint Lewis the 44. King of France QVeene Blanche Regent of the King and Realme fol. 169. Afection in France for the Regencie ibid. Languedock annexed to the Crowne by marriage fol. 170. Blanch preuents the discontented princes ibid. Lewis in danger to be surprized by his rebels ibid. Prouence comes to Charles of Aniou a sonne of France fol. 171 Lewis his disposition the patterne of an excellent prince fol. 172 A happy peace in the raigne of Lewis the rest of of the Albigeois fol. 173 Estate of the Empire and of the Church ibid. The Pope seekes to driue the Emperour out of Italie ibid. The Emperour goes with an armie against the Pope and his confederats ibid. The Pope drawes the French to his succour fol. 174 The Popes pollicie to supplant the Emperours ibid. Fredericks happie successe in Asia ibid. The Popes hatred against the Emperour irrecoÌ„ciliable ibid. The Emperour enters Italie with a great armie fol. 175 Gregorie turnes enemie to Fredericke beeing chosen Pope ibid. The Emperour Fredericke excommunicated and degraded the Germaines choose another Emperour ibid. The death of Fredericke fol. 176 Conrades sonne poysoned by Manfroy his bastard brother hee vsurpes Sicilia and Naples ibid. Lewis refuseth Sicilia and Naples offered him by the Pope ibid. Charles Earle of Prouence defeates and kills Manfroy in Sicilia ibid. The Empire without an Emperour by their ciuil confusions fol. 177 Charles of Aniou vicar of the Empire and king of Naples and Sicilia ibid. Conradin seekes to recouer his realme and is defeated ibid. He is cruelly beheaded by Charles with many others ibid. Lewis resolues to goe into Asia the confused estate of the Empire there ibid. The Empire of the Greekes translated to the French ibid. Three Emperours at one instant in the East 178 Lewis goes with an army into the East ibid. The Tartars refuse the Christian religion by reason of their ill life fol. 179 Lewis takes Damiette ibid. He besieged Caire indiscreetly The plague falls into his campe ibid. Lewis is distressed taken by the Sultan of Egypt and paies his ransome ibid. The French generally lament for their King fol. 180 Lewis makes good lawes ibid. Blanch his mother dies ibid. The English rebell against their King ibid. Lewis reconciles the English to their King ibid. Diuision in Flaunders pacified by Lewis ibid. Lewis goes into Barbarie fol. 181 Makes a league with England ibid. In danger at Sea ibid. His army infected with the plague ibid. Lewis beeing sicke giues his sonne instruction 182 His death vertues raigne children and posteritie ibid. The house of Orleans called to the Crowne ibid. Philip 3. called the Hardy the 45. king of France QVeene Isabel dies fol. 183 Richard sonne to Henry king of England slain traiterously ibid. Great contention for the election of a new Pope fol. 184 Lewis eldest sonne to Philip poysoned And the Countie of Tolouse annexed to the crowne ibid. The French expelled Constantinople by the Greekes fol. 185 Philips disposition and why called Hardie ibid. Charles king of Sicilia a turbulent Prince ibid. Peter of Arragon leuies an armie to inuade Sicilia fol. 186 Sicilian Euensong where all the French are slain ibid. Peter of Arragon Charles beeing expulst enters Sicilia and is crowned king fol. 187 The Pope supports Charles against Peter fol. 188 Philip succours his vnckle Charles and the Sicilianâ— seeke to make peace with Charles but Peter politickly auoides all danger ibid. A combate appointed betwixt two kings ibid. Peter fortifies himselfe in Sicilia fol. 189 Charles the sonne called the Lame taken prisoner and Charles the fathers death ibid. Philip makes warre against Peter of Arragon is defeated and dies ibid. Philip set vpon vnawares in danger with his death and children fol. 190 Philip the 4. called the Faire the 46. King of France PHilips disposition and issue vnhappy in the mariage of his sonnes fol. 191 The Parliament of Paris erected the Palace and the colledge of Nauarre built fol. 192 Cause of warre in Flaunders and Guienne ibid. Occasions to renew the war with the English ib. A league betwixt Edward of England Guy of FlaÌ„ders the Emperour the Duke of Bar against Philip. fol. 193 Philip seizeth vpon the Earle of Flanders daughter ibid. The English affaires succeeded ill ibid. A great assembly of Princes against Philip. fol. 194 Pope Boniface enemy to Philip. ibid. The Pope makes a decree against Philip and hee prepares to defend himselfe fol. 195 Philip hauing admonished the Earle of Flanders of his dutie inuades his countrey and defeats the Flemmings seizeth vpon all Flanders the Earle beeing forsaken by his confederates ibid. Guy put into prison and Flanders annexed to the crowne of France fol. 196 The people of Flanders oppressed reuolt and ioyne with the Nobilitie and kill the French ibid. Battaile of Courteay famous for the great defeate of the French fol. 197. A notable affront done by Pope Boniface to Philip. ibid. Arrogancy of the Popes Nuntio fol. 198. Philip subdues and makes peace with the Flemmings ibid. Guy Earle of Flanders and his daughter died fol. 199. Isabell the daughter of Philip married to Edward king of England ibid. Adolph the Emperor deposed and the Pope practiseth against Philip ibid. Pope Boniface his death and disposition fol. 201 The Colledge of Cardinals apply themselues wholy to please Philip. ibid. Pope Clement the 5. crowned at Lyons and remooues his seate to Auignon ibid. Philips death and the fruites of the Easterne voyages fol. 202 The Christians loose all in the East fol. 203. The estate of Sicilia ibid. Lewis the 10. callâ—d Hutin the 47. king of France THe maners of Lewis Hutin his wiues f. 204 Enquerand of Maâ—â—gny vniustly put to death ib. Ione the daughter of Lewis Hutin pretends the realme fol. 205 The Parliament made ordinary ibid. Philip the 5. called the long the 48. king of France COntrouersie for the crown of France fol. 206 Philips coronation childreÌ„ disposition ibid. Rebels calling themselues Shepards fol. 207. Flanders pacified ibid. Charles the 4. called the faire 49. King of France CHarles crowned without opposition fol. 208 His disposition and issue ibid. Isabel complaines of her husband Edward king of England fol. 209 The second parcell of the third race of the Capets containing 13. kings
French lying vpon his countrie in garrison and spoiling it and so to deceiue both the Pope and Pepin but behold a strange accident befalls him Of an ill life an vnhappy end Being a hunting chasing more after his fantasies then the beast his horse casts him downe a rocke and breakes his neck Thus the subtill Lombard thinking to deceiue was deceiued he ended his subtiltie with his life and the warre begun by him without reason by a iust death The Pope recouers his places and Pepin returnes into France taking nothing in Italy but leauing the realme of Lombardie in the same estate he found it without any alteration This Kingdome ended not with Astolpho for Didier Duke of Hetruria his neere kinsman seizeth presently thereon by meanes of his intelligences but Rachise brother to Astolpho who was lately become a Monke leaues his frock to enioy his fathers kingdome yet for that he was the weaker in this iust title the Pope pacified this controuersie in fauour of Didier who remained King of Lombardie vpon condition that the Citties of Ferrara and Faenze should be yeelded to the Church But let vs returne to Pepin his absence with two yeares continuall warres had broken the vsuall custome to call a Parliament and bred many disorders within the realme Pepin confirmes his authoritie by a Parliament so as being returned into France he presently called a sollemne Parliament wherein he established lawes according to the inconueniences that were to be redrest as good lawes doe commonly proceed from bad manners In this assembly he gaue audience to the Ambassadors of the Emperour Constantin who demanded a confirmation of the amitie and alliance which the Emperour had with the house of France and receiues the new homage of Tassillon Duke of Bauiere So referring all matters of importance to the iudgement of the Estates honouring them that had honoured him he doubled his subiects deuotion and established good lawes within his realme But knowing the humour of the French impatient of rest he found how difficult it was to reteine them long in peace without some forraine imploiment and necessity presents him two occasions one in Guienne He makes a forreine wit to auoide a ciuill and the other in Saxonie Countries subiect to the Crowne of France but both impatient of the French command The Saxons began first with whom Tasillon Duke of Bauiere who as we said did homage to the King ioines contrary to his oth This warre seemed of some difficultie drawing to it all the other Germaines subiect to this Crowne but Pepin preuented it with such speed as hauing suppressed the Saxons he forced them to a new obedience charging them to bring him yearly three hundred good horses for an homage that they should vndergo the censure of the Estates be enemies to the enemies of the King and realme Hauing thus pacified Saxonie he makes a generall assembly at Wormes to settle the affaires of Austrasia from thence he marcheth with his victorious armie against Ieffroy Duke of Guienne according to the resolution of thâ— Estates being leuied for that occasion We haue said that Eudon father to Ieffroy had greatly disquieted France and left his children heires of his discontent but Martel withdrawne by new difficulties could not finish that which he had begun Ieffroy remaines sole Duke of Guienne by the death of his brother he growes daily more insolent bandies all his subiects of Guienne openly against France and afflicts the Clergie infinitly in their liues and liuings Pepin begins with admonitions and threats but Ieffroy grows more obstinate in contemning his Kings command so as they must come to open force and Ieffroy must pay the interests of his long delayes Pepin enters Guienne with an armie and Ieffroy seeing his resolution sends his deputies to auoide this storme Warre in Guienne beseeching him with all humilitie to pardon what was past promising obedience Pepin hauing comanded him to make restitution to the Clergie returnes into France and dismisseth his armie supposing Guienne to be quiet Ieffroy seeking his owne ruine by his furious rashnes goes to field with such forces as he could leuie among his subiects hauing pasâ—ed Loire he enters Bourgogne in hostile manner hoping to surprise Chaâ—lons The King held a Parliament at Orleaâ—s 764 when this intelligence came vnto him he sends them presently to Neuers assembleth his forces and marcheth against Ieffroy who sodenly repasseth the riuer and with great marches recouers Bourdeaux as the Citie of his greatest safetie being as much confuâ—ed in his defence as he was rash in his attempt Pepin pursues him and in his passage all the Townes of Guienne yeeld without any difficulty as to him whom they acknowledge for their lawfull King Ieffroy forsaken of all men pursued criminally by his Prince is slaine by one of his houshold seruants and is interred like a beast in a marish â—ere to Bourdeaux In detestation of his memory Ieffrâ—y pittifully slaine 〈◊〉 like a beast A foolish life a filthy end the place is called the Tombe of Caiphas vnto this day Thus was the vniust and rash rebellion of Ieffroy punished by his death the warre died in Guienne and the wise valour of Pepin was so much the more commended for that his iust pursute was accompanied with patience and mildnesse But Pepin was mortall the toile of so great warres the care of publike affaires had much broken him so as his old age might be more profitably imployed in the maintenance of Iustice and peace then in warre the burthen whereof he might without danger lay vpon his eldest sonne Charles Pepin resignes the Crowne to Charles a wise a valiant young Prince of whose modestie and obedience he was well assured Thus resoluing to passe the rest of his dayes in quiet but not idlely he retires to Paris but soone after he was surprised with a sicknesse whereof hee dyed and so went to heauen there to find rest which he could enioy on earth it was in the yeare 768. of his raigne the eighteenth By his wife Berthe with the great foote he left two sonnes Charles and Caroloman recommending them to the Estates to giue them portions at their pleasures So great was the assurance of this good Prince in the loue of his subiects whom as he had made the most assured gard of his person state so at his death he left his children to their faithfull discretion Pepins childreÌ„ He had seuen daughters Berthe the wife of Milon Earle of Mans mother to that great Roland Hiltrude wife to René Earle of Genes mother to that renowmed Oliuer Roâ—arde Adeline Idubergue Ode and Alix He had the happines to enioy his owne father vntill hee came to the age of man the like good hap continued in his children and for the perfecting of his happinesse hee had a sonne one of the greatest and most excellent Princes that euer ware crowne Thus Pepin the first of that race
any great resistance euen vnto Xaintonge the countrymen being retyred within the Townes expected the returne oâ— Charlemagne their King Aigolands army was great and proud with the remembrance of their late victory so as Charlemagne returning with his troupes from Spaine weâ—l tyred he maintained his countries more through his authority then by present force yet hee fortified the courage of his subiects with his presence and bridled the Sarazin who could not be ignorant with whom he had to deale nor wheâ—e hee was being enuironed with enemies on all sides and in an enemies country The Sarazin seeming to incline to a peace gaue Charlemaigne to vnderstand that he had first inuaded and that his passage into France was onely to draw him out of Spaine and to leaue to the Sarazins their conquered countries free and therefore the treaty of an accord was easie seeing there was no question but to yeeld euery man his owne and to suffer him to enioy it quietly the world being wide enough for them all But to the end this treaty might take effect after many messages on eyther part they resolue to parlee So vpoâ— Charlemagnes faith Aigoland comes to the Campe. Châ—rlemaâ—nâ— and 〈◊〉 part Chaâ—â—emagne either moued with zeale of religioÌ„ or making it the colour of his actions gaue the Sarazin to vnderstand that he should haue his friendship if he would leaue his Pagan superstition be baptised and make open profession of Christianitie 787 The Sarazin although hee had a goodly armie yet not willing to hazard any thing content with this reuenge of Charlemagne desired nothing more then to returne quâ—etly into Spaine â—eing now in Charlemaignes campe to maintaine his reputation he makes no shew of feare Conditions propounded by Aigoland but talking to his owne aduantage as if no force but only reason shouâ—d moue him he enters into a serious and cunning discourse with Charlemagne shewing That vnnecessary warres were the ruine of mankinde and that he was greeued to see so much bloud spilt That he had not begun but followed being vrged by necessitie to defend himselfe against the forces of Charlemagne That he was not yet so abiect nor his forces so weake as to refuse the battaile but for that it were an infinite losse to hazard so many men hee desired to make triall of the right by some troupes and he that vanqâ—ished should haue the right and true religion on his side protesting to â—eeld to that religion which should appeare the best by that triall Accepted by Charlemagâ—e The condition was accepted by Charlemagne The proofe of this priuate combate was made and the Christian troupe vanquished the Sarazin Thus Aigoland protests openly to be a Christian but in heart he had no such meaning and takes this occasion to breake the treatie He findes Charlemagne at table well accompanied with his chiefe followers for then it was the custome of our Kings not to eate alone and sees twelue poore men ill apparelled sitting by vpon the ground neere to the table of the Noble men He demanded what those poore miâ—erable creatures were which did feed apart One answered they were the messengers of God He then sayd their God was of small account seeing his messengers were so mâ—serable and contemptible and therevpon takes occasion to retire himselfe hauing lost no labour by this treaty but qualified the force of Charlemagne viewed his traine and made shew of his courage and dexteritie euen without an Ambassador Charlemagne on the other side was resolute to haue his reuenge Sarazins defeated in Spaine for so notable a losse of men and so bold an affront of the Sarrazin with all speed he raiseth an armie of an hundred and thirty thousand men A notable number for this realme and so fraught with choller and indignation he returnes into Spaine His entrie was prosperous for at the first incounter hee defeated Aigolands armie neere to Pampelune and for a seale of his victory he carried away the head of his enemy Aigoland slaine by the hand of Arnold of Belange a noble and valiant Knight but the sequele was not answerable to the beginning for notwithstanding the ouerthrow of these Sarazin troupes all the rest in Spaiâ—e were nâ—t vanquished where there were more Kings and more men of warre who had great correspondencie with Amurathe King of Babilon where was their nursery and store-house Marsille and Bellingand bretheren were the chiefe of the remainder of the Sarazin armie wherein there was a great Babilonian Giant called Ferragut of an exceeding greatnesse who was slaine by Rowland nephew to Charlemagne and this act is famous in our Histories and is sung by our Romaines with a great fabulous shew After the death of their brother they gather together the relikes of their defeated troupes they make shew of resolute men and vow to sell this victory deerly to Charlemagne being fauoured by many good Townes within the countrie Charlemagne stayes sodenly and pursues not his victory But God reserues to himselfe a soueraigne power ouer mens desseignes yea ouer the greatest and in matters of greatest consequence to the end that all may learne to aske councell and successe from him It was his will that the French forces should not possesse Spaine the which he allotted as a portion for another nation Thus Charles who should haue beene all fire after his victory tempered his heate which caused Idnabala the Sarazin A treatie of peace with the Sarazin which they accept hauing free accesse vnto his campe to make some motion of peace He was a good Secretary of his companions mindes what sheâ— soeuer he made to speake of himselfe Charlemagne considering by late experieâ—â—e that the successe of armes was variable and that this warre was to his sâ—biects losse imploying both liues and goods for the purchase of an vncertaine victory and seeing himselfe charged with infinite great affaires in his estates to the preseruation whereof reason called him 791. rather then to seeke for new he seemes not vnwilling to heaâ—ken to the motion of Idâ—abala who told him plainely that hee found the Sarazins affaires to be so desperate as they would gladly imbrace his friendship at what rate soeuer The Sarazins answer reioycing at this new accord was soone made The treaty being begun the fundamentall article of religion was propounded the which Charlemagne makes shew to maintaine with great vehemencie but the Sarazins being obstinate Charles is content to grant them peace paying some great summes of money as a token they had beene vanquished Hee sends a Noble man of his Court names Ganes The Treason of Ganelon to treat with them the people haue since called him Ganelon as an odious name who being corrupted by Marsile and Belligand promiseth them meanes to send Charlemagne into France and to make him receiue a notable disgrace They agree to make a composition being in shew very honourable for Charles to whom they promise to pay as an homage and an
was greatly troubled with diuers factions among the which the Kings part was reckoned the greater but experience shewed it was the weakest for Eudes kept them in awe The King who had the greatest interest thought least thereon being ill aduised by them who sought to abuse his simple and tractable disposition and to aduance themselues by his ruine Hee solicits Eudes in such sort as in the end he strips himselfe of all authoritie and resignes it into the Kings hands who knowes neither how to manage it nor how to auoyd his owne misfortune the which Eudes preuented whilest he liued It was not long before his death that he resigned al his authoritie of Regent vnto Charles as to the lawfull heire the which hee could not long keepe when hee was in possession thereof according to his soueraigne desire CHARLES the 3. called the simple 31. King CHARLES .3 KING OF FRANCE XXXI HEE was Crowned in the yeare 902. Eudes gouerning with him eight yeares from his coronation 902. Charles remayning alone after the death of his Regent in the yeare 902. raigned 27. yeares His raigne was miserable both in the beginning midest and ending He ratified the accord made with the Normans by Charles the Grosse and sealed it with the marriage of his sister Gilette with Rhou or Raoul hee is also called Rhoulon their chiefe Commander who hauing left the Pagan superstition and imbraced Christian religion purchased a great reputation in that Country whereof he was first called Duke But the Normans sute ceasing a more violent fire is kindled by confusion All breaks forth A league made against the King discouers it selfe and takes armes without shame or respect A memorable league of Robert against King Charles the 3. but being the breeding of the change of this second race We must obserue it very distinctly and seeke out the motiues thereof The League of Robert brother to Eudes 906 against king Charles the simple the first steppe to the change of this second Race The which laie smothered 53. yeares before it was fully discouered vnder Hugh Capet from the yeare 923. to 976. ROBERT Duke of Aniou that is to say gouernour by the death of his brother Eudes becomes the head of this League accompanied with many great men of France The motiue of this league The euent shewes that their intent was to reiect Charles the simple as vnworthy to raigne and to choose a newe King I doubt not but Robert affected the Crowne for himselfe but that is very likely that hee couered this his desseine with some goodly pretext The writers of that obscure age haue concealed the motiues but as by the effects we knowe the cause so by the euent of this League when it was strongest we may iudge of the intent They aduanced a Prince of the bloud for king causing Charles to quit the Crowne Charles 〈◊〉 from the Crowne disgracing him with the name of simple or foolish and delaring him incapable of so great a charge Who seeth not then the reason that during the minority of Charles the simple the diuersity of masters had bred infinit confusions in the state and that since his coronation things were nothing repaired although Eudes had resigned him the Regency They pretend it was necessary to furnish the realme with a more worthy Prince to giue an end to these miseries But that which cheefely mooued the vndertakers was their priuate interest the which they cloaked with the common-weale The humors of this insufficient King offended many too milde to some too seuere to others and ingratefull to such as had best serued him The commentary which hath beene added to the text of the Originall is not likely that Robert as brother to Eudes pretended the Crowne as heire vnto his brother beeing lawfully chosen by the States But wherevnto tends all this Eudes had leâ—t no suspition to pretend any interest vnto the Crowne hauing beene Regent after others and enioying it but by suffrance resigning it willingly or by constraint vnto the lawefull heire Truely the French mens carefull keeping of their Queenes wombe their acknowledging the childe borne after the fathers death for King their choosing of Regents their placing and displacing of one and the same Regent do plainely shewe both the efficacy of the Lawe and the resolute possession of the French the which they yeelded not easily to a man with so weake a title What then I should rather thinke that the peoples complaint tired with so long calamities Robert the head of the league and in â—â—mes was their colour to furnish the realme with a more wise and profitable guide and that they sought a Prince as in the ende they tooke Raoul King of Bourgongne the first Prince of the bloud of which League Robert was the ringleader as the first in dignity and most valiant in courage or the most rash in so dangerous an enterprise The memory of his brothers wise and peaceable gouernment and his owne valour opposite to the foolish and base disposition of Charles blemished with this name of simple for his folly and contemptible humors gaue a great Lustre to this enprise with those great intelligences he had within the realme and namely with the Normans his confident friends With this assurance hee armes boldly against Charles promising himselfe an vndoubted doubted victorie by the valour of his men and the basenes of his enemie Charles the simple awakes at this strange reuolt and distrusting his owne subiects who 〈◊〉 sees risen in armes to dispossesse him of his estate he flies to Henry the 3. Emperour and prepares al hee can to calme so great a storme As their armies approach Robert to haue some title to make a warre causeth himselfe to bee crowned King at Rheims Râ—bâ—rt câ—useth himselfe to be crowned King by Herué the Archbishop who died three dayes after this vnlawful Coronation The opinions are diuers but for my part I doe not hold that Robert caused himselfe to bee crowned with a better title then his brother Eudes who was neither crowned nor raigned as King but as Regent But all the French complayned that they needed a better King then Charles the simple who would loose the Crowne if it were not foreseene The erroâ—s of King Charles He had alreadie ratified the follie of Charles the grosse in continuing the vsurpation of Neustria to the Normans who with the Kings consent were seized thereon with the title of lawfull possession and moreouer they were much incensed that hee had put himselfe into the protection of the Emperour Henry to giue him a cause to inuest himselfe King of France as of late dayes the Germains had infranchised themselues from the French Monarchie by the diuision of brethren which had raigned and the minoritie of Charles who then commaunded This iealousie inflamed the hearts both of the one and the other and serued Robert for a shew meaning to fish in a troubled water Now they are in armes
of K. Alphonso attending meanâ— to repaire his affaires in better season In the meane time Simon doth promise himselfe the property of all Raymonds estates the which he had gotten with his Sword but for that it was apparent that the King of France would hardly grant so goodly a Prouince taken from his kinsman to one of his subiects Simon therefore flies vnto the Pope by whose authority this war was chiefely ingaged from whom he attended his chiefe recompence hauing laboured for him Innocent the 3. finding that Philip who would not desist in his pursute against Iohn King of England notwithstanding his interdictioÌ„â— would not be moued now by his simple authority to leaue so important a peece he assembles a great Councell meaning to force the King to yeeld vnto his will â—he Patriarkes of Ierusalem and Constantinople were there in person The Councell of Latran and those of Antioche and Alexandria sent their deputies there were 70. Archbishops 400. Bishops and 1000. Abbots Priors The Emperors of the East West the Kings of France England Spaine Ierusalem Cipres and other Kings Princes and great estates had their Ambassadors By a decree of this notable assembly Count Raymond was excommunicated with all his associats The Earldome of Tholouse giuen to Simon of Montfort by the Pope his lands adiuged to Simon of Montfort for his seruice done and to do to the Catholike Church Philip could not gain-say this decree confirmed in a maner by the consent of the whole world He therfore receiued SimoÌ„ to homage for the Prouince of Languedoc whereof he tooke peaceable possession but he did not long enioy it â—or seeing himselfe inuested he began to oppresse his new subiects An Eâ—le is lost with ouer griping The people of Languedoc finding themselues oppressed with this insupportable burthen of Simon they resolue to call home their Count Raymond who was retired into Spaine to seeke some meanes to recouer the possession of his estate His case was not desperate for hee enioyed the Earldomes of Viuareâ—z Venaissan and the Citty of Auignon places kept by his subiects during these occurrents whether Simons forces were not yet come Raymond being called by his subiects returnes into Languedoc accompanied with a notable troupe of Arragonois being discontented for the death of their King Alphonso The whole Countrey baâ—died against Simon hating him as an vsurper Simon hated by his subiects of Languâ—doc for hâ—s oppression â—yâ—â—nie and detesting him as a tyrant for doubtlesse vniust violent things cannot continue Whilest that Simon seekes to bridle the Citties of his new conquests leaping from place to place with an infinite toile behold Raymond is receiued into Tholousâ— by intelligence with great ioy of the inhabitants Simon abandons all the rest and flies thether but he finds a stop for comming to the gates of the Citty as he approched neere the walles to parley he was hurt in the head with a stone wherof he died The example of Tholouse made the greatest part of the subdued Citties to reuolt Simon of Montfort left two sonnes Simon of Montfort slaâ—n before Tholouse Guy and Amaulry vpon the reuolt of Tholouse the one seizeth vpon Carcassone the other of Narbonne but Guy was slaine in Carcassone by the Inhabitants who were the stronger Amaulry hauing fortified Narbonne repaires to Philip Augustus beseeching him to succor him in his necessity Philip had the Wolfe by the eare for as on the one side he desired this goodly Prouince for himselfe rather then for the children of Simon of Montfort so was he also restâ—ained by the authority of the Pope and Councell He theâ—fore sends his sonne Lewis into Languedoc to reduce the Country to his obedience But he had scarce taken any one Castell when as his fathers death calls him home Count Raymond receiued againe in Languedock So as Count Raymond his subiects of Languedoc had time to reuiue their spirits recouer many places gotteÌ„ by Simon The king of England would neither assist nor send to the coronatioÌ„ of Lewis although he were held as Duke of Guienne 1223. This occasion moued Lewis to warre against him Warre in Guienne against the English whereby he got Niort and Rochel and Sauary of Mauleon Gouernour for the English retired to his seruice This losse made the warre more violent Richard Earle of Cornwaile brother to Henry King of England passed into France with a goodly armie and hauing taken S. Macaire Langon and Reolle Townes seated vpon the Riuer of Garonne and defeated some French troupes he made way for a truce which was fauourable for both parties But especially for Lewis being desirous to settle matters in Languedoc the which troubled him for the daily proceedings of the Albigeois yet was hee loth to labour for another For this reason he treats with Amaulry Earle of Montfort touching the right he had to that Countrie with whom hee preuailed the more easily for that hauing lost the greatest part of the Prouince he was not able to hold the rest with the Kings dislike to whom hee resigned it by order of a decree made by the Pope in the Councell of Latran and in recompence hee made him Constable of France with the consent of Pope Honorius Lewis compounds for Languâ—doc with the â—oâ—n of Simon Montfort Hauing compounded with the Children of Simon Montfort hee resolued to winne Count Raymond to his deuotion and to perswade him to lay aside armes whereof hee did see the euents to be very doubtfull His intent was to vnite this rich Prouince of Languedoc to the Crowne But reason which saith that no man thinkes his owne too much the respect which great men do vsually beare one to another and the alliance which the house of France had with the Countie of Tholouse were great restraints for the couetousnesse of Lewis But how soeuer he determined to make himselfe the stronger to prescribe them a law To this end he leuied a great Armie fortified with his Edicts by the which hee thunders against these poore Albigeois as Heretikes and Rebels These Edicts were of force whereas his authoritie was respected Count Raymond considering with himselfe the cruell beginning of this warre and the continuance of the like miserie in these second armes fearing to imbarke himselfe the third time with a people against his King is easily perswaded by Lewis to reconcile himselfe to Pope Honorius Thus Raimond leauing to oppose himselfe Count Raymond submits himselfe vnâ—o the Pope yeelds to Lewis and perswades the â—arle of Cominges the chiefe agent of his desseignes to the like obedience Thus both of them abandon the people go to Rome they make their peace with the Pope and leaue the Albigeois to the mercie of Lewis who seeing them without a head imbraceth this occasion to their ruine High and base Languedoc was wholy in his power by Raymonds departure Auignon remained with many other places in the Countie of
nineteene moneths a prisoner This young Prince inuironed with all these difficulties had yet one which exceeded the rest The King of Nâ—â—aâ—â—e set at liberty comes to Paâ—â—â— The Bishop of Laon the chiefe of his councel betraied him bâ—ing a priuate and passionate partaker of the Nauarrois Charles King of Nauarre is deliuered meaning to come to Paris and therefore he demands a safeâ—conduct from the Daulphin who grants it will he or no that is he puts a sword into the hands of his most malicious and â—urious enemie and lodgeth him in his owne house These were bitter pilles but he must digest them euen the Daulphin and all good men that did assist him But many of them lothe to allow of these confusions by their free conâ—ents retire themselues to their houses The Nauarrois hauing his pasport from the Daulphin not onely as a gage of the publike faithfulnesse but as a sentence against king Iohn being prisoner goes to Paris with a stateâ—â—â— traine where they all prepare for his entertainment The Bishop of Laon and the Prouost of Marchants with a great troupe of his Partisans meet him who went to lodge in the Abby of S. Germaine He lets the people vnderstand that he desires to speake publikly vnto them A scaffold is built the people throng in great troupes bringing both hearts and eares The Nauarrois a subtill and an eloquent man represents vnto them the wrong of his imprisonment and his interest to the Crowne he desires iustice might be done him according to his deâ—â—â—t and qualitie but aboue all he spares not to touch that string which should aduance him to the royaltie The people applaud him and giue charge to the Pâ—ouost of Marchants to make the Daulphin acquainted therewith The Bishop of Laon a traâ—tor to his maiestie the which he perfoâ—mes with a brauado The Bishop of Laon a treacheâ—ous seruant to his Maisteâ— answeâ—s for him being silent in this necessitie That the Daulphin should shew grace and fauour to the King of Nauarre as one good brother ought to another He makes the Daulphin so humble as he preuents the Nauarrois who kept his lodging but to preach to this seditious multitude and doth vâ—sit him first whom he doth scaâ—se meete at the doore with a colde welcome He requires audience of his demands They are read in councell which consisted for the most part of men corrupted Wheâ—e it was decreed That all which the King of Nauarre and his complices had done against the King and his realme should be forgotten as neuer done The 〈◊〉 yeelds to the 〈◊〉 his goods seized and in the Kings hands should be restored both to him and his with their honours which had beene beheaded by the commandement of King â—hon their bones should be gathered together and honourablie interred all acts of condemnation dâ—sâ—nulled and an actâ— of their iustiâ—â—cation autentically drawne to free them and theirs hereafter from all 〈◊〉 The demand of the King of Nauarres pretended title was remitted to another time But the Nauarrois brings in the king of England of whom the Daulphin demaÌ„ded a truâ—e the which he grants vpon condition New causes of warre That he might succour the King of Nauar Iohn of Montfort duke of Brittaine in their pretensions Thus the seeds of warre were sowen during the confused calamitie of this poore realme by the meanes of Charles of Nauarre At the same instant Edward makes rigorous demands of his prisoner Iohn on whom for all his good couÌ„tenance he meant to make a benefit by his captiuity He required homage of him for the realme of France as holding it of the realme of England and vpon this condition he would set him at libertie K. Iohn being of a couragious spirit though a prisoneâ— in his person answers him freely That he must not speake to him of that which he neither ought nor would do to alienate a right inalienable That he was resolued at what price soeuer The generous answer of King Iohn to Edwards demands to leaue it to his children as hee had receiued it from his Ancestors That affliction might well ingage his person but not the inuiolable right of the Crowne where he had the honour to be borne ouer the 〈…〉 prison nor death had any power especially in him who should alwaies hold his life well imployed sacrifiâ—ing it for the immortall preseruation of France This generous magnanimitie of King Iohn gaue as great occasion to pittie his calamity as the strange conditions of the English being victor ministred matter of griefe and 〈◊〉 to all true hearted Frenchmen but all this could neitheâ— temper the malice of the Nauarrois not the furious impudencie of this inchanted people Hâ—â—evpâ—n the Daulphin intreats the Parisiens to take pittie of his poore father who not able to auâ—id the ineuitable crosses of fortune common to all degrees The Parâ—sienâ— in 〈◊〉 to their King could well shewe 〈◊〉 in greatest afflictions But these brutish mindes will not be mooued by any 〈…〉 reasons so as after this poore Prince had vsed all the submissions necessity could 〈◊〉 to win the people in the end after the losse of his paines he sought to the other Citâ—â—◠〈◊〉 France Hauing left Lewis Duke of Aniou his brother at Paris to supply his place 〈◊〉 maintaine some shewe of authority The Daulphin â—olieâ—s the other Citties for the Kings liberty the effect wherof crept hourely into the Nauarrois power he went from Cittie to Cittie crauing aide of the French for the deliuerie of his father and the restoring of his Estate The hâ—story doth much honor the Prouince of Languedoc to haue made greate showes of 〈◊〉 to their King being prisoner for it obserues That the three Estatâ— of the Country assembled in one body at Tholouse vnder the authority of the Earle of Armagnac their gouernor did freely grant a great aide to the King for the performance whereof The loue and duty of them of Languedoâ— to their Kingâ— and of Champagne they would not only imploy their reuenewes but their most precious mouables yea their wiues iewells And to testifie their generall heauines they abandoned all sumptuous apparell and bankets especially all dances maskes plaies and other pleasures during the captiuity of their King Champagne followed this commendable example But examples did no more mooue the Parisâ—â—ns hearts then reason had done who answere the Daulphin â—oughly when hee intreats them most humbly that hee should call an other Parliament where they would aduise what was to be done Their intent was to take all authority from the Daulphin and to vâ—uâ—pe it themselues to dispose of the tresor of honors and dignities of peace and war and of the life and death of the Kings subiects at their pleasures Horrible â—â—solenciâ—s of the Parisiens against their Prince To this end they made this young Prince coÌ„temptible odious assembling together both without his priuity against his will in
declared capable to gouerne the estate alone be freed from Tutors But oh the weakenes of mans wisedom he did not foresee that his son should be ill gouerned by his Tutors in his minority that the age of 14. should not free him from Tutors and that euen his sonne coming to mans estate should giue more scope to the ambition of his owne vncles more worthily to be called murtherers then tutors then his weakest youth had done He had a Fistula in one arme by the which those ill humors were drawne away which grewe by poison and gaue him great ease when it did run It chanced this Fistula stopt and then his maladie encreased much Charles resoluing by this sharpe alarum to go the common way of all flesh calls for his three Bretheren Lewis Iohn and Philip and hauing recommended his children and subiects vnto them he giues them particular aduise for the gouernment of the Realme leaâ—ing the custody of his sonne and the Regency of the Realme vnto them He died the 16. of September .1380 in the Castle of Beauty seated vpon the Riuer of Marne He commaunded that Oliuer of Clisson should be Constable hauing commended his fidelity and sufficiency and that they should carefully preserue the amity of Germany Thus died Charles the wise wonderfully beloued and lamented of his subiects leauing his Realme in good estate Charles dies after so horrible a desolation And although the confusions passed had wonderfully impouerished the subiects and wasted the Kings Treasor neyther was his raigne free from warre yet did he leaue the Prouinces of his Realme very wealthy and an infinite tresor in his cofers although he had built the Louure S. Germaine in Laye Montargis Creill the Celestures and some other Churches Of such power is good husbandry in this realme as in riches it yeelds not to the treasors of Peru not in â—eâ—tility to any country vnder heauen to subsist amidst so many storms and to be presently restored by good husbandry An example for Princes to imitate and not to despaire in like confusions but to hope for all that may be wished for in the restoring of an estate by paâ—ience and dexteâ—ity vertues proper to our wise Charles A Prince so much the more praise worthy hauing preserued this Estate when it seemed lost His dispositioÌ„ religious wise modest patient stirring and stayed when need required able to entertaine euery man according to his humor hauing by these vertues wonne a great reputation both within and without the Realme and honourable to his posterity as he to haue saued France from shipwracke He loued leaâ—ning and learned men Nicholas Oresme was his schoolemaister whom hee honoured with great preferments He caused the bible to be translated into French imitating S. Lewis I have seene the originall in the Kings lodging at the Louure signed by King Charles and his Brother the Duke of Berry A goodly obseruation of the auntient simplicity of those royall characters I haue likewise seene a Manuscript of the translation made by the commaundement of S. Lewis He delighted in the reading of the holy Scâ—iptuâ—e Phâ—losophy hauing likewise caused the Eâ—hicâ—s and Politicks of Aristotle with many bookes of Tully to be translated into French The fauâ—ut he shewed to learned men stirred vp many good witts who began to draw the Muses from their graues both in France and Italy The History doth paâ—ticulaâ—ly note that he did often vâ—sit his Coâ—rt of Parliament and his chamber of accompts gaue audience vnto sutors read their petâ—tions and heard theâ—r complaints and reasons imploying some dayes of the weeke euen in his greatest affaires to do those fatherly and royall workes of Iustice. He tooke greaâ— delight to aduance his houshold seruants giuing them meanes secretly and without the pâ—iuity of any to instâ—uct their sonnes and to marâ—ie their daughters A testimonâ—e of a good conscience and of a wise man This bond of loyaltie could haue no better foundation then in transpoâ—ting it from the Father to the sonne nor almes be better imploied then from the maister to the seruant Royall vertues and worthy of eternall memory But alas what shal be the successe of this bounty and wisedome The raigne oâ— his sonne Charles shâ—lbe most miserable 〈◊〉 hath done the part of a good Brother of a good master a good Father and a good 〈◊〉 but God the Soueraigne of Kings had limited the euents of his cares To â—each vs 〈◊〉 a notable example That vnlesse the Lord build the house the worke men lâ—bour but â—n vaine if the Lord keepe not the citty the watchman watcâ—eth but in vaine for an eternal maxime of â—â—uernement and state ConsideratioÌ„s worthy to be obserued by Princes Whosoeuer glories let him glory in the Lord. But vertues are noâ— herâ—dâ—â—ie Iohn not very wise begat Charles a wise and happy Prince and he begets a frantâ—ke man vnhappy both in youth and age We may on the other side oppose other considerations very disputable Profit aduised him to marry the heire of Flanders not onely to pacifie that country but also to inlarge his owne dominions adding therevnto that great and rich estate of Flanders from whence so many mischiefes haue sprong to France but his delight made him preferre the fayre before the rich Moreouer the rules of State did not permit him so to aduance his brother making him in a manner equal to himselfe in power the which must needes be the cause of many inconueniences as it after happened The cause of his brother Philip Duke of Bourgongne is ordered by the same rule for who can with reason mislike that Charles giues a portion to his brother by his fathers will and that in the rich marryage of a Prince his vassall and of a neere estate whereby his realme was dayly annoyed he preferres his brother before his capitall enemy But God had reserued the honour to himselfe Bourgongne since Robert the Grandchild of Hugh Capet had beene successiuely in the power of Princes who had alwayes done faithfull seruice to the crowne and now it shal be a scouâ—ge vnto it yet in the ende it shal be vnited vnto the crowne againe and taken from such as had abused it Experience doth teach that in matters of State the ende is not alwayes answerable to the beginning nor the successe to the desseine to the ende that Princes may depend of him who is greater then themselues who hath made them and can marre them without whom they cannot do any thing Behold the life death race raigne and manners of Charles the 5. called the wise But before we enter into the troublesome raigne of Charles the 6. The Estate of the empire Let vs obserue the estate of the Empire and of the Church We haue saide that Charles the sonne of Iohn King of Bohemia had beene chosen Emperour and called Charles the 4. Hee held the Empire 32. yeares beginning in the yeare 1350. So the raignes of Iohn and Charles
his sonne are contayned in this Empire for he died in the yeare 1â—78 Before his death hee prouided that Wenceslâ—s his sonne should succeed him in the Imperiall dignity At the first he married Blanche Countesse of Valois daughter to Charles Earle of Valois and sister to Philip of Valois King of France beeing very yong for she was but seauen yeares old when shee was betrothed vnto him hee had beene bred vp in the Court of France and learned the French humors he loued our crowne better then our Lawes A Prince wholy inclined to his owne particular making shewe to loue our Kings but vndâ—â—hand hee supported their enimies against them Thâ—s was the principall reason why his comming into France proued fruitelesse after so long a voyage and so great expences ministring a sufficient cause of iealousie to our Charles who gaue him the best entertainement he could to make him knowne that the sâ—ueraignty which he pretended to haue ouer France was but a dreame Yet hee suffered the Country of Daulphiné which they called the Empire as a member of the auncient Realme of Arles to bee wholy infranchised from that subiection to cut of all pretensions from his successors imbracing the commodity to settle his affaires euen by their meanes who he knew were not his friends This Emperour Charles the 4. did all he could both in Italy and Germany to apply vnto himselfe the â—ights of the Empire being wholy inclined to his owne profit The Emperours disposition for the which he vsed the name of Iustice good order being more learned in law then in doing right and hauing more knowledge then conscience It is he which made the Golden Bull both to rule the Election of the Emperour and the rights and dignity of the Empire The former confusions of the Empire had so dispensed all priuate gouernours of countries and citties as euery one played the Emperour in his gouernement These tyrannicall disorders were the cause of the Cantons in Suisserland Originall of the Cantons in Suisserland who since haue established a goodly commonweale consisting of thirteene Cantons who maintaine themselues with great order and force hauing the amity and alliance of the neighbour monarchs and an honourable place among the Estates of Christendome vnto this day Their particular history belongs not to our subiect it sufficeth to haue noted their beginning and the occasion of their common weale newly erected in the disorders of that age The church of Rome was in very poore estate first by the coÌ„tinual factions of the Guelphs â—helins and of it selfe by a distraction bred by an open schisme hauing two Popes Estate of the Church two chaâ—es two seas and a deadly hatred the which troubled al the Kings princes of chrisâ—endome some defending the Pope others the Antipope as his opposite We haue said that in the raigne of Philip of Valois the Pontificall Sea was translated from Rome to Auignon where it continued about 70. years Clement 6. hauing bought this citty for his successors being a pleasant and frutefull seate These quarrells continued with such violent passions had tyred mens minds like as a long processe doth weaâ—y the most obstinate pleaders The Popes beeing absent from Rome goueâ—ned the estate of Italy by three Cardinals their Legats but all went to ruine Gregorie 5. a Limosin being chosen Pope at Auignon went to Rome to redresse these confusions wherein there was small helpe Being receiued with an incredible ioy of the Romanes Diuision at Rome for the Election of a new Pope and of all Italy he returnes no more to Auignon but passeth the rest of his daies at Rome After his death the people with all vehemency require a Romane borne or an Italian for Pope but there was some difficulty in the election for the Colledge consisted for the most part of French Cardinalls who desired to haue one of their owne nation They were much diuided but the Cardinalls fearing the peoples fury armed with an intent to murther them if they did not choose one of their nation yeelded to the election of a Neapolitane named Bartholomew who was receiued and proclaymed by the name of Vâ—ban the sixt But within few dayes after the Malecontents retyred from Rome vnder colour to flie the plague to Fundy a towne in the Realme of Naples of the French faction by meanes of Queene Ioane An Antipope chosen when they did choose Clement the 7. a Limosin who retyred to Auignon and was opposite to Vrban the 6. with open deffyance one of an other which schisme continued vntill the Counsell of Coâ—stance each Pope with his faction Clement had for him the Kings of France Casâ—ile and Scotland Vrban had the Emperour the Kings of England and Hungary Clement held his seat at Auignon and Vrban at Rome In those dayes liued Bartholl Baldus Petrarch Boccatio Planudes a Greeke by nation Bonauenture and Iohn Wicliâ—e These hurliburlies touched the hearts opened the mouthes of many good men wonderfully grieued to see such diuision in the Church apparantly growne by the ambition of such as had greatest authority in the same Their writings lye open to their reasonable complaints which euery one may read without any further discourse CHARLES the sixt 53. King of France CHARLES VI. KINGE OF FRANCE .53 AS it is necessary to haue some direction to passe through a Laborinth so this crooked raigne hath need of some order to guide vs 1380. in the disorder of so many obscure confusions Necessarie obseruations for the vnderstanding of this raigne which we are to represent I will first obserue the most famous acts and worthiest personages of this raigne and then will I distinguish the subiect according to the occurrents This miserable raigne continued 42. yeares beginning in the yeare 1380. and ending in the yeare 1422. The seuerall dates Charles the 6. succeded hâ—â— father Charles the 5. at the age of 12. yeares being borne in the yeare 1368. he was crowned in the yeare 80. married in 84. dismissed his Tutors to raigne alone in 87. falles 〈◊〉 a phrensie in 93. and dyes in the yeare 1422. So being vnder age with his Tutors and of age in peâ—fect sense he raigned 13. yeares and liued in his phrensie 29. yeares Who sees noâ— then the iust calculation of 42. yeares in this raigne Châ—rles the 5. his father had three brethren Lewis Duke of Aniou Iohn Duke of Berry and Philip Duke of Bourgogne Queene Ioane daughter to Peter Duke of Bourbon The Kings Vncles wife to Câ—arles the fift and mother to Charles the sixt had one brother Iames Duke of Bourbon Thâ—se foure vncles shall plaie their parts vpon this stage in diuers occurrents but let vs adde â—he rest euery one shall haue his turne We haue said that Charles the wise left two sonnes this Charles the 6. whose raigne we now defer be and Lewis Duke of Orleance And our Charles had three sonnes Lewis Iohn and Charles and one
endure all vnder their wise and faithfull gouernor rather then to fall into the hands of strangers whose gripes they had formerly felt If they were fiercely beseeged by the English and Bourguignons Compiegne releâ—ued by the French so were they as well succored by the French vnder the happie commande of the Earle of Vendosme gouernor of Beauuais and the Marshall of Boussac who hauing valiantly forced the first bastions enter the Towne hauing victualled it they issue forth with great resolution so as they take all the other forts to their enemies great losse So Huntington and Luxembourg retyre with disgrace leauing not onely that Country free The Bourguignon chased from Compiegne but their victualls artillerie munition habillements of warre in their lodgings of Venete and Royaulieu sauing themselues with some difficultie at Pont l'Euâ—sque through the fauour of Noyon The Bourguignon was so amazed as hee retyred into Arthois hauing as bad successe by force as by policie Our French forces being maisters of the field they recouer all the Bourguignons conquests Choysy Gournay Bertueil Garmigny Ressons Pont Remy Pont Saint Maxence Longueil Saint Mary la Boyssiere Ireligny Verdueil and other places where hee had gathered togither all the corne and cattell of the Countrie the which was restored to the poore people to their great content The Bourguignons pride thus taken downe after so many victorious hopes was a principall part of this victorie But hee resolues to haue his reuenge of this affront Being come to Arras hee gathers togither all the forces he can and from thence hee goes to Pâ—ronne to attend the bodie of his armie His intent was to recouer what hee had lâ—st in his last warre oâ— Compiegne meaning to begin at Garmigny which did greatly anoye all that Country He â—ends a troupe of 6â—â— men before vnder the conduct of Thomas Tirâ—ell an English man Girard of Brimeâ— Goueâ—nor of Roye augments this troupe with a hundred of his men In this order they go to the seege of Garmigny as to a marriage but Pothon who had his spies in al places and had put himselfe into Garmigny at the brute of this seege slept not Hauing therfore sent to discouer the enemies countenance hee learns that these â—icards beeâ—ng neere to Bouchoire did hunt after hates whereof there are great storie in those parts and that this troupe was wholy in disorder runing vp and downe with great 〈◊〉 Pothon imbraceth this occasion sodenly and hauâ—ng drawen his men to â—ield hee surpriseth these hunters The Bourguignons deâ—eated beeing dispersed and out of breath 〈◊〉 bâ—comes a hunter o◠〈◊〉 peace hee defeats them kills them and in the ende cryes that they take the runneawayes The Comander is taken with most of their bâ—st mâ—n Anthonie of Vienne and the Lord of Hailly beeing greatly lamented by the â—ourguignon were first led to Garmigny and then to Compiegne in great tâ—iâ—mph The newes heereof did greatly trouble the â—ouâ—guignon especially when as the Earle of Veâ—â—â—sme went with the French army to braue 〈◊〉 at the gates of â—oye offring him battaile He made shewe to accept thereof but â—auing called a Councell he framed a reasonable excuse that his soldiars were not willing he should fight in the ende of the yeare Wâ—th these affâ—onts the yeare ends and with the death of a sonne which hee had by his 〈…〉 use whome hee loued deerely his spirits were so oppâ—â—â—sed with sâ—rrowe for this 〈◊〉 as this Prince being too paâ—â—ionate had speeches vnworthy the grauitie of his person and the greatnesse of his bloud euen weeping and wâ—â—shing for death Doubtlesse it often falls out that he which is too much puft vp in prosperity The Bourgâ—â—gnon daunted in aduersitie is easily daunted in aduersity A goodly lesson 〈…〉 men who 〈◊〉 learne but by great examples that their grâ—atnesse 〈…〉 from the common condâ—tion of mankind that they are men 〈…〉 O man 〈◊〉 soeuer thou beest behold good remedies 〈…〉 to be dronke with prosâ—erity nor drowned 〈…〉 haue nothing memorable but an entry to the 〈…〉 of Paris 〈◊〉 shall giue exâ—mple to all the rest of the realme 〈…〉 parties was necâ—â—sary for the making of an accord The Duke of 〈…〉 do much but 〈…〉 desseins had traâ—â—ported him beyond the cloud◠〈…〉 disgraces did 〈…〉 who expected much 〈…〉 by the effects but that 〈…〉 in their 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 â—riendship The Ducâ—eâ—â— of Bedford dies which till then was very necessarie but 〈…〉 although in this occurâ—ent theâ—r leaâ—ue was not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 weeps for his wife the other â—or his sister The beginning of this 〈◊〉 wâ—s noted 〈◊〉 the taking of Montargis from the French through the notable 〈…〉 a wâ—man 〈◊〉 taken whâ—â—aue entrance to the English and who presently 〈◊〉 the fruits 〈◊〉 treacherie But let vs attend the yeare following where wee shall see a 〈◊〉 change in this mâ—serable Towne At the same time in recompence of 〈◊〉 Chaâ—tres returnes to the Kings obedience The meanes is woâ—thâ—e obseruation 〈◊〉 â—ut in practâ—se in our times in many places A Carter 〈◊〉 at Chartâ—es 〈◊〉 brother resident in Couâ—t with a Treasoâ—er Chaâ—les â—eelds to the King The familiarity this Carter haâ— to go and come into the Towne made him both desire and to lay the plot of so 〈◊〉 an enterprise Neere vnto the gate there was an olde ruined house in the whâ—ch there was a 〈◊〉 vault halfe â—illed vp with rubbish heere they lodge a hundre◠〈◊〉 on the other side they conuay a thousand men secretly in the night into a house 〈◊〉 vnto the Towne The Carter comes at the breake of day with his Cart vnto the 〈◊〉 where he ouerthrows it of purpose faining that a wheele was slipt 1431. While the gard labours to helpe him the Ambush issues forth out of these ruines and surpriseth the Port and the rest second them with such speed as the Cittie is wonne This had beene done without any effusion of bloud if the Bishop had not animated the inhabitants to fight against their King where hee himselfe was slaine with some of the Câ—ttizens About this time René Duke of Bar brother to Lewis Duke of Aniou and King of Sicile A quarrell betwixt the Duke of â—ar and the Earle of Vaudâ—mont who shall make himselfe famous in the following raigne receiued a great check He had a notable quarrel against the Earle of Vaudemont pretending the Earldome from words they go to blowes René fortifies himselfe with the forces of France Vaudemont with those of Bourgongne René being farre stronger in shew besiegeth the Towne of Vaudemont and when as the Earle with the helpe of his friends would haue raised the siege René drawes him to fight defying him and promising to himselfe an assured victory But God the soueraigne Iudge of these factions gaue it to the Earle and René remained prisoner in the hands of the Duke of Bourgongne to whom he paied a great ransome
King Henry was descended and they wore the redde Rose for a marke and Clarence from whence the Duke of Yorke tooke his beginning bearing the white Rose for a distinction This rancor of parties hath bathed all England with the bloud of her subiects two yeares shall not passe after this losse but Somerset shall dye in a battaile and King Henry the 6. who had carryed himselfe as King of France shall be prisoner and whereas he sought to ioyne the Crowne of France to that of England he shall loose that of England both for him and his teaching vs that we must neuer thinke to doe harme to another but we shall receiue our share againe and not to dispaire in our greatest afflictions The beginning of this raigne did represent vnto vs a ruined realme and this end restores it to her first beautie Thus was this realme restored from the which the English were quite expelled except from Calais and the heyre recouered the possession of his right the which his successors enioye vnto this day The meanes of this singular deliuerance is worthy to be obserued vnder the conduct of the first moouer the which the wise acknowledge to be in the prouidence of God the Soueraigne of Soueraignes and the preseruer of States whereby he maintaines the societie of mankinde Truelie in the course of these ordinarie meanes which we seeke after Charles holds the first place being both capable of Councell and full of resolution to put in execution He was assisted by great personages in the gouernment of his affaires and for the warres He was furnished with two Constables which serued him faithfully the Earle of Boucquam in his aduersitie and the Earle of Richemont in his p osperitie of two Chancellors worthy men and fitte for the time Of Renald of Chartres Archbâ—shop of Rheimes and Iohn Iuuenall of Vrsins Baron of Treignel the one for the beginning the other for the end of his affaires And for warriours he had as resolute and happy commanders as might be found in any raigne of whom he had great need But from all this we must ascend vnto the soueraigne cause who hath shewed vs the rodde and cast it into the fire when as it pleased him that by the example of our Ancestors we may more perfectly obserue the causes and remedies of our difficulties Now we drawe neere vnto the end of this raigne but before we conclude we must obserue the estate of the Church finish the discourse of the Schisme wherof we haue shewed the beginning and proceding We haue made relation of this inexcusable conâ—â—sion vntil the councell of Pisa which supposing to reforme the scandalous disorders of two Popes being enemies Gregorie and Benedict aduanced a third which was Iohn the 23 so as at one time there were three Popes Iohn at Boulogne Gregorie at Rimini not able to be resident at Rome and Benedict at Auignon This multiplicitie of Popes bred disorder to the great scandale and preiudice of all Christians So as Sigismond not able to cure this infirmity of the mind by force he resolued to haue recourse vnto the authoritie of the church to that end he passed through France England Spaine and Italie perswading all Kings Princes and Potentates to hold a Councel at Constance whether the Emperours of constantinople Trepisonde with the churches of Grece sent their Ambassadors and all Christian nations assisted to the end this councell might be oeconomicall and vniuersall In this Councell Iohn the 23. being accused and found guilty of greuous crymes was first deposed and then imprisoned Gregory the 12. and Benedict the 13. were likewise deprived Councell of Constance Otho Colomne a Romaine gentleman was chosen Pope by the Councel is called Martin the 15. This decree of the councell was accompanied with great and generall complaints by reason of the corrupted estate of the Church the which had exceded farre in some places Saint Bernard had begun in France as doth appeere by diuers places of his writings and by books written vpon this subiect But many of his disciples had followed him in great numbers Gabriell de Roquetaillade Tomas Couect Great complaints against the abuses of the Romish Church and Nicholas Clemangis had filled all France with these complaints But in England Iohn Wiclef and in Bohemia Iohn Hus had perswaded men with greater vehemencie for Bohemia was ready to disclaime the Popes authoritie Iohn Hus teaching them not only to leaue the abuse of manners but â—he doctrine it selfe as is conteyned at large in acts of the councel of Constance It shal be sufficient to coat them my stile not permitting me to set them downe at large The reader that is carefull to see the grounds of this controuersie may go vnto the Originall and I will obserue the effect according vnto the dutie of the historie Wicâ—efs doctrine was condemned Iohn Hus and Ierosme of Prague came to Constance hauing a pasport from the Emperour Sigismond and the Councell but they were condemned and burnt as heretiks Hus in the Bohemian tong signifies a goose Iohn Hus and Iâ—rosme of Prâ—gue condemned and burnt Iohn Hus when as the Iudges had pronownced this sentence that he should be burnt he said vnto them I appeale from you vnto the soueraigne Iudge and preseruer of all truth who a hundred yeares hence shall raise out of my ashes a Goose which shall not suffer him selfe to be roasted Sâ— as Iohn Hus was burnt in the yeare 1417. and Martin Luther began to shew him selfe in the yeare 1517. There were great complaints against the abuses of the Church made by Peter d' Alliae a Cardinal Iohn Gerson Chancellor of the Vniuersitie of Paris deputie of the French Church The Colledge of Sorbon had giuen him great instructions vpon this subiect but nothing was effected They only make the Pragmaticall Sanction to suppresse the Popes authoritie Gerson returning from Basill died for greefe at Lions But this Councell did not end those two difficulties for the which it had beene called for Peter de la Lune called Benedict 13. being deposed by the councell and retired into Arragon had so incensed Alphonsus King of Arragon as he supported him with all violence The Bohemians take armes for the death of Iohn Hus. against Martin the new Pope And the Bohemians were so moued with the death of these two personages whom they reuerenced as they tooke armes vnder the comand of Zisca a very famous Captaine and did much annoy the Emperour Sigismond Peter de la Lune called Benedict 13. held his court apart doing at Laniscole a Towne in Arragon as Martin did at Rome but this humour brought him to his graue After his death the colledge made choise of Giles Munion who was called Clement the 8. Martin dies in the other seat and his College doth choose a Venetian of the familie of Condelme and calls him Eugene 4. who finds the means to cause the Antipope Clement
8. to relinquish But the Bohemiam action was of more difficulty forthey spake bodly being in armes and Sigismond the Emperour prest to haue audience for them hauing receiued great reproches for that to please the Pope he had violated the publicke faith and suffred the breach of his pasport These causes made Martin the 5. to call a Councell at Basill whether the Bohemians had free libertie to come but the Emperour gaue them hostages for their suerty The Counsell of Basils decree â—gainst the Popes authority trusting his word no more the which he had broken in the death of their Countrimen There were likewise many other besides the Bohemians which desired some redresse for these visible confusions so as it was there freely disputed of the necessity to reforme the Church being fit to begin first with the Pope and not suffer the forepassed disorders to the great scandall of al Christians and that to auoide a future inconuenience by the generall discontent of all men it was reasonable he should submit himselfe to the censure of the Coun cell wherevnto hee was subiect As the fathers of the Councell with a generall consent had thus concluded and had drawen articles That the authoritie of the Councell was aboue the Pope Eugenius foreseeing the preiudiciall consequence of this decree reuokes the Councel assembled at Basill for certaine great considerations which he sayed proceeded from the holy ghost transported it to Bologne to the exceeding discontent both of the fathers the Emperour They resolue to oppose themselues against this brauado of Eugenius and to withstand him by the like authority of the Church wherby he sought to ruine them By the authority of the general Councel lawfully assembled they giue him an assignation to appeere before them The Counsel of Basill summons the Pope to appeere and in case he disobeyes they declare him degraded and excomunicate Eugenius to calme this storme makes shew to yeeld vnto this decree promiseth to obey yet seeking meanes vnder hand to crosse them relying vpon our Charles the 7. who followed his party It chanced also as Eugenius desired that the Emperour Sigismond who was the chiefe opposer to his desseins died during these disorders Yet the Councell of Basill was not dissolued but were resolute to continue firme Albert of Austria is chosen Emperour after Sigismond and succeeds him both in his desire to continue the Councell at Basill and in the Imperiall dignity Matters grewe then more violent our Charles the 7. beeing loath to yeeld in anâ—e thing to the Emperour hauing made a generall truce with the King of England as wee haue sayed the English likewise holding with Eugenius sends his son Lewis neere vnto Bâ—sill with an army compounded of French English vnited to nourish this notable disunion the issue whereof was as we haue saied The Councell of Basill incensed by these bitter and violent courses practised by Eugenius The Duke of Sauoie made Pope in the end they resolue to degrade him and in his place they choose this Amedee Duke of Sauoie of whom we haue spoken in diuers places hauing made himselfe a monke of purpose to be chosen Pope amongest so many which aspired to this dignity and was called Felix But this cured not the dâ—sease for at this new election of a Duke of Sauoy to the Pontificall dignity al Kings Princes Potentats were mooued France England Italie and Spaine at so strange a proceeding and disauowe Felix In the meane time the colledge of Cardinalls at Rome choose Thomas Sarzan Pope name him Nicholas the 5. a man commended in histories All Princes oppose against his election fit to suppresse this Schisme to reduce the Church to vnion being wise modest learned and quiet all Kings and Christian Princes allowed of him by a generall consent Felix was supported by the Germains for Albert fauored him but hee dies soone Frederic the 3. succeeding in the Empire a wise and a modest Prince who not to contradict the Germains at the first followed their humour in fauoring of Amedee but in the end ouerruled by a generall consent of all Christendom he vseth his authority with Amedee to make him renounce his Popedome Our Chaâ—les doth likewise interpose his authority and sends Iohn Iuuenall of Vrsins his Chancellor vnto him being well accompained who finds him at Lozanne where he had made his Pontificall seat with a stately colledge of Cardinalles He feared the King more then any man lyuing whom in his conscence he had moued to a iust dislike of him when as he made a good shew and yet betrayed him in his greatest afflictions crosses which wounde euen the verie heart of a generous minde Moreouer Charles was both strong and neere at hand to comptroule him if hee should continue obstinate Felix stands vpon tearmes but in the ende whereas the Kings Ambassadors spake vnto him of force he grew more milde and treated this busines by the Kings authority protesting that for his loue hee did willingly resigne his right Thus all obey Nicholas and Amedee had a Cardinalls hat â—e renounceth his tâ—â—le with the title of Saint Sabine and was Legat ouer his countries and of some part of Germanie This was the end of that feuer which so much tormented all Christendome the raine of Charles being honored with this blessing of God to haue beene a sollemne theater both of the restoring of the realme and the reunion of the Church But alas during these cruell confusions of the westerne Church the Christians of the East who had endured much were now vtterly ruined We left them in very poore estate vnder the raigne of Charles the 6. in the yeare 1396. In fifty yeares during the scandall of this miserable Schisme and the willfull warres of France and England there happened a greater alteration The misâ—â—â—ble state of the â—ast Our Kings and Princes had labored long in vaine to recouer the holy land consuming an infinite number of men and money and preuayled nothing But Constantinople the head of the Easterne Empire remayned stil in state with Grece Macedonie Thessalie and the neighbour countries Sclauonia Walachia Russia Seruia Bulgaria and a part of Natolia whereof Trepisonde was the chiefe of that Empire In this weaknes which drewe nere to a totall ruine the Christians vanitie was so great as to make two Empires the one in Europe and the other in Asia and then euery Empire being diuided into diuers parcels held by sundrie Despotes or soueraine Lords that among so many maisters there should be none at all These confusions did bring in fortifie wholy settle the Turkes who were the horrible instruments of Mahomet and enemyes to all Christendome I enter not into the particular discours of this Easterne historie it belongs not to my subiect I onlie obserue the continuance of time to shew the estate of the Church and the Empire with our Monarchie After our French had abandoned as we haue saied
yeelds the Towne The King for his reward gaue him a chaine of twenty linkes and euery linke worth twenty Crownes in gold and a good peâ—sion for his mainteynance The taking of Hedin brought the King to Therouenne and Montreuil the which easily yeelded to his obedience Theronâ—nne Montreuil Bouâ—loâ—gâ—e beeing summoned refuseth but beeing battered it yeeldes the fift or the sixt day The Towne belonged to Bertrand de la Tour Earle of Auuergne the King finding it commodious for the State of his Realme compounded Lâ—â—is purchaseth the couÌ„â—â— of Boulogne and doth homage for 〈◊〉 giuing him a sâ—fficient recompence and as newe Lord of the Towne he did homage without sword or spurs bare headed on his knee before the virgin Mary offâ—ing as a duty to the sâ—ydimâ—ge a heart of massie gold weighing two thousand Crownes vpon condition that he and his successors Kings after him should hold the County of Boullen of the sayd virgin do homage vnto her image in the Church dedicated to her name paying at euery change of a vassal a heart of pure gold of the same weight While the King remaines at Boullen those of Arras seeing themselues enuironed on all sides Dissimulation of the Aâ—tesians write to their friends of Lisle and Douay to succour them with some numbers of men and moreouer they send to the Duchesse of Bourgongne to furnish them with some succors meaning to put themselues into her hands The Deputies beeing two or three and twenty in number make shewe to go to the King to treate with him and vnder this colour they obtaine a pasport of the bastard of Bourbon Admirall of France Bâ—t being discouered vpon the way to Flanders they were taken brought to Hedin deliuered to the Prouost of Marshalls condemned and eighteene of them beheaded the rest were saued by the Kings arriuall The Deputies of Aâ—ras taken and many of them executed Amongest them that were executed there was one Oudard of Bussy borne at Paris and married at Arras The King had in former time offred him the place of a Counsellor of the Court of Parliament at Paris then voide and since he gaue him the office of maister of the accounts at Arras Hee caused his head to bee vnburied and set vpon a pole in the market place with a red hoode furred with meniuer like to the Counsellors of the Parliament A worthy punishment for so malitious an ingratitude There were some fewe horsemeÌ„ at Douay of the remainders of Nancy they arme three hundred good bad and some fewe foote and march at noone day in the sight of Arras The Lords of Lude and Fou with the company of the Marshall of Lâ—heaâ— aduertised of their approch go to meete with them they fight with them kill and take in a manner all of them The King at his arriuall caused foure score of these prisoners to be executed to terrifie those fewe men of warre that remayned in the Country Some of them enter the Towne The succors of Arras defeated but they were not able to stand out against so great forces So as after a hard battery they yeeld by composition That they should remaine vnder the Kinges obedience as their Soueraigne for want of heires male rights and duties being â—ot performed That the subsidies and tributs should be leuied by the Kings officers and deliuered by them to Mary the heire of Bourgongne vntill she had doone homage and taken her oath of fealtie to the King her Soueraigne Lord. Arras yeelded During which time the Inhabitants should reuiue no garrison from the King This was the 4 of May. These things thus concluded the King sent the Cardinall of Bourbon the Chancellor of Oriole de Cordes gouernor of the Towne and Guiot Pot Bayliffe of Vermandâ—is to take the oath of fealtie of the Inhabitants But after this oath holily and religiously receiued by the Deputies who tooke their repast in the Monastery of Saint Vast behold an insolent troupe of desperate people comes crying kill kill yet they were but terrified A mutiny at Arras and the Deputies in danger and saued themselues presently in the Citty This terror togither with the greedinesse of the Commanders was the cause the composition was but ill obserued for in the presence of Lude and Cerisay many good Ciâ—tizens and other rich meâ— were spoiled and slaine and the Citty set at threescore thousand Crownes fiâ—e of the King the which they say was afterwards restored And to keepe these mutines in awe the King transported most of the Inhabitants of Arras and planted it with a new Colony of French commanding it should be called Ville Francoise At the same time the King aduertised that the Flemings were in troupe and lodged at Blanc-fosse he sent to charge them but they dislodge at the brute thereof yet not so spedily but they leaue about two thousand men slaine at the first charge and the like number in the chase being pursued eight Leagues within the County of Flanders The French in their returne razed Mont-Cassell Fiennes and some other places The Gantois whome the seuere punishment of the Liegeois had kept in awe nowe breake They make a ward of their Duchesse force her to restore their ancient priuileges Insolency of the Ganâ—ois which Philip and Charles had taken from them and sodenly they resolue a deadly reuenge vpon such by whome they say they had beene controuled They lay hold vpon those whom they called their twenty six Lawiers whom Charles had established in the gouernement of the Citty and puts them all or the most part to death They haue saie they cut off ones head without any authority for their power ended with the death of Charles Their barbarous crueltie And moreouer they slew many good men within the Cittie that were wise and faithfull friends to Charles in his life But they proceed yet farther The happy course of Lewis his Conquests doth much amaze them wherevpon they assemble some foâ—me of a Parlement by aduice whereof they make a motion of peace to the King by an Ambassage giuing him to vnderstand that the Infanta of Bourgongne is determined to gouerne her selfe hereafter by the aduice and Counsell of the three Estates of her Countries they request the King to desist from making of warre and to appoint a daie when they may quietly pacifie all controuersies There was nothing at that time able to withstand the violence of the Kings army The lowe Countries were left naked of soldiars those which suruiued being inconstant had forsaken the Inâ—antâ—es seruice He was well acquainted with the inconstancie of this people not able to digest any man of iudgement that had bin in any authority with their deceased Prince Hee knew that their inclination was to loue the declyning of their Lord â—ed by Lewis his policie so as it were not with the preiudice of their Countrie And therefore he forecasts if he might to sow some seeds
of foote passeth likewise to charge the Foreâ—ard leauing in like sort on the other banke Auniball Bentiuole with two hundred men at armes to supplie when he should be sent for And for the gard of their lodging two great companies of men at armes with a thousand foote the Venetian Comissaries reseruing a supply for all euents Thus the French armie is enuironed on all sides so as being broken no man might hope for safetie the King who to strengthen the foreward had weakned the other two partes was forced to leaue the Knight he ment to make to some better leisure and to turne his backe to the Foreward his face to the enemy approching neere the Reereward The Stradiots fall vpon the baggage they wound kill spoile the Marquis is at blowes with the reerward who at the first charge breake their Lances then valiantly they ioyne pel-mel with their battle axes swords and other short weapons the Marquis performing the part of a most valiant and vigilant Captaine his troupe of most resolute men at armes The King was brought rashly into danger The King in great danger his followers being dispersed here and there in the Conflict assisted with â—ewe about him but Mathew bastard of Bourbon and Philippe of Moulin a gentleman of Solongne noted for that they had bin seene very neere vnto the King in this conflict The King did afterwards greatly fauour this Philippe he made him keeper of the great seale gaue him a company of men at armes thâ—gouernment of Langres and a great summe of money according to the time to helpe him to build Moulin a Castle neere to Romorantin in Solongne Robinet of Frainezelles who led about fourscore lances of the Dukes of Orleans Lewis of Tremouille with about forty lances three hundred ScottishmeÌ„ archers of his gard the Gentlemen of his houshold did fight more couragiously then their forces could permit not without great danger to his person being much esteemed by the Marquis hoping to haue the like aduenture ouer him as he had vpon the said bastard beeing wounded and taken prisoner neere vnto the King But the apparent danger of his maiestie had so inflamed those that were neerest vnto him as falling by heapes vpon the Italians they couer their maisters person with their owne and so this sodaine fury was stayed by the charge of a squadron comming at neede from the battaile broken by the death of Ralph of Gonzagua A death vnworthy of him for he loued the â—rench if he might haue bin credited the King should not haue opened his passage by force quite ouerthrowne all by the couetousnes of the Freebooters for these men seeing their companons inriched with the spoyles of the baggage and to carry away ouer the riuer some moyles with their burthens and some horse or armor they leaue their men at armes and run to the spoile The other horsemen were moued presently with the like desire of gaine and the foote stole out off the battaile to follow the like example On the other side Anthony of Montfeltre appointed by Ralph to succour when hee should be called keeping his stand for that by reason of Ralphs death no man called him the French tooke their field at large and doubting their courage they doubled their blowes so as by the death of some and the wounding and flight of others the Marquis his troupe opprest with the rough charge of our men at armes in the ende turned their backes and were chased and beaten euen to the riuers side without taking of any prisoner or care of booty our French being loathed of this filthy gaine by that common voyce flying amongst them Companions remember Guinegaste where the greedinesse of spoyle had taken from them the better part of a notable victory At the same instant the Earle of Caiazzo led his troupes against the foreward but this was but a countenance for euen as they couched their lances seeing some of his troupe vnhorsed Iohn Piccinin Galeas of Correge and others fainted and breaking of themselues they had meanes to recouer their battaile For the Marshall of Gié seeing on the other side of the riuer an other regiment of men at armes prepared for the battaile he keepes backe his men the which was held of some to be ratâ—er an act of cowardise then of discretion but by such as preferre reason before danger wise and iudicious The Suisses tooke about twenty of these runnawaies and slue them This Marquis of Mantoua gathered together the remainders of this ouerthrow and the Earle of Petillano being prisoner vpon his word The army of the league ouerthrowne since the taking of Capoua flying in this tumult to the Italians campe kept them from a more shamefull rout For the whole Campe talked of a retreat and the high way from Plaisance to Parma was couered with men horses and carts that retyred Then the King going to his forwardes which had kept their stand propounded vnto his Captains whether he should charge the enimy in his lodging Triuulce and Vitelli conselled him therevnto and Francis Secco whom the Florentines had sent to conduct the King vnto Ast thrust him forward But the passage of Taro being vneasie by reason of the raine fallen the night befâ—re and the day of the battaile the companies being weary the night approaching the king content to haue had the aduantage in so doubtfull a fight did moderate the heate of the pursute causing them to lodge at Medesane a village halfe a league from the place where the battaile was fought So this battaile ended a memorable day being the first of a long time that had beene obstinately fought in Italy with bloud-shed slaughter for in former times the Italian combates were rather pleasant shewes then battailes famâ—us also for the great numbers of commanders that were slaine the small number of conquerors in regard of the huge multitude of the vanquished There were numberd some fiue and thirty or forty French horsemen slaine and some fourescore groomes of the baggage The number of the slaine The Stradiots carried away of all their booty but fiue and forty of the best horse which were the Kings and his Chamberlaines of Italians three hundred and fiftie men at armes amongst the which there were seauen or eight of the house of Gonzague Rainunce Farnese Bernardin of Montone aboue sixe score Gentlemen of the Marquis his company and so great a number of others as they were esteemed to be three thousand fiue hundred and not one prisoner Let vs remember That the eternall God scatters the counsels of nations and brings to nought the practises of men And in another place That the King is not saued by a great armie neither doth a mighty man escape by his great force The King stayed the next day at the same lodging The Kings errour and departed on wednesday the eight of the moneth without any sound of Trompet busiyng the enimy vnder colour
oâ— Itaâ—ie sent vnto him some to reconcile themselues others to reioyce this victory Tâ—e Pope did not forget hiâ— ordinary practises to stay the course of the Kings victory and finding the King very obedient to the Sea of Rome they concluded a mutuall league for the defence of the Estates of Italy of the Pope the Church of Iulian and Laurence de Medicis and the Estate of Florence By this accord the King gaue the Dâ—chy of Nemours to Iulian who had married a sister to the Kiâ—gs mother· which Duchy after the death of Iulian the King did giue to Philip of Sauoy who tooke to wife one of the daughters of René Duke of Alanson to whome the Duke of Nemours now lyuing in Grand-child And the Pope deliuered Parma and Plaisance to the King These Articles were confirmed by an enterviewe betwixt the Pope and the King at Bologne in the beginning of December where they treated of manye things touching the Realme of Naples which the King resolued to inuade for the recouery wâ—ereof the Pope promised him his fauour after the death of Ferdinand which euery man thought to be neere or at the least when as the truce were ended He promised alsâ— tâ— giue him power to leauy the tenth part of the reuenues of the Clergie within hiâ— Realme and the collation of benefices the which before belonged vnto the Colleâ—â— and Chapters of Churches and for the Kings sake he made Adrian of Goufieres brother to the Lord Steward Cardinall And the King to gratifie the Pope granted aâ— abolition of the Pragmaticall Sanction making new conuentions in steed thereâ—â— whereunto the French Church and the Vniuersities opposed The Venetians sent foure Ambassadors to the King the chiefe and most honorable persons of their Senate Anthony Grimani Dominic Treuisan George Cornare and Andrew Gritti to congratâ—late his victory and to beseech him to make them partakers of the fruits thereof that by his ayde they might recouer their townes according to their agreement At their request the King gaue commission to the Bastard of Sauoy and to Thâ—odore Triuulce to ioyne with Aluiane with six hundred lances and six thousand foot led bâ— Peter of Nauarre Then leauing the Duke of Bourbon his Lieutenant generall in the Duchy of Milan he returned into France abouâ— Candlemas whether the desseines of Henry King of England did call him Henry discontent that the King had taken the yong King of Scotland into his protection and to that end had sent Iohn Steward Duke of Albania both to gouerne his person and his Realme which Iohn had punished eyther with death or banishment all such as he found to sauour the English and euen the mother of the yong King sister to the sayd Henry for reuenge whereof he thrust the Suisses to new attempts against the king Bâ—t returning to their first sincerity they ioyne in league with this Crowne binding theâ—â—eâ—ueâ— To giue vnto the King for euer in Italy or out of Italy and against all men except the Pope the Emperour such numbers of men as he should require vnder his pay The King did also coâ—firme their ancient pensions promising to pay within a certain time the summe due by the treatie of Dijon and three hundred thousand crownes more yeelding vnto him the townes and vallies which they held belonging to the Duchy of Mâ—â—an but the fiue Cantons which did enioy them hauing refused to ratifie this accord the King began to pay vnto the other eight that part and portioÌ„ of money which was â—ue vnto them who accepted thereof but with an expresâ—e condition That they sâ—ould not be bound to march vnder his pay against the other fiue Cantons A meanes to draâ— the others to the alliance of France Man hath alwaies his mind bent to seeke meanes to anâ—oye his neighbour A new league against the King The 〈◊〉 prosperity makes the Emperour with the kings of England and Arragon to 〈…〉 to crosse him The Emperour alwaies desiâ—ous of innouatiâ—ns could not 〈…〉 owne forces hold the townes he had taken from the Venetians and the English reâ—embring the fruitlesse promises which Ferdinand his father in law had made â—im the which he respected not where he might gaine stood â—aueâ—ng betwixt the disâ—â—â—st he had of his father-in law and the hatred he bare to our Francis but this treaty is soâ—â—â—nly brâ—keÌ„ by the death of Ferdinand who died in the moneth of Ianuary Ferdinand dies A prince eâ—â—elling in counsell many vertueâ— so as if the promises had bin accompanied with 〈◊〉 eâ—fects he might well haue bin numbred amongst the most perfect Tâ—â—s death seemed to make the Kings enterprise vpon Naples moâ—e easie purposiâ—â— to send the Dâ—ke of Bourbon for the execution thereof Many reasons moued him therâ—vnto There was some reuolt in the Realme after the decease of Ferdinand The Archâ—â—ke Charles was young and could not come in time to succâ—â—r it the Popes 〈…〉 aâ—de hiâ— much yet the king trusted to him who deceiued him in the 〈…〉 the â—orld but aboue al the priuate interest of this Croâ—ne to whome the 〈◊〉 of Charles heâ—re to so many realmes by the death of the Catholike king and 〈…〉 of the Empireâ— should bee wonderfully suspect But the desâ—eâ—nes of 〈◊〉 â—â—ancis are crossed by tâ—e Emperours landing with ten thousand Germaines and 〈◊〉 â—oureteene thâ—usand Suisses and fiue thousand horse The Empâ—rours voyagâ— into Lombardy to succour 〈◊〉 ioynâ—ly beâ—eeged by the French and Venetians which made them retire to Milan to the Duke of Bourbon 1516. So Maximilian passing the riuers of Mincie Oglie and Adde without any let had all the countrie betwixt Oglie Po and Adde at his command except Cremona and Creme the one kept by the French the other by the Venetians Then hauing taken Laude by composition he sends to summon the Milanois with threats That if within three dayes they did not expell the French armie hee would intreate them more rigorouslie then Frederick Barbarosse one of his predecessors had done who not content to haue burnt Milan vnto Ashes did sowe Salt there in memorie of his wrath and of their rebellion The inhabitants began to rise and our men grew amazed when as Albert Peter leading thirteene thousand Suisses and Grisons arriuing confirmes them he made them to change their resolution to burne their suburbes and to resolue vpon defence The Cardinall of Sion and many others banished from Milan followed the Emperour feeding him with hope that at the first brute of his approch the Cittizens would set vp his Ensignes Marc Anthonie Colonne likewise followed his armie with two hundred men at armes at the Popes charge a manifest signe of his Councels and dissemblings But Maximilian seeing no shew from the Towne the chiefe of the Gibelin faction being expelled by the Constable of Bourbon as adherent to the Emperour remembring the treacherie of the Suisses to Lodowick Sforce and fearing least through the ancient hatred of that nation to the
and reiecting the chiefe causer thereof vpon the want of paiement Without doubt it is a great error in a Kings Officers especially in an army to conuert the money appointed for the paiement of an armie to other vses Iâ— was at the passage of the riuer of Adde that the last act of this tragedie must be played for the defence whereof Lautree sent the Lord of Pont-dormy with his Compâ—â—â—e that of Octauian Fregose led by Count Hugues of â—epolâ— a Bolonois a thousand or tâ—elue hundred foote and two faulcons But it pleased God at this time to satisfie the Popes couetousnesse with the spoile of our men that might execute the iust iudgement of his Vengeance soone after vpon his person The enemie beates backe our gardes and puttes them to flight killes some and amongest others Gratian of Lucâ— and Chardon neighbours to the forrest of Orleans who commanded either of them a regâ—ment of fiue hundred men They passe Adde at Vauci and force Lautrec to retire to Cassâ—n and so towards Milan with his whole army The passage of Adde recouered Prosper Colonnes reputation who for the retreat before Parma and his ordinarie tediousnesse was ill reputed of as well at Rome as in his army Contrariwise Lautrec wanting neyther valour nor braue resolution but Vigilance and happinesse purchased contempt of his men and hatred of the Milanois whome he did the more exasperate in causing Christopher Paluoisin to bee publikely beheaded a man of great Nobility great authoritie great age and a long time deteyned a prysoner Colonne aduertised of the retreat of the French to Milan lodged at Marignan and his Suisses in the Abbie of Cleruaut doubtfull whether hee should passe on to Milan being fortyfied with so many men or turne to Pauie beeing destitute of soldiars Being thus irresolute there appeeres vnto the Marquis of Mantoua an aged man Lautrec odious to his army meane in shewe and apparell who being brought before Colonne and the other Captaines assures them that he is sent from the parishioners of Saint Cir of Milan to let them vnderstand that at the first approach of their armie all the people of Milan are resolued to take armes against the French by the sound of the belles of euerie parish wishing them to set forward with speede without giuing the French leysure to bethinke themselues And so he vanished away not knowne to any man The Commanders gaue credit to this intelligence A notable aduenture The 23. of Nouember the Marquis of Pescara with his Spanish bands presents himselfe at the port of Rome at sunne setting and presently chargeth the Venetians appointed to gard the suburbes with a bastion which they had newely begunne hee puts them to flight making no resistance and the Suisses likewise that were lodged by them killes â—ome and hurts others before our men had any knowledge of their arriuall Theodore Triuulce who beeing sicke and disarmed came to this alarum vpon a little moyle was taken The Gibelins seizing on the part brought in the Marquis of Fescara and Mantoua the Cardinall of Medicis Colonne and a part of the army Milan taken and sackt the victors not able to conceiue by what happinesse and meanes they had so easily obteyned so notable a victorie the which was confirmed by the sacke of the Cittie which continued fifteene dayes We cannot but blame our Commanders herein of negligence and too great confidence in not discouering the enemies remooue that day and beleeue that they would not assault the Rampars without their artillerie the which could not 〈◊〉 the wayes being broken with continuall raine Lautrec troubled with the feare and the darknesse of the night not able to discouer in so short a time the estate of the enemy confusedly lodged â—ome in the Cittie others in the Suburbs Abandoned by Lautrec he left Mascaron a Gentleman of Gasconie within the Castell with fiftie men at armes and six hundred French foote and retired his armie to Come wheâ—e leauing Iohn of Chabannes Lord of Vandenesse brother to the Marshall of Chabannes with fiftie men at armes and fiue hundred foote he repassed the riuer of Adde at Lecâ—â—e and tooke the way of Bergamo to put his men at armes into Garrison in the Venetians Countrie and other places which held yet for the French It is an vsuall thing to yeeld vnto the Conqueror Laude Pauia Plaisance Alexandria Cremona hold for the Empire and the Duke of Milan Ianot of Herbouuille Lord of Bunou held yet the Castell of Cremona Lautrec sent his brother Lescut thether who since the retreat of Parma had ioyned with the armie with part of his forces to recouer it Who being repulsed Lautrec brought all his troupes which were but fiâ—e hundred men at armes foure thousand Suisses a few other footemen foure hundred men at armes Venetians and six thousand foote As all things were readie for the assaâ—â—t the enemie being amazed demanded a composition the which they obteined with their liues and baggage Cremona recouered A small comfort for men halfe discouraged Frederic of Bossole came from Parma with his forces by Lautrecs commandement He â—ad no sooner passed the Po but Vittelli seizeth thereon with a most pleasing consent of all the people All these victories were glorious to the enemy but the treacherie of one blemished their former reputation Come spoiled contrary to the capitulation Come besieged battered ten or twelue dayes despairing of succour and defence had yeelded vpon condition that as well the French companies as those of the Towne should haue their liues and goods saued depart with their Launces vpon their thighes and be safely conducted into the Venetians country and yet when the French would depart the Spaniards entred and spoiled both the Souldiars and the Cittizens Vandenesse accusing the Marquis of Pescara to haue broken his faith challenged him to the combate If you will mainteine answered he that this sacke is happened by my commandement or permission I say you haue lyed But before the quarrell could be ended Vandenesse was slaine at Romagnen at the retreate of the Admirall of Bonniuet whom the end of the warres of Nauarre had drawne beyond the Alpes At the same instant those of the League sent the Bishop of Verule to the Suisses to withdraw their affections from this Crowne But displeased that their men had marched against the King and complaining of the Cardinall of Sion the Pope and all his officers who had perswaded them to breake the conditions of their alliance they put this Bishop in hold at Bellinsone and called home the troupes they had in Italy On times the victor is partaker of the discommodities of warre they made preparation to assaile Cremona and Genes But their desseins are broken by the death of pope Leo who hauing newes of the taking of Milan Death of Pope Leo. but especially of Parma and Plaisance for the recouerie whereof to the Church he had chiefly mooued this warre he was so wonderfully
all the rest were razed The Lansquenets hauing ioyned with Annebault he beseegeth Cony ouerthrowes a peece of the wall and giues an assault but it was the place which was best fortified a great rampar behind the breach stayes our men the which after an howres fight they are forced to abandon with the losse of many men of seruice and the night following two hundred horse and eight hundred foot being entred made the Admirall to sound the retreat eight Canons diuided into two batteries had so troubled the defendants as not able to answere the diuers assaults the Towne in shew had beene wonne But errours are knowne after they are committed Vpon the retreat the Earle Maxime Anthonie Maruille and Theode Bedaine an Albanois encounter two hundred Imperiall horses neere to Bra they charge them defeate and take the most part of them and the enemie hauing abandoned many small peeces the Admirall reduceth to the Kings obedience Villeneufue of Ast Poring Cambian and Riue de Quiers Winter did cut off all meanes of more happie successâ— So dismissing his armie and sending the Lansquenets of Colonnel Reichroc into France he tooke his way to Mont-Cenis Mont-Cenis is subiect to tempests as wel as the sea The way is straight Annebaults dangerous retreat restrayned by two mountaines when any storme ariseth the gusts of wind do gather togither balls of snow vpon the tops of the hills which growing great as they roule downe ouerthrow all they meet and they to whome the straight is knowne for oft times the guides are lost runne many times into caues full of snow Annebault was in this danger most part of them that did accompanie him found their graues vnder the snow some loose their eyes other die with cold some returne benummed of their feet others of their armes and hands and few of this whole troupe inioyed his perfect health himselfe was neere vnto a fatall end if some men attending the end of the storme in little caues had not preserued him from the iniurie thereof At that time the King determined a reuenge against the inhabitants of Rochelle the neighbour Ilands which were mutined against the Kings officers for the custome of salt Being arriued at Rochell they assembled all in the gardein Rebellion of the Rochellois where his Maiestie did lie confessed their rebellion publikely and most humbly craued pardon for their offence The furie of a King saith the wise man is the messenger of death but a wise man will pacifie it And the cheerefull countenance of a King is life his fauour is like vnto a cloud bringing raine in due season The King mooued with the pittifull noyse of this people crying for mercy with their hands lift vppe kneeling on the ground and teares in their eyes did graciously remit their offence The Kings clemencie freed the prisoners â—or this offence deliuered their armes and the keyes of the Towne commanded the garrisons both of foot and horse to retyre receiued them into grace and restored their liberties and priuileges without doubt A King maintains his throne by clemencie In the meane time many practises and enterprises are made against Turin The Marquis of Guast did at sundry times send vnto the Iudge of Turin An Enterprise vpon Turin being borne at Quiers a number of carts laden with wine and within the vessels which were as long as the carts many armes harguebuses pertuisans and corselets to arme fourescore men the which he should receiue into his house disguised like couÌ„trimen bringing victuals to the market who at the first tumult they should heare at the Towne gate should issue forth armed and seise vpon the Court of gard in the market place whilest that other souldiars armed with Iacks and shirts of maile morians swords daggers and targets brought in fiue carts of haye sixe in euery one the haye being so cunningly layed as cutting a cord within the bundels would fall downe should fight with the gard at the port and fauour the entrie of eight hundred horse 1543. and fiue thousand foote which should be ready at the alarum But the enterprise being discouered made the Iudge to loose his head The enemie notwithstanding le ts not to proceed to the execution of his carts of haye in the absence of Bellay whome his priuat affayres had called into France after the death of his brother and the twelfth of February Boutieres Lieutenant for the King at Turin was well aduertised of some carts which were preparing at Ligâ—â— an imperiall Towne neere vnto Vulpian but not of the maner of the former enterprise They hazard their haye Raimont commanding at the gate causeth Perrichon his Lieutenant to thrust a pike through the first cart he drawes it out all bloudie the souldiars leape forth and the first thrusts Raymonet through the bodie with his sword Raimonet takes him by the throat and stabs him his companions likewise come forth force the gard seise vpon the armes that hang vp and become maisters of the port Valiantly without doubt but somewhat too soone for them their succours were a mile or more from the first bridge Captaine Saluadeur d' Aguerre who deserues to be named hauing a great share in the preseruation of the Towne who had then the gard of the place hearing the alarume at the gate and crying Sauoye turnes head with his troupe repulseth the fiue that were slipt out off the first cart and goes directly to the gate A well aduised Smith who dwelt neere the gate goes vp and with a great hammer breakes the chaine and le ts downe the Portcullis so as the Imperialls could not enter Boutieres and Moneins arriue they shut the gates kill some of the souldiers that were betwixt the gate and the Portcullis the rest creepe vnder the Portcullis being too short and Cesar of Naples who not many dayes before had left three of his souldiers hanged at Turin being executed for an other conspiracie against the Towne seing his enterprise made frustrate retyred without the losse of any but of his Lieutenant who was slaine with the Canon On the other side the Duke of Cleues made warre in Brabant and had wonne some places from the Emperour So as the Bourguignons turning all their forces against him giue the Duke of Vendosme meanes to victuall Therouenne to take Lilliers by composition being a strong place betwixt Aire and Betune at the entrie of the marish to burne the Towne beat downe the gates and to make it and many other places about Therouenne Saint Omer Aire Betune altogither vnprofitable for the enemie And to the Earle of Aumale eldest son to the Duke of Guise accompanied with the Lords of Laual Saint André Escars Dampiere Chastaigeray Esguilly and a great number of other yong gentlemens occasion Exploits in Picardie to quicken the enemie with continuall skirmishes and assaults most commonly carrying away the aduantage The happie successe and the fauorable season inuited the King in the beginning of Iune to go
Queene the 17. of October The Princes gouerned by their innocencie arriue the eeue of All Saints and passe from the Portereau to the Kings lodging vpon the Estappe The Princes arâ—â—ue betwixt two rankes of armed men The Cardinall of Bourbon and the Prince of Roche-sur-yon receiue them Not a Courtier nor a Bourgeios meetes them and for their first affront when as they sought to enter on horse-back according to the vsuall custome they were answered with a Brauado The great gates do not open The King attended them at the first hauing done their duties to his Maiestie and no man aduanced to bid them welcome I am said he to the Prince of Condé aduertised from diuers places that you haue made many enterprises against me and the estate of my realme and therefore I haue sent for you to know the truth â—rom your owne mouth Lewis iustifies himselfe so plainly and doth charge his enemies so directly as the King himselfe could not impute these accusations bâ—t to the wilfulnesse of his Vncles agâ—inst his owne bloud But he was possessed by them and suffered himselfe to be easiâ—â—e abused So hee commands Chauigny The Prince of Conde impriâ—oned Captaine of his gards sent by them of Guise to seize vpon the Prince Chauigny shuts him vp in a house hard by beâ—ore the which they make a fort of Brick fâ—â—nked with Canoniers and furnished with field peeces to defend the approches The Lady of Roye his mother in law was likewise carried from Anici a house of hers in Picardie prisoner to S. Germaine in Laye by Renouarâ— and Carrouges Ierosâ—â—e Groslot Bayliffe of Orleans vnder colour that his father had beene Chancellor to the deceased King of Nauarre and hee an affectionate seruant to the Princes accused also to be the Protector of the Lutherans in Orleans was likewise imprisoned two dayes after the Princes arriuall La Haye Councellor in the Court of Parliament at Paris who did solicite the Princes affaires was also in trouble Amaury Bouchart maister of Requests vnto the King and Chancellor to the Nauarrois was sent prisoner to Melun which others brought from Lions to haue proofes against the Prince whose triall they did hasten with all speed But they meant no harme to Bouchart he had already retired himselfe and blabbed by his Letters to the Cardinall of Lorraine to the preiudice of his maister Neither the informations taken at Lions by the Marshall S. André noâ— the prisoners at Melun were sufficient to make the Prince a spectacle vpon a scaffold They send for the president of Thou Commissioners to aâ—aigne the Prince Bartholmewe Faye and Iames Viole Councellors of the Parliament at Paris to examine the Prince vpon the point of high Treason and if this peece of batterie were not of force then to touch him vpon the point of religion and to condemne him for heresie The Prince propounds diuers causes of recusation and appeales from them to the King The priuie Councell reiects his appeale and decrees That vpon paine of high treason the Prince should answer before these Commissioners He answers purgeth himselfe cleerly of all crime and aduowes his religion freelie The Prince condemned By this confession iudgement was giuen against him he condemned to dye a day appointed the x. of December to countenance the beginning of the Parliament They onely note the Earle of Saâ—cerre the Chancellor and the Councellor Morâ—ier which did not pollute their soules with the approbation of this vniust sentence This sentence should in the end cause the ruine of all that were accused or suspected as well for matter of State as religion And for the execution of this desseine the forces of the realme diuided into foure marched already into diuers Prouinces vnder the command of the Duke of Aumale and the Marshals of S. André of Brissac and of Termes And with the same furie the King of Nauarre should bee confined into the Castle oâ— Loches the Constable and his children to the great Tower at Bourges the Admirall and some principalls into one at Orleans the which was afterwards called the Admirale neere to that of S. Aignan But behold there are two more violent and more brutish councellors Brissac and S. André they hold opinion that to auoide trouble in giuing the King of Nauarre any gardes they should put him to death they imploy both poison and sword but neither succeeds God had otherwise decreed reseruing these princes for a more honourable death But howsoeuer let vs confesse that the Lord hath strange meanes to punish the ambition of great men we shall scarce see any one of those which acte these furious parts vpon the theator of this Historie end his dayes by an ordinarie and naturall death The x. day of December approched and the Deputies for the Estates ariue by degrees They presently forbid them in the Kings name vpon paine of death not to moue any thing concerning religion his Maiestie hauing referred this controuersie to the Councell which the Pope being then Pius the 4. successor to Theatin lately deceased appointed to begin at Trent at Easter following Those of Languedeâ— amongst the rest came furnished with ample instructions both for the State and religion but they found meanes to stop their mouthes seizing both on their persons and instructions The ix day of the moneth they giue commandement to the King of Nauarre to be ready to go to horse-back their meaning was to carry him to Loches whilest they should present the prince his Brother vpon a mournefull Scaffold to the people of Orleans But O God we haue heard with our eares and our Fathers haue declared the worke which thou hast done in their time A miraculous deliuerie and in the old time before them Behold the King is taken during Euen-song with a great fainting continued with a paine in his head at the left eare accompanied with a Feuer The Guisâ—ens notwithstanding send forth many Commissions to leuie men and command the Marshaâ—l of Tâ—rmes to ioyne with the Spaniard who tooke the way of Bayonne to spoile the Country of Berne and then to assaile all those whome he should finde to haue fauored the King of Nauarre and the enterprise of Amboise It may be they would haue sold their liues deerely Seauen or eight hundred gentlemen go speedily to horse followed with fiue or six thousand foote resolute when the Marshall should passe Limoges to â—emme him in betwixt two riuers He hath some intelligence thereof and râ—tires to Poitiers This desseine being made frustrate the Kings sicknesse encreasing those of Guise meane to proceed with violence and to murther the King of Nauarre God raysed vp the Cardinall of Tournon who thinking to do a greater act preuents it Hee aduiseth to attend the Constables comming with his Children and Nephewes to the end sayd he that killing one we saue not the rest who afterwards may do more harme then the Princes The dispaire of the Kings helth made them of
be called Lieutenant generall to his Maiestie in all his countries and territories But this was but a gouernment in paper these strong partialities of two parties shall brieflie one assaile another making great wounds within this realme from whence wee haue seene the bloud runne euen to these latter dayes This treatie did preiudice them of Guise and in the end peace must needs send them from Court to liue at home like priuate men They had in their conceits the argument of a new Tragedie the which we shall shortly see plaied vpon this Theater The Protestants multiplied and the King of Nauarre supported them openly The Prince of Condé who pursued the sentence of his iustification in the Parliament and the Admirall had preaching in their chambers This string is strained too high They publish generally that these preachings will be the ouerthrow of the ancient religion within this realme and particularly among the Duke of Guises partisans That vnder colour of rendring accounts and of extraordinary gifts they would displace them hauing managed the most important affaires of the realme for the space of fortie yeares The Constable holding for a maxime That the change of religion brings an alteration in the state begins to applaude them the Duke of Montpensier and the Prince of Roche-sur-yon Princes of the bloud of Bourbon vpon this nice point of new religion ioyne willingly with them The people conforme themselues commonly after the patterne of great men Gâ—eat personages looke awrye one on another so do the people one beares the name of Huguenot impatâ—enâ—ly an other cannot indure that of papist in truth turbulent and factions names From hence sprong diuerse mutinâ—es 〈◊〉 Beauuais Amiens Ponâ—oise and elsewhere where the weaker was forced to yeeâ—d to the stronger These new broyles caused an Edict to be made at Fontainebleau where the Câ—â—urt remayned attending the renewing of the estates intermitted prohibiting these maâ—â—a reproches of Papist and Huguenot to serch no man in his house nor to retaine any one in prison for his religon From thence the King made his voiage to â—eims and was sollemnly crowned by the Cardinall of Lorraine The Kings coronation The Parliament at Faris not able to digest this last Edict shewes vnto the King That diuersitie of religion was incompatible in an estate reiects this pretended libertie of conscience and beseeched â—â—s Maiestie to force his subiects to make open profession of the Catholike Apostolike and Romish religion vppon such paines as should bee aduised on in Councell Now blowes a contrarie wind the which assembles in the Parliament at Paris all the Princes Noblemen and others of the priuie Councell with all the Chambers to the end they might freely Edicts of Iuly and withall puritie of conscience deliberate aduise and conclude vpon a matter so much importing the good and quiet of the Realme This assemblie brought forth the Edict which they called of Iuly an edict confirming the decrees of former Kings commaunding his subiects vpon paine of death to liue hereafter in peace without iniuries without reproches for any respect of religion â—â—nd beleefe But see the firebrand of ciuill warres which now we handle All religion faith or doctrine other then that of the Church of Rome was banished the realme asâ—emblies of Protestants forbidden and they condemned to seeke their abode elâ—ewhere Somewhat to temper this bitternes they lymit their exile by the determination of a generall Councell or next assembly of the Prelats of the Realme at Poisâ—y And at the same instant the sentence of the Prince of Condés innocencie was pronounced in Paâ—liament by the President Baillet in their scarlet gownes the dores open and all the chambers assembled the King of Nauarre being present with the Duke of MoÌ„â—pensâ—er the Prince of Roche-sur-yon the Dukes of Guise Neuers and Montmorency the Cardinals of Bourbon Lorraine Guise Chastillon and other noblemen his remedie reserued against whome it should appertaine as the reputation and qualitie of his person and dignitie should require The King calling the Princes and Noblemeâ— to S. Germain in Laye hee caused the Prince of Condé and the Duke of Guise to embrace each other promising to continue good friends The Parliament remitted to Pontoise hauing produced no other effect but a new approbation of the Regencie for the Queene mother in whose fauour the Admiraâ—l laboured to the Estates relying vpon the great assurances she had giuen him to procure much good for them of his partie And the King of Nauarre by reasonâ— of the refusals which the Deputies made to passe this article declared vnto them by mouth that he had renounced his right and some meanes to open the cofers of the Clergie for the payment of the Kings debts they began to proceed to the conference of Poissy For the Catholiks came the Cardinals of Bourbon Lorraine Armagnac Guisâ—e Chastillen and Tournon Conference of Poisâ—y assisted by a great number of Prelats and Doctors of Diuinitie and Canon Law The Pope doubting least they should make some conclusions preiudiciall to his authoritie sent the Cardinall of Ferrara his Legat into France to oppose himselfe against any alteration in religion and to haue the cause referred to the Councell of Trente the which he had published Theodore Beze Peter Martir a Florentin Augustin Marlorat Francis of Saint Paul Raimond Iohn Virel and other to the number of twelue ministers and two and twentie Deputies of the Protestant Churches offer a petition vnto the King at his first entrie beseeching him that the Prelats might examine the confession of their faith whereof they had had conference since the moneth of Iune to impugne it if they thought good at their first assembly and vppon their obiections to heare the defences of the said Churches A PetitioÌ„ presented by the Protestants by the mouthes of their Deputies That the King should be president in this conference with his Councell and that the Clergie for that they are parties should not take vppon them the authoritie of Iudges That all controuersies 1561. might be determined by the word oâ— God That two Secretaries chosen on either side might examine the disputations that were daylie written and that they should not bee receiued but signed by either partie Before they entred into open conference the Cardinall of Lorraine would â—eate pâ—iuatly with Beza before the Queene Mother and hauing heard him especially vpon the Lords supper I am greatly contented sayd he with that I vnderstand and hope assureâ—ly that the issue of this Conference will bee happy proceeding with mildnesse and reason It began the 9. of September The King did breefely touch the causes of this assemblie causing his Chancellor to deliuer them more at large The Cardinall of Tournon in the behalfe of the Prelats demands the Chancellors proposition in Writing A 〈…〉 the Pr testants and leysure to consider thereof the which is refused Theodore with his companions brought in by the Duke of Guise appointed to that
of that name Primat of France Arch-bishop and Earle of Lion The death of M. de Pinac Archbishop of Lion died in the beginning of Ianuary whose life was so famous as it deserues to be breefly set downe in this History The reputation which hee had gotten at the Estates at Blois made King Henry the 3. a great Prince as well in iudging as in recompencing of good wits to call him to his Councell after the death of Monluc Bishop of Valentia whereas hee shewed himselfe to be of that iudgement as he was in short time imployed in the greatest affaires in Councell At that time the Court was in a manner all Gascon there was no entrie into the Kings fauours nor liberality but at the Duke of Espernons pleasure who was the Ephestion of our Alexander Peter de Pinacs heart could not subiect it selfe to that of Iohn Lewis of Nâ—garet He was too much his owne to be any other mans and thought that if he must needes serue it was inough to serue the Master and not subiect himselfe to the will of the Seruant Hee did not affect the tedious seruitude of the Court nor did not much care for that forced kinde of life Writing vnto his friends long before the trouble of the League he sayd that amidest the greatnesse and Honour of charges wherein the King did imploye him he did not leaue to desire the content of a happy retreat But things fell out otherwise then he expected The League burst forth in Champagne The King sent him to pacifie the Duke of Guise In this negotiation hee had a quarrell with Espernon vpon certaine words which blemished both their Honours Hee had written a Poeme against the Mignons wherewith the King was offended commanding him to leaue the Court so as hee retired himselfe to his owne house after the treaty of Peace made at Nemours But as the Kings blowes were but threates Commanded to leaue the Court. so knowing well that this Prelate was not to liue idlely in a corner of the Realme that this great desseine of the League like vnto a Ball of Snowe did increase in manie Townes whereas the Kings obedience was growne cold and that the Princes enemies to this Crowne prepared to gather the Flower de Luce hee neuer ceased vntill hee had called him againe to Court Called backe againe This returne was the beginning of his misery Many others before him hauing fallen into disgrace with the Prince haue not beene raised againe but for a greater fall It is seene in the Courts of all Princes such Tragedies are vsuall Hee was presently called to the Helme of affaires and was followed and reâ—pecteâ— more then any other Read the example of Bernâ—â—â— of Cabrera in the liâ—e of D. Pâ—dro King of Arragon Cuâ—iâ—a in his annals He tuâ—nes to the League Nobleman in Court But as wee may not iudge of the daie by the morning nor of the felicity of man by the good daies of his life this happinesse was but the entry to miâ—fortune which did attend him Hee imbarked himselfe in the same shippe with the Duke of Guise the which being broken at the Estates of Blois â—e had no other meanes to saue himselfe but through the fauour of the Baron of Lux his Nephewe He was giuen in ransome to Gast who kept him â—â—auen or eight monethes in the Castell of Amboise and then set him at liberty for thirty thousand Crownes He went to the Duke of Maine seeing that the affaires of his party tended too much to confusion and to a popular gouernment hee perswaded him alwaies to retaine the forme of a Monarchie to the end hee might oppose a kinde of Royaltie against the King and not be blamed to haue broken the bonds of the Estate So through this aduice they made Officers of the Crowne and gaue him the seals Hee neuer ingaged him selfe vpon the promises of Spaine but sayd alwaies that hee was a true hearted Frenchman He was made keeper of thâ— seales vnder me Cardinal o◠〈◊〉 whome they called Charles the 10. The faction of Spaine knowing him to bee such hindred Pope Sixtus the 5. from giuing him a Cardinalls hat and they disswaded Clement the 8. who had sayd that at the first promotion hee would remember his merits He requited them well when as the Spaniards came to Paris to propound the Coronation and Marriage of the Infanta Isabella of Spaine letting them knowe that the Flower de Luce could not spinne He reâ—urned to Lion leauing the Duke of Maienne intending to settle his affaires and to accommodate himselfe with the Peace and generall good of the Realme At his returne grewe that tumult against the Duke of Nemours the which he vsed ill for his Wisedome did not second the occasion Great vnderstanding failes sometimes in the perfection of Iudgement and Discourse Bâ—â—â—â—cades at 〈…〉 the Duke of Nâ—â—ours He saw himselfe forced to depart the Citty and neuer to returne againe vntill the King made his first entry The King who had shewed effects of his Bounty and Clemency to his greatest enemies could not loue him hauing this impression in his soule that he was the onely Instrument to crosse his fortunes Speaking one day of the Peace of Nemours in the yeare 1586. he sayd vnto him that in that negotiation he had giuen good testimony that hee loued him not and that hee had done him bad seruice My Leege answered he I could not do better for the seruice of the King my Master I had done otherwise if I had beene your seruant as I am now When as the Duke of Espernon returning out of Prouence went to visit him at his Pallace amongest other speeches of the remembrance of things past Hâ—â—rowes 〈◊〉 to be no moâ—e imployed he sayd vnto him that hee did not thinke there was any one in France whose fortunes had beene so crost as theirs the Archebishop answered him as for mine it was neuer crost but by you After the reduction of the Citty of Lion to the Kings obedience this great spirit borne to action grewe discontented to see himselfe no more in the honor and reputation that he had beene He then resolued to appâ—y his minde onely to the affaires of his charge to choose the time most conuenient for the tranquillity of the Hâ—uen wherevnto he approched When as the Duke of Nemours had made his escape out of Pierresize he saied that hee would not vse his liberty well he writes vnto his friend in this manner Remember that I haue alwaies saied vnto you that Monsieur de Nemours will finde himselfe much intangled with the Spaniards who haue led Mounsieur de Maine into an inextricable Laborinth will bring Mounsieur de Nemours vnto a miserable Estate and I dare in a manner Prophesie that in the end the Duke of Sauoy will finde himselfe deceiued as well as the rest The Spaniards Shirt is neerer vnto him then his Doublet and he will rather
seeke to preserue his owne then to vsurpe an other mans Estate for an other The King sent for him to the Estates at Roan but the necessity of his affaires would not suffer him to go He sayd that he was not fit for this age and that he was like vnto the Adamant which serues not for all seas In the end of his last yeare he complained vnto his friends of the shortnesse of his life saying that hee was not to liue aboue ten or twelue yeares when as hee liued not twelue dayes His Physitions disagreed vpon the cause of his greefe hee had beene long troubled with the Emoroyds the which had so emptied his Bodie as there was no bloud found in him when he was opened His lights were much altered And for that his Physition sayd vnto him that his greefe was the Goute hee replied Is it possible that any one should die of the Goute without a feuer I see well what it is seeing men vnderstand nothâ—ng wee must haue recourse vnto God The third day of his sicknesse his Body was called to the Earth and his soule to Heauen He withstood the terrors of death with as great a courage as when it was presented vnto him at the Estates of Blois Foure or fiue houres before his decease a Capuchin came to visite him and to comfort him exhorting him to free this last passage couragiously and to let him know that the issue of this life is equall Death disrobing man of his titles and dignities as Stage-plaiers do their attire Aequat omnes 〈…〉 paris nasâ—mur pâ—res mâ—rimâ—r Sence Epis. 92 hee called him simply by his name when as he vnderstood this new manner of complement that they called him Peter de Pinac without any other ceremonie hee lifted vp his head and eyes to say vnto him that spake vnto him what art thou They found that this speech did somewhat amaze him and that hee did take it as a watch-worde of his departure which was about midnight The Duke of Biron did see him in his sicknesse and assisted at his funerall No man lyuing did better iudge of the nature of men by the consideration of their visages hee did diuine the Marshall Birons fortune by his countenance and the proportion of his visage for hauing considered it some-what curiously hee sayd vnto his Sister after his departure Hee hath the worst Phisiognâ—mie that euer I obserued in my life as of a man that would perish miserably The Arch-bishoppe of Lion had profited so little by the troubles as had hee liued longer necessity had forced him to feele great discomodities his Sisters Estate was ingaged the fruites of his benefices were seized on and yet his table was as sumptuous A Double 〈◊〉 the fiâ—t part of a 〈◊〉 as in the best daies of his prosperitie The League had cost him fifty thousand Crownes the Doublons of Spaine had left him nothing but Doubles Those which haue red the publike actions of this Prelate may iudge of his Doctrine but no man can represent the grace and force of his action but those which haue seene them He had in him a concurrence of all things necessary for an eloquent discours A graue pleasing countenance a goodly personage a facility of words The Duke Ioyeuze returnes to the Capuchins and an action that did charme his Auditors The Duke Ioyeuze Marshall of France beeing at Paris in March hauing heard Father Laurence sermons in Saint Germain L'Auxerrois beeing mooued in conscience after that he had taken his leaue of the Ladies and some of his friends he returned againe to the Capuchins where being receiued by the Fathers hee diâ— a hard penance and submitted him selfe to all the duties of a religious man All men were amazed to see him returne the second time to his Couent beeing plonged in shewe vppe to eares in the delights of the world but his Conscience tied him to returne by the bond of his vowe perswading him that it were better not to vowe then not to keepe a vowe made freely and without constraint or impression in his maiority The first motiue of being a Capuchin came into his heart by inspiration when as the deceased King Henry the 3. went on foote in procession to Chartres to haue issue Motiue whiche became a Capuchin if it pleased God He was then called Earle of Bouchages hee made choise of this order among all others the better to do his penance And the rather for that he vnderstood that he was dedicated by his deceased Father to be of the Church When hee was first a Nouice hee applied his studie with so great a courage as he was blamed for his great diligence wearing the haire continually Hee had his shoulders all torne with woundes In this Estate hee continued vntill the hottest of the late miserable Warres· when as after the death of his Father his yonger Brother who was a Knight of Malta and Grand Prior of Languedoc was called Duke of Ioyeuze for the Duke oâ— Ioyeuze or other in Lawe to King Henry the 3. deceased his eldest brother who was slaine at the battaile of Coutras with S. Sauueur his yongest brother died without Childâ—en â—he sayd Duke of Ioyeuze beeing acknowledged by them of Tholouze Narbone and others of the League for their head he made an enterprise vpoÌ„ the Towne of Villemur in Lauragâ—â—s where hauing planted the seege for that it was held by the Royalists euen as hee thought to haue forced the Towne the Lords of Themines Chambaut and Missillac came to releeue it The second oâ— Ioyeuze drowned at Villâ—mur who charged him with such aduantage as they put all his Army to route so as the sayd Duke retyring to the passage of a riuer he was drowned with many others By this meanes the house of Ioyeuze was reduced to the Cardinall of Ioyeuze his brother and to the Earle of Bouehage a Capuchin whom then they called Father Angelo The Tholousains and Nobility of their party beeing much amazed had recourse vnto the Cardinall whome they intreated often to take the charge of leading them the which hee would neuer accept And in the end at their instant sute that in raysing his house hee would â—uccor them by the meanes of the Earle of Bouchages his brother who was tâ—en more then capable of such a charge but he was a Capuchin This difficulty was propounded to the Councell of the diuines who concluded that by reason of the vrgent necessity they should withdrawe him from thence the which was propounded vnto himâ—elfe and he refused it But after they had layed before him the example of his owne Father who being Grand Prior of Langueâ—oc was yet dispenced withall to marâ—y to raise his house the which remained onely in him and whereof God had approued his blessing by the effect so many braue Noblemen beeing borne of that marriage He leâ—ues the 〈◊〉 habit by the â—opâ—s dispensation and leaue of his Generall He
search and dâ—sguising of presumptions and circumstances Slander is the cause of false iudgment Who doubts but the complaints malicious teares of this Woman were false directions sufficieÌ„t inductions to circumuent the wisedome of the best Iudges who in the middest of the â—ight that is to say in the darknesse of hidden Crimes haue followed the ordinary formes of Iustice. It was with reason that a Grecke Author discoursing of the criminall processe of Orestes who to reuenge the death of his Father slue Clitemnestra his Mother sayd that when he was brought before the Parliament of Arriopage Minerua Goddesse of Wisedome was Precident in Iudgment The Ancients by such fictions would teach vs that in the iudgement of Criminall causes if a Celestiall power doth not assist there doth many times inconueniences happen but the fault must then be imputed to the accuser who giues the first cause by an information framed expresly to afflict and condemne an â—nnocent Appian in his History reports of Iulius Caesar that seeyng a mutiny in his Campe he coÌ„manded the authors theâ—eof to be apprehended A souldiar was brought before him as one of these mutines yet it was presently auerred that he was none Caesar caused him that brought him to be seuerly punished iudging that although hee did it not maliciously yet he deserued punishment for that he had drawne an innocent Souldiar in danger of his life We reade that Martian hauing found a dead body in the night Martian condemned vpon suspition through piety which was theÌ„ greatly recommended among Christians seeking to bury him was taken led before the Iustice condemned vpoÌ„ suspition but at the same instant when as they carrâ—ed him to exâ—cution it chanced happily that the Murtherer was taken and executed hauing confessed the fact to the great happines of Martian who was deliuered and within few yeares after chosen Emperour As also the Ecclesiasticall History doth teach vs that S. Athanasius was accused to haue slaine Arsâ—nius and was ready to bee condemned if by good happe Arsenius had not beene found beeing hidden by the enemyes of Athanasius A late Writer curious in the search of the singularities of the History of Venice reports an Aduentuâ—e somewhat like vnto this Fuscarus sonne to the Duke of Venice had a capitall quarrell with an other Venetian Gentleman called Hermolaus Donat. This Gentleman was found dead and the author of this murther not knowne Fuscarus vpon suspition of their quarrell was called in question condemned and sent into exile where he died for griefe to see himselfe banished from his Country Within three moneths after his death a theefe was executed who amongst other crimes confessed that it was he and not Fuscarus which had slaine that Venetian Gentleman In such and the like inconueniences were it reason to giue absolute impunity to him that was the Calumniator be it that malice or indiscretion hath drawne him to this slander Scipio said that a Generall of an army must be well aduised what he doth for in matters of Warre there is no meanes to erre twise the first fault being sufficient to ruine an Army Euen so in Iustice it must be very exact when there is any question of a capitall accusation for seeing that the life depends thereon there is no meanes to erre twise the first being irreparable It is an approued distinction of all those that haue treated of the punishment of false accusations whether an Informer be induced to accuse slaundrously and wickedly or by indiscretion and without mallice The one differs from the other so haue they diuers effects the one hath some excuse the other is punished seuerely The punishment of false accusations the one Ciuilly the other Criminally for where there is mallice and slander the Law of God doth punish the Calumniator with the like paine Lege Taltonis and at Rome the Calumniator in crimes that were not capital was beaten with a hot iron and branded in the forehead for a signe and perpetuall marke of his slander And the Emperour Maâ—rinus did punish those accusers which did faile in their proofes with death Plynye speaking of such men called them abhominable sacrifices which should be offred vp to the publike quiet And the good Emperour Traian did so detest Calumniators as hee caused them to be put into a ship without sayle or tackling abandoning them to the mercy of that mercilesse element which would haue no pittie of them no more then they had had of many poore innocents But as for the Slander which proceeds from indiscretion without malice the seueritie in truth should not be so great yet is it fit there should be some punishment No seuere or capitall punishment but at the least pecuniarie and ciuil of domages and fiâ—e If she were not excusable as a Mother forced to accuse by extreme greefe without malice what racke what punishment what torments were sâ—fficient to punish her which hath drawne an innocent man in question and in danger to bee broken vppon the wheele The Poets faine that the Goddesse Câ—râ—s by the supposition of Tantalus did eate Pelops shoulder This Goddesse finding her own error although vnaduisedly condeÌ„ned her selfe to make Pelops a new shoulder of Iuorie You are the cauâ—e of the cruell torments which the playntife hath suffered vpon the râ—cke but you say it was by indiscretion and without malice At the least by an award of domages and fine make some Pecuniarie recompence to releeue the miserie of this poore man and to helpe him to finish the remainder of his dayes languishing after so many torments And if this woman represents vnto you the pittie and greefe of a Mother imagine I pray you the miserable sigthes of this innocent in the midest of the cruelty of the most violent tortures hauing no other feeling but his paine and greefe In one houre a thousand deaths without dying a bodie tormented stretched halfe torne in peeces his sinewes dryed and strayned his members broken and his whole bodie in a pittifull estate being bound and miserably racâ—t And to speake truth it had bin a great happines for this poore man to haue died for what remaynes is no more a perfect body but peeces displaced and disioyned members broken lame and feeble hauing his bodie reduced to that miserable estate as hereafter he shall hardly by his labour get a liuing for himselfe his Wife and fiue Children It is the clamor and sigthes of these poore yong Infants whose crie pierceth vp to heauen and their complaints come vnto you to moue you vnto pittie He in the meane time seeing himselfe miserable in his body and his family reduced to beggerie liues and dyes altogether It is a paine which still encreaseth a Greefe which euer doubles and a Death which hath neuer end That great Painter Apelles meaning to paint Slander The picture of slander set him forth in a mourning weed hauing two Wiues one of either side Ignorance and Suspition 1599.
manner of great men in Turky with a Persiâ—n Ciâ—iter all glistering with gold and precious stones with many other presents among the which were fethers of Hearnes and Cranes al black the which are excellent among them there were also two red Enseigns 7 Horses a braue Falcon exquisitely set out· which presents were after their manner carried aloft before the sayd Palatin Hee holding the right hand as Lord and the Ambassador the left they entred into Cronstat the souldiars standing of either side whilst the Cannon shot off in signe of â—oy The Emperours Agents were there and beheld all this the Palatin doubing theâ— would enter into some iealousie called them wished them not to bee moued for all this nor to thinke that hee would incline to the Turkes friendship and that he would alwayes doe what should be reason but that hee could doe no leste then intreat this Ambassador ciuilly and honorably if hee would not be reputed discourteous Notwithstanding he intreated them to cause George Basta to retyre for some prâ—uat respects that were betwixt them and that they should cause some other to come The Emperours Agents made shewe to beleeue him and presented him with thâ—râ—ie thousand Crownes in the Emperors name wherwith he was not very well pleased This George Basta had beene Lieutenant of the Emperors army in Transiluania since that Sâ—gâ—smona Batterie would haue yeelded it to the Emperour George Basta the Palatinâ— of Valaâ—hia hate one another and afterwards repented him giuing it to Cardinall Andrew his Kinsman The Palatins hatred against Basta was for that he had discouered the Intelligences that he had with the Turke and aduertised the Emperour thereof In the meane time the Valachian blinded with this great victorye against Battory treated with the Emperors Agents by Atticles First he would that Transiluania the which he sayd belonged to him and to his Son by heredâ—tarie right should remaine vnto him demaunding moreouer Varadin Hust The Valachians demands of the Emâ—our Nagban and the coâ—fiâ—es of Hangary Secondly hee would haue the same pensions that SigismoÌ„d Batory had where-withall to maintaine an army coÌ„tinually on foot Thirdly that the Emperour and other Christian Princes should promise to reduce him in case he were taken prisoner by the Turke And moreouer if he should be expelled Valachia and Transiluania that they should giue him a hundred thousand Crownes yearely to maintaine him like a Prince and vpon these conditions he would stand firme to the Christian party and would vndertake to bring in subiection vnto the Emperor aâ—l the Country lying from the Ponticke Sea vnto Buda Alba regalis and Solnoâ— so as he might be Lord of the Riuer of Tibische These insolent demands did offend the Emperors Agents and were the cause of the Valachians ruine In the meane time Sigismond Batory hauing taken armes againe and ioyned with Ierome Vauoide of Moldauia made a Campe volant of meane forces consisting of Moldauians Polonians Turks and Tartarians The Valachian goes to incounter Batorie with fiftye thousand men the which hee ledde through the Mountaines where for want of victualls they were forced to eate leaues of trees Notwithstanding Batory and Ierome beeing terrified fled into Poland The Palatin seizeth vpon Moldauia where Ierome was much hated for his exactions He made them to take an oth as well to the Emperor as to himselfe and his Sonne Then hee seekes for his enemy who was towards the Riuer of Danuby The Moldauian Batory defeated with thirty thousand men at a strong Castle called Ortan He gaue him battell and wonne it with the losse of twoe thousand men but the Moldauian lost eight thousand men The Valachian after he had setled his Sonne in Moldauia retired himselfe into Transiluania At that time Zamoscki the great Chancellor of Poland leuied a newe army The Polonians leuy an army to reduce Moldauia to the ancient Gouernment of the Polonians This Army recouered Moldauia and conquered almost all Valachia The Valachian aduertised the Lieutenant of the Emperours Armye in high Hungary to be ready in case of necessity and the Emperor himselfe whom he promised by his letters to serue very faithfully so as he would call Basta out of Transiluania but it fell out contrary for Doctor Petzen the Emperors Ambassador commanded him to obey Basta the which did so transport him with rage as he vsed all cruelty against the Noblest Houses of Transiluania tormenting some and putting others to death The Valachiâ—â— abâ—ndonâ—d by his friends for his cruelty the which purchased him the hatred of all men and his friends forsooke him euen Moyses Secala who had before assisted him more then any other abandoned him so as he lyued in feare on all sides of the Turkes the Tartars the Polonians Maldouians and Transiluanians Basta vpon this occasion of hatred drew the Transiluanians vnto him by loue and taking Clausembourg Basta receiued Vauâ—dâ— of Transiluania for the Emperoâ—r the cheefe towne all the Estates of Transiluania came vnto him receiued him for their Vauoide in the Emperors name The Valachian remained at Visbourg with an army of 18000. men being resolued to attend his enemie but George Basta surprised and defeated him hauing lost 4000. 〈◊〉 The Valachian retired himselfe into the Mountaines The Valachian defeated which deuides Valachia from â—ranâ—siluania but being there the Moldauian and Batory charge him and bring him to thaâ— extremitie as he was forced to submit himselfe with all humilitie to the Emperour deliuering into his hands his Treasor Wife and Children for Hostages And so the Valachian came to Vienna where hee was honorably receiued by the Archduke 〈◊〉 and stayed there by commandement vntill that that the Emperour came to Prague In the meane time the Transiluanians mutyned and threatned to yeeld themselues vnto the Turke if they would not grant them certaine conditions so as the Emperour would haâ—e sent his Brother Maximillian the Archduke vnto them to goâ—eâ—â—ie them but he excused himselfe And the Valachians being opprest by the Zamosâ—â—â— â— Polonois demanded Michel their Palatin or Despot or some other for that they would not obey the Moldauians Brother The reuolt and treason of two hundred souldiars in Pappa and their punishment whome the Polonois had giuen them for their Despot wherewith the Emperour was much troubled as you shall heare hereafteâ— About this time there were 2000. souldiars most of them Wallouns and French which were mutined in Pappa a fort of importance for that their pay stayed to long making a cruell reuolt whereof sixe among them were the cheefe Authors First they elected one called La Mot for their Cheefe and forced the rest to consent else they would kill them Their conspiracie was to yeeld vnto the Turke and to that end they had taken Michael Marot their Gouernour prisoner and others that comanded in the â—ort to deliuer them vnto the Turkes They set all the Turkish prisoners at libertie and sent
haue managed for the renuing of the League His Maiesty hath also coÌ„manded mee to assure you of the account he makes of your Faith and that he will fully obserue the promises that shal be made vnto you He doth also assure himselfe that for your parts you will bring al willingnes Freedome now that his Realme is the most florishing giuing more cause of Enuy then of Pitty He desires more earnâ—stly to renewe the ancient alliances that haue bin betwixt the Kings and Crowne of France your Comon weale thinking that the good which shall rise thereby shal be profitable vnto you the best and most assured meanes for to make you liue powerfully and happily I will conceale how highly I esteeme the honour which the King my Master hath done me in making choise of me with these Gentlemen to serue for so Good and Holy a worke and also to see my selfe with a Nation which hath bin often both in Peace and Warre cherished esteemed by my deceassed Lord and Father the Marshall Biron of my selfe For proofe of my Affection I offer you all that is in my power being desiâ—ous to assist you withall fauour aed to serue you in that which a Knight of Honour ought may The Kings alliance was accepted by the Suisses publike thanks were giuen to God the Duke with the Ambassadâ—rs solemnly feasted The alliance which before had bin coÌ„tracted but for the Kings life only was coÌ„cluded for the Daulphins also after that of the Kings as many years after as were graÌ„ted to the deceassed King The continuance of thâ— League The King receiued great content to see this Treaty so happily concluded to the honor of his Crown contrary to the intent and practises of those that sought to hinder it The Count of Fuentes greeued that things had not succeeded according to his hope cast his desseins in Italy vpon the Marquiâ—aâ—â— of Final without any pretext or offence but onely vp on the presumption of his Masters greatnes To giue some colour to his attempt he caused two diuers rumors to be spred abroad One was that the Marquis of Final was vpoÌ„ termes to exchange this Marquiâ—ate for a little Principality lying in the realme of Naples The other was that the Marquis of Final in the extremity of a sicknes had giueÌ„ it to the Kâ—ng of Spaine VpoÌ„ these two pretexts he caused Diego Pimentel his nephew Sanchio de Luna to passe with a great number of Spaniards to surprize the place The Marquâ—sate of Final surpâ—ized the Lansquâ—nets that kept it who were easily satisfied with a promise of 16 months pay that was due vnto them He placed 200. Spaniards in it vnder the command of D. Petro de Toledo and presently resolued to fortifie the Port and to put a Garrison therein The chiefe end of his Conquest was to bridle the Genâ—ueses and to make their Trafficke with Spaine so discommodious as they should reape no benefit but what it pleased the Gouernor of Finall An Army at Sea in Calabria of 60. Galleys The Lord of the place who had neuer any thought to Exchange nor to giue it filled the Popes and the Emperors eares and all the Ayre with his Complaynts but in the end finding no satisfaction he was forced to allowe of that which pleased the stronger The Spaniards made not so great an account of this purchase as they conceiued hope of a great leauy of Men of Warre made in the Realme of Naples and Sicilia and in the Duchies of Milan Mantoa Modena Vrbin and Parma whereof they ment to make an Army at Sea greater and better conducted then the last Many thought it was to repayre the fault of Alger or to oppose against the desseignes of Cigala who they said would come out off Constantinople with a hundred Sayle As the desseine was secreat so was it not knowne who shouâ—d bee the Generall Andrew Doria demanded leaue of the King of Spaine fore-seeing that they would hardly giue him the charge for that they must neuer imploy an vnfortunate Generall twise The Duke of Sauoy made shewe to accept of this command if it were offered him D. Iuan de Cordouâ— was General They had greater enterprises in Europe then in Affrick or Asia although it were sayd that the King of Fâ—z had promised to make the King of Spaine Master of Alger But the necessities of the Lowe Countries and the practises they had in France made the Spaniards to leaue all attempts against the Turkes and Moores for this yeare being so disapointed for want of money as they were forced to flie to priuate purses so as without an aduance of two hundred thousand Crownes by the Spinolas of Genoa the Troupes which past in Aprill and May had stayed vntill the end of the yeare in the Duchy of Milan These were the speeches of the King of Spaines desseignes wherevnto they added that D' Albigny was gone to Milan to the Count of Fuentes that the Marquis of Aix was in Spaine that the Duke was ready to subiect himselfe wholy to the will of the Councell of Spaine to whom he deliuered his two Sons hauing made them Knights of his Order to prepare them to the Voyage and had sent Defourny an extraordinary Ambassador to Rome to beseech the Pope to send them his blessing But the King knewe well that vnder these shewes and Pretexts there were other Negotiations to trouble his Estate whereof he made no shew yet such as did see him when hee was most free and priuate discouered that his Head was troubled and that the Toyle Weaâ—ines of his Minde was much more then that of his Body One day comming from Hunâ—ing being very pensiue before the fire with his Hat on his Eyes he drewe his Sword speaking some words vnto himselfe then he turned towards the Vidame of Chartres The King disquieâ—ed tâ—uching the Mâ—rshall Bâ—â—on who was there present asking him when la Fin his Vncle would come and that he longed to see him At the same time there were great reparations made at the Bastille rather to keepe that fast that was to be within it then to resist without which made many beleeue that the yeare should not passe without lodging of some one of marke in the place This Winter the Court was full of Iolity and Sports the Queene hauing made a very Rich and Sumptuous Maske The Queenes Maske calling fifteene Princesses and Ladies of the Court vnto her which represented sixteene Vertues whereof the Qâ—eene made the fiâ—st The Duke of Vendosme beeing attired like Cupid marched before the Queene but within fewe dayes after he changed that Habite into Mourning for the death of the Duke of Mercure his Father in lawe who dyed of a Pestilent Feauer on Twelfe day in the Citty of Nurinberg The death of Philip Emaâ—â—â—l of â—orâ—aiâ—e Duke of Merâ—uâ—â— comming into France to prepare a greater expedition against the Turkes The King was
storme The cause grewe from a decree of the Court giuen against Solyciters and by the Kings authority and expresse commandement who before hee parted from Paris to passe the Easter at Fontainbleau sent for the cheefe of the Court of Parliament and of all the other Courtes to recommend their charges vnto them From whose owne mouth they vnderstoode howe much hee desired that all the Iustice might bee administred with lesse charge and lesse losse of time The Spices is 〈◊〉 vnto Iudges vpon euery 〈◊〉 that is iudged dâ—â—iniâ—iuely in France That there was no Iustice for them that had no money so excessiue were the Iudges Spices and the Soliciters fees The Court of Parliament desiring that according to the Kings minde intention and last comâ—â—unde the excesse whereof they complayned against the Soliciters might bee reduced to a meane and iust temper assembled to redresse those disorders The opinions beeing heard and numbred against Aduocates the first President sheweing that a reformation was as necessary in Iudges as in Soliciters The 〈◊〉 deâ—â—â—â— against 〈◊〉 In the ende 2 decree was made by the which it was ordeyned and apointed that euer Soliciter should set downe vnder his hande in the ende of his writtings what hee had taken for his owne fees to the ende that in case of excesse it might bee moderated when as the Court should proceede to iudgement of the processe Moreouer they should giue a certificate what they had taken for the pleading of causes to be set downe in the taxe of charges all vpon paine of extorsion The Law was not made against the good but onely to restraine the auarice of others who preferre the oportunitie of taking before all reprehension All notwithstanding did oppose themselues against the execution of this Law saying that they would rather leaue their places then subiect themselues to the rigour of the Decree and do so great a wrong to the Dignity and Liberty of their profession The Court made an other Law whereby it was decreed that such as would not pleade should deliuer their names vnto the Register A second decree against Soliciters after the which they were forbidden to practise as Soliciters vppon paine of falshood This second decree was pronounced in open Assembly in the house of the Kings Attornie generall The next day there went out of the Chambers of Consultation by two and two to the number of three hundred and seuen they past through the Pallace hall went to the Register to giue vp their hoods and to declare that they obeyed the second decree seeing they could not obey the first From that time the Pallace was without pleading the Soliciters being busied to defend themselues setting downe al the reasoÌ„s they could for their iustification yet could they not mooue the Court to reuoake or change the Decree they were forced to haue recourse vnto the King who to reconcile this diuision which happened vpon a day which reuiued the memorie of a greater trouble hee sent his letters to the Parliament in tearmes conformable to his Iustice and the wisedome of his Councell By the which it was lawfull for Soliciters to exercise their functions as they had done before the sayd Decree inioyning them notwithstanding to obserue the ordinance made at Blois in that behalfe in the 161. Article The parties which had sutes did languish in expectation of this declaration As they complayned of the corruption so they suffered the inconueniencie of the remedie The Court which had made many iust and seuere Lawes against Combats An â—idict against Combats confirmed the Edict which the King made at Blois Before his Maiesties departure from Fontainbleau hee had commanded the Constable Chancellor Marshalls of France and the cheefe of his Councell to deuise some meanes to suppresse the libertie of Combats being so iniurious and preiudiciall to his estate By their aduise an Edict was made by the which they that call or are called or which assist or seconds him that calls or is called are declared guiltie of high Treason and to bee punished according to the rigour of the Lawes Commanding the Constable Marshals of France Gouernours and Lieutenants generall of Prouinces to preuent Combats and to forbid them vpon paine of death to iudge absolutly as they shall thinke good of all that concernes the reparation of wronges and to force them that are condemned to satisfie by imprisonment The King effected his busines happely in Poâ—tou The King his voyage into Poâ—â—ou in three weâ—kes hee found so great an obedience and affection in them to please him as hee remained very well satisfied His Maiestie left so many testimonies in all places of his bounty as all had cause to prayse him and to blame their practises which sought to trouble the peace The Duke of Biron did not thinke the King should haue found so great obedience and loue among his subiects of that Prouince He had sent some of his seruants to Court to learne how the market went and to shew the discontent he had foâ— the iealousie which was conceiued of his Faith and Dutie The King sends for the Duke of Biron The King who was well informed of his intelligences with the Count of Fuentes reâ—olued to see him and to keepe him from his enemies Hee sent Descures vnto him with charge to say that hauing intelligence of the great Leuies of souldiars made in Italie he had resolued to maintaine the body of an army vpon the froÌ„ter to giue the charge vnto him and to that end he had coÌ„manded DeVic his Ambassador in Suisse to demand a speedy leuy of 6000. men to cause theÌ„ to march wher he should haue directioÌ„s that therein hee followed the Councell of the Constable his gossip whose aduice he sent him in writing and desired to haue his by mouth conâ—uring him to come with speede He stirres not for al that excusing himselfe sometimes vpon the holding of the Estates sometimes that the enemy being so neere it were an act vnworthy of his reputation to turne his backe abandon the Frontier The King sent the PresideÌ„t â—anin a man powerfull in perswasion The President 〈◊〉 sent vnto him who comming to Dijon gaue the Duke to vnderstand howe much the King desired to see him and how necessary this sight was and among many discourses applyed fitly to his humour hee let him knowe the Kings strength and the length of his Arme. This was not able to mooue him He considered that the Duke of Biron must bee perswaded to this voyage by him that was all of his Councell â—home he assured that as he should haue all the Honour of this perswasion Diuers aduises 〈◊〉 to the Duke of Biâ—on so he could expeâ—t nothing but disgrace and ruine of a contrary councell His friends notwithstanding did conâ—ure him not to come one of his best friends sent him word by his Brother that his Gouernment was disposed of and that for his last hope he
aduised him to retire â—â—to the Franche Conté An other friend sent him worde that hee should distrust aâ— he sawe and all that should bee sayed vnto him to mooue him to come that the Kiâ—gâ— letters were Golden pilles that la Fins assurances were but deceites and to consiceâ— that the voiage which the Vidame of Chartres had made to Autun to assure him that his Vncle had sayd nothing was made at the Kings charge But an other friend sent him a contrary aduice to come and that his onely presence would disperce all these bad reports There was danger in either The King sware hee would go fetch him He should haue seene him selfe beseeged with the Kings forces and farre from the strangers which had charge to passe into Flanders In going the foulenesse of his offence could giue him no hope of returne He takes that aduice which he thinkes lesse perilous nothing doth so much aduance the execution as the assurance he takes of that which la Fin had written vnto him He receiued many messages to turne him bacâ— whom hee sees returned to his house contented and freed from all distrust So the Duke promiseth to come vnto the King about the midest of Iune to some of his houses neere vnto Paris It was a signe of distrust which the King dissembled as being indifferent vnto him The President Ianin goes before the Duke of Biron with Descures followe after by easie iorneys Vpon the way hee had an aduice sent him to come no further and beeing at Montargis hee was in great suspence but hee had so great a confidence of himselfe and of the opinion which all the Couâ—t had of his valour as hee did not beleeue there was any man so hardy as to laâ—e hold of him and that if he might haue but meanes to drawe his sword hee would free himselfe from his enemies Hee flattred himselfe in his vanity and pleased himselfe as Pigmalion did in his Image and Narcissus in his shadowe The Councell which they gaue him to humble himselfe vnto the King was the last Anchor of his helth He found no man that spake for his pride but euery man would haue sayd for his humility But his courrage was too great to stoope Presumption had filled his eares with so much vanity as the voice of Truth could not enter Many reasons were giuen to stay him in his iorney But it is impossible to auoide the prouidence of Heauen The Duke of Biron wil needes carry his head to the Kings Iustice. The discours of Reason or the iudgements of Truth preuaile not with a spirit transported with passions There were many badde presages of the Dukes voyages Bid signes of the Duke of Birons voâ—ge A Ducke came into his Cabinet and no man knewe howe hee commanded it should bee carefully kept but as soone as hee was parted it died Presently after the Horse which the Arch-duke gaue him called Pastrana fell madde and killed himselfe The like happened to a Horse which he had from the great Duke An other Horse which the Duke of Lorraine gaue him pined to death He came to Fontainbleau when as they had no more hope of his comming and the King had resolued within two or three daies after to go into Bourgongne Hee comes to 〈◊〉 the 13. of Iune His Maiesty walking in the great gardin about sixe of the clocke in the morning was herd-say vnto the Lord of Souuray He will not come He had scarce spoken these words but he sees him enter with seauen or eight with him The King sayd he comes fiâ—ly to conduct him to his house Hee aduanceth and makes three great courtesies a good distance off The King imbraced him and sayd That he was come in good time to conduct him to his House which words were diuersly vnderstood by the hearers The first wordes he had vnto the King was vpon the occasion of his comming He excuseth his stay beginning to excuse his long stay The King gaue eare to fewe words but tooke him by the Hand to walke and to 〈…〉 the plot of his building Passing from one Garden to another the Duke of Espernoâ— saluting the Dâ—ke of Biron told him in his eare that in comming he had giuen more credit to his owne Courage then to the counsell of his Friends In all the discourse which he had with the King The Kings fauouâ— to him grâ—wne cold as there appeared Coldnes in the countenance of the one so there was some signe of Perturbation in the others words The Kâ—ng talked vnto him of the bad course he had taken the which had no other issue then Ruine Râ—pentance and Dispayre The Duke of Biron answered That hee was not come eyther to â—ustifie himselfe or to demand Pardon or to accuse his Friends He let scape many other Words which his Maiesties presence and the Lawe of Duty should haue restrayned Dinner time being come he desired to dine with the Duke of Espernon for that his own Traine was not yet come After Dinner they came to see the King who hauing walked a little in the Hall retired into his Cabinet coÌ„manding two or three to enter and sayd nothing to the Duke of Biron The Duke of Biron not respected who stayd at the corner of the Bed towards the Chayre obseruing that he was not respected as he had wont to be that he was no more in Opinion and Admiration as he had bin The Marquis of Rhosny entred into the Cabinet hauing staid there almost halfe an hower he came forth and saluted the Duke of Biron telling him that the King asked for him There he was perswaded not to conceale that which time could not long keepe hidden whereof the King was so well informed that what he desired to know froÌ„ the Dukes owne mouth was but to let him see that none but himself should haue knowledge therof The Duke of Biron who thought that la Fin had not discouered any thing coÌ„tinued stil firme The Duke of Biron â—ustifies himselfâ— vpon the Protestatioâ—s of his innocency beseeching the King to do him Iustice against theÌ„ that sought to oppresse him by Slanders insupportable to a Conscience so cleare as his was or to suffer him to take his reuenge by the Sword The King led him to the Tenis-court hee would make the match saying That the Duke of Espernon and hee would play against his Maiesty and the Count of Soissons The Duke of Espernon answered presentâ—y You play well but you make your matches ill At night he supped with the Lord Steward It appeared he was not content He eate nothing no man spake to him and they held him for a man abandoned to misfortune Yet he thought no man would lay hand on him trusting too much in his own courage The King in the meane time walked in his chaÌ„ber deuising of some great resolutioÌ„ he was heard speak these words He must bend or breake He gaue him time
a paine Stantem Imperatâ—rem excedere terris dâ—cet he commanded the Executioner to make an end He desired to die standing according to the aduise of Vespasian The Executioner answered him that hee must kneele that hee might doe nothing out of Order No no said the Duke of Biron if thou canst not doe it at One giue Thirtie I will not stirre They prest him to kneele and hee obeyed willing the Execâ—tioner to dispatch then he start vp sodainly againe casting his eyes vpon the Executioner and looking vpon the standers by hee asked if there no mercy It was imagined that either hee would haue layd hand vppon the Executioners sword or that hee presumed that when he should be readie to receiue the fatall stroake they would bring him his pardon and that the King would doe him no other harme then feare him as Papirius Cursor did one of his souldiars â—or breaking of his ranke The Executioner intreated him to suffer him to cut his heâ—re At that word he grew into choller againe â—e vnbanded himselfe and sware that if he toucht him hee would strangle him You may see in two persons two extreame passions Feare retyred the â—xecutioner within himselfe Choller transported the Dâ—ke of Biron beyond himselfe The one trembled for feare the other for rage Voisin sayd vnto him that he had too much care of his bodie He sweares and growes into choller which was no more his owne He turned to him in choller with an oath saying I will not haue him touch mee so long as I shall bee liuing If they put mee into choler I willl strangle halfe the company that is here and will force the rest to kill mee I will leape downe if you thru si me into dispaire His colour did rise and shewed a distemperature in his face Those that were vppon the scaffold went downe The Executioner remayned amazed fearing death more then he that was to die But this choller preuailed nothing it was like vnto Ctesiphon to kicke against the Moâ—â—es heeles Resâ—â—e horses get nothing but spurring they are neither freed from their burden nor from their iourney hee must resolue to goe this way the which he must passe at length Voisin intreated the Preachers to goe vp againe and to pacifie him fearing least he should fal into dispaire for his Soule being much troubled with the violeâ—ce of so tragicall an end entring into these furious motiues was subiect to great distempratures They goe vp againe and speake some good wordes vnto him in his eare the which doth temper his furious rage and calme the choller which the Executioners presence did thrust him into Hee had alwayes liued in Warre he could not die in Peace All men found these furious passions strange in the last act of his life the which required a great constancie of mind and a perfect Iudgement to know God and to call to him for mercy and to pray him to intreat his Soule more fauourably then Iustice had done his Bodie Hetherto they beleeued that although hee were entring into death yet hee thought not to die and that hee would seaze vppon the Executioners sword Sodenly hee resolues to free this passage and hauing receiued his absolution hee sayd My God my God my God take pittie on mee Then turning to the Executioner hee takes the binder that was in his hand trusses vp his haire behind and binds it vppon his fore-head and with his handâ—kercher hee bâ—inds his eyes and so kneeles downe The Preachers comfort him in his last râ—solâ—tion assuring him that his Soule was readie to see God and to bee partakâ—r of his glory in Heauen I sayd he Heauen is open for my Soule And this done he bends downe his head presenting it as willingly vnto the sword as Agis did his vnto the halter saying vnto the Executioner Strike Strike oh Srike This was to die in commanding and to command in dying The Executioner hauing seene him to rise and to vnblinde himselfe thrise that in turning towards him being not bound hauing the sword in his hand hee might wrest it from him thought that there was no way to execute him but by surprise and therefore hee sayd vnto him that hee must say his last prayer to recommend his Soule vnto God intreating the Preachers that were gone downe to cause him to say it At which wordes the Executioner made a signe to his man to reach him his sword with the which hee cut of his head euen as he was speaking The blow was so sodaine as few men perceiued it He cuts of 〈◊〉 head the Head leaped from the scaffold to the ground The Preachers prayed for the happie departure of the Soule from so vnhappie a Bodie the which was presently stripped into his shirt and couered with a sheete His heart panted as if in rising against the Head it had sayd as Apolodorus thought that his did when hee drempt that one did hewe it in peeces It is for thee that I suffer This Head full of the fumes of Ambâ—tion was the cause of the Hearts death The Executioner stroke him so heigh aboâ—e tâ—e Nape of the Necke as he glaunced vppon his Iawe-bones and left a great 〈…〉 hayre on his Necke Being dead hee shewed Choller in his Countenance as tâ—ey write of the Souldiars which died at the Battell of Cannas Euery one departed commending the Kings Iustice and lamenâ—â—ng the misery of so Valiant a Man beleeuâ—â—â— that of long time they should not see his equall His Kinsfolkes would thinke themselues happy if the Glory of his Life might wipe away the Infamy of this Death if the shining of his first actions were not obsured with the Darknesse of the â—â—st that for a recompence of al his Seruices which haue made him so famous they migâ—t obtaine the fauour that they would neuer speake of him But there is no Lawe of Forgetfulnesse to deface the memory of that which hath beene and of that which is About nine of the Clocke at night he was carried to S. Pauls Church and buried in the middest of the Body before the Pulpit the Celestins hauing refused to giâ—e him buriall Great Gonsalue dying had a hundred Ensignes hang ouer his graue hauing had no permission nor commandment for it He was not distinguished from others by his Funerall Pompe nor by the number of Ensignes I 〈◊〉 that Great Captaine at Granado but by the Holy watter which the Parisians did cast hourely vpon his Graue Such was the ende of the Duke of Biron There is no Caâ—me but hath a Storme one would haue said to haue seene him at the height of his prosperities That he had fixed a Nayle on Fortunes wheele that it might not turne and yet he is sodainly cast downe There past but one night betwixt his Glory and his Ruine This Flower being so sodainely blowne the first Northern winde did wither it and carry it away His Honours and Greatnesse were the meanes to ruine him like vnto Absolons
concerne the King his Person and his State and if it bee tollerable to heare what is sayd yet is it not lawfull to â—peake or publish it His Maiestie himselfe hath not yet declared the cause of the Count of Avuergues restraint and in the letter which hee did write vnto the Gouernour of Lions vppon that subiect hee did onely send him these wordes The Kings letters to la Guiche from Fontainbleau the 15. of Nouemb 1604. You haue vnderstood how that I haue againe caused the Count of Auvergne to bee apprehended being aduertised that hee continued still in his bad practises and that hauing sâ—nt often for him hee would not come At the least I will keepe him from doing ill if I can At the same time when as the Count of Auvergne was taken the brute was that the Duke of Bouillon had like to haue beene surprised When as he could find no other refuge for his â—ffayres but to retire himselfe out of the Realme hee hath vsed the lâ—bertie of his retreat wisely and hath alwayes sought the Kings fauour for the assurance of his reâ—urne Some forraine Prince of his friends aduised him not to returne to Court to hold all reconciliation suspect and to beleeue that when a Prince is oâ—ce offended he is neuer qâ—iet vntill the offence bee reuenged That hee must not trust to that which hee promiseth nor to that which hee sweares houlding both the one and the other lawfull for reuenge That the word of a Prince that is offended is like vnto Zeuzis cluster of grapes which takes Birds but his oth is like vnto Parrasius vayle which deceiues Men. Those which haue lost the fauour of their master for that they had intelligence with them whome they could not serue without cryme are alwayes in continuall distrust the which followes the offence as the Boat doth the Shippe vntill they haue quenched and smothered the cause and made it knowne that they are diuided and enemies to all their wils that would distract them from their duties for Men that are double and dissemblers are neuer tamed no more then a Batt which is halfe a Ratt and halfe a Bird or the Chastor which is flesh and fish The Duke of Bouillons patience hauing giuen the King time enough to consider of his intentions The Duke of Bouillon is redie through the Kings Clemencie to obtaine all that he could desire to returne to a greater fortune in the which lesse is allowed then to a meaner estate The Duke Tremouille ended his fortune by death Hee might haue dyed when as the King would haue lamented the losâ—e of him more Death of the Duke of Trâ—mâ—uille for hee was not now well pleased with certaine wordes which had beene reported vnto him and if hee had liued he would haue beene in paine to excuse himselfe of the commandement hee had made him to come vnto him to answere it From hence spring two fruitful considerations the one that there is nothing so fearefull and terrible as the threats and disgrace of his King the other that it is alwayes dangerous to speake ill of his Prince For the first Cassander greatlly feared Alexander euen when hee was dead for that hee had seene him once transported with choller against him And although that after the death of Alexander he was aduanced to the Throne of Macedon yet walking in the Cittie of Delphos and hauing seene an Image of Alexanders who was nowe rotten in his graue he did so tremble as his Hayre stood right vp his knees fayled him and the palenesse of his countenance shewed his amazement and the terrible assault which his memory gaue him for the second when a free speech hath once escaped against the respect of the Prince he must haue a great and a strong Citty as Lisander sayd to defend his liberty of speech They haue neither Friendes not Councell against the King and if their misery findes any shadowe or protection it is but like vnto Ionas Gourd of one night Let them not flatter themselues in the greatnes of theiâ— houses nor their Allyances this qualitie doth but increase their offence Princes are not so much mooued with that which the common people do as with the Lycentious words of great men Caius disguised himselfe into as many fashions as he imagined there were Gods A Cobler seing him set in his Pallace like Iupiter with a scepter in one hand a Thunderbolt in the other and an Eagle by his side burst out in a great laughter Caius causing him to come neere asked him why he laught I laugh at this foolerie answered the Cobler The Emperour laught also suffering it to passe freely without choller yet punishing other speeches seuerely which came from persons better quallified Thus ends the seuenth yeare after the conclusion of the Peace FINIS ⧠A TABLE OF THE MOST memorable things contained in this Historie Pharamond the first King of France THe fundamentall date of the French Monarchy Folio 1 The estate of the Empire at the beginning thereof ibid. The time of his raigne fol. 2 The estate of the Church ibid. The French can endure no gouernement but a Royaltie â—ol 3 The Royaltie of France successiue and the efficacie of a successiue Royaltie ibid. A successiue Royaltie the best kind of gouernement fol. 4 The manner of the receiuing of a new King in old time ibid. The people consent not to preiudice the Kings prerogatiue at his first reception fol. 5 In France the Male is onely capable of the Crowne ibid. The fundamentall Law which they call Salique ibid. The practise of the Salique Law â—ol 6 Of the word Salique and what the Saliens were ibid. The death of Pharamond fol. 7 Clodion or Cloion the hairie the second King of France THe first attempt of Clodion fol. 8 The estate of the Empiâ—e fol. 9 A Law â—or wearing of long haire ibid The Estate of the Church ibid. Mâ—roâ—â—è the third King of France HE enters France â—ol 10 The French ioyne with the Romanes and Gothes fol. 11 Orleans besieged by Attila hee is ouerthrowne but not quite vanquished ibid The happie raigne of Meâ—ouâ—è fol. 12 The estate of the Empire and the Church ibid. Childeric or Chilperic 4 King of France HE is expelled for his vice fol 13 He is called home againe ibid. Clouis 1. the 5. King of France and the first Christian King HE aspires to the Monarchy of all Gaule fol. 15. The fiâ—st rooting out of the Româ—ins ibâ—d Clouis becomes a châ—istian fol. 16 Religion the only true bond of aâ—â—ectâ—ons ibid. Gaule called France ibid. Waâ—res against the Wisigothes fol. 1â— Warres in Burgundy and the cause why ibid. Clouis conquests in Burgondie fo 18 A â—recherous attempt of Gondâ—bault hee is justlie punished for his murthers ibid. The first winning of Burgundy Daulphine and Prouence ibid. Alaric slayne by the hand of Clouis ibid. The Emperour sends Ambassadours to Clouis fol. 19 Clouis being conqueâ—or is conqâ—ered ibid. He looseth
the cause of this warre fol. 74 Charles subdues the Saxons and perswades Witichind to be a christian ibid. The ofspring of Witichind f. 75 The Institution of the twelue Peeres of France fol. 76 Treachery of Idnabala the Sarazin ibid. Pampalune taken and the Sarazins victorie ibid. The Sarazins enter into Gascoine ibid. Conditions propounded by Aigoland and accepted by Charles fol. 77 Sarazins defeated in Spaine ibid. The treason of Ganelon fol. 78 Rouland defeated at Ronceuaux he dies for thirst ibid Charles reuengeth this treacherie ibid. The end of the Spanish warre fol. 79 Bauiere incorporated to the crowne for rebellion ibid. The limits of the French Monarchy in Germany ibid. The occasion why Charlemagne was proclaimed Emperour fol. 80 Contention in the East â—or Images ibid The tragicall death of Constantine fol. 81 Irene his mother banished ibid. Diuision of the Empire ibid. Warre in Italie and in Saxony fol. 82 Charles hâ—s dâ—edes while he was Emperour Charles repulst at Venice He diuides his possessions to his children and settles an order for their lawes The Danes reuolt ibid. Charles looseth two of his best sonnes ibid. Rebellion against Charles fol. 83 The Empire confirmed to him his care to rule the Church ibid. A good Instruction for princes to loue pietie ibid. New warre in Spaine crost by secret practises ib. A happy conclusion of Chaâ—lemagnes life ibid. Charles makes his Will and dies fol. 84 The true praises of Charlemagne and his vices ibid. Lewis the gentle the 25. king and Emperour of the West THe declining of this race fol. 85 Lewis his wiues and children fol. 86 His base facilitie ibid. A furious crueltie his indiscretion ibid. Tragicall rebellion of children ibid. Abuse in the Clergie fol. 87 Lewis imprisoned by his children hee is forced to giue them portions and he dies ibid. Diuision among the brethren and the cause fol. 87 The estate of Lewis his children aâ—teâ— his death Loâ—haire thinking to surprize his brethren is surprized and defeated fol. 88 He dies a Monke ibid. An accord betwixt Charles and Lewis fol. 89 Hermingrade daughter to Lewis married to Bosan king of Arles fol. 90 Charles the bald the 26. King and Emperour A Confused and an vnhappy raigne fol. 91 Charles seekes to deceiue his Neece ibid. He is diuerted from the warre of Italie where he dies fol. 92 Lewis 2. called the stuttering the 27. King and Emperour THe princes of Italie oppose against him f. 92 The Pope vsurpes the imperial rights in Italy ibi Lewis dies and leaues his wife with child fol. 93 Regents crowned as Kings ibid. Charles borne after his fathers death ibid. The minoritie of Charles called the Simple the which continued 22. yeres vnder 4. Regents whom they call Kings The 28. raigne vnder Lewis and Caroloman Basâ—aâ—ds LEwis is defeated by the Normans and dies for griefe fol. 94 Caroloman dyâ—s of a violent dath fol. 95 Charles called the Grosse 29. King and Emperour GReat hopes of his good gouernment fol. 96 Neustria called Normandie ibid. Charles defeated by the Normans yeelds to a preiudiciall peace ibid. Hee is extreamâ—ly hated and deiected both from Empire and Realme ibid. He dies poorely in a village fol. 97 Eudes or Odon named Regent by Lewis the 2. the 30. King of France THe race of Eudes from whence Hugh Capet sprong fol. 98 Eudes maligned in his Regencie fol. 99 France full of factions ibid. Eudes resignes the Regencie to the King a little before he died ibid. Charles 3. called the Simple the 31. King of France A Memorable League made by Robert brother to Eudes against King Charles fol. 100 Charles put from the Crowne fol. 101 Robert the head of the League and in armes ibid. Robert causeth himselfe to be crowned King fol. 102. The errors of King Charles ibid. Robert defeated and slaine by Charles ibid. Charles taken prisoner by Hebert he dies for griefe ibid. Queene Ogina flies into England with her sonne Lewis ibid. Raoul the 32. King but in effect an vsurper RAâ—ul an Vsurper raignes vnfortunately fol. 103. Necessâ—rie obseruations for great Estates fol. 104 Confusions in France Italy and Germany ibid. Confusion in the East and in the Church ibid. Pope Ioan deliuered of a child in the open streete fol. 105. Lewis 4. the 33 King LEwis a disloyall prince fol. 106 Hee marrieth one of the Emperours sisters Hugues father to Hugh Capâ—t marrieth another ibid. The duke of Normandie tâ—aiterousâ—y slaâ—â—e 〈◊〉 107. Lewis deales trecherously in oppressing the Normanes 〈◊〉 The King of Denmarke comes to succour tâ—e Duke of Normandie fol. 1â—9 Lewis taken prisoner at a parle and set free vpon conditions ibid. Richard Duke of Normandy marries the daughter of â—ugueâ— the great ibid. Lâ—wis seekes to ruine Hugues his brother in Law â—ol 1â—â— Trecherie punished with trecherie Count Hebert hanged ibid. Lewis dies hated of his sâ—biects ibid. Lothaire 34. King of France LOthaire a trecherous king fâ—l 111 He attempt warre against Richard of Normandie but in vaine ibid. Lothaire makes warre against the Emperour 〈◊〉 112. Lorraine giuen to Charles of France by the Emperour ibid. Lothaire dies detested of all men ibâ—d Lewis 5 the 35. King and the last of the sâ—cond â—ace THe last King of the race of Charlemaigne fâ—l 113. God the disposer of Kingdomes and States ibid. Hugh Capet the 36. King and the first of the third Race CHarles Duke of Lorraine heire presumptiue reiected from the Crowne and Hugh Capet chosen King of France fol. 117 The reason why Chaâ—les was reiected fol. 118 Hugh Capet held most worthy of the Crowne ibid. His fathers wise proceeding fol. 119 His off-spring ibid. Why he was called Capâ—t ibid. Hugh Capets proceeding to attaine to the Crowne fol. 120. A parliament at Noâ—on â—or his election ibid. Hugh Capet crowned at Rheims fol. 121 Charles of Lorraine begins warre and surpriseth townes ibid. Hugh Capâ—t defeated and in danger ibid. Charles promiseth vnto himselfe a happie raigne ibid. He is taken in Laon carried to Orleans where he dies in prison ibid. Hugh Capet no vsurper fol. 122 The subiects doe homage vnto him ibid. Hee doth renew the orders of the twelue Peeres of France He suppresseth the Mayor of the Pallace ibid. Hugh crownes his sonne Robâ—rt King fol. 123 Roberts veâ—tues ibid. The Constable succeeds the Maior the Constables authoritie ibid. Hugh decrees that the eldest should raigne alone among his brethren ibid. He suppresseth the Mayor of the Palace ibid. The French cannot subsist but vnder a Royaltie ibid. Paris the chiefe place of Hughes residence ibid. His proceeding against Arnulph bastard of Lothaire who is deposed from his bishopricke ibid. The manners of Pope Iohn the 12. fol. 125 The estate of the Church and Empire ibid. Hugh Capet dies ibid. The Monarchy of France of greater continuance then euer any fol. 126 An order for the vse of this raigne ibid. The names of 13. Kings of the first royall branch of Capets placing Hugh Capet for