to the king of England 400000. crownes The king of England promised to marie Elizabeth the eldest daughter of Fraunce afterward wife to Philip king of Spaine Both English and French departed Scotland which was ordained to be gouerned by one of their owne nation and both the Kings were made knights each of others order Cha. 3. The warres of Parma and Mirandula The kings nauie spoyleth diuers Holandish shippes The Turke winneth Tripoli THe king hauing thus established peace on that side of his realme began to attend to his forraine practises against the Emperor as well in Italie as in Germanie The first attempt that he made against the Emperour was the warre of Parma in Italie which began 1551. vpon this occasion Petrus Aloisius Franesius sonne to Pope Paule the third had giuen him by his father with the consent of the consistorie of Cardinalls Parma and Placencia in exchaunge of other lands and was created Duke thereof This Peter the tenth of September in the yeare 1547. was slaine in his owne house not without the consent of Ferdinando Gonzaga gouernour of Milan for the Emperour as it was thought For presently vpon his death the said Ferdinando came to Placencia and entered into it and placed a garrison in it to the Emperours vse and farther alowed Giouanni Aguzzolo who killed the sayde Peter with his owne hands twentie souldiours for his guard Octauius Peters sonne and sonne in law to the Emperour for he had married the Emperours base daughter widow of Alexander Medices duke of Florence demaunded of the Emperour against Gonzaga iustice of his fathers death and that Placentia mought bee restored to him againe but receauing frō him no thing but delatorie answers fearing to be spoiled of Parma as alreadie he was of Placentia hee sought for succour at the hands of Iulius tertius newly chosen Pope who misliking the Emperours greatnes in Italie perswaded Octauius to put himself vnder the protection of France not so much regarding Octauius good thereby as hoping by this meanes to set these two Princes at variaunce which hee accompted the onely preseruation of his owne estate But the Emperour on the other side beeing exceedingly offended with this reuolt of Octauio to the French practised with the Pope to claime Parma as the right of the Church and to excomunicate Octauio as the Church rebel promising him if he would so doe that hee would enter into these warres and besiege Parma and restore it to the Church if it were recouered Wherevpon the Pope respecting his owne profit more thē his credit or the goodnesse of the cause vtterly abandoned Octauio and ioyned with the Emperour in this warre But the king hauing receaued Octauio into his protection and that by the Popes owne perswasion promised to defend him both against the Emperors ambition and violence and likewise against the Popes trecherous inconstancie who as you haue heard being reuolted from Octauio ioyned with the Emperour in this warre in hope to recouer Parma for the Church wherefore the king fortefied Parma and manned it and likewise Mirandula the Earle whereof fearing continually to be surprised by Gonzague ioyned with the French and receaued into the towne certaine French bands sent thither out of Piemont by the marshal Brissac Gonzague on the other side by the Emperours commaundement went and besieged Parma but all in the Popes name for neither would the Emperour seeme to attempt any thing against the King but onely to aide the Pope in a iust cause neither would the King seeme to attempt any thing against the Emperour but onely to ayde Octauio beeing vnder his protection in his iust cause But this dissimulation betweene these two Princes held not long for as Monsieur d'Andelot passed through the Emperours dominions in Lombardie with certaine bandes of men to put himselfe into Parma by the Kings commandement notwithstanding that they passed quietlie without harme doing as in their friendes country yet was the said d'Andelot staied prisoner by the Imperialls and iustefied for a good przse wherevpon the King charged the Emperour with breach of the truce and beegan to make warre vpon him on all sides A man may thinke the King was not well aduised to enter into this warre for Octauios cause in whom being the Emperours sonne in law he could repose no assured trust and who hee mought assure himselfe vpon the restitution of Placentia would alwaies be ready to giue him the slip so in deede he did being restored therevnto in the yeare 1556. But you must know that the king vsed this matter but as a coulour to prouoke an open warre beetweene the Emperour and him as hee was sure it would in the ende and the which thing he principally desired both because hee was yong and naturally enclined to martiall affaires and also because hee hoped while the Emperour was busied with the Princes of Allemaine with whom the king had good intelligence to recouer the duchie of Milan in the which as also in diuers other parts of Italie he had many good friends But the warrs of Germanie had a speedier end then hee expected after the which the Emperour held him play in so many places that hee had no leasure to looke ouer the mountaines in a good many yeares after this and sped but euill when he toke that enterprise in hand as heereafter you shall heere And so it appeereth that whatsoeuer man purposeth God disposeth afterwards thereof as it pleaseth him Gonzague as you haue heard besiged Parma the Pope on the other side to distract the kings forces besieged Mirandula But the King auowing the truce to bee broken beecause of Monsieur d'Andelots imprisonment aboue mentioned sent to Brissac new supplies into Piemont commaunding him not onely to succour Parma and Mirandula but also to endamage the Emperours dominions in those partes by all the meanes he mought Wherevpon the saide Brissac wanne diuers townes in Piemont in the Marquisate of Montferrate from the Imperialls and put the whole Duchie of Milan into so great feare that Gonzague was forced for the defence thereof to abandon the siege of Parma retire thether The Pope also preuailed no better beefore Mirandula but lost many of his men before the towne and among the rest his Nephew Giouanni Battista de Monte. Wherfore seing his hope frustrate for the recouerie of Parma and Mirandula and being cōsumed with the charges of the warres and farther perceauing a new tempest readie to arise against the Emperour from Duke Maurice and other princes of Germanie with whom while the Emperour was busied himselfe by the French mought be vtterly ruinated Wherevnto I also adde that the king had alreadie forbidden any cause whatsoeuer to be remoued out of his realme to Rome which was no small blow to the Popes purse and farther had vtterly refused to send any of the Clergie of his Realme to the counsell of Trent or to accept that as a generall counsell and had also perswaded the Swyssers to doe
this enterprise They began the siege the first day of Ianuarie and tooke the towne the morrow after twelfth day and soone after also Hams and Guysnes and all that the English helde on that side the sea In Aprill following Frauncis the Daulphin maryed Marie daughter and heire of Iames the fift King of Scotland in Iune following the French besiged Theonuille held for an impregnable towne in the Dutchie of Luxembourg Yet notwithstanding they tooke it but in that siege was Peter Strozzi slaine to the Kings great griefe for he had beene a most valiant and expert Captaine Cap. II. The French inuade Flaunders and sacke Dunkerke they are ouerthrowen in their retrait to Calais The English Nauy taketh Conquet Peace betweene the Kings of Spaine and Fraunce and Elizabeth Queene of England Bourg and other Councellours of the law are sent to the Bastile The Kings daughter is maried to the King of Spaine The King is slaine at the iusts BVt the King supposing this reuenge of his losses not to be sufficiēt as yet determined to attempt farther Wherfore in the beginning of Iulie he sent Monsieur de Termes to inuade Flaunders who tooke Dunkerke and burned it But the Earle of Egmont leuying an army of 12000. foote and 3000 horse met with the French as they retired towards Calais vpon the sandes betweene Dunkerke and Grauelin where he charged them and by the helpe of the English Nauy which by chaunce sailed at that time close by the shoare and discharged their great shot into the middest of the French troups they were deseated and Termes himselfe taken prisoner to the great astonishment of all Fraunce which in sower yeares space had receaued three great ouerthrowes the first in Italie the second at Saint Quentin and the third this heere mentioned And thus the King not beeing contented with a reasonable reuenge but seeking to recouer all his honour lost euen that which hee had in part recouered before and put both himselfe and his Realme into greater daungers than euer heeretofore they had beene in Termes had left behinde him three enseignes of footemen to spoile and fier Dunkerke who being in the middest of their blouddie execution were all surprized by the Burgundians and cut in peeces The Duke of Guise hearing of this ouerthrow retired into Picardie and held himselfe in places of safetie After this victorie the English Nauy consisting of 100. saile of ships and 10000. men and 20. great hulks ioyned with them inuaded Bretaine and toke Conquet but partlie by the force of the countrey that came downe vpon them partlie by tempest they were forced to returne home with speed King Phillip being encouraged by this his good successe and many victories leuied a mightie army and encamped neere to Dourlans in Picardie beeing a French towne his whole force was 30000. foote 15000. horse all his souldiours being well paied The king on the other side neere to Amiens leuyed a great armie but seemed not willing to hazerd an other battayle considering the losses hee had alreadie receaued Notwithstanding in the ende both the Princes to auoyde the effusion of Christian blood enclined their mindes to peace The two and twentith of Ianuarie Charles Duke of LORRAINE maryed the Ladie Claude the kings younger Daughter and the Februarie after peace was treated of at Cambresis beetweene the two Kings and ELIZABETH Queene of England latelie succeded to the Crowne of that Realme by the death of hir Sister MARIE who dyed the seauententh of Nouember 1558. The Commissioners agreede reasonably well about euerie thing saue CALAIS which King Philip would haue in any case restored to the English againe and the French would by noe meanes part with which matter was so whotlie debated betweene them that all the treatie had assuredlie broaken of if newes had not beene brought from the Queene of England that shee was contented to accept of the peace with these conditions that at eyght yeares ende Calais should bee restored to hir agayne or fiue hunfiftie thousand crownes in lieu thereof for assuraunce whereof shee should haue delyuered vnto hir foure hostages of the nobilytie of Fraune such as shee would demaund This article beeing agreed vpon peace was concluded beetweene these Princes the third of Aprill and solemply proclaimed with great ioye 1559. And King Philip maryed ELIZABETH the Kings eldest Daughter promised beefore to CHARLES Prince of Spayne King Philips sonne and the Duke of SAVOY Philibert maryed MARGARET the Kings sister Thus the king hauing concluded peace to his great comfort with all his enemies and beetrauthed his Daughter to the king of Spayne by meanes of the which allyaunce hee assured him selfe of an euerlasting amitie with that Prince beganne to embrew his handes in the bloud of the LVTHERANS and committed BOVRG and foure other Iudges of the Law to MONTGOMERIE Captaine of his Guarde who sent them prisoners to the Bastile where they were layde in yrons The only cause of their emprisonment was for that they had delyuered out of prison certayne Lutherans and had forborne to publish the kings bloudy edicts till a generall or a nationall councell should take order in so wayghtie a cause This beeing done the king in great triumph departed to his Daughters mariage who was maryed to king Philip by his Deputie the Duke of Alua who represented the king his Masters person in this case which beeing accomplished the king gaue himselfe to sports and pastimes and the eight and twenteth of Iune entered into the Lists to iust and continewed so long therein and ranne so many courses three dayes together that with excessiue trauayle his whole body was become stiffe wherevppon diuers of the nobilitie and especially the Queene his wyfe besought him to runne no more the rather because that night the Queene had dreamed that shee saw him wounded to death diuers other prognosticatiōs of his death are also written which I ouerpasse But he refusing all perswasions despising his wiues dreame all the other prognostications entered againe into the listes ranne diuers courses excellently well for he was a perfect man at armes At the last he called foorth Montgomerie the selfe same that had caryed BOVRG and the other foure Councellours to prison as before you haue heard Montgomerie had runne diuers courses the day before had sayled in them all for the which cause hee was loath to come forth But being constrained by the king in the ende foorth he came being reserued by God to giue one sound blow at the last to counteruaile all his faylings before For as the king and hee met together with great violence a splenter of Montgomeries staffe which brake all to sheuers strake the kings head-peece full vpon the visard which being vnbuckled either through negligence or because the king would haue it so meaning to make this his last course flew vp in such sort that one of the splēters strake the king full in the right eye and entered into
abandoned Alexandria and Dertona and that Pauia had of their owne accord receiued the French the Venetians also inuading the said Dutchie of Milan on the other side the said Lodouic astonished with the losse of so manie townes mistrusting his owne people and beeing abandoned of all his friends principall seruants fled with his children and a great masse of monie to the Emperour Maximilian into Germanie presently after whose departure the Citie of Milan yeelded to the French the Castle being also deliuered vnto them by the treason of Bernardin de Corte Captaine thereof Soone after the whole state of Genoua submitted it selfe likewise to the King and Cremona with the Countrey of Guyradadda were deliuered to the Venetians according to the Kings promise In eight daies Lodouic lost this ritch and noble Dutchie so small assurance is in worldly honors The king hauing setled the state of Milan abated the excessiue exactions that they paide in Lodouics time to the great though not to the full contentment of the people for they looked to haue had all paiments cleane abolished and taken away and hauing giuen forces to the Duke of Valentinoys for the recouerie of those townes in Romania that appertained to the Church returned to Lyons where hee was welcommed with new ioyes beecause of the birth of his Daughter Claude But 1500 this his good successe was soone altered for the Milanois beeing by nature variable and inconstant and also misliking the rough gouernement of Master Iames of Treuoul whom the king had left behinde him for his Lieutenant who beeing of the Guelph faction vsed to rudely those of the faction Guibeline and farther the people not beeing able to endure the insolencies of the French souldiours secretly solicited Lodouic to returne who not omitting this opportunitie but leuying with speed 12000 Swyssers by the fauour of the Emperour Maximilian but with his owne money and 8000. Italians entered into the Dutchie of Milan with all diligence and as sodainely recouered the whole countrey as beefore hee had lost it all saue the Castle of Milan with some other few places and the state of Genoua which held still for the king such mutabilitie is not onely in the people of this estate but in all the vulgare sort throughout Italie Beesides all this d'Aubigny and Treuoul Gouernours of the French in the sayde Duchie were at great variance which vtterly subuerted the kings afflicted affaires in such sort that hee was forced to remoue them both and to commit the gouernement of the armie to Trimouille who by his wisdome hauing reconciled them together ioyned them in equall authoritie with himselfe so that the armie for two gouernours had three But the king beeing exceedingly moued with this sodaine losse of the Duchie of Milan leuyed 600 Launces and a great armie of Swyssers and sent them with all diligence to Milan which Lodouic vnderstanding retired to Nouara where the French armie beesieged him And notwithstanding that he were in state to fight with his enemies and ment also so to doe yet the Swyssers that serued him beeing corrupted with French crownes by meanes of the Swyssers Captaines that were in the French Campe refused to fight against their countrey men and kinsmen wherewith Lodouic beeing in vtter despaire and doubting to bee deliuered by them into his enemies hands with great difficultie obtained of them that hee might march among them as a common Swysser souldiour till hee should bee conueyed to some place of saftie But the matter beeing discouered to Trimouille whose mony made euery thing knowen vnto him he was apprehended as he marched like a common souldier among them presently sent into Fraunce where hee remayned prisoner in the tower of Loches till his death not once being admitted to the kings presence nor speech And so this Prince whose ambitious desires caused him first to poison his Nephew and then to set all Italie on fier by calling in the French and likewise to depart from his league with the Venetians being his onely saftie for greedines of hauing the towne of Pisa which he sought to draw out of their subiection to his obedience and lastly who neuer held faith nor promise with any man longer then it serued for his owne profit was now abandoned of all men and betrayed by those whom hee had brought into Italy for his principall succour and defence and ended his daies in a miserable dongeon where all his extrauagant thoughts were cloased vp within the compasse of a narrow rome his brother the Cardinall Ascanius found meanes to conueigh his brothers children safe into Germany but was himselfe soone after his brother taken prisoner by the Venetians and sent likewise by the Kings commaundement though not without great dishonor to the Venetian estate into Fraunce where he was vsed with much more fauour and liberty than his brother was for he had the whole Realme of Fraunce for his prison and in the end by the meanes or rather through the simplicitie of the Cardinall of Amboyse returned againe into Italie where hee was restored to his former estate and dignitie And thus the King soone recouered the Dutchie of Milan Cap. 3. By a confederacie betweene the kings of Fraunce and Spaine Frederick King of Naples looseth his realme The two Kings part it beetweene them the King of Spaine in the end obtaineth the whole Pope Alexauder dyeth Iulius the second succedeth BVT this Ptinces minde not beeing satisfied with one good 1501. successe but the more hee conquered the more his ambition being inflamed he determined to attempt the conquest of the Realme of NAPLES not long beefore reuolted from his predecessor as in KING CHARLES his warrs of Italy ample mention is already made And to the end hee mought obtayne the victorie without any resistaunce hee determined to make the KING of SPAINE partaker with him of the bootie least hee beeing a neighbour in the I le of SICILE to the Realme of NAPLES and a kinseman to the King thereof and hauing also forces alreadie entered into the Countrey for the sayde Kings defence should hinder his conquest of the saide Realme This offer was soone embraced by the KING of SPAINE who beeing receyued into the strong places of the saide Realme of NAPLES vnder colour of defending them for KING FREDERIC detayned them for him selfe and vtterlie ruinated the sayde FREDERIC notwithstanding both the trust that hee had reposed in the KING of SPAINE and the neere kindred that was beetweene them Thus FREDERIC beeing at one instant inuaded by the FRENCH and beetrayed by the SPANIARD yeelded his Realme in despite of the sayde KING of SPAINE into the handes of KING LEVVIS and went with him into FRAVNCE where hee liued in verye honourable estate till his death But his sonne Ferdinand Duke of Calabria whome Consalue the king of Spaines generall in the saide Realme of Naples had giuen his oath to set at libertie so soone as he should bee deliuered into his hands was notwithstanding the sayd
oath sent into Spayne to the king of ARAGON where after manie yeeres imprisonment hee marryed in the yeare 1522. with the LADIE GERMANE of FOIX widdow of the saide KING of ARAGON a rich LADIE but barrayne which marriage was made by the EMPEROVR CHARLES who greatly fauoured the saide Duke of Calabria because hee had refused to be taken out of La Rocca Sciatiua which was the prison wherin he lay and to bee made head of a rebellion that happened in Spaine called La Santa giunta whereof heereafter mention shall bee made This Ferdinand Duke of Calabria was the last of the race of the first Alfonse King of Naples for two of his bretheren died before him one in Italy the other in Fraunce But to returne to the History the treason of the King of Spaine towardes King Frederic was no greater in this action than the error of the king of Fraunce as the sequele well delared For whereas the saide Frederic offered King Lewis to hold the Realme of Naples of him and to pay him for it yeerely a great tribute by meanes whereof no man should haue commaunded in the saide Realme but his tributarie king who alwaies must haue depended vpon him and himselfe he now called in a neighbour PRINCE though not so mightie yet much more subtill than himselfe and deuided the kingdome with him beeing obtayned by his owne money and his owne subiectes blood and soone after lost the whole to his owne great dishonor and damage For you shall vnderstand that the very next yeere after the partition made of the sayde Realme beetweene 1502. these two Princes they fell at varience about the bounds of their territories and beecause the French were at that instant the stronger they tooke many places in the Countrey called the Capitanat which was the prouince in controuersie beetweene them from the Spaniards But the next yeere after the Spaniards haueing renforced their companies not onely recouered all their losses but also wanne diuers places frō the French namely 1503. RVBOS a towne not far from BARLETTA where also they tooke prisoner Monsieur de la Palisse And notwithstanding that by the entermise of Archduc Philip sonne in law to the king of Spaine who this yeere came into Fraunce a peace was concluded betweene the kings of Fraunce and Spaine vpon the securitie whereof king Lewis wholy reposing himselfe forbare to send new supplies to NAPLES yet the king of Spaine very cunningly delayed the confirmation of the sayde peace beecause hee saw his affaires to prosper well in Italie through the French kings ouergreat credulitie and negligence and in the end flatly disauowed al his sonne in laws actions And Consalue his Generall in the sayde Realme of NAPLES notwithstanding the Archducs commaundements often sent vnto him to surcease all Hostilitie in those parts not onely refused so to doe because hee receiued noe such commaundement from his Master but also proceeded still in his conquests and wanne from the French diuers townes defeated the Duke of ATRY who led certaine French bandes and tooke him prisoner and afterward also ouerthrew Monsieur d'Aubigny and tooke him prisoner and lastlie at the battayle of Cirignolles vanquished the whole power of france and slew in the fielde with diuers noble men the braue Duke of NEMOVRS generall of the French forces Farther the sayde Consalue vsing the benefit of this victorie marched presently before Naples and without resistance entered into the towne and reduced it to the obedience of the King of Spaine and soone after tooke also the Castles and conquered almost the whole Realme In the meane time dyed Pope ALEXANDER the sixt and PIVS the third was chosen Pope who dying also at the ende of sixe and twentie dayes the Cardinall Petri ad Vincula so often mentioned in the warrs of Charles the eight succeeded by the name of IVLIVS the second The King in the meane time made great preparation to recouer his Realme of NAPLES so shamefully and dishonorably lost and entered as farre as the Riuer GARILLIANO called LIRIS in auncient times where diuers attempts were made by the French to passe the sayde Riuer which all were ouerthrowen and brought to nought by the wisdome and industrie of Consalue In the ende what through want of victualls and lack of money which the kings officers most shamefullie detayned from them by meanes also whereof the companies that the King payed were not halfe compleat what through foule weather and what through the industrie and diligence of Consalue who tooke aduauntage of all these their disorders the French were forced to abandon their fortes vppon the sayde Riuer and to retire to CAIETTA which they yet held whether not onely the sayde inconueniences accompanied them but also Consalue with all speede pursued them and there beesieged them But they not beeing able to defend the towne 1504 yeelded it by composition and retourned into Fraunce and thus Consalue obtayned the Realme of NAPLES without bloudshed and had euer after the Title of great Captaine beecause of his noble exployts giuen vnto him Cap. 4. Frederic King of Naples and Elizabeth Queene of Spaine both dye by a mariage beetweene the King of Aragon and the Lady Germanie Foix peace is made beetweene Fraunce and Spaine Archduc Philip dyeth Bolonia is restored to the pope Genoua rebelleth and is soone reduced to the Kings obedience IN this yeere dyed FREDERIC king of Naples and likewise ELIZABETH 1504. Queene of Castile wife to king Ferdinand whose death caused the said king Ferdinand the rather to desire peace with Fraunce because hee doubted that the gouernment of Castile notwithstanding his wiues testament whereby hee was appointed Gouernour thereof during his life should bee taken from him and deliuered to Archduc Philip his sonne in law whose wife was heyre thereof The yeere 1505 was a yeere subiect to great Famine and Pestilence and in this yeere a secret 1505. consederacie beetweene the greatest Princes in Christendome against the Venetians beegan couertly to bee treated of which afterwards also tooke effect And the better to bring that matter to passe by practise of the Pope who was a deadly enemy to the Venetians as was also the King of Fraunce because for want of their help he lost the Realme of Naples as hee saide peace was concluded betweene Fraunce and Spaine the French king enclining therevnto to the end hee mought haue his reuenge of the said venetians the spaniard by that meanes to haue a rampar against his son in law the Archduc Philip wherfore in consideration of a marriage betweene the said King of Spaine and the Lady Germaine of Foix sisters daughter to the king of Fraunce the saide King yelded vp to the king of Spaine all his title interest to the Realme of Naples by the which meanes these two Princes that so long had continued in deadly warrs concluded peace and became friends allies And the king of Spaine heereby also fortified himselfe mightely
onely by sale of holy things for the Pope made money of al ecclesiasticall liuings dignities againe when the king heard that the Pope had extremely cursed him hee aunswered that this was a Pope made to curse but not to pray sarther the Pope called the french Micturi vinos that is to say wine pissers noting thereby their immoderate drincking of wyne which as he said issued as it entered but this gibe euell besemed the Pope being himselfe more giuen to drinke then any man in his time But the French partly to requite this scoffe partly to content the king made these verses of the Pope Patria cui Genua est genitricem Graecia partum Pontus vnda dedit qui bonus esse potest sunt vani Ligures mendax est Graecia ponto nulla fides malus est haec tria quis quis hahet Which you may thus English Whose countrie is liguria whose damme of Greekish bloud whose cradle is the sourging seas can ought in him be good Ligurians are counted vaine Greekes lyers so I finde the sea inconstant all these three hath Iulius by kinde But these verses are answered thus on the Popes beehalfe Est venus orta mari Graium sapientia solers ingenium est ligurum qui malus esse potest cui genus vt veneri a Graijs sapientia solers ingenium a Genua est Mome proterâ—e tace Which you may thus English Out of the sea dame Venus sprang with learning grece is clad Ligurians are full of wit how can hee then bee bad whose birth is like a Godesses whose learning is of Grece whose wit is of Liguria iack gyber hold thy peace But to returne to king Lewis he was a prince subiect to great varietie of Fortune through the whole course of his life both before he was King after but especially towards his later end she most frouned vpon him as in this briefe discourse of his actioÌ„s is plainely to bee seene his vices were in his youth loue of women and in his age couetousnesse which caused him to loose many opportunities besides that hee was a prince wholy gouerned by others but his good fortune was to fall into the hands of honorable personages and such as gouerned his Realme well Farther he was also charged with ingratitude both towards his wife who had saued his life and also towards some with whom hee had liued familiarlie beefore his comming to the crowne namely the Marshall Gyé whom also hee banished the court notwithstanding the great seruice that hee had done the Realme But herein he is partly to be excused for the said Marshalls banishment proceeded principally from the Queene who hated him extreamlie because the sayde marshall had oncc stayed hir cariage vpon the Riuer of Loyre wherein she had packed vp all the kings principall Iuells Plate and other things of great price and the which shee was conueighing downe the sayde Riuer to Nantes the King being at that time very sick and in great daunger of death This king was also giuen to suspicions but that is a fault all princes are subject to especially all those that be wise on the other side this king was beautified with many goodly vertues first hee was so louing and carefull of his people that in all his forraine warres hee could neuer be induced to increase his impositions vpon his subiects true it is that when he was inuaded in his owne Realme he was forced to leauie of them somewhat more then ordinarie for the which his milde gouernment he was called Pater patriae so iusta Prince he was where the necessitie of his affaires enforced him not to the contrarie that the Archduc Philip committed to him at his death the gouernment of his sonne Charles omitting both his owne father and his father in law being both Graundfathers to the said Childe which charge king Lewis most princely performed as well in the education of the sayde Charles afterwards Emperour as also in the preseruation of all his estate Farther he was a prince voide of all pride affable and curteous to all men and liuing in great quietnesse mildenesse with those that were familiar with him and the soonest forgetting all iniuries past so that I caÌ„not better coÌ„pare him to any prince then to the Emperour ADRIAN whose pleasant answeres and Apophthegmes being voide of all scurrilitie hee was also much addicted vnto some of the which because they bee worthie of memorie I will be bould to rehearse Hee had in king Charles his time beene euell vsed by diuers of whom hee was aduised to take reuenge at his comming to the crowne wherevnto hee aunswered that it became not a king of Fraunce to reuenge the iniuries done to a Duke of Orleans Likewise looking vppon the roule of King Charles his seruaunts he found two that had been his deadly enimies in King Charles his time vpon each of whose names he made a crosse wherewith they being in a wonderfull perplexitie supposed the galowes to be prepared for them which their feare being discouered to the king he sent them word to bee of good cheare for hee had crossed all their euell deedes out of his remembraunce hee vsed to say that the condition of horsses was much worse then Asses for Horsses were killed vp in running post to Rome to fetch liuing for Asses meaning vnlearned prelats when the Queene his wife by importunitie thought to bring to passe a mariage betwene hir daughter Claude Archduc Charles afterwards Emperour the king told hir that shee sought to make a mariage betwene Cats and Mice Againe when a certaine courtier complained grieuously of his wiues vnchastnesse the king hearing thereof bad him bee of good cheare for hee that respected his wyues incontinencie or the Popes curse should neuer sleepe quiet night Diuers other such like sayings of his I could rehearce which for breuitie I ouerpasse FRANCIS THE FIRST OF that name King of Fraunce Cap. 1. King Francis commeth to the crowne surpriseth Prospero Colonna vanquisheth the Swyssers recouereth Milan The Pope and hee meete at Bolonia TO Lewis the twelfth succeded King Francis the first beeing both his sonne 1515. in law and the next of his bloud a Prince of yong yeares but of goodly personage great magnanimitie who finding a mighty armie in a redines that his predecessor had leuied to inuade the Duchie of Milan burning with no lesse desier to recouer the said duchie theÌ„ his predecessor had done determined to lose no time but hauing renewed the league made by the late king with Henry king of England and with the selfe same coÌ„ditions likewise with the Venetians and receaued homage at Paris by the Earle of Nassau of the Archduc Charles afterwards Eemperor for Flaunders and hauing also made peace with him with promes of mariage beetwene the said Charles and the Lady Renee daughter to king Lewis sister to the Queene and withall Genoua beeing reduced to his obedience by the meanes of Octauian Fregose
to doubt that he ment to doe as the Emperours letters reported namely to enter into league with him and to forsake all his other friends and thus vnderhand the Emperour made the king himselfe the instrument to cut his owne throat and to seuer from him all his friends Whervnto I also adde that to draw the king of England to his partie to ioyne armes with him he offered him of the conquest of Fraunce what portion he would desire himselfe and by these meanes was the King of England wonne from the Kings friendship and sent a Herrault to defie the King and presently passed ouer his forces to ioyne with the Emperour before Landercy as alreadie you haue heard But to returne to the matter Cap. 15. The Turke ioyned with the kings forces take Nice in Prouince the Emperour entereth into Cambray Furstembergs successe in the duchie of Luxembourg The English spoyle the Countrey of Bouloynoys The warres in Piemont and the battayle of Serizoles The Emperour recouereth Luxembourg hee and the King of England inuade Fraunce The King of England winneth Boloyn peace betwene all these Princes The death of the Kings of England and Fraunce THe King seeing him selfe thus inuaded by the Emperour and the King of England was forced to pray in ayde of the Turke who sent his nauie to ioyne with the Kings in the siege of Nice in Prouince and the towne they tooke therein executed great crueltie but the Castle they could not take wherefore they retired themselues The Emperour on the other side by cunning entered into the towne of Cambray and in apparance left them in their auncient libertie but indeede so brideled them by a citadelle which he caused the Citizens thē selues at their owne charge to build and into the which he put a garison of his owne souldiours that he brought them to plaine slauerie and bondage Farther the sayd Emperour sent also Williā Eatle of Furstemberg with an army to recouer Luxembourg who recouered diuers places in the countrey went and layed his siege before Luxembourg it selfe but hearing of the prince of Melphes cōming to succour the towne he leuyed his siege retired into Allemayne the Frēch recouered all the places that before they had lost But the English on the other side spoiled and forraged all the countrey of Boulonoys The king hauing succoured Luxembourg sent an army into Pie mont vnder the leading of the Earle of Anghien a most valiant yong prince who wan diuers townes there in the Marquisat of Salusses from the Marques of Guast generall of the Emperours forces went and besieged Carignan whether the said Marques 1544. with the army Imperiall came to leuie the siege but the French at a place called Serizoles gaue him battaile and ouerthrew him slew 7000. of his armie and tooke 2000 prisoners After the which battaile the said Monsieur d'Anghien toke Carignan and diuers other townes in Piemont in the Marquisat of Montferrat But on the other side the Emperour with a huge armie inuaded the Duchie of Luxembourg and recouered Luxembourg the chiefe Citie thereof and diuers other townes and namely S. Disier which last was takē with great difficultie long defēded it selfe against the Imperial armie This yeare also the Emperour the king of Englād being cōfederated together inuaded France with so great forces that it is reported aboue 80000. mē to haue ben in both their armies Their purpose was to haue sacked Paris as vndoubtedly they had done if the king of England had marched forward according to his promis to the Emperour had not stayed at the siege of Bouloyne by meanes whereof the Emperour seeing his armie to be in distresse of victualls that the English armie marched not forward to his succour according to their agrement concluded peace with the king and retired his forces out of Fraunce In the meane time the king of England wan Boloyne which was yelded to him by Monsieur de Veruins the fourth of September which being done the king of England returned home and landed at Douer the first of October Notwithstanding the next yeare after many skirmishes and feates of armes done betwen the french 1545. and English as well by sea as land peace was treated off betwene these two Kings and in the ende after many difficulties concluded but not proclaymed before Whitsonday being the thirtenth of Iune 1546. thus God miraculously preserued the Realme of Fraunce which vndoubtedly had stood in great daunger if God had not put into the king of Englands head to stay at the siege of Boulonie and not to march forward to ioyne with the Emperour as hee ought to haue done which his error in all apparance was the preseruation of the Realme of Fraunce The Emperour hauing made peace with the king entered into warre against the Protestants of 1546. Germanie and both he they sent to king Frances for ayde but he refused to giue ayde to eyther of them promising to be an indifferent friend to both The eight and twenteth of Ianuarie folowing died Henry king of England which newes the king tooke grieuously when he heard it as well because of the great good will that had been betwene thē as also because the king was in hope to haue made a firme league with him lastly because they two hauing beene almost of one yeares and of one cōplexion he foresaw his owne ende to draw neere Notwithstanding after the sayd king of Englands death he renewed the league lately made betwene them twaine with king Edward king Henryes son and not long after dyed also himselfe at Rambollet the last day of March in the yeare 1546. after the French accompt who begin not the yeare till Easter hauing liued 53. yeares reigned two and thirtie and three moneths and sixe dayes This was a Prince endued with many excellent parts especially magnanimitie curtesie and liberalitie and farther so great a patron louer and aduauncer of learning that he may iustly be called the father sounder of good letters What his fortune was in this world may easely be gathered out of his Historie wherin it doth appeare that she was more froward then fauourable vnto him but one great grace of God he had that no aduersitie was able to diminish the magnanimitie of his minde besides that he was of an excellent memorie and exceding eloquent in his owne tongue HENRY THE SEcond of that name King of Fraunce Cap. 1. King Henry commeth to the Crowne The Emperours warres in Germanie The English inuade Scotland The rebellion of Guyenne TO King Francis the first succeded his onely sonne Henry the second being eight twentie yeares of age in the very beginning of whose reigne the Emperour as before you haue heard in the ende of king Francis his reigne was entered into a warre in Germanie against the Protestants 1547. namely the Duke of Saxonie and the Lantzgraue of Hessen and diuers other Princes
and townes confederated with them against him perswading the Pope who sent him ayde in these warrs that his quarel was Religion but to the princes Protestāts of Germanie many of the which were in his Camp ayded him he pretended that he made warr vppon them for their rebellion although in truth neither of both these were the cause motife of this warre but his owne ambition for his purpose was by vsing the Germanies help against the Germaines so to weaken both parts and in the meane time so to plant garrisons of Spaniards in the strong places of the countrey that in the ende he mought make the easier conquest of the whole And such successe he had at the beginning of these warrs that he toke the Duke of Saxonie prisoner made the Lantzgraue come yeld him selfe to his mercie but with this condition that he should not be detained in prison which article the Emperour so gloased with a Spanish exposition that that notwithstanding he emprisoned him alleadging that the article mentioned onely perpetual emprisonment The Palfzgraue also and the Duke of Wirtemberg and diuers other Princes and free Townes submitted them selues to him and with their money bought their peace You haue heard before how Henry the eight king of England dyed a little before king Francis and left behinde him Prince Edward his sonne a childe about tenne yeares of age the sayed King Henry before his death had practised a marriage in Scotland betwene the sayd prince his sonne afterward called Edward the vj and the heyre of Scotland being about foure yeares of age and so farre this matter was proceded in that the greatest part of the states of Scotland had giuen their consent thereunto but after king Henrys death by the perswasion of the Queene mother being of the house of Guyse and by the practise of the French faction who could not endure this vniting of these two Realmes by the sayd mariage the treatie made with king Henry was disauowed and a practise set on foote to bestow this yong Princes vpon the Daulphin of Fraunce for the which cause the English men entered into Scotland with a mightie armie spoiled all the countrie whom the Scotts encountering with all their forces at a place called Muscleborow were ouerthrowen and a great number of them slayne in September this yeare 1547. after the which victorie the English men tooke manie Castles and strong places and entered as farre as Edemborough the chiefe Citie of the Countrey and fortified Hedington a strong Towne where what happened what issue these warres had hereafter you shall heare The Emperour hauing ended his warres aboue mentioned in Germanie and established the 1548. Interim which was a forme of Religion to bee obserued till the assemblie of a generall counsell came downe into the low countries leading the Duke of Saxonie and the Lantzgraue with him as it were in triumph to the no small griefe of diuers Princes of the Empire especially of Duke MAVRICH sonne in law to the sayde Lantzgraue as the sequell shall well declare About this tyme also the Prince of Spaine the Emperours sonne came out of Spaine into Italie and from thence to Bruxelles to his father beeing honorably receaued in all places through which he passed But the Realme of Fraunce beeing deliuered from forrayne warres beeganne to bee vexed with domesticall seditions for a great rebellion was raysed at BOVRDEAVX and through all GVIENNE and XAINTOIGNE for a newe imposition increased vppon Sault for the appeasing whereof the Constable and Monsieur d'Aumalle were sent into those partes who punished very sharply them of BOVRDEAVX because they had slaine the kings officers and commited many disorders and tooke from them all their priuiledges and condemned both them and other townes that had offended in great summes of money and so appeased the tumult Cap. 2. The King aydeth the Scots against the English hee inuadeth the Countrey of Boulonoys The Queene of Scots is caried into Fraunce Paule the third dyeth Iulius the third succedeth peace betwene England and Fraunce YOu haue heard how the last yeare the English men were entered into Scotland as farre as Edingbourg and had ouerthrowen the Scots at Muscleborow for the which cause the Scots sent into Fraunce for ayde and the King knowing how preiudiciall it should bee for him and his Realme to suffer the English men to nestle in Scotland sent thether an armie of 6000. men vnder the leading of Monsieur d'Esse Strozzi the Rhingraue and others who made head against the English men and much endamaged them wanne Hedington which they had fortefied from them while in the meane time their nauie conueighed the young Queene into Fraunce notwithstanding the English nauie that lay vpon the Sea to stoppe their passage purposly to haue surprised the sayde young Queene and to haue brought hir into England but the French nauie escaped them and ariued safly in Fraunce After the conueighing away of the young Queene the king reuoqued d'Esse and sent de Thermes a valiant souldier and a wise man to take the charge of his armie in Scotland willing him to busie the English men on that side while the French forces entered into the Countrey of Boulonoys for notwithstanding that peace had beene concluded as before you haue heard betwene king Francis and king Henry before their death and afterward confirmed also betwene the two Realmes yet that notwithstanding the French perceauing the Realme of England to be vexed with seditions because of the alteration of Religion vsed that opportunitie and besieged Bouloyne but could not take it notwithstanding diuers other small peces held by the English in the countrey of Boulonoys namely Boulonberg Hambletow and Montlambert and diuers other they toke This yeare also the tenth of Nouember died Pope Paule the third to whom after three moneths dissencion in the Consistorie succeded Iulius the third and this yeare also in December died Margaret Queene of Nauarra sister to king Francis a Lady of an excelent spirit But after these wars aboue mentioned had thus passed as you haue hard since the beginning of this kings 1550. reigne betwene the French English nations as well in Scotland as in Boulonoys both parts disposed thēselues to peace England was afflicted not onely with sorraine warrs but also with domesticall seditions of the commons and dissentions among the nobles the French king was entered into practise against the Emperour both in Italie with Octauio Prince of Parma and in Germanie with duke Maurice and diuers other Princes who hated the Emperour deadly for his extreame tiranie vsed against the liberties of their country Wherefore the King meaning to attempt somewhat against the Emperour was the more inclined to make peace with England thereby to haue all cleere on that side of Fraunce Both the Realmes therfore being thus disposed to concord their commissioners met concluded peace with these cōditions Boloyne was restored to the French for the which they payed
Vendosme recouered Hesdin and afterward all the other townes and on the other side the Marshall of Brissac in Piemom wâ—n from the Emperour the towne of Alba. But to returne to the siege of Metz. Notwithstanding that the Emperour vsed all warlike attempts for the taking of the towne and so coÌ„tinually beat it with artilerie that it is reported by some his batterie to haue beene heard as farre as Strausbourg and by othersome aboue 22. Duch miles from the towne yet was the industrie of those within the towne and the miserie of his souldiours without the towne such his camp being most grieuously afflicted with the plague famine bluddie flux and cold the siege continewing in the midst of an extreame winter as before you haue heard that hee was forced to leuie his siege returne into Flaunders the second day of Ianuarie 1553. after the Duch Italian accompt who begin the yeare the first of Ianuarie but 1552. after the French who begin it not till Easter At his departure to the ende hee mought returne with the more speede he cast into the Riuer a great part of his artilerie and munition for the warres farther hee lost in this siege 40000. men the ignominie thereof so much afflicted him that he forbare all communication with men and soone after resigned the Empire to his brother and his orher states to his sonne and put himselfe into an Abbie in Spaine where he ended his dayes Such misfortunes Princes often fall into when they are wedded to their owne wills and reiect all good aduise or rather when GOD is purposed to punish them and to chaunge their good fortune into bad It is reported that the Emperours armie sustayned so extreame miserie in this siege that one day as hee roade thorow his Campe a poore souldier beeing miserably afflicted with the bluddye fluxe cryed out thus to him as he passed by Thou sonne of a mad woman how much miserie doe I and many a thousand more endure heere through thy ambition and wilfull obstinancie If thou wert not tainted with thy mothers humor thou wouldest neuer haue brought vs to this siege at this time of the yeare which words the Emperour hearing gaue no euell answere therevnto but onely sayde good words souldiour this matter shall bee remedied ere long be and with that gaue the poore soule money wherewith to comfort himselfe and soone after raysed his siege leauing a great number behinde him sicke whom the enemies of very pitie succoured and relieued But notwithstanding the Emperours euell fortune here before Metz his armie in Picardie vnder the leading of Monsieur de Reux besieged Therouenne in the which siege the sayd de Reux dyed after whose death Monsieur de Lalain continued the siege with a mine ouerthrew the fortifications wherevpon Montmorency the Constables sonne Gouernour of the towne yeelded the place and withall himselfe and diuers other noble men of Fraunce prisoners Cap. 6. The Imperialls raze Hesdin The Duke of Arscot is taken prisoner The death of Edward the sixt King of England and of Duke Maurice The king inuadeth the Emperour with three armies the battaile of Renty THe Emperour because of the variance that was among his Captaines made the Duke of Sauoye generall of his armie who in Iulie recouered also Hesdin from the French in the which the duke of Bouillon was taken prisoner and razed the Castle as the Imperials before had done the Castell of Therouenne buylt a new Hesdin in a more conuenient place vppon the Riuer of Cauche which they called Hesdinfiert From thence the Duke of Sauoy marched towards Dourlans and Amiens where the Constable with part of the Kings armie met with certaine of his troupes vpon the fifteenth of August and hauing layde diuers ambushes to entrap them charged them and ouerthrew them and toke prisoner the Duke of Arscot who was led to Boys de Vincennes neere to Paris whence hee escaped in the yeare 1556 wherevpon the Emperour ieasted of him saying that he was taken like a begger and scaped away like a theefe Farther the king in person with a mightie armie entered into Artoys and came before Cambray where the Imperiall armie lay in such sort that the battaile was looked for there but it fell otherwise out wherevpon the king returned to Paris leauing the Marshall of Saint Andre to spoyle the Countrey In this yeare the sixth of Iulie dyed Edward king of England a young Prince of rare expectation and to him succeeded Marie his sister Cosin germaine to the Emperour who about Saynt Iames tide the nezt yeare maryed with the Prince of Spaine the Emperours sonne And the ninth of Iulie was a cruell battaile fought in Germanie betwene Duke MAVRICE and Albert Marques of Brandenbourg in the which the sayde Albert was vanquished and Duke MAVRICE lost his lise You haue heard how the king returned to Paris leauing the Marshall of Saint Andre behinde him 1554. to spoyle the Countrey of Artoys But the next sommer the king leuied three armies one vnder the leading of the Prince of Roche sur Yonne was sent into Artoys where it spoyled many townes villages The Constable with an other armie entered into Haynault and the Duke of Neuers with a third into the countrey of Ardennes and Liege where he burned and spoiled all the country before him The Constable likewise in Haynault burnt Cymay a towne appertaining to the Duke of Arsâ—ot Trelon and Glayon and tooke Mariembourg through the cowardise of him that defended it with the fame of the which victorie the king being incited came in person into his army and tooke Bouuines in Brabant and burned it and sacked Dinand But the Emperour leuied a mightie power to encounter him vnder the leading of the Duke of Sauoy Wherevpon the King returned againe into Haynault and destroyed Bins and Mariemount the Queene of Hungaries places of pleasure in reuenge of Folenbray in Picardie which the Imperialls burned in the yeare 1552. as before you haue heard thus hauing burned and spoiled all Haynault the King with his army entered into Artoys and besieged Renty But the Emperour with his whole force came to leauie the siege in such sort that a battaile was there fought betweene the king and him in the which the successe on both sides was so equall that the victorie can iustlie be attributed to neither part some call it but a halfe battaile Notwithstanding this was the battaile in the which it was first found by experience that the rutters with their Pistoles are not able to abide the force of the Launce if they be roughly and resolutely charged The next day as the King was returning to the siege of the towne he reccaued newes that his forces were ouerthrowen in Italie wherevpon he retired and returned to Montrueil and the Emperour likewise to Bruxelles Cap. 7. The warres of Siena Brissacs successe in Piemont Pope Iulius dieth Paule the fourth succedeth The French in Piemont take Vulpian The
his very braine which put this poore Prince to extreame paine Vpon the ninth of Iulie he caused the mariage of his sister the duke of Sauoy to bee accomplished without any pomp which should not haue bene solempnisated till eight dayes after and the next day he dyed of the sayde hurt The wound soone made an ende of his owne life but his realme hath bled of that wound euer since the blood is hardly stenched as yet This king liued one forty yeares and reigned twelue yeares and 3. moneths and tenne dayes Thus haue I continued as compendiously as I could the Historie of Fraunce frō Charles the eighth till the death of Henry the second namely til the beginning of their owne ciuill broyles and dissentiōs which because they cōtaine nothing but murthers massacers trecheries treasons and no orderly disciplined warres are nothing pleasaunt for mee to write nor I thinke acceptable to any man to reade much lesse fit to be annexed to the martiall actes of those Princes whom I haue here before in this Historie treated of Notwithstanding if any man shall take pleasure in writing them I had rather hee handeled such a bucherly argument then my selfe Cap. 12. The conclusion of the Historie NOw to conclude this Historie can we haue any more notable examples than these heere aboue mentioned to proue that mans cogitations are vaine and all his thoughts wicked for if you consider how all these Princes tossed and turmoiled themselues with continuall warres what infinit treasures they consumed what slaughters they made of their subiects what sacking and burning of townes defiling of yong Maidens and Virgins murthering of women and Children with all such like mischiefes as be appendant to the warrs and that is worst of all charging their owne soules with manie promises and oathes which they neuer ment to performe when they sware them neither performed at all when they had sworne them And if we farther consider how little they haue effected and brought to passe of their owne desires by all these their bloddy Martiall actions with the which they troubled the world by the space of many yeares we cannot but confesse and say with the Psalmist Hee that dwelleth in the Heauen shall laugh the Lord shall haue them in derision For first of all consider well the example of Lodouic Sforce surnamed the More Duke of Milan hee poisoned his nephew to obtaine therby the said Duchie and set all Italie on fier by calling in the French to establish him therin but himselfe was within 5. yeares after taken prisoner by the French and put into a dongeon wher he miserablie ended his life his eldest sonne Maximilian being restored to the said Duchie of Milan by meanes of the Swissers the Pope and the Venetians was within three yeares after likewise taken prisoner by the French and in Fraunce ended his daies Afterward his other sonne Francis was established in the said Dutchie by the Emperour Charles but with such slauish conditions that he rather deserued the name of a noble slaue than an honourable Prince and in the end died of poison as it was thought and was the last of this wicked race of Sforces after his death the Emperour seazed all the Duchie of Milan into his owne hands whose race holdeth it yet and shall doe so long as it pleaseth God And all these miseries fell vpon the said Lodouic and his sonnes within the space of 34. yeares Now way likewise the example of Pope Alexander the sixt and Valentinus Borgia his sonne The said Valentine in his fathers life time obtained so many conquests in Italie some by armes some by crueltie some by treason and trecheries some by periurie and by all other wicked meanes that may be imagined that all Italie stoode in feare of him and he was growen to such a pride in himselfe that hee gaue Aut Caesar aut nullus for his deuise The Father poisoned himselfe with the same wine that he had prepared for the poisoning of diuers cardinalls his enemies and so fell himselfe into the pit which he had digged for others and the son after his fathers death was spoiled by Pope Iulius of all that he had conquered in Italie and the King of Fraunce toke from him all his estates that he held in Fraunce Wherefore he fled to Consalue vnder his safe-conduct and remained with him a while at Naples in great kindnes in outward apparance But soone after by King Ferdinands commandement hee was sent prisoner into Spaine by the said Consalue who also tooke from him the safe-conduct that he had giuen him In Spaine he was emprisoned in the Rocque of Medina del Campo from whence by cunning he escaped and went into Nauarre where hee liued a while in very base and miserable estate and in the end was there slaine The Venetians likewise for hatred they bare against Lodouic Duke of Milan aboue mencioned called Lewis the twelfth into Italie to conquer the said Duchie and had for their part of the bootie the countrey of Guiradadda deliuered vnto them by the King But soone after the same king toke it from them againe became their deadly enemie so that notwithstanding all their charges employed in those warres and diuers other since yet hould they not at this day one foote of ground in Lombardie more then they did before those warres began and in other parts of Italie lesse Againe fower kings of Fraunce successiuely namely CHARLES the eight LEVVIS the twelfth FRANCIS the first HENRY the second by the space of three score yeares and better made continuall warres in Italie with infinit expences of money toyle of themselues and the death not of so few as a hundered thousand of their subiects for the duchie of Milan the realme of Naples and what haue they gotten in recompence therof onely this that they hould not at this day one foote of Land in neither of both those countreys Likewise Charles the Emperour who was so ambitious a Prince that hee thought to haue swalowed vp both Fraunce and Germanie was chaced out of both those countries with great ignominie and was neuer able to hould no not one pore towne in either of both those realmes in the end through moodinesse of his euell successe gaue a deffiance to all the world and dyed in an Abby among a companie of Monkes Lastly king Henry the eight who was so noble a Prince and obtained so many conquests in Fraunce both in his youth and in his age what hath he lest to his posteritie in that Countrey for his infinite charges employed in those warres not one towne no nor one foote of French land These examples I thinke may suffice to teach Princes to bee wise and not to attempt ambitiouslie vnnecessarie warrs seeing the sequell that enseweth therof but to liue peaceably at home to entertaine the good will of their neighbours by all the good meanes they may to se iustice done among their subiects which is their principall charge and especially to ground all their actions vpon God who is the guyder of all their enterprises and the giuer of all good successe Happie is the Prince that thus gouerneth his subiects and happie are the subiects that liue vnder such a Prince FINIS