absence warring against the Barbarians and by succouring afflicted Christians Cloion or Clodion the second King of France Anno 432. CLoion or Clodion according to Sidonius Apollinaris and Gregory of Tours succeeded his Father Pharamond in the Regall estate in the yeare 432. of our Redemption He was surnamed the Hairy because hee commanded the French men to weare long haire in token of Liberty to the end they might be knowne and distinguished from Romans or as some Moderne Writers will have it to this end that none should weare long haire but those of the Royall blood In the beginning of his Reigne perceiving the Romans to bee employed altogether against the Vandals in Africke and a notable dissention betweene Aetius and Boniface went from his Castle of Dispargun and fastened upon Cambray and all that Countrey which lyes betweene the Rivers of Escaut and the Somme where to this day are the Cities of Monts Valenciennes Cambray and the Forrest heretofore nominated Carbonaire Afterwards having made a great discomfiture of the Romans who made head against him hee came as farre as the Bourough of St. Helens which is in the Land of Artois He also subjugated those of Thuringia the Saxons and other populations of Almaine as Funccius is of opinion O ther 's also adde that the City of Mayence was by him taken in The Hunnibalt of Trithemius holds that he divided his Kingdome into two parts nominating that upon the Coast of the Rhine Austrasie and the part upon the West Nenstria or Westria The Chronicles of Flanders say that he led his Army against those of Therovenne otherwise called Morinians whom he made subjects they perceiving their Auxiliars the Cinabres and Ruthenians and their Captaine Generall Gondmar overthrowne who had a Daughter whom this Clodion caused to be married to a Nephew of his who was called Flandebert from whom they will have the Countrey of Flanders to derive its first Nomination although it is more evident that it was not so called before the time of Charlemaigne He deceased in the 20. yeare of his Reigne Anno Domini 450 according to Ado and Aymoinus leaving as Jaques Meier and Richard of Wassebourgh doe relate Ranchaine or Ranachaire and Alberic alias Auberon his sonnes Wearing of long haire as was said was ordained by this King to bee the Ornament of Princes whereby Clodamire slaine in Battaile was knowne from the vulgar Souldiers and shaving off the Haire was a Ceremony used at degrading of Kings and Queene Clotilde suffered her Sonnes Heads to be cut off rather than their Haire preferring honour to life and accounting the disgrace which her Children should receive by shaving making them incapable of the Royall dignity worse than death for Life after the decease of honour is but a continuall lingring death Hippone was now besieged by Genserick King of the Vandals Saint Augustine being 76. yeeres old having seene and suffered in the miseries of the Church then generally afflicted by the Barbarians wearied with being a Spectator of those Tragedies withdrew to Heaven and dyed leaving the Christian World a mourner for his departure Merovaeus the third King of France Anno Domini 450. MErovaeus Maire of the Palace of Clodion according to Jaques Meier and Richard of Wassebourgh the Authors afore-said which Merovaeus neverthelesse the Abbot of Ursperg thinkes and other French Historians are of opinion to have beene a Bastard-sonne or a neare Kinsman of Clodion was by the reason of his valour and experience in Warre chosen King of the French Anno Domini 450. secluding the Sonnes of Clodion from the inheritance of the Kingdome Many are of opinion that he was the first that tooke upon him to March boldly all over the Countries of the Gaules because by force of Armes hee opened the way into those parts where none of his predecessors had had any peaceable habitation or abode And for this cause hee being acknowledged by the Ancient French to be the first King to have passed so farre the Gauls or Frenchmen were called Merovinians Others are of opinion that it was for that he was the first of the Line that reigned over the French untill Pepin it being that the sonnes of Clodion were supplanted who betooke themselves for assistance to their Mother in the Kingdome of Thuringia where being growne to age by the ayde of other Nations recovered Almany Cambresis Tournay Henault and Couloine of which parts they tearmed themselves Kings and maintained it against the Merovinians untill the time of Clovis In the meane time Attilla King of the Hunnes having spoiled a great part of Europe laboured to joyne with the Visigoths and French to ruine the Romans which was a cause that Aetius a Roman Gentleman who had the command of all the Roman forces of the West had this Warre in charge who gave unto Merovaeus the right wing of the Battaile against Attila who lost the field This Battaile was fought in the Catalaunicke Plaine which some esteeme to have beene that at Chaalons in Champaigne others at Solongne by Orleans who seeme better of opinion than those who would have it neare Tholouse because it is certaine that Attila never penetrated so farre into the Countrey of the Visigoths where the Shock was so bloody and cruell that there remained one hundred and fourescore thousand men slaine in the place Merovaeus yeelded to Fate in the tenth yeare of his Reigne according to Sigebert and other Historians Anno Domini 459. This King was fortunate in his Warres for after the Death of Aetia executed by the Emperour Valentinians command being so faithfull a servant that it was said that the Emperour had cut off his right hand with his left by valour potency and opportunity hee advanced the Monarchy of France growing more exact and compleate in strength hee being the third Stone in that Royall building called Gaule which new-begun Estate was raised to a greater perfection by many other Royall Builders descended from his Race and called Merovingieres in memory of this Merovee who as Titus Vespasian said Non perdidi diem so hee accounted that Day lost wherein hee did no good This worthy King was much lamented of all men they gave him the solemne rites at his funerall which appertained to a King in those dayes which was teares and sorrow for forty dayes after The Church was now much troubled by the Nestorian and Eutichean Heresies which weeds were by two Councells assembled at Ephesus and Chalcedon plucked up out of the Garden of Christendome and the true Christian Religion was now defended by Cyrillus and Theoderet two stout Champions for the Church who imployed their whole strength and power for the maintenance thereof so that the remembrance of their pious and noble actions will continue in all ages to their eternall praise and commendation Chilperic or Hilperic the fourth King of France Anno 459. CHilperic succeeded in the Kingdome by the favour of the memory of his Father Anno Domini 459. notwithstanding that
Father and Mother who were by Gondebault murthered whereupon making Warres upon the Burgundians their King Sigismund was taken in a Battaile and together with his Queene and Progeny was throwne into a Well at Orleans After that they retreated against Gondemar brother to Sigismund where Clodomire was slaine in the pursuite By the meanes whereof and the Warres following upon the whole Countrey of France Gondemar tooke possession of Burgundy Whilst Theodorick afterwards was against Hermonfroy for the estating himselfe in the Kingdome of Thuringia by the ayde and assistance of his brother Clotharius Childebert seized upon the County of Auvergne but having intelligence of the returne of his Brother Theodorick whom he supposed to have beene dead he went into Spaine against Almerick King of the Visigoths on a quarrell for the ill usage of his Sister Clotilda which Alarick hee slew neare to Toledo and tooke that City and upon his returne he reduced Gascogny to his obedience chasing the Visigoths backe againe into Spaine by this meanes making the Frenchmen sole possessors of both the Gaules excepting one part of Provence which for a time remained in the hands and power of the Ostrogoths of Italy Childebert upon his returne from Spaine went with Clotharius to beate Gondemar out of his Kingdome which was divided betweene them as also that of Orleans was after the slaughter of the children of their brother Clodamire except Claudius that made an escape About that time Theodobald King of the Ostrogoths of Italy yeelded up all the possessions they had in Provence into the power of the French to the end that they should joyne forces with him against Belisarius Captaine Generall of the Army of the Emperour Justinian in Italy in the interim that Childebert and Theodobert through ambition were in an ill course against Clotharius but these being reconciled by the Nobility of the Countrey Childebert and Clotharius went into Spaine and surprised Saragoca Afterwards upon a plot of Cranne a Nephew of his hee made Warre upon Clotharius who being too eager and earnest to scoure the Field and cleare him of his Enemies hee dyed in the 45. yeare of his Reigne Anno Domini 558 and according to Sigebert Aymoynus 49. Hee lyeth inhumed at St. Germans des prez This King was much troubled by his Brethren with whom he had a divided power and ruled as the chiefe King But Soveraignty admits no Partners for Royall power like an entire streame fed by the Spring whence it descended will not mingle with other Titles but doth maintaine an absolute and undenyed Prerogative His troublesome Reigne concluded with his fatall death for he was slaine by a wilde Bull which he hunted the manner of his death being an Embleme of his life for in his life hee persu'd wilde imaginations and vaine desires untill this sad mischance layd him to rest in a Grave to shew the vanity of humane designes which are so soone strooke dead such is the glory of this World There is no vertue in this life except it be to love the thing that is to be beloved and to love that is Prudence and not to be moved or troubled for any matter of molestation that is Fortitude nor for any matter of Flattery and delight that is Temperance nor for pride that is Justice Clotharius 1. the seventh King of France Anno 559. CLotharius the third legitimate Sonne of King Clovis having reigned 45. yeares at Soissons which is now called the Belgick Gaule upon the decease of his Brother Childebert who dyed without issue Males was proclaimed the 7. King of France which his Sonne Cranne perceiving as being now destitute of the support of his Uncle Childebert by whose assistance he managed strong Warres against this his owne Father came and cryed him mercy But hee made so mall use of his fathers Grace and goodnesse that hee committed againe a new Fellony and Rebellion against him And when his latter proceedings began to bee worse and worse in successe than before hee fled to Conobre or as others say Canabo Prince and Count of the Bretons who entertained him and undertooke to secure him from his Father Whereupon his Father Clotharius with his Army invaded that Countrey where they joyned Battaile wherein the Bretons lost the Field their Prince being slaine in the place and Cranne taken Prisoner whom his Father caused to be shut up in a house and together with his Wife and children to bee all burnt to death But Clotharius being the last of the Sonnes of King Clovis dyed that same day twelve-month that he justly had caused his sonne Cranne and his to be burnt in the 51 yeares of his being a King Anno Dom. 563. leaving behind him foure sonnes who againe divided the French Monarchy into the former Tetrarchyes insomuch that that of Paris befell to the eldest named Cherebert or Charibert Soissons to Chilperic Orleans with the Kingdome of Burgundy to Gontran and Austrasy to Sigebert with the Provinces on this side the Rhyne but before the partage or division aforesaid they fell all upon Chilperic in open Armes for the surrender of their Father Treasures which hee had already taken possession of and by them the City of Paris Whereupon it seemes that hee tooke it to heart and ever after maliced his brothers especially Sigisbert who had beene the motive as Paulus Diaconus saith that the Hunns made warre against him This King at the time of his death said Vnach Anach How great is the King of Heaven that hath made subject unto death the greatest Kings and Princes of the world which speech discovered that his too much affection to the world made the approach of death comming to take off his upper garment of mortality more terrible whereas Mors aequo pulsat pede pauperum tabernas regumque turres sceptra ligonibus aequat Death impartially knocks at Poore Cottages and the Court gate And equally he bringeth downe Vnto the grave the King and Clowne To satisfie Pope Eugenius and for feare of Excommunication for killing Gawler of Quetot his servant hearing divine Service in his Chappell hee exempted the Lords of Quetot from homage and service due to the King thereby to expiate his bloody offence But although his life was very bad and vicious and blotted with many impieties yet in sicknes his soule recover'd some health by a free acknowledging his sinne saying That his onely hope and confidence was in Gods mercy Cherebert 8. King of France Anno 564. AFter the decease of Clotharius Cherebert his sonne was King of Paris Anno Dom. 564. Hee betooke himselfe to all the kindes and sorts of dishonest pleasures that his fancy suggested him Gregory of Tours takes no notice of his reigne because he governed not long neverthelesse this mention he makes of him that he was excommunicated by S. German Bishop of Paris for that hee had repudiated his lawfull wife Iugoberge that he might take another his brothers Chilperic and Gontran being no waies different in
Kings mounted on the top of Honour and beholding their subjects with contempt thrust forward by flattery or ambition doe easily become Tyrants And as this Kings life did not shew handsome so his death plotted and effected by Bodille did instruct Kings not to dishonour or contemne their Nobility being their right Arme. And also it shewed that a disgracefull punishment inflicted on a Gentleman doth touch the quicke of the soule with a deepe apprehension for being of a freer tender nature they scorne as much to receive an injury as doe any and therefore they account it Justice to revenge though they dye in the confirmation of the act This appeares by Bodille who concealed her anger untill like Lightning it struck the King before it was seene for he must be silent full of darke thoughts and carry his light inward that will vindicate an injury and write Mihi vindictae litavi this is a sacrifice to Revenge Theodoric 2. 15. King of France Anno 680. THeodoric alias Thierry the second of that name having beene called out of the Monastery by Ebroin who in the time that things were in a combustion and confusion through the death of Childeric went and assaulted Leudesie from whom hee recovered the Royall Finances Afterwards pursuing him he contrary to his promise caused him to be put to death and causing himselfe to bee re-estated in that dignity of which formerly hee had beene deprived persecuted all those that had any way opposed him filling all France with murtherous cruelties insomuch that he put to death Leger Bishop of Authun and his brother Guerin Whilst the Austrasians substituted Pepin Heristed Maire of the Palace of Austrasie in the place of Vlsoald and appoynted for his Coadjutor Martin his Cousen German sonne of Clodulphe second Sonne of S. Arnulph Where of Ebroin being advertised went to give them battaile at a place called Locofic where Pepin was enforced to betake himselfe into Austrasie for safety and Martin to Laon From whence Ebroin upon his word given him in way of promise fetcht him out and caused him to be put to death Immediately hereupon Hermonfroy slew Ebroin and for refuge betooke himselfe to Pepin By the reason whereof Theodoric took to bee Maire of the Palace one named Waraton a man well advised who having beene supplanted and undermined by his sonne Gislemare who dyed shortly after entered into the State although hee kept it not long but dying left it in the hands and power of Bertaire who in such a high nature disgusted the Lords and Nobility of France that they withdrew their affection from him and there went namely Andr amne and Reole to consult with Pepin for a Warre upon Theodoric the King and Bertaire who was neare Taxieres in Vermandois defeated and the said Bertaire slaine by some that pursued him Whereupon Theodoric made a peace with Pepin and gave him the office of Maire of his Palace as he already had that of Austrasie Pepin being desirous to compose the matters of Austracy in order instituted Norbert as his Lievtenant in France in his absence Afterwards he made his eldest sonne Drogon Duke of Campagne Pepin began to governe in France Anno Domini 687. Theodoric deceased 688. having reigned nineteene yeares beeing a wonderfull patient King and one that would not be moved with any small disaster that should have happened unto him either through the Divine Power or Humane Resistance Hee left behinde him three Sonnes Clovis Clotharius and Childebert This King being onely a picture of Soveraignty without any active motion Ne vixisse inutilis olim videatur left issue to shew that he had lived He sate like a patient man and beheld the Tragedies playd by the Mayres as they had beene a game of Tables untill Pepin wonne the set and Soveraignty of France This King was of a slow disposition not contemning but neglecting the World for if he had onely slighted earthly glory he would have violated Curius who when the Samnites brought him great store of Treasure as he was sitting by the fire side hee said Non aurum haberi praeclarum sibi videri dixit sedeis qui haberent aurum imperare He accounted it no glory to have store of Gold but to governe those that had store of gold This was a magnanimity of minde but a dejected minde in a Prince suffering a Subject to over-toppe him did not expresse the Courage of a Caesar or an Alexander that desir'd to bee Monarchs of the whole world Clovis 3. the 16. King of France Anno 689. AFter the decease of Theodorick Clovis his eldest sonne began his Reigne in his minority Anno Domini 689 having Pepin for Mayre of his Palace who was surnamed Heristel sonne of Ansigise under whom France that heretofore seemed to bee divided and as it were dismembred seemed now to be as an entire body as formerly it had beene and began to recover its pristine lustre and honour which it had in a manner lost by the precedent divisions and intestine dissentions which also had given an occasion to the Aquitans and Gascognes to range apart under the government of one proper and peculiar Prince whom they styled Duke an occasion that Roderic of Toledo tooke to make mention of one called Loup who was about that time Clovis reigned according to the Contivator of Gregory of Tours Ado and Sigebert onely foure yeares although Aimoynus through the default of Writers acknowledgeth but two yeares And it seemes that in his time the Saxons and Swedes who upon the occasion of the precedent Warres by the succession of times had withdrawne themselves out of the obedience to the French were by Pepin summoned to their duty And because they made him know that they would not performe any such thing but upon compulsion hee passed over the Rhine with an Army against them wherewith hee gave them such downe-right knocks that he beate them into a subjection according to his desire By the meanes whereof France for some space of time continued in peace recovering by little and little its authority and renowne amongst other Nations and strangers Wherefore Clovis had no leasure to enjoy a long content because hee dyed although young as it is said leaving the succession to his brother Childebert An. Dom. 692. The place of his death or interrment is not mentioned in any Authors This King reigned but foure yeares and therefore his Character may bee drawne by the Embleme of the Sunne rising with a faire and cleare aspect but presently over-cast with thick clouds having this Motto Orior morior As the Sunne which fairely rose Is hid with clouds that doe enclose The cleare beames while that it doth shew A sorrow weeping teares of dew So this King rose to a Crowne And setting soone in death went down Leaving the Spheare of Majesty His Motto this I rose to dye Childebert 2. the 17. King of France Anno 692. After the death of Clovis his brother Childebert succeeded him and reigned according to
his Crowne to Raoul his God-sonne the first Prince of the blood by his Mother Hermingrade Daughter to Lewis and wife of Boson King of Burgundy dyed with griefe and of a languishing Melancholy to see that his treacherous vassage should so affront and oppose him and use him in such a disgracefull manner For there is no greater misery or vexation than when the Master through want and poverty is abused by the man it doth even astonish the minde and pierce the Heart unto death for Asperius nihil est humili cum surgit in altum Rodulph or Raoul of Burgundy the 32. King of France Anno 923. ROdulph having beene crowned King at Soissons the 13. of June Anno Dom. 923 reigned 13. yeares hee went afterwards to warre with Hugh le Blanc against the Normans others against those of the Faction of Rollon and also those that inhabited upon the River Loire from whence he was recalled to receive the oath of the Lorainers excepting that of Duke Gislebert and Rotharius Arch-bishop of Treues Afterwards having espoused Berthe the Daughter of the Duke of Swede and because having a hope to attaine the Empire he passed into Italy where hee overthrew Berengarius and drove him out of Italy and at his returne having made peace with the Normans hee went against William Duke of Aquitaine whom hee enforced to acknowledge his estate to have dependance from the Crowne And upon the parting of Estates of the Kingdome which was held at Attigny hee had gone into Loraine had hee not beene hindered by a fit of sicknesse which retained him at Rheimes After that he went against the Normans but through the rebellion of the Lorainers who had surrendred the upper Loraine into the power of the Emperour Henry he was enforced to make peace with the Normans which continued not long because having recommenced their wonted courses he was constrained to purchase his peace with a great summe of monies that hee might goe against the Duke of Aquitaine who was now in rebellion from whom hee tooke Nevers The bruite of the Hungariáns comming into France gave him to understand of the revolt of Count Heribert who accompanying himselfe with Hugh le Blanc went to take an Alliance with Henry the Emperour in Loraine and in his returne released King Charles out of prison who went to meete William Duke of Normandy to enter a League against Rodulph This beginning of Warres being pacified betweene them Heribert caused Charles againe to be imprisoned who dyed shortly after at Peronne In those times there were great contentions amongst the Paires of France concerning the Provinces which proceeded from the politick slights of the Emperour who sought to hold the partialities of France in an equality for feare lest the tranquillity of France might not produce a trouble to his estate in Loraine Rodulph deceased the twelfth or fifteenth day of January Anno Domini 939. This Roul was an usurper and his reigne was troublesome and unfortunate and for hee and others that had beene servants to the Crowne being now Kings and Dukes thought to make their Dominions proper to themselves and not depending on the Crowne which bred much confusion in France Italy and Germany The Church did now strive to advance the Authority of the Pope of Rome gaining a great opinion among Christians in the Empires declining estate and growing so great a Monarch that he assumed primacy above Kings and Emperours which they and their subjects refused to acknowledge In these times a young Maide attired like a Boy went with a learned man to Athens and returned from thence so good a Scholler being well read in many Authors of exquisite learning and profound knowledge and so expert likewise in the holy Scriptures that after the death of Pope Leo shee was created Pope John the eight but afterward being with childe by one of her Groomes she was as shee went in solemne procession according to the custome and order observ'd amongst them delivered of a childe in the open streete Thus the Empire the Realme and the Church were in those times much distemper'd and disgraced pride and ignorance breeding many miseries and reproachfull accidents Lewis 4. the 33. King of France Anno 939. LEwis son of Charles the Simple was recalled out of England by the Princes of France and at the instance of Hugh le Blanc was crowned at Laon by the Arch-bishop of Rheims the 19. of July An. Dom. 939. From thence hee went to recover the City of Langres from Hugh le Noire brother to King Rodulph and having entertained the Lords of Burgundy before he came to Paris hee discarded Hugh le Blanc and for his owne Mother that he might make use of her counsell which caused Hugh to allye himselfe to the Emperour Otho by taking his sister in marriage and to reconcile Heribert Afterwards they went to follow the King even into Burgundy who in revenge fell upon Loraine which caused the Emperour to depart out of Almaine to oppose him but they made a peace betweene themselves This notwithstanding the King could not obtaine peace of his adversaries untill the Dukes of Normandy Aquitaine and Bretagne being encouraged by Pope Stephen embraced him and they wrought so that the Emperour accorded with the Princes Hugh Heribert who awhile after that was taken by the King and hanged because he had imprisoned his Father which so much disturbed the repose of France together with the death of William Dukes of Normandy who was murthered by the Count of Flanders that Warres being enkindled over all France the King was taken prisoner by the Normans from being recovered by Hugh le Blanc who delivered him to Count Thibaut who detained him longer for the space of a yeare The Emperour Othe seeing this debated the cause of Hugh le Blanc and began to maintaine the Kings so long untill carrying himselfe indifferent hee came to reape the fruite of both their ruines without any danger at all In conclusion this last Warre which had continued seven or eight yeares being ended by an agreement betweene the King and Duke Hughes in the City of Soyssons the King dyed of a strange malady in the Moneth of September or according to others the 12. of November Anno Domini 954 after he had reigned about 19. yeares leaving by his wife Gerberge Lotharius and Charles This King as it is formerly briefly mentioned to revenge the death of his Father whom Hebert Earle of Vermandois had kept a prisoner in the Castle of Peronne untill hee there dyed caused one in the habite of an Englishman to come in haste to his Court at Landun with Letters which himselfe had written though fained to be sent from the King of England The messenger being entred and the Letters read softly to the King by his Secretary the King smiled and said The Englishmen are not so wise as I estreem'd them to be for our Cosin Harmant King of England hath signified unto me by these Letters that in his
Countrey a labouring man inviting his Master to dine at his house caused him to be slaine and now hee desires your counsell my Lords what punishment this fellow hath deserved Whereupon Thibaut Earle of Bloys said that hee was worthy to be tortur'd and then hang'd on a Gibbet which sentence all the Lords there present and also Hebert Earle of Vermandois did confirme and allow Whereupon the Kings Officers there provided in a readinesse apprehended the said Hebert Earle of Vermandois unto whom the King said Hebert this wicked Labourer is thy selfe who didst put to death thy Lord and Master King Charles my Father for which thou hast condemned thy selfe to dye by thy owne judgment Whereupon Hebert was hanged on a Gibbet on the top of a Mountaine neare Lodun which since his Execution is called still Mount Hebert This Lewis as was said being nine yeares in England was therefore surnamed D'entremer or from beyond the Seas Hee was disloyall and unfortunate for though he endured much affliction and many unkind fortunes yet hee was not mended in his life by his sufferings nor had learned to embrace Vertue whose Beauty appeares most faire and comely when her eyes are fill'd with teares making sorrow looke with a sweet and lovely countenance It is that which in a Prince is most glorious causing him to fixe his minde onely upon that which may prove beneficiall to the Church and State But this was not the object wherein this Monarch was delighted so that he was deprived of that excellency which by Vertue is attained Besides he did degenerate from the blood of Charlemaine for birth nor adversity did enlarge his narrow thoughts to take pleasure in noble actions Hee came came unto the government after a long absence which made his returne more gratefull to the Subjects while his Enemies thought to creepe into his affection by the tender of fained service especially William Duke of Normandy thus Prosperity commands counterfeited offers of fidelity Lotharius the 34. King of France Anno 954. THis Lotharius succeeded to the Crowne the 12. of November Anno Domini 954. Hee gave Burgundy and Aquitaine to Duke Hughes and would have made him Governour of Aquitaine But Count William defending his right shut the Gates of Poitiers against him Hughes deceased the 16. of June Anno Domini 956 leaving Hughes Capet Otho Odo and Henry with whom the King fell into some differences concerning some Castles which he had seized from them All which were appeased by Bruno Arch-bishop of Cologne Unkle to the King who was sent by the Emperour Otho After this the King made an Assembly of the Princes and Prelates of France at Soissons for the surprising of Richard Duke of Normandy who plotted against the King but he could not be found In the meane time Arnulph the old Count of Flanders being dead who before had made a donation of his Lands to King Lotharius caused his body this yeare 965. to be transported into Flanders thereby to receive the submissions of their fidelity Lotharius Anno Domini 966. espoused Hemina or Emma Daughter to Lotharius the 2. King of Italy and Adeleide Daughter to the Emperour Otho as also Matilde Sister of this our Lotharius was married unto Bernard King of Burgundy Afterwards the King intending to make Warres upon Richard Duke of Normandy at the instigation of Thibault Count of Chartres was enforced to come to an agreement with him A while after Lotharius wrought with Ranier and Lamhert sonnes of the late Count of Monts in Haynaut to make him a way for the re-entry upon the Kingdome of Loraine which the Almaines detained from him which was a cause that Otho to cut off his designes gave the Lower Loraine to Charles the brother of Lotharius to bring him thereby into his disaffection The King passed with his forces as farre as Aix where he thought to have surprised the Emperour who to requite him went before Paris from whence hee was notably repulsed whereupon they came to an accord and Loraine continued to Charles who then added to his Coate of Armes an Arme proceeding out of the clouds After the death of Otho King Lotharius falls againe upon Loraine which hee did not long enjoy because hee dyed immediately after Anno Domini 985. This Kings life was a meere blanke wherein no brave actions were inscribed for the example of posterity being a fruitlesse branch and the first that grew out of his stock excepting his sonne who derived from him no sap of vertue but was also barren in goodnesse Hee did so contemne his brother Charles whom his Father had left no portion but his favour thereby to increase his respect to his eldest brother so that the Emperour whose assistance hee desired undertooke the quarrell From whence this Note may be collected that there is no depending on the favour of Kindred who looke for much reverence and will doe no justice in rewarding desert which they rather contemne untill Vertue despis'd breeds open hatred But Charles ayded by the Emperour was undiscreete in his carriage for the ayde received from the Emperour made him to cleave too fast to the Germans and disclaime the French as if kindnesse had altered his nature and this change drew on the justly conceived hatred of the French and thereby overthrew his estate by carrying too open a shew of disaffection for the wrong done by his brother and righted by the Emperour Lastly as we said Lewis dyed but the remembrance of his Reigne survived to his disgrace and ignominy in succeeding ages leaving his sonne Charles to bee the last King of this second Race Lewis 5. the 35. King of France Anno 986. AFter the decease of Lotharius Lewis the fift his onely sonne succeeded to the Crowne Anno Domini 986 and was consecrated at Rheimes The Continuator of Aimoynus writeth that he reigned nine yeares as also another Chronicler call'd Hugh is of the same opinion Neverthelesse it may be proved by certaine testimonies that Lotharius dyed An. Dom. 985 to whom Lewis succeeded and that Hugues Capet began not to reigne before the yeare 987 or 988 so that it appeares that this could not reigne above two yeares and was enterred at S. Cornelius of Compeigne Moreover Glaber testifieth that Lewis married one Blanche which was brought him out of Aquitaine who finding him not a man left him and retired into her Country which makes a likelyhood of that which is written touching his death moreover that if she were Daughter to the Duke of Aquitaine that she by consequence must be Niece to Hugues Capet This Lewis dyed as many are of opinion in the same manner as his father did by the meanes of his Wife Blanch not leaving issue to succeed him Odoramus gave him the surname of Doe nothing because hee had no leasure to performe any thing memorable by the reason of the brevity of his Reigne Moreover whilest Charles Duke of Loraine was the next by right to succeede him as being
Church of God Keepe the good customes of thy Kingdome carefully abolishing those which are evill Impose no Taxes on thy Subjects but upon great occasion Favour those that feare GOD love Justice and hate Covetousnesse Let not thy Judges be impartiall against thy Subjects Keepe the Cities and Townes gotten by thy Predecessors preferre good and sufficient men to Benefices and Offices Be an Example to thy Subjects moderate the expences of thy Court and so God blesse thee These were the good instructions which this godly Monarch gave unto his Sonne for the leading of an upright life and to abandon all worldly delights and pleasures so as hee might both please God and be a patterne to his inferiours Philip 3. the 45. King of France Anno 1271. AFter the decease of S. Lewis Philip the third surnamed the Hardy his eldest sonne having beene proclaimed King in the Campe before Tunis in Africk tooke his journey in his returne through Italy directly to Viterbe to make an agreement betweene the Cardinals who in two years space were in a dissention upon the Election of a Pope Hee was Crowned at Rheimes by the Bishop of Soissons the thirtieth of August Anno Dom. 1271. He after incorporated the County of Tholouse to the Crowne upon the decease of the Count Alphonse his uncle He went to aide Gerard of Cassebonne his Subjects against the Counts of Armigna and Foix by reason whereof the Count of Foix submitted himselfe to his mercy He restored the Countrey of Navarre to the obedience of Ioane daughter of the late Henry King of Navarre deceased The King marryed Mary the daughter of Henry Duke of Brabant who was suspected to have poysoned Lewis the eldest sonne of the King by his first wife Isabelle of Aragon She was found innocent by the report of two Bishops who were sent to a Nunne or rather a Sorceresse to know the truth The yeare after Peter De la Bresche great Chamberlaine of France and superintendant of the Finances and affaires of the King was hanged being accused and convicted for having discovered the secrets of France to the King of Spaine together with the death of the Kings sonne Anno Domini 1282. the Sicilian Evensong were executed upon the Frenchmen upon an Easter day or as others report on the thirtieth of March or thirteenth of April whereupon Charles Uncle to the King offered battaile to Peter of Aragon the author thereof but he refused it Afterwards the King having caused Ioane the onely daughter of the late Henry King of Navarre to be marryed to his eldest sonne Phillip he marched with his Army for the Conquest of Aragon which by the Pope had been given to Charles de valois the second sonne of Philip who conquered the County of Russillon after that the City of Gennes And after that having in an Embuscado slaine the King of Aragon he forced the Towne of Gironne to be yeelded up He went to conclude his Fate at the Towne of Perpignan of a Malady which surprised him in his Campe Anno Domini 1285. the 6. of October This King as it appeares in the whole course of his life would engage himselfe in all businesses and was therefore called the Hardy but his desperate Father would not undertake his Neighbours quarrells nor seek to make betwene them any agreement unlesse it might be done by safe and quiet means The reigne of this King was much disturbed by the warres maintained by Peter and Roger for the Isle of Sicily and after much effusion of blood Charles dyed and also Peter though politicke could not deceive death but having received a great overthrow concluded his Act of life with griefe and sorrow At last this King was by Roger Admirall of Arragon friend unto Peter set upon him lying sicke a bed at Pepignan yet in extreamity he exprest a noble courage and with his sicke weake voyce so encouraged his Souldiers that Roger was droven out of Pepignan the City held by Philip so distempered with this alarum that he grew sicke and dyed the fifteenth of October two moneths after Peter Pope Martin the fourth dying the same yeare 1286. to shew great Princes that their chiefe designes are crost by death It was now decreed in a Counsell at Lions that the Cardinals meeting after the Popes death should not come out of that Conolme untill they had chosen the Pope which begun upon occasion of the tedious Election of the former Pope and the Decree is still observed Thomas Aquinas now dyed being a subtile disputer But Bonaventure John Duns called Scot and Gabriel Biel succeeded and were famous schollers And to conclude hee was a Prince borne for a testimony to that obscure age and for corrupted times to bee a patterne to all Kings and Princes of religion equity clemency wisedome valour magnanimity patience and constancy to love piety justice order and peace to joyne the love of sanctity and modesty of manners with Armes and State Having shewed that it is very fitting for a King to be a good Christian a good warriour a good husband a good father a good governour a good Iustier and to know how to make war and peace That it is very necessary to joyne unto the Majesty Royall piety clemency and authority to gaine the low respect and obedience And lastly that the best guard and most assured revenew of a Prince is the love of his Subjects Thus he was worthy of that venerable name wherewith posterity hath justly honourd him being the Honour of vertue Philip 4. the 46. King of France Anno 1286. PHilip 4. surnaming himselfe The Faire King of Navarre succeeded his Father An. Dom. 1286. After that he had withdrawne his Army from Parpignan hee was crowned at Rheims the sixt of January He caused the Palace to be built at Paris at that time Edward King of England pretending to lead his Army to the aide of the Towne of Acre which the Saracens had now beleaguered made some incursions upon the Sea-townes of Normandy thinking to have surprised Rochell whereupon ensued the second Warre which the French had against the English Heere the French Writers shew themselves most shamefully partiall and false yet I am bound to follow my Authors they being of that Nation who notwithstanding their alliance with the Emperour Adolphus were valiantly repulsed as well by Charles of Valois where the Lord of St. John was taken as by Robert of Artois who gained the victory upon the fresh Army which Edmund brother to the King of England had led to Bayonne yea and the Count of Flanders who declared himselfe on the English party lost the battaile at Furnes against the Count of Artois who went to joyne forces with the French who besieged Lisle and the Lords of Mont Morency and Harcourt tooke the Towne of Dover The English perceiving that demanded a Truce which was converted to a peace by the Marriage of Madam Marguerite of France Daughter of King Philip with the King of England Afterwards the
Elizabeth of France the King having published a solemne running at the Tilt as is before mentioned the King would needes be one of the Challengers and the second day of the Tourny being perswaded by the Queene and the Duke of Savoy to retire out of the Lists he desired to runne once more against the Earle of Montgomery who first refused but afterward runne and upon the Kings Helmet broke his Lance and with a splinter thereof his Beaver being somewhat open strikes him so deepe in the eye so that he dyed in his house at Tournells in the 44. yeare of his age The day before his death he would have the Duke of Savoy and the Lady Margaret his sister marryed in his Chamber His heart was interred in the Celestines Church in the Duke of Orleans his Chappell His Character was good but hee was formerly voluptuous and permitted himselfe to be abused by his Officers selling Lawes and his authority For such Kings are but pictures of Princes without life all power remaining in the subject to the oppression and wrong of the Land Francis the 2. and 60. King of France Anno 1559. THis Francis King of Scotland by Mary Stuart his wife at the age of fifteene yeares and five Moneths succeeded his father Henry and was Crowned at Rheimes September 1559. by the Cardinall of Loraine Arch-Bishop of that See after his Coronation he went to conduct his Brother in law the Duke of Loraine and the Dutchesse Claudia his sister as farre as Barle Duke from whence hee returned into France and sojourned for a while in the City of Blois where he reformed some abuses of those that followed his Court. In the meane time this President Minard was slaine in his owne House returning from Court This murther was a cause that it was forbidden to carry trucheons and weapons The Counsellor of Bourg was burnt for his Religion The King having made preparations sent the Lord of Martigues into Scotland for the suppression of some Scots who upon pretext of Religion were in Armes during which time Mary of Loraine Dowager of Scotland deceased At the same time also certaine Gentlemen of France being assembled in Armes neare the City of Amboise where the King was attended by the Cardinall of Loraine and his brother the Duke of Guise were discovered in a certaine enterprise which they pretended to be for the publicke good and for the dispossessing of some strangers usurpers of the Kings authority and Kingdome contrary to the ancient authority of the three Estates of France and also for making some remonstrances to the King concerning Religion for which many were executed to death amongst whom the Baron of Castelnau was one At that time the Chancellour Oliver deceased in whose place and dignity was instituted Monsieur de'l Hospital Shortly after the King went to Orleans there to settle himselfe where he fell sicke of an Apostume in his left eare whereof he dyed the foureteenth of September Anno Domini 1560. having reigned about eighteen months and twenty dayes and lyes interred at S. Denis The Protestants were very much persecuted in this Kings reigne and there were foure prisoners of especiall note Castelnau Villemongis Campagnac and le Picard who cryed out against the Chancellor that had signed the sentence of their deaths who thereupon fell suddenly sicke and when the Cardinall of Loraine came to visit him cryed out O Cardinall thou hast damned us all While the King lay dangerously sicke the Queene mother intending to support the Guisans called the King of Navarre into her closet to whom as he was going a Lady of the Court said My Lord deny the Queen mother nothing that she shall demand else you are dead whereupon he signed what shee desired and thereby obtained her favour Afterward the King dyed of Catarch and a Feaver the 14. of December whose seeds of vertue lay hid in his nature and were not discerned onely some shewes of courtesie modesty and continency were in his younger yeares apparent and rherefore his death was not much lamented but of such as in his nonage possessed usurped estates After his decease the Prince of Conde turned the streame of affaires To give a briefe Character of this King and his reigne he was a picture of Majesty drawne in raw colours being young in yeares and judgement governed by his Mother and his wives Uncles The Princes of Blood were in his reigne not regarded power and might prevailed in Court and the Clergy sought protection from the disturbers of France The Nobility were ingaged in warres and the people divided in matters of Religion and in the Court factions were maintained this was the face and complexion of those times miseries incident to the minority of Princes Charles the 9. and 61. King of France Anno 1560. THis Charles the ninth at the Age of thirteene succeeded his Brother Francis Hee pursu'd the enterprises of his Predecessor for his State affaires which were begunne the eighth of December ' Anno Domini 1560. at Orleans and and afterward finished at Pontoise Angust and September following Anno Domini 1561. At that time hee assembled the Prelates of France at Possi to a Nationall Counsell The January following it was permitted to the Hugnenots to make their exercises and Sermons out of the Cities Whereupon ensued great troubles warres and slaughters of great Lords and personages as of the King of Navarre who was slaine before Rouen and in the battaile of Dreux which was given the 19. of March Anno Domini 1562. the Martiall of St. Andrew and the Duke of Guise were slaine before Orleans A while after the Towne of Haure de Grace was recovered which had beene before yeelded to the English The King at the Parliament at Rouen being declared Mayor after an Edict of Pacification made went to visit his Kingdome Anno domini 1564. and went to meet his sister the Queene of Spaine at Bayonne where great magnificences were parformfd After having visited the Gascogne Guienne and Poitou he came to Moulins where he made many excellent Ordinances The second civill warre sprung up wherein after that the King had made an escape out of Meaux the battaile of St. Denis was fought wherein the Constable was wounded which was a cause of another Pacification by reason of the siege of Chartres which was broken by the third intestine warre which continutwo yeares space during which the ed battaile of Iarnac was fought wherein the Prince of Conde was slaine and another battaile at Montcontour After which another Edict of Pacification was made Anno Domini 1570. Afterwards the King marryed the Lady Elizabeth of Austria daughter to the Emperour Maximilian Also the marriage of the King of Navarre was celebrated Anno Domini 1573. and the 24. of August the same yeare the Admirall was slaine in Paris with a great number of the Hugoueotes and Rochelle was besieged Then a fourth pacification by the election in Poland of the Duke of Aniou brother to the King was
he seemed borne fitter to lead an Army than governe a Kingdome in Justice and peace by reason of his insolence and lubricity for which the great and powerfull men of his Kingdome enforced him having already reigned three yeeres to flye into the Kingdome of Thuringia there to expect the issue of his fortune But before his departure his friend Vidomare or as others report Guiemans gave him his word and promise breaking a peece of Gold betweene them the King keeping the one halfe and he the other advising the King that hee should boldly returne when he should receive the other halfe from him Hereupon the French chose in his place Gilles or Gillon Governour of Soissons under the Romans who reigned as King 8. yeares in the end whereof Chilperic was re-appealed by Vidomare who had so dexterously carried himselfe that Gilles himselfe wrought his owne ruine hatred which the French conceived against him Chilperic hereupon endeavouring the recovery of his Kingdome gained a great battaile against his Enemy Agrippina which the French surnamed Coloyne But in his returne hee sought an ill requitall to so good a friend and Host the King Basin of Thuringia because hee tooke away with him Basins Wife and Queene carrying her with him into France and of her begat Clovis Trithemius the Abbot saith that the Dutchies and Counties were erected and instituted by Chilperic in France who distributed them to those of his blood But it is more apparent that the French comming into Gaule retained onely the generall policy which the Romans had there planted with the nominations of the Dutchies and Counties which denominate no more than Provinces generall or subalterne The Bretons of Gaule Armorick under him tooke their beginning Anno Domini 460. as also the Roman Empire ceased in the West Anno Dom. 477. Chilperic breathed his last in the 24. veare of his Reigne about the yeare 484. The first part of Chilphericks Life and Reigne was much disgraced by his vicious government and his owne actions oppressing his Subjects and for his lusts satisfaction abusing their Wives and Daughters but afterward being awak'd by affliction and touch'd with the sense of his former wrongs he changed his course of Life and tooke pleasure onely in goodnesse by his conversion gaining the affection of the French Thus Affliction doth instruct not destroy a minde capable of Reason for as Winter stormes kill not the Tree but keepe downe the wanton sappe which ascending in the Spring makes it more fruitfull so by adversity and misfortune the minde is somewhat opprest but by vertue it is reviv'd and brings forth fruite of new conversion and being dead unto former vices lives onely to goodnesse as this King who in the last part of his life conquer'd his desires and tryumph'd in that noble Victory Clovis 5. King of France and the first Christian King of that Nation Anno 485. THis Lovis or Lewis came to the Crowne Anno Dom. 485. at the age of 15. He surmounted through his magnanimity the glory of his predecessors and wee must ascribe the true entry of the French into Gaule to him according to the affirmation of Gregory of Tours Aymoynus Ado and the Modernes For by the overthrow by him given to Siagrius Count of Soissons sonne of Gilles the Roman he reduced the County to the subjection and Lawes of the French and so abolished that small power and command which the Romans at that time had formerly in those parts of Gaule 537. yeares after it had beene subjected to the Roman Empire by Iulius Caesar. After that he espoused Clotilda daughter of Chilperic one of the Kings of Burgundy and being in the tenth yeare of his reigne he compelled the Thuringians to receive and acknowledge his Lawes Hee obtained the day at Tolbiac against the Almaines reducing their Kingdome into a Province and Dukedome at his returne he became a Christian in the 15. yeare of his reigne and altered his Coate of Armes Neare unto Dijon hee overthrew Gondenbault his wives uncle and in the 25 yeare of his reigne hee slew with his owne hands in a battaile Alaric King of the Visigoths who was an Arian and drove them out of Gaule and by that meanes hee submitted to his Kingdome the Countrey of Angolesme Bourdelois Perigort Quercy Rovergue Albi Auvergne and Tholouze nothing remaining unconquered of Gaule but Provence and a part of Languedoc Afterwards being honoured with a Patriciall dignity by the Emperour Anastasius he removed himselfe to Paris where he established the Regall seat of his Kingdome Others affirme that in defiance and despite of all his greatest friends and kinsemen who at that time commanded a great part of France siezing their Estates and Lordships prevented a disturbation of his estate like to ensue He reigned 30. yeares and lyes inhumed and St. Peter and St. Paul now called St. Genovesue yeelding his last breath Anno Domin 513. leaving foure Children Childebert King of Paris Clodomire of Orleance Clotharius of Soyssons Theodoricke a bastard sonne of his K. of Metts and two daughters besides that sonne which was slaine in the wars The Kingdome that was in its infancy of growth was twice mangled and dismembred In the time of this warre there came a messenger that brought the King tydings how that one of his sonnes was dead upon the receipt of which newes he presently tooke the Crowne from off his head and fell into a heavy and melancholly passion insomuch that for the time he was quite bereaved of his naturall sence which the messenger seeing added this to his former tale that his sonne dyed victoriously hearing of which words he revived and tooke up the Crowne and set it againe upon his Head and so rested satisfied When Richar Duke of Cambray a man of bad conditions and lewd life was by the King taken prisoner and put to death being betraied by the treachery of his Barons they imagining as Seneca saith that Prosperum ac faelix scoelus virtus vocatur That fortunate Treachery should be esteemed vertuous piety and being not content with certaine richly guilt Corcelets of Copper which the King had formerly sent them to procure the effecting of the aforesaid Treason they complained unto him that they were but badly recompenced He answered The gift of your lives is a sufficient reward for Traytors who deserve torments rather than preferments for betraying their Lord Master Your lives which I suffer you to enjoy is no small benefit and favour For Kings though they seeme to allow Treason cannot love the Traytor The Traitors thus upbraided with their wicked nesse and condemned by their conscience slunke away from his presence Childebert the sixt King of France Anno 514. CHildebert the eldest sonne of Clovis succeeded in the Kingdome of Paris which was the Regall Seate of the Monarchy of France Anno Domini 514. Upon his undertaking the government he was by his Brothers instigated and his Mother Clotilda to the revenge of the death of his
possessor of the whole Monarchy of France put all the children of Theodoric to death except Merovaeus who was his youngest sonne Afterwards he punished Brunehault according to her deserts and demerits and he instituted his sonne Dagobert King of Austrasia against whom this man was much incensed for the death of his brother Rodoald but hee was reconciled into favour by the Marriage of Cometrude Sister of his last Wife Clotharius having largely revenged himselfe upon the Saxons who had revolted and wounded Dagobert daring that that were without the reach of his Sword deceased the 45. yeare of his age and of his reigne 37. An. D. 632. leaving Dagobert by his first Wife and Aribert by the second Brunehault before mention'd having caused many murders and mischiefes was by her owne souldiers yeelded up to Clotayre and by the chiefest persons of his Dominions condemned to bee tyed to the tayle of a wilde Mare and drawne through a stony rough Countrey being thereby torne in peeces and dying many deaths in one death yet St. Gregory in certaine Letters commends her piety and wisedome for many Temples were by her builded and endowed while in the Temple of her soule shee sets up Altars to murder and whoredome Dagobert the 11. King of France Anno 632. DAgobert being possessed of the Crowne Anno Dom. 632. notwithstanding the oppositions of Brunulph Vncle and governour of Aribert he assigned him the Countries of Aquitan and Guienne for his maintenance whereunto he gave the stile and title of a Kingdome and bounded it with the River Loire and the Pyrenian Mountaines After that he laboured to polish his Kingdome administring justice to every man In the ninth yeare of his reigne which was the third yeare after the decease of his Father he captivated himselfe to vices and voluptuousnesse in such sort that hee grew infamous although hee seemed much devoted to the Abby of St. Denis which he caused to be built and enriched it with the pillaging of other Churches In the interim King Aribert deceased the seventh yeare of his reigne leaving a sonne called Chilperic who survived him but few dayes of whose death Dagobert was strongly suspected Hee immediately united the Kingdome of Aquitan to the Monarchy of France and dismembred the Dukedome of Almania into divers parts as Munster affirmes Hee released the Saxons of a yearely Tribute of five hundred Cowes which they payed to those of Austrasia upon condition that they should keepe the Sclavonians out of the Dominions of France After this hee crowned his sonne Sigisbert King of Austrasia But because that in the 12 yeare of his reigne Clovis or Lewis was borne by his wife Nentilde he confirmed the kingdom of Austracy upon Sigisbert and designed the occidentall part of his Kingdome called Neustria together with that of Burgundy to his sonne Clovis At that time Radulphe Duke and governour of Thuringia for King Dagobert would needes oppose himselfe against Ansigise Maire of the Palace of Austracy and make himselfe King but in vaine Afterwards Dagobert combated victoriously the rebellious Gascognes and intending as much to the Bretons Iudicael did him homage for his Kingdome Lastly he deceased with a Flux the 19. or as others affirme the 29 of Ianuary Anno Dom. 647. sixteene yeares after the decease of his Father Hee lyes inhumedat St. Denis with this King dyed the splendour of the Kings of France and the power of the Maires of the Palace beganne to take a dangerous and pernicious roote The Character of this King may bee thus drawne He was better furnished with vertue than his education promised he strained the Kingdome by Iustice and brought it to moderation and obedience the state thereof beingtoo much slackned by his fathers lenity and as he had tun'd the government to yeeld a vertuous harmony he grew into the opinion of his Subjects by his affection to Piety which he made to shine most cleare and evident by building and enriching many Temples especially St. Denis honour'd since by being the constant Sepulchre where the Kings of France lye buried He banished also the Iewes out of his Territories But these resplendant vertues were darkened and disgraced by the foule sinne of Adultery whereby he grew infamous to his Subjects and Strangers and was so confirmed in this vice that Anand Bishop of Paris perswading his Conversion was therefore banished But his reason was awaked by Pepius constant reprehension to whom banishment being threatned yet he persisted and by a brave importunity neglecting his owne danger obtained of the King to bee mercifull unto himselfe and forsake his sinne such was the minde of this vertuous Prince to hearken to the words of a wise man which were spoken in season that ever after he was wary both of his words actions leavingan example of loyalty in a servant and of Reasons victory in a Prince Clovis aliâs Lewis 2. the 12. King of France Anno 645. THis Clovis or Lewis although he were the younger brother of Sigisbert whom some hold to have beene borne of a Concubine tooke the possession upon him of the Kingdomes both of France and Burgundy under the government of his Mother Nentilde and of Prince Aega Mayre of the Palace who shortly after dyed in whose place was substituted Ercembault kinsman to the late Dagobert by the mothers side In the meane time Pepin Mayre of the Palace of Austrasie dyed into whose office and place his sonne Grimoald would enter But perceiving himselfe to be opposed by a certaine Otho who formerly had had the government of Sigebert in his minority made a quarrell betweene him and Leuther Duke of Almaine who slew him After taking upon him the dignity of Mayre of the Palace hee matched his Sister Begga to the Duke Ansigise sonne of St. Arnulph by whom hee had Pepin Heristel Nentilde deceased Anno Dom. 651. as also her Favorite Flaveate did who was by Nation a Frenchman Constable of Burgundy and Wilebald Governour of Burgundy Trans-jurane by the reason whereof Ercembault governed solely the Kingdome until the King came to age Afterwards in the yeare 657 Sigebert perswading himselfe that he should have no issue adopted Childebert sonne of Grimoald Mayre of his Palace as his sonne but after having a son borne to him whom he named Dagobert at his decease hee left him to succeede under the charge of Grimoald who caused the Infant Dagobert to be transported into Scotland by Dudo Bishop of Poictiers there to be made a Monke and caused his owne sonne Childebert to be crowned King of Austrasie which caused the King Clovis accompanied with his Mayre Ercembault to give him battaile in which they were both taken and carryed to Paris where they dyed By reason whereof Clovis instituted his second sonne Childeric King of Austrasie and appointed Walfroy for Mayre of his Palace After that there being a great famine Clovis tooke all the Plate and Treasure out of the Church of St. Denis and gave it to the poore and in recompence
the French tooke the townes of Niot S. John D' Angely and Rochelle leaving nothing of the Countrey of Guienne on this side the River Garonne unreduced to the obedience of the King Insomuch that all the Lords as well of Poicton as Lymosin and Perigort came to sweare him fealty and obedience Amaury also sonne to the Count of Montfort came to resigne into the hands of the King of France the right which his Father had left him in the Countries of Alby Languedoc Agenois Quercy and the County of Tholouze whom in recompence he made his Constable knowing him to be a man capable of such a charge The yeare following Richard Brother to the King of England besieged Rochelle but hearing of the comming of the French Army he passed over Dardonne with his forces and so into England to his brother The yeare following the King with the greatest part of his Nobility upon the encouragement of the Popes Legate addressed himselfe to goe against the Albigenses and Tholosans to encounter whom he led his Army and encamped on Witsun Eve before Avignon which he tooke passing further hee received the keyes of all the Townes Places and Castles of Languedoc as farre as within foure leagues of Tholouze where through the incommodity of the winter and maladies which much weakned his Army he retreated and wintered in France with an intent of returning thither the Spring following to accomplish his enterprize But his death prevented him at Montpensier in Avergne the twelfth day of November 1226. leaving Lewis Charles Alphonse and Robert his sonnes all very young and in their minority of yeares This King reigned but three yeares in whom Vice had struck no reproach nor Vertue had made him famous whereby it seemes that his minde was of a middle temper not so poore as to become impious or wicked nor so well bent and enclined to noble actions that hee would strive to get Fame by his owne vertue therefore he was onely famous in this That hee was Sonne to an excellent Father and Father to an excellent sonne In his reigne the Counsell of Lateran was assembled whither resorted all the chiefe Bishops of Christendome and Embassadours sent from Kings and Princes After Lewis had subdued the Albigeois and left Governour to suppresse any rebellion which should happen for the affection of conquerd people is treacherous who doe watch only an opportunity to revolt hee came to Mount Pensier in the yeare 1225. October the seventh and there resigned his life and Scepter leaving a faire progeny having foure sonnes who were flourishing Branches of the Royall stemme the eldest whereof was heire unto his Fathers Crowne but inherited more vertue than his Father gave him by naturall discent The Flemings were now much disquieted by an Imposture pretending that he was their Prince some were drawne to beleeve his claime untill by putting him to death the people were better satisfied and cleerely discerned that his right was meere fixion maintained by boldnesse as that Scene was wherein Parkin Werbecke in England plaid the same part S. Lewis 9. the 44. King of France Anno 1226. THis Lewis the 9. at the age of 12. yeares succeeded his Father An. Dom. 1226. Hee was consecrated at Rheims by the Arch-bishop of Sens in the absence of him of Rheims Blanch taking of possession of her sonne Lewis confirmed herselfe Regent of the Kingdome with the consent of the States whereupon the Princes in a rage proclaimed Philip Count of Bologne Unkle to the King by the Fathers side Regent of France which was a cause of great dissentions Shee brought through the sweetnesse of her words Robert Count of Dreux into the Kings obedience But the Duke of Bretagne and the Count of Champagne with the King of England were enforced to acknowledge the King on condition that the Breton should doe homage to the King for his Dutchy whereupon he was surnamed Mauclarke Hee having out-growne his minority Anno Dom. 1234. espoused Magaret the eldest Daughter of Raymund Berenger Count of Provence and after erected the Countrey of Artois into a County or Earledome which he gave to his brother Robert who was the first Earle thereof Hee made a voyage into the Holy Land where he tooke Damietta after hee had overthrowne the Mamelucks and from thence marching to beleaguer Massaure the plague grew amongst his Army which caused the Soldan of Aegypt to charge him so strongly that he was taken and most of his Army slaine neverthelesse hee was freed upon the re-delivery of Damietta About that time Blanch Mother to the King deceased which caused the King immediately to returne into France after he had composed all matters in Palestine Being returned hee studied to polish and embellish his Kingdome with good and holy Lawes Hee made an accord with the King of England who by that renounced all the right which hee pretended to the Kingdome of France and the Dutchy of Normandy About that time Charles brother to the King conquered both the Sicilyes whereof hee was crowned King An. Dom. 1266. The King Lewis made a second voyage for the recovery of the Holy Land together with the King of England Hee went first into Africke where he tooke Carthage and at the siege of Tunes hee departed this life Anno Domini 1270. Hee was canonized after his death for the holinesse of his life Hee founded the holy Chappell at the Palace at Paris wherein he placed many holy Reliques This King being asked by his Lords what Title of honour he would assume as the Roman Emperours and Kings of France in remembrance of their Acts and Victories had formerly done hee answered My greatest victory was obtained against the Devill when I was baptized in the Church of Poissi and therefore it shall be my greatest honour to be called Lewis of Poissi His familiar Letters wherein hee did not entitle himselfe King of France but Lewis of Poissi being blamed by a private friend hee said I am like a Twelfe-tide King chosen with a Beane and keeping his Feast in the Evening intimating thereby his Election to another Crowne in the Kingdome of Heaven which second Coronation should be in the Evening and end of his life Having caused a swearer and blasphemer to be branded on the lips with a hot Iron whereat the people murmur'd he said he would undergoe the same punishment conditionally that oaths and blasphemies might be no more used in his kingdom He sitting in Counsell or beginning any action would accordign to his Mothers instruction in his infancy blesse himselfe with the signe of the Crosse. And lastly he gave unto his son Philip these instructions at his death My Sonne love God with all thy heart with all thy strength and with all thy soule offend not God in any case suffer any torment rather than sinne Beare all adversity patiently acknowledging that God hath sent it unto thee deservedly Make thy Confession often to some Minister of the Church heare diligently the divine service sung in the
reigned but an yeare and an halfe thereby to make good the position of Philosophy Nullum violentum est aeternum for his government was violent and therefore could not long continue Enguerand accused by Charles Earle of Valois and made odious to the people by his oppression of them whereof they are onely sensible was made a Sacrifice and Hanged but after his execution the Earle of Valois fell into a languishing Consumption King Lewis Hutin dyed suddainly so that the people began to imagine that Enguerands unjust death was thus revenged on these Princes which change of their opinion shewes that it was rightly spoken what the people saies a foole speakes Therefore it is observeable that good Subjects may be unjustly afflicted that the people blinded by passion and discerning not the truth will undeservedly speake well and ill of the same Action and the same man And lastly that great men loving not to come to accompt may abuse their authority Philip 5. the 48. King of France Anno 1317. THis Philip the 5 surnamed The Tall the controversie of the right to the Crowne being not yet determined betweene him and his Neece Daughter to Lewis Hutin whom Eudes her Unkle upheld and maintained her right marched with 〈◊〉 Army every where compleate to Rheimes where hee made himselfe to be annointed King by the Arch-bishop of that See on the Feast of the Epiphany Anno Dom. 1317 and after returned to Paris Whither hee summoned Robert Count of Artois whom he forced to renounce the right which he pretended to that County whereof hee had Vi Armis by force and Armes taken possession to the prejudice of Mahaut his Wives Mother In the meane time Lewis Count of Neuers Sonne of Robert Count of Flanders entertained the Flemings to his utmost endeavours in a revolt against the King who because hee came not to render homage for the Counties which hee held in France was cited to answer for himselfe before the King and fayling in his appearance all his possessions were seized for the King In the end the said Lewis Count of Nevers came and submitted himselfe to the King and recovered his Countries After upon perswasion of the Popes Legate there was a peace concluded betweene the King and the Count of Flanders the 15. of May Anno Dom. 1320 insomuch that the said Count did homage for his Lands to the King of France and accorded that Lewis the sonne of Lewis of Nevers should marry Madam Marguerite the second Daughter of France upon condition that he should succeede to the County of Flanders after his Grandfather and Father About the same time the Marriage of Isabelle the third Daughter to the King with Guy the Dolphin of Vienna was treated who not long after succeeded his Father John in Dauphine The Eldest Daughter was before marryed to Odo Duke of Burgundy After that the King quitted all the actions against his Subjects which some of his Councell in abuse of his good nature had put upon and against them And as he was deliberating to have but one sort of weights and measures in one and the same species and also a certaine rate and value of monies a malady intercepted his designes by which hee ended his dayes the third of January An. Dom. 1322. He was a Prince of a tractable disposition and therefore easily corrupted inclined more to ill than good The chiefest thing worthy remembrance in his Reigne was that his bad servants presuming on his gentle Nature layd heavy taxations on the people who thereupon maintained and thus hee suffering his Authority to be abus'd by them shew'd that although hee were great and tall of stature yet hee had but little wit and understanding A Benedicting Priest and Monke pretentending a voyage to the East committed many outrages in the East with a multitude of people by them assembled and called themselves Shepheards untill they were defeated in Languedoc This Philip would have made one weight and measure throughout his Realme but it proved but an Eutopian conceite not to be maintained by Authority or Reason The Jewes which were formerly expelled and driven out of the Kingdome were now againe admitted but after they endeavoured to bring in an Artificiall Plague into the Kingdome by using the helpe of Lepers some were grievously punished and the rest banished out of France Lastly this Kings five yeares Reigne was Rasa Tabula a blanke Table wherein Fame hath written no Royall action Charles 4. surnamed the Faire the 49. King of France Anno 1322. CHarles the 4 Count of Marche brother to Philip the Tall and to Lewis Hutin came by the same Law to the Crowne as his brother Philip had done who left no issue Male to inherit He was crowned the twelfth of February Anno Dom. 1322. He was severe in Justice giving every man his right desirous that all should be guided and governed by the Lawes and Authority of Magistrates Following that Norme he caused Jordan of L'Isle a great Lord to be attached who upon accusations of infinite enormities was attainted and convicted wherefore hee was hanged although hee had marryed the Neece of Pope John 22 and as others are of opinion his Step-mother About that time deceased Lewis Duke of Nevers the eldest son of Robert Count of Flanders who dyed immediately after By which occasion Robert the younger sonne of the said Robert Count of Flanders entred into a difference with his Nephew Lewis sonne of the Count of Nevers Hereupon the cause was pleaded in the Court of Parliament which proved of no validity to the good of the Nephew Then began the Warres betweene the English and French Anno Dom. 1324 upon the occasion that the Lord of Montpesac would to the Kings prejudice fortifie a Castle in Gascogne upon the borders of France Whereupon the King sent Charles of Valois his Unkle who so happily acquitted himselfe of his charge that hee recovered into the Kings powers all the Townes and strong holds in Burgundy which are beyond the River Garonne except Bourdeaux Bayonne and S. Senes Afterwards having obtained a Truce of the English he dyed in December An. Dom. 1325 as also the King deceased at Bois de Vincennes the first of March leaving Madame Joane de Eureux his wife great with Child who afterwards in the Moneth of April 1328. was delivered of a Daughter called Blanche Hee was the first King that ever permitted to the Pope the Decimations of the Churches of France This King reigned sixe yeares being wise temperate and just three chiefe vertues in a Prince but unhappy in his progeny Assoone as he was annointed he held a great Sessions in Paris to heare complaints and caused many Gentlemen to be punished in which number was one Jourdain of Lisle a Gascon who being Nephew to Pope John the 22 had beene pardoned for eighteene capitall crimes and yet still grew more impious former mercy making him presume more of pardon untill at last he was taken and brought to Paris
Horsemen ran themselves upon the sharpe poynted stakes At last the French maine Battaile was put to flight and then King Henry gave thankes unto God the giver of all victoryes This Battaile was famous triumphant and fortunate the successe whereof was celebrated with great joy at the Kings returne into England Princes being then most amiable as well as private men in the sight of their subjects when Fortune smiles on their attempts and Victories such as this was at Poictiers makes their vertues more apparant Afterward Truce being made with the French and by them broken hee invades France againe and takes the Towne of Harflew in Normandy and Cane Then proceeding in his Conquest of Normandy takes Fallais after a long siege and Articles of agreement confirmed by the King he besieges also Roane and the Lady Katharines Picture was sent to King Henry to move him to pitty Roane Hee grants them peace and receives of the Burgesses of Roane 356000. Crownes of gold upon the sixteenth of June Anno Domini 1418. Afterward many Townes were surrendered to Henry At last a peace was concluded betweene King Henry and King Charles and the Duke of Burgogne Afterward Henry goes in person to Trois where he was met by Iohn King of France the Queene and the Lady Katharine to whom hee was contracted and by their marriage peace was established in France and the Crowne of France was entailed to England and the Subjects of France were sworne to duty of allegeance unto King Henry as also the two Crownes of England and France were united and confirmed to King Henry by his marrying the Lady Katherine for marryages have alwayes beene the happy conclusions of Tragicall Warres as may appeare by happy marriage Afterward the French growing rebellious King Henry besieges Paris and takes it Bicardy afterward sweares fealty and obedience to King Hen. Matters being setled all the Warres was concluded with joyfull Solemnities at the marriage of King Henry and the Lady Katharine with whom he returned afterward into England where every Subject exprest his love and loyalty to him each one contending who should be the forwardest for the entertaining of so Noble and victorious a Prince and his most Royall Consort Afterward King Henry being at the siege of Meaux his wife was delivered of Henry of Munmouth his last joy on earth for not long after sickning at at Melum and his malady encreasing at Bois De vincennois hee cheerefully rendred his Soule to GOD who received him to immortall joy where he remaines Crowned with Caelestiall glory while his body being conveyed into England was with all pompous Celebrity interred in the Church at Westminster where on his Tombe are ingraven these Verses Dux Normanorum verus Conquestor eorum Haeres Francorum decesset Hector eorum Here Normans Duke so stil'd by Conquest just True heire of France great Hector lyes in Dust. Charles 7. the 54. King of France Anno 1422. AFter the decease of Charles the 6 Charles 7. his sonne began to style himselfe King of France notwithstanding that his Father had dis-inherited him and given it to Henry King of England In the beginning of his Reigne having made Count Arthur brother to the Duke of Bretagne High Constable of France sent him against the English who in a manner were Masters of all France and had now beleaguered Orleans contrary to their promise made to their Duke who at that time was prisoner in England whereupon the King sent the Count of Dunois the Bastard of Orleans Pothon Hire all valiant Commanders to relieve it At that time the French lost the Battaile of Harens whereupon the King being enraged and not knowing which way best to betake himselfe was encouraged by Joane the Maid who miraculously drove the English from before Orleance and having recovered many lost Townes and gained the battaile neare Patay and conveyed the King to be crowned at Rheims but upon a Sally which she made out of Champagne upon the English she was taken and put to death at Rouen In the end a peace being made betweene the Duke of Burgundy and the King of France they first drove the English out of Paris nineteene yeares after their enjoying it into which the King made his entry the twelfth of November Anno Domini 1437 to equall which there presently ensued the Praguery Faction The quarrells also of the Houses of Orleance and Burgundy were extinguished by the Marriage of Charles Duke of Orleance with Mary of Cleue neare to the Duke of Burgundy The English also lived promiscuously with the French but the Truce being broken by an English Captaine who took in the Castle of Fougeres the King imployed his uttermost to quit France of all the English and thereupon hee to this designe appointed his Franc-archers or Boemen and began with Normandy which he reduced wholly to his obedience after that Guienne and the Citty of Bourdeaux insomuch that the English could retaine nothing on that side the Seas but Cales and the County of Guiennes The King enjoying this repose of peace was much troubled with the absence of the Dauphin who for sixe yeares had betaken himselfe to the Duke of Burgundy and thence into Brabant where hee remained till his Fathers decease which was the 22. of July Anno Dom. 1461. This King being unfortunate in his Warres grew so behind hand both in fame and estate that amongst other afflictions hee was burthened with reproach and poverty so that he dined in his Chamber attended on by his houshold servants where Pothon and la Hire comming to Chusteandun to require succours found him at Table with a Rumpe of Mutton and two Chickens He was reproached for the love of faire Agnes but the History of St. Dennis reports that hee loved her onely for her pleasing behaviour eloquent speech and beauty and that he never used any lascivious action unto her nor never touched her beneath the chinne Joane a Virgin or rather Witch professing that she had a Revelation how to succour the King and chase the English from Orleance was brought by the Lord of Baudie Court Provost of Vancoleurs to Chinon attired like a man The King takes upon him the habite of a Countryman yet shee goes directly to the King although they told her shee was mistaken Shee had Armes and Horse given her with a Troope to enter the City accompanied by the Admirall and Martiall of France Shee comes to Orleance they rejoyce to behold the Maiden Warriour whereupon Joane sends threats to the English by Letter subscribed Vnderstand these Newes from God and from the Virgin Orleance was assaulted by her counsell The Virgin entred the Fort first crying Montjoy St. Dennis the Fort is wonne The English grew amazed at the Virgins exploits In memory whereof a Monument was erected King Charles the seventh armed and Joane the Virgin armed kneeling on their knees before a Crucifixe of Brasse which is still to bee seene upon the Bridge at Orleance Lewis the 11. and 55.
King of France Anno 1461. LEwis the 11. departing out of Brabant being accompanyed with the Duke Philip of Burgundy and the Count of Charolois his sonne caused himselfe to be crowned King of France the fifteenth of August 1461. The Princes seeing themselves in contempt especially Mounsier Charles his brother who rose up in Armes against him under a pretensive colour for the common good giving him the famous battaile of Montlehery the fifteenth of Iuly Anno Domini 1463. The King for the dissipating of their forces following the advise of the Duke of Milan gave Normandy to his brother which afterwards by subtilties he withdrew from him againe But in the end hee was enforced by the Duke of Burgundy to give unto his brother Mounsier Charles the Counties of Champagne and Brie which hee afterward exchanged for the Dutchy of Guienne by this meanes to weane him from the Duke of Burgundy recalling all the Townes upon this side the River Somme and afterwards against his brother Charles for the withdrawing of the Dutchy of Guienne who immediately dyed not without suspition of poyson Afterwards he made a treaty of peace at Bouvines with the Dukes of Bretagne and Burgundy for the ensnaring of the High Constable S. Paul who had beene the prime sparke of all the dissentions after the battaile of Montlehery In the meane time the King works the Duke of Burgundy quite out with the Emperour Fredericke and with the Duke of Loraine working his ruine at the siege of Mus. Then he takes in many Townes of the Burgundion who had appealed to the English for aide with whom the King had already made a treaty of Piquigny by which Charles the Kings sonne was to marry with the daughter of England when they came to be of age which constrained the Burgundion to make his peace with the King and to deliver the High Constable into his power The Duke of Burgundy was slaine before Nancy leaving one sole Daughter Mary who was marryed to Maximilian the onely son of the Emperour Fredericke by reason whereof the King recovered all the Countrey upon the Somme together with the Dutchy and County of Burgundy But afterwards the Prince of Orange caused the Franch-Conite to revolt After this the King allyed himselfe to the Swisses and recovered the County of Provence from Renatus Duke of Aniou by way of Donation The K. afterwards having marryed his son Charles to the Lady Marguerite of Flanders hee surrendered his life the 30 of Aug. 1483. Hee said that Charles the sage might be a wise man in his Tiring-Chamber or Closet but in giving his youngest brother the Dutchy of Burgundy hee played the fooles part Being told after a battaile that his enemy Count Charolois did lodge in the field He replyed That he having neither Towne nor Castle must needes lodge in a field-bed It was his usuall saying That when pride walketh or rideth afore shame and dishonour like servingmen attend behind Being told that one of the Canons of the Church where hee had heard Masse was dead he gave the Prebendship to a Priest which lay sleeping in an adjoyning Chappell that hee should say afterward that his good fortune came unto him sleeping To a Gentleman that was ready to handle a rich Chaine of gold which a Captaine wore about his neck and was suspected to be made of the reliques of a Church he said Take heede how you touch that Chaine for it is a holy thing He said also that in regard of his troubles at the beginning of his reigne if by the expression of courage and experience he had not procured feare and reverence he might have beene ranked amongst the unfortunate Princes in the last Chapter of Boccace A rich Nobleman having builded a faire Hospitall he said That having made many poore for the Hospitall hee might justly make an Hospitall for the poore and so convert his sinnes into Almes-houses Hee would often say to his Noblemen that his sonne should learne no more Latine than Qui nescit dissimulare nescit regnare and that the government of the Kingdome and Common-wealth was his best study for other studies would too much soften his minde and Historicall examples unfortunate in their event and successe would discourage him from attempting brave Actions He said also that the Genowayes should not long remaine under his protection for he would bequeath them to the Divell Being advised to send an Embassadour that had many Dignities and Titles he said he is like a peece of Brachigraphy that hath many a Title but Learning very little Being told that the Gout haunted rich men that fared deliciously and wore fine cloathing he said hee would alwaies afterward weare cloathcloathes because the Gout should not take him for a rich man He could finde all things he said in his Kingdome and his Court except truth which was sicke in his fathers time and was now starke dead having before her death made no Confession to a Priest The Realme of France he said was a meddow which he did cut every yeere and as often as he listed He asking a meane fellow which knew not the King when he saw him what he gained by following the Court The fellow answered I get as much as the King that is maintenance while I live and a sheete when I dye He said that a curious ignorant man having a Library of faire Bookes was like a crooke-backt man having a Bunch on his backe whereby the deformity of the one the ignorance of the other was more discerned He made gold the engine of his actions saying that an Army of silver Launces doth usually winne the victory Great services he said through the arrogancy of the parties performing them or the neglect of Princes regarding them were often recompenced with hatred or ingratitude and therefore the bounty of Princes exceeding desert was more fortunate and happy than desert exceeding the bounty of Princes not enduring to be indebted or obliged Having felt the smart of the English warres he said the King of England was his Brother in his owne Countrey but hee did not like his company in France Having caused a faire goodly Tombe to bee made for the faire Lady Agnes the love of his late Father the Cannons of the Church desiring that the Monument might bee removed out of the heart of the Church into a side I le or Chappell he answered that their request was neither just nor reasonable neither would he suffer her Tombe whom his father loved to be violated After Monsieur Bussi was beheaded and buryed he caused the head to be digged up againe and placed on a wooden pole in the Market place and so being covered with a scarlet Cappe furred with Minivere in regard he had beene a Counsellour of the Parliament A suiter to the King for an Office bein denyed humbly thanked his Majestie who wondring at his moderate yet man-like spirit asked if he conceived a right of his answer yes said the Suiter and I thanke
Italy and obtaine great victories which fell out accordingly and in those Warres nothing was gained but a stinking contagious disease afterwards spred over all France and since then called the French Poxe After this King had ended his warres he builded a Castle at Ambois not knowing that instead of a stately Palace hee should end his life in a base and filthy Gallery He intending to reforme his life it chanced the seventh of April going after with the Queene into the Castle-ditches hee strooke his forehead against the doore of a Gallery whereas he meant to see a set at Tennis This blow driving him to the premeditation of his approaching end hee said to his Confessour that hee would never commit any mortall or veniall sin if he could avoide it which was a good reservation upon this protestation hee fell back ward into an Apoplexy wherewith he had beene troubled and dyed about 11. a clocke at night in a Chamber neare to a Gallery stinking with the urine which every one made as he passed through it being laid on a Matresse such as they could finde by chance In him the direct Line failed and the Crowne came to the Collaterall Line the nearest whereof was Lewis Duke of Orleance and Valois his Successor Lewis 12. the 57. King of France Anno 1499. THis Lewis the 12. succeeded according to the Custome of France to Charles the 8 who dyed without issue and was crowned the 27. of May. Hee repudiated the Lady Joane of France for her indisposition of conception and marryed the Lady Anne of Bretagne Widow to the late King Afterwards having made sure of Milan Genes and Lombardy by the taking of Ludovicus Sforza hee made an accord with the King of Spaine with whom hee conquered the Kingdome of Naples which was after lost by the French through the infidelity and perfidious treachery of the Spaniard Whereupon the King having yeelded his claime and part that he pretended to it unto Ferdinand King of Aragon in favour of the Marriage of Madame Germaine de Foix his owne Sisters Daughter and makes an agreement with the Pope against the Venetians against whom hee gained a battaile the 15. of May Anno Dom. 1509 without any assistance of the Truce Hee withstood the Pope who declared himselfe an Enemy to the French and he tooke many places in the Dutchy of Ferrara which gave an occasion to the Duke to recover what he had lost as also Gaston de Foix raised the Popes Army from before Bologna and relieved the City of Brescia which the Venetians had now beleaguered and having defeated their Army from thence he went to hazard his life before Ravenna having first wonne the field The Lord of Palisse was substituted in his place as Commanmander who sacked it Whereupon the Emperour and the Pope joyning with the English recovered many Townes upon the French and the Spaniard re-entered into the kingdome of Naples VVhereupon King Lewis being moved sent the Duke of Longueville with an Army to re-estate the King of Navarre into his Kingdome but hee was constrained to returne without any effect which was a cause that the King being desirous to re-enter his Dutchy of Milan accorded with the Spaniard and the Venetian and after sent the Lord of Tremoville with his Army into Italy whence he was beaten out by the Swisses In the meane time the King of England besieged Therouenne where was fought the battaile of Esperons after which King Lewis being a widower married with the Daughter of the King of England with whom hee having peace as he was in a preparation for an Army into Italy hee was prevented by death the first day of the yeare 1515. Hee was surnamed The Father of the people This King being instigated and perswaded by some of his familiars to take revenge on the Citizens of Orleance because when hee was Duke of Orleance and when Charles the 8. maintaining warres against him had compelled him to flye into Brittaine they had shut the gates of their City against him But he forgetting their former injury answered That being now King of France hee would not revenge injuries done to the Duke of Orleance Hee being told making warre then in Italy for the recovery of the Dutchy of Millaine that Agnadell was taken by his Enemies who had there taken up their lodging answered Then will I lodge upon their bellies or else they shall lodge upon mine Being advised to preserve his person from the shot of the great Ordnance he answered A rightfull King of France was never slaine with the shot of a Cannon Therefore let him that is affraid come behinde me Hee lying in Campe and a Souldier standing neare him being slaine with a Cannon shot and shewed unto the King hee smild and said He is but a little cold in his hands This King having commanded that a company of Foot-men should be levied of strong active men and at the day appointed a company of old Souldiers as appeared by scarres being presented unto him said These men as it seemes by their wounds were more willing to take than to give blowes Whereupon the Souldier replyed They were not valianter than we for they wounded us but we slew them To a Gentleman that boasted of his scarres and wounds in his face and desired the King to reward his service hee said Take heed hereafter of turning backe thy face when thou art flying from thy Enemy He being disswaded from making Warres on the Venetians being a wise and prudent people said Wee will set so many fooles upon them that shall beard them to the teeth that they shall not know which way to turne To certaine Embassadours of Greece that demanded succours against the Turke he objected this old Verse Barbara Graeca genus retinent quod habere solebant The Lords of the Parliament refusing to admit a Councellour for his ignorance and insufficiency though preferred by the King he asked them how many Councellours there were They replyed an Hundred Then said the King cannot you many wise men make one become wife A Courtier being wonder'd at for his great stature and accounted a Gyant the King said it is no wonder for his Mother tooke paines to make him and perhaps hee had many Fathers He told the Ladies of the Court that Hinds had at first Hornes as well as Harts but for their pride and rebellion against the Harts Nature offended therewith deprived them of their Hornes to shew that Wives should be obedient to their Husbands Hee told the Duke of Angolesme his sonne in law that a certaine Father and his son travelling towards a Towne the sonne said that now they were almost at the Towne but yet they afterward travelled untill it was night before they could get to the Towne whither being come the Father said to the Sonne Henceforth Sonne never say I am at the Towne till thou art past the Gates He said also that Asses were happier than Horses for Horses runne post to Rome to get
magnificently entertained A while after the City of Laon was besieged and yeelded up to the King and upon that Champagne and Picardy also submitted yea and the Duke of Guise The King being returned to Paris was stabbed in the face with a knife by a young desperate Student called John Chastel who for that fact was deservedly torne in pieces with wilde Horses the 29. of December The King being recovered of his hurt made Knights of the Holy Ghost in January 1595. After the City of Dijon submitted and in a manner all Burgundy Also the second generall Truce was published and in the interim the reconciliation of the Duke of Mayenne was wrought together with those of the Dukes of Toyeuse and Espernon In the beginning of the yeare 1596 the City of Marsilles was surrendred to the King and to the Duke of Guise Governour of Provence Hee also after eight Moneths siege tooke the Towne of La Fere in Picardy about mid May notwithstanding the resistance of the Spanish forces then under the Conduct of the Arch-Duke of Austria who came purposely out of Flanders to raise that siege At Rouen in a generall assembly of the Peeres of France the Alliance between him and Queene Elizabeth of England was renewed by Embassages extraordinary in October when the King received from her the Order of St. George aliàs the Garter as not long before the Order of the Chevalry or Knighthood of France was sent unto the Queen of England by Monsieur the Marshall of Bouillon Anno Domini 1599. the King made ordinary Knights of the Holy Ghost at Rouen which was never there done before at any other place than at Paris Not long after the Towne of Amiens was taken by the Spaniards and cruelly pillaged for the space of 5. daies and the French beaten out The King resolved upon a revenging siege and to that end caused it to be encompassed by Monsieur the Marshall of Biron and his Troops for the impeachments of all manner of supplies and the King in person the 21. of May marched towards the said siege of Amiens which after many furious assaults Sallies and Skirmishes was surrendred upon composition upon Thursday the 25. of September notwithanding that the Cardinall of Austria came even to the Trenches with an Army of 18000. foot and 2000 Horse with 18. Cannons for Battery but was valiantly beaten backe and intercepted of his designe of relieving the City and enforced to a shamefull retreate with the losse of a great part of his men The same yeare the Marriage of the King with Madam Margaret of France for many strong and lawfull causes was annulled and made void and by the Authority of Pope Clement the eight was so published The yeare 1600. the Marriage of the King was treated and concluded with the Lady Mary of Medicis Princesse of Florence Daughter of the late Great Duke of Tuscany Francis of Medicis and of Joane of Austria Daughter of the Emperour Ferdinand and in May shee in her owne Countrey was proclaimed Queene of France The 13. of June 1602. Charles Duke of Biron and Lord High Marshall of France being come to Fontainbleau was arrested upon high Treason by the Kings command and from thence conveyed to the Bastile at Paris Hee was convicted by his Peeres for attempts against the Kings Person and State and upon the Munday before being the 29. of July hee was adjudged to lose his head with the confiscation of his goods and the land of Biron deprived for ever of being a Dutchy and Pairy of France and was reunited to the Crowne It was pleaded against him Qui nec virtute nec fide prodest prosit exemplo He that can never profit by his vertue nor his loyalty must profit by his example and thereupon he was condemned and put into the said Bastile whither the Chancellour comming to pronounce the sentence of death against him hee shaked the Chancellour by the Arme saying You have judged me and God will absolve me hee will lay open their iniquities which have shut their eyes because they would not see my innocency You my Lord shall answer for this injustice before him whither I doe summon you within a yeare and a day I goe before by the judgment of men but those that are the cause of my death shall come after by the judgment of God Afterward he said I see well that I am not the most wicked but I am the most unfortunate Those that have done worse than I would have done are favoured the Kings Clemency is dead for me He doth not imitate Caesar nor Augustu or those great Princes who not onely pardoned the intention of doing ill but the Act and wherein can the King shew himselfe greater than in pardoning Clemency is a Kingly vertue every one may give Death but it belongs onely to Soveraignty to give life But the Chancellour told him that a condemned man must not dispute against his Judgment whereupon the Duke of Biron delivered up the Kings order Afterward the Chancellour said that hee had brought two Divines to comfort him and prepare him for death but the Duke said That he was already prepared and that his soule was in such tranquillity as the night before hee had spoken with God Within few daies after he was beheaded and his body interred by night in the Church of S. Paul The yeare 1604. the King was advertised that one Nicholas l'Hoste Secretary of State discovered to the King of Spaine from whom he received an annuall Pension to that end the secrets and affaires of the State upon the notice taken L'Hoste put himselfe in flight for his owne safety but he was so closely followed and pursued that he was enforced to hide himselfe in the River of Marne where he dyed through cold and feare His body being found was condemned to bee drawne in peeces with wilde horses and the foure quarters to be set upon foure wheeles at foure gates of Paris The yeare 1610. there were taken out of the Arsenal of Paris Fifty great Gunnes with store of Munition of powder and shot and great numbers of Souldiers were leavied The King intended shortly after to enter into his Army but he would first see his Queene should bee crowned at St. Denis which was performed with great solemnity But the next day after this Magnificence and pompe of the Queenes Coronation this great King was on Friday the 14. of May 1610. about foure in the afternoone most trayterously murthered in his Caroch with two stabbs with a knife neare the region of his heart passing in the Streete of the Ferronery neare the Charnells of the Innocents Church-yard by Francis Ravaillac borne in Angolesme His Obsequies were performed the three dayes following the 21 22 23. of June with infinite teares and lamentations and after many funebriall solemnities his Corps was conducted to St. Denis where it remaineth interred He lived fifty sixe yeares and thirty one daies Hee reigned in Navarre Thirty seven yeares eleaven
conditions But Sigisbert was an honourable and a vertuous Prince Cherebert dyed according to the report of Sigebert and the Chronicles of France in the ninth yeare of his reigne without issue or any notable memory worthy a King which was a cause of great controversie betweene his brothers concerning the succession which in the end proved a warre which according to Paulus Aemilius was of a long continuance neverthelesse although Gregory of Tours and Aimoynus have very confusedly spoken of that warre without designing or remarking the time that it begunne nor what time Cherebert dyed yet Gregory allowes that there was a sharing of the Kingdome According to whose Relations Tours Poitiers and Aniou fell to Sigisbert but what partsbefell to the others is not mentioned expressely but onely this that Chilperic obtained a part of Normandy with Rouen Gontran Berry Perigueux and Gascony But each of them kept his part in the City of Paris and promised each to other that after their departure thence no one of them after that would enter into it againe without the consent of the other two This Cherebert dyed at Blaye neare Burdeaux An. Dom. 573. and was buried at St. Romanus of Blaye Gontran Sigisbert and Chilperic were during their lives in contention untill such time as their brother Sigisbert was slaine by two Souldiers who were put upon that action by Fredegunde the wife of Chilperic who was besieged in Tournuy by Sigisbert who not long before was acknowledged as King at Paris This King was enchanted with the cuppe of pleasure whereof hee dranke deep thereby committed many violent acts for nulla capitalior pestis quà m corporis voluptas hominibus à natura data est unlawfull sinfull pleasure is the cause of all plagues And therefore Diogenes told Alexander that hee had alwaies pleasure enough while Alexander had never enough pleasure and therefore he did not desire the insatiate pleasures of a King and a King could not enjoy his pleasures But this pleasure doth bewitch all the World especially the sensible and rationall man onely the spirituall mind can flye a higher pitch account all the delights of this world but like the golden trappings of the Asse that is made brave to carry greater burthens Chilperic the ninth King of France Anno 577. CHilperick having reigned Nine yeares at Soissons and seeing himselfe raised from a meane to a higher degree of his fortune by the death of his Brother Sigisbert departed from Tournay to Paris where having beene received as lawfull King Anno Domini 577. dispatched his sonne Merovaeus with an Army for the reducing of the Countries and Cities scituated upon the River Loire but he instead of that service went directly to Rouen where by the advice of the Arch-bishop Praetextatus he married Brunehault the Widow of the foresaid Sigisbert Whereupon his father was enraged and after having dispersed the forces of the said slaine Sigisbert which came and assaulted him neare Soissons he shut up Merovaeus in a Monastery at Mans and afterwards sent his other sonne into Guienne for the recovery of whatsoever had beene in Sigisberts possession from whence he was repelled by Patrice Mumole King Gontrans Lieutenant In the meane time Merovaeus who was somewhat nettled and had betaken himselfe to Brunehault is constrained to flye into Austrasie from whence being also expelled was put to death and Praetextatus confined to perpetuall Exile After this Chilperick enforced Waroch Count of lower Bretagne to acknowledge vassallage unto him An. Dom. 584. On the other side Childebert who laboured to recover Marsiles which his brother Gontran detained from him made peace with his Uncle Chilperic who on his behalfe with all his forces fell upon Guienne tooke Lymosin Perigueux and Agenois and as he was very desirous to follow his fortune upon Bourges he was stayed by the Army of Gontran with whom he made peace Not long after Chilperic perceiving too amorous passages of his Wife Fredegund with Landry Mayre of his Palace to take away the occasion of his resentment they caused him that night to bee murthered as hee returned from Hunting in the Moneth of September in the 23. yeare of his Reigne leaving one sonne named Clotharius foure Moneths old Whilst the Daughter of Chilperic was in her journey to be marryed to the second sonne of the Visigoths she was stripped ransacked and robbed of her treasure and jewells and sent backe againe An. Dom. 586. Helyeth interred at St. German de prez The occasion of his murther was the discovering of Fredegunds affection to Landry for thinking to give his Wife a morning-salutation hee came booted into her Chamber before hee went to Hunting and finding her kembing her haire which lay spread over her face drew neare without speaking and with his riding-wand in jest touch'd the hinder part of herhead she taking the King for Landry who had free accesse for secret visits said In my judgment Landry a good Knight should alwayes strike before and not behind whereupon perceiving that it was the King who by those words had discovered her minde while the King was gone a Hunting plotting the death of Fredegund and Landry they contrived his death and by murtherers by them hired the King accompanied onely with his Page was killed as he return'd from the Chace Clotharius 2. the tenth King of France Anno 586. THis Clotharius the second of that Name at the age of foure Moneths An. Dom. 586 succeeded his Father under the tuition of his Uncle Gontran who confirmed Landry Mayre of the Palace and constituted him his Lieutenant Generall of the Kingdome and retained Paris to himselfe with all the dependances of the Kingdome of Cherebert the late King Gontran dyed in the 33. yeare of his Reigne Anno Dom. 595 having before instituted for his Heire by will Childebert King of Austrasia his Nephew who lost the Battaile at Soifsons against Fredegund for the Guardianship of his Cousin Clotharius As also foure yeares after or thereabout Childebert being deceased Brunechilde who had the tuition of Theodobert and Theodoric her yong sonnes lost the battaile against her neare Muret. Fredegund in the end dying the two Kings of Austrasia and Orleans being vexed at the Ambushments of Clotharius gave him battaile neare unto Sens and Estampes and left him no more than twelve Counties of his whole Kingdome Theodoric as victorious and tryumphant enters Paris After that Theodoric having his hands full of his other brother and before that he would undertake any Warre against him accorded with this his brother Clotharius that hee would give him the Dukedome of Denthelin and other parts which hee had taken from him on condition that he would be a Neuter betweene them But hee having intelligence of the death of Theodobert who was slaine neare Cologne in the 17. yeare of his Reigne enters immediately upon those promised Countries Theodoric being very desirous that he should let goe his hold was impoisoned by Brunehault Clotharius remaining now sole peaceable
to Caroloman Austrasia to Giles being more hardy France and Giles given to devotion hee made Bishop of Roan and Griffon being of a turbulent dispotion had no portion but was enforced to depend on his brothers whereby the ambition of many brothers reigning together was prevented Fame doth report that this Monarchy nor any forraigne State did ever yeeld a worthier man or any one so well accomplisht with so rare and goodly qualities being greatly admired and generally beloved for his pious and renowned actions For Religion Wisdome Justice Valour modesty in prosperity resolution in adversity temperance in Authority diligence and good fortune made him a most compleate Prince not wanting any endowments fit for so high a calling and the example of vertuous perfection for Vertue is the highest perfection of Nature beyond which humane frailty cannot reach Pepin the short the 23. King of France Anno 752. PEpin the short sonne of Charles Martell was crowned King of France in the beginning of the yeare 752 by Boniface Bishop of Magence The Saxons rebelled the yeare following but Pepin made them very feelingly sensible of their default An. Dom. 754. Pepin having beene againe annointed and crowned in the Church of St. Denis by Pope Stephen successour to Zachary who came to demand ayde of him against Astulph King of the Lombards passed over the Alpes and two severall times put the King Astulph into such streights and extremities that he was constrained to surrender to the Pope duties belonging to St. Peter the Segniory of Ravenna and all that hee could claime in Romania whereupon the Emperour of Constantinople to whom those Territories did belong being much discontented An. Dom. 759 overthrew the rebellious Saxons and compelled them to pay tribute at every generall Parliament of France 300. Horse fit for service of Warre From thence hee went against Waifer Duke and Governour of Aquitaine and enforced him to come to a composition which neverthelesse had no effectuall issue untill hee had defeated him in divers battailes and taken the greatest part of his principall Cities Which Waifer perceiving and the taking of his Mother Sisters and Nieces was enforced to commit the rest of his fortunes to the hazard of a Battaile neare Perigord where with the day he lost his life also and his Principality likewise Moreover Aquitaine received a governour who in those times was styled Duke from the appointment of the King and was reunited to the Crowne of France Pepin retreating with his Army was arrested with a fit of sicknesse at the suite of Death whereby he paid Nature what he was indebted the 24. of September in the 54. yeare of his age Anno Domini 768 leaving by his Queene Berthe Charles and Charlemaine to whom by a partage they made betweene them the Occidentall part of France together with Burgundy and Aquitaine befell to Charles who established his Seate at Noyon and to Charlemaine the Orientall whereunder the Provinces on this side the Rhine were comprised and held his Court at Soyssons This King was the first of the second Race under whose vertuous government the happinesse of France was much improved and in his sonnes Reigne but Vertue being no inheritance descending to posterity the glory of the Kingdome by the vices of succeeding Kings declined shewing that Grace and Goodnesse are the absolute free gifts of God That which assured him of his Subjects love and made him become gracious in their estimation was his honourable Actions followed by the love and obedience of his Subjects for the attractive love of Vertue firmely obliges subjects to their Prince and doth by a secret violence draw their affections His last act concluded in a Royall death being happy in his honours and hopefull Children one of his sonnes being afterward acknowledg'd the worthiest and most excellent Prince that ever reigned And himselfe by his vertue and valour gaining his subjects love instructed Princes that the subjects love is the strongest guard and that Vertue is the best preserver of Majesty giving a good and prosperous successe unto all their actions by whom she is embraced and dayly followed never leaving them hopelesse in any danger which may seeme to threaten them but rather encourage and comfort their troubled spirits with assurance of overcomming and withstanding whatsoever may prove obnoxious or hurtfull unto them and lastly it doth not onely enrich a man with all temporall blessings here in this life but hereafter advance him to immortall honour Charlemayne Emperour of Rome and the 24. King of France Anno 768. NO sooner had Charles made a partage with his Brother Charlemayne but he was enforced to restraine Lupus Duke of Gascoigne and Hunaut of Aquitaine with including them in a Fort called Fressac built neare to Libourne After that marrying with the daughter or sister of Didier King of the Lombards he entertained Trasilon Duke of Bavaria into his amity The yeare following Charlemaine deceased leaving two sonnes whom Charles permitted not to govern in their fathers estate but annexed it to his owne After that hee made warre upon the Saxons and in the yeare 773. at the request of Pope Adrian hee tooke Didier in Pavia whom hee confined in banishment to Liege recovering all the possessions he had in Italy And the same yeare he returned against the Saxons where hee founded a Fort by the name of Francfort Againe being gone into Italy against Adelgise sonne of Didier who was revolted hee returned immediately against the Saxons whom he forced to imbrace Christianity Anno Domini 776. The same yeare hee tooke from the Sarazens in Spaine Pampelonne Saragosa and made many Kings tributaries in his returne from thence the Gascognes slew most of the best men of France Hee subdued the Bretons of the lower Brittagne who had revolted and Anno Domini 787. He tooke the fidelity of Adagise Duke of Benevent and of Trasilon Duke of Bavaria whereupon he confiscated to his owne use the whole Countrey of Bavaria and enforced Theodon and his sonne to a Monasticke life Hee overthrew likewise the Sclavonians and the Vandals who held the Countrey of Brandebourg Malgebourg and Pomerania and also the Huns and Avarois who at that time possessed Pannonia Hee was saluted Emperor Anno Domini 801. upon Chistmas day And having received presents from the King of Persia hee was sought in marriage by the Empresse of Irene After that having combated the Venetians by his sonne Pepin and defeated the Normans and having founded the Vniversities of Paris Bologne and Pavia an intending to unite the Channell of the Rhine with that of Danubius he was intercepted by Death Anno Domini 814 beeing threescore and twelve yeares of Age having reigned over the French sixe and forty yeares and of Italy three and forty and of his Empire foureteene and lyes inhumed in Aix la Chapelle This Charles got some addition to his name as Alexander the Great being indeed great in the gifts of body and minde Arts and Armes The ground-worke whereon he
raised noble Trophies to Fame was Religion to which he give due honour and from thence deriving Morall perfections he grew an admired Prince naturally favouring the Muses learned in the Greeke and Latin languages Philosophy the Mathematicks and other Sciences hee cal'd his pastimes and companions of his sword Something he wrot in Poetry for recreation but he especially delighted in History the Register of noble Actions The Acts of Charlemaine in the Life of his Brother Caroloman were many and most renowned and also when he was King alone but when he was enstalled Emperour he crowned all those actions by his care of the Church and his godly preparing for Death for hee was much enclined to to the reading of such Bookes as were for the bettering of his understanding and which tended to the leading of a vertuous and godly life as may appeare by his spending three yeares in reading the Bible and St. Augustines Bookes before he dyed And the Character of his Life was That his vertue was the paterne of Princes and his good fortune the subject of their wishes Lewis the Debonaire Emperor of Rome and 25. King of France Anno 814. LEwis who was left the sole son of Charlemagne was consecrated at Rheimes by Pope Stephen Anno Domini 814. In the beginning of his Empire he reduced the Sclavonians Sorabes and Gascoignes under his obedience who had revolted upon the death of Charlemaine He held a Parliament at Aix where he caused his eldest sonne Prince Lotharius to bee crowned Emperour with him and caused his other sonnes to bee Crowned Kings giving unto Pepin the Kingdome of Aquitaine and to Lewis the Dutchy of Bavaria By reason whereof his Nephew Bernard rebelled against him who by a sentence of the Emperours Counsaile had his eyes pulled out whereupon he dyed with griefe From thence Lewis went against the Bretons who had made an insurrection and chaced Lindeute Governour of Austria out of Pannonia And having Anno Domini 824 renewed his alliance with Michael the Emperour of Constantinople and his wife Hermingarde being dead he marryed with Judith daughter of the Count Artolf which Iudith because she advanced hers to the disadvantage of the Emperours Children was a cause that they raised an army against their Father who having confined her into a Monastery of Italy she was put into a Coffer at St. Medards of Soissons from whence she was conveyed out by the French Princes Lotharius seeing this fled into Italy The troubles of France being appeased the Danes and Normans ransacked the Countrey of Zeland and Frizland and also the Bretons rebelled Also the Saracens much perplexed the Emperor in the chasing them out of Italy and Provence who finding himselfe neare his end bequeathed unto his son Charles the Occidentall part of France and by the death of Pepin A. D. 838. Aquitaine was added to Lotharius he left the Empire with the rest of the Kingdome of France to Lewis the kingdom of Bavaria Lewis being discontented at this partage would needes take Almaine into his power but having beene hindered two severall times by the Emperours Army in the end the Emperour dyed in an Isle of the Rhine the sixtieth yeare of his age and the 27. of his Empire and reigne Anno Domini 840. This Lewis was of a milde and gentle disposition fitter to be a Church-man than a King wherby he grew contemptible to his Subjects yet milde natures much provoked are violent in revenge for having taken Bernard he imprisoned him then put out his eyes and all the Bishops noblemen his adherents Hee indiscreetly gave his sonnes their portions and thereby procured his own affliction arming them with strength to rebell against their Father and for affection to Church-men he was by them censured for his cruelty to the Bishops to be confined to a Monastery while the Clergy adhered to the rebellious Children against the father whose late attempt was to chastise the insolency of of his sonne Lewis but age and griefe concluded his happinesse and the good old King having felt enough vexation in the unnaturall rebellion of his Children forsooke the world and so found rest and happines Charles the Bald Emperor and the 26. King of France Anno 840. THis Charles the Bald having attained to the Kingdome Anno Dom. 840 made great Warres against Lotharius untill hee gave him battaile at Fontenay During these debates the Bretons revolted and the Normans came even unto Paris to sacke the Abby of St. German insomuch that Charles was enforced by money to hire them to a retreate After this Charles went against Neomenius King of Bretagne whom he routed and defeated twice afterwards Anno Dom. 851. after Aquitaine fell into the hands of Charles who encloystered his Nephews Pepin and Charles Hee againe overthrew the Bretons the Normans on the other side tooke the City of Nantes confounding all with blood and fire not sparing the Bishop who was then at Masse Fifteene yeares after the battaile at Fontnay Charles the Bald made himselfe to be annointed King in the City of Limoges Lotharius became a Monke leaving the government to his son Lewis but that part of Gaule beyond the mountaines was divided betweene Charles and Lotharius his other sonnes Baldwin having espoused the daughter of Charles the Bald without his consent in the end was acknowledged as Sonne in law to whom Charles gave the County of Flanders and lost Aquitaine whereupon Lewis caused himselfe to be Crowned King of Germany in the City of Sens while Charles was entertained in Warres against the Normans which he recovered Anno Domini 859 forcing his brother to retreate into Germany Anno Dom. 863. they entered into a League In the meane time there grew great troubles amongst the Nobility of France by the meanes whereof the Bretons came as farre as Poitiers whence they were chaced by Charles and An. Dom. 863. they were constrained to take their Kingdome and Dutchy by faith of homage to him And Anno Dom. 869. hee was elected King of Loraine by the death of his Nephew Lotharius He was also crowned Emperor Anno Dom. 875. by the death of his Nephew Lewis which hee enjoyed not above two yeares in the end whereof being desirous to returne out of Italy into France he was poisoned by his Physitian the sixth of October Anno Dom. 877. The Reigne of this Prince was confused and unhappy and of small fame being a King of no merit for from the confusion in his reigne the fall of this Race did spring But as Timanthes when he drew Iphigenia ready to be sacrific'd painted Calchas with a sad countenance Ulysses sadder and having spent all his Art in expressing Menelaus griefe and not knowing how to make the Fathers countenance more sorrowfull cover'd his head with a vaile leaving his passion to be conceived by imagination so this Kings Picture deserves to bee hidden and obscured with the vaile of silence for it is better not to write at all than to
all Authours 17. or 18. yeares except Ado who alloweth him but 13. Neverthelesse it seemeth that it was in his time that Pepin made warre upon Ratbod Duke of Frizeland who was as yet a Pagan and an Idolater so that he being overthrowne Pepin would not grant him any conditions of peace unlesse he would permit a Monke called Wilebros aliâs Clement a learned and vertuous man might freely give instructions to the Frizons in the Christian Religion which for the most part was generally approved and liked by the people but the Nobles and chiefe men remained and continued in their ancient errour together with their Prince Moreover that Pepin was a man accomplished and of singular parts yet contrary to the Lawes of Marriage he was so much taken with the fond love of a Gentlewoman called Alpaide that hee utterly loathed his wife Plectrude By reason whereof Lambert Bishop of Utrecht or as some report Liege a man of a holy life boldly undertooke to lay open his sinne unto him although he had restored him to his See Episcopall whereof Ebroin had deprived him Whereupon Alpaide was so much enraged that shee instigated her brother Dodon to kill him but he and his associates received a reward due for such a demerite and murther Pepin on the other part hearing that Norbert his Lieutenant of Maireship of France was deceased substituted his second sonne Grimoald in the place and caused him to marry Theudesinde Daughter of Ratbod Duke of Frizeland About five yeares after Drogon the sonne of Pepin Duke of Champagne dyed as Ado noteth Anno Dom. 708 but according to Sigebert 699 whose estates were by Pepin given to his sonne Thibault after that seeing the Swedes to rebell against Childebert under the conduct of Villarius he sent Anepos Bishop against them with a powerfull Army which overthrew them saith Ado. Childebert deceased An. Dom. 710 having reigned 17. yeares leaving issue Dagobert Clowis and Daniel That which is chiefly observable in this King was his dotage on Alpaide a faire beautifull Gentlewoman whom he loved beyond all respect of himselfe letting his Fame bleed to death wounded with a bad report for his incontinent life For that King that is addicted to the love of a woman hath all his senses so charmed that he understands nothing but his pleasure and is quite given over to follow his owne wicked desires For Est infoelicius quà m meretrice nihil A Whore may well compared be Unto a Garden of misery He that doth both touch and taste Her fruite doth unto death make haste And hee that endeavours to make a King see his owne vice does alwaies perish in the attempt resembles Virgils poore Gnat which the shepheard killed with clapping his hand against his face while he strove to wake him So Bishop Lambert that would have wak'd the King was by Alpaides plot and the Kings consent murdered Dagobert 2. the 18. King of France Anno 710. DAgobert the eldest sonne of Childebert began his Reigne Anno Dom. 710 according to Trithemius Ado and Aventine not as Sigebert would have it 716. There is not any memorable thing by Pepin done in his time found or read recommendable to posterity but onely the death of Grimoald Maire of the Palace of France which was Anno Dom. 714. in April who was miserably slaine by a Souldier a Frizelander in the Church of St. Lambert belonging to the See of Liege whither he went to visite his father Pepin then lying sicke in his bed whereof he dyed the same yeare about the midst of December having executed both the Maireships with great honour for the space of 27. yeares and a halfe after he had surrogated Thibault to his sonne Grimoald to be Maire He resigned the Mayery of Austrasie to a naturall sonne of his called Charles whom he had by his Concubine Alpaide already perceiving in him the signes of a great Generosity which enabled him for such a charge although hee were but yet very young Which gave an occasion to Plectrude the lawfull wife of Pepin cunningly to surprize him and to imprison him in the City of Cologne as well for the Novercall jealousie shee had of him as for having meanes also to ruine the estate of Austrasie as also of France being in the hands of her younger sonne Thibault assuring herselfe that the managing of businesses would passe well enough under his name But the Frenchmen not willing to be governed by a Woman being grieved also that the office of the Maire should be hereditary which formerly had beene by Election made an insurrection against Thibault whom they forced to flye into the Forrest Cocie After that they chose Ranfroy for Mayre The same yeare 714. Dagobert dyed having reigned 5. yeares This King was disswaded from the love of Alpaide by Lambert Bishop of Vtrect whom this cruell Dame in revenge caused to be slaine by her brother Dodon strucke after the acting this Murder with a disease of wormes the stench whereof he being not able to endure threw himselfe headlong into the River of Menze See here a punishment to affright the sinfull soule a King that had before lived in a most voluptuous manner that made a Whore the Center of all his thoughts thinking all happinesse to be contained within that circumference having lost his reason and being wholly governed by a petty-coat what a sad and fatall end did he meete withall For pleasure comes with a faire alluring face tempting to taste of her Circes Cup but when shee turnes her backe she hath a ragged ugly shape which offends the sight and brings the mind to sad repentance This King had highly sinned and now wormes began to be bold with him and eate his living flesh so that corruption did not follow after death but contrary to nature hee rotted and corrupted while he lived untill the worme of conscience tormented his soule a miserable death attending a bad life Clotharius the 4 19 King of France Anno 719. CLotharius the fourth sonne of Theodoric who was the fifteenth King of France was brother to the Kings Clovis the third and Childebert the second and Uncle to Dagobert the second and by the plots of Charles Martel upon the decease of Dagobert was made King For hee perceiving that the greatest part of the French had constituted King a certaine Daniel a man of the Royall blood whom they had drawne out of the Monastery and nominated him Chilperic the second he by force of Armes having valiantly fought it out in the field and victoriously overthrowne them as hereafter shall be mentioned made himselfe Master of all France and from thenceforth Charles Martel against his will was made King But he knowing that the French that could not containe themselves without a King and would not admit any to the Title but those of the Royall blood knowing also himselfe not so descended he caused this Clotharius to be Crowned King as the next of blood not that hee thought him worth such