disposition suspitious h Suspition and facillistie is to beleeue all things Suspitionum credendi temeritas Taâ— ruins friendships and the most firmest affections and boyling made them of Croüi to feele the indignation which hee durst not euaporate against Lewis who fauoured them It burst forth at such time as they setled the estate of the Earle of Charrolois house The Duke would haue Philip de Croui Sonne to Iohn de Croui set downe for the third Chamberlaine in the absence of the Lord of Auchy the first and of the Lord of Formelles the second Chamberlaine The Earle of Charrolois entred Anthony Raulyn Lord of Eimeries The house was diuided some followed the Fathers will and others the Sonnes i A controuer sie between two priuate Noblemen is able to diujde the opinione of a whole Court That which was betwixt Chimay of Emeries who should haue the first place in the absence of the L. of Auchy first Chamberlaine to the Duke was so affected as the father was for the one the son for the other The Duke seeing the danger which might grow by this adoration of the sunne rising made it knowne that he was both master and father commanding his Sonne to bring him the Rowle and in his presence cast it into the fire and then willed him to goe forth Monstrelet saith that the Duke commanded the Earle of Charolois to cause Croui to martch in his ranke I will not answered the Earle they of Croui shall neuer gouerne as they haue done and that the Father being offended at an answer so bold and of so little respect he would haue fallen vpon his Sonne but not able to get him he commanded him to auoid the country The Sonne departs full of murmuring and despite the Father comming to himselfe and seeing that his Sonne returned not Displeasure of the Duke of Bourgundy to his Sonne goes to horseback all alone sad and pensiue in a raynie night rides through the country to let the Dauphin know the griefe hee had and his Son the choller wherin disobedience had drawen him k Whatsoeuer the Sonne doth yet must the Father alwaies show himselfe a Father matters are very foule strange when as hee is forced to forget the dutie of a Father He lost himselfe in a wood and lay all night in a Collyars cabbin with hunger in his belly and choller in his head He came the next day to Seuenbergh a little towne of Brabant whereas he found one of his huntsmen who conducted him to Guinneppe where as the Dauphin the cause of all this trouble besought him to pardon the Earle of Charrolois The Duke would haue held the refusall of so iust a request cruell being made by and for a person so neere vnto him l As it is vnpleasing to intreat a stranger so is it a very sensible discipleasure to bee refused of his owne for he could not but loue his onely Sonne in despight of his youthfull wayward affections He required no other satisfaction but that hee should dismisse two seruants William Bithe and Guiot of Vsie who retired themselues into France Soone after the Earle of Charrolois bred another subiect of choller in his fathers hart Wandring of the Dauphin being a hunting he was come from hunting without the Dauphin and had suffered him to wander in a wood thinking that hee had been before When the Duke saw him returne alone he blamed him sharpely and commanded him to goe presently to horsebacke to seeke the Dauphin They sought him long by torch-light and found him on the way to Bruzells conducted by a Pesant m The Dauphins wandring was in the night abeue eight leagues from Brussels The Duke caused him to bee sought for with torches the next day hee gaue a crowne to the Pesant which had conducted him The Duke was exceeding glad to see him returne for he knew that he should be alwaies bound to yeeld an account of so precious agage and that he might be assured whilest he held him he might haue what he desired from the King Birth of Mary of Bourgundy the 13. of Feb. 1457 God sent the Earle of Charolois a Daughter for the first fruits of his marriage the Duke intreated the Dauphin to christen her Mary This birth did moderare the grief which the Lady Isabel of Bourbon her Mother had conceiued six monthes before for the death of her Father Charles Duke of Bourbon n Charles the first Duke of Bourbon dyed in the end of the yeere 1455. he was Sonne to Iohn the first Duke of Bourbon and of Boâ—na of Bourgundy daughter to Philip the hardy Hee married Agnes of Bourgundy Daughter to Iohn Duke of Bourgundy and had fiue sonnes and fiue daughter His sonnes were Iohn the second Duke of Bourbon Lewis who died yong Peter Lord of Beauien Charles Cardinall of Bourbon Archbishop of Lyon and Lewis Bishop of Liege The Daughters were 〈◊〉 Princesse of Orange Catherine Dutchesse of Gueldres Margaret Countesse of Bresse and Dutchesse of Sauoy Isabel wife to Charles Duke of Bourgondy and Mary married first to the Duke of Calabria and afterwards to Gaston de Foix. The King was offended for that hee did not yeeld him his Sonne and desired some occasion to let him know his discontent the which hee did not dissemble when as the Duke sought to punish the Gantois for a rebellion commanding him to suffer them to liue in peace as being vnder his protection The Dauphin thought the time of his returne into France long and had sworne that he would not make that voyage vntill his Father were past vnto another world 1459. The first yeare of his abode there Charlotte of Sauoy Daughter to the Duke of Sauoy was brought to Namur to consumate the marriage which had beene concluded fiue yeares before o One of the goodliest parts of ciuill society is marrage the first gate to enter into it is loue there is none to go out of it but that of death And for that in the marriages of Princes they regard more the interest of subiect estates then their own content It happens that their loues are not so pure and free A marriage which being made vnwillingly was continued without loue When the Duke of Bourgundy gaue the Dauphin his pension of 12000. Birth of the Dauphins sonne at Gnenneppe in Iune 1459. Crownes Oliuer de la March writes that it was vpon condition that he should marry her which shewes that he had no great desire She was deliuered of a sonne who was named Ioachim the Duke of Bourgondy was so glad of this newes as he gaue a thousand Lyons of gold to Ioselin du Bois which brought it He was the Godfather and the Countesse of Charrolois the Godmother The Insant dyed presently after and left the father very sorrowfull who being not then in those distrusts which age brings desired to see him great knowing well that the Children which were
she hath forsaken He was shot with an arrow at this siege by reason whereof he was carried secretly to Varna to the end it should not daunt the courage of the Turkes and fortefie the Christians Being drest he demanded what they did in the Campe Losse at the siege of Belgrade to whom it was answered That all was in disorder the Bassa of Asia slaine the chiefe Captaines put to rout forty thousand men dead vpon the field the Ordinance lost and that they lost time to thinke to take the Towne which the onely presence of Iohn Coruin made impregnable These words put Mahomet into such a rage and rage into such despaire as cursing both heauen and earth Mahomet seekes to poison himselfe and blaspheming God he called for poyson to kill himselfe which being refused him he set fire of his Campe and retired As the vnfortunate euent of the Seige of Belgrade made him to desire death so that of Rhodes and an extreme sorrow to see himselfe vanquished Mahomet dyes for griefe hauing done nothing but vanquish made him to dye x Mahomet coÌ„tinued sixe and forty daies before Belgrade the siege bganne the 13. of Iune and was raysed the sixt of August 1456. Dispairing then to subdue the Rhodians and hauing continued all his fury and violence of warre against that strong rampart of Christendome foure score daies he retired to Damiet in Nicomedia y It is hard for a Prince to bee vanquished hauing alwaies bin victor Boleslas the third King of Polonia hauing won 47. battles and being forced at last against the Russians to flye dyed for griefe Crâ—m lib. 6. where he was surprised with so violent a Cholick as he died Phil. de Comines saith That euery yeare in the beginning of Summer one of his legs did swell as big as his body and did fall againe after some time yet no man could giue a reason of this griefe He imputes it to his Gourmandize and to the punishment of God It may be it was that legge into the which Bladius brother to the Prince of Valachia stabd his knife to saue his honour from that Goat who would haue forced him to the infamous and vnnaturall lust of a barren Venus z Amurath his father would haue done the like to twelue yong Gentlemen of Polonia whoÌ„ he reserued for that abhomination they resolued to kill him but being dâ—scouered they slew one another to auoid a more miserable life or a more ignominious and cruell punishment His cruelties inhumanities made some Souldiours of his Gard resolue to kill him in his bed Excesse of Mahomet The Conspiracy being discouered by a Christian he caused the Conspirators to be strangled and from that time he suffered not any one aboue twelue yeares old to enter into his chamber For these reasons Mahomet is the second of those great Princes whom Phil. de Commines preferres before all others to haue raigned at one time King Lewis the eleuenth is the first and Mathias Huniades the third The King did not extend his thoughts so farre Designes of the King vpon Lorraine and Prouence for seeing himselfe approach neere vnto the West of his daies he carried them not into the East His thoughts were conuerted vpon his neerest neighbours as vpon Loraine and Prouence he held the Councels to plant the bounds of his Empire vnworthy the courage of a great Prince He would haue France like vnto a great Tree which with the spredding of his branches and shadow hindreth the growth of all that is about it a Augustus was authour of this Counsell to Tibeâ—â—us CoerceÌ„di intra terminos impeâ—ij To â—â—straine the Empire within certaine bounds A hard lesson for a Prince that hath courage Vna ea vetus causa bellandi est profunda cupido Impeâ—ij diuitiaâ—um A great desire of Empire and riches hath beene the old and onely cause of war Sal. The Estates of Nauarre Flanders Brittaine and Prouence were not more in the power of their Princes then in his and trembled vnder his authority as the Pigion or Partrige do vnder the flight of the Hauke The designes which hee had vpon Lorraine and Prouence were executed in adding wisedome to occasion and force to reason To vnderstand this proceeding we must know that Iohn Duke of Lorraine Estate of Loraine did first marry Sophia daughter to Eberhard Earle of Wirtemberg and had two sonnes Charles and Fredericke b The children of Charles Duke of Lorraine were Ralph Lewis Charles Robert Frederick Maâ—y married to Enguerand Earle of Coucy Margaret to the Earle of Baden and Isabell to René of Aniou Charles succeeding him in the Dutchy of Lorraine married Margaret daughter to Robert of Bauaria Count Pallatine by whom he had many children which dyed before him leauing no heire but Isabell. Fredericke Earle of Guise married Margaret daughter to Henry Earle of Vaudemont and had Anthony Earle of Vaudemont Charles married his daughter Isabel to René Duke of Aniou Calabria and Bar Earle of Prouence King of Sicily Naples and Ierusalem Of their marriage came Iohn Lewis René Charles Elizabeth Margaret Yoland and Anne After the death of Duke Charles René would haue entred the Dutchy as his wiues Inheritance Anthony Earle of Vaudemont opposed himselfe by this reason that the Males exclude the Females c At the Councell of Constance Anthony Earle of Vaudemont demanded of the Emperor Sigismond the inuestiture of the Dutchy of Lorraine against René of Aniou for that it was a see of the Empire wherof women were not capable The controuersy was first ended by Armes René lost the battell of Blanuille and was taken prisoner by Anthony Earle of Vaudemont who gaue him to Phillip Duke of Bourgundy for that hee had succoured him afterwards by the marriage of Yoland daughter to Renè and Isabel with Ferry sonne to Anthony of Vaudemont the Dutchy of Lorraine remained in effect to René the Husband of Isabell Renè of Aniou D. of Lorraine and in hope to Ferry husband to Yoland Iohn succeeded in the Dutchy of Lorraine Hee had married Mary d Iohn and Mary had foure children Isabel who was married to Iames King of Scotland Rene Iohn Nicholas daughter to Charles Duke of Bourgundy who dyed in her deliuery of Nicholas Marques of Pont her third sonne who succeeded in the Dutchy of Lorraine after the death of his father and brethren Hee left the affection which his Predecessours had borne to France and fell to the Duke of Bourgundies party vpon hope that he would giue him his daughter in Marriage Death surprised him in the yeare one thousand fiue hundred seuenty three in the thoughts of his Marriage and to renew a second enterprise vpon the Towne of Mets e Nicholas Duke of Lorraine would haue seized vpon Mets by this Stratâ—geme Hee caused certaine pipes to bee put into Wagons as if they had beene full of wine wherein there
Lewis the eighth his father gaue it for a portion to his brother Robert vpon condition that he should not transferre it to the daughters which should be borne of his marriage with Maude daughter to the Duke of Brabant For these reasons the treaty of Arras betwixt King Charles the seuenth and Phillip the second Duke of Bourgundy did expressely reserue the Fealty Homage and Soueraignty of those lands which did hold of the Crowne b King Lewis the eighth disposed after this manner of the Country of Artois Volumus ordonamus quod filliusnoster secundâ—â— natu habeat totamterram Attrebatensemin feudis domanijs totam aliam terram quam ex parte matris nostrae Elizabeth possidemus saluo dotalitio matris suae Quod si idem qui Attrebatensium tenebit sine haeredem decedat volumus quod terra tota Attrebatensis alia terra quam tenet ad filium nostrum Regni nostri successorem liberos integrè redeat The Franch-County hath made a part of the â—state vnder Cloues The Franch-county and Cloâ—ilde The Dutchy of Bourgundy hath alwaies beene one of the goodliest Flowers Henry the first King of France gaue it to Robert of France his brother for his portion His posterity hath held it vnto Phillip the sonne of Eâ—des Phillip the fourth married Ioane the eldest daughter of King Phillip the Long c Phillip the Long had foure daughters by the Lady Ioane of Bourgundy Ioane married to the Duke of Bourgundy Margaret married to Lewis of Crecy Isable married to Guy Dauphine of Viennois who was slaine with an arrow before the Castle of Lapierre and Blanch a Nunne in the Monastery of Louchan neere Paris By this alliance the two Bourgundies were vnited and of this marriage came Phillip Prince of Bourgundy who was married to Ioane daughter to Robert Earle of Bolleigne who died at the battell of Crecy Phillip his sonne surnamed de Roue succeeded in the Dutchy of Bourgundy after his Grand-fathers death in the yeare one thousand three hundred fifty and foure Hee was married yong to Margaret of Flanders the onely daughter to Lewis the third Earle of Flanders and dyed at the age of twenty foure yeares in in the yeare one thousand foure hundred three score and two By his death the Dutchy of Bourgundy came vnto the Crowne by the right of returne and by proximity of bloud King Iohn being found neerest to the succession This proximity is easie to verefie being certaine that Robert Duke of Bourgundy had foure sons and two daughters by Agnes of France daughter to King Saint Lewis Hugh or Hughues Eudes Lewis Robert Ioane and Margaret Hughues was Duke and dyed without children Eudes succeded him Ioane was married to Phillip of Vallois father to King Iohn who onely remained of the discendants of Robert Phillip the Hardy Duke of Bourgundy He caused it to bee vnited and incorporated to the Crowne and gaue it to Phillip the Hardy his sonne by reason of his seruice and recommendation d In the inuestiture which beares date the 6. of September 1363. wee reade these words Ad memoriam reducentes grata laude digna seruitia quae charissimus Phillippus filius noster quarto genitus qui sponte expositus mortis periculo nobiscuÌ„â—mperterritus impauidus stent in acie prope Fictauos vulneratus captus detentus in hostium potestate ibi post liberationem nostram hâ—ctenâ—s exhibuit indâ—fessevero amore filiali ductus ex quibus suam merito cupientes honorare personam perpetuoque praemio fulcire sibi paterno correspondentes â—more spem fiduciam gerentes in domino quod ipsius crescente prouidentia dicti nostri subditi Ducatus eiusdem à suis oppressionibus releuabuntur The Deputies of Flanders were well instructed what they should answere and if they had not beene a deniall had serued for a sufficient reason for in disputes of consequence to consent were base and to deny wisedome They said that reasons drawne from Lawes and Customes obserued did not proue that successions Fees and the place of Peeres were incompatible with the quality of women Iudith daughter to Charles the Bald brought vnto her successors Earles of Flanders the Low CouÌ„tries with their largest limites e The ancient bounds of the County of Flanders were betwixt the Ocean Sea and the Riuers of Escault and Somme The same Prouinces haue beene gouerned in diuers seasons by women Margaret of Alsas Ioane of Constantinople and Margaret of Mallaine The place of Peeres of France hath beene held by woâ—men f In France women are capable to hold the places of Peeres and to giue their opinion in the iudgement of Peeres Maude Countesse of Artois did assist at the Processe of Robert Earle of Flanders in the yeare 1315. And in this quality the Dutchesse of Orliance and the Countesse of Artois were adiourned to iudge the Processe of Iohn Monfort Duke of Brittany The examples are in Normandy Guienne Tholousa and Brittaine Raouâ— married the daughter of Lewis King of France who had Normandy for her Dowry Eliâ—or daughter to William Earle of Guienne had that goodly Prouince in marriage Alphonso brother to King S. Lewis was Earle of Tholousa by his wife Maude of Artois g Maude of Artois caused Robert Grand-child to Robert the second Earle of Flanders to be excluded from the succession by two decrees the one made by Phillip the Faire at Asmeres the 9 of October 1309. and the other by Phillip the Long 1318. by the iudgement of Phillip the Faire succeeded in the County of Artois by this onely reason that the daughters were capable of this succession and that representation had no place in the direct line To all this the Deputies of France answered suddenly Answeres to the obiections That Prouinces once vnited to the Crowne can bee no more dismembred That great Empires should endure great changes and alterations if the Females were made equall to the Males in the right of succession for their Crownes should not be dismembred into many peeces for that we finde in Common-weales in generall and in Families in perticular more daughters then sonnes That if examples had more force then reason and that they must decide the controuersy by the number they might not contradict the authority of King Phillip the Faire who would that the County of Poictou which hee had giuen to Phillip his sonne should returne vnto the Crowne for want of Heires Male by reason whereof when as Eudes the fourth Duke of Bourgundy and Ioane of France his wife daughter to Phillip the Long had pretended the succession of the County of Poictou against King Charles the Faire h Phillip the Faire would that the County of Poictou which he gaue to Phillip his son who was afterwards King of France Surnamed the Long should returne to the Crown for want of Heires Male vpon condition that the King should be bound to marry the Daughters they were
dispose thereof by Testament h When as they say that women are incapable of dignities it is to be vnderstood of charges which consist in Functions and Offices A Woman cannot be a Consull a President or a Chancellour but when the dignity is patrimoniall and annexed to the Fee such a dignity may belong vnto a woman as wel as the iurisdiction The King caused a Consultation to be made of all the learned Lawyers of his Realme to know what his Neeces right was They found that it depended vpon this Maxime That the Nephew or Grand-childe represents his Father and Grand-father in the right of Primogeniture or first borne That this right is transferred to the children of the elder although hee die before the Father and holds the place of lawfull heire They did also consider the custome and common obseruation of this Realme where the eldest sonne dying and leauing a sonne hee succeedes the Grand-father as his Father should haue done The Grand-fathers second-sonne being excluded from all pretention for the Nephew excludes the Vncle and representation hath place in this Realme in Fees which are not diuisible In the time of King Charles the fifth his Maiesty sitting with the Peeres of France in his Court of Parliament Ioane of Brittany married to Charles of Blois i Charles of Blois and the Lady Ioane of Brittaine his wife did enioy this Dutchy fiue twenty years or thereabouts vntil that Iohn of Montford being succoured by the Forces of England slewe Charles of Blois in battle and expelled his wife out of the Dutchy was declared heire to the Dutchy of Brittany as representing her Father against Iohn Earle of Montfort her Vncle. She was daughter to the Duke of Brittanies second brother and the Earle of Montfort was the third brother Allain Lord of Albret as sonne vnto the eldest Vicount of Tartas who was deceased succeeded his Grand-father in the Landes of Albret and excluded from the succession the Lord of Sancte Bazille his vncle and the Lord of Oruall his Grand-fathers yonger brother k In the house of Albret there are many Earledomes The Earledome of Gaure the Earledome of Dreux the Earldome of Peyragore and many Vicounties and Baronies They held that house in the time of King Lewis the eleuenth to haue sixe thousand pound sterling of yearely rent King Philip in the yeare 1314. did iudge the suite betwixt Maud daughter to the Earle of Artois and Robert of Artois her Vncle and by his iudgement it was decreed that the daughter should succeed as the neerest vnto her father Lewis Earle of Flanders had but one daughter the richest heire of Chrstendome the which succeded her father in the Earledome of Flanders excluding the Duke of Brabant her Vncle and was married to Philip of France sonne to King Iohn and first Duke of Bourgondy l The Treaty of Marriage betwixt the Duke of Bourgondy and Margaret Princesse of Flanders was made the twelfth of Aprill one thousand three hundred sixtie nine the Dutchy of Guienne which comprehends all Gasconie as well that which is of the iurisdiction of Tolouse as of Bourdeaux and more was carried to the Crowne of England by the marriage of the daughter of William Duke of Guienne with Henry King of England m Elenor the onely daughter to William Duke of Guienne and Earle of Poitiers was married to Lewis King of France and beeing put away by him shee married againe to HENRY sonne to the King of England and Duke of Normandy Henry King of Nauare Earle of Champagne left one daughter who was married to K. Philip the Faire and succeded her Father in the Earledome of Champagne The last Earle of Poictou n The County of Poictou and the Towne of Poitiers were vnited to the Crowne by King Charles the seuenth in the yeare 1436. had one daughter named Margaret who was married to the eldest sonne of France and succeeded her Father notwithstanding that the Earle of Saint Valier her Vncle was then liuing Raymond the fifteenth and last Earle of Tolousa dying without Issue Male Ioane his onely daughter succeeded him and was married to Alphonso of France brother to the King Saint Lewis o The marriage of Alphonso of France and Ioane Coumtesse of Toâ—ouse was treated in the yeare 1228. Matthew Earle of Foix dying without children in the yeare 1398. his sister surnamed Isabel succeeded him and was married to Archambaut of Grailly Lewis of Luxemburge Earle of S t. Paul had many children but his eldest sonnes daughter who was married to to the Earle of Vandosme was sole heire of all his lands as representing her Father who was the eldest p They hold that the Countesse of Vendosme did not succeede in the Earledome of Saint Paul by right of succession but by a Treaty of peace and that her Vncles were all incapable of this sucession for that the Landes of Lewis of Luxemburg her father had been confiscate The Earle of Lauragais left but one daughter who succeeded in the Earledome whereof she made donation to the French King The Earle of Castres had one daughter who was married to a yonger sonne of the house of Bourbon Earle of Marche who after her fathers decease succeeded in the Earledomes of Castres and Vandosme and excluded them of Montfort who were her Vncles from the succession Of this marriage were borne two sonnes Iames of Bourbon the elder who was Earle of Marche and of Castres and the yonger who was Earle of Vandosme Iames of Bourbon married Beatrix of Nauarre q Iames of Bourbon Earle of Marche married with Beatrix daughter to Charles the second King of Nâ—uarre the fifteenth of August one thousand foure hundred and fiue Elenor their onely daughter was married to Bernard Earle of Armaignac and Perdiac who after her fathers death succeeded as well in the Earledome of Marche as of Castres and excluded the Earle of Vandosme from the succession True it is that these Earledomes haue remained in the house of Bourbon by transaction r The King made Donation of the Earledome of March to Monsieur de Bourbon and his wife The Duke of Nemours children beeing restored to their Landes there was a sute to ouerthrow this Donation and then an Accord was made by the which the Earledome of Marche remained to the house of Vendosme and Bourbon the Duke of Nemours children being otherwise recompensed William Vicount and Lord of Mountpellier although hee had many kinsmen of his name had no other heire but his daughter Mary wife to Peter King of Arragon Peronelle s Du Tillet saith that this Peronella of Bigorre had fiue husbands 1. Gaston of Bearne 2. Ninion Sance Earle of Sardaine 3. Guy of Montford 4. Raoâ—l Tescu 5. Boson of Mathas daughter to the Earle of Bigorre succeeded her father in the Earledome of Bigorre in the yeare one thousand two hundred sixty foure and was married to Boson of Mathas Vicount of Marsan and
this indisposition hee assembled his Captaines and recommended his sonne vnto them Sicknes death of Scanderbeg whom hee would haue conducted into Pouillia vntill he came to age leauing him vnder the Venetians gouernment And for his last wordes he said vnto him That if he were good he gaue him a Realme most firme and stable if otherwise very weake and feeble yeelding vp his last groanes the 17. of Ianuary 1467. he gaue an amazement to his enemies This Prince with small forces defeated great Armies who beside the good qualities of the mind for Iudgement Conduct and Councell f The Turkes came running about Croy some horsemen went out of the towne by ScaÌ„derbegs commandemeÌ„t the enemy thinking he had been there in person grew amazed and fledde through the mountaines although they were 15000. horse and left the booty they had taken froÌ„ the Scutariens had an admirable strength of body comparable only to that of the ancient Champions Force and dexterity oâ— Scanderbeg Biton g Biton carried a great Bull vppon his shoulders Pauâ—anias Fusius Saluius went lustily vp a ladder with 200. pounds waight in his hands 200. at his feet and as much vpon his shoulders Plinie Seruilius did sight 23. times body to body and was alwaies Victor Plut. Fusius Saluius Seruilius Talking with Ieams Picenin Generall of the Duke of Calabrias Army he did lift him aboue his head like a child of sixe yeares old He had a Cimiterre with the which he had done miraculous deedes as cutting of the head of a Boare at a blow and of a wild Bul which was famous for the ruines it had done in the Country hauing hurt and slaine many that assayled it This dexterity force and agility of body continued all his life and exercise h Exercise doth continue the dexterity and disposition of the body long Philopemen of whom Plutarch speakes was nimble in his age by great exercise made it in the beginning of his age in a manner equall to that it had beene in the prime of his youth After the siege of Croy they presented vnto him in chaines Iouyma and Hedert the Brother and Nephew of Baillaban this representing vnto him the cruelties which they had committed vppon his subiects put him into such choller as hauing not the patience to attend any other hand he cut them both asunder by the wast at one blow He punished them with the like paine that their Prince did punish Christians i Mahomet made one man die as it were of two deathes he made them to be cut off by the wast at a blow of tentimes it happened that hee dyed of two deathes for Chalcondile saith you might see either part liue long after the blow During the Truce he had with Mahomet he sent him this Cymeterre for that he desired to see it hauing heard say that with it he cut any armes asunder The strongest armes of his Country would trye if it were true and finding not the vertue which was ascribed vnto it he sent it back againe disdainefully thanking him for a thing which he held to haue beene better Scanderbeg answered The vertue of my sword depends of mine owne arme which I cannot send him for that I reserue it against mine enemies It was an increase of glory and reputation to the common weale of Venice to see Kings and Realmes vnder their charge But at that time they did an act of prouidence k Prouidence is one of the most apparant effect of wisdome Prudents postumus dicere prouidentes which shewes that wisedome hath long held the helme of that Estate They did adopt for daughter of the common-weale the heyre of Marc Cornare and married her to the King of Cypres after whose death and of the after-birth his sonne she was acknowledged for Queene and made present of her Crowne vnto the Venetians her fathers by adoption From this action followed two diuers effects the one of great ioy to the Venetians the other of extreame afliction to Charlotte of Sauoy the French Queene who by this act saw her Brother as it were exiled from Cipres and seperated from the Queene his wife The History is long and tragicall but thus in breefe By the like accidents that other realmes haue beene made desolate the Crowne of Cipres fell from the house of Lusignan l Iames of Lusignam King of Cypres put Peter his brother to death and being told him that the Genouois were entred into his Pallace with armes had some designe vpon his person hee put many innocent Marchants to death a cruelty which made the Signory of Genoua to arme against him Bolius writes the History at large in the which it had long remained A Fratricide was the cause for Iames of Lusignan hauing put his brother to death to raigne alone added other violences to this cruelty which made him odious to the people and forced the Genouois to arme against him Cruelty makes the Princes of Lusignan odious to reuenge an iniury done vnto certaine Marchants of their Common-weale Hee was dispossest of the Crowne his brothers Children restored to the Realme and he himselfe carried prisoner to Genoua where he had one sonne who was King of Cipres m King Iames of Lusignan had one sonne named Iohn or Iames who was K. of Cypres and Anne married to Lewis Duke of Sauoy sonne to Amidee Iohn had one daughter named Charlotte who was first married to Iohn King of Portugall and after his death to Lewis of Sauoy and this sonne one daughter whom he left sole heire to the Crowne She was married to Lewis of Sauoy sonne to Lewis Duke of Sauoy and to Anne of Cypres Sister to King Iohn Lewis imbarked at Venice to passe into Cipres to take possession of his wife and Realme Iames base sonne to King Iohn Bishop of Nicosia past into Egipt to haue succours from the Soldan of Egipt who made him to be proclaimed King of Cypres Letters of the SouldaÌ„ to the King of Cipres prepared a great Fleet at Sea to goe into Cypres and wrote in these termes to King Lewis Thou art come out of the Westerne parts to possesse another mans Realme in the East and to spoile the heire of his iust inheritance whâ—ch is in thee a foolish enterprise The Iland of Cypres is tributary vnto me and it belongs to me to dispose assure thy selfe if thou dost not dislodge presently thou shalt dye by the sword of Egipt If thou hast a desire to carry away thy wife I am content vpon condition that thou dost not attend a second Summons This barbarous letter deserued no other answer but by the sword n Perswasions are vnprofitable when as Iustice is inferiour to force but Iustice being forced to yeeld vnto tirrany King Lewis by the meanes of the great maister of Rhodes let him vnderstand that by the Christian lawes the Realme did be long vnto the lawful daughter that
the imbecillitie and weaknes of his Nature for whereas hee should haue opposed himselfe against those mutinies he suffred them to get such credit and authoritie as the Archbishop of Toledo being sent for to come vnto him to the end hee might pacifie those troubles he said vnto him that brought him this charge Tell your King that I am weary of him his affaires and that he shall shortly see who is the true King of Castille The Grandos of the Realme assembled in a great plaine neere vnto Auila to degrade the King from the royall dignity That which they could not doe vnto his person Alfonso proclained K. of Castille they did vnto his statue d When as King Henry vnderstood of this degradation which was in Iune 1â—65 he said I haue bred vp children and they haue contemned me I came naked from my mothers wombe and the earth atâ—ends me naked No man can liue so poorely as hee is borne and it God expels mee now for my fins he wil comfort and preserue mee afterwards for his infinite power is that which kils and restores to life which wouÌ„ds and cures that which giues Siegneuries takes them away which raiseth vp Kings puls them downe when he pleaseth which they presented vpon a scaffold when as the Herad said that D. Henry was degraded from the royall dignity the Archbishop of Toledo tooke the Crowne from his image the Earle of Plaisance the sword and the Earle of Beneuent the Scepter this done Diego Lopes cast it out of the royall seat Alfonsos standard was aduanced and poore Henry shouted at and contemned They would end the quarrell by a battell before Olivedo e The Battell of Oluiedo was in the yeare 1467. They doe not agree who had the victory D. Alfonso was seen armed aâ— all peeces incouraging his men D. Henry appeared not in the fight but entered triumphing towards night into Medina del Campo The two Armies fought by order one squadron against another The Archbishop of Toledo led his army hauing a white stole vpon his armes The combat continewed three houres and ended with so great disorder of either side as both parties made bonfiers for the victory The Pope sent his Legat f Anthony de Veneris Bishop of Lyon the Popes Legate being in Spain coÌ„manded them to lay downe Armes vpon paine of excommunication the great men of Spaine opposed themselues said that they appealed to a Councill The Licentiat Iohn D. Alcacer and Doctor Alphonso of Madrigall were committed for this appeale to pacefie these troubles during the which King D. Alfonso hauing raigned three yeares died of the plague at Cardegnosa Death of Alfonso King of Castille The League would haue declared Isabella heire of the Realme the which she would not accept the King her brother lyuing wherevpon a peace was made by which she was declared Princesse of Castille the nineteenth of September 1468. vpon condition that she should not marry without the consent of the King hir brother They would haue married her to Alfonso of Portugall who was a widower and D. Ioane to Iohn the eldest Sonne of Portugall vpon condition that if there came no children of the marriage of the Pincesse Isabell g D. Isabella was sought for in marriage by the brother of King Lewis by the King of Englands brother She made choise of D. Ferdinand Prince of Arragon He came to see her vnknown D. Guttiere of Cardona who coÌ„ducted him shewed him her saiing in Spanish Esse es It is he To whome the Princesse answerered sodenly and S. Shal be thine armes vpon this cause the family of this knight doth at this day carry an S in tâ—eir armes and deuice those which issued from the marriage of D. Ioane should succeed to the realme Castille But D. Isabella had other thoughts she loued Ferdinand sonne to Iohn King of Navarre and Arragon whome shee caused to come to Vaillidolet in a disguized habit and marryed him the eighteenth of October 1469. Isabella of Castille marries Ferdinand of Arragon King Henry was so incensed at this marriage as hee declared his Sister fallen from all the rights which shee might pretend to the crowne of Castille and caused Ioane his daughter to be proclaymed his true heire who was married to Charles Duke of Guienne as hath beene formerly said This treaty of marriage was broken by the death of the Dukd of Guienne King Henry died also h The death of Henry the 4. King of Castille was in the yere 1474. the one and forty yeare of his age and the on twenteth of his raign Hee was interred in the great Chappell of the Monastery of Guadalupe He appointed 52. lampes of siluer to burne day night vpon his tombe And notwithstanding that the Crowne were assured to Ferdinand and Isabel yet Ioane continued the title of Queene of Castille Troupes sent out of France into Castille and in this quality she married with Alfonso King of Portugall which was an occasion of great warres The French King being discontented with the house of Arragon and the warre of Pergignan sent troupes to the King of Portugal vnder the command of Aman of Albret i Ambassadors haue oste ingaged their Maisters in very ruin ous voiages Philip de CoÌ„mines who had treated with them of the K. of Portugall saith that if they had beene well aduised they would haue informed themselues better of matters here before they had councelled their Maister to this voiage wâ—ich was very preiudiciall vnto him But the King of Portugal hauing lost his enterprises and his Partisans was forced to retyer himselfe into Portugall carring away no other triumph of the warre of Castille but the Princesse D. Ioane his wife whome notwithstanding hee would not mary before hee were assured of the Realme of Castille and therefore he went into France to implore ayde from King Lewis with whome he had treated an alliance by his Ambassadors who vnder the good chere which was made them and the good words which were giuen them during the treaty without any other intent perswaded their Maister to come into France assuring him that he should doe more by his presence for the succors which he demanded then by the mediation of his servants and that there might bee a marriage made betwixt the Dauphin and D. Ioane his Neece He landed at Marseille Alfonsâ— K of Portugall comes to Tours came to Lyons and so went downe the riuer of Loire to Tours where he acquainted the King with the cause of his voyage k Necessity â—orceth Princes euen to things vnworthy of their quality They write that this Prince besought the King to succor him with such vehemency and humanity as hee fell on his knees at his heete It had not beene secret though he had beene silent Kings come neuer to the gates of other Kings to offer or to giue but to demand and entreat He carried a Lampe in
Liuius did of the Romans n Nulla vnquam Respublica nec maior nec sanctior nec bonis exemplis ditior fuit nec in quam tam serae auaritia luxuriaque immigrauerint nec vbi tantus ac tamdiu paupertati ac parfimoniae honos fuerit There was neuer Common-weale greater nor more holy nor richer in good examples nor into which auarice luxury crept later nor whereas pouerty and parsimony were so long honoured That neuer Common-weale was better maintained in her ancient discipline nor wheras Auarice had lesse credit and Simplicity more honour then in that of the Suisses For these reasons the king made a defensiue leaue with them Alliance of France with the Suisses by the Treaty gaue himselfe the Name of the first Ally of their Common-weale and tearmed himselfe their Bourgesse o The Duke of Sauoy said that the Title of the first Ally of the Suisses belonged to him before all others They promised to furnish him with eight thousand men at all times for foure German Florins and a halfe of monthly pay 2000 pouÌ„d sterling Moreouer he gaue them a pension of twenty thousand Franckes to be distributed among them By the meanes of this Alliance his forces increased greatly in Bourgondy Dole was taken by assault spoiled ruined and made miserable But this pillage did impouerish the King beeing certaine that what is taken from Townes vanquished is lost for the Victor p Craesus King of Lydia seeing Cyrus Souldiers running vp and downe the Towne of Sardes he demanded whither they did run They go to the spoyle of the Towne answered Cyrus They take nothing from me replied Craesus all they carry away is thine and not mine Aussonne held out but fiue dayes Besançon an Imperiall Towne continued in her liberties and was not forced to more duety then shee had beene accustomed to yeeld vnto the Earles of Bourgondy Verdun would not yeeld but by force and suffered for her wilfulnesse Beaune auoyded it submitting herselfe to a fine of forty thousand Crownes The King labouring to ruine the house of Bourgondy Estate of the affairs of Castille apprehended the rising of that of Castille seeing that by the marriage of Ferdinand and Isabel the Realmes of Castille and Arragon which had beene diuided 405 yeares were vnited q Castille Arragon in the beginning were but Earldomes they were made Realmes after the death of D. Sancho the great king of Nauarre who was the last Earle of Arragon Castille He would haue beene nothing sorry if the contention which was betwixt them who should haue the gouernment of Castille had continued longer Queene Isabel said that as daughter to King Iohn of Castille shee was sole heire of the Realme and that her marriage should not depriue her of her quality King Ferdinand obiected that he was sonne to Iohn the second King of Nauarre and Arragon descended in the direct line from Iohn the first King of Castille and that it was not fit a woman should carry the Scepter of so great a Realme r Lipsius speaking of this Prince and Princesse giues this censure Maritus caetera vir egregius restrictor aut timidior erat retinere sua melior quam augere Haec dilatabat The husband a worthy man a holder fast or more fearefull hee was better to hold his owne then to augment it She enlarged it It was concluded by the aduise of the Grands that all Letters and Expeditions should bee made in the name of both and vnder the Seale of both Realmes of Castille and Arragon and the money coined with the Armes quartered This iudgment wherwith Ferdinand was not well pleased was grounded vpon the great and eminent vertue of Isabel Vertues of Isabel of Castille another Zenobia of Spaine and who did neuer breath any thing but what was great and generous A great Iusticer if euer any were and inexorable to rebellions s The Citty of Seâ—ile being reuolted through the factions betwixt the house of Gusman and Ponti the queen Isabella went thither forst them all to their duties she caused all that were in the Castle to bee hanged hauing refused her the entry she made the Court of Spaine a true Academy of honour and vertue out of which came Gonsalue the great Captaine her counsels were followed as Oracles and often times her husband and the Grands of the realme hauing found that no great matter was effected if it were not approued by her aduice neuer disputed against that which she had resolued It is she that began and ended the war of Portugall expelled the Moores out of Grenado added the realme of Nauarre to that of Castill and gaue meanes to Christopher Columbus t In the yeare 1492. the third of August the Queene D. Isabella sent Christopher ColuÌ„bus from Palos de Moguet in Andalusia to discouer the westerne Indies hauing sailed 2. moneths and 8. dayes hee first landed in the Iland of Guanahamo betwixt Florida Cuba to discouer new countries they also commend her for her great constant piety and for her admirable sobriety hauing neuer drunk wine she loued learned men and tooke delight in the knowledge of the Latine tongue she was full of courage resolution in aduersity for being vpon the treaty of her daughters marriage with Emanuel King of Portugall newes being brought her of the death of her only sonne u The Prince D Iohn of Castille being married to Margaret of Austria died at SalamaÌ„ca The History of Spaine saith that the King D. Ferdinand to acquaint his wife D. Isabella with this death caused a brute to be raised that hee was dead and then presently shewed himselfe vnto her so one sudden consolation betwixt two great afflictions did moderate both the one and the other she did not cease to proceed suppressing her griefe vntill that Emanuel was aduertised therof by others She was very constant in al distemperatures and dolours of the body for she was deliuered of her children without any groane or cry x In partus acutissimis doloribus gemitum vocem supprimebat rem incredibilem nisi à fidissimis matronis quae à cubiculi cura erant id certo se cognouisse Marinaeus Siculus adfirmaret In the bitterest pangs of childbearing she did neither groane nor cry an incredible thing if Marinaeus the Sicilian did not affirm that he had receiued it from the faithfullest matrons of her chamber King Lewis beeing very iealous of the county of Rousillon Death of D. Iohn King of Nauarre which was a thorne in the foot of Castille held the kings in iealousie and expences and desired to haue the realme of Nauarre continue in the possession of the successors of King Iohn who died in the end of the yeare 1479. y D. Iohn king of Arragon died at Barcelona being 81 yeares old hauing raigned in Nauarre 53. yeares and 4. moneths and 21 yeares six moneths in Arragon He
his owne bloud z Churches are Sanctuaries but they giue no safety but to Innocents and to them that are wrongfully 〈◊〉 The Temples of the Ancient were a Sanctuary to three sorts of men to Offendours to Slaues and to Debtors God did raise vp the Earle of Richmond Earle of Richmond prisoner to the Duke of Brittany who was prisoner to the Duke of Brittaine all good men desired it to reuenge the innocent bloud and this Tyrant fore-seeing that there was nothing to bee feared but from that part sent Thomas Hutton to the Duke of Brittany to deale with him that hee might not bee set at liberty a Ambition of raigne is not restrained neither by the respect of piety nor the motions of Nature Cupido regni fratre fillia potior The desire of raigne is deerer then brother or daughter Tacit. Annal. lib. 12. seeking the friendship of King Lewis who would not make any answeres vnto his Letters nor heare his Embassadours calling him most inhumane cruell and wicked for the most horrible and execrable murther of his Nephewes The King assisted the Earle of Richmond who being set at liberty by the Duke of Brittany past into England with three thousand Normanes the scumme as Phillip de Commines saith of the whole Prouince and was presently fortified by all them that were offended for the death of their lawfull Prince Earle of Richmond King of England giuing him battell within few daies after his arriuall in the which this Tyrant was slaine and the Earle of Richmond acknowledged for King In all these great reuolutions wee must confesse a Diuine Iustice which doth earely or late reuenge iniquities pursuing them euen in the generations of children who are punished for their fore-fathers offences Henry the fourth caused Richard the second to dye in prison Henry the sixth his Grand-child dyed a prisoner to King Edward the fourth Richard Duke of Glocester murthers Edwards children and Richard is slaine by Henry Earle of Richmond the seuenth of that name Who can deny but there is an Eternall Iustice in all this b When 〈◊〉 ◠wicked man commits any villany hee is presently a prisoner to GODS Iustice and like a fish hee is taken with the baite of pleasure and delight which hee hath taken in doing it which doth punish the wicked by themselues and makes vse of them to scourge others and it deferres publicke punishment for a time the secret doth neuer abandon the crime and is a perpetuall thorne in the offenders soule Francis Phoebus sonne to Gaston Earle of Foix dyed also hauing succeeded to Elenor of Arragon his grand-mother Death of Francis Phoebus King of Nauarre hee being but twelue yeares old and raigned vnder the gouernement of his mother c The Ladie Magdaline of France during her sonnes minority carried this Title Magdaline Daughter and Sister to the Kings of France Princesse of Viana Gouernesse to our most deere and wel-beloued sonne Francis Phoebus by the Grac◠of GOD King of Nauarre The Realme of Nauarre was so diuided as it had neede of a Prince of more greate respect and farre better experience and yet for that hee was neere allied to the Kings of France and Castile the most factious were quiet and tooke the oath of Alleageance when as hee entred with incredible applause into the Towne of Pampelone the tenth of December in the yeare one thousand foure hundred foure score and two Presently after his Coronation Ferdinand King of Castile offered him Ioane his second daughter in marriage The Queene his mother did still protest that her will did wholly depend vpon King Lewis the eleuenth her brother The History of Spaine saith that he had a desire to marry her to D. Ioane a Nun at Coimbra to the end hee might renue the pretensions which shee had to the Realme of Castile as daughter to Henry the fourth and by this meanes hee did alwaies assure himselfe of the County of Rousillon But when as his mother had brought him backe into Bearne hee was poisoned at Pau playing on a Flute Hee dyed with this griefe that his life nor death did not profite any man d As no man should desire to liue to himselfe alone so that death is honourable which is imployed for the publicke Turpe est sibi soli vivere mori Plut. there being nothing that doth more trouble a great spirit then when he liues and dyes not for himselfe Dying hee spake these holy words which the mouth of the Sonne of God pronounced a little before his death My Kingdome is not of this world If hee had liued he was borne to be a great Prince but the world to speake truely is so small a matter as the Phylosopher had reason to mocke at Alexander who had carried the Title of Great e Alexander would be instructed in Geometry to learne the greatnesse of the earth Hee found that the Title of Great which he carried was false cōsidering Quā pusilla terra esset ex qua minimum occupauerat Quis enim esse magnus in pusillo potest How little the earth was wherof hee held the least part who can be great in a small thing Sen. The Lady Catherine his sister succeded him Katherine of Foix Queene of Nauarre and was married to Iohn of Albret Iohn of Foix Vicount of Narbona her Vncle did quarrell with her for the Earledomes of Foix and Bearn saying that these lands lying within the Realme of France whereas women did not succeede Queene Katherine could not pretend any thing and did by force seaze vpon Maseres and Monthaut and besieged Pamiers but could not take it Queene Katherine aduertised King Lewis the eleuenth with this inuasion f France doth furnish many examples against the Vicount of Foix to shew that the daughters being neerest of bloud did exclude the Males that were farther off who sent Commissioners into the Country to forbid the Vicount of Narbona to proceed by way of fact vpon paine of loosing his right This controuersy was of such importance as he himselfe would be iudge thereof Controuersy for the lands of Foix Bern and Bigorre and after him Charles the eighth was Arbitrator In the end they must passe by the censure of the Court Parliament of Paris Iohn of Foix Vicount of Narbona and after his decease the Kings Atturney Generall as Tutor and Gardien to Gaston of Foix his sonne said against Katherine of Foix that daughters being vncapable of dignites by reason of their sexe might not succeed in the Realme g King Charles the eighth sought to make an agreement betwixt the parties and therefore committed it to the Cardinall of Foix and Monsieur D'Alby but seeing they could not agree hee sent them to the Court Parliament All which proceedings in writing were imparted vnto me by Maister Galland one of the most famous Aduocates of the Parliament Dutchies or Counties but onely the Males and that they might not
that which hee loues and to ruine that which he hath raised In the end this charge of Lord Steward is returned into the house from whence it went It did honor others Charles of Bourbon Earle of Soissons doth honor it at this day by the great and goodly qualities which heauen addes to the greatnesse of his birth he restored order in the kings house and reuiued the glory of his Maiesties seruice With the same courage that Iohn the second followed the King against his rebellious subiects he serued him against forraigne enemies e He was present at the great Assembly at Ambois with all the Princes of the bloud and the chiefe Officers of the Crowne to resolue a warre against the house of York in England against the duke of Brittanie where there was a league made for the defence of the house of LaÌ„caster and Edward sonne to King Henry the sixth was married to the Earle of Warwicks daughter and was imployed with the Duke of Bourbon to disperse the storme wherewith King Edward the fourth threatned France being come thither not so much to fight as to receiue the triumph which the vanity of his ambition promised him The proofes of his seruice are not verified by those of recompence and wee may say that this Prince beeing not present at the distributions of the great honours of the Realme had no great share in the Kings fauours and bounty Wee see him hold his ranke at the Coronation and in the Assembly of the Estates but being none of those that were honoured with the first colours of the Order of Saint Michael hee hath remained in the ranke of those great Spirits whose contentment dependes onely of themselues All the Princes of the bloud cannot haue all the honours of the Realme All Planets make not a shadow the refusall of a dignity augments the glory of him that hath well deserued it and the concession doth not make him famous that is vnworthy f They ordained statues for them that had made war in Affricke against Tacfarinates though they did not vaÌ„quish him Dolabella went thither defeated him slue him he demanded the same honours which had been giuen to others which Tiberius refused Taciâ—us thereupon said Sed neque Blesus illustrior huic negatus honor gloriaÌ„ intendis He had sixe daughters Ioane of Bourbon married to Iohn the second Duke of Bourbon Catherine married to Gilbert of Chabannes Ioane wife to Lewis of Ioyeuse Charlotte married to Engelbert of Cleues Earle of Neuers René Abbesse of Paintes and then of Fonteuerard and Isabell Abbesse of Caen and two sonnes Lewis Earle of Vendosme g Lewis of Burbon haâ— 2 sons Iohn Earle of Vendosme and Lewis of Roche-sur you head of the house of Montpensier who married Mary of Luxemburg and Charles his eldest sonne the first Duke of Vendosme married Frances of Alençon and had by her seuen sonnes and six daughters the second of his sonnes was Anthony who married Ioane of Albret Queene of Nauarre and heire of the house of Foix Albret Bearn and Armagnac Of their marriage was borne Henry the fourth king of France and Nauarre their third sonne was Lewis of Bourbon Prince of Condé father to Henry Prince of Condé to Henry Prince of Conty to the Cardinall of Vendosme and to Charles Earle of Soissons and Grand-fahter to Henry Prince of Condé first Prince of the bloud The yonger sonne of Iohn the 2 d Earle of Vendosme was Lewis head of the branch of Montpensier and of Roche-sur-yon whom death hath cut off from this great tree There remains one daughter promised to the Duke of Orleans the Kings second sonne Death freed the Earle of Vendosme from the cares which a longer life had augmented by the iealousies and distrusts which the King conceiued of all the Princes of his bloud which kept him continually in the diuers agitations of hatred and feare It is impossible but that he who by his extreame rigors seuerities hath offended many should feare alwayes hee cannot trust his subiects as his Children seeing he hath not entreated them as a Father h Loue is a strong guard of a Princes person Agesilaus said that he wold liue safe without gardes if he coÌ„manded his Subiects as a good father doth his children He must be beloued of his subiects and feared of strangers Amorem apud populares meâ—â— apud hostes quaerat Tacit. he hath his share of the feare which hee hath made common Wheresoeuer hee casteth his eyes he seeth markes of his seuerity so hee findeth not any one but puts him in feare hee hath feare of his Children feare before him and feare behind and as in his life hee had alwayes desired more to be feared then loued so in the end he found himselfe composed of the same humor fearing more then he loued Hitherto it seemeth he did not trust any man but Peter of Bourbon Lord of Beaujeu his son-in-law in whom he had so great a confidence as he referred vnto him all the care of his affaires when as the pleasure of hunting entertained him in the Forrests not for some few dayes but whole moneths The Author of the Annals of the house of Bourbon who hath seene the originals of many great treaties speakes after this maner This Peter of Bourbon Lord of Beaujeu was in such fauour with the king as his Maiesty desiring to retire himselfe from affaires kept commonly at Chamois and places thereabout a Countrey at that time full of wood and wilde beasts causing the said Lord Peter of Bourbon his son-in-law to remaine at Montereau-faut-yonne to bee chiefe of the Councell to whom all men repaired for their dispatches which had any businesse in Court i A Prince must be feared and loued but for that it is difficult to haue these two things concurre together it were better and more safe to be feared for that Princes which haue grounded themselues vpon the loue of the people haue found that there is nothing more inconstant men do sooner offend him that makes himselfe to be loued then hee that is feared yet must they not in seeking to bee feared make themselues odious The King loued the woods and hunting to free himselfe from cares reposing all vpon the said Lord of Beaujeu His Maiestie also said That hee did hate deadly them of Bourgondy Aniou Alençon and the Dukes of Brittanie for their pride And contrariwise that hee loued Charles of Artois Earle of Eu for that hee retained nothing of the arrogancy of his predecessours and them of Bourbon more for their mildnesse and humility k It is not the first testimony which the kings of France haue giuen of the mildnesse wisedome and moderation of the Princes of the house of Bourbon When as King Charles the â—sâ—h passed from Auâ—gaon where hee had seene Pope Clement the sixth iâ—to Laâ—gueclock to settle an order for the coplaints of the Countrey against the oppressions which they
haue not bin exactly and curiously digested if in many places there be found defects it sufficeth to say that the worke hath been made following the Court and printed in my absence To conclude mens mindes should not be more difficult to please then the Gods of the ancients Hee that had no milke gaue them water and he that found no wine offered milke salt for incense leaues and flowers for fruits and fruits for beasts He that giues what he hath and doth what he can is bound to no more They that content not themselues with that which seemes good trouble themselues to seeke for better Whatsoeuer happen all these disgraces shall neuer tire nor daunt me Wee doe not leaue to till and sow the ground although the seasons be bad and the haruest vnfruitfull Hee that cannot content all the world must endeuour to content himselfe AN ELOGIE OF LEWIS THE eleuenth French King LEWIS of Valois only like vnto him-selfe and vnlike to all other Kings was borne at Bourges and presented at the font by Iohn Duke of Alancon he past his infancy in the ruines miseries of France and the most sensible afflictions of his father to whom there was a part of the Crowne remaining At eleuen yeares the greatest of the Realme abusing the innocency of his first age to couer their discontentment and ambition made him the head of a faction which was so vniust vnnaturall odious vnto the French as it was presently abandoned euen by them that were the Authors and lasted but nine months At fourteene yeares hee was married to the Princesse of Scotland at fifteene Generall of a royall Army into Normandy and Languedoc At twenty one hee put all Germany in alarum tooke Mombeliart besieged Basill defeated sixe thousand Swisses ouer-run Alsaâ—ia The bayes of this triumph were all couered with bloud and soone after with tears by the death of the Princesse of Scotland his wife The difficuly which hee felt to submit his yong and boyling humors to the temper of reason and his will to that of his father drew him from the Court and intertained him some yeares in Dauphine whereas he married Charlotte of Sauoy and made warre against the Duke of Sauoy his father in law drawing vnto his seruice some by promises others by fauour and presents but most of all by rigour seuerity oppressing his subiects of Dauphine with vnknowne charges so as the cyment of his designes was tempered with bloud sweat teares The King who was not insensible of Complaints and wept by his subiects teares made it knowne that he did loue his estate better then his sonne He came into Dauphine and at the first glance of his eyes he dispersed the designes of such as would trouble the order of nature and the Lawes of the Realme Lewis desiring rather to trust the enemies of his house then his fathers bounty retires to Bruxelles to Duke Phillip wheras he liued six yeares with Charlotte of Sauoy his wife and there receiued the first blessing of his marriage by the birth of his sonne Ioachim of Valois who dyed presently All this time taught him a lesson of patience being forced to make a vertue of necessity learning to be wise in prosperity and constant in aduersity In the end Charles gaue him place and left him the Realme vnited vnder the obedience of one the English being expelled and hauing nothing remaining vnto them but Calis All the forces of this powerfull house of Bourgondy did accompany him vntill hee had the Crowne set vpon his head which he tooke at Rhemes Paris receiued him as it were in triumph and all France seemed to reuiue againe at the rising of this Starre The contempt of Princes of the bloud the change of officers the seueritie in searching out things past with the oppression of the people were the cause of a league which was made against him betwixt the Duke of Berry his brother and the dukes of Burgundy Brittany Calabria and Bourbon with the greatest of the realme A powerfull and famous faction which abused the simple made the wicked mad and thrust good men into despaire The bad successe of the Battell of Montlehery was not able to shake the constancy and fidelitie of the subiect Paris whose motions had alwaies caused the rest of France to wauer held firme and this great storme fel and was dispersed before her wals The greatest Cities of the realme and the chiefe Prouinces coÌ„tinued constant in their duties the interest of priuat men being contented the pursute of the publike good was staied These arrowes being vnbound Lewis had good meanes to breake them The D. of Normandy is forced to quit Roan the D. of Brittaine auoids the storme by his submission The duke of Burgundy is troubled with the mutinies of his subiects who desirous of innouations change did more affect the Earle of Charolois then the Duke of Bourgundy Lewis to be reuenged kindles a fire in his estate and stirs vp them of Liege yet making shew that he desired nothing more then the obseruation of the treaty of Conflans relying too much vpon his wit and forces he ingaged himselfe indiscreetly in Peronne where the Castle was in show his lodging and in effect his prison he saw himselfe forced to arme against his friends to receiue a law from him to whom he thought to giue it The assembly of the estates at Tours iudge of the iniury of his promises and cannot yeeld that Normandy one of the goodliest flowers of the crowne of France should be dismembred they declare war against the D. of Bourgundy The King takes the towne of S. Quintin then Amiens and seeing that the Duke of Burgundy in the desolation of his affaires was prest to giue his daughter in marriage to the Duke of Guienne he doth not in this prosperitie imbrace the opportunitie but is content to haue amazed his enemy and grants him a truce during the which he sees as from the shore that cruell tempest of England which ouerthrew the house of Lancaster whom he fauoured assured the Scepter in that of Yorke succoured and supported by the D. of Burgundy The Duke of Guiennes death brake the truce and hopes of peace and brought all them to the brinke of death and despaire which had followed his fortune who were reduced to such misery as then the most miserable hearing the discourse found therein consolation and amazement Many families were ouerthrowne and that rich and famous house of Armagnac was full of strange tragedies and reuolutions The warre furiously inhumane began againe and the Duke of Bourgundy armed to reuenge his death vpon innocents The towne of Nesle saw heapes of dead carkasses in her streets and streames of bloud in her Churches Beauuais stayed the torrent of his fury and diuerted it vpon Normandy The D. of Brittany although he were gouerned by another head considering the danger wherein hee was submitted himselfe to the stronger and seeing the K. at
the Bastard was excluded and that they pretended not to change any thing of the rights which he had ouer the Crowne of Cypres as Protector o After that the Christians affaires were ruined in Soria and the East the Kings of Cypres of the house of Lusignan put themselues vnder the protection of the Souldiers of Egypt This reason had pacified him being resolued to quit the Protection of the Bastard But Mahomet sent him word that it was a thing worthy of his greatnes and profitable to their common religion to restore this Prince to his Estates exhorting him to remember the iniuries which they of that Nation and those of Lewis his house had done vnto the Mahometans protesting that if hee had a desire to haue peace with Christians he should be sure to haue warre with him The assistance which the Souldan of Egypt gaue vnto the Bastard was the cause that he was presently acknowledged by them who could not oppose against his power He coÌ„manded ouer their bodies more then their hearts which being full of feare were also so of wishes and desires of his death who made them feare p Feare is a bad gard for them that command For they that feare studie still how they may be rid of him that keepes them in feare Quem metuunt oderunt queÌ„ quisque odiit periisque expedit Lewis was forced to quit the field and to retyre himselfe into the Castle of Cerines where he was besieged by the Bastard who seeing it impossible to take this place and that all the Princes of Christendome were offended at this vsurpation he sent his Embassadors â—ope Pius the second to yeeld him obedience and to beseech him to hold him in the ranke of Catholike Kings The Pope would not see them but sent them away with bitter words Hereupon Lewis saw himselfe forced to retire to the Duke his Father King and Queene of Cypres driuen out of their owne Realme and the Queene Charlotte to Rome to seeke succors but the diuisions of Italy hindred that which they desired and stayed her there during the time of Pius the second of Paul the second and of Sixtus the fourth and Lewis remained at Ripaille Pope Pius the second q It was tâ—oght that Lewis D. of Saucy had some secret spleene against Pope Pius the second for that he had been Secretarie to his father when he was but in base condition and had abandoned him to follow Eugenius his enemie said that hee had beene chased out of Cypres for that his father had failed of his promise at the assembly at Mantoua for the holy warre and that the same Lewis his Sonne being then neere vnto Mantoua and hauing not vouchsafed to see him and demand his blessing hee had saied by prediction vnto the Embassadors of Sauoy that it would happen his Sonne would loose the Realme of Cypres for a punishment of that the father did and that one day hee would demand those succors in vaine from others which his father had denied vnto the Church The Bastard seeing himselfe in quiet possession of the Crowne of Cypres remembred that Marc Cornaro a Gentleman of Venice had assisted him in his necessitie with ships r Good deedes neuer dye in great courages others forget the good remember the ill Quid autem est eo miserius cui beneficia excidunt hereÌ„t iniuriae Sen. money and Councell Catherine Carnaro adopted by the Venetians and had giuen him meanes to goe vnto the Souldan of Egypt hee resolued to marry his Daughter named Catherine whom the Senate of Venice after the death of Marc Cornaro her Father had adopted as their Daughter The mariage was treated with the consent of the Siegneurie who gaue her a great dowrie this marriage was made in the yeare 1466. Iames King of Cypres fell sicke of a bloudy Flix and seeing that his cure was desperate hee had not the trouble which great Princes as well as priuate men haue when they die to know to whom hee should recommend his realme hauing the Senate of Venice wholly at his deuotion but it troubled him what his successor should be which was yet in the mothers wombe s Princes haue no lesse need then mean persons of strong consolations to help them to depart the world to leaue their affaires in some safety Mocenigo assured him that neither the Venetians forces nor his priuate seruice should neuer faile him After his death Charlotte demanded succors of the Venetians the Duke answered that the Siegneurie was bound to defend her who was her adopted Daughter and that King Iames had instituted her heyre with the fruit in her womb That moreouer he wondred that she vnderstood not that rights of Realmes were debated rather by Armes then by Lawes t In former times wheÌ„ they haue demanded of conquerors of Prouinces the titles of their CoÌ„quests some haue shewed them their Canons and others their swords and that the Realme of Cypres had not been solely to her but also to the Geneuois who at that time held a great part The widdow of King Iames was presently troubled with new Combustions within the Realme A Bishop of the house of the Gotholans Tumults in Cypres who had great authoritie and credit in the Iland being Embassador to Ferdinand King of Naples when as King Iames dyed propounded to marry the Bastard of the deceased King of Cypres Many were of his partie but the wiser sort were contented to passe these rockes with open eyes and deafeeares u There are some things which are good to be seene but dangerous to be harkened vnto They saw the ruines whereinto they did runne and did not giue eare to the promises inchantments that were made them The designe of marriage tooke effect x The Cipriòts seazed vpon the Kings Palace and made his base daughter beeing but six yeares old sure to King Ferdinands base son and gaue him the title of Prince of Galilee but that of the royalty was preuented by the Venetians who sent Mocenigo thither The courage of the conspirators quailed their iudgement failed them at his arriuall their last refuge was flight The soueraigne Authoritie remained peaceably in the Queene who in acknowledgement of the succours she had receiued from Venice Presents of the Queene of Cypres to Mocenigo presented Mocenigo with a Target richly wrought and a standard of the same Shee was brought in bed of a Sonne who dyed at the end of the yeare By this death shee remained Queene alone vnder the Protection and defence of the Siegneurie of Venice Ferdinand King of Naples seeing that his first designe did not succeed for the marriage of the Bastard hee sought the Queene widdow for his Sonne imploying in this Treatie Riccius Marineus a Neapolitaine Ferdinand K. of Naples seeke the alliance of the Queene of Cypres a very deere friend to the deceased King and Tristan Cybellet a Cypriot who had a Sister
wont to say Che non potea la Republica crescere molto di potenze se non hauesse nell imprese di Terra impiegate le sue forze la quale cosa perche noÌ„ haue a prima fatts pero era stata molto ritardata et impedita quella grandezza alla quale se tale consiglio hauesse preso piu per tempo po teua caminare felicemente haue thought that this Common-weale had begun too late to inlarge it selfe vpon the maine land to make profit of her neighbours ruynes The two principall intentions which shee hath had for the greatnes of her estate to maintaine her selfe free and to become ritch haue succeeded for the one she hath alwayes maintained her selfe strong at Sea there beeing no other meanes to anoy her and she hath continued her traffick without the which she could not continue this goodly flower of liberty had been withered by the idlenes of her subiects The industry of marchandize should bee no lesse honorable vnto them then tillages to the old Senators of Rome both the one and the other in their labours and trafficke haue produced famous examples of publike vertues We must giue vnto Venice the glory of the best gouernment of all the Estates of the world the forme and order of her politick gonernment is in all parts so well disposed and obserued as this Common weale amidst so many diuers accidents of good fortune and bad was neuer troubled with any discord or domestick diuision which haue aflicted Aristocraticall Estates and driuen gouernours of Common-weales into such feares and distrusts as the Pallace where they haue assembled to resolue of publique affaires hath beene often dishonored with the losse of their liues or liberties h After that they of Miletum had expelled their tyrants they setled an Aristocraticall Estate but the people did still mutiâ—e against this kind of Gouernment and the great men did still liue in such feare as they could not hold a Councell in safety but in shippes The Lords of Samos were murthered by the people when they were in counsell Inevitable stormes in estates which depend not of the power of one alone whereas the lesser are alwaies kept vnder by the greater and the poore cannot long indure the felicity of the ritch who so will keepe the poore people in such obedience must after the example of Rome allow them a share in the estate i The gouernment of Rome was diuided betwixt the Consulls Senate and people with such a conformity of their duties and common Offices as neuer common weale was better instituted The power of the one was bridled and restrayned by that of the other Nulla efferre se pars supra caeteras valet nequie impotenter superbire omnia quippe in 〈◊〉 statu manent cum aliorum cehibiatur impetus aliine in se quoque insurgatur perpeuo metuunt The Venetians haue made them subiect by meanes very pleasing vnto them they haue in a manner the best part of the liberty and their pleasures are not limited but by excesse they do their affaires quietly and the Senate hath all the care to maintaine them in liberty and rest The greatest disdaine not them that are meaner they contract Allyances together and do not restraine them from certaine publique charges There is a great temper betwixt Aristocratia and Democratia For the Gouerment retayning little of the one and much of the other is freed from disorders and corruptions which haue alwaies troubled ciuill tranquillity FINIS THE CONTENTS OF of the fifth BOOKE 1 THE King considers of the Preiudice which hee receiues by the obseruation of the Treatie of Peronne 2 Assembly of the Estates of the Realme at Tours by whose aduice the Duchie of Guienne is giuen to the Duke of Normandie Thé Duke of Bourgundy adiourned to the Parliament at Paris 3 The Court of Parliament complaines of the reuocation of the Pragmatick Sanction 4 Institution of the Order of S. Michel the first Princes and Noblemen were honored and the Knights bonds 5 Warre resolued by the Estates and begunne against the Duke of Bourgundy 6 A strange change in England The Duke of Clarence Brother to King Edward and the Earle of Warwicke take Armes against the King 7 Margaret wife to Henry the sixt the Duke of Clarence and the Earle of Warwick come into France for succors 8 Henry the sixt at libertie and Edward expelled the Realme 9 Exploits in Picardie and warre proclaimed against the Duke of Bourgundie 10 The Constable perswades him to giue his Daughter to the Duke of Guienne 11 Armie of the Duke of Bourgundy before Amiens 12 A marriage sought betwixt the heire of Castille and the Duke of Guienne 13 Birth of Charles Dauphin of France 14 Practises of the Constable to breake the promises of marriage made in Castille 15 Death of Pope Paul the second 16 New designes to draw the Duke of Bourgundy into the Townes of Picardie 17 Promise made by the King to restore Amiens and S. Quentin 18 Death of the Duke of Guienne changeth the affaires 19 Obseruation of the Duke of Guiennes life and the seueritie of the King his Brother Strange death of Gilles Sonne to Iohn the sixt Duke of Brittany 20 Troubles in Nauarre the King sends forces thither 21 Letters written by the King to the Earle of Lude Siege of Parpignan Peace betwixt the King and the King of Arragon 22 Iohn Earle of Armagnac expelled his Country and the pittifull discourse of his fortune and death THE HISTORY of LEVVIS the XI THE FIFTH BOOKE THE Duke of Normandy was no sooner aduertised that the King had promised by the Treaty of Peronne to giue him the Contries of Champaigne and Brie for his portion but hee presently besought him to giue him leaue to goe thither and not to suffer him to languish any longer for the enioying of his rest and quiet the cheefe part whereof consisted in not beeing troubled to seeke it a It is a part of rest not to be in paine to seek it The King who had promised nothing freely thought to discharge himselfe of his promises at a better rate Hee wonne the Sig r. of Lescun b He that wil winne a Princes heart let him first win the cheefe ministers which possesse him who are as it were the eyes by the which hee seees and the eares by the which he hears and vndrstands who was his Brothers whole Councell The King winnes his Brother by the practise of Odet of Rye to perswade him to be conformable to his intentions and to rest satisfied not with that which he desired but with what should be offered him Yet this practise was not so secret but the Duke of Bourgondy was aduertised by the Cardinall Balâ—e a double heart and a turbulent spirit full of passion who wrate vnto him that the King treated with his Brother that they made no mention of him and that hee should looke to his busines This
subdued the victors and that a Prince is not ruined so long as hee hath a spirit hope and a sword remaining k As long as a Prince keepes himselfe vp how ruinous soeuer his affaires hee wee must not â—ould him for lost Masanissa beeing put to rout by Siphar saued himselfe by swimming hid himseâ—fe in a Caue being bruted that he was dead He went to field beeing cured of a wound receiued and recouered his Realme Leonidas sonne to Syphâ—x expellâ—d him another time hee fled with 70. horse and by Scipios meanes was restored The King informed himselfe particularly of this defeat Contay told him that there were but seauen men at armes slaine Number of them that were slaine in the battell but the losse of the baggage was inestimable The King being among his most confident seruants made it appeare that nothing displeased him so much as the little number Hee commanded them to make Contay good cheere who made no shew to heare the people of Lions singing through the streetes the shame and ruine of this battel the courage of the Suisses and the rashnes of the Bourgondians for at that time there was not a Battell but there was presently a Song made of it l The custome is very antient to make hymms and Songs of Battells and victories There are examples in Aristophanes and in Plutark in the life of Flaminius Charle maigne caused a collection to be made of all the rimes of the like subiect This hard incounter bred a great alteration in mens mindes and affections Those which feared the courage and admired the prosperity of this Prince began presently to contemne him after the newes of this rout There was not any friend no loue Galeas Duke of Milan renouncing the alliance the had made with him besought the King to renew those which he formerly had with France and offers him a hundred thousand Ducats The King made this braue proud answer to his Ambassador Tell your maister that I will none of his money and that once in a yeare I leuie three times more then hee as for peace and warre I will dispose as I please but if he repent himselfe to haue left my alliance to imbrace that of the Duke of Bourgondy I am content to returne as we was vpon which wordes the Truces were published againe This good newes augmented the content which the King tooke at Lion whether Rene Duke of Aniou came to see him This good Prince who had seene the death of his three sonnes Rene Duke of Aniou comes to the King and had but one daughter m Rene Duke of Aniou had by Isabel daughter to Charles Duke of Lorayne three sonnes who died in the flower of their yeares Iohn Duke of Calabria Nicholas Duke of Bar. Lewis marquis of Pont and yoland put the Duke of Bourgondy in some hope that hee would adopt him for his sonne and transferre the rightes of his house to the Crowne of Sicile with the Earledome of Prouence and this Prince had already sent Chasteau Guion into Piedmont with 20. thousand crownes to leuie soldiers and to passe them into Prouence to take possession thereof The King being aduertised heereof sent to Phillip Earle of Sauoy to seaze vppon Chasteau Guion with his money and men Hee had great difficulty to saue his owne person but lost his money adding this losse to others which his maister had receiued The King intreated him to come to Lion and not to deale with the Duke of Bourgondy who sought to ruine him The good old man being discontented with the Duke of Lorraine who had forced him to giue his daughter n After the death of Charls the first of that name Duke of Lorraine Rene Duke of Aniou pretended the Duchie as husband to Isabell daughter to Charles Hee lost a Battell against the Earl of Vaudemont and was taken prisoner forced to giue his Daughter Yoland to Ferry of Lorraine son to Anthony Earl of Vaudemont Yoland of Aniou to Ferry his sonne resolued to this voyage Complaint of the Du of Aniou made by the Seneshall Hee led with him Iohn Cosse Seneshall of prouence who with a freedome worthy of the age wherin he liued and little knowne to them of his nation for he was a Sicilien let the King vnderstand that all which o Rene of Sicile sold to Lewis of Chalon the homage soueraigntie of the Principalitie of Oranges his Son submitted it to the Parliament of Dauphiné and afterward K. Lewis restored it vnto him Duke Rene had treated with the Duke of Bourgondy touching Prouence Sicily and that which he had dismembred to the benefit of the Prince of Orange was only to make his maiesty know the wrong which hee had done him in detaining the Castles of Bar and Anger 's and crossing him in all his affaires that this dispight had forced him to these resolutions the which notwithstanding he had no desire to effect if he might otherwise haue reason from his maiesty The King taking the libertie of this Discourse in good part as free from flatterie and seasoned with discretion p To fit a discourse to flattery for to please is impudencie but it is a great indiscretion to be to free and hardy to auoid pleasing flatterie They must obserue a mean Seemelinesse comes from mediocritie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut. he found truth in it which he could not gainesay the which did binde him by all courtesie and good vsage to deface the discontents which the good old man his Vnckle King of Sicile had against him The Chronicle saith that he made him great cheere at Lyon he made him see the faire of S t Iohn and the faire Dames of Lyon but hee did well requite this good cheere for before hee parted hee contented the King with such assurances as he desired to adde Prouence to the Crowne The Duke of Bourgundy had besieged Morat Morat besieged by the Duke of Bourgundy a small Towne two leagues from Berne with an armie of fourescore thousand men The Suisses had twelue thousand Pikes ten thousand Halbards and ten thousand shot The Duke of Lorraine came also with such troupes as the King had giuen him and although the number were not great yet hee was commended by the Suisses q They were weary saith Phil. de Com. in our Court of the D. of Lorraine When a great man hath lost al his owne most coÌ„monly he tires them that support him There might be in all some thirty two thousand foote and three or foure thousand horse The Duke of Bourgundy held it impossible for the Suisses or the Duke of Lorraine to succour Morat Battell of Morat won by the Suisses and yet they did attempt it and execute it very happily As they approched the Duke saluted them with his Canon which did play so furiously vppon their troupes as presently there were many horses seene without riders The Suisses notwithstanding
waxt by which hole we did looke into the Castle-yard Hee saith also that Margaret of Clisson Mother to the Earle of Ponthieure came scoft at him vsing these words Deposuit potentes de sede He hath put the Mighty from their seate Hist. of Brit. Lib. 11. it had felt the ruines and desolations which the Iustice of God brings vpon Principalities for the sinnes of the Princes and People The diuision betwixt the Houses of Montfort and Blois had brought it to the last extremity and it had seene an Act of wonderfull presumption of a vassaile against his Lord Duke Iohn hauing beene prisoner to Oliuer of Blois with such vnworthy vsage as hee was in a manner depriued of the aire which all the powers of the world cannot take from Man there beeing nothing but death that can depriue him of breath This poore Prince had no Aire at all but was in darkenesse p When as God saith Epictetes takes from thee necessary things as food raiment and thy sences he sounds a retreat hee opens the doore and commands thee to come and in a little Chamber where hee could not see but by a hoale made with a Pinne the Sunne for the which many haue beleeued they were in the world Anaxagoras said that hee was in the world to admire the Sunne A more tedious kinde of life then death it selfe and hee that is reduced vnto it hath a strong resolution if he doth not murmure that God suffers him to liue so long One of the wise Stoickes thought that hee gaue man leaue to depart this life when as he gaue him no meanes to liue But let vs returne vnto the King Townes vpon the riuer of Somme recouered by the king Before the newes of Duke Charles his death was assured hee brake the Truce which should haue continued seuen yeares longer and seized vpon Abbeuille Dourlans Monstreuil Montdidier Peronne Han Bohain Saint Quintin and the Townes vpon the Riuer of Somme which by the death of Charles the last Male of the House of Bourgondy returned vnto the King Hee wisht hee might haue done as much to all the Low Countreyes and by some iuster meanes then by Armes in marrying his sonne to the heire of Bourgondy Lewis desires to marry his sonne to the heire of Brittain But beside the great inequality of their ages hee had promised him to the Princesse of England and he desired to giue him the heire of Brittaine for she was more sutable to his sonnes age and this Princesse was a Rampart against the fury of the English who being seconded by the Dukes of Brittaine haue entred that way and come into the heart of the Realme He perswaded himselfe to preuaile by other meanes he had good seruants at Gand who had made shew that this kinde of gouernement was against their mindes and that they affected new Maisters q The day after that the Ganto is receiued newes of the Dukes death they put to death 25 men of their Lawe The pretex was for that they had executed a man before they were confirmed in their charge He thought that in taking some of the chiefe Townes of the Countrey the rest in this confusion of Councels and weakenesse of forces would yeeld of themselues and as if there had beene no other difficulty he disposed already of places and gouernments of Prouinces His humor was to imploy meane men in great affaires and to handle great works with small engines He sent Robinet of Odenfort to S. Omer and Oliuer le Dain his Barber to Gand who was of such power and authority euen with the King as the French going out of the Realme they demaunded of them in mockery among other newes of Court Presumption of Oliuer le Daine if Lewis were in good tearmes with Oliuer r StraÌ„gers mock at princes which depend vpon 〈◊〉 companions and giue themseles as it were in a prey to their conduct This man for that hee was borne in a village neere vnto Gand was so presumptuous as hee thought he could make this Towne subiect to the Kings will and tooke this charge vpon him to goe thither vnder colour to carry some message to the Princesse who had called an Assembly of the Estates at Gand s Estates in the Law Countries held at Gand. The Oath of fidelity was renued to the Princesse for it had in already taken by Guy of Roâ—â—fort Lord of PluvaÌ„t her Chamberlain by Guy Perrot her Secretary of state and vnder hand practised men to what he had intended he stiled himselfe Earle of Melun This purple-hue did nothing at all beautifie the Ape but made him more ridiculous to them that knew the basenesse of his breeding t Basenesse of birth is a reproach which is giuen to them that gloriously forget theÌ„selues Iphicrates Tully and Marius endured it Yet the King perswaded himselfe that hee would doe wonders in this Citty telling the chiefe Noble-men of his Court that they whom he had sent to Gand and Saint Omer were able to get the keyes of the Towne and to draw in his Troopes He made account of the one as Augustus did of Mecenas u Augustus Caesar loued 2. men aboue all others Agrâ—ppa for his patience and Mecenas for his secresie and discretion Being in Councell with them after the war of Actium how hee should gouerne himselfe Agrippa aduised him to liue a priuate life but Mecenas wisht him to think of a monarchy Dion Plut. Suet. and of the other as Agrippa Oliuer hauing demanded audience of the Princesse Affront done to Oliuer at his audience with the Princesse and refusing to speake vnto her but in priuate hee caused himselfe to bee scorned and this disgrace concerned him that had sent him who had not considered that such Commissions did properly belong to men of birth or of great merit and that it seemes they contemne the Prince to whom they send Embassadours of base condition x They that carry the Title of Embassadours should be men of credit reputation Caesar said that the Suisses sent Embassadors vnto him the chiefe wherof was Deuico he who in the Cassian warre had bin their Generall The Gantois hauing discouered Negotiation of Oliuer le Dain at Gand and taking of Tournay that hee had some secret practises in their Towne hee was in danger to haue beene cast into the Riuer whereupon hee retired to Tournay and practised thirty or forty men by whose meanes hee brought in Mony with his Company which hee had at Saint Quintin and seized of the Towne sending seuen or eight of the Gouernors to Paris The Princesse Councell seeing that her subiects fidelity was shaken and the Townes of Picardy deliuered vnto the King that she had to deale with a Cyrus Embassage sent from the Princesse of Bourgundy to the King and that she was no Tomyris y Cyrus hauing attempted against the Massagets a people of Scythia Tomyris their
Gand to giue him a fauourable end of his suite and to haue infringed the priuiledges of Gand Hogonet Imbercourt condeÌ„ned to die the which may not be changed nor broken without paine of death Vpon these accusations or rather slanders the Maior AldermeÌ„ of Gand condemn theÌ„ to loose their heads In 6 daies their processe was made the number of their freinds nor the appearance of their innocency which in those extremities is the last refuge could not saue them n Innocency is the last refuge of the miserable helps him much that hath nothing else remaining It hath sometimes set the condemned in the Iudges place Neri sonne to Vgucione of Fagiuola Lord of Luga condemned Castrucio to death and the people freed him going to execution and set him in Neris place Three houres after the sentence was pronounced they were executed without any respect to the appeale which they had made to the Court Parliament at Paris Brother in law The Pope and Emperor offended at this impiety at whose instance the Pope and the Emperour Fredericke send vnto Adolph to set the Country at liberty and to yeeld obedience to his father and vpon the contempt of this commandement they write vnto the Duke of Bourgundy not to suffer this impiety any longer The Duke was then about Dourlans he commanded Adolph to come and to bring his father Adolph durst not displease so mighty a Neighbour The Duke heares them in their complaints and confronts them together The sonne accuseth the father of villanous and wicked actions Duke of Bourgundy Iudge of the quarrell whereof he presently purgeth himselfe and by the testimony of Noblemen that were there present at this confrontation the sons slander was discouered and detested then the father transported with extreme griefe presented the single coÌ„bat vnto his son The Duke would not allow it for the vncertaine euent could not be where soeuer the victory fell without a certain crime Hauing conferred of this businesse with his Councell hee ordained that the father should retaine the title of Duke with the Towne of Graue and 3000. Crownes for his entertainment the son should haue all the rest Notwithstanding that this iudgement was so fauourable for the sonne as all men thought that the Iudge was more affected to him then to the father x Adolph had maried Catherine of Bourbon daughter to Iohn Duke of Bourbon and Anne of Bourgundy sister to Phillip The Sig r. of Argenton saith that the Duke fauored Adolph in respect of this marriage yet this vnnaturall sonne straying from all obedience duty y Decius was commended for that hee refused the Empire saying that being Emperour hee should forget to be a sonne Imperet pater meus meum imperium sit parere humiliter imperanti Let my father rule my Empire shall be humbly to obay him that rules Val. Max. lib. 4. would not be satisfied saying That his father had raigned long enough and that he should content himselfe with the pension of 3000. Crownes and that he should neuer set his foote in the Countrey of Guelders To be short that hee had rather cast his father into a Well and himselfe headlong after him then consent to the conditions of this sentence z It is an impious thing saith Plato for any one to force his father and his Country he saith more-ouer that the child should haue a care not to offend him for there is not any praier which the Gods heare sooner then that which the fathers make against their children The Duke being prest to go vnto his Army before Amiens leaues them in this dispute and would not alter his iudgement The sonne fearing that his obstinacy might bring him to the place where he had put his father and knowing that few men affected him stale away in a disguised French habite and tooke the way to Graue Adolph steales away and is taken prisoner But passing the Riuer at Namur with one man in his company he was knowne by a Priest and staied by others and conducted to the Duke of Bourgundy who sent him prisoner to Villeuor and afterwards to Courtray where he remained miserable and no man pittied him in his misery a It is a cruelty and inhumanity to pitty a parricide The punishment which he endures how great soeuer doth not giue so much amazement as the crime causeth horror and execration vntill that the Gantois set him at liberty to be their Generall in the warre of Tournay The father dying had giuen the Dutchy of Guelders to the Duke of Bourgundy The warre being vndertaken by them of Gand against Tournay and the Mutiny growing insolently violent against the Dutchesse of Bourgundy they had need of a Head for without it their hands were not much to be feared He is set at liberty by the Gantols They cast their eyes vpon Adolph draw him out of prison and like mad-men as they are thinke that this cruell wretch who could not loue his father will haue a care of their affaires b What piety can bee expected of him that hath beene impious and inhuman to his owne father Qui fallere audebit Parentes qualis erit in ceteris He that dares deceiue his Parents what will hee bee to other men Casiod They giue him absolute command being resolued to aduance him higher then his Predecessours and to make him husband to the Dutchesse People in such distractions haue played madder prankes and made more indiscreete elections He lead them to Tournay where hauing burnt the Suburbs he was slaine His death was not more honourable vnto him then his life The Princesse was not sorry for this action For if hee had returned tryumphing from this exploite the Gantois had forced her to mary him and rather then to haue had a husband of their choice she would haue taken one by chance as the heire of Bohemia had done Primislaus a Laboâ—er becomes King of Bohemia who marryed Primislaus and drew him from labour to the honour of her Marriage and Crowne c Lybussa daughter to Gracus second King of Bohemia declared in an Assembly of the Estates held in an open field that shee would take him for husband before whom a horse shold stay which she should let go without guide or force He stayed before Primislaus who was tilling his Land They tooke him and led him to the Princesse who made him her husband and gaue him to the people for their King His wodden shoes were long kept in the Cathedrall Church of Prage and shewed to the Kings of Bohemia to make them remember their beginning The Princesse of Bourgundies affaires impaired Many Physitions vndid the Patient The King had a mighty Army which kept all the Low Countries in awe in his absence it was commanded by the Bastard of Bourbon Admirall of France There was nothing attempted by the enemy but was defeated In many exploits of warre which were made vpon this
circumstances and dependances not doing or suffering any thing to bee done to the contrary either now or hereafter vpon any cause or occasion what soeuer forcing all them that shall oppose themselues to the contrary by the taking away of their letters granted to the contrary 〈◊〉 thereof seizure and detention of their goods in our hands imprisonment of their persons euen as is accustomed to be done for our own affaires notwithstanding any opposition appeale or complaint or any Ordonance made or to be made by Vs or our said sonne restraint or commandement defences or letters to the contrary for the which wee will not haue the contents effect and execution of these presents in any sort deferred stayed or hindered And for that many men haue need of these Presents in diuers places We will that full credit shall be giuen vnto the Copy therof made vnder the seale Royall or signed by the said Parrent or any other of our Notaries or ordinary Secretaries as to this present Originall In witnesse whereof we haue caused our Seale to be set to these Presents Giuen at our Castle of Ambois the 22 of September in the yeare of grace 1482. and of our reigne 22. By the King my Lord the Dauphin the Earle of Beaujeu the Earle of Marle Marshall of France the Archbishop of Narbona the Signiors of Bouchage Percigny Plessis of Solhes Iohn Doyac Gouernor of Auuergne Oliuer Guerin Steward of his houshold and many others being present Miscounting in the History Signed Parrent The date of this Edict discouers the mis-counting of Philip de Commines n Philip de Comines was sent into Sauoy to set at liberty the Signior of Illins a Dauphinois whom the King had giuen for Gouernour to Duke Philebert his Nephew When as the Earle of Bresse sawe the Kings Armie at Maston hee did what they desired who saith that in the yeare 1483. the King would see the Dauphin his sonne whom he had not seene in many yeares before and that soone after he had spoken vnto him he fell into the extremity of his sicknesse whereof he died for this Remonstrance was made in the Castle of Ambois in September 1482. and the King died not before August the yeare following But to resolue the doubt of times it may be that the King some few dayes before his death had a will to see the Dauphin when as they conducted him to Paris to make his entry and to celebrate his marriage and that Philip de Commines not beeing at Ambois when this first Remonstrance was made beeing stayed in Dauphin or Sauoy whether the King had sent him with Troopes against the Earle of Bresse hee had no knowledge thereof and therefore hath written That the King had not seene the Dauphin in many yeares before If a History bee the Image of Truth o A History is the proofe of time the light of truth the life of memory the mystery of life and the Trumpet of Antiquity It is the Image of truth and as the image is perfect that doth rightly represent the Originall so a History should represent all things in their simple truth and if Truth can haue but one vniuersall face in all things how can it accord the Chronicle with this Edict It writes that the King going to Saint Claude and before his departure out of Tourraine sawe the Dauphin at Ambois and gaue him his blessing That in the moneth of October the same yeare beeing fallen into a Relapse of his sickenesse hee caused himselfe to bee carried to Ambois to exhort him to that which hee should doe which makes mee to wonder if in matters that bee secrete and important Writers doe not alwayes giue full perpetuall and immutable Assurances seeing that in these they dispense so freely with the Certainety The Instructions which the King gaue vnto the Dauphin were found Good and Holy but they could yeeld no good fruits but with a peace All the rest without it had beene of small vse there being nothing whereof a Father who leaues a yong heire should bee more carefull then to leaue him his inheritance quiet and assured Being therefore resolued to giue a peace to France who attended it as a gift from heauen p There can bee nothing giuen more pleasing noâ— more healthfull to the people then a peace Vt circumspiciamus omnia quae populo grata â—â—nt atque iocunda nihil tam populare quam pacem quam concordiam quaÌ„ otium reperimus Let vs looke vnto all things that are pleasing and acceptable vnto the people wee shall not find any thing more popular then peace concord and ease Cicerâ— pro Le Agr. he thought to giue his sonne a wife but not the Princesse of England who was promised him by the Treaty of Piquigny After the death of the Dutchesse of Bourgondy the Gantois had seized vpon Prince Philip Estate of the Low-countries at the discretion of the Gantois and the Princesse Margaret her Children telling the Arch-duke Maximilian that the Guard and Tutele belonged vnto them The King who desired to haue the Princesse Margaret married vnto the Dauphin and knewe well that by the Gantois meanes the Propositions of the Treaty would bee to his aduantage commaunded Des Cordes to make some Ouerture thereof with two or three petty Companions of the Towne of Gand who had purchased some credite in the Seditions and Mutinies of the people These Men sitting their duety to the time and fortune A proposition of a peace and marriage transported with priuate passion a deadly poyson q All passion priuate affection is a poyson in the conduct and managing of affaires Peffimum veri affectus Iuditij venenum sua euique vtilitas Euery mans private interest is a deadly poyson to true iudgement Tacit. in Affaires of importance and distasted with the soft and effeminate commande of Maximilian consent speedily to the Propositions of Des Cordes and promise to make them succeed to the Kings good liking There was little paine in the effecting of this businesse for the Gantois to preuent all difficulties which the Father might propound in the marriage of his Daughter told him plainely that they would haue no more warres with France They insulted ouer him doing and vndoing many thing contrary to his Intentions On the other side Pope Sixtus both by the reason of his Office P. Sixtus mediates a peace as a common Father and by the Law of Religion which doth nothing more Christian r There is nothing more proper for a Christian then to make peace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 BASIL then to make peace solicited the King and the Archduke thereunto to ioyne their forces against the common enemy of Christendome and had sent the Cardinall of Saint Peter ad Vincula to exhort them The Deputies of either side met at Arras A Treatie of peace and marriage they layd open all the Pretences of the Crowne of France to the House of Bourgondy
sometimes in sachirresolution as not daring to make warre heâ— doth things preiudiciall to peace Phillip de Commines saith His Exercises and pleasures that hee had no thought but of Ladies and more then was fit of Hunting and to entreate his owne person well When hee went a Hunting hee caused many Pauillions to be carried for Ladies and in this sort made great feasts for hee had a body as fit for it as any that euer I saw being yong and as beautifull as any man that liued in his time q Edward was held in his youth to excell all the Princes of his age in beauty and stature but when as hee came into France in the yeare one thousand foure hundred three score and fifteene He was growne grosse Fâ—w men become so but by their owne meanes Entring into the Realme hee saw himselfe surprized with a storme and expelled by him who had assisted him to conquer it Hee retired into Holland with two Hulkes a little Ship and many men without mony seeing himselfe to giue a gowne furred with â—ables to satisfie the Marriner who had transported him At the end of sixe monthes he re-entred into London when as his enemies had held him to be lost In eleuen daies the Earle of Warwicke had wonne the whole Realme for Henry the sixth Edward recouers it in twenty daies with the hazard of two great battles The strongest carried it r They are sometimes bound to fortune and sometimes to pollicy for the happy euents of great enterprises but most coÌ„monly the stronger is the Maister 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Occurrat forti qui mage fortis erat and remained peaceable King yet with some remorse to haue beene bound for the quiet possession of his Realme to the cruelties and inhumanities which he committed against his owne bloud For he put to death King Henry the sixth and Edward Prince of Wales his sonne with the Duke of Clarence his brother The cause of this brothers death is not very certaine The most common opinion is that hee would haue armed to succour the Princesse of Bourgundy contrary to his brothers liking Polydore Virgil saith that enforming himselfe he learned of them that liued in those times that King Edward being aduertised by a Coniurer s All the answeres of Sorcerers are doubtfull and deceiue them that trust in them They spake truely meaning the Duke of Glocester and the King deceiued himselfe vnderstanding it of his brother of Clarence that his name that should succeed him beganne with a G. had a conceit that George Duke of Clarence his brother should take the Crowne from his children Death of the Duke of Clarence the Kings brother and vpon this apprehension hee put him to death in a But of Malmesey Others haue written that hee sought the Alliance of the Princesse of Bourgundy and that the Dutchesse Margaret sister to Edward fauoured his Designes which the King not wishing so great a fortune to his brother hindred That at the same time one of the Dukes seruants hauing beene condemned to dye for poyson the Duke of Clarence was offended and spake in such sort as the King taking his words for threates of some great trouble caused him to die in pryson t George Duke of Clarence brother to the King of England made choice to dye in a But of Malmeâ—cy to die with some content which an 〈◊〉 disolution of the soule is wont to cause as Seneca saith or to make himselfe drunke and to free himselfe from the horrour end feeling of death Drusus meaning to dye of hunger would not cate any thing in nine daies but the flockes of his bed Tacit. l. 6. Annal. An act notwithstanding which did afflict him with such griefe and repentance as remembring the great precipitation of his iudgement procured by his brothers enemies when as any came to sue for a pardon for any one that was condemned to dye u Repentance doth vndoubtedly follow cruell and rash actions Caracalla hauing put his brother Getâ— to death hee did neuer thinke of him or looke vpon his stature but hee wept Hee caused Loetus who had perswaded him to this paracide to be imprisoned and did all kindes of honour vnto his Funerall Funus Gerae accuratius fuisse dicitur quam eius qui à fratre videretur occisus Getas Funerall was performed with more then his that seemed to bee murthered by his brother AELIVS SPARTIANVS he alwaies said My poore brother had not any to sue for him He left two children Margaret who was married to Richard Poole and Edward whom the King made Earle of Warwicke All the crosses which Edward had suffred did not so much afflict him as he receiued contentment at his returne from the warres of France for the peace which he had brought backe and the Treatie of marriage which he had made of his daughter with the Dauphin of France and the pension of fifty thousand Crownes So when he saw the Dauphin married vnto the Lady Margaret of Austria he was so grieued as hee resolued to returne into France to reuenge this iniury Choller and griefe were so violent in his soule as he dyed the tenth of Aprill at Westminster whereas the Parliament was assembled to resolue vpon the warre of France His body was carried to the Castle of Windsor and interred in S. Georges Chappell He had tenne children by Elizabeth his wife and left Edward Prince of Wales and Richard Duke of Yorke liuing All his life hee had beene liberall and dyed coueâ—ous Hee recommended his wife His brother murthers his children children and Realme to Richard Duke of Glocester who to haue the Crowne put Edward who had raigned but two monthes and Richard his Nephewes to death x Edward had a base sonne called Arthur his daughters were married to diuers Princes Brigit the last was a religious woman The daughters were declared Bastards by the Parliament for that a Bishop affirmed that hee had married Edward vnto a Lady of England before that hee was married to the Lady Elizabeth Riuers Hee caused himselfe to bee Crowned King in Iuly following The parricide of his two Nephewes caused so great scandall and horrour in all the orders of the Realme and the mother who had fledde into the Sanctuary at Westminster y This trust and recommendation of such precious Iewels bound the Duke of Glocester to haue a care of them IS DIGERDES King of Persia seeing that ARCADIVS the Emperour his enemy had recommended his some THEODOSIVS vnto him found himselfe bound to preserue his Estates and laying aside all passions of precedent hatred hee proclaimed warre against any one that should molest his pupill hauing fore-seene the rage of this Tiger filled the Citty of London with very pittifull and strange complaints as euery man found this greedy and vnsatiate desire to raigne inhumane and tyrannous hauing forced him brutishly to teare in peecees the Lawes of Nature and to pollute his hands with
Gabardan Of this marriage issued D. Mathea married to Gaston Prince of Bearne who succeeding her father and mother brought vnto the principality of Bearne those goodly peeces of Bigorre Marsan and Gabardan In like manner by the daughter of Gaston Prince of Bearne named Margaret married to Roger Bernard Earle of Foix all that is come vnto the house of Foix. Examples which serue to confirme this generall custome obserued within the Realme That in all Dutchies Counties Vicounties Baronies Lands and Signiories the daughters being neerest in degree haue succeded and beene preferred before the Males So as if King Lewis the eleuenth had liued he would haue decided this controuersie in giuing sentence for the Neece against the Vncle His iudgement had beene grounded first vpon the right of the first borne and representation secondly vpon the conuentions of marriage betwixt Gaston of Foix and the Lady Magdalen of France making expresse mention that the children which should bee borne should succeed in all the lands of Foix and Bigorre then held by Gaston of Foix her father Thirdly vpon the ancient customes and obseruances of the Realme Fourthly vpon the testament and last will of the Earle of Foix. Alphonso of Portugall died also at the same time Death of Alphonso K. of Portugall hee had his share in the miseries of Kings hee entred a childe into the Realme t Such as God giues the prince such must the people receiue him but the wisest of all Kings saith Vnhappy is that Realme which is commaunded by a child Metius Falconius Nicomachus approuing the Election which the Senate had made of Tacitus being old and broken vsed these wordes Dij auertant principes pueros pattes patriae dici impuberes quibus ad subscribendum magistri literatij manus teneant quos ad Consulatus dandos dulcia circuli quaecunque puerilis voluptas invitet Quae malum ratio est habere Imperatorem qui samam curare non nouerit qui quid sit Respub nesciat nutritorem time at respiciat ad nutricem manum magistralium ictibus terrorique subiaceat faciat eos Consules Duces Iudices quorum vitas merita aetates familias et gesta non nouerit God forbid the Princes and Fathers of the Countrey should be tearmed children whose hands their maisters must hold when they subscribe and who are drawne to giue Offices with childish delights What a misery is it to haue an Emperour which knowes not how to maintaine his fame nor what a Common-weale is who feares his Tutor and is subiect to stripes and terror and shall make them Consuls Dukes and Iudges whose liues merites ages families and actions hee doth not know which was ill for himselfe and worse for his subiects His mother Elenor sister to Iohn the second King of Arragon was depriued by the Estates of the Regency which her Father had left her Peter Duke of Coimbra caused her to bee poysoned Alphonso tooke Armes to reuenge his mothers death Peter was slaine before Lisbone with a poysoned Arrow They would haue married Alphonso to Ioane the supposed daughter of Henry the fourth King of Castille this Tragedy hath beene formerly plaid He died at Sinta being nine and forty yeares old in the yeare one thousand foure hundred eighty two and the three and fortith of his reigne and was interred in the Royall Monastery of the Battell of the order of preaching Friers After the warres betwixt him and the King of Castille and the vnfortunate voyage which he made into France hee did nothing but languish He saw himself forst to passe into France for succors Fortune could not set him in a more wretched estate for there is nothing so miserable as to see a Prince expeld his Countrey and begging Pitty is presently changed into contempt and the consideration of that which is honest doth not ouer-sway that which is profitable They may well say that kings are brethren that one royall bloud cals another that their interrests are common that Rome is his mother the Senators his fathers their children his brethren yet if the aid which he demands doth not benefit him that giues it he shall returne more discontented then he came u In great deliberations profite goes before honesty Demetrius sonne to Seleucus hauing beene giuen in hostage and bred vp from his infancy at Rome intreated the Romans to restore him to his Realme which was held by the children of Antiochus and to moue them thereunto hee called Rome his Countrey and Nurse the Senators his fathers and their children his brethren But for all this the Senate inclined to that which was most safe and profitable they assisted the children of Antiochus being weake and yong suspecting much the great courage of Demetrius who was in the flower of his age Polib Thus behold three Kings imbarked almost at one instant in the shippe of Death Death of the Dutchesse of Bourbon onely God knowes the port whereunto they are arriued hee did call at the same time the Lady Iane of France Dutchesse of Bourbon to the end that Lewis should not be grieued to leaue the world The Chronicle calles this Princesse Most noble Powerfull Holy and the example of good liuers She died in the Castle of Moulins in May 1482. She had laboured all her life to entertaine loue and friendship betwixt the King her brother and the Duke of Bourbon her Husband knowing that the concord of France and the greatnesse of her houshold depended thereon and we may ascribe vnto her the glory of the peace which was made at Ryon by the which the principall fire-brands of the great fire of the league were quenched Whereupon all they that loued quyet cast their eyes vpon those of this Princesse and held them the Pleiades of France whose sweete Influences made the Oliue-tree of peace to flourish x Princesses by whose meanes peace doth flourish are the Pleiades of Estates wherein they are allied Pliny saith that the Oliue-tree springs vnder the Influence of the Pleiades Conâ—ipiunt oleae virgiliaruÌ„ exortu haec sydus illaruÌ„ est Polybius saith that among the Grecians the Caduce and among the Barbarians the Oliue is a signe of peace friendship At the same time dyed Iohn of Bourbon the second of that name Earle of Vendosme Here amazement stayes me suddenly why in all the History of King Lewis the eleuenth Philip de Commines hath neuer made any mention of that Nursery of Caesars and of Alexanders and of that Royall branch which hath brought forth the greatest King that euer ware Crowne or Scepter He speakes of foure sonnes of Iohn the second Duke of Bourbon of Charles Cardinall of Bourbon of Peter Lord of Beaujeu of the Bishop of Liege and makes no mention of Iohn the second Earle of Vandosme who liued vnder the reigne of Charles 7 and continued vnto the end of Lewis 11. wee must not wonder if the Chronicle hath forgotten it it doth often follow toyes and leaues
Peter Lord of Beaujeu Lewis Bishop of Liege and Iames who dyed at Bruges and to the Lady Ioane of Bourbon married to the Lord of Arlay Prince of Orange and Margaret of Bourbon wife to Phillip Earle of Bresse and from that time resigned his aboade at Court vnto his brethren After the Duke of Bourgundies death hee would not bee an actor in the warre which the King beganne against his daughter and with a discourse free from all flattery a vice vnworthy of a great courage q A great courage speakes frâ—ely but without btterner or slander Fattery is the marke of seruitude and slaunder deth falsely vsâ—rpe that of liberty Adulationiâ—oedum crimen seruitutis malignitati falsa specieâ— libertatis in est Tacit. Hist. Lib. 1. hee did not dissemble his opinion saying that the King should haue giuen it a better and a more reasonable Title then a simple desire to ioyne the Low Countries to his Crowne this so free and true a iudgement did much offend the King who from that time resolued to let the Duke of Bourbon know that this last offence had renewed the feeling of the first He caused secret informations to be made against him yet doubting his courage reputation he would not haue the rigor of his iustice aime directly at him Hee beganne with his Officers and gaue commission to Iohn Auin Councellour in the Court of Parliament and to Iohn Doyac to enforme against him thinking that to free themselues from trouble they should bee forced to engage their Lord r Claude of Seyssiell saith that King Lewis the eleuenth sent vnto â—he Duke of Bourbon some of his ministers men of base condition to doe him some intollerable wrongs vnder colour of Iustice thinking for the great spirit which hee knew to be in him to prouoke him to offer some violence or to make resistance but the Duke knowing to what end all was done endured it with patience and escaped by sufferance dissembling they decreed a personall adiournement against his Chancellour his Atturny the Captaine of his Guard and many others who appeared with more confidence to defend themselues then slander had assurance to accuse them vpon their answere the Commissioners knew not what to say and the Court of Parliamen which knew well that it was a practise to trouble the Duke of Bourbon whose probity and integrity two rare qualities in that age had purchased him the surname of Good and the affections of all the people enlarged them The Chronicle saith that this proceeding was against God and Reason It was a very sencible griefe vnto him to see his loyalty called in question and his seruices contemned But hee considered all these occurrents with an open eye and a resolute brow with the a â—uantages which a good conscience gaue him and did iudge thereof with a setled spirit lamenting the bad counsell which entertained the King in his great rigours in an age which was not fit for it s Seuertty is not good in a Prince whose age is declining It is needefull to purchase loue Galba knew it well Some other would not haue forborne teares for so peircing a griefe he would haue lost his sleepe and his body should haue found no other rest but that which disquietnesse brings by the agition of the mind but afflictions which assaile good men do them no other harme but burne the bonds which hinder them to lift their hands with their hearts vp to heauen They blesse the name of God in the midst of flames Imprisonment doth not depriue him which suffreth for iustice of the sweetnesse of a profound sleepe His rest is so sound as the Angell of the Lord which comes to deliuer him must awake him It is now time that Lewis go the way which these great Kings haue traced vnto him There wants nothing but this peece to the triumphant Charriot of death and hee could not desire better company then of these three Kings his neere kinsmen who were there already t Hauing passed through all the charges of life we must not refuse that of death Seneca said to him that was loath to leaue the charges and offices wich he had exercised in his life time Quid tu nescis vâ—um esse ex vitae officijs mori Dost thou not know that to die is also one of the duties of life Sen. Epist. 77. he had passed by all the offices of life there remained nothing but the last but it is the most difficult and would bee lesse if he had thought on it in time if going by the way of life he had thought of the lodging of death those feares which hold him in worse estate then death it selfe should be dispersed Accidents foreseene a farre off considered without amazement and attended with resolution do not trouble the minde like vnto those which surprise it His thoughts were ingaged in so many mortall and perishable things as he had small care of Immortall and yet these went before him and attended on him and the others followed after him and abandoned him He hath busyed himselfe to gather vp Attlantas Apples and hath so much the more hindred the fruite and prise of his course In the way of health he that staies retires and hee that retires looseth himselfe and goes astray There are three sorts of men whom God loues not they that stay they that turne backe and they that wander Wee must giue courage to the first call on the second and direct the others Lewis found himselfe to be in so difficult a passage as he had need to be encouraged Lewis fals into new apprehensions of death supported and directed u It is a sweete consolation to a Princes minde among the trances and feares which are found in the passage of life and death when hee hath not to doe with any but himselfe that all his enterprises are ended and that he may say I die content hee could not but murmurre against the Law of Nature which did not suffer him to glut himselfe with the pleasures of life But to haue content of the rest at the point of death hee must make prouision thereof throughout the whole course of his life That word I dye content is not alwaies found in the mouth nor proceeds not from the heart of Princes who haue had so much paine to content theÌ„selues in whose liues as in those of other men we finde Vanity weakenesse inconstancy and misery The great oppositions which Lewis makes against the decree of death shew that he is not yet content with the fruits of life He complaines that he hath discouered the Port and desires to thrust himselfe againe into the violent waues of the world He thought that a little more life would haue made him reape the fruites of so many designes which hee had sowne in diuers places and did grieue that death would not suffer him to see that ended which he had begunne Yet it is a very remarkeable thing
his Cyropadia shews how the Persians did vse it Tacitus speaks of Halotus who carued the meate and tooke Say to Claudius inferre epulas explorare gustu solitus Athaneus saith that the Romans called him that had this charge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the GreciaÌ„s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they vse to other Princes an ancient custome and knowne to the Romanes who had it from the Persians whereat being amazed and desiring to let them know that he was not come thether to distrust he did eate of euery dish that was set before him before any Say were taken Noble and generous minds said Zizimi are not distrustfull I feare not to be poysoned among such braue and noble Knights and if I had feared it I would not haue trusted my safety in their hands I wil liue among them as a priuate man and not as a Prince Bajazeth was so fearefull least he should be set at liberty and trouble his Estates as he payed yearely 45000 Ducats to the Treasury of the Religion 35000. for the entertainement of Zizimi and 10000. to repaire the spoiles which Mahomet his father had done them at the siege of Rhodes d There was an accord made betwixt the great Maister and Bajazeth the 8. of December 1482. the which is worthy of memory for that it may be said that the great Turke to liue in peace and fearing that Zizimi should returne into Turkey was forced to yeeld himselfe tributary to the Knights of Rhodes and would that the Embassadours which carried the first payment should passe into Auuergne to see in what estate he was The great Maister wrote to all the Princes of Christendome that if they did not contemne this goodly occasion to diuide the Empire of the Ottomans by the meanes of Zizimi they might spoile him of all the Estates he had taken from the Christians and by so pretious a Gage bridle all his designes in such sort as Christendome might remaine long in peace and tranquility for hee should not dare to attempt any thing whilst his brother were in the Christians power e Bajazeth feared both at home and abroad Zizimi had friends he put all them to death whom he suspected to fauour and among others Acmath Basha who had taken Otranto Isaac Basha was dismist from his Offices But at this season Italy was full of diuisions The Pope Venetians and Siennois were in league against Ferdinand King of Naples the Florentines and the Duke of Milan The Emperour made an excuse that hee could not intend it Christendome did not reape the profite it might haue done and neglected this occasion as the precedent offered by one of the sonnes of Amurath who had made himselfe a Christian and maintained that Mahomet was vnlawfull and supposed f 〈…〉 Mahomet the son of Amurath and gaue him to Pope Nicholas the 5. who caused hâ—m to be instructed in the Christian Religion and in good learning after his death he retired himselfe to the Emperour and then vnto Mathias Coruinus King of Hungary and knowing the controuâ—â—â—y that was betwixt Bejazeth and Zzimi hee let the great Maister of Rhodes vnderstand that both their pretensions were vaine Mathias Coruinus King of Hungary sent his Embassadours to the Pope to entreate him to be a meanes to deliuer Zizimi vnto him promising by this meanes that Christendome should be reuenged for the dishonour and losse that it had receiued at the cruel and bloudy battell of Varna Let vs stay our eyes vpon the excellent vertues of this braue Prince which is the third of the three greatest Princes which Phillip de Commines saith had raigned at one time a season which did produce but meane things and let vs turne them a little away from the first who is now dying and is no more but a sad and lamentable image of the ruines of life Mathias Huniades or Coruin was second sonne to Iohn Huniades a great Noble-man of Valachia Commendation of Mathias Coruiâ—us King of Hungary who after the death of Vladislas King of Poland and Hungary slaine at the battle of Varna was chosen at the age of twenty yeares by the common consent of the Hungarians to be Lieutenant generall of the Realme g Of all the battels betwixt the Christians Turkes that of Varna was the most memorable in lossâ— It continued three daies and three nights the victory which seemed to fauor the Christians in the beginning tâ—rned from then and Ladislaus King of Hungary was slaine there tbe 20. of Neueâ—ber 1444. He had forces in field courage and opportunity to climbe higher and to make himselfe King but he would keepe himselfe in this estate and preserue the Crowne for Ladislaus sonne to Albert of Austria and to Elizabeth daughter to Sigismond King of Hungary The Emperour Fredericke drew him vnto him after the death of his father to bring him vp The Hungarians demanded him and vpon the Emperours refusall to deliuer him Coruin did ouer-runne the Country of Austria Stiria and Carinthia filled them with fire and bloud expelled the Bohemians out of the Townes which they held in Hungary and restored Ladislaus in his capitall Citty to his fathers Throne at the age of 12. yeares This great seruice deserued an equall guerdon but as suspitions iealousies and slanders are plants which grow of themselues in the Courts of Princes Huniades made trial how hard it is for great vertues to be free from them and to be long happy by the onely conduct of wisedome h Suspitions deâ—ractions in the Courts of Princes not onely hurt the against whom they are made but them that inuent theâ— anâ— that giue care vnto them A Prince should giue no 〈◊〉 eare vnto them especially when it concernes those whom he may not punish but he must forget the great seruices which he hath 〈…〉 Vertue was in this braue courage as the Iuy which ruines the wall that holds it vp Glory which is the fruite of vertue made the Tree to wither and this reputation grounded vpon his merites stirred vp enuy against him and enuy framed slander a monster of hell Slander worse then hell more curell then hell it selfe which torments onely the wicked but she doth cruelly afflict Innocents There was nothing in him that could offend it but the greatnesse of his merits and seruices which made him to be esteemed the i The History giues this commendation to Iohn Coruin Huius felicitas tyrannorum impetus repressiâ— velut obiecta moles exundans flumen Nec quisquam regum aut ducuÌ„ res maiores Europae vtiliâ—res aduersus Tuâ—caâ— gessit This mans felicity did suppresse the fury of Tyrants like a banke cast vp against an ouer-flowing Riuer Neither hath any King or Captain done greater matters nor more profitable for Europe against the Turke Hercules of Hungary and the rampire of Europe for he alone had presented his head like a strong rampire against those furious torrents Amurath and Mahomet
it selfe to the tyrany of vice hee is not wicked with one kind of crime onely Quisnam hominum est quem tu coâ—tentum videris vno Flagitio What is hee among men whom thou shalt sâ—e content with enâ— villany Iuvâ—n killing his children so soone as they were borne Hee was hanged at Paris and his daughter was burned at Magny neere vnto Pontoise Three Serieants forced a Priests chamber in Paris and did beate him outragiously they were condemned to bee whipt through the Streetes of Paris A Religious man of the Temple had his Throate cut by one of his brethren The great Prior of France being assisted by the Commanders and Knights condemned him to bee kept prisoner in a Dungeon and there to be fed with the bread of sorrow and water of heauinesse A faire Burgesse of Paris who was much esteemed among the women of best fame gaue eare to the Earle of Foix who attempted against her honour suffered her selfe to be wonne and left father mother husband and children to follow him A Hosier being accused of many Thefts cut out his owne tongue for that hee would not confesse any thing There were many scandalous Libels cast abroad in Paris against the Kings chiefe Officers namely against the Constable of Saint Paul An Archer was condemned to be hanged at Paris for e â—he Schoole oâ— Physitions at Paâ—â—s dere an 〈◊〉 to be cut that they might see how the stone is framed and how it lyeth in mans body for that there were many troubled therewith in those daies he was cured and his life saued sacriledge hauing robbed the Church of Meudon A Franciscan Frier Preaching indiscretly was banished the Realme in the yeare one thousand foure hundred three score and eighteene in the month of October a Monke Hermaphrodite vsing both Sexes became great with childe Behold how that in those times as well as in ours excesse and disorders were common The world is nothing but a sincke of all filthinesse O what a vile and abiect thing said an Ancient is man if hee doe not raise himselfe aboue man Wee see few become good men for the onely respect of integrity and honesty If they enter into the Temple of Vertue it is alwaies by some false dore Lewis the eleuenth had three sonnes and three daughters Ioachim died yong Children of Lewis the 11. and this death drew with sorrow from the fathers heart a Vow neuer to know any other woman but the Queene Francis Duke of Berry died in the yeare one thousand foure hundred three score and foureteene This losse caused him to shut himselfe vp for some few daies in the Castle of Amboise refusing to see or to bee seene of any not considering that Kings children were men borne in the cries and groanes of their mothers and bewayling their owne miseries like to other men f Stratonicus an Artificer of Athens hearing that the mother of Timotheus cryed out at her deliuery said How wold she haue cryed if she had made an Artificer Hee mocked at that common slattery which spake of Kings children as of the children of the Gods Atheneus This griefe was humane and should haue beene lamented humanely and comforted by this reason That the thing which is restored to him to whom it belongeth cannot be said to bee lost But it is hard to see a goodly flower die at the breake of day A vaine reason he that maketh it to grow may gather it when and how he pleaseth Louyse his eldest daughter dyed also in her Infancy Anne was betrothed to Nicholas Marquesse of Pont Grand-childe to René Duke of Anjou but hee did not marry her for the Duke of Bourgundy being iealous of this Alliance propounded vnto him the marriage of Mary his onely daughter to draw him by this vaine hope from the seruice of this Crowne Shee was married to Peter of Bourbon Ioane his third to daughter was married to Lewis the twelfth and put away in the first yeare of his raigne So as finding her selfe hatefull vnto her husband and vnpleasing to many shee left the world g Being vnmarried she wedded herselfe to solitarinesse the which shee had desired all her life In her Infancy the King demanded of her of what Order shee would haue her Confessour and shee made choice of the Gardien of the Franciscan Fryers at Amboise Her father loued her not for that Nature had giuen him cause to complaine of her deformity hauing not ingrauen any makes of her fauours neither vpon her face nor on her person for she was blacke little and crooked h Beauty is a peece of so great recommendation as they that are not fauored there-with are lesse pleasing eueÌ„ to them that by Nature should loue them The Signior of Lesguiere her Gouernour did hide her often vnder his Gowne when as the King met her to the end hee should not bee troubled with the sight of her The hatred of King Lewis the eleuenth her father the death of Charles the eighth her brother and the diuorce of King Lewis the twelfth her husband changed all the sweetenesse of her life into the bitternesse of the Crosse and imbarkt her as in a tempestuous Sea whereas shee found no other Port but that of death The children of great men to become the children of God are bound to drinke of the cuppe of affliction i Happy are those paines and afflictions which are to amend saue not to ruine destroy the afflicted The Crosse is the marke of the Cittizens of heauen they whom the hand of God disdlaines to strike are such as he disdaines to amend as well as the meanest The way to heauen is full of Thornes The flaming sword appeared at the entring of Paradice The Land promised to the faithfull aboundeth with plenty of Milke and Honny Milke is first bloud before Milke Honny is drawne from bitter flowers Roses grow among Thornes Her husband loued her not Cause of the dissolution of the marriage of Lewis the twelfth and yet during the time of his imprisonment in the great tower of Bourges he receiued no other succour nor assistance but from this Princesse The cause of their Diuorce was Sterrility and want of consent in marriage CLAVDIVS of Seyssell saith that hee gaue her vnto him to the end that sterrility and barrenesse might depriue him of all meanes to haue children so much he hated and abhorred the Bloud Royall k The cause of this diuorce was fterility and want of consent in marriage Lewis declaring that King Lewis the 11. had forced him to marry her Her consolation was in this solitarinesse for that shee recouered the liberty which shee had long desired The King gaue her the Dutchy of Berry for her portion the Towne of Bourges was her retreate with a yeerely pension of one thousand two hundred pounds Sterling Shee made the Order of the Religious of the Annunciado otherwise called the Order of the Virgin Mary the which was allowed and
vnfold the whole part of the Table Behold by the grace of God wee are come to the banke It is sufficient to haue written the Fathers History leauing the Sonnes to some other But before wee end wee must repasse vnto the Iudgements of the actions of this Prince That done wee will enter into the great Carriere of the toyles and glory the Combates and victories the Vertue and Fortune of the greatest Prince that euer was before or after Lewis the 11 th The end of the tenth Booke THE CONTENTS OF the eleuenth Booke 1 LIberty of Iudgements vpon the life of Lewis the eleuenth 2 A particular examination of his actions his piety his deuotions pilgrimages his good deeds to Churches his behauiour toward the Pope 3 What he was towards King Charles the seuenth his father towards his sonne his wife and the Princes of his bloud 4 Maiesty The care hee had to preserue the respect hee did not affect pompe who were the chiefe officers of his Crowne hee is very wary to confer titles of honor and dignity he contemnes the mark of maiesty 5. Magnificence The order and expences of his house he receiues the Embassadors of forraigne Princes with great state His buldings 6 Clemency He leaues no offence vnpunished his Prisons and Cages of Iron a rigorous vsage of the Dukes of Alençon and Nemours Hee reuengeth old offences which he had receiued before he was King and forgets not them of the league Seuerity in the end makes him fearefull and distrustfull 7 Iustice He institutes the Parliaments of Bourdeaux and Dijon hee loues not the Parliament of Paris a free and couragious admonition made by the President La Vacquerie how chiefe Ministers should carry themselues to Princes Of the Kings Audiences 8 Wisedome He was alwayes accompanied with feare he let slip the occasion to do his businesse in England and Flanders he can choose men and draw forraigne Princes to his deuotion as the Archduke of Austria Cosmo di Medicis and others he drew vnto his seruice the Lord of Lescun and Creuecoeur and Philip de Commines His tongue offends his wisedome 9 Liberality He is neither couetous nor liberall he hath formes to giue which bind much hee entertaines many Pentioners his liberality passeth to excesse empties his Coffers driues him to necessity and to lay rigorous Impositions vpon the people 10 Valour Proofe of the greatnesse of his courage in diuers encounters what care he had of warre His policie and military discipline 11 Knowledge He had more knowledge of learning the sâ—yences then other kings his predecessors The pittifull estate of the profession of learning vnder his reigne his Apothegmes and Answeres 12 Temperance Hee had two base daughters his priuate kind of life his domesticke pleasures his exercises and his confident seruants Diuers other obseruations vpon his life and Historie ¶ THE HISTORY Of LEWIS the eleuenth THE ELEVENTH BOOKE MEN iudge freely of the liues of Princes after their deaths IudgmeÌ„ts are free after death the glistering of their Purple-Robes doth no more dazle their eyes a Themistâ—us 〈◊〉 that the court of the Emperour Iovinian was full of flatterers said that then adored the pâ—rple more then the person and that the Court was an Euripus whose waues did fâ—ow and eâ—be in an instaÌ„t Nicep Cal. l. 10. c. 42. and the Iudgements which are made are purged from flattery which doth alwayes augment the good and diminish the ill which they do That King doth greatly binde him which speakes of his life when he giues him no occasion to lye in commending him For Princes are neuer so perfect but Truth may finde great exceptions in the goodliest qualities of their praises and before that the Statue be made perfect there must much Marble bee taken away and the forme exactly sought in the substance Philip de Commines saying that hee had seene the greatest Princes of his time and in them all there was both good and euill for that they were men he addes for truth freed from all flattery That God had created Lewis the eleuenth more wise more liberall and more vertuous then all they and that in him there were more things belonging to the office of a King and Prince then in any of the other I haue in a manner saith he seene them all and knowne what they could doe wherefore I deuine not This great authority which hee preserued vnto the last gaspe Liberty of iudgment vpon the life of Lewis 11. and carried into death was supported by three mighty pillars which his owne wisedome had raised Seuerity Constancy and Reputation b Maiesty is the inuincible fâ—â—t of a Prince it is better preserued by sâ—uerity then by too great 〈…〉 But for that these good soules are like vnto the Mill-dew of the starres which looseth much of her purenesse passing by the Regions of the aire and by the entrailes of Bees which forme it and that the gold of Princes vertues cannot bee drawne absolutely pure from their liues being alwayes mixt with diuers strange matters we must consider if the piety which was in him hath retained nothing of superstition or hypocrisie his elemency of feare Iustice of cruelty wisedome of subtilty liberality of prodigality and his other goodly qualities of Art and dissimulation Euery man may now speake his opinion without feare of displeasing or blame of flattery c Praises which are not necessary are best Neminem magis laudare Imperatoâ—em decet quam queÌ„ minus necesse est praise may passe on freely and boldly without any other necessity or bond then the respect which euery man should haue to preserue the memory of Princes against the outrages of slander Posterity which vnderstands not things but by the voice of such whom benefites or offences haue bound to remember them doth alwayes receiue flatteries and lies for truth d Flattery or hatred do most coÌ„monly turne an History out of the right way of truth therefore Tacitus protests that they of whom he speakes are not known vnto him neither by offences done nor by benefits receiued Mihi Galba Otho Vitellius nec beneficio nec iniuria cogniti It is fitting in painting to represent Hanniball and Antigonus halfe-faced to hide the eye which they wanted but a History must shew the whole face to the end that Princes may find their owne vices in the portrait of others This hath noted them to shew that there is nothing perfect in this world and if the Tapestry of this Princes life bee faire and pleasing viewing it on the right side you shall finde the backe very much disfigured with knots and seames We must not seeke his Elogies in the Histories of strangers e Buchanan saith that Lewis 11. Tyrannidem exercebat practised tyranny and that there was nothing more common Quam ex vsu suis coÌ„modis sine discrimine â—idem fall re quibuscunque sed precipue agnatis Principibus then of custome and for his owne
act the part of Kings of France for many yeares made him to take Armes and to ioyne the reuenge of this death to the defence of the Crowne Hee was taken prisoner at the battell of Agincourt and carried into England where hee remained fiue and twenty yeares His liberty and rest came from thence from whence proceeded the causes of the miseries of his house and of his captiuity Phillip Duke of Bourgundy paied two hundred thousand Crownes for his ransome married him to Mary of Cleues his Neece and gaue him the Order of the Golden Fleece y The Duke of Orleance receiued the Order of the Duke of Bourgundy after his returne out of EnglaÌ„d in the yeare 1440. Hee was not receiued by King Charles the seuenth according to his hopes and the greatnesse of his quality Assembly at Neuers in the yeare 1442. This discontent made him to ioyne with the intentions of the Dukes of Bourgundy Brittany Alençon and other Noble men who assembled at Neuers to make King Charles the 7. regard them better then he did and to reforme the disorders of the Realme z The discontented Princes assembled at Neuers in the yeare 1442. The Archbishop of Rheims Chancellour of France was sent to moderate their choller and to assure them of all they desired This was presently repaired for the English made their profite and the Duke of Orleance recouered the ranke and authority which the dignity of his birth gaue him neere the King Who employed him in the conference which was made at Tours for a Truce betwixt France and England vnder the fauour whereof hee vndertooke the conquest of Milan after the death of PHILLIP MARIA The successe of this enterprise did shew that hee had beleeued them too lightly who had represented it so easy as the first day hee should arme Lombardy would giue him the Castle of Milan Hee past into Italy to take possession of the Dutchy a It is a great errour in a Prince to beleeue that lightly which is represented vnto him of the facillity of a great designe notwithstanding that the most temperate are subiect to suffer themselues to bee carried away with these goodly perswasions Credulitas error magisest quam culpa quidem in optimis cuiusque mentem facillimè irripit Credulity is an errour rather then a fault and it doth easily creepe into the best mens minds Cicero But as it hath beene alwaies reproached vnto the French neuer to thinke of their returne when they passe the Mountaines being there hee was presently vnfurnished of all necessary meanes to worke any great effect and was forced to end his enterprises as soone as they beganne The conquest of the County of Ast was the fruite of his voiage the rest remained to FRANCIS SFORCE This County of Ast serued him for a retreate for some time after the greatnesse of his courage not suffering him to remaine neere the King Cause of the Duke of Orleans death for the small esteeme he made of him A contempt which did wound his heart with so sencible a griefe as CLAVDIVS of Seyssell finds no other cause of his death Lewis Duke of Orleance was successour to this bad vsage and to the end that this contempt might bee a counterpoise to the greatnesse of his courage hee would haue his breeding lesse exquisite then his generous disposition could beare and forced him to marry his daughter who was weake and crooked b The Author of the remembrances of the Royall House of Bourbon saith that Lewis the eleuenth caused Lewis Duke of Orleance to bee bred vp as grossely as he could to abate that generous heart of the house of Orleance Claudius of Seyssell saith that he vsed him very roughly and sought to kill him giuing him a boane of griefe and repentance to gnawe for aboue twenty yeares According to the Maxime to humble the Princes of his bloud hee intreated the Earle of Angoulesme no better and would not suffer him to thinke of marrying the Princesse of Bourgondy desiring rather that that great and mighty Estate should be in the power of a forraigne Prince Hee doubted the courage of them that were neerest allied vnto him and held them as it were ouerwhelmed vnder the rocke of contempt and necessity and kept them from great charges The springs of his bounty were drawne dry for them for he vsed France like vnto an Orchard where as they cut pull vp and transplant trees at their pleasure That great and wonderfull house of Bourbon which alone can reckon as many triumphes as France hath had enemies and which before all others carried a Ducal Crowne auoided these stormes c This royall family of Bourbon hath bin so much esteemed by our ancieÌ„t Monarks as it was the first among the Princes of bloud that was honoured with the Title of a Duke for although the Dutchy of Bourgondy were long before the erection of the Dutchy of Bourbon yet it was neuer compreheÌ„ded in the house of France but since Charlâ—s the fift and the Dutchie of Bourbon was erected by Philip of Valois Grand-father to Charles the 5. He would haue vsed it with the like rigor but hee found it more firme Greatnes of the house of Bourbon forcing him to conuert his spleene and hatred into other effects of loue and affection For he he gaue the first Coller of the Order to Iohn Duke of Bourbon his brother who had married the Lady Ioane of France daughter to Charles the seuenth and the Lady Agnes his daughter to Peter of Bourbon to whom he committed all his important affaires hee gaue him the inheritance of the Earle of Armagnac yet he would not haue him carry the Title of Earle Maiesty Next to the duties which binde a Prince to serue God and to loue his Allies there is not any thing which should keepe his spirit more in action then the care of Maiesty for it is so delicate a spring as if it slip or breake the whole frame of authority is in disorder and he becomes a king of a Tragedie When I speak of Maiesty I meane not that to maintaine that a Prince should liue like vnto the Kings of Persia in a Castle with three Ditches Ridiculous grauitie of Princes and as many Walles d The Kings of Persia were rather worshipped then reuerenced by their subiects They remained in a Castle with three Ditches three walles speaking to few and yet had news daily from all parts of their Empire from the straight of Hellespont to the East Indies by Centinels which were set vpon the mountaines that they should not speake vnto him but through a trauers like vnto the Kings of Borney that hee should not see his subiects but bare-headed and couered with ashes or that hee should not shew himselfe but once a yeare like to the first Kings of France But my meaning is to speake of that inuiolable and glorious respect which bindes a Prince not to say do or
made his Brother the packhorse of his passions sought to put him out of hope to marry his daughter Marriage sought in Castille and perswaded him to seeke the marriage of the King of Castiles daughter f The K. desired the Marriage of Isabella Infanta of Castile with his brother but she was married to D. Fernando Prince of Arragâ—n King Henry treated for his Daughter D. Ioane Monsieur submitted his will to the Kings and Deputies were sent into Castille to King Henry the fourth The King had for his part the Cardinall of Alby and the Lord of Torcy The Duke of Guienne gaue his procuration to the Earle of Bolloigne and to the Lord of Malicorne to consent vnto this marriage and had neuer beheld the Bride Princes drinke these waters without seeing them This poursute was pleasing to the King of Castile who was offended that his Sister D. Isabella had married to Ferdinand of Arragon without his consent The King sends Ambassadors into Castile and tooke it for a great honor that shee whom the Grandes of Spaine held and who in effect was the supposed Daughter of Castile should bee wife vnto the French Kings brother hauing no meanes to lodge her in a better house Hee commanded the Archbishop of Seuill the Bishop of Siguenç and the master of the order of S. Iames to treat the marriage with the Embassadors of France All being concluded the King would haue the promises made in a great Plaine g The Princesse D. Ioane was brought into the field by the Marques of Santillana who had her in charge and to whom the King gaue in recompence of his seruice three Townes of the Infantasgo Alâ—ocer Valdolinas and Salmeron neere vnto the Monasterie of Paular enual de Locoia in the view of an incredible multitude which came thither The K. hauing renued his declarations against his sister D. Isabella and confirmed to his Daughter D. Ioane the title of Princesse and heire of Castille the Cardinall of Alby addressing himselfe to the Queene her mother besought her to sweare whether D. Ioane were the Kings daughter or not She sweare that she was He made the like adiuration vnto the King who affirmed the same They had not any need to seeke for the Iewes waters of probation h The Iewes to proue adultery had probation waters as they caled them The adulterous woman drinking therof did burst The Geâ—mans tried if their Children were lawfull making them swim vpon the riuer of Rhin nor to make this Virgin swim vpon the Riuer to know the truth of her birth And yet vpon this affirmation all the Grandes at that time kist her hands and she was againe sworne Princesse of Castille In this qualitie the Cardinall of Alby made her sure to the Duke of Guienne the Earle of Boulongue promising and receiuing the promises for him Whilest the King laboured to prouide a wife for his Brother Birth of Charls the 8. God sent the King a Sonne i Charles Dauphin of France was borne at Amboise the 14 of Iuly or as the Annales of Aquitaine report the last of Iune 1470. Charles of Bourbon Archbishop of Lion was Godfather and gaue him his name This birth reuiued the King who began to grow old his Maiestie was more respected factions were weakened Monsieurs hopes recoyled and France wholly preserued by these two great and speciall fauours of heauen valor and prosperitie or vertue and fortune which haue made her reputation to passe through so many ages k Valour without the which a great enterprise cannot bee ended laied the foundation of the Monarchy of France and prosperity withâ—out the which the best setled estates are not assured preserues it The Constable seeing that by Monsieurs marriage with the Daughter of Castille Constables new practises all his designes vanished into smoke labors with all the capacitie of his iudgement to disswade him from this alliance letting him know that it was dishonorable by reason of the vnlawfull birth of Bertraiamina for so they called her and dangerous for the hatred which he should purchase of D. Ferdinand and D. Isabella declared Kings of Castille with the like Art he represented vnto him the greatnes he should expect by the marriage of the Princesse of Bourgundy Death of Pope Paul the second Pope Paul the second died l Paul the second dyed of an Apoplexie the 28. of Iuly 1471. hauing raigned 6. yeers ten moneths during this poursuite and after that he had yeelded vnto it hee was sodainly surprised by death hauing held a Consistorie and eaten two melons at his dinner His election was as vnexpected as his death Cardinall Scarampi who was his enemie m Cardinall Lewis Scarampy Patriarke of Aquilea was enemie to P. Paul the second being yet a Cardinal Lewis reproched to Peter the sumptuousnes of his buildings and Peter said that he had rather exceed in that then in dice playing wherein Lewis tooke great delight did in the beginning of the Conclaue breake off the proposition which was made and yet contrarie to the ordinance of elections the suffrages agreed vpon the same subiect which they had reiected and the contention which had begunne the Conclaue ended This Pope shewed a great generosite for beeing chosen and seeing that the gowt or rather shame and discontentment hindred this Cardinall from comming to the adoration hee went to meete him imbraced him assured him of his loue and to forget all matters past This Pope augmented the pompe of the Court of Rome hee gaue Scarlet foot-clothes to the Cardinals Mules Platina saith that he loued not learned men and called all them hereticks that made profession and therefore he supprest the Colledge of Abreuiators which was full of great excellent spirits The feeling which Platina seemed to haue of this iniury did wholly ruine his fortune in the affliction whereof he wrote a letter vnto the Pope n â—latinas letter had thâ—se words Si tibi lâ—cuit indicta causa spoliare nos â—mptione nostra iusta eâ— legiâ—ima debet nobis licere conqueri illatam inâ—uriam inâ—â—stamque ignominiâ—m eiecti a te ac tam insigni coÌ„â—umelia affâ—cti dilabemur paâ—sim ad reges ac Principes eosque adhortabimur vt tibi consilium indicanâ— in quo potissimuÌ„ rationem reddere cogatis cur nos legitima possessione spoliaueris full of bitternes and without respect This Pope was also taxed to be very greedy of money Paul the secoÌ„d a great builder and not to haue held the iustest meanes to get it and yet his magnificence in the sumptuous building of the Pallace of St. Mark and in the reparation of that of S. Peter freed him from blame with such as know that magnificence is the daughter of liberalitie The promises beeing broken in the Castille the poursuite of the marriage with the Duke of Bourgundies Daughter was followed by the Constable with great vehemencie who could not endure
that any other should deale in it Hee represented vnto him the greatnes and commoditie of the Estates which this marriage would bring him after the death of his brother and father in law makes him to apprehend it in such sort as this yong Prince who filled not his fantasie with small imaginations continued his first poursuite of an alliance with duke Charles assuring him that it would produce great effects for their common fortunes and profit o An apparent and important profit is a great motioÌ„ to diuert the effect of a promise The Duke of Brittanie promised vnto himselfe the honour of the mediation for a matter which did profit few men and offended many The King had no desire his brother should be so great p Tâ—e Kings of France haue in former times repented themselues for that they had made their brethreâ— so great Charles the â—ifu gaue to Philip the hardie the Duchie of Bourgundy which K. Iohn had vnited vnto the Crowne maâ—ied â—im to the heyre of â—landeâ—s The house of Bourgundy grew so mighty as it would equall it selfe with that of France The King of England sent often to the Duke of Bourgundy to diswade him from this alliance entreating him to consider that the Duke of Guienne Designe of the King of England succeeding the King who had no children and holding the countries belonging to the house of Bourgundy England did foresee her ruine and destruction The Duke of Bourgundy would haue no such sonne in Lawe he gaue a desire and appetite to all men with one hand and tooke all hope from them with the other he promised her to all gaue her not to any he made vse of his daughter to entertaine the loue of Princes and to passe ouer his affaires with more successe to repaire by pollicy the defects he found in his owne strength thinking that his weaknes did dispence him of his word and that fraud was glorious against his enemies q Deceit which makes an enemy receiue an affront is as commendable as it is to bee blamed when it deceiueth him that is not so declared whereas they say that fraud is glorious in warre it is not to be vnderstood in breaking words and promises but of politick fained and artificiall stratagems But he had no desire to marry her propounding vnto himselfe in this marriage more the aduancement of his owne designe then the contentment of his daughter hee promised her to Maximilian sonne to the Emperour Frederic Princes pretending to marry the Daughter of Bourgundy and inclined much to that party to doe his busines in Germany where he desired to purchase some credit for at the same time Sigismond ArchDuke of Austria had ingaged vnto him for fourescore thousand florins the Country of Alsatia and Brisgaeu with the County of Ferette r The Country of Alsatia Brisgâ—â— the black Forrest the Contie of 〈◊〉 or Forrest Were ingaged by Sygismond Arch-duke of Austria for 80000. floriâ—â— vpon condiâ—ion that the D. of Bourgundy should not alter any thing of the Lawes and Customes of the Country in the yeare 1496 Hee promised her in like manner to Nicholas sonne to the Duke of Calabria to draw him from the Kings allyance who had promised him his eldest daughter To the Duke of Guienne to trouble the Kings of France and England and to Phillip Duke of Sauoy for an other designe Yet the practise was so followed by the Duke of Brittaine and the Constable who promised in regard of that marriage to draw him into Amiens and S. Quintin as he gaue his word to consent vnto it and at the same instant hee assured the King of England that hee would not doe it his words vppon this subiect were neuer of one tune s It was a witty comparison of him that said that mens actions were like notes of musick sometimes in spaces sometimes in lines sometimes aboue and sometimes beneath and neuer or seldom straight for any long coÌ„tinuance and did not accord with his heart The Dukes of Guienne and Brittanie being well aduertised that their hopes were crost by the King of England gaue the Duke of Bourgundy to vnderstand by their Ministers that without the assistance of the English they were strong inough and had sufficient intelligence to force the King to doe him right and that the principal end of their Armes being for the publike good of the realme they could not haue that successe which they expected imploying their ancient enemies and that so long as they had forces and meanes in France it was not needfull to seek them in England t Wâ—ilest that wee may passe without succors we should not seek them Plato in his Lawes forbids to dig for water in a neighbors house before that hee had sought it in his owne These words were deliuered vnto him by Vrfe in the behalfe of Monsieur Wherevpon the Duke said to Philip de Commines Behold the Lord of Vrfe presseth me to make mine armies as great as I can and tels me that we shall doe great good vnto the Realme doe you thinke if I enter with the company that I shall lead that I shall doe any good Philip de Commines answered smiling In my opinion no Then the Duke said I loue the good of France better then my Lord of Vrfe thinkes for whereas there is but one King I would there were six He would gladly haue had the whole peece u Ambition striues to diuide and teare in peeces that which shee can not breake nor carry wholly away but knowing the impossibilitie that the ascent was too steepe and the top too slipperie hee had no care but to breake that which he could not wholly enioy x There is not any one of so great a courage but thinking to make himselfe a King he trembles the ascent vnto a royaltie is slipperie the top shaking and the precipise fall fearefull He prepared great forces and the King sent his into Guienne being incensed that his Brother had restored the Earle of Armagnac to his lands which had been confiscate and hee spoyles both the one and the other He wins his cheife seruants the more easely to chase him out of Guienne The Duke of Guienne prest the Duke of Bourgondy to succor him the Duke sent vnto the King to intreat him to suffer Monsieur to liue in peace The King answered that hee had no intent to alter any thing of his brothers portion but to keepe him from attempting beyond his bounds And behold a remarkable poynt of wisedome in this Prince whilest the Duke prepared his army he sent Peter D'oriole Chancellor of France vnto him and the Lord of Craon to make an ouerture of an accord A Peace treated and a promise made to restore Amiens A peace was treated and the King promised to restore Amiens and Saint Quentin the duke was so much greeued for the losse of these two townes and had so great