to buy his absence To the Duke of Burbon he gives assurance for the portion due to him in marriage with his sister And to every great man who had beene in opposition hee contributes largely since the event of warre might have beene uncertaine to make asure bargaine by this Treatie of peace Thus at Lewys his cost every discontented Lord attain'd his aime and triumpht in the fortune of his designe And so farre was this agreement the ambition of both parties that when the Earle of Charolois allured by the pleasure of Lewys his endearing Language was engaged into his power and the Burgonion Armie gave their Generall lost Lewys return'd him backe with all the ceremonie of love disdaining an advantage that might suffer the blemish of trechery Actions of so extraordinary a vertue strangely conduce to the fortune of a Prince for they create him high in reputation which keepes Soveraignety entire and beget confidence to his after proceedings which whether just or unjust are by that successefull For as to vertuous men faith is naturall so to the polliticke the practise of it is necessary For how can any designe prove fortunate when the contriver is held in distrust Pyrates and Politicians as common enemies to mankinde obnoxious to the selfe-same jealousie no man embarking his fortunes with either but whom desperation forceth or libertie invites This accord changed the face of France the brow smooth with joy and acclamations which had bin wrinckled with so many troubled thoughts Every man retreates to his private entertainements and discor'd no longer cimenting them they divided their businesse according to particular interest Charolois returnes home findes employment for those passions the ambitious never want He takes possession of the townes assign'd him and triumphs in recovery of a small Country whose unquiet pride the world wanted extent to limit Yet did he carry still a vigilant eye over his great enemie knowing that mighty spirits over-ruled by ill fortune disdaine that humility they are forc't to And though conveniency or necessitie bend them down to low conditions it seldome obleigeth the cōscience longer than fortune restraines the power Lewys was not well pleased with debasing Majestie to the irregular requests of them who ought not to have prescribed their Prince And since to oppose them all was unsafe it was convenient to destroy one by one that the revenge might bee more secure and lesse observ'd For those wounds are most mortall that bleede inward and waters which raise least noyse have the greatest depth The shallowes of Princes actions sounding loudest to popular judgements but where the understanding hath the chiefest agitation the greatest attempts proceed with least disturbance His resolution was therefore to begin his revenge with him who was neerest to his person those contents being scarce heard which are spoken a farre off but the least whisper pierceth when the voyce approacheth too neere the eare The late Duke of Normandie afflicted him most in regard nature tyed his memory to a continuall torment that preposterously his younger brother had prevail'd For those disgraces obrey'd us most which wee suffer where we have good title to claime respect And betweene brothers the distance is so little that the sence of honour growes too tender which makes the least touch peirce the very quicke Lewys therefore compell'd him to an exchange of Normandie for Gaien either by remove to prevent his growth in Faction or by shifting him from one command to another in fine to leave him none But this Art was presently discover'd and the divided re-unite bringing Lewys into the same feare and danger Which with much dissimulation hee prevents And by overpleasing Charolois and Brittaine he gaines liberty to oppresse underhand his brother Which was with lesse difficultie conived at in regard Charles now made Duke of Guien was of an easie spirit desirous to master an evill fortune but fearefull to effect it with hazard Moreover he naturally abhor'd war either in Religion or compassion and the complection of that time was troubled Men onely safe who feared no danger ' and such Princes onely secure of peace who were not frighted at war Then which was his ruine any probable conditions of safety made him renounce confederacie with turbulent unquiet men And who can hope from others participation of danger who never entertaine friendship but for necessitie Or who will adhere to his fortunes who deserts himselfe and no longer loves a confederate than hee is usefull This inconstancie in the Duke of Guien layd him open to King Lewys who finding that his brothers life quicken'd so many disorders in France gave way if History be not unjust in censure that hee should dye But nature yeelded little hope to effect the businesse the remedie therefore of the present troubles was to be sought from Art and so well was the plot contrived that he sicken'd and dyed for the quiet of the Kingdome for his death broke all those intellegences had beene held so long in France and the confederate Princes began to thinke on a new way of greatnesse not by disturbing their Neighbours Kingdome but by quieting their owne subjects A greatnesse not destructive to their enemie but effective to themselves Which creates a triumph more glorious because more innocent For power doth never shine unclouded which is maintain'd by darke designes or obscure dishonest Arts Of Charles the fifths resignation of Government CHarles the fifth Emperour of Germany singular in the preheminence of life disdain'd to tread the beaten way of Princes now declining to his grave In all enterprises hee still appear'd superiour to fortune to whose mercy he resolv'd to leave nothing in his age least that giddy power loathing infirmitie and wrinckles might have distasted him and forgot her flattery But his courage did rise yet higher and vanquisht death it selfe Death that great Tyrant which adornes its darke Pallace with the spoyle of Kings and devests the Proud of all the gaudie circumstance that swells their greatnesse Death was onely left him now to conquer three parts of the world had seene the Trophees of his fortune and all had submitted but death To which since inevitably he was doom'd to pay the common debt yet he contrived it so that it should be small losse to him who had nothing now remaining but his body and that weakned by time and sicknesse To Brussells hee summon'd all the Nobilitie of the seventeene Provinces and solemnely cancell'd that sacred obligation they owed him as their Soveraigne To his sonne Phillip to that purpose sent for out of England he gave those Countries and their homage T is true he wept but they were teares of wonder his vertue not onely astonishing that great assembly but even himselfe the example was so new it forc't him to an extraordinary expression with which his courage never had beene acquainted For Noblest spirits in such an extasie weepe as fast as weaker soules out of foeminine softnesse Two moneths after he had made
cut downe For no free delivery of all the prisoners taken in the late battle and fully re-invested in their greatnesse no over liberall allowance no solemne protestations of a Father could winne authoritie with the Sonne New disgusts on the least grounds were built by his owne unquiet spirit and the suggestions of cunning instruments For he wanted that absolute power his title challeng'd from which he was debar'd by his fathers life and fortune they who had adherd heard to his disobedience expected recompence for mischeife and hee unable to pay them for their sinnes rewarded their humour with discontent His disease of minde was incapable of cure for no Phificke without the mixture of his Fathers vitall blood could minister releefe that the old King preserved against all practise And to a resignation of Empire no Argument could perswade him not willing to encoffin himselfe in a Church solitude till death enforc't him At length unquiet thoughts destroy'd the young King who disdain'd to live and not to raigne and since he could be onely the mockery of his owne title he was willing not to bee at all For while with his brother Geoffrey he was in armes against his Father and found no successe to his designes a violent fever with a flux seiz'd and admonisht him he was to dye which he entertain'd with little horrour till at last the conscience of his many crimes frighted him with apprehension of that world he was suddenly to travaile to The racke which put his soule to the extreamest torture was the injurie hee had contriv'd against his father which hee redeem'd by humble penitence for the old King sent his signer whether he durst not trust his person and assured his sonne a pardon which gave courage to his death and made him with lesse trouble resolve for his last account Having by his preposterous association into the Soveraigne title created to his father disquiet and repentance and to himselfe onely enlarg'd the shadow The death of Richard the first King of England THe severall parts of humane life are distinguisht by our vices The smoothnesse of youth is tyranniz'd by sensuall pleasure the body growing to more strength ambition engageth to action but when age inclines toward the grave Avarice preposterous to reason forceth man then to reckon upon treasure when death threatens to cancell all the bonds and Out him from the world with no more gaietie than at his birth hee entred Thus are we mockt by our owne sinnes vainely providing for the safetie of life when the tombe layes claime to our wrinckles and infirmitie holds before our eyes Times houre-glasse with the last graine of sand readie to fall downe The soule busying its thoughts with setting long leases when it is suddenly to be turn'd out of its owne weak cottage Richard the first of England varied not from this common path having stain'd his youth with lust honour'd his maturer yeares with triumphs but leaning now toward age permitting Avarice to be night the glory of his former actions And so vainly did this wretched vice mis-governe him that as wandring by the conduct of an ignis fatuus hee followed the acquisition of an imaginary treasure For vvhile he pursued the punishment of some Rebell Lords in Poitou vvho had assisted contrary to alleigance the French Kings affaires during the late vvarres hee vvas inform'd that Widomer a Vicount of base Britaine had possest himselfe of much vvealth fortune unavvares to his endeavours having leade him to a secret cave vvherein foolish Avarice or feare of some sudden surprise had buried vast treasures This severe pursute thrust the distracted Lord into severall passions vvhich councel'd him rather to foregoe his alleigance than his fortune and knovving hovv safe even innocence and integrity are against the assault of povver hee having no such vvarrant fled into Limosin a Country which owed to King Richard no obedience but what his just title and sharpe sword did force and in the strongest towne there hee inclosed himselfe and the purchase of that treasure which created him so many feares and so little safety By the communication of his gold he brought the townesmen into association of his danger for where they are interested in a regard to profit what tye hath fealtie upon the conscience and how little is a life esteem'd when money that supreame felicitie of fooles is concern'd The King disdained thus to be opposed threatning ruine and devastation to that place which could so easily sell its homage and in the heate of rage and power he assaulted it ventring for a poore bargaine the Crowne of England and his principalities in France and Ireland For if his life miscarried in the attempt what interest could death reserve for him to Empire who wanting children despair'd even to survive in that imaginary vanitie But when did passion take advice of truth Or when powerfull Avarice inclined to revenge what reason could give a bound to mischiefe But the Towne resolv'd to oppose since no conquest could bring more desolation than to yeeld to that passion which hath no affinitie with mercie And while the King when violence receiv'd repulse labourd by Art to master the place an envenomed Arrow shot by a revengfull hand strucke him into the shoulder Which wound being drest by a rude unskilfull Surgeon made the anguish insupportable to any man whom rage arm'd not with a new kinde of patience For neglecting all complaint he so seriously used his wit and courage to prosecute his designe that within twelve dayes he brought the towne to yeeld to mercie Where after narrow search hee found the treasure hee so vainely followed a deceitfull vision that misled him to his ruin This conquest finisht he began to acknowledge he was but man for death commanded him away and hee obeyd the summons Then hee found another law to over-rule his spirits and being to appeale from the severity of the eternall Iustice hee laboured in himselfe to practise mercie And in this short intervall betweene the glorious thoughts of life and his last houre hee left his vertue an example to the most religious as his valour had beene an envie in the most ambitious For when the Paracide in a pride of the high mischiefe hee had committed refused to lay fault on errour but impiously aver'd hee did that great sinne to revenge his Father and two brothers slaughtered by the King the King forgave him with so much pietie that hee rewarded even the Executioner and conjured his servants that this unhappie man might enjoy the comfort of his revenge and survive a Trophee of so eminent a mercy But this pious Testament had no obedient Executors the King no longer obey'd than he had liberty from death to command For justice then unsheath'd her sword and least the example of too much favour might afterward become an injurie the Paracide was fleade and hang'd upon a gibbet In the horrid silence of his punishment more effectually expressing his owne treason and the
this essay upon his vertue hee gave perfection to the great worke and to his sonne made transaction of his dominion over the rest of his Kingdomes Provinces and Islands both in this and the new world Which was with greater concourse of Princes as the businesse was of larger extent and more value For to this Troegi-Comedie came spectators from all the world in regard the Scaene was so new and the Actors the most eminent of that age and perhaps as Noble as any other ever gloried in Nothing was left him now but the Empire which soone after hee renounced sending to his brother Ferdinand King of the Romans the Imperiall Crown and Scepter by the hands of William Prince of Orenge Who though he appear'd unwilling to this Office loath to see his Prince buried thus alive yet with small scruple he afterward rent from his Soveraigne King Phillip a great part of the Low Countries and indangered them all Thus with a complement of regret the Subject often appeares in just things troubled to obey who can dispence with all duty when his owne ambition is concern'd and justifie rebellion with pretence of lawfull liberty Charles having nothing left him now but what lives yet the memory of his many victories retired to private lodgings till the wind serv'd faire to waite on him into Spaine And soone he found in his first solitude it was but his shadow had made him appeare so mighty For being now nothing but himselfe he tooke justly his owne height and confest he was but man The swarme of those Courtflyes who had quickned in the heate of favour appear'd no more now his aspect though more cleere wanted the former vitall warmth The wonder past every man forsooke him who had left his glory and as honour or profit directed them began to beate new pathes For what truth had in vaine heretofore labour'd to perswade now hee acknowleged when hee so suddenly perceiv'd that the supreamest vertue not made awfull by authority can never keepe it selfe high in regard nor attract the applause of men And though his sonne King Phillip let fall words on the Anniversary of this resignation which seem'd to taxe his Father to have as soone repented as done this glorious Act of vertue yet who can beleeve in so constant a minde so poore a frailtie Perhaps he was a little amazed at the change and the Sonne who was enamor'd on that Empire his Father had resign'd interpreted the wonder to repentance Nor can we but imagine that Charles was somewhat astonisht at the steepe descent hee had on the suddaine made from so high a precipice though it was with a farre other passion then tortures them who are throwne headlong down by death or fortune When hee landed in Spaine he kist the earth whether he had brought his owne to Sepulture and made his lippes doe pennance for some few trespasses his youth was guilty of He acknowledged it the common parent in that homage and confest how high soever we are in growth and however wide our branches spread themselves our roote is still in the earth till age the Axe or some violent tempest plucke us up and afterward envious time takes away even the Print that ere wee florisht there At Burgos where he expected the suddaine payment of some monies for discharge of his attendance hee exprest a just disdaine perceiving the Officers slow to serve not him but his necessitie And his title was honest to that passion for ingratitude cannot bee forgiven by a mercy lesse than heavenly and he was yet apparrell'd with his earth Of all the immence revenues of so many wealthy Kingdomes hee had reserv'd to his owne use but one hundred thousand Crownes annually for that small time hee was to out-live his greatnesse And this was not payd but with trouble for the living grudged to allow any tribute to the dead among whom Charles was to be numbred when hee ceas'd to Raigne But this ill nature of the world serv'd him to good purpose for it comforted him that he had forsooke all commerce with that which servilely obey'd him onely when as a Master hee heretofore commanded it This hasten'd his finall retirement to a religious house of the order of S. Ierome which was seated in a most wholesome ayre that he might not cowardly seeme to desire to dye vvhen hee had given over to command And in this his valour out-did all former example that after resignation of so large an Empire he could patiently studdie the Arts to live and contract his businesse to so narrovv a roome vvho had made nine journies into Germanie sixe into Spaine seven into Italy foure into France ten into the Lovv-Countries tvvo into England and as many into Affrick But vvhen hee fixt here his ambition out-ravail'd in tvvo yeares all the labour of fiftie for his thoughts disdaining to measure earth or Sea vvhich Geographie can give account of made hourely their ascent beyond the fancie of Astrologie Whether the humble onely can climbe vvhom Pietie rackes till they acknovvledge themselves dust and sin Enter'd into this solitude he felt a vvarre vvithin him of more terrour than that vvith vvhich hee had avved the World For novv hee vvas to fight alone where no confederate Prince came to his assistance no subjects tender'd their lives with their obedience but even his passion who should have beene his slaves with his flesh a great part of himselfe revolted and conspired his trouble This combate ended in a happie victory humane industry strengthen'd by Divine grace triumpht over weakenesse and inthroned him above his Rebells Yet had hee still in his minde a soft eccho of the former noyse of warre those houres he borrowed from heaven to solace himselfe on earth were recreated with martiall sports Which was either to make a mockery of his heretofore most serious stratagems and all the businesse of the warlike or else to exercise his time in the Mathematickes which had much enamor'd him from his youth For Iannellus Turrianus a great Master in that knowledge did usually delight him with miracles of studie making little armed men muster themselves upon the Table and Artificially move according to the Discipline of warre which was done so beyond example that the superiour of the house nothing reade in the Mysteries of that Art suspected it for witch-craft Neither was Charles himselfe unapt to worke the little wheeles of watches and to make a clocke up which as it strooke did warne him what vanitie it was to reckon on the succeding moment And now this great Sun grew neere his night But desirous to out-live his funeralls hee obtain'd to see them solemniz'd before his death A sad curiositie to bee a mourner to himselfe and understand how short a pompe waites on the most mighty to the grave The herse was rais'd furnisht with all the vanity of hatchments which told the world over how many wide Kingdomes his power had intended and to what a streit lodging it was now shruncke up The Mourners assisted and perhaps with as deepe a sorrow as would have pierc't them had his griefe beene serious while hee with a sober mirth beheld the last Scaene of all his glory personated and found what an empty honour Princes labour for in the sweate and hazard of all their victories For what a no comfort to the ashes of the conquerour is the triumphs of his life since onely Christian vertue maintaines trafficke betweene earth and heaven But death disdain'd to bee made a sport to the greatest spirit of that age for this odde pastime soone became serious and he found he was to dye in earnest VVhich hee per form'd with the like cheerefull looke for there vvas neither honour that endeared nor beautie that enamor'd him to the vvorld and this two yeares silence had given him a taste of heaven He therefore without despute parted with that little of the earth he had reserved and which in this retirement he had punisht till it grew subordinate to the soule And though he had quitted all interest to Empire yet would not heaven let him dye without his comet For as he sickn'd a new star appear'd which gain'd in brightnesse as hee declin'd toward death and pointing its glory on the Cloyster vanisht as he expired the poore comet unable longer to shine when this greater starre was darkned from whom it derived its luster FINIS Imprimatur Tho. Wykes Novemb. 12. 1640.
Kings mercie Before this holy Prince parted with his life by much penitence he parted with his sins For highest courages fall lowest when overcome by supernaturall grace And how vast a progresse toward heaven can a soule so illuminated make even in a moment For the immence bountie is not tyed to measure and how can the quantities of time prescribe to the Eternall His testament beares evidence to posteritie that his minde was no way dazel'd looking downe on death from the highest precipice of Empire For discreetly he made distribution of his command and treasure to John his brother he bequeath'd his Kingdome neglecting the weaker yeares of Arthur and having more regard to the peoples safety than the right of blood To his Nephew though then Emperor he left one part of his treasure the other to his servants and the third to the poore whom the wealthy never thinke their friends till death His bodie hee disposed too though corruption still challengeth that legacie and commanded it at Fonteverard to be layd prostrate at his fathers feete that even after death hee might crave him pardon whom in life hee had unnaturally offended To Roane in testimony of his love hee gave his heart that great undaunted heart which being more valiant than that of man and the heavenly spirits wanting proportion for the comparison was forc't to permit it selfe to bee call'd a Lyons heart But his entrailes he bequeath'd to Poeters to obrey'd it to posterity with its ingratitude as which by many treasons was rendred unworthy to receive any Nobler part of so great a Prince The battell of Varna between Vladislaus King of Hungary and Amurath the sixt King of the Turkes 1444. THe prevailing vertue of Iohn Huniades the greatest Captaine of that age by continuall victory humbled the proud Monarch of the Turke so low that peace was sued for to the Christians Which Vladislaus condescended to imposing such conditions as if Fortune had made him Conquerour And indeed it was sought with an earnestnesse so farre beneath their former arrogance that it was receiv'd at first either as a high contempt or dangerous stratagem But when time assured this overture to bee no counterfeite Vladislaus demanded that Amurath should withdraw all his Forces and Garisons out of Servia and restore it to George the Despot delivering with that Country to the long exil'd Prince his two sonnes whom the Turke kept prisoners and whose eyes in hatred to the father had beene put out That he should never after make claime to Moldavia and Bulgaria which Countries the fate of the last warre had won to the Christians That he should no way molest the Hungarians or invade any part of their dominions And that hee might not onely part with territory but even with money to purchase this peace hee was to pay forty thousand Duckets to the King and in recompence have Carambey his Bassa not long before taken prisoner by Huniades restored This peace the most honourable that ever Christian Prince made with the Turkish Sultan was interpreted ill and Vladislaus thought rather to have sought his owne quiet than the glory of the Christian name For in so high a tide of victory it could not be but a poore designe to secure his fortunes by treatie with an Infidell whom necessitie could onely make religious and whom want of power could onely preserve a friend This consideration incited Iulian the Popes Legat and agent for other Christian Princes in this cause to perswade Vladislaus to repent his former peace and to settle his Conscience without scruple to prosecute the war For what Religion could obleige him to preserve an oath of faith with him who onely endeavour'd by pretence of fidelity to entrap him Or why should a nice pietie hinder the growth of Religion Or to what purpose should only one party be obleig'd when experience instructed him that the Turke never swore but to tye the Christian and enlarge himselfe But now was it more than ever impious to have peace when all men concur'd to advance a warre so holy where victory was an increase of Religion and even to be overcome the highest triumph of the soule since it assured a Martyrdome And beside the assistance of heaven whose cause they fought and whose souldiers they were all polliticke regards concur'd to assertaine the ruine of the Ottoman Empyre which not to doe upon the too tender conscience of a league was an injurious pietie which onely merited reproach for a reward For Iohn Paleologus Emperour of the East was then prepared with mighty Forces and protested that in religion to the Christian cause hee had refused by making peace to endeavour his owne safety Many Princes likewise of the Turkes invited the Hungarian to this warre desirous rather to abate the overgrowne Empire of Amurath then to continue the splendor of their Sect with danger to their state For religion hath but a slender tye upon that soule which is over-ruled by ambition or private interest And where maintenance of command was concern'd what wonder if Mahometans labour'd the Christians common enemies of their law into association Moreover all the States of Italy had prepared for the present warre sending their fleete into the Hellespont to joyn with the Grecian Emperour that the Turke on both sides assaulted might in neither meete with any thing but ruine As for Amurath himselfe age and evill fortune had throwne him into despaire and that confin'd him to a solitude where in an impious pietie with certaine Monkes counterfeite base coyne of the right Christian stampe he tyred his time away and expected an ugly death The whole government of that usurped Empire now by resignation of the Father under Mahomet but fifteene yeares of age fitter for a Schoole and obedience to Tutors than the manage of warre against as able Souldiers as the most warlike age ever boasted But these regards onely look'd on pollicie that which made the Conscience free from obligation to preserve this league Sacred was a former made with the Princes of Christendome With whom to breake faith was Sacriligious and to maintaine it with an Infidell sinfull and ruinous Vnlawfull oathes being vicious in the making but far more in the performance Hee who sweares the burning of an Altar commits a crime but his absolution comes farre easier if repentance make him perjured then if obstinacie render him sacrilegious Easily was the conscience of Vladislaus untyed from his former league the appetite of glory and extent of Empire oftentimes taking as soone away all scruple from the soule as the most sober resolution of Divines For Huniades upon whose valour and fortune the successe of the warre depended had promise of the Kingdome of Bulgaria and who not miraculously awed by vertue will not endanger to bee but a bad Christian to become a powerfull Monarch The Despot of Servia had his hopes too of a more setled principalitie and some extent of power and that made his Religion which never much troubled his