without Armes to iustifie himselfe of those crimes wherewith he was charged according to the offers made by him That the Lord of Beaujeu and the Cardinall of Alby should obtaine all Letters and expeditions necessary for his better assurance That in the meane time he might remaine in his Countrey of Gascoine in what place he should thinke good except the Towne of Lestoré the which should be deliuered into the hands of the Lord of Beaujeu It was also agreed that in case they gaue him not this assurance n A man of quality should desire nothing more then to make his innocency knowne and to see himselfe purged from all accusaâ—ion For the consideration of their honor many haue desired to be araigned or that the thinges promised were not effected the Towne of Lestoré should be restored vnto him The Lord of Beaujeu hauing receiued the Kings commauÌ„dement vpon this accord the assurance demaÌ„ded Lestore recouered by the E. of Armagnac he sent it vnto Barran whereas he then was by the which it was granted him to goe vnto the King with threescore horse But in steed of going thither he executed an enterprise which he had vpon Lestoré by the meanes of Iohn D. Aymier The younger brother of Albert surprised it o In the Earle of Armagnacs defence it is said that seeing that the Lorde of Beauieu commaunded him to void the Country he required him to restore him the Towne of Lâ—store seing that he had not any Town whether to retyre himselfe and that it was deliuered and tooke the Lord of Beaujeu with the Noble-men and Gentle-men that were with him prisoners D' Aymier was quartred at Tours and the younger brother of Albert being Lord of St. Basile lost his head at Poitiers Hereupon new forces ar sent to the Cardinall of Alby and to the Seneshals of Toulouza and Beaucaire to beesiege Lestoré The siege continued three months and the Cardinall seeing that force would not preuale p To make men subiect either force or fraude must be vsed Sparta was forced by Alexander Siracusa deceiued by Denis he added policy for Townes and Common-weales loose their liberties and are made subiect by the one or the other They propounded againe the precedent condition of the accord A second accord made with the Earle of Armagnac The Abbot of Pessans Bishop of Lombes Chancelor to the Earle comes on his part to treat they granted the assuraÌ„ce which he desired to go vnto the King a bolition of all thinges past of the seruices which he had done in the Duchie of Guienne against the King pardon for the Noble-men Gentle-men of his party of al that had bene done in the surprise of the Town of Lestoré q This treaty iustified the E. of Armagnac if it had bene represented but it was not seene They say that the Earles Secretary who had it in his custody was threatned to be â—ast into a well if he deliuered it not to the Cardinall of Alby In consideration of this he deliuered vp Lestoré vnto the King The articles were signed by the Cardinal Ranfort Balsac Gaston of Lyon Iohn Daillon Lord of Lude on Thursday the fourth of March 1472. In execution of the treaty the Earle of Armagnac deliuered vnto the Cardinall the Castell of Lestoré caused his men to disarme and retired his Cannon making all the ports to be sett open to the Kings men r They that trust are easily deceiued The wise prepare themselues for dangers in assurances In ipsa securitate animus ad difficilia se preparat At this entry there was a great disorder the treaty was broken Earle of Armagnac slaine vnder the assurance of a treaty the Earle of Armagnac was slaine in his house and cast naked into the streets the Townespoiled the Countesse of Armagnac carried prisoner into the Castell and within fewe dayes after was deliuered of a Sonne before her time the Castell and walles of the Towne were razed and it was fiered in euery place and in the end all were intreated with that liberty which the rigor of war permits against Townes and people that rebell s Razing burning and sacking are the ordinary punishments of rebellious Townes Alba was razed Carthage burnt the Vâ—iens were râ—oted out So we finde in the Roman History vpon the punishment of reuolts seditions Muri deiecti senatus abductus Charles of Armagnac the Earles Brother was caried prisoner to the Bastille Charles of Armagnac a prisoner and mad This Imprisonment which continued foureteen yeares bred him wonderfull sorrowes and griefe and as the passage is not great from melancolly to madnes his spirit grew weake and made him incapable to rouse the enemies of his howse They gaue him certaine Noble-men of the Countrey to be his gouernors Many haue written the Taking of Lestoré and the death of the Earle of Armagnac after an other manner and such as if they which had vndertaken to iustifie his memory had held it true it had not beene forgotten in their Apology t The Pagans did so much respect others as they held a Periurâ—d maÌ„ to deceiue the Gods In sui ranâ—um perinde estimandum quaÌ„ si Iouem fesellicet Deorum Iniurias Diis curae Tacit. The more promises are colored with straÌ„ge â—aths and misteries the more they are to be suspected The Accord made betwixt the K. of Nauarre Charles Regent of France was sworne vpon the Sacrament They say therefore that the Cardinall of Alby entred into some treaty with the Earle of Armagnac for the assurance whereof he vsed a damnable pollicy Trechery most damnable for seeing that the Earle feared to fall into the Kings hands he sware his promises by the most sollemne misteries of his Religion giuing halfe a consecrated Hoste vnto the Earle and himself taking the other halfe That in the meane time the soldiers slipt into the Towne and that the Earle meaning to charge them fearing a surprise u Vntill the capitulation be made all pollicies all surprises are alowed They laugh at them who suffering themselues to be surprised in those bargaines cry out of disloialty In courses of hostility there is nothing more excellent then deceipte nothing more safe then distrust they cryed out for succors the Kings Armie entred by the breaches which the cannon had made the Towne was spoiled and ruined all were put to the sword and the Earle slaine The Lord of Beaujeu with the other Gentle-men prisoners were deliuered Such was the Tragicall and fatall end of the Earle of Armagnac Fortune who desired to ouerthrow the greatnes of his house blinded his eyes that hee could not apprehend the dangers which did threaten it She had not a more powerfull instrument then the hatred which the King bare him A hatred conceiued long before nourished and augmented by many free hardy actions He was therfore inuironed with so many perplexities and perturbations as hee needed
he was freed from taxes Necessitie in whose schoole hee had learned great experience dispenst with him for the obseruations which are made in the choice of souldiers These were called Franke Archers who being well led did great seruices being able to indure all paine as beeing bred vp in discommodities and wants without cunning or malice They beganne their profession at the siege of Vernon The defects which are obserued in the life of this Prince as the griefes of Kings n The raignes of Princes doe not continue and end alwaies as they haue begdnne The first fiue yeares of Neroes raigne were iust Constant was good ten yeares cruell twelue and prodigall ten doe not alwaies incounter ends like vnto their beginnings His loues and his diuersions could not hinder it but that France hath giuen him the well deserued title of Victorious The end of the first Booke THE CONTENTS OF the Second BOOKE 1 KIng Lewis his going into France His entrie and Coronation at Rheims 2 The Duke of Bourgundy doth him homage and followes him at his entrie into Paris magnificence of the Parisians vpon this occasion 3 Estate of the Kings affaires with Pope Pius the second Reuocation of the Pragmatique Sanction 4 Discontent of the Noblemen of the Realme vpon the Kings first actions An obseruation of his Humors 5 His voyage and designes in Brittanny 6 Oppression of the people by new inuentions of Subsedies 7 Strange and furious reuolutions in England betwixt the houses of Lancaster and Yorke 8 Edward the fourth expels Henry the sixt King of England 9 Hee seeks to marry the Queene of France her Sister and takes a widdow in England 10 The King goes to Bourdeaux and there treates a marriage betwixt his Sister and the Earle of Foix. 11 Troubles betweene the Crownes of Castill and Arragon The Earledome of Rousilion engaged to the King 12 The Kings of Castille and Arragon referre their differences to the King 13 Enteruiew of the Kings of France and Castille vpon the Riuer of Vidaazo 14 The King returnes to Paris redeemes the Townes vpon the Riuer of Somme and visits the Frontiers 15 The Duke of Bourgundy comes to the King at Lisle to demaund his aduise touching a voyage which he pretended to make against the Turke 16 Ariuall of Lewis Duke of Sauoy at Paris 17 The King declareth his pretentions vpon the soueraigne rights of Brittany 18 The Earle of Charrolois stayes the Bastard of Rupembrâ— at the Haage 19 Ambassadors from the King to the Duke of Bourgundy vpon diuers complaints 20 The Duke of Bourbon first author of the league of the common weale Death of Charles Duke of Orleans 21 Charles Duke of Berry the Kings brother retires into Brittany 22 His Letters to the Duke of Bourgundy and his declaration vpon the taking of Armes 23 Death of Pope Pius the second to whom succeeded Paul the second a Venetian THE HISTORY of LEVVIS the XI THE SECOND BOOKE A Death which brings Scepters Crownes 1461 doth not alwaies meete with sorrow and teares When there is a question of the succession of the Realme An heyres teares are sone dried vppe a desire to raigne doth presently dry vp the teares which the law of Nature drawes from the eyes a There is no water whose spring is sooner dryed vp then that which flowes from a profitable mourning Lewis longed too much to be at home to be grieued when as they brought him newes that Charles the seuenth had quit him the lodging Hee had already spent two third parts of his age in obeying hee held the rest very short to command and to end at in great enterprises worthy of his qualitie b Life is very short for great entrriprises and inconstancie makes it much shorter Hee entertained the Iuie of his hopes in the ruines of this old building he did not hope for any light but by the ecclipse of this Sunne and his vowes were no let that his Father was not already among the God c The Romans held their Fathers dead in the number of the Gods and their Images were reuerenced as persons deysied Wherfore among the predictions which Antonin had of his adoption and successim to the Empire they note that In somrio saepe monitus suit penatibus suis Adriani simulacrum inserere Capitol Hee was often admonished in his sleepe that hee should place Adrians Image among his boushould Gods And what can a Kings eldest Son desire but to raigne euery obiect lesse theÌ„ a crown is vnworthy of his birth Lewis comes into France but the wishes are vnnaturall monstrous vpon vniust effects To desire for a crownes cause the death of him of whom he holds his life is ingratitude impiety The same day that Charles dyed Lewis was aduertised of his death d They that haue written that these newes were sent by Charles Duke of Aniou Father in lawe to Charles the seuenth are mistaken both in the name and matter for Lewis Duke of Anion liued since the yeare 1417. He went presently to horse to goe into France fearing least Charles his brother should make his profit of his absence The Duke of Bourgundy and the Earle of Chartolis accompany him with foure thousand horse chosen out of the flower of all the forces of their Estates and the Princes their friends He makes his entry into Rheims Hee entred into Rheims the fourteeene of August e The King arriued at Rheims the 14. August and caused himself to be annointed the next day A remarkable diligence They cannot goe too speedily to so great a Feast The Duke of Bourgundy being followed by the Earl of Charolois the Earle of Neuers the Earle of Estampes the Duke of Cleues the Earle of S t. Pol and many other Noblemen went out of Rheimes to the Abbcy of Saint Thierry to meet the King being attired in white and crimsin damask vpon a white courser caparonessed with the armes of France The next day he was anoynted and crowned The peeres of the Church were there in person The Duke of Burgundy Deane of the peeres The Duke of Burbon held the place of the Duke of Normandy The Earle of Angolesme for the Duke of Guienne The Earle of Eu for the Earle of Tholousa The Earle of Neuers for the Earle of Flaunders and the Earle of Vandosme for the Earle of Champagne The King is anoinâ—ed and Crowned The ceremony of his coronation was beautified with an other which they found very new and strange The King is anointed and Crowned The King drawing his sword presented it to the Duke of Bourgundy and intreates him to make him Knight He gaue this honour of Knight-hood to an hundred and seauenteene Gentlemen the first were the Lord of Beauieu Iames of Burbon the Earle of Geneua the Earle of Pontieu the Earle of Witembergh Iohn of Luxembergh and to the Marques of Saluces Sonne From the Coronation they went to the Royall feast whereas
waxt by which hole we did looke into the Castle-yard Hee saith also that Margaret of Clisson Mother to the Earle of Ponthieure came scoft at him vsing these words Deposuit potentes de sede He hath put the Mighty from their seate Hist. of Brit. Lib. 11. it had felt the ruines and desolations which the Iustice of God brings vpon Principalities for the sinnes of the Princes and People The diuision betwixt the Houses of Montfort and Blois had brought it to the last extremity and it had seene an Act of wonderfull presumption of a vassaile against his Lord Duke Iohn hauing beene prisoner to Oliuer of Blois with such vnworthy vsage as hee was in a manner depriued of the aire which all the powers of the world cannot take from Man there beeing nothing but death that can depriue him of breath This poore Prince had no Aire at all but was in darkenesse p When as God saith Epictetes takes from thee necessary things as food raiment and thy sences he sounds a retreat hee opens the doore and commands thee to come and in a little Chamber where hee could not see but by a hoale made with a Pinne the Sunne for the which many haue beleeued they were in the world Anaxagoras said that hee was in the world to admire the Sunne A more tedious kinde of life then death it selfe and hee that is reduced vnto it hath a strong resolution if he doth not murmure that God suffers him to liue so long One of the wise Stoickes thought that hee gaue man leaue to depart this life when as he gaue him no meanes to liue But let vs returne vnto the King Townes vpon the riuer of Somme recouered by the king Before the newes of Duke Charles his death was assured hee brake the Truce which should haue continued seuen yeares longer and seized vpon Abbeuille Dourlans Monstreuil Montdidier Peronne Han Bohain Saint Quintin and the Townes vpon the Riuer of Somme which by the death of Charles the last Male of the House of Bourgondy returned vnto the King Hee wisht hee might haue done as much to all the Low Countreyes and by some iuster meanes then by Armes in marrying his sonne to the heire of Bourgondy Lewis desires to marry his sonne to the heire of Brittain But beside the great inequality of their ages hee had promised him to the Princesse of England and he desired to giue him the heire of Brittaine for she was more sutable to his sonnes age and this Princesse was a Rampart against the fury of the English who being seconded by the Dukes of Brittaine haue entred that way and come into the heart of the Realme He perswaded himselfe to preuaile by other meanes he had good seruants at Gand who had made shew that this kinde of gouernement was against their mindes and that they affected new Maisters q The day after that the Ganto is receiued newes of the Dukes death they put to death 25 men of their Lawe The pretex was for that they had executed a man before they were confirmed in their charge He thought that in taking some of the chiefe Townes of the Countrey the rest in this confusion of Councels and weakenesse of forces would yeeld of themselues and as if there had beene no other difficulty he disposed already of places and gouernments of Prouinces His humor was to imploy meane men in great affaires and to handle great works with small engines He sent Robinet of Odenfort to S. Omer and Oliuer le Dain his Barber to Gand who was of such power and authority euen with the King as the French going out of the Realme they demaunded of them in mockery among other newes of Court Presumption of Oliuer le Daine if Lewis were in good tearmes with Oliuer r StraÌ„gers mock at princes which depend vpon 〈◊〉 companions and giue themseles as it were in a prey to their conduct This man for that hee was borne in a village neere vnto Gand was so presumptuous as hee thought he could make this Towne subiect to the Kings will and tooke this charge vpon him to goe thither vnder colour to carry some message to the Princesse who had called an Assembly of the Estates at Gand s Estates in the Law Countries held at Gand. The Oath of fidelity was renued to the Princesse for it had in already taken by Guy of Roâ—â—fort Lord of PluvaÌ„t her Chamberlain by Guy Perrot her Secretary of state and vnder hand practised men to what he had intended he stiled himselfe Earle of Melun This purple-hue did nothing at all beautifie the Ape but made him more ridiculous to them that knew the basenesse of his breeding t Basenesse of birth is a reproach which is giuen to them that gloriously forget theÌ„selues Iphicrates Tully and Marius endured it Yet the King perswaded himselfe that hee would doe wonders in this Citty telling the chiefe Noble-men of his Court that they whom he had sent to Gand and Saint Omer were able to get the keyes of the Towne and to draw in his Troopes He made account of the one as Augustus did of Mecenas u Augustus Caesar loued 2. men aboue all others Agrâ—ppa for his patience and Mecenas for his secresie and discretion Being in Councell with them after the war of Actium how hee should gouerne himselfe Agrippa aduised him to liue a priuate life but Mecenas wisht him to think of a monarchy Dion Plut. Suet. and of the other as Agrippa Oliuer hauing demanded audience of the Princesse Affront done to Oliuer at his audience with the Princesse and refusing to speake vnto her but in priuate hee caused himselfe to bee scorned and this disgrace concerned him that had sent him who had not considered that such Commissions did properly belong to men of birth or of great merit and that it seemes they contemne the Prince to whom they send Embassadours of base condition x They that carry the Title of Embassadours should be men of credit reputation Caesar said that the Suisses sent Embassadors vnto him the chiefe wherof was Deuico he who in the Cassian warre had bin their Generall The Gantois hauing discouered Negotiation of Oliuer le Dain at Gand and taking of Tournay that hee had some secret practises in their Towne hee was in danger to haue beene cast into the Riuer whereupon hee retired to Tournay and practised thirty or forty men by whose meanes hee brought in Mony with his Company which hee had at Saint Quintin and seized of the Towne sending seuen or eight of the Gouernors to Paris The Princesse Councell seeing that her subiects fidelity was shaken and the Townes of Picardy deliuered vnto the King that she had to deale with a Cyrus Embassage sent from the Princesse of Bourgundy to the King and that she was no Tomyris y Cyrus hauing attempted against the Massagets a people of Scythia Tomyris their
The Kings intention was that the Riuers should returne vnto the Sea from whence they came and his reason was grounded vpon the Law of the Realme which giues no part of Reuenues of the Crowne in propriety to the Females and portions giuen to the Princes of France passe not to their daughters when as they leaue no sonnes s In old time the Infants of the House of France had their Portions in Soueraignty This was abbrogated in the third race and so ordered as the yonger sonnes could not pretend any thing to the Succession of the King their Father but a prouision for their entertainement the which hauing no Heires Males returned to the Crowne Heereupon there was a Sentence giuen to the benefite of King PHILIP the third for the Earledome of Poitiers and Lands of Auuergne against CHARLES the first King of Sicile brother to Saint LEVVIS in the Parliament of Tousaints 1283. Finally vpon that Maxime That the reuenues of the Crowne are Inalienable and not subiect to prescription For men cannot prescribe any thing against God nor priuate men against the Estate To apply the square vnto the stone and the Hypothesis vnto the Thesis the Kings Deputies did shew that the Dutchy of Bourgondy the Franch-County with the Earledomes of Flanders Artois and Henaut were peeces of the Crowne If their discourse was not in these tearmes it was so in substance The beginnings of the diminution of Flanders as they of all the great Empires of the world haue beene weake vncertaine and fabulous t Estates as all other things in the world haue three times the beginning the decrease and the declining The Countrey was peopled by a Colony of Saxons whom Charlemaigne brought thither gouerned vnder the authority of the Crowne of France by their Lords Forresters u The Gouernors and Guardiâ—ns of Flanders saith M r. du 〈◊〉 before Baldwin surnamed Iron-Arme were Officers mutable at the will of the Kings of FraÌ„ce although that some sonnes haue succeeded in their fathers Offices for that that they were heires of their vertues were called Forresters not that their charge was onely vpon the land being fall of Forrest for coles but the guard of the sea was also commutted to them The Estate began by Baldwin suruamed Iron-arme and continued in his posterity but as it ended by Maud daughter to Baldwin the fifth Flanders past vnder the commands of the Dukes of Normandy then of Thierry Earle of Alsatia who married Sibilla daughter to Foulques of Anjou King of Ierusalem and had but one daughter who was heire to the Earledome of Flanders and married to Baldwin the fourth of that name Earle of Henaut of this marriage came Baldwin Earle of Flanders the eighth of that name who was Emperour of Constantinople who died at Andrinopile who left but two daughters Ioane who died without children and Margaret Countesse of Flanders x Margaret Countesse of Flanders who raigned thirty yeares had two husbands the first was Bourcher an Englishman by who she had one sonne which dyed yong and William of Dampierre second sonne to Archambauld Lord of Bourbon Father to Guy Earle of Flanders Father to Robert of Bethunes who married William of Bourbon Guy Earle of FlaÌ„ders sonne to Archambâ—uld Lord of Bourboun He was father to three sonnes William who died without children Guy Earle of Flanders and Iohn Lord of Dampierre Guy Earle of Flanders married Maud daughter and heire to Robert others named him Fegard of Bethunes Robert of Bethunes by whom hee had fiue sonnes and three daughters Robert of Bethunes his sonne who hath deserued the surname of Great as well for the greatnesse of his vertue as his fortune succeeded him Charles of Anjou King of Sicile brother to Saint Lewis gaue meanes to acknowledge his valour more gloriously hauing set two Crownes vpon his head by the Victory of the battell of Benevent y Battle of Benevent the 10 of February 1565. where as Manfroy bastard to Conrade whom he had poysoned was slaine whereas the Parricide Manfroy ended his tyranny honour and life Hee had enioyed them longer and more happily if hee had followed the councell of this Prince z Robert of Bethunes Earle of Flanders did not allow of the death of Conradyne The History which detests it reserues him this honour Vtrique nouâ— ac regio nomine indigno crudelitatis in or be Christiano exemple fecuri vitam eripit frustra Flandriae Comite monente generosum victorem decêre moderationem clementiam Sed vicit vox cruenta vita Conradini mors Caroli mors Conradini vita Caroli Hee tooke away both their I was by an example of cruelty which was new in the Christian world and vnworthy the name of a King the Earle of Flanders â—â—lling him in vaine that moderation and clemency did become a generous victor but that cruell voyce preuaâ—â—d The life of Conradine is the death of Charles and the death of Conradine is the life of Charles who found the death of Conradine and Frederick of Austria Prisoners taken in the warre barbarous and inhumane Of this Marriage Charles was borne who dyed yong a Charles of Bethunes son to Robert Earle of Bethunes dyed at a eleuen yeares of age They write that he brought from his mothers wombe the figure of a Crosse betwixt his shoulders and Lewis who was father to Lewis the second Lewis the second of Bethunes Earle of Flandes Hee married Margaret of France daughter to Phillip the Long who treating of the conditions of this Marriage would that Robert of Bethunes his Grand-father should declare the children that were to be borne of this marriage Earles of Flanders This Lewis of Bethunes surnamed of Cresse for that he dyed at the battell of Cresse Lewis the third of Bethunes left one some called also Lewis and surnamed of Mallaine These so diuers names haue but one Spring Mallaine is Bethunes and Bethunes is Flanders The greatest Families of Europe haue forgotten their first names to continue them of their portions and successions So we see Bourbon for France Austria for Habspourg and in this Genealogy of the Earles of Flanders Dampierre for Bourbon Bethunes for Flanders and without any other distance but from father to sonne Neuers and Mallaine for Bâ—thunes Lewis of Bethunes or of Mallaine married Margaret daughter to the Duke of Brabant and had his onely daughter Margaret who was first married to Phillip Duke of Bourgundy and afterwards to Phillip the Hardy sonne to King Iohn From this truth we must conclude that the Crowne of France had the right of homage and of Soueraignety ouer the Earledome of Flanders before this marriage The like is said of the Townes of Lisle Douay Orchies and Bethunes Consequently Artois cannot bee separated from France no more then the Earledome of France from whence it is come County of Artois for the parties follow the nature of their whole King Lewis the ninth performing the will of
to loue him as his brother Mathias promiseth it and their promises were confirmed by his marriage with Katherine daughter to Poguebrac with whom hee caused him to be conducted into Hungary He beganne to triumph as soone as to raigne for to fight vanquish was all one vnto him At one time being followed by his owne forces which were greater in courage and discipline then in number s These three qualities were eminent in Iohn Huniades Valiant Wise and Generous Ducum omnium saith the History qui cum Turcis arma contulerunt illotempore claâ—issimus solers ac sagax in prospiciendis patiens in expectandis acer in persequendis rerum occasionibus atque in ipsis rebus vrgendis pertinax in conficiendis felix ac fortunatus Of all Commanders which had made warre against the Turke hee was at that time the most famous watchfull to fore-see patient in expecting swift in embracing resolute in pursuing all occasions and happy in effecting them He did gloriously end three great enterprises the one against the Emperour Fredericke whom he forced to yeeld him that which he held of the Crowne of Hungary the second against the Bohemians whose factions and conspiracies he ouerthrew and the third against Mahomet the 2. to whom he gaue many occasions to think that the valour conduct and generosity of Iohn Huniades his father were reuiued in him He recouered Iaisse Exploits of Mathias Coruinâ—s and seuen and twenty Castles thereabouts he past the riuer of Saue entred into the higher Misia and in two assaults seized vpon Zerbenic where are those goodly Mines of siluer he expelled Suela that famous thiefe out of Bohemia pacified the seditions of Transiluania punished them that were the Authors t Punishment which is applied fitly and seuerely done vpon the head of a conspiracy offends few and spares many who had made Iohn Earle of S. Georges King and besieged burnt and ruined Romansarre The flames of the fire of his Iustice did amaze all Moldauia all the furies came out of Hell to follow his Armie and to reuenge the iniuries of Christendome vpon those Infidell Prouinces A warre which was all cruelty and a cruelty which was all iustice victory which is alwayes insolent and especially in ciuill warres u Pitty nor Mederation doe not alwayes purchase fauour in a Conquerours heart they are forced somtimes to giue place vnto liberty and therefore Tully saith that victoria ciuilib bellis seÌ„per est insolens Victory is alwayes insolent in ciuill warres had no pitty but of those which had no more need he had rather ruine Towns to saue soules then to saue Townes and ruine soules he left in all places such markes of the furies and terrors of the warre that euen at this day the Countrey laments the effects and numbers the examples That which the sword did spare was consumed by fire and famine And therfore the name of Mathias was at that time a terror to the Women and Children of Hungary His valour conduct who in all occasions performing the duty of a Generall and yet somtimes running the hazard of a Souldier as if his body had bin borrowed he was wounded in the thigh with an arrow He did so diminish the number of his enemies as the prouince was assured and his Armie rich with spoyles x Mathias is taxed with ingratitude for that hee had made warre a-against George King of Bohemia who had giuen him liberty and his daughter in marriage This warre was vnfortunate to either and preiudiciall to Christendome Being returned to Agria he came to Buda where he receiued letters of intreaty from Pope Pius the second and from the Emperour Fredericke to make warre against the Hussits the which he vndertooke He makes warre against the Hussites It was not his only obedience to the head of the Church which drew him to this warre nor any desire to triumph ouer the truth ambition had a great share in it the desire of a newe Crowne made him forget the good vsage which he had receiued in his imprisonment from Poguebrac and dispensed him of those bonds which cannot bee dissolued by death nor discharged but by life Great enterprises are not scrupulous and if the lawes of piety are to be violated it is to content those of ambition They write that these two Kings made warre ten yeares MATHIAS King of Hungary and GEORGE King of Bohemia made warre tenne yeares for Religion And in tbe end they agreed that his Religion should be the better whose Foole did vanquish the other at fist and that the combat of their Iesters fighting at fists reconciled them In the end Mathias dispossessed George Poguebrac of the prouinces of Morauia Silesia and Lusatia and death of his Crowne Mathias caused himselfe to be proclaimed and crowned King of Bohemia Mathias crowned King of Bohemia and Marques of Morauia Some Bohemians refused to obey him and framed a faction vnder the name of Ladislaus son to Casimir King of Polonia whom they did acknowledge for their King Mathias came thither and prest them so eagerly and intreated them with such rigor and seuerity as all the Townes submitted themselues to his will to haue his peace and pardon These long and and troublesome warres had so wâsted his treasure as hee was forced to make vse of the Clergy goods The Prelates of Hungary opposed themselues and the chiefe Noble-men of the Realme ioyned with them z This conspiracy was so stroâ—g and violent that of 75 Tribes of the realme there were but 9 that coÌ„tinued in their first obedience conspiring together to expell him the Realme Nobility of Hungary discontented Hitherto hee had made knowne what loue and force might doe now hee shewes himselfe so wife and temperate as returning into the way of the duety of a good Prince he doth easily reduce his people to that of good subiects a That Prince is wise which doth not disdaine to giue some satisfaction to his subiects whom he hath offended especially when he feares a greater mischiefe And by this meanes many who had cast themselues into his enemies Armie returned vnto him Ladislaus beeing coopt vp in Nitria was forced to make an Accord with Mathias and to returne into Poland Casimir his father apprehending this shamfull retreat and taking his part of the Affront reserued the whole reuenge to himselfe hee leuied an Armie of threescore thousand fighting men Polonians Bohemians Russians and Tartarians and entred into Morauia and Silesia to recouer that which Poguebrac had lost The first beginnings were so fauourable as not regarding the inconstancy of fortune he suffered his thoughts to wander in the common error of Princes who neglect the storme during the calme of their affaires In great designes Princes thinke onâ—y what they should doe when they haue executed them cast not their eyes vpon that which may hinder the execution and which as Polybius saith hath neede of great prouidence
haue not bin exactly and curiously digested if in many places there be found defects it sufficeth to say that the worke hath been made following the Court and printed in my absence To conclude mens mindes should not be more difficult to please then the Gods of the ancients Hee that had no milke gaue them water and he that found no wine offered milke salt for incense leaues and flowers for fruits and fruits for beasts He that giues what he hath and doth what he can is bound to no more They that content not themselues with that which seemes good trouble themselues to seeke for better Whatsoeuer happen all these disgraces shall neuer tire nor daunt me Wee doe not leaue to till and sow the ground although the seasons be bad and the haruest vnfruitfull Hee that cannot content all the world must endeuour to content himselfe AN ELOGIE OF LEWIS THE eleuenth French King LEWIS of Valois only like vnto him-selfe and vnlike to all other Kings was borne at Bourges and presented at the font by Iohn Duke of Alancon he past his infancy in the ruines miseries of France and the most sensible afflictions of his father to whom there was a part of the Crowne remaining At eleuen yeares the greatest of the Realme abusing the innocency of his first age to couer their discontentment and ambition made him the head of a faction which was so vniust vnnaturall odious vnto the French as it was presently abandoned euen by them that were the Authors and lasted but nine months At fourteene yeares hee was married to the Princesse of Scotland at fifteene Generall of a royall Army into Normandy and Languedoc At twenty one hee put all Germany in alarum tooke Mombeliart besieged Basill defeated sixe thousand Swisses ouer-run Alsaâ—ia The bayes of this triumph were all couered with bloud and soone after with tears by the death of the Princesse of Scotland his wife The difficuly which hee felt to submit his yong and boyling humors to the temper of reason and his will to that of his father drew him from the Court and intertained him some yeares in Dauphine whereas he married Charlotte of Sauoy and made warre against the Duke of Sauoy his father in law drawing vnto his seruice some by promises others by fauour and presents but most of all by rigour seuerity oppressing his subiects of Dauphine with vnknowne charges so as the cyment of his designes was tempered with bloud sweat teares The King who was not insensible of Complaints and wept by his subiects teares made it knowne that he did loue his estate better then his sonne He came into Dauphine and at the first glance of his eyes he dispersed the designes of such as would trouble the order of nature and the Lawes of the Realme Lewis desiring rather to trust the enemies of his house then his fathers bounty retires to Bruxelles to Duke Phillip wheras he liued six yeares with Charlotte of Sauoy his wife and there receiued the first blessing of his marriage by the birth of his sonne Ioachim of Valois who dyed presently All this time taught him a lesson of patience being forced to make a vertue of necessity learning to be wise in prosperity and constant in aduersity In the end Charles gaue him place and left him the Realme vnited vnder the obedience of one the English being expelled and hauing nothing remaining vnto them but Calis All the forces of this powerfull house of Bourgondy did accompany him vntill hee had the Crowne set vpon his head which he tooke at Rhemes Paris receiued him as it were in triumph and all France seemed to reuiue againe at the rising of this Starre The contempt of Princes of the bloud the change of officers the seueritie in searching out things past with the oppression of the people were the cause of a league which was made against him betwixt the Duke of Berry his brother and the dukes of Burgundy Brittany Calabria and Bourbon with the greatest of the realme A powerfull and famous faction which abused the simple made the wicked mad and thrust good men into despaire The bad successe of the Battell of Montlehery was not able to shake the constancy and fidelitie of the subiect Paris whose motions had alwaies caused the rest of France to wauer held firme and this great storme fel and was dispersed before her wals The greatest Cities of the realme and the chiefe Prouinces coÌ„tinued constant in their duties the interest of priuat men being contented the pursute of the publike good was staied These arrowes being vnbound Lewis had good meanes to breake them The D. of Normandy is forced to quit Roan the D. of Brittaine auoids the storme by his submission The duke of Burgundy is troubled with the mutinies of his subiects who desirous of innouations change did more affect the Earle of Charolois then the Duke of Bourgundy Lewis to be reuenged kindles a fire in his estate and stirs vp them of Liege yet making shew that he desired nothing more then the obseruation of the treaty of Conflans relying too much vpon his wit and forces he ingaged himselfe indiscreetly in Peronne where the Castle was in show his lodging and in effect his prison he saw himselfe forced to arme against his friends to receiue a law from him to whom he thought to giue it The assembly of the estates at Tours iudge of the iniury of his promises and cannot yeeld that Normandy one of the goodliest flowers of the crowne of France should be dismembred they declare war against the D. of Bourgundy The King takes the towne of S. Quintin then Amiens and seeing that the Duke of Burgundy in the desolation of his affaires was prest to giue his daughter in marriage to the Duke of Guienne he doth not in this prosperitie imbrace the opportunitie but is content to haue amazed his enemy and grants him a truce during the which he sees as from the shore that cruell tempest of England which ouerthrew the house of Lancaster whom he fauoured assured the Scepter in that of Yorke succoured and supported by the D. of Burgundy The Duke of Guiennes death brake the truce and hopes of peace and brought all them to the brinke of death and despaire which had followed his fortune who were reduced to such misery as then the most miserable hearing the discourse found therein consolation and amazement Many families were ouerthrowne and that rich and famous house of Armagnac was full of strange tragedies and reuolutions The warre furiously inhumane began againe and the Duke of Bourgundy armed to reuenge his death vpon innocents The towne of Nesle saw heapes of dead carkasses in her streets and streames of bloud in her Churches Beauuais stayed the torrent of his fury and diuerted it vpon Normandy The D. of Brittany although he were gouerned by another head considering the danger wherein hee was submitted himselfe to the stronger and seeing the K. at
Angiers with an army of 50000. men came vnto him to demand a peace The King of Sicily was disposâ—est of his country of Anjou beeing forced to retire into Prouence with griefe to suruiue his Son Iohn D. of Calabria Lorraine Nicholas Marques of Ponte his grand-child Hee doth represent the estate of his age house in the deuice which he carried of an old stock which had no greene sprout to make it liue it was Rene D. of Lorraine Son to Yoland of Anjou his daughter The Constable who would diuide his heart in two to nourish entertaine the warre thrust the duke of Burgundy into fury the King into distrust of him hauing left the path of moderation wisedome he came vnto the king by that of pride distrust refusing to represent himselfe vnto his maiesty but armed nor to speake vnto him but by a barre vpon a causey well garded with soldiers The D. of Burgondy not able to liue idly during this Truce seekes for worke in Germany passeth to Treues propounds to change his dukes Crowne for a Kings is offended with the Emperor for refusing it He besiegeth Nuze and seeing that the crosses which he had in his affaires proceeded onely from the King he perswades the K. of England to passe the seas to renew the pretensions of his predecessors and to make a fatall combustion of all France But Lewis diuerts this storme and makes a bridge of gold for this King to repasse the sea sending him home as wel content with peace as he was come resolute to war The King reapt both honor profit and by his foresight disappointed the great designes which were laid vnder fauor of this army and although it had diuers pretexts as diuers branches of the same stock of sedition and ambition they were all dangerous all the kinds of this poison were mortall The Duke of Bourgundy was forced to accept a peace of the king against whom he had proclaimed warre The coale which entertained the fire of discord was quenched and this head that made the windes to blow which caused the quiet of France to tremble was cut off at the Greue The Duke of Bourgundy to reuenge a light iniury done vnto the Earle of Romond vndertakes a great warre against the Suiâ—les which by the vnfortunate euent of three battels made him to loose his baggage at Granson his reputation his forces and his hopes at Morat and at Nancy his life with a part of his estate The King reapt the fruit of this warre hauing fauoured and supported the Duke of Lorraine against the great designes of this Conqueror Hee seased vpon both Burgundies and vpon a part of Artois and had forced the Archduke Maximilian to leaue the low countries and to leade the Princesse his wife into Germany with repentance of his mariage if the battell of Guinegaste had not troubled the face of his affaires and changed the designes of warre into resolutions of peace which was confirmed by the marriage of Charles Dauphin of France with Margaret of Austria Age which neuer comes alone suffers not the King to vndertake any long and difficult conqueâ—s and binds him to thinke vpon the meanes to leaue his crowne peaceably vnto his Sonne as it was rich mighty and more assured then hee had receiued it from his father hauing beautified it with many goodly flowers as Burgundy Anjou Barre Prouence and the recouerie of the Townes in Picardy and of some in Artois Being prest with troubles of mind as much as with the languishing of the body and reduced to an estate more lamentable then lamented in the which he could not liue would not dye he straue foure whole yeares against the force of an incurable disease and repulst by strange meanes the approches of death to retaine life which was but too long for his miseries and infirmities as it had beene too short for his designes and hopes He was forced to yeeld himselfe to discretion the 30 th day of August 1483. the 22 th yeare of his raigne and of his age the sixtith He carried nothing from the place which hee left but the proud title to haue freed the Kings of France from subiection or wardship capable to command not a Realme only but the whole world He was interred at our Lady of Clery hauing obtained from Pope Sixtus the fourth an excommunication against all such as would lay his body in any other tombe then in that which hee had built for himselfe and Charlotte of Sauoy his wife He did often visit this last abode and did lye in it soÌ„metimes that by the meditation of death he might descend liuing into the graue The triumphant Chariot of the prosperities of his life was drawn by Wisdome Iustice Liberality and Reputation wisdome made him victorious ouer his enemies Iudge of the controuersie betwixt the Crownes of Castile and Nauarre Protector of the liberty of the Common-weales of Italy Arbitrator of the peace betwixt Rome and Florence and then betwixt Rome and Venice He added the county of Prouence to the Crowne Hee vndertooke strange impossible designes Iustice alwayes in heat by his extreame seuerity did more often put the sword of execution into his hand then the ballance of due consideration hee caused many great men to feele his rigour whose processe he began by the execution Liberality opened him the hearts and gates of townes which hee battered with his money caused many which were distracted from him to come like Bees at the sound of a bason hee vsed it to bind the English to his friendship the Suisses to his succors and the Brittaines to his seruice Reputation hath held all the powers of Europe in admiration of him and hath made him to bee redoubted of strangers and feared of his Subiects Yet the differences betwixt the priuate and publike fortunes of this Prince were great his fortunes were of long Time in fauour amidst his prosperities In his raigne he was a wise happy King a good and a bountifull maister a distrustfull friend a cruell enemy and a terrible neighbour in his house a bad son a bad father a bad husband he had no children by Margret Steward his first wife and by Charlotte of Sauoy his second hee had Ioachim Charles Francis Anne and Ioane The Contents of the first Booke of the History of Lewis the XI 1 Charles the 7. disinherited by King Charles the sixth his father by the perswasion of Isabel of Bauaria his wife A Table of the miseries of France by the diuisions of the houses or Orleans and Bourgondy 2. The birth of Lewis Dauphin of France sonne to Charles the seauenth His breeding and marriage with the Princesse of Scotland 3 Treaty of Arras betwixt King Charles the 7. and Phillip of BourgoÌ„dy 4 Reduction of the Citty of Paris 5 First Armes of Lewis the xi 6. He is carried from Loches Trouble of the Praguerie 7. The Duke of Bourgondy approues not this mutiny 8 King
as it seemed he would canonize him before his f Flattery giues honors to mortall men which belong not vnto them Tertullian reprocheth the Pagans of lying and flattery which made them declare men Gods and Tacitus saith Deum honor Principi non ante habetur quam agere inter homines desierit Tac. An. lib. 15. The honor of the Gods is not to bee giuen vnto the Prince vntil hee hath left to liue among men death after this followed an accord by the which the Duke of Burgundy should for a reparation aske pardon of the King vpon his knee The Queene the Dauphin the Kinges of Sicile and Nauarre the Duke of Berry making the like request for him in the presence of the Children of the Duke of Orleans melting with teares and weeping with sobs to see the bloud of their Father put to compromise and themselues forced to forget so sencible an Iniurie France was presently deuided into two factions of Orleanois and Burgundians A league of Armagnacs Th' one taking his fauour and authority from the ruines disgrace of the other The Duke of Burgundy hath the soueraigne gouernment of affaires and forceth them of the howse of Orleans to make an offensiue and defensiue league against that of Burgundy g League of Orleanois at Gâ—en the tenth of March 1410. the heads were Charles Duke of Orleance and his brethren Iohn Duke of Berry Lewis Duke of Bourbon Iohn Earle of Alanson Francis Earle of Clermont Bernard Lord of Armagnac and Charles of Albert Constable of France The heads of the Bourgundy faction were Iohn Duke of Bourgundy his brethren Charles King of Nauarre son to Charles the bad the Dukes of Lorraine Brabant Brittaine the Marques of Pont the Earles of Neuers Vaudemont St. Paul Ponthure The name was of Armanacks the marke a white scarfe the cause the Kinges liberty who was in captiuity vnder the law and will of the Duke of Burgundy Challenge sent to the Du. of Burgundy and to the end the quarel might be ended with lesse danger losse of men and time Charles Duke of Orleans sent a challenge to the Duke of Burgundy to fight a combate with him and to be reuenged of his fathers death The Duke of Burgundy who had drawn the Queene vnto his party had noe great dificultie to perswade the King that the designe of the howse of Orleans was nothing but ambition and rebellion in denying him to demaund succors from Henry the fourth king of England The Dolphin being of yeares able to iudge of the intentions of the one and the other The sonne in lawe against the father in lawe found that the interest of the house of Orleans was that of the Crowne and that the ambition of the Duke of Bourgondy his father in law h Queene Isabel being banded against her nephewes of Orleans adhered to the Duke of Burgundy made the marriage of his daughter Catherinâ— with the Dauphin Lewis was the cheefe motiue of those troubles wherefore he vndertooke to crosse his designes and to make a peace this soule was seasond with good thoughts at the siege of Burges for when they told him that in a salley which the besieged had made some of his seruants were slaine and that the souldiers dyed of poisoned waters he said vnto the King his Father and the Duke of Burgundy That this warre lasted too long and that he would make an end of it Iohn of France Duke of Berry and i Enguerand of Monstrelet notes in what manner the Duke of Berry came to this treaty in his armes notwithstanding that hee was 70. yeares old for he llued aboue 80 hauing vpon theÌ„ a Cassocke of purple with a band poudred with marigolds and so he is painted in the gallery of the â—oâ—ure Philebert of Lignac great master of Rhodes employed themselues vertuously to reconcile the nephewes and the vnckle The conditions of this peace were concluded at Burges Peace of Burges sworn in a great assembly at Auxerre the names of that fatall faction of Armagnac and Burgundian were comprehended in the forgetfulnes of things past and Philip Earle of Vertus was married to the Duke of Burgundies daughter But all the parts of France recouer not their former health The warre renues againe and the Dauphin is no more for the Burgundian whose principall force consists in the sedition of Paris and the succours of the English who making their profit of ciuill diuisions win the battell of Azingcourt which was called the vnfortunate day of the 25. of October 1415. The battle of Azing-Court The Duke of Orleans armed to reuenge his fathers death and the libertie of his country was led prisoner into England and if religion had not comforted him he had no lesse reason then Pompey k The Mitcleniens came to salute Pompey after the battel intreating him to land which he refused and aduised them to obey the victor and not to feare any thing for that Caesar was a iust man and of a mild nature and then turning to the Philosopher Cratippus who was also come to see him he complained and disputed a little with him touching the diuine prouidence wherein Cratippus yeilded mildly vnto him putting him still in better hope to be amazed at the prouidence of God which seemeth to fauour the most vniust party tyranny against libertie and couetousnes against freedome Death of the Dolphin and Duke of Turraine This losse was followed by the death of Lewis the Dauphin and of Iohn Duke of Touraine the Kings second sonne By the death of these two Charles Earle of Ponthieu saw himselfe in the first degree of the Princes of the bloud and presently made show that he had been bred vp to apprehend the iniury which the Duke of Burgundy had done vnto his vncle All the Princes and Noble men which had followed the house of Orleans came vnto him and among others the Constable of Armagnac but his greatest affliction was for the vnnaturall hatred which the Queene his mother bare him who declared her selfe against him Regent of the Realme was maintained in that quarrel by the Duke of Burgundy vnder her was that cruell massacre committed the 12. of Iune 1418 whereas the l Amassacre at Paris vpon the Armagnacks from 4 of the clock in the morning the 12 of Iune vntil the next day 10. of the clock To note the Constable by the scarse which he carried they flead a bend of his skin and tyed it crosse his body his office was confirmed to the Duke of Lorraine and the Chancellors to Eustace de Lastre Constable of Armagnac and the Chancellor de Marle were slaine and the Dauphin ranne a daungerous fortune if Tanneguy du Chastel Prouost of Paris and his faithfull seruant had not saued him in the Bastille Paris saw it selfe reduc'd to that miserable estate as it seemed a retrait for Beares and Tigers During this fatall diuision the English
disposition suspitious h Suspition and facillistie is to beleeue all things Suspitionum credendi temeritas Taâ— ruins friendships and the most firmest affections and boyling made them of Croüi to feele the indignation which hee durst not euaporate against Lewis who fauoured them It burst forth at such time as they setled the estate of the Earle of Charrolois house The Duke would haue Philip de Croui Sonne to Iohn de Croui set downe for the third Chamberlaine in the absence of the Lord of Auchy the first and of the Lord of Formelles the second Chamberlaine The Earle of Charrolois entred Anthony Raulyn Lord of Eimeries The house was diuided some followed the Fathers will and others the Sonnes i A controuer sie between two priuate Noblemen is able to diujde the opinione of a whole Court That which was betwixt Chimay of Emeries who should haue the first place in the absence of the L. of Auchy first Chamberlaine to the Duke was so affected as the father was for the one the son for the other The Duke seeing the danger which might grow by this adoration of the sunne rising made it knowne that he was both master and father commanding his Sonne to bring him the Rowle and in his presence cast it into the fire and then willed him to goe forth Monstrelet saith that the Duke commanded the Earle of Charolois to cause Croui to martch in his ranke I will not answered the Earle they of Croui shall neuer gouerne as they haue done and that the Father being offended at an answer so bold and of so little respect he would haue fallen vpon his Sonne but not able to get him he commanded him to auoid the country The Sonne departs full of murmuring and despite the Father comming to himselfe and seeing that his Sonne returned not Displeasure of the Duke of Bourgundy to his Sonne goes to horseback all alone sad and pensiue in a raynie night rides through the country to let the Dauphin know the griefe hee had and his Son the choller wherin disobedience had drawen him k Whatsoeuer the Sonne doth yet must the Father alwaies show himselfe a Father matters are very foule strange when as hee is forced to forget the dutie of a Father He lost himselfe in a wood and lay all night in a Collyars cabbin with hunger in his belly and choller in his head He came the next day to Seuenbergh a little towne of Brabant whereas he found one of his huntsmen who conducted him to Guinneppe where as the Dauphin the cause of all this trouble besought him to pardon the Earle of Charrolois The Duke would haue held the refusall of so iust a request cruell being made by and for a person so neere vnto him l As it is vnpleasing to intreat a stranger so is it a very sensible discipleasure to bee refused of his owne for he could not but loue his onely Sonne in despight of his youthfull wayward affections He required no other satisfaction but that hee should dismisse two seruants William Bithe and Guiot of Vsie who retired themselues into France Soone after the Earle of Charrolois bred another subiect of choller in his fathers hart Wandring of the Dauphin being a hunting he was come from hunting without the Dauphin and had suffered him to wander in a wood thinking that hee had been before When the Duke saw him returne alone he blamed him sharpely and commanded him to goe presently to horsebacke to seeke the Dauphin They sought him long by torch-light and found him on the way to Bruzells conducted by a Pesant m The Dauphins wandring was in the night abeue eight leagues from Brussels The Duke caused him to bee sought for with torches the next day hee gaue a crowne to the Pesant which had conducted him The Duke was exceeding glad to see him returne for he knew that he should be alwaies bound to yeeld an account of so precious agage and that he might be assured whilest he held him he might haue what he desired from the King Birth of Mary of Bourgundy the 13. of Feb. 1457 God sent the Earle of Charolois a Daughter for the first fruits of his marriage the Duke intreated the Dauphin to christen her Mary This birth did moderare the grief which the Lady Isabel of Bourbon her Mother had conceiued six monthes before for the death of her Father Charles Duke of Bourbon n Charles the first Duke of Bourbon dyed in the end of the yeere 1455. he was Sonne to Iohn the first Duke of Bourbon and of Boâ—na of Bourgundy daughter to Philip the hardy Hee married Agnes of Bourgundy Daughter to Iohn Duke of Bourgundy and had fiue sonnes and fiue daughter His sonnes were Iohn the second Duke of Bourbon Lewis who died yong Peter Lord of Beauien Charles Cardinall of Bourbon Archbishop of Lyon and Lewis Bishop of Liege The Daughters were 〈◊〉 Princesse of Orange Catherine Dutchesse of Gueldres Margaret Countesse of Bresse and Dutchesse of Sauoy Isabel wife to Charles Duke of Bourgondy and Mary married first to the Duke of Calabria and afterwards to Gaston de Foix. The King was offended for that hee did not yeeld him his Sonne and desired some occasion to let him know his discontent the which hee did not dissemble when as the Duke sought to punish the Gantois for a rebellion commanding him to suffer them to liue in peace as being vnder his protection The Dauphin thought the time of his returne into France long and had sworne that he would not make that voyage vntill his Father were past vnto another world 1459. The first yeare of his abode there Charlotte of Sauoy Daughter to the Duke of Sauoy was brought to Namur to consumate the marriage which had beene concluded fiue yeares before o One of the goodliest parts of ciuill society is marrage the first gate to enter into it is loue there is none to go out of it but that of death And for that in the marriages of Princes they regard more the interest of subiect estates then their own content It happens that their loues are not so pure and free A marriage which being made vnwillingly was continued without loue When the Duke of Bourgundy gaue the Dauphin his pension of 12000. Birth of the Dauphins sonne at Gnenneppe in Iune 1459. Crownes Oliuer de la March writes that it was vpon condition that he should marry her which shewes that he had no great desire She was deliuered of a sonne who was named Ioachim the Duke of Bourgondy was so glad of this newes as he gaue a thousand Lyons of gold to Ioselin du Bois which brought it He was the Godfather and the Countesse of Charrolois the Godmother The Insant dyed presently after and left the father very sorrowfull who being not then in those distrusts which age brings desired to see him great knowing well that the Children which were
France did belong vnto him The Earle of Foyx sent his Ambassadors and Deputies to the King being at Bordeaux to conclude the treaty p The cheife condition of the Marriage was that the children which should be borne without distinction of malâ— or female should succeed in the counties of Foix and Bygorre He past to Bayonne to end a controuersie betweene the 2. Kinges of Nauarre and Aragon 1462. and Henry King of Castile his Nephew A controuersie begun with great spleene and was continued with the like and had not ended without excesse if he had not dealt in it for the parties flattered themselues in their pretentions were blind in their interests and found that the obscurenes proceeded rather from the thing then their owne blindnes But behold the causes and the effects After the death of Charles the third q Charles the third King of Nauarre taking delight to build at Olîta died suddenly in September 1425. the threescore and foure yeare of his age and the thirty nine of his raigne he was buryed at Pampeluna King of Nauarre the Crowne past from the house of France and Eureaux into that of Castile and Aragon not without trouble and discord Iohn second sonne to Ferdinand of Aragon married Blanch Infanta of Nauarre presumptiue heire of the Realme of Nauarre and widdow to Martin King of Sicilie and it was agreed by a treaty of marriage that in case she should die before her husband hee should raigne the rest of his life in Nauarre after king Charles the third his father in law Of this marriage was borne at Pegna Charles Prince of Viana born Charles Prince of Vianna a title belonging to the eldest Sonne of the King of Nauarre r Charles the the third King of Nauarre ereected Viana into a principalitie and did affect it to the eldest son of Nauarre in the yeere 1421. as Dauphin to that of France The Asturiez in Castille and Wales in England Charles the third his grandfather made him to bee sworne heyre of the Realme by the Estates after the death of Iohn his Father Charles being dead Iohn was declared King of Nauarre by some and Blanch his wife was acknowledged Queene by others yet both were crowned at Pampeluna Iohn had great warres with his brother the King of Castille Marriage betwiâ—t the Prince of the Asturies and Blanch of Nauarre who did confiscate the lands which he held in Castille Iohn Earle of Foyx reconciled them by a marriage betwixt Henry Prince of the Asturies sonne to Iohn King of Castille and Blanch Daughter to Iohn king of Nauarre s By the constitution of the marriage of this Princesse which was of 42112. Florens of gold wee may iudge in what estate K. Charles the third had left the Realme of Nauarre The marriage was celebrated with great pompe and solemnitie but the Prince was vnable to consummate it The which the Princesse did long dissemble Shee had great cause to complaine of this want and to wish her selfe to be a widdow or her husband vnmarried t The dissembling of couiuâ—all imperfections is very seemly especially in a woman Tullia a great Romane Lady is blamed for her ordinarie complaints murmùring at her husbands disabilitie De viro ad fratrem de sorore ad viruÌ„ se rectius viduam illuÌ„ caelibem futurum Tit. Liu. but like an other Eusebia shee did long suffer for the disabilitie of Constans desiring rather to wrong her youth and beautie then her modestie A while after Blanch Queene of Nauarre died and king Iohn married againe with Ione Henriques Charles Prince of Viana fearing that his alliance would keep him back from the hope of raigning and from the inheritance of the Queene his Mother did not dissemble his discontent u A desire to raigne makes the father iealous of the sonne Plutarc saith in the life of Demetrius that the greatest and most ancient of all Alexanders successors did glorie that he feared not his sonne but suffered him to approch neere his person holding a Iauelin in his band pretending that by the lawes of the Realme his Father by marrying againe had lost the fruit of the Crowne Behold all naturall affection is altered betwixt the Father and the Sonne The desire of rule makes them enemies the Father growes iealous and would not suffer his Sonne to come neere him armed On the other side this second wife seeing her selfe mother to Ferdinand did what she could to show that she was mother in law to Charles x What will not an ambitious mother doe and vndoe for her children D. Ioane lying in the bed of death by reason of a Cankar which did consume her remembring what she had done to assure the Realme vnto her Sonne spake often these words with sighes which are reported in the 21. booke of the history of Spaine O my Son thou hast cost me deare For him she had caused Don Charles to bee poysoned and neuer ceast vntill this young plant were quâ—â—â—ht by the nipping cold of her bad intentions seeking to haue a share in the regencie of the Realme in the absence of the king who had reuiued the warre in Castille Hence sprung those two great factions Factions of Beaumont and Grandmont that of Beaumont which followed the intent of of the Prince against the King and that of Grandmont which was for the father against the sonne so as presently the Realme was diuided into two kings two constables Lewis of Beaumont Earle of Lerin was Constable to the Prince and Peter of Perault was Constable to the king The kings cause as the better and more iust remained victorious the Prince beeing twice ouerthrowne is forced to flye to Alfonso king of Arragon Valencia Sardinia Maiorca Minorca and Sicile hee had recourse vnto his clemencie and besought him to pardon him The king who could not forget the loue of a Father vnto him who shewed the dutie of a Sonne receiues him but hee had new aduertisments that hee made secret practises to trouble him wherefore he sent him prisoner vnto the Alferie of Saragossa from whence hee was drawne by the Cattallans who tooke armes for his libertie Charles of Nâ—uarre poisoned by his mother in law but he went out of the prison to enter into a graue y Charles Prince of Viana died being forty yeares old a valiant Prince a great Historian a subtill Philosopher and a good Poet hee translated Aristotles Ethicks into the Castilain tongue and hee wrote the History of Nauarre vnto the time of King Charles his Grandfather For the very day of his deliuerie he was poisoned and dyed with much repentance for that hee had rebelled against the king his father The Infant Don Ferdinand was acknowledged heyre of the crowne of Arragon They of Cattellonia tooke armes to reuenge the death of Prince Charles The seditious who blow the cole of this desection said that his soule walked in the
sonnes Philebert and Charles vnder the gouerment of the Lady Yoland of France Sister to Lewis the eleuenth But whilest that France enioyed this quiet which the King had purchased in dispersing these terrible windes her auncient friends felt the storme and yet she had no meanes to relieue them for that she would not open the wound which began now to close vp nor fauour the examples of rebellion against a lawfull Prince They of Liege not thinking the warre should last so little betwixt the King and the house of Bourgundy Liege Reuolts against the Duke of Bourgondy had done all acts of hostilitie against the Duke of Bourgundies subiects preferring alwaies their owne interest d Hee that knowes well how much his owne interests concernes him will neuer haue it march after another mans before a strangers The King had promised them two hundred men at Armes euery one hauing three horses at the least to spoile the country of Henault and not to treat any peace without comprehending them Vpon this assurance and a presumption that their towne was impregnable e The people do alwaies presume of their forces with an ouer-weening and rashnesse The Iuhabitants of Nouogarde the chief Citty of Russia said braggingly Men can do nothing against God nor vs but Iohn Basileus K. of Muscouy made them to change that language Crant lib. 13. Vand. cap. 15. and themselues inuincible they sent a Herald to Bruxells to proclaime warre against the Earle of Charolois and threaten him with fire and bloud In his absence the Duke receiued and read the letters and then deliuered them againe vnto the Herald saying that his Sonne was in France and that he should carrie them vnto him if he list Hee returned to Liege from whence he was presently dispatcht with the like letters against the Duke himselfe and all his Allies These threats were sodainly followed by the effects they entred into the Dukes Contry with all kinds of outrages and inhumanities To commend this Prince or to speak well of the house of Bourgondy Army of the Duke of Bourgondy against the Liegeois were crimes which could not be expiated but by death The poore peasants were slaine like sheepe for no other reason but for that they are his friends and cannot like of the rage of these wolues The Duke armes and by his commandement the Dukes of Cleues and Gueldres The Earles of Nassau and Horne with the Marquis of Roselin They presse these snailes in such sort as they dare not put forth their hornes of Rebellion and keepe themselues within their walles with repentance that they had so soone gone to field vppon hope that the King who had then another taske in hand would assist them and that they should not want meanes nor courage to defend their liberty f Liberty doth animate mens mindes and fill their harts with courage valour that defend it In the famous Battels of Miltiades Leonides and The mistocles for the liberty of Greece the nomber hath yeelded vnto Courage They of Dinan subiecte vnto Liege were no lesse mad against the Duke vpon the newes which ranne and which was as soone beleeued as receiued that the Earle of Charolois had beene defeated at Montleherry They made an Image very like vnto the Earle and carry it with great shoutes and cries neere vnto the walles of Bouinnes Indignities and Insolencies of people râ—nolted where they set vp a Gibbet and hang it thereon calling him whom it did represent Traitor Viâ—laine and Bastard The veriest rascall made the greatest noise They made also another image for the Duke the which they did set vppon a high peece of wood cryng out See heere the seat of that great tond your Duke An act which cannot bee too seuerely punished by iustice nor remitted by repentance vppon hope of amendement g In these coÌ„motions there is nothing bâ—t fury no courage nor valour Certatim vt quisque animi ignauus procax est ore Tâ—cit Hist. lib. 2. This furious mockery against the Prince was followed by all kindes of cruelty against his subiects of Bouines who thinking to aduize these madmen to returne vnto their duties they first sent the Herald of their towne to perswade them and then a little boy with letters signed They cut off the head of the first and â—are the second in peices O inconstant people what is there cruell and barbarous but thou committest in thy fury h Men would not kill aspicks nor vipers if they might bee tamed made harmelesse when there is no hope of amendment Clemency is iniurious and Iustice alwaies necessary whereas the publique is wrongd crimes whose Impunity draw on others are irremissible The Duke although hee were exceeding old thought that he could not dye honorably vnlesse he were reuenged of the ingratitude and rebellion of Dinan The Duke buâ—eegeth DinaÌ„ takes it and ruines it He caused himselfe to be carried thither in a litter leading an army of 28000. horse and a great number of foot he takes the towne ruines it and casts 800. of the Inhabitants into the riuer of Meuze i A Prince should neuer dissemble an open rebellion for hee that doth not punish a rebell in such sort as he may no more rebell must be held to haue little witte and lesse courage and they which did not end their miseries now in dying remained to dye daily k The miserable man is beholding vnto death it frees him from miseries Tamberlan slew as many lepers as he found that they might haue an end of their miseries and infect no more by their coÌ„tagion Calcondile For the same reason Dracula Prince of Valachia shut a great troupe of Beggers into a â—arne and set it on fire hauing made them all drunke Bonsin. Lib. 3. beeing nothing beholding to them that meetâ—ng them suffered them to liue The Liegeois apprehending the like vsage yeelded vnto the Duke hauing made shew that they would giue him battell Liegeois giue 50. Hostages they gaue him fifty hostages for assurance of the fealty which they promised and sixe hundred thousand Florins of the Rhin paiable in sixe yeares This warre ended the Duke of Bourgondy ended that of his life and changed it into an eternall peace Death of Duke Philippe in the 72. yeare of his age the 48. of his raigne the 15. of Iuly in the yeare 1497. l Phil. de Commines saith that the Liegeois gaue 300. Hostages the number was but 50. whereof 32. were of Liege sixe of Sainctron or St. Trid sixe of â—ongres and sixe of Hesselt Hee left his house in the height of felicity ritch in alliances honour friendes and reputation gold in his coffers and iron to defend it m It is nothing to haue gold if they haue not Armes to keepe it Craesus shewed his treasure to Solon who seeing it to be of an infiniâ—e valew demanded where was the iron and steele to keepe that gold It
Prince should neuer be present to make his opinion g When as a Prince will doâ— any thing by Councell hee should not bee here for his presâ—nce hinâ—ders the liberty of their opinions especially when the question is of the death of any one accused Tiberius would not that Drusus his Sonne should giue his opinion first in Lepidus cause aâ—cused of treason So when Piso was commaÌ„ded to speak his opinion touching Granius Marcellus being accused to haue set his Statue higher then the Emperours He said directing his speech vnto the Emperor And you Sir in whatâ— rank will you giue your opinion for if you speak last I feare my opinion will be coÌ„trarie to yours Quo loco censebis Caesar si primus habebo quod sequar si post omnes vereor ne imprudens dissentiam knowne to the end it may not be followed as a Decree and that such as will contradict it may doe it freely The Marshall of Bourgundy and the Signior of Contay concluded to haue them put to death grounding their opinion vpon this reason that so strange a reuolt should bee extraordinarily reuenged that these Mutyns were vnworthy of the Princes Clemencie and that the bonds whereby they contained such wilde spirits in their duties must be taken in the terror of punishments h â—There are crimes as diseaeases which require violent and extraordinarie cures It is not good alwaies to vse to great mildnes in the peoples folly and madnes Dennis of Syracusa scorned at that shâ—me saying that the chaines of demands wherewith Estates were bound are the terror of punishments Armes and Armes The Innocencie of the Hostages found fauour in the opinions of the Earle of S t Paul and the Sig r of Imbercourt who detested this crueltie against the poore Bourgesses which had willingly sacrificed themselues for the publike perswaded the Duke to take God of his side this reason was sufficient and words were superfluous to oppose against it But in these occasions whereas all is disputable it is good that the Prince haue more then one or two of his Councell to the end that wandring opinions may bee set right by others for men are no Angels i There somtimes escape from the wisest absurd and iâ—considerate opinions and therefore the Councell of one â—lone is dangerous the which must consist of diuers heads For the spirits of men haue their seasons as wel as their bodies and the wisest man liuing is not alwaies wise without passion they bring them with them in all their Actions and sometimes hatred or enuie feare or hope the waywardnes and indisposition of the person are as it were the moulds and formes of Councels Besides there are many which doe not speake but after others The mildest and most iust opinion was followed and the Hostages sent back to Liege being aduised not to meddle in the contagion of the infidelitie of others and to tell them that if they abused their Princes clemencie they should feele his rigour One of the assistants k The Sig r of Coâ—tay was reputed a wise and discrect Knight they had neuer noted crâ—eâ—tie nor indiscretion in his 〈◊〉 and yet hee was 〈◊〉 for this cruell Councell and his death they imputed to a iust iudgement of heauen according to Phil. of Commines at this Councel foretold the death of the Sig r of Coâ—tay within a yeare Death of the Sig r of Contay for that hee had concluded the death of the Hostage and it was true In the meane time the Duke of Brittanie cryed out for succors The Duke of Bourgundy sent vnto the King to intreat him to cease that warre and to consider that the Duke of Brittanies cause was his The King to pay him with the same reason sent him word that if hee would leaue the protection of his brother and the Duke of Brittanie hee would abandon the Liegeois The Constable of St. Paul and la Balue carried this message to whom the Duke answered that he could not abandon his friends Nor we ours replied the Constable you choose not but take all you will neither haue vs succour our friends nor make warre against our enemies Well said the Duke going to horse the Liegeois are in field I haue proclaimed warre l The Heraulds which proclaimed this war carried in the right hand a naked sword and in the other a flaming torch a fearefull threat of fire bloud against them with a naked sword and a flaming torch I will fight with them before three daies passe if I loose the battell you may doe as you please but if I winne it you shall leaue the Brittons in peace The Duke besieged Saintron Siege of Saintron the Leigois beeing 30000. came to succour the besieged and lodge in a great Village enuironed with a marish a mile from the Dukes Armie there they are charged and repulsed euen vnto their trenches with the shot of Arrowes and Canon but when they that assailed had no more arrowes the Liegeois recouered courage charged them with their pikes and in an instant slew fiue hundred and made the rest to wauer betwixt flight and amazement The Duke seeing his foreward turne their backes caused the Archers of the battell to aduance by whom the Leigeois were beaten and slaine to the number of nine thousand A number according to the truth not to flatterie and passion which sometimes makes Gyants of Dwarfes m The true number of the dead in a battel is seldome set down the victors make â—t greater the vanquished lesser and many as Phil. de CoÌ„mines saith to flatter Princes for one slaine number a hundred The number of the dead in the Battell of Marignan was neuer truely knowne The Frâ—ch said that they had cut halfe the Suisses Army in pieces which was of 25000. men The Suisses say that being returned into their countrey they found but 5000. wanting and that the French had lost more Gradenic saith that in al there were 22000. Iustin numbers aboue 15000. Suisses and Guichardin as many A varietie which proceeds eyther from error or passion The rest retired to Liege and if there had not been a Moore betwixt them and the Dukes horse-men Saintron yeelds to discretion yeelded to the Dukes discretion deliuering ten men to his Iustice. Whose heads saued the rest and serued for an example against their rebellion He did the like to Tongres which yeelded vpon the same condition and in this decimation n Decimation was inuented to punish a multitude in such sort as the fear might seeme generall to all the Offenders and the punishment to a small number all felt it not but euery man feared it some of those hostages were found which he had sent home Hee presented himselfe before Liege Leige yeelds demands pardon one of the mightiest and best peopled townes of the countrie The Dukes presence made some resolue to trust vnto his clemencie and others to feare his Iustice. Three
the Bastard was excluded and that they pretended not to change any thing of the rights which he had ouer the Crowne of Cypres as Protector o After that the Christians affaires were ruined in Soria and the East the Kings of Cypres of the house of Lusignan put themselues vnder the protection of the Souldiers of Egypt This reason had pacified him being resolued to quit the Protection of the Bastard But Mahomet sent him word that it was a thing worthy of his greatnes and profitable to their common religion to restore this Prince to his Estates exhorting him to remember the iniuries which they of that Nation and those of Lewis his house had done vnto the Mahometans protesting that if hee had a desire to haue peace with Christians he should be sure to haue warre with him The assistance which the Souldan of Egypt gaue vnto the Bastard was the cause that he was presently acknowledged by them who could not oppose against his power He coÌ„manded ouer their bodies more then their hearts which being full of feare were also so of wishes and desires of his death who made them feare p Feare is a bad gard for them that command For they that feare studie still how they may be rid of him that keepes them in feare Quem metuunt oderunt queÌ„ quisque odiit periisque expedit Lewis was forced to quit the field and to retyre himselfe into the Castle of Cerines where he was besieged by the Bastard who seeing it impossible to take this place and that all the Princes of Christendome were offended at this vsurpation he sent his Embassadors â—ope Pius the second to yeeld him obedience and to beseech him to hold him in the ranke of Catholike Kings The Pope would not see them but sent them away with bitter words Hereupon Lewis saw himselfe forced to retire to the Duke his Father King and Queene of Cypres driuen out of their owne Realme and the Queene Charlotte to Rome to seeke succors but the diuisions of Italy hindred that which they desired and stayed her there during the time of Pius the second of Paul the second and of Sixtus the fourth and Lewis remained at Ripaille Pope Pius the second q It was tâ—oght that Lewis D. of Saucy had some secret spleene against Pope Pius the second for that he had been Secretarie to his father when he was but in base condition and had abandoned him to follow Eugenius his enemie said that hee had beene chased out of Cypres for that his father had failed of his promise at the assembly at Mantoua for the holy warre and that the same Lewis his Sonne being then neere vnto Mantoua and hauing not vouchsafed to see him and demand his blessing hee had saied by prediction vnto the Embassadors of Sauoy that it would happen his Sonne would loose the Realme of Cypres for a punishment of that the father did and that one day hee would demand those succors in vaine from others which his father had denied vnto the Church The Bastard seeing himselfe in quiet possession of the Crowne of Cypres remembred that Marc Cornaro a Gentleman of Venice had assisted him in his necessitie with ships r Good deedes neuer dye in great courages others forget the good remember the ill Quid autem est eo miserius cui beneficia excidunt hereÌ„t iniuriae Sen. money and Councell Catherine Carnaro adopted by the Venetians and had giuen him meanes to goe vnto the Souldan of Egypt hee resolued to marry his Daughter named Catherine whom the Senate of Venice after the death of Marc Cornaro her Father had adopted as their Daughter The mariage was treated with the consent of the Siegneurie who gaue her a great dowrie this marriage was made in the yeare 1466. Iames King of Cypres fell sicke of a bloudy Flix and seeing that his cure was desperate hee had not the trouble which great Princes as well as priuate men haue when they die to know to whom hee should recommend his realme hauing the Senate of Venice wholly at his deuotion but it troubled him what his successor should be which was yet in the mothers wombe s Princes haue no lesse need then mean persons of strong consolations to help them to depart the world to leaue their affaires in some safety Mocenigo assured him that neither the Venetians forces nor his priuate seruice should neuer faile him After his death Charlotte demanded succors of the Venetians the Duke answered that the Siegneurie was bound to defend her who was her adopted Daughter and that King Iames had instituted her heyre with the fruit in her womb That moreouer he wondred that she vnderstood not that rights of Realmes were debated rather by Armes then by Lawes t In former times wheÌ„ they haue demanded of conquerors of Prouinces the titles of their CoÌ„quests some haue shewed them their Canons and others their swords and that the Realme of Cypres had not been solely to her but also to the Geneuois who at that time held a great part The widdow of King Iames was presently troubled with new Combustions within the Realme A Bishop of the house of the Gotholans Tumults in Cypres who had great authoritie and credit in the Iland being Embassador to Ferdinand King of Naples when as King Iames dyed propounded to marry the Bastard of the deceased King of Cypres Many were of his partie but the wiser sort were contented to passe these rockes with open eyes and deafeeares u There are some things which are good to be seene but dangerous to be harkened vnto They saw the ruines whereinto they did runne and did not giue eare to the promises inchantments that were made them The designe of marriage tooke effect x The Cipriòts seazed vpon the Kings Palace and made his base daughter beeing but six yeares old sure to King Ferdinands base son and gaue him the title of Prince of Galilee but that of the royalty was preuented by the Venetians who sent Mocenigo thither The courage of the conspirators quailed their iudgement failed them at his arriuall their last refuge was flight The soueraigne Authoritie remained peaceably in the Queene who in acknowledgement of the succours she had receiued from Venice Presents of the Queene of Cypres to Mocenigo presented Mocenigo with a Target richly wrought and a standard of the same Shee was brought in bed of a Sonne who dyed at the end of the yeare By this death shee remained Queene alone vnder the Protection and defence of the Siegneurie of Venice Ferdinand King of Naples seeing that his first designe did not succeed for the marriage of the Bastard hee sought the Queene widdow for his Sonne imploying in this Treatie Riccius Marineus a Neapolitaine Ferdinand K. of Naples seeke the alliance of the Queene of Cypres a very deere friend to the deceased King and Tristan Cybellet a Cypriot who had a Sister
made his Brother the packhorse of his passions sought to put him out of hope to marry his daughter Marriage sought in Castille and perswaded him to seeke the marriage of the King of Castiles daughter f The K. desired the Marriage of Isabella Infanta of Castile with his brother but she was married to D. Fernando Prince of Arragâ—n King Henry treated for his Daughter D. Ioane Monsieur submitted his will to the Kings and Deputies were sent into Castille to King Henry the fourth The King had for his part the Cardinall of Alby and the Lord of Torcy The Duke of Guienne gaue his procuration to the Earle of Bolloigne and to the Lord of Malicorne to consent vnto this marriage and had neuer beheld the Bride Princes drinke these waters without seeing them This poursute was pleasing to the King of Castile who was offended that his Sister D. Isabella had married to Ferdinand of Arragon without his consent The King sends Ambassadors into Castile and tooke it for a great honor that shee whom the Grandes of Spaine held and who in effect was the supposed Daughter of Castile should bee wife vnto the French Kings brother hauing no meanes to lodge her in a better house Hee commanded the Archbishop of Seuill the Bishop of Siguenç and the master of the order of S. Iames to treat the marriage with the Embassadors of France All being concluded the King would haue the promises made in a great Plaine g The Princesse D. Ioane was brought into the field by the Marques of Santillana who had her in charge and to whom the King gaue in recompence of his seruice three Townes of the Infantasgo Alâ—ocer Valdolinas and Salmeron neere vnto the Monasterie of Paular enual de Locoia in the view of an incredible multitude which came thither The K. hauing renued his declarations against his sister D. Isabella and confirmed to his Daughter D. Ioane the title of Princesse and heire of Castille the Cardinall of Alby addressing himselfe to the Queene her mother besought her to sweare whether D. Ioane were the Kings daughter or not She sweare that she was He made the like adiuration vnto the King who affirmed the same They had not any need to seeke for the Iewes waters of probation h The Iewes to proue adultery had probation waters as they caled them The adulterous woman drinking therof did burst The Geâ—mans tried if their Children were lawfull making them swim vpon the riuer of Rhin nor to make this Virgin swim vpon the Riuer to know the truth of her birth And yet vpon this affirmation all the Grandes at that time kist her hands and she was againe sworne Princesse of Castille In this qualitie the Cardinall of Alby made her sure to the Duke of Guienne the Earle of Boulongue promising and receiuing the promises for him Whilest the King laboured to prouide a wife for his Brother Birth of Charls the 8. God sent the King a Sonne i Charles Dauphin of France was borne at Amboise the 14 of Iuly or as the Annales of Aquitaine report the last of Iune 1470. Charles of Bourbon Archbishop of Lion was Godfather and gaue him his name This birth reuiued the King who began to grow old his Maiestie was more respected factions were weakened Monsieurs hopes recoyled and France wholly preserued by these two great and speciall fauours of heauen valor and prosperitie or vertue and fortune which haue made her reputation to passe through so many ages k Valour without the which a great enterprise cannot bee ended laied the foundation of the Monarchy of France and prosperity withâ—out the which the best setled estates are not assured preserues it The Constable seeing that by Monsieurs marriage with the Daughter of Castille Constables new practises all his designes vanished into smoke labors with all the capacitie of his iudgement to disswade him from this alliance letting him know that it was dishonorable by reason of the vnlawfull birth of Bertraiamina for so they called her and dangerous for the hatred which he should purchase of D. Ferdinand and D. Isabella declared Kings of Castille with the like Art he represented vnto him the greatnes he should expect by the marriage of the Princesse of Bourgundy Death of Pope Paul the second Pope Paul the second died l Paul the second dyed of an Apoplexie the 28. of Iuly 1471. hauing raigned 6. yeers ten moneths during this poursuite and after that he had yeelded vnto it hee was sodainly surprised by death hauing held a Consistorie and eaten two melons at his dinner His election was as vnexpected as his death Cardinall Scarampi who was his enemie m Cardinall Lewis Scarampy Patriarke of Aquilea was enemie to P. Paul the second being yet a Cardinal Lewis reproched to Peter the sumptuousnes of his buildings and Peter said that he had rather exceed in that then in dice playing wherein Lewis tooke great delight did in the beginning of the Conclaue breake off the proposition which was made and yet contrarie to the ordinance of elections the suffrages agreed vpon the same subiect which they had reiected and the contention which had begunne the Conclaue ended This Pope shewed a great generosite for beeing chosen and seeing that the gowt or rather shame and discontentment hindred this Cardinall from comming to the adoration hee went to meete him imbraced him assured him of his loue and to forget all matters past This Pope augmented the pompe of the Court of Rome hee gaue Scarlet foot-clothes to the Cardinals Mules Platina saith that he loued not learned men and called all them hereticks that made profession and therefore he supprest the Colledge of Abreuiators which was full of great excellent spirits The feeling which Platina seemed to haue of this iniury did wholly ruine his fortune in the affliction whereof he wrote a letter vnto the Pope n â—latinas letter had thâ—se words Si tibi lâ—cuit indicta causa spoliare nos â—mptione nostra iusta eâ— legiâ—ima debet nobis licere conqueri illatam inâ—uriam inâ—â—stamque ignominiâ—m eiecti a te ac tam insigni coÌ„â—umelia affâ—cti dilabemur paâ—sim ad reges ac Principes eosque adhortabimur vt tibi consilium indicanâ— in quo potissimuÌ„ rationem reddere cogatis cur nos legitima possessione spoliaueris full of bitternes and without respect This Pope was also taxed to be very greedy of money Paul the secoÌ„d a great builder and not to haue held the iustest meanes to get it and yet his magnificence in the sumptuous building of the Pallace of St. Mark and in the reparation of that of S. Peter freed him from blame with such as know that magnificence is the daughter of liberalitie The promises beeing broken in the Castille the poursuite of the marriage with the Duke of Bourgundies Daughter was followed by the Constable with great vehemencie who could not endure
subdued the victors and that a Prince is not ruined so long as hee hath a spirit hope and a sword remaining k As long as a Prince keepes himselfe vp how ruinous soeuer his affaires hee wee must not â—ould him for lost Masanissa beeing put to rout by Siphar saued himselfe by swimming hid himseâ—fe in a Caue being bruted that he was dead He went to field beeing cured of a wound receiued and recouered his Realme Leonidas sonne to Syphâ—x expellâ—d him another time hee fled with 70. horse and by Scipios meanes was restored The King informed himselfe particularly of this defeat Contay told him that there were but seauen men at armes slaine Number of them that were slaine in the battell but the losse of the baggage was inestimable The King being among his most confident seruants made it appeare that nothing displeased him so much as the little number Hee commanded them to make Contay good cheere who made no shew to heare the people of Lions singing through the streetes the shame and ruine of this battel the courage of the Suisses and the rashnes of the Bourgondians for at that time there was not a Battell but there was presently a Song made of it l The custome is very antient to make hymms and Songs of Battells and victories There are examples in Aristophanes and in Plutark in the life of Flaminius Charle maigne caused a collection to be made of all the rimes of the like subiect This hard incounter bred a great alteration in mens mindes and affections Those which feared the courage and admired the prosperity of this Prince began presently to contemne him after the newes of this rout There was not any friend no loue Galeas Duke of Milan renouncing the alliance the had made with him besought the King to renew those which he formerly had with France and offers him a hundred thousand Ducats The King made this braue proud answer to his Ambassador Tell your maister that I will none of his money and that once in a yeare I leuie three times more then hee as for peace and warre I will dispose as I please but if he repent himselfe to haue left my alliance to imbrace that of the Duke of Bourgondy I am content to returne as we was vpon which wordes the Truces were published againe This good newes augmented the content which the King tooke at Lion whether Rene Duke of Aniou came to see him This good Prince who had seene the death of his three sonnes Rene Duke of Aniou comes to the King and had but one daughter m Rene Duke of Aniou had by Isabel daughter to Charles Duke of Lorayne three sonnes who died in the flower of their yeares Iohn Duke of Calabria Nicholas Duke of Bar. Lewis marquis of Pont and yoland put the Duke of Bourgondy in some hope that hee would adopt him for his sonne and transferre the rightes of his house to the Crowne of Sicile with the Earledome of Prouence and this Prince had already sent Chasteau Guion into Piedmont with 20. thousand crownes to leuie soldiers and to passe them into Prouence to take possession thereof The King being aduertised heereof sent to Phillip Earle of Sauoy to seaze vppon Chasteau Guion with his money and men Hee had great difficulty to saue his owne person but lost his money adding this losse to others which his maister had receiued The King intreated him to come to Lion and not to deale with the Duke of Bourgondy who sought to ruine him The good old man being discontented with the Duke of Lorraine who had forced him to giue his daughter n After the death of Charls the first of that name Duke of Lorraine Rene Duke of Aniou pretended the Duchie as husband to Isabell daughter to Charles Hee lost a Battell against the Earl of Vaudemont and was taken prisoner forced to giue his Daughter Yoland to Ferry of Lorraine son to Anthony Earl of Vaudemont Yoland of Aniou to Ferry his sonne resolued to this voyage Complaint of the Du of Aniou made by the Seneshall Hee led with him Iohn Cosse Seneshall of prouence who with a freedome worthy of the age wherin he liued and little knowne to them of his nation for he was a Sicilien let the King vnderstand that all which o Rene of Sicile sold to Lewis of Chalon the homage soueraigntie of the Principalitie of Oranges his Son submitted it to the Parliament of Dauphiné and afterward K. Lewis restored it vnto him Duke Rene had treated with the Duke of Bourgondy touching Prouence Sicily and that which he had dismembred to the benefit of the Prince of Orange was only to make his maiesty know the wrong which hee had done him in detaining the Castles of Bar and Anger 's and crossing him in all his affaires that this dispight had forced him to these resolutions the which notwithstanding he had no desire to effect if he might otherwise haue reason from his maiesty The King taking the libertie of this Discourse in good part as free from flatterie and seasoned with discretion p To fit a discourse to flattery for to please is impudencie but it is a great indiscretion to be to free and hardy to auoid pleasing flatterie They must obserue a mean Seemelinesse comes from mediocritie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut. he found truth in it which he could not gainesay the which did binde him by all courtesie and good vsage to deface the discontents which the good old man his Vnckle King of Sicile had against him The Chronicle saith that he made him great cheere at Lyon he made him see the faire of S t Iohn and the faire Dames of Lyon but hee did well requite this good cheere for before hee parted hee contented the King with such assurances as he desired to adde Prouence to the Crowne The Duke of Bourgundy had besieged Morat Morat besieged by the Duke of Bourgundy a small Towne two leagues from Berne with an armie of fourescore thousand men The Suisses had twelue thousand Pikes ten thousand Halbards and ten thousand shot The Duke of Lorraine came also with such troupes as the King had giuen him and although the number were not great yet hee was commended by the Suisses q They were weary saith Phil. de Com. in our Court of the D. of Lorraine When a great man hath lost al his owne most coÌ„monly he tires them that support him There might be in all some thirty two thousand foote and three or foure thousand horse The Duke of Bourgundy held it impossible for the Suisses or the Duke of Lorraine to succour Morat Battell of Morat won by the Suisses and yet they did attempt it and execute it very happily As they approched the Duke saluted them with his Canon which did play so furiously vppon their troupes as presently there were many horses seene without riders The Suisses notwithstanding
his life Hee liued six yeares eleuen monthes Philip Earle of Bresse sonne to Lewis and great Grandfather to Charles Emanuel who had been prisoner at Loches succeeded him a great Prince as all they haue been whose fortunes haue been tost and crost z They whom a variable vnconstaÌ„t fortune hath exercised and tryed gouerne theÌ„selues better then others Tacitus speaks it of Caractatus QueÌ„ multa ambigua multa prospeta extâ—lerant vt câ—teros Britannorum Imperato resprâ—mineret Whom many crosses and many good fortunes had raised vp that he might exceed the rest of the Brittish commanders After that Iustus Lipsius to confirme this truth hath spoken of Charles the fiâ—t and Lewis the eleuenth he addes Emanuel Philibert Duke of Sauoy and concludes that the Greeke word is true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I haue learned of them that haue hurt me Miseria brudentiae bona mater Misery iâ— a good mother of wisedome At the Kings returne from Lyon Alfonso K. of Portugal comes to demand succors in France Alfonso King of Portugall came to salute him being at Tours hee came vnto him as to his last refuge being no longer able to resist the power of King Ferdinand and Isabelta The cause of their contention is well worthy the knowing and to vnderstand it wee must remember that it was formerly said that by the peace made betwixt Iohn King of Castille and Iohn of Nauarre Blanche the eldest Daughter of Nauarre was married to Henry of Castille Prince of the Asturies and that the marriage was not consummated by reason of the disabilitie and coldnes of the husband a Pope Eugenius the third gaue a dispensation for the degree of proximitie that was betwixt the married couple and the marriage was celebrated at Madrid in the yeare 1440. The bashfulnes and modestie of this Princesse made her dissemble her misfortune Disabilitie of Henry K. of Castillâ— whereof no man might inconsiderately grow in doubt for the Prince was of a manlike and braue aspect but his actions were faint and languishing They were but fiue and twentie yeares old when they were married At one and thirty he succeeded to his father who died in the yeare 1454 of a quartaine Ague after that he had put Aluaro de Luna b Dom Aluato de Luna abusing the greatnes of his charge and the great loue the King bare him was hated of the Princes Noblemen of Castille they forced the King to banish him six yeares from the Court His faction won the Prince D. Henry who armed against his father wroght so as he was restored to fauor and made Master of the Order of S. Iames but seeking to be reuenged of his enemies and making many enterprises against them Queene Isabel fauoring them made the King resclue to put him in prison to haue him exâ—cuted at Vaile dosâ—t The King did forfeit al his goods they did set a siluer Basin whereas his head was to receiu that which passers by would giue for his entertainment A remarkable example of the inconstancy of Kings and fortunes fauours Al sin 〈…〉 vita a la tarde loa el dia. The life is commended by the end and the day by the Euening his Constable to death and had raigned nine and forty yeares and six monethes Henry succeeded him and Alfonso his second sonne was great Master of the Order of St. Iames hee would willingly haue giuen him his Crowne for the griefe he had conceiued for Henries disobedience His Daughter Isabella was but three yeares old to whom he gaue the Towne of Cuellar and a great summe of money for her mariage All things succeeded otherwise then he had proiected The eternall prouidence which hath written in his tables of Diamond the aduentures of things which are haue been and shall be had disposed after another manner But as the most constant patience is tired at length this Princesse The Pope dissolues the mariage for sterilitie hauing for a long time endured her husbands disabilitie began to murmure and he preuented her complaints presenting a request vnto the Pope to bee seperated from her and shewed that she was barren and could not be a mother and that the affaires of Castille required an heire The Pope dissolued the first marriage and suffered him to marry againe with Ione Infanta of Portugall Sister to King Alfonso and Daughter to King Edward a Princesse exceeding faire who more desirous to bee a Queene then a wife consented to this marriage notwithstanding that shee was fully aduertised of the disabilitie of the husband which she tooke who although he were a great Prince could not haue found a woman where as euery one may haue for his money But shee made it knowne that a politick woman neuer dyes without an heyre On the other side the King held the blemish of disabilitie to be so dishonourable as to make the contrarie knowne and to haue children to succeed vnto his Crowne he consented that Bernard de la Cueua one of his fauourites c Some write that D. Ioane consented therevnto by force but when she had once made this leape she had more need of a bridle then a spurre A wonderfull incontinency and impudency Being at it were confined to the Castell of Alacaes vnder the custody of the Archbishop of Seuelle she had by D. Pedro the Archbishops Nephew two children D. Ferdinand and D. Apostol should lye with the Queene who presently conceiued with child and to the end it should not bee thought to be done by supposition he would haue her deliuered in the presence of Henry Earle of Alba de Lista the Archbishop of Toledo and the Marquis of Vellena It was a Daughter which had for her Godfather the Earle of Armagnaâ— who was at that time Embassador in Castille to King Lewis the eleuenth Wisedome and discretion might haue made this deceit more fortunate then it was Henry the king of Castille degraded for all Spaine made demonstration of incredible Ioy for the birth of this Daughter but there was follie and indiscretion of all sides The King who would confirme this opinion that he was a gallant man sought the loue of other women who soone discouered the deceit The Queene made shew to be iealous entertained her loue securely with D. Bernard so as the great familiaritie he had with her made the world doubt of her chastitie and when as they saw that the King honored him with the chiefe charges of the Realme making him master of the order of St Iames and then Duke of Albuquergue they did imagine that he made him play his part in this Comedie which ended with cruel tragicall effects for the Great men of the realme made a league to seaze vpon D. Alfonso and D. Isabella brother Sister to the end that this Bastard should not depriue them of their rights Alfonso being about twelue yeeres old was proclaimed K. of Castille by them and then did D. Henry shew
the imbecillitie and weaknes of his Nature for whereas hee should haue opposed himselfe against those mutinies he suffred them to get such credit and authoritie as the Archbishop of Toledo being sent for to come vnto him to the end hee might pacifie those troubles he said vnto him that brought him this charge Tell your King that I am weary of him his affaires and that he shall shortly see who is the true King of Castille The Grandos of the Realme assembled in a great plaine neere vnto Auila to degrade the King from the royall dignity That which they could not doe vnto his person Alfonso proclained K. of Castille they did vnto his statue d When as King Henry vnderstood of this degradation which was in Iune 1â—65 he said I haue bred vp children and they haue contemned me I came naked from my mothers wombe and the earth atâ—ends me naked No man can liue so poorely as hee is borne and it God expels mee now for my fins he wil comfort and preserue mee afterwards for his infinite power is that which kils and restores to life which wouÌ„ds and cures that which giues Siegneuries takes them away which raiseth vp Kings puls them downe when he pleaseth which they presented vpon a scaffold when as the Herad said that D. Henry was degraded from the royall dignity the Archbishop of Toledo tooke the Crowne from his image the Earle of Plaisance the sword and the Earle of Beneuent the Scepter this done Diego Lopes cast it out of the royall seat Alfonsos standard was aduanced and poore Henry shouted at and contemned They would end the quarrell by a battell before Olivedo e The Battell of Oluiedo was in the yeare 1467. They doe not agree who had the victory D. Alfonso was seen armed aâ— all peeces incouraging his men D. Henry appeared not in the fight but entered triumphing towards night into Medina del Campo The two Armies fought by order one squadron against another The Archbishop of Toledo led his army hauing a white stole vpon his armes The combat continewed three houres and ended with so great disorder of either side as both parties made bonfiers for the victory The Pope sent his Legat f Anthony de Veneris Bishop of Lyon the Popes Legate being in Spain coÌ„manded them to lay downe Armes vpon paine of excommunication the great men of Spaine opposed themselues said that they appealed to a Councill The Licentiat Iohn D. Alcacer and Doctor Alphonso of Madrigall were committed for this appeale to pacefie these troubles during the which King D. Alfonso hauing raigned three yeares died of the plague at Cardegnosa Death of Alfonso King of Castille The League would haue declared Isabella heire of the Realme the which she would not accept the King her brother lyuing wherevpon a peace was made by which she was declared Princesse of Castille the nineteenth of September 1468. vpon condition that she should not marry without the consent of the King hir brother They would haue married her to Alfonso of Portugall who was a widower and D. Ioane to Iohn the eldest Sonne of Portugall vpon condition that if there came no children of the marriage of the Pincesse Isabell g D. Isabella was sought for in marriage by the brother of King Lewis by the King of Englands brother She made choise of D. Ferdinand Prince of Arragon He came to see her vnknown D. Guttiere of Cardona who coÌ„ducted him shewed him her saiing in Spanish Esse es It is he To whome the Princesse answerered sodenly and S. Shal be thine armes vpon this cause the family of this knight doth at this day carry an S in tâ—eir armes and deuice those which issued from the marriage of D. Ioane should succeed to the realme Castille But D. Isabella had other thoughts she loued Ferdinand sonne to Iohn King of Navarre and Arragon whome shee caused to come to Vaillidolet in a disguized habit and marryed him the eighteenth of October 1469. Isabella of Castille marries Ferdinand of Arragon King Henry was so incensed at this marriage as hee declared his Sister fallen from all the rights which shee might pretend to the crowne of Castille and caused Ioane his daughter to be proclaymed his true heire who was married to Charles Duke of Guienne as hath beene formerly said This treaty of marriage was broken by the death of the Dukd of Guienne King Henry died also h The death of Henry the 4. King of Castille was in the yere 1474. the one and forty yeare of his age and the on twenteth of his raign Hee was interred in the great Chappell of the Monastery of Guadalupe He appointed 52. lampes of siluer to burne day night vpon his tombe And notwithstanding that the Crowne were assured to Ferdinand and Isabel yet Ioane continued the title of Queene of Castille Troupes sent out of France into Castille and in this quality she married with Alfonso King of Portugall which was an occasion of great warres The French King being discontented with the house of Arragon and the warre of Pergignan sent troupes to the King of Portugal vnder the command of Aman of Albret i Ambassadors haue oste ingaged their Maisters in very ruin ous voiages Philip de CoÌ„mines who had treated with them of the K. of Portugall saith that if they had beene well aduised they would haue informed themselues better of matters here before they had councelled their Maister to this voiage wâ—ich was very preiudiciall vnto him But the King of Portugal hauing lost his enterprises and his Partisans was forced to retyer himselfe into Portugall carring away no other triumph of the warre of Castille but the Princesse D. Ioane his wife whome notwithstanding hee would not mary before hee were assured of the Realme of Castille and therefore he went into France to implore ayde from King Lewis with whome he had treated an alliance by his Ambassadors who vnder the good chere which was made them and the good words which were giuen them during the treaty without any other intent perswaded their Maister to come into France assuring him that he should doe more by his presence for the succors which he demanded then by the mediation of his servants and that there might bee a marriage made betwixt the Dauphin and D. Ioane his Neece He landed at Marseille Alfonsâ— K of Portugall comes to Tours came to Lyons and so went downe the riuer of Loire to Tours where he acquainted the King with the cause of his voyage k Necessity â—orceth Princes euen to things vnworthy of their quality They write that this Prince besought the King to succor him with such vehemency and humanity as hee fell on his knees at his heete It had not beene secret though he had beene silent Kings come neuer to the gates of other Kings to offer or to giue but to demand and entreat He carried a Lampe in
exercise then warre with such great presumption as he held no wisedome comparable to his Councels nor force equall to his valour and yet in that there vvas impatiencie and deceit and in this rashnes and violence Presumption was so violent in his imagination as he would not haue giuen place to Hannibal nor to Scipio h Antigonus being demanded who vvas the best Captaine he answered Pyrrhus if â—e had liued a mans age But among them that liued so the first ranke was due to Haniball the second to Scipio and the third to Antigonus He had made a temple of his heart which adored no other Deitie then his Ambition After the Battell of Montlehery The Duke grew presumptuous and insupportable hee did nothing by Councell all after his owne head and according to his own humor being not able to restraine the fiercenes of his pride nor moderate the greatnes of his designes i After that Paulus Emilius had vanquished Perseus King of Macedonie he spake these goodlie words Let vs learne to humble our selues and let vs restraine our fiercenes and pride Vanity did so ouershadow the tree of his fortune as it made it die His death vvas the ruine desolation of the great body of the house of Bourgundy vvhich hath continued some 100. yeares vnder foure Dukes in continuall felicitie prosperitie And so all ended yea the empire of Rome which coÌ„manded al that was great rich powerfull vpon the habitable earth is in the end fallen to peeces k The Empire of Rome in the time of the Emperor Adrian had 200. thousand foote and 4000. horse entertained daily with 300. Elephants for war 2000. Chariots armed with 300. thousand Armours compleate As for their sea forces they had aboue 2000. galâ—es and 1200. galâ—casses and 800. vessels for pompe siluered and gilt for ostentation only and in ready mony aboue fifty millions of gould Appian Alex. in his preface He had vertues worthy of a Prince but Pride presumption and wilfulness blemished all the glory Aboue all he was a great iusticer and they report an admirable example of his Iustice against a Gouernour of a Towne in Zeland who was in a manner mad for the loue of a Lady which was equally faire and wise Example of the Dukes great iustice and who had committed the gard of her beauty to the loue of vertue He attempted against her honor and this violent curiosity to be partaker of an other mans pleasure l Plut. saith that Adulterie is a curiosity of another mans pleasure made him to sue vnto her and serue her Seing that hee could not winne her by praiers seruices nor presents hee committed a notable villany causing her husband to be imprisoned and faining that he was aduertised of some intelligence which hee practised with the enemy Behold hee is in an estate where hee must iustifie himselfe or die for in such accusations there is no other way m He that is accused of a crime must haue no other thought but to die or to iustifie himselfe It was the message which that couragious woman of Sparta sent vnto her Sonne being told that he was accused of some crime Either rid thy selfe of thy life or of thine accusation Plut. His wife cast her selfe at the Gouernors feet whose intreaties shee had so often scorned suing for the innocent innocently pleading plainly for the prisoners liberty Why how now saith the Gouernor do you make sute vnto him whose will you hold subiect to your laws restore me my selfe and I will restore you your husband he is my prisoner and I am thine it is in your power to set vs both at liberty She saw her selfe reduced betwixt bashfulnesse and fear A mind afflicted with fear loue blushing first and then palenesse painted vpon her face did witnesse the one and the other passion for shame to loose her honour by a crime more odious in her Nation then in any other n When as Tacitus in his description of Germany speakes of their customes hee saith Paucissima in tam numerosa gente Adultera quorum poena presens maritis permissa accisis crinibus nudatam coram propinquos expellit domo maritus ac per omnem vicum verbere agit There are very few Adulteries in so populous a Nation whose present punishment that is allowed the husband her haire being cut of he driues her naked out of the house before the neighbours and beats her through the streets and feare not to recouer her husband The Gouernour gaue her no time to bethinke her selfe for supposing that shee was in an Estate not to refuse him any thing he takes that by force which he could not haue with her heart and for that hee would haue no companion in this tyranous possession Cruelty base and villanous to his loosenesse hee addes crueltie which is pleased with that company and doth commonly lodge in base mindes o Cruelty is an vlcer of the soule proceeding from weakenesse and cowardise Ammi Marcel lib. 27. He caused the Husbands head to bee cut off the Wife did summon him of his promise to set him at libertie and he willed her to go into the prison and take him she goes thither with a hart swelled with ioy for the deliuerie of her Husband and with a great desire to reuenge this iniurie but she found him dead laid in a Coffin She cast her selfe vpon him and with fearefull cries detested the Gouernours inhumaine and cruell deceipt which done she goes forth more furious then a Tyger p Iust. Lipsius who hath written â—hi History saith Retinere placare conatur frustra non tigris magis soeuiat 〈◊〉 coepto statim que AmicaruÌ„ fidis aduocatis rem denarrat eius ordineÌ„ eulpam suam noÌ„ culpam ac consilium viamque vltioni exquirit Censent omnes ad PrincipeÌ„ eunduÌ„ qui inter alias virtutes insignes nisi superbia et peruicacia corripuiâ—let eximius Iustitiae cultor erat He laboured in vaine to pacify her No Tyger did rage more hauing lost her young she presently called her â—riends to whom she declared the matter the maner her offence yet no â—ffence and required their aduice a course to reuenge it They all thought is fit to goe vnto the Prince who among other noble vertues if pride and frowardnesse had not corrupted him was a great fauorer of Iustice from whom they haue stolne her yong ones and reports to all her friends this cruell aduenture They aduised her to goe vnto the Duke to whom shee fled and cast her selfe at his feere where with teares of reuenge and greefe she acquainted him with this iniurie demaunding Iustice. The Duke hearing of his barbarous accident sends for the Gouernour who being confronted with this woman feeles his face to blush for shame as much as hers was pale for greefe who after hee had with trembling denied a crime which had no other witnesse but
we think to keepe most secret there is alwaies one witnesse irreproueable our owne Conscience sent his seruants often vnto him to assure him that he was wholly at his deuotion and would not depend of any but of him When as the King had meanes to verifie the contrary by the proofes which the Norman put into his hand hee caused Chauuin Chancellour of Brittanie to bee stayed with all them that did assist him in his Embassage to the number of sixe or seuen of the Dukes Councell and committed them to close Prison for ten or twelue dayes the reason whereof they did not vnderstand k When as an inferior Prince deales not plainly and sincerely with one that is mighty he must not thinke it strange if hee makes knowne the knowledge he hath of his subtilties euen vpon them that know not any thing and who by the Law of Nations should not be drawne in question For this reason Lewis the eleuenth commits to prison Chauvin the Chancellour the Seneshall of Vennes and sixe of the Duke of Brittanies Councellers Chauvin seeking to iustifie his Maisters Actions and imputing this imprisonment to the power which some standerous suggestion had ouer the King they did shewe him all the Letters which did witnesse the strict intelligence which was betwixt the King of England and the Duke of Brittaine Your Maister said the King is much too blame who assuring me of his affection shewes the contrary in seeking the ancient enemies of this Crowne I haue told him often Letters of the Duke of Brittany shewed to his Chancellor that so long as he should hold the English for his friends hee must needes bee an enemy to France and to the end hee shall not excuse himselfe nor contradict this truth behold two and twenty Letters vpon this subiect Chauvin viewes them and considers of them All his Rethoricke is not able to excuse the Duke he had rather calme the Kings iust choler by confessing and yeelding then to incense him more by contradicting The Duke of Brittanny seeing that by the treachery of his Seruants his faith could not bee vntainted with the King hee sent for Peter Landays Peter Landays suspected of treason who alone had the charge of this Negotiation Being much confounded he had no other answere but a protestation of his Innocency submitting himselfe to the rigors of Iustice if hee were found tainted with any such disloyalty then remembring that hee had not employed any therein but Maurice Bromell who had carried the Letters and the answeres hee caused him to bee apprehended This miserable wretch confest all and vpon his confession he was put into a Sacke and cast into the Riuer to the end the King should discouer no more Peter Landays was vpon the declining of the precipice of his life and of this great fauour which hee had with the Duke of Brittaine if Bromel had not beene found but hee was not contented to haue escaped this danger Hatred of Landays against the Chancellor Chauvin his diuellish malice engaged the Chancellour Chauvin whose Iustice and Integrity hee could not endure being mad to see him so honest a man l An honest man is a great torment to malitious and wicked mindes for although they blame and flye Vertue yet they consider the glory and light and that whatsoeuer is goodly in the world as tributary to it All the gold that is aboue or vnder the earth is not comparable to Vertue Plat. Plut. The meanest Vertue may procure Greatnesse that is vitious to enuy Hee thought that the Wheele of his Fortune could not well be staied but being obserued by so quicke and piercing an eye to discouer and censure that which hee did and that which hee did not But hee had more paine to accuse him then to slander him Chauvins actions were like vnto well polished Tables the flyes of detraction could not sticke vpon them they rest vpon rough and vneuen places Hee makes the Duke beleeue that without Chauvin the King had neuer discouered the Negotiation of England that hee had Intelligence with him depended of his Commandements and was his Pentioner The Duke was so hooded by Landays as he did not see but by his eyes giues eare to this slander chargeth the Innocency of this good seruant Death of the Chancellor in prison in great pouerty puts him in prison and makes him dye there with griefe languishing and hunger m Chauvin Chaunceller of Brittaine after two yeares and a halfe imprisonment dyed of languishing and want in prison foure poore Beggars carried him to be buried in the Franciscans Church at Vennes He was so old as he could not liue many yeares but his memory shall liue euer as a memorable example of the iniuries which Fortune hath done to Vertue Soone after Landays appeared vpon the Theater of Gods Iustice to make knowne the shame which attended him at the last step of his greatnesse The Duke could not preuent it but he must iustly feele the same fortune which he had caused Chauvin to run Landays processe made for he was taken prisoner euen in the Dukes Chamber his processe was made and hee did insolently and arrogantly confesse all the excesse of his life vpon assurance which the Duke had giuen him to saue him and to draw him out of the Hang-mans hands In the end for his Concussions Violences Thefts Outrages and other Crimes And hanged at Nantes the 19. of Iuly 1485. he was condemned to be hanged and the Iudgement executed before the Duke had any aduertisement the Castle gates were guarded vntill the execution was done to the end that not any one should enter n It was thought fit that the Earle of CoÌ„minges should go and entertaine the Duke during the execution when as the Duke sawe him he demanded in what estate Landays processe was he answered That the Iudges wold come and speake with him They shall do well said the Duke for whatsoeuer he hath committed I pardon him and will that hee shall not dye When as hee vnderstood of the execution hee said that his ereherous Gossip the Earle of Comminges had deceiued him He was therewith so troubled in minde as few men saw him This Landays came of base parentage hee was the Dukes Taylors Boy he had charge of his Ward-robe and by little and little grew to haue the absolute command of the afffaires of Brittaine When as men of base condition are aduanced to great places they forget themselues they abuse their fauour and respect not their fortune with that humility and moderation which they ought Brittaine had no need to haue so great a King for enemy Misery of the Duke of Brittain o The Duke of Brittaine shâ—â—s the pittifull estate of his imprisonment in a Sentence giuen against the Earle of Ponthieur in these wordes The Windowes of our Chamber were shut close and wee made a little hole with a Pinne through the cloth that was
Liuius did of the Romans n Nulla vnquam Respublica nec maior nec sanctior nec bonis exemplis ditior fuit nec in quam tam serae auaritia luxuriaque immigrauerint nec vbi tantus ac tamdiu paupertati ac parfimoniae honos fuerit There was neuer Common-weale greater nor more holy nor richer in good examples nor into which auarice luxury crept later nor whereas pouerty and parsimony were so long honoured That neuer Common-weale was better maintained in her ancient discipline nor wheras Auarice had lesse credit and Simplicity more honour then in that of the Suisses For these reasons the king made a defensiue leaue with them Alliance of France with the Suisses by the Treaty gaue himselfe the Name of the first Ally of their Common-weale and tearmed himselfe their Bourgesse o The Duke of Sauoy said that the Title of the first Ally of the Suisses belonged to him before all others They promised to furnish him with eight thousand men at all times for foure German Florins and a halfe of monthly pay 2000 pouÌ„d sterling Moreouer he gaue them a pension of twenty thousand Franckes to be distributed among them By the meanes of this Alliance his forces increased greatly in Bourgondy Dole was taken by assault spoiled ruined and made miserable But this pillage did impouerish the King beeing certaine that what is taken from Townes vanquished is lost for the Victor p Craesus King of Lydia seeing Cyrus Souldiers running vp and downe the Towne of Sardes he demanded whither they did run They go to the spoyle of the Towne answered Cyrus They take nothing from me replied Craesus all they carry away is thine and not mine Aussonne held out but fiue dayes Besançon an Imperiall Towne continued in her liberties and was not forced to more duety then shee had beene accustomed to yeeld vnto the Earles of Bourgondy Verdun would not yeeld but by force and suffered for her wilfulnesse Beaune auoyded it submitting herselfe to a fine of forty thousand Crownes The King labouring to ruine the house of Bourgondy Estate of the affairs of Castille apprehended the rising of that of Castille seeing that by the marriage of Ferdinand and Isabel the Realmes of Castille and Arragon which had beene diuided 405 yeares were vnited q Castille Arragon in the beginning were but Earldomes they were made Realmes after the death of D. Sancho the great king of Nauarre who was the last Earle of Arragon Castille He would haue beene nothing sorry if the contention which was betwixt them who should haue the gouernment of Castille had continued longer Queene Isabel said that as daughter to King Iohn of Castille shee was sole heire of the Realme and that her marriage should not depriue her of her quality King Ferdinand obiected that he was sonne to Iohn the second King of Nauarre and Arragon descended in the direct line from Iohn the first King of Castille and that it was not fit a woman should carry the Scepter of so great a Realme r Lipsius speaking of this Prince and Princesse giues this censure Maritus caetera vir egregius restrictor aut timidior erat retinere sua melior quam augere Haec dilatabat The husband a worthy man a holder fast or more fearefull hee was better to hold his owne then to augment it She enlarged it It was concluded by the aduise of the Grands that all Letters and Expeditions should bee made in the name of both and vnder the Seale of both Realmes of Castille and Arragon and the money coined with the Armes quartered This iudgment wherwith Ferdinand was not well pleased was grounded vpon the great and eminent vertue of Isabel Vertues of Isabel of Castille another Zenobia of Spaine and who did neuer breath any thing but what was great and generous A great Iusticer if euer any were and inexorable to rebellions s The Citty of Seâ—ile being reuolted through the factions betwixt the house of Gusman and Ponti the queen Isabella went thither forst them all to their duties she caused all that were in the Castle to bee hanged hauing refused her the entry she made the Court of Spaine a true Academy of honour and vertue out of which came Gonsalue the great Captaine her counsels were followed as Oracles and often times her husband and the Grands of the realme hauing found that no great matter was effected if it were not approued by her aduice neuer disputed against that which she had resolued It is she that began and ended the war of Portugall expelled the Moores out of Grenado added the realme of Nauarre to that of Castill and gaue meanes to Christopher Columbus t In the yeare 1492. the third of August the Queene D. Isabella sent Christopher ColuÌ„bus from Palos de Moguet in Andalusia to discouer the westerne Indies hauing sailed 2. moneths and 8. dayes hee first landed in the Iland of Guanahamo betwixt Florida Cuba to discouer new countries they also commend her for her great constant piety and for her admirable sobriety hauing neuer drunk wine she loued learned men and tooke delight in the knowledge of the Latine tongue she was full of courage resolution in aduersity for being vpon the treaty of her daughters marriage with Emanuel King of Portugall newes being brought her of the death of her only sonne u The Prince D Iohn of Castille being married to Margaret of Austria died at SalamaÌ„ca The History of Spaine saith that the King D. Ferdinand to acquaint his wife D. Isabella with this death caused a brute to be raised that hee was dead and then presently shewed himselfe vnto her so one sudden consolation betwixt two great afflictions did moderate both the one and the other she did not cease to proceed suppressing her griefe vntill that Emanuel was aduertised therof by others She was very constant in al distemperatures and dolours of the body for she was deliuered of her children without any groane or cry x In partus acutissimis doloribus gemitum vocem supprimebat rem incredibilem nisi à fidissimis matronis quae à cubiculi cura erant id certo se cognouisse Marinaeus Siculus adfirmaret In the bitterest pangs of childbearing she did neither groane nor cry an incredible thing if Marinaeus the Sicilian did not affirm that he had receiued it from the faithfullest matrons of her chamber King Lewis beeing very iealous of the county of Rousillon Death of D. Iohn King of Nauarre which was a thorne in the foot of Castille held the kings in iealousie and expences and desired to haue the realme of Nauarre continue in the possession of the successors of King Iohn who died in the end of the yeare 1479. y D. Iohn king of Arragon died at Barcelona being 81 yeares old hauing raigned in Nauarre 53. yeares and 4. moneths and 21 yeares six moneths in Arragon He
was buried in the Monastery of Poblete He was a great Prince like vnto others had past the pikes of fortune It hath beene said before that his son Charles and after his death his subiects of Barcelona and after all that the king of Castille and then the kings of France made warre against him he saw his realme in horrible combustions by the factions of Beaumont and Grandmont which he had seene spring vp neglected to quench them in their breeding About the end of his dayes when as he had more need of a Tombe then a wife and that the law Papia z Augustus in his latter dayes caused the Senate to make the Law Papia it had many heads amongst others a man of 60 yeares old a woman of 50 might not mary This word Buckle was vsed by Seneca and after him by Lactantius Quid ergo est quare apud Poetas salacissimus Iupiter desierit liberos tollere sexagenarius factus est illi â—ex papia fibulam imposuit had buckled him vp being aboue fourescore years old he fell in loue with a yong maid named Francina Rosa which was no helpe for him to recouer his sight which extreme age for the interest of so long an abode in the world had taken from him The yeare before his death he went to see his son D. Ferdinand at Victoria to conferre with him vpon the affaires of the realme which he should leaue vnto him In this incounter the father had not any with him but ancient men aboue threescore years old and the sonne was attended on by the flower of all the Nobility of Castille It was noted that the father in all things gaue place to the king D. Ferdinand his son as the head of the house of Castille from whence he was desended a Alphonso the fifth King of Arragon brother to Iohn the second king of Nauarre would haue his Embassadors giue place to them of Henry the fourth K. of Castillâ— in signing the Articles of a Treatie made at Naples The dispute of this precedence had bin begun in the Councell of Constance and decided in that of Basil in fauour of Castille Alphonso the fift king of Arragon would not yeeld it to his father Iohn the second King of Castille b It is a difficult thing sometimes for the prerogatiue of nature to giue place to that of fortune dignity witnesse the Senator of Venice who would not giue place to his sonne although he were Duke who to binde his Father did alwayes carry a great Crucifix to the which the father said hee did his duty The law of Maiesty was of more force then that of respect and naturall obedience wherof the son how great soeuer many not dispence himself towards his father The Crowne of Castille had alwaies pretended that Arragon depended of it in soueraignty and that if it were free it was by grace The King D. Iohn the second at his returne from this voyage dyed at Barcelona It was by his aduice that a peace was at that time treated Peace and Alliances renewed with Spain of betwixt king Lewis the eleuenth and the kings of Castille to confirme the ancient Alliances that were betwixt the two Crownes d Philip de Comines saith that the Alliances of France and Castille are betwixt King and King Realme Realme Man Man of their subiects The Embassadors of France were the Lord of Lescut and the Bishop of Lombais Abbot of S. Denis they of Castille were Iohn de Gamboa Gouernour of Fontarabie and Iohn de Medina one of the kings Councell This peace being concluded the Embassadors of Castille came into France they were receiued at Paris with great honour on Saturday the third of Iuly 1479. they did the like to the Embassadors of France who went to Guadalupa whereas D. Ferdinand and D. Isabella were busied in punishing the disobedience of the Marques of Villena who had hindered D. George Manriquez from chastizing them of Cinchilla who had reuolted At that time when as the Court was at Guadalupa the Marques of Villâ—na head of the faction being incensed that his enemies had caused six of his Souldiers to be hanged wold do the like to as many of theirs being his prisoners the chance fell vpon a Souldier of Villeneufue of Laxara neere to Allarcon in whose place the yonger brother presented himselfe and intreated that hee might dye for him for that his brother had wife and children who was set at liberty and his offer accepted Hist. of Spa. Lib. 22. The Articles are sworne by the king and moreouer it was agreed that the Towne of Parpignan should be put into the possession of the Cardinall of Spaine that the two kings should name an Arbitrator to decide within fiue yeares what K. Lewis did pretend to be due vnto him After the death of D. Iohn the 2 d king of Nauarre and Arragon D. Ferdinand succeeded in his fathers Estate of Arragon and Sicile and D. Leonora to the Mothers as daughter to Blanche Queene of Nauarre but this succession which shee would haue aduanced contrary to the Lawes of Nature and Humanity beeing blamed by the Histories of Spaine to haue caused her elder Sister to be poysoned f D. Blanch being put away by D. Henry the vnable was carried as it were a prisoner to Lescut in Bearne by Gaston Earle of Foix her Brother-in-law to the end she should not marry againe The Spaniards write that her sister Elenor caused her to bee poysoned did not passe the fifteenth day after her Coronation Shee had by Gaston Earle of Foix many worthy Children Gaston Blanche Countesse of Foix mother of many children Earle of Foix Iohn Vicount of Narbona Peter Cardinall of Foix Iames who serued King Lewis the twelfth in the warres of Lombardy and fiue daughters g Out of this house of Foix were issued four Queenes cousin germans at one time Catherin Q. of Nauarre German Q. of Castille and Arragon Anne Queene of France and Dutchesse of Brittaine Anne Queene of Bohemia Hungary Mary wife to William Marquis of Montferrat Ioane married to the Earle of Armagnac Margaret to Francis Duke of Brittanie Catherine to the Earle of Candalâ— and Elenor promised to the Duke of Medina Celi The peace of Castille did not hinder the warre which the King had against Maximilian of Austria 1479. who to diuert the Kings forces and frustrate his designes besieged Therouenne h Maximilian camped before Therouenne with 20000. Flemings some Troopes of Germans and 300. English It was reâ—ieued by de Cordes with 8000. Franke Archers and eleuen hundred men at Armes the Lord of Cordes came to succour it Maximilian went to meet him and both Armies encountred at Guinegaste The i The Gaules Horsemen were alwaies estemed and feared Plutarch Polibius and Appian coÌ„mend theÌ„ Caesar saith that in the war of Affricke 30 horsemen Gaules put to rout 2000. horsemen Numidians
many of stone in the quarries of Peronne Since that men grew so ingenious not to imitate Nature 〈…〉 as Xeuxis in his Vine Appelles in his Venus Memnon in his Statue Miron in his Cow Architas in his Doue Sapor in his Heauen of Glasse Mont-royall in the Eagle of Wood and in his Flie of Iron Albert the great in his brazen head but to offend and destroy Artâ—llery inuented that Mens wits haue giuen wings and fire to Iron to hasten death more speedily that a German Monke y The inuention of Gun-powder and Ordinance was found out by Bartholmew le Noiâ— a German Monk The yeare is diuersly reported some date it 1330. others 1334 and others 1380. went downe into Hell to finde fire there for the ruine of Man as Prometheus had mounted vp vnto Heauen to fetch that there wherewith hee thought to giue them life and that Europe hath knowne that which was not in vse Nothing strong without Cannons but to vnknowne Nations z The Portugals found Peeces of ordinance in the realme of Pegu which the Chinois had broght thither 2500. yeares before and the Chinois attribute this invention to an euill spirit who taught it to their first King called Vitey to defend himselfe against the Tartars aboue a thousand yeares before the birth of Christ. Artillery hath beene a marke of the power and greatnesse of Estates which cannot bee held strong nor assured if they be vnfurnished seeing that nothing can be gotten nor preserued without it Artillery shewes those Forts to bee weake which the Ancients held impregnable there is not any but feares this thunder and if they ouer-throw the Attemps and consume the meanes and patience of the assailant Formes of war changed it is onely by the Cannon It workes such terrible effects and so farre from the vse of the Engines in old time as it hath changed a Artillery is the cause that warre is at this day more iuditiously managed then in former times when as quarrels were ended by battels Euery man seeketh to win time and to force his enemy to necessity They trust nothing to fortune that may be committed to wisedome they gouerne their designes with longer time and more safety all the old formes of Sieges and Battels Gun-powder and wilde-fire are multiplied in so many sorts and are growne to such perfection as the warre which in former times was made onely with Iron is now done with Artillery and Powder They cause the Cannon to martch in the head of the Army All yeeldeth vnto the Cannon and that holdeth the ranke of Elephants a Elephants haue beene employed in the head of Armies Siquidem Tirio seruire sedebam Anâ— ibali When I did sit to serue Anniball of Tire and Chariots armed with Sythes which did cut in sunder all they incounter They giue them the honour to begin those great battels whereupon depend the healthes of Estates they open passages and make new all that come by one way scatter themselues into a dozen because they would not encounter them nothing preserueth it selfe but to receiue death or fight They are absolute Iudges of the doubs of victorie and if a battalion of foote presents it selfe so strong so well armed with Pikes and so couered with Muskets as they mock at all the attempts of a victorious Prince and merite that glorious name of an Armed wall b Dion calles the fourth Legion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See what hath beene spoken thereon in the first Booke they must at the sight of the Cannon yeeld their Armes or suffer the paine of their rashnesse and see themselues sooner ouerthrowne then Grasse or Corne is mowne downe and reaped c The terrible effects of Artillery is wittily represented by the Signior of Bartas in his Poëme of the Law Euen as when many Cannons shot at once Affront an Army th' earth with thunder grones Here flyes a broken arme and breakes another There stands th' one halfe of a halu'd body th' other Falles downe a furlong thence here flies a shield And deepe-wide windowes make they in the field It is Ordinance then which maketh a Prince equall to thundering Iupiter who maketh the Rockes to leape and ouerthrowes the Gyants vnder the mountaines which they had raised against him The Brazen-mouthes which vomit forth Iron winged with fire shew the greatnesse and augment the reputation of them that make them speake All the Trumpets of their glory sound not so loud and are not heard so farre as these Flutes They be the most certaine Titles of the right of Armes and are not subiect to contradiction so the charge is Royall and there is not any Prince how great and powerfull soeuer but in processe of time will finde it insupportable They write that King Henry the second in his voyage to Germany neuer made Cannon-shot but cost him three hundred Crownes d Blaise of Vigenere â— saith That in the voiage of K. Henry in the yeare 1552. at Danwilliers Iuoy places of small importance which notwithstanding endured thousands of Cannon-shot there was not any one shot but cost the King accounting all the equipage furniture belonging to the Artillery two or three hundred Crownes so as a dozen of those balles came to a thousand six huÌ„dred crowns All the Instruments and Engines of Warre knowne vnto the Antiens haue beene contemned to bring Artillery in vse which hath all the effects and force of Bowes Arrowes Rammes Slings Crosse-bowes Scorpions and those terrible Engines which did raise vp men into the Aire carried away whole Gallies heaped vp and carried with great violence Rockes Mill-stones and Men e The Cross-bow was an Engine which carried farre off and with great violence Somtimes they did put in men aliue or dead Pelagius a young man of Spaine seeing himselfe forced to yeeld to the infamous execrable lust of Almansor strooke him on the face wherewith being incensed he caused him to be cast by one of his Slings beyond the Riuer of Betis or Guadalquibir in the yeare 895. Iussit â—um funda machinali trans Betim mitti scopulosis rupibus illidendum whom they made to leap beyond the Walles the Riuers and the Mountaines of those places which they would make subiect to ruine But as Inventions are not perfect in the beginning the first Peeces of Ordinance were all of Iron InuentioÌ„s at the first rude and imperfect with bandes and hoopes of the same so heauy and ill made so difficult to gouerne so ill mounted and of so bad a bore as they had more shew then execution and did onely serue to amaze them that would bee amazed with the noyse f All Mechanicke Inuentions are rude and grosse in their Infancy as appeares in Artillery and Printing The Batteries of those times were ridiculous they did onely serue for an vnprofitable expence of powder They shotâ— a farre off and at randon and fiue or six vollies in a whole
day The Chronicle reports an example which shewes the little industry and addresse that was euen in the Maisters of this Art for all the Officers of the Ordinance being gathered together on Munday before Twelfth day Bombard made at Tours in the yeare 1448. in the field before Saint Anthonies Bastille to try a great Bombard which the King had caused to bee made at Tours At the first shot it carried an Iron Bullet of fiue hundred pounds weight vnto the Gibbet at Pont Charenton They thought it was not well boared and therefore they would haue it cleansed and charged againe The Caster playing the Gunner scoured it so carelesly as hee left fire in it so as hauing charged it anew and put in his Bullet the Bombard hauing no fire set to the touch-hole discharged of it selfe blowing vp the Caster ino the Aire into many peeces which slew neere and farre off two and twenty men and burnt and maimed many others g The Chronicle addes that the peeces of the Casters body were gathered together and buried in the Church of S. Merry and that they cried in the streets Pray vnto God for I. Maugue caster of the Bombard who is newly dead between heauen earth in the seruice of the king our Lord. Our age more industrious Ordinance of Brasse and subtile hauing caused Brasen Ordinance to bee cast that is to say a mixture of Tinne and Copper softer and more flexible then Iron Artilery beganne to be good in the warres of the Emperour Charles the fift and of Francis the first and better vnder the raigne of Henry the second King Henry the fourth hath brought it to perfection France could not carry the title of Inuincible before her Arsenals were filled with that whose want maketh the mightiest Empires weake Shee may now bragge to haue the keyes of all the forts of Europe and that there is not any one but will stoope and humble it selfe at the sight of this Thunderbolt when as at the first word of Iupiter it shall be cast forth by the Eagle which carieth it and which onely demands where is it If Christian Princes would haue vented out in any other place then in Europe Death of Mahomet 2. that warlike heate which turmoyled them to their owne ruines God had giuen them a goodly occasion to employ both the Camping Troupes of Lewis the 11. and all the forces of other Christian Princes to the ouerthrowing of that of the Turks which was wonderfully shaken by the death of Mahomet h Mahomet the second Emperour of the Turkes dyed the the 3 d. of May 1481. in the 52. yeare of his age Hee dyed at that time in Nicomedia Pope Sixtus was so glad as he appointed three festiuall daies Sixtus the 4. reioyceth at the death of Mahomet in Rome to thanke God for that the Church was deliuered from such a scourge dying hee cursed Rhodes thrice he was a wiser and more polliticke Prince then any of the house of the Ottomans as he who in all his conquests added pollicy to force Hee was thicke synowy and strong of body he had an Aquiline nose and so crooked as the end hung ouer his lip Being yong he beganne to take delight in the actes of Alexander the Great promising himselfe to surpasse or equall him i Mahomet propounded no other patterne vnto himselfe then that of Alexander not to imitate him in his vertues but in his ambition The first day he sate in the Throne of Amurath k Amurath dyed before the Castle of Croy in the yeare 1450. his father who raigned 32. yeares Mahomet surnames himselfe the Great a Prince much beloued of his owne and iust vnto his enemies he would be surnamed the Great In shew he held Mahomets Religion but hauing beene bred vp as a Christian by his Mother who was daughter to Lazarus Prince of Seruia instructed by her in the Prayers Confession of the Christian Faith when he came to the Empire he found himselfe in so great a doubt distraction what he should beleeue as he resolued not to beleeue any thing caring no more for the Gospell then for the Alcoran making a scoffe at Mahomet whom he termed to be a Slaue a Thiefe holding his Prophecies for Fables and his Lawes for Impostures The father dying had recommended vnto him his yong sonne Turcin being but eighteene Monthes old and he had promised not to make him feele the rigor of the house of the Ottomans But as he had no faith towards God so he kept none with men l Wee must not expect any obseruation of faith from a Prince that hath no Religion he forgat this promise for death had no sooner closed vp his fathers eyes but he drew this poore Infant out of the Nurses armes to beate out his braines against the wall saying that hee would not haue his father interred alone Moses one of his chiefe seruants entreated him not to defile his hands in his owne bloud This reason did not moue him but onely to change the executioner for he commanded him to kill him Moses caused water to bee brought and powred such aboundance into the mouth of this infant as he did both smother him and drowne him The mother seeing this Inhumanity fild the house with fearefull cryes and made terrible imprecations against Mahomet who to comfort her said That she sought in vaine to reuiue her sonne with teares that she should conforme her selfe vnto the Law m This custeme is inhumane and vnnaturall But we must not expect iust Lawes in a 〈…〉 it is better to murther some few then to expose a million to death by the warre which should grâ—w in the house of the Ottomans if the great Senior should suffer the Princes of his bloud to liue But where is the Law of the God which they adore that approues a Parricide It is a tyrannous custome but yet ancient The sâ—ccessors of Alexander saith Plutarch did commonly kill the mothers wiues and children with their brethren it was an ordinary custome which would not that a Prince comming to the Empire should suffer his brethren to liue for that there could be but one Head in the Empire nor but one Sunne in Heauen but if shee desired any other thing whatsoeuer it were she should be sure to obtaine it This woman changing her griefe into reuenge demanded the heart of Moses Reuenge of a woman Mahomet instantly commanded that he should be bound hand and foote and with the same knife which she thrust into his body she opened his side pulled out his heart cast it to the dogs and was therewith pacified n The Author of the History of Scandeberge relating this History in the 7 th book addes these words A profitable instruction for those corrupted spiâ—its which prostitute their consciences to the furious passions of great men Amurath had another sonne of sixe months old called Calepin and foreseeing it would be
impossible he should escape death if he were knowne for his son Treachery of Haly Bassa he recommended him to Haly Bassa intreating him to saue him This Treacherous wretch to purchase the fauour of the new Prince discouered this innocent creature vnto him Calepin was veiwed and knowne by thirty Matrons and presently strangled Haly Bassa did not liue long in the impunity of this treachery for after the taking of Constantinople Mahomet caused him to be strangled accusing him of Infidelity of Intelligence with the Christians and that he had diuerted his father Amurath from the siege of that Citty Hee carried his designes higher then his Predecessours he breathed nothing but the Monarchy of the whole world and the desire of glory made him to loue those which keepe the glory of Princes from decay and to fauour men of knowledge o Mahomet much delighted in Histories and Historiographers fauoring Iohn Maria of Vicenza for that hee wrote the PersiaÌ„ warres against Vssan Cassan in the Turkish and Italian tongues against the intention of his Law-giuer who the better to keepe vnder the minds of men and to make them subiect to the yoke of seruitude did forbid them the knowledge of learning Hee caused to be written in the Arabian tongue the liues of great Captaines and especially that of Alexander whom he tooke for his Paterne but he had not his generosity in battels nor his moderation in victories He vsed it more cruelly Cruelties of Mahomet at the taking of Constantinople other places when as at the taking of Constantinople hee caused the head of the Emperour Constantine to be carried in mockery through out his whole Army and troupes of men to be slaine like sheepe The most apparant which were retired into Saint Sophias Temple p The Temple of S. Sophia which had beene built by the Emperour Iustinian was spoyled of the treasure and pretious relickes which Constantine the Emperour had preserued so deerely It was made a Brothel-house and a Stable for horses being brought before him as he was at meate he gaue himselfe that cruell content to see their heads flye off vnder the hang-mans sword When as he tooke Trebizond he gaue his word to the Emperour Dauid Comnene and to his two sons he led them in triumph to Constantinople with the chiefe Noblemen their wiues and children but this was but to adde vnto the infamy of their death the quality of their misery and to make the spectacle more solemne causing them to be publiquely executed At the taking of Chalcide q Mahomet besieged Chalcide in Negrepont in thâ— yeare 1470. Hee tooke it in 30. daies lost 40000. men it was a capitall crime to pardon any man being aboue twenty yeares old He caused some Noblemen of Albania to bee fleed by peece-meale and caused this barbarous inhumanity to continue fifteene daies to the end hee might haue time to taste the sweetnesse which he tooke in this cruelty He besieged the Castle of Iaisse in Bossina the King yeelded by composition that he should carry away all that was within it but there was no faith kept with him for he caused him to be bound vnto a Tree and to be shot to death reproaching his auarice vnto him that he had rather saue himselfe with his Treasure then with his Honour r There is nothing more shamefull and dishoâ—ourable to a Prince then to yeeld without defence or danger They that bend without blowes are more worthy of blame and reproach then they that do their endeauours to resist couragiously Thucidides in his admonitioÌ„ to the Athenians He had emploied Mahomet Bassa in his greatest affaires and loued him as one that had bene bred vp with him from his youth This miserable man had beene a Christian and in his greatest honours did still sigh for Christian liberty for the greatest haue no other title but of slaue to the great Signior and although hee were aduanced aboue the highest in the State yet his nature being proud and ambitious he held himselfe vnder all so long as hee should be a slaue and that he should see one or two aboue him s An ambitious spirit cannot endure any thing higher then it selfe Marcus Crassus is the picture of men of this humour This foolish ambition had so blinded him as he could not bee satisfied to precede so many millions of men but he held himselfe in a maner the last of all that all things failed him for that they esteemed him onely inferiour to two Plut. in the life of Marcus Crassus Trusting therefore in his Maisters loue and fauour he made him a sumptuous feast and at the end thereof offered him fifty thousand Crownes beseeching him to declare him free and take from him that odious name of slaue leauing him that of most faithfull and most obliged seruant Pride troden vnder foote Mahomet was so incensed at this demand as hauing instantly commanded this Bassa to couch with his belly against the ground hee set his foote diuers times vpon his necke vntill that this miserable wretch began to cry I thanke you my Lord I thanke you it is too great a happinesse for me to liue vnder your feete To liue after this was to declare himselfe vnworthy to haue receiued life Generosity of a yong boy of Sparta and to haue lesse courage then that Boy of Sparta t A yong boy of Sparta being forced to serue said he would not do it He spake the word and performed it for when as they commanded him to bring a Chamberpot he ran his head against the walles whereupon Seneca saith Tam prope libertas est seruit aliquis Doth any man serue when as liberty is so neere who seeing himselfe forced vnto a seruice which his condition should not refuse cryed out â— I will not serue and in speaking this hee ranne his head against the Wall The siege of Belgrade was the Theater of his power and misery for he neuer made greater attempt nor had a mightier Army Hee had caused his Cannon to bee carried in peeces by his Souldiours and when hee was in Mysia hee made diuers Peeces to bee cast of an vnmeasurable greatnesse for hee tooke delight in those fearefull Engines hauing at the Siege of Constantinople imployed a Bombard to moue the which he vsed the force of two thousand men and of seuenty yoke of oxen Hitherto fortune had euer smiled on him now she makes him to receiue so sencible an affront as he is forced to hold them happy which had bene alwaies miserable for being ignorant of the estate of prosperity they did with more patience endure their misfortunes u Aduersity is insupportable to the which haue alwaies tasted of prosperity Denis of Corinth held them happy which from 〈◊〉 iâ—fancy had beâ— vnfortunate Lâ—â—ioâ—es relinquet quos nuÌ„quam fortuna respexit quam quos deseruit Sen. Fortune 〈◊〉 the more 〈◊〉 whom she hath neuer fiuored then wâ—oÌ„
she hath forsaken He was shot with an arrow at this siege by reason whereof he was carried secretly to Varna to the end it should not daunt the courage of the Turkes and fortefie the Christians Being drest he demanded what they did in the Campe Losse at the siege of Belgrade to whom it was answered That all was in disorder the Bassa of Asia slaine the chiefe Captaines put to rout forty thousand men dead vpon the field the Ordinance lost and that they lost time to thinke to take the Towne which the onely presence of Iohn Coruin made impregnable These words put Mahomet into such a rage and rage into such despaire as cursing both heauen and earth Mahomet seekes to poison himselfe and blaspheming God he called for poyson to kill himselfe which being refused him he set fire of his Campe and retired As the vnfortunate euent of the Seige of Belgrade made him to desire death so that of Rhodes and an extreme sorrow to see himselfe vanquished Mahomet dyes for griefe hauing done nothing but vanquish made him to dye x Mahomet coÌ„tinued sixe and forty daies before Belgrade the siege bganne the 13. of Iune and was raysed the sixt of August 1456. Dispairing then to subdue the Rhodians and hauing continued all his fury and violence of warre against that strong rampart of Christendome foure score daies he retired to Damiet in Nicomedia y It is hard for a Prince to bee vanquished hauing alwaies bin victor Boleslas the third King of Polonia hauing won 47. battles and being forced at last against the Russians to flye dyed for griefe Crâ—m lib. 6. where he was surprised with so violent a Cholick as he died Phil. de Comines saith That euery yeare in the beginning of Summer one of his legs did swell as big as his body and did fall againe after some time yet no man could giue a reason of this griefe He imputes it to his Gourmandize and to the punishment of God It may be it was that legge into the which Bladius brother to the Prince of Valachia stabd his knife to saue his honour from that Goat who would haue forced him to the infamous and vnnaturall lust of a barren Venus z Amurath his father would haue done the like to twelue yong Gentlemen of Polonia whoÌ„ he reserued for that abhomination they resolued to kill him but being dâ—scouered they slew one another to auoid a more miserable life or a more ignominious and cruell punishment His cruelties inhumanities made some Souldiours of his Gard resolue to kill him in his bed Excesse of Mahomet The Conspiracy being discouered by a Christian he caused the Conspirators to be strangled and from that time he suffered not any one aboue twelue yeares old to enter into his chamber For these reasons Mahomet is the second of those great Princes whom Phil. de Commines preferres before all others to haue raigned at one time King Lewis the eleuenth is the first and Mathias Huniades the third The King did not extend his thoughts so farre Designes of the King vpon Lorraine and Prouence for seeing himselfe approach neere vnto the West of his daies he carried them not into the East His thoughts were conuerted vpon his neerest neighbours as vpon Loraine and Prouence he held the Councels to plant the bounds of his Empire vnworthy the courage of a great Prince He would haue France like vnto a great Tree which with the spredding of his branches and shadow hindreth the growth of all that is about it a Augustus was authour of this Counsell to Tibeâ—â—us CoerceÌ„di intra terminos impeâ—ij To â—â—straine the Empire within certaine bounds A hard lesson for a Prince that hath courage Vna ea vetus causa bellandi est profunda cupido Impeâ—ij diuitiaâ—um A great desire of Empire and riches hath beene the old and onely cause of war Sal. The Estates of Nauarre Flanders Brittaine and Prouence were not more in the power of their Princes then in his and trembled vnder his authority as the Pigion or Partrige do vnder the flight of the Hauke The designes which hee had vpon Lorraine and Prouence were executed in adding wisedome to occasion and force to reason To vnderstand this proceeding we must know that Iohn Duke of Lorraine Estate of Loraine did first marry Sophia daughter to Eberhard Earle of Wirtemberg and had two sonnes Charles and Fredericke b The children of Charles Duke of Lorraine were Ralph Lewis Charles Robert Frederick Maâ—y married to Enguerand Earle of Coucy Margaret to the Earle of Baden and Isabell to René of Aniou Charles succeeding him in the Dutchy of Lorraine married Margaret daughter to Robert of Bauaria Count Pallatine by whom he had many children which dyed before him leauing no heire but Isabell. Fredericke Earle of Guise married Margaret daughter to Henry Earle of Vaudemont and had Anthony Earle of Vaudemont Charles married his daughter Isabel to René Duke of Aniou Calabria and Bar Earle of Prouence King of Sicily Naples and Ierusalem Of their marriage came Iohn Lewis René Charles Elizabeth Margaret Yoland and Anne After the death of Duke Charles René would haue entred the Dutchy as his wiues Inheritance Anthony Earle of Vaudemont opposed himselfe by this reason that the Males exclude the Females c At the Councell of Constance Anthony Earle of Vaudemont demanded of the Emperor Sigismond the inuestiture of the Dutchy of Lorraine against René of Aniou for that it was a see of the Empire wherof women were not capable The controuersy was first ended by Armes René lost the battell of Blanuille and was taken prisoner by Anthony Earle of Vaudemont who gaue him to Phillip Duke of Bourgundy for that hee had succoured him afterwards by the marriage of Yoland daughter to Renè and Isabel with Ferry sonne to Anthony of Vaudemont the Dutchy of Lorraine remained in effect to René the Husband of Isabell Renè of Aniou D. of Lorraine and in hope to Ferry husband to Yoland Iohn succeeded in the Dutchy of Lorraine Hee had married Mary d Iohn and Mary had foure children Isabel who was married to Iames King of Scotland Rene Iohn Nicholas daughter to Charles Duke of Bourgundy who dyed in her deliuery of Nicholas Marques of Pont her third sonne who succeeded in the Dutchy of Lorraine after the death of his father and brethren Hee left the affection which his Predecessours had borne to France and fell to the Duke of Bourgundies party vpon hope that he would giue him his daughter in Marriage Death surprised him in the yeare one thousand fiue hundred seuenty three in the thoughts of his Marriage and to renew a second enterprise vpon the Towne of Mets e Nicholas Duke of Lorraine would haue seized vpon Mets by this Stratâ—geme Hee caused certaine pipes to bee put into Wagons as if they had beene full of wine wherein there
that of Arragon We heare often in their pleadings Id quod nostrum est sinâ— causa nostra à nobis aufeâ—ri non potest and to fill vp the measure of his sorrow hee saw the first Branch of this Powerfull and Royall house of Aniou wither in his sonne and grand-childe René surviuing his sonne and grand-childe dyed in the yeare 1480. A Prince who had great and eminent qualities worthy of a better fortune hee was a great Iusticer and an enemy to long dispatches He said sometimes when as they presented him any thing to signe being a hunting or at the warre that the Pen was a kinde of Armes which a Prince should vse at all seasons u K. René although he were in Armes did not forbeare to doe iustice to them that demanded it saying That the pen of Princes should neuer be idle that long expeditions made them to loose the loue of their subiects They write that he drank not any wine and when as the Noble-men of Naples demaÌ„ded the reason he answered that it had made Tit. Liuius to ly who had said that the good wines caused the French to passe the Alpes The reigne of so good a Prince was much lamented for he intreated his subiects like a Pastor and Father Commendation of René of Aniou They say that when as his Treasurers brought vnto him the Royall taxe which was sixteene Florins for euery fire wherof Prouence might haue about three thousand fiue hundred hee enformed himselfe of the aboundance or barenesse of the season and when as they told him that a * The Northeast wind Mestrall winde had reigned long he remitted the moity and sometimes the whole taxe Hee contented himselfe with his reuenues and did not charge his people with new tributes Hee x Michael de Montagne in the 2 d booke of his Essaies C. 17. of presumption saith that being at Bar-le-Duc he saw presented vnto K. Francis the 2 d. a portrait which René K. of Sicile had made of himselfe spent his time in painting the which were so excellent as they are yet to be seene in the Citty of Aix he was drawing of a partridge when as they brought him newes of the losse of the Realme of Naples yet he would not draw his hand from the worke such pleasure hee tooke therein He liued long A President of Prouence making an Oration before King Charles the ninth in the yeare 1573. said that hee had beene seene by some that were then liuing Hee instituted an Order which hee called of the Cressant The Knights carried a Cressant or halfe Moone vpon their right arme with this Motto l'Os en Croissant encouraging them thereby to seeke and desire the encrease of their valour and reputation Hee dyed at Aix his wife caused his body to bee transported into France and by a witty pollicie deceiued the Prouençals who would haue had it His death made no other change in Prouencae but of the person Charles Nephew to René succeeds him Charles his Nephew sonne to the Earle of Mayne was acknowledged Earle of Prouence but his time was very short for hee dyed before he could finish the second yeare of his reigne Some few dayes before his death on the tenth of December 1481. he made the King his heire and after his decease Charles his sonne and the other Kings his Successors y The institution of the heire is set down in thâ—se tearmes in his Testament Et quia haeredis institutio est caput fundamentâ—Ì„ cuiuslibet testamenti dictus Serenissimâ—s Domiâ—uâ— noster rex in omnibusâ— regnâ—s commitatibus Vicecomitatibus c. fecit instituit ordinauit ac ore suo proprio nominauit sibi haeredem suuÌ„ vniuersalem insoliduÌ„ Christianissimum excellentissimum principem ac dominum Ludouicum Dei gratia Francorum Regem eiusdem consobrinum Dominum chariffimum atque reuerendissimum post eius obitum illustrissimun clarissimum D. Delphinum c. beseeching him with all his heart to suffer his subiects of Prouence to enioy the graces liberties and priuiledges which they held of King René Prouence giuen to K. Lewis recommending vnto him his Cousen Francis Lord of Luxembourg to keepe him in his Court and to maintaine him in the lands of Martigues which he gaue him he did not recommend him vnto any one of his seruants in particular but one Archer of his guard called the great Pickard There was little difference betwixt his Testament and his death K. Lewis takes possession of Prouence and lesse betwixt his death and the taking of possession for on the nineteenth of the same moneth of December one thousand foure hundred eighty one the King sent a Commission to Palamedes Forbin a Knight Lord of Sollier Chamberlaine to the Earle of Prouence to take possession and to command in the Countrey in quality Lieuetenant generall with absolute power to dispose of Offices to place and displace Officers to remit and abolish crimes yea high Treason to confirme or reuoke ancient Priuiledges and to grant new to assemble the Estates to impose Tributes and to leuy Souldiers for to force obedience z This commission was dated at Thouars the 29. of December 1481. in the presence of the Earle of Marâ—e Marshall of of France and of Estellan Bailiffe of Rouen The quality of this Commission was a great Testimony of the seruice which he had done the King hauing solely disposed his Maister to make this goodly present vnto France But as all changes cause amazement there was some trouble to execute this Donation some holding the party of Lorraine and others of France René René duke of Lorraine discontented Duke of Lorraine finding his friends feeble and his power weake against the King was not willing to grow obstinate in Prouence a Hee that encounters one that is more mighty doth but vndoe himselfe More mighty is to be vnderstood in dominions subiects force and treasure A wise Italian saith to this purpurpose Si tu truoui vna machina cresciuta per la felicita disciplina d'ottocento anni discostati da essa che è cosa impossibile quando pur ella cadesse che tu non rouini sotto If thou findest a worke grown by the felicity and dâ—scipline of 800 yeares auoyd it being impossible if it falles but thou shalt bee ruined vnder it He passed the Alpes with an hundred men at Armes and a regiment of a thousand foote The King sent a garrison of Scottish men vnto Bar vnder the command of the Lord of Aubigny hee caused the Walles to bee repaired and the Armes of France to be set vpon the gate such as are yet to be seene Hee remained in Italy till after the Kings death which day hee held to be the rising of his hopes the which were onely supported by the assurance which the Duke of Bourbon b This hope was not vaine for in the first yeare of the reigne
commandement was giuen to all Prouinces Potentates Townes and Commonalties to apprehend this Archbishop Then directing his speech vnto him he exhorted him to acknowledge his error and to humble himselfe to the holy Sea that hee might recouer the Popes fauour who seeing his repentance might haue pitty on him offring to that end all the good offices that hee could desire from him The Archbishop answered in this sort I haue neuer failed in obeence and respect to the Emperour The Archbishop resisteth in his proposition and nothing hath moued me to speak against the Pope but the zeale of Gods honor I can make a distinction betwixt the person and the dignity the Chaire and him that sits in it I haue with much griefe seene the scandals and abhominations which abound in Rome and that the Pope is more pleased to fleeâ—e then feed the sheepe whom Iesus Christ with the price of his bloud hath drawn out of the Wolues throat x A Pastor should feede Christs Flocke but Illud quod hic dicitur pasce alij mutant in tonde quia multum studeÌ„t circa subditos exactionem temporalium exercere de pastu non cuâ—aÌ„t That which is here said feed some doe vnsitly change to fleece for that they study to exact the temporalities from their subiects care not for feeding Chrysost. I haue thought that there was no meanes to remedy it but by the holding of a generall Councell and seeing that contrary to the intention of the Decree of the Councell of Constance they had let passe aboue thirty yeares without holding of a Councell and that the Decrees of that of Basil were not obserued nor executed hauing often conferred with the Cardinals at Rome and found that the mischiefe was neglected I addrest my selfe to the Senate of Basill as the most conuenient place to make my good intentions knowne and if I haue therein erred I submit my self to the iudgment of the Emperour the French King the Councel and take the Vniuersity of Paris for my aduocate protesting that I had neuer any intent to offend the Pope neither can be called a Slanderer hauing truth for a warrant of that which I speake beseeching that I may haue three daies respite giuen me to answer more pertinenly to that which is obiected against me Hereunto the Frier replyed that if there were any disorder in the Church there were doctors to teach and correct whose doctrine they shold rather follow then their maners and actions y The doctrine may be good the life bad If the Pastor liues wel it is his profit if hee teach well it is thine take that which is thâ—e meddle not with another mans A bad and barren ground may beare gold and that it did not belong to him to vndertake the correction And for that in this Discourse hee shewed his wilfulnesse hee did summon the Senate of Basill to forbeare to protect him and to apprehend him prisoner The Nuncios and Commissioners deputed by the Pope made the like instance saying that they could not refuse him vnto the Pope who was his lawfull Iudge The Senate of Basil referred the dicition of this businesse to the next Councell The Popes Nuncio and other Deputies were there and the Arch-bishop appeared where the contention was long and vrged with great vehemency and affection of either part z In the Assembly of the Senate of Basile on Saturday the 21 of December 1483. the Archbishop of Krane was arested prisoner when as they consulted whether they should do it The Embassadours of the Princes of Italy which were in league against the Pope would willingly haue had a Councell to humble the great heart of Sixtus Dispute of authority of the Pope and Councell saying that they should hold themselues to the Councell of Constance which had plainely decreed that the Pope should obey the Councell had prescribed him the time for the calling of a Councell and had bound him not to dispossesse Angelo Corrario who had carried the name of Gregory the twelfth from the dignity of Cardinall or Legat That the same doctrine of the Councell of Constance had beene followed and practised in that of Basile a The Councell of Constance in the fourth SessioÌ„ made a Decree declaring that it represented the Vniuersall Church and had power immediately from God the which euery man was bound to obey yea the Pope himselfe that if they tooke away that constancy which was necessary for the obseruation of their decrees they thrust the Church into distemperatures and languishings like vnto those bodies which haue their sinewes strained and their members and bones displaced The Popes Ministers said on the other side that the Church was a perfect Monarchy that she had not her beginning from Dauid Alexander Augustus nor Fredericke neither did she acknowledge any other establishment that the Church did not depend of any other Iudge but of God That euen the Councell assembled at Sinuesseâ— would not forcibly condemne that poore Idolatrous Pope who since was held for a great Saint and who by a wonderfull weaknesse and base feare of death had obeyed the impiety of Dioclesiaâ— and sacrificed to his Gods for prostrating himselfe vpon the ground confessing his fault one of the Fathers of the Councell b In this History of Marcelline wee finde often that the Bishops said Iudica causam tuamnostro iudicio non condemnaberis that after his confession one of them sayes Iuste ore suo condemnatus est ore suo Anathema suscepit Maranatha Quoniam ore suo condemnarus est nemo enim vnquam iudicauit Pontificem nec praeâ—ul Sacerdotem suum quoniam prima sedes non iudicabitur a quoquam tooke the word saying he had iustly condemned himselfe by his owne mouth hee hath submitted himselfe to excommunication Neuer any one did iudge the Pope for the first Seate is not to be iudged by any That the Councell of Constance binding Popes to the execution of his decrees had respect onely to Anti-popes and not to them whose election was holy and lawfull When as some said that the first Seate was not to bee iudged by any one the others replyed that it was vnderstood of priuate Assemblies and not of a generall Assembly of the whole Church The day was spent in these long Disputes and night approaching Cinthius of Vrsin Commander of Saint Iohn of Ierusalem entred the Senate layd hold vpon the Arch-bishop and led him away prisoner to the Tower of Spalen The Senate was much offended and commanded the Popes Nuntio to depart the Towne seeing that his charge was ended He retired himselfe and caused new Declarations and Excommunications against them of Basill to bee published at Rahnfield Constant and other places forbidding all sortes of persons to conuerse with them The prisoner in the meane time languishing in expectation of what should become of him tooke the shortest course for his liberty and iudging that if he liued in
paine his basenesse was the cause of it and that death might giue him a free passage he changed his patience into dispaire so as on the Thursday after Saint Martins day in yeare one thousand foure hundred foure score and foure hee was found strangled with the cord of his bed This execrable kind of death was kept secret vntill that they vnderstood the Popes minde after which the executioner of Iustice entred into the prison put the body into a pipe and cast it into the Riuer of Rhine c To kill himselfe hath beene held an act of courageâ— Plato forbids it in his Lawes The Thebians detested it and the Athenians did cut off his hand that had slaine himselfe did cast it on the common dunghill The Popes Deputies returned to Basill and the Excommunication hauing beene obserued three daies was taken away and the Towne deliuered from the Popes censures Yet for all this they did not cease to wish that the Pope would earnestly embrace the reformation of the disorders of the Church Desires of this kind are iust but wee may not presse them with heate of passion and indiscretion of zeale An example shewing that it is not reasonable in such sufferings and perplexities of the Church that the pride of any priuate person should presume to reforme it Wee must leaue those thoughts to Princes and Magistrates The simple multitude must attend with patience at the foote of the Mountaine vntil that Moses descend to let them vnderstand the will of God The Ship wherein that holy Family is included which hath neither sight nor day but towards heauen shall in the end appeare most glorious ouer the waues of the deluge and shall come vnto the Mountaine of a happy tranquillity * ⎠* ⸪ The end of the ninth Booke THE CONTENTS OF the tenth Booke 1 VVEakning and alteration of the Kings health in the beginning of the yeare 1480. 2 An Apoplexy seazeth on him His actions to maintaine his authority and to keepe himselfe from contempt 3 Liberty of Cardinall Balue and his pollicy to obtaine it 4 Generosity of the Cardinall of Estouteville to maintaine his dignity and that of the Clergy His death 5 Oppressions of the people 6 Desire of the King to reforme Iustice and tedious Sutes 7 Relapse of his sickenesse at Tours he goes to Saint Claude in his returne passeth by Salins and there setteth a Parliament for the Franche County 8 Death of Mary Dutchesse of Bourgundy wife to Maximilian the Emperour 9 Admonition made by the King to the Dauphin at Amboise 10 Estate of the Low Countries at the discretion of the Gantoies 11 Treatie of peace and marriage betwixt the Dauphin and Margaret Princesse of Austria 12 Death of the King of England and troubles for his succession 13 Earle of Richmond prisoner to the Duke of Brittaine comes to the Crowne of England by the Kings assistance 14 Death of Francis Phoebus King of Nauarre suite for the succession 15 Death of Alphonso King of Portugall 16 Lewis fals into new apprehensions of death and shuts himselfe into his Pallace at Plessis 17 Zizimi son to Mahomet reuolts against Bajazeth flyes to Rhodes and is conducted into France 18 Commendation of Mathias Coruinus King of Hungary 19 Impairing of the Kings health 20 Hee sends for Francis Paulo a Calabrois strange distemperatures of his sickenesse 21 His aistrust of Iohn Duke of Bourbon 22 Publication of the peace betwixt the King and Maximilian of Austria Marriage of Charles the Dauphin with the Princesse Margaret Magnificence at their entrance into Paris 23 The third and last relapse of the Kings Infirmity his last actions His perfect sence euen vnto the last gaspe His death ⧠THE HISTORY Of LEWIS the eleuenth THE TENTH BOOKE IN the beginning of the yeare 1480. 1480. Lewis beganne to dye and to feare death the which comes neuer so fitly but it brings with it terrour and amazement a Life must bee considered by the end If it bee good and glorious all the rest is proportionable Quomodo fabula sic vita non quandiu sed quam bene acta sit refert Nil ad rem pertinet quo loâ—o desinas quocunque voles desine tantum bonam clausulam imponas Life is like vnto a fable It imports not how long but how well it be acted It skils not where thou leauest leaue where thou wilt so thy conclusion be good Sen. His forces grew weake but his courage was fortefied strong vpon an apprehensioÌ„ which he had that they would make designes vpon his graue and that they would not stay vntill hee came to the end of his Carriere Hee desired to end it with the Authority Maiesty and Reputation that he had begonne and would not that they should know him dying nor that they should hold him mortall Hee workes so as in the West of his life the shadow of his reputation and respect is as great as at the Noone-day of his raigne Yet he finds that his iudgement hath not the force and vigour which it formerly had that the remainder of his life is become sower Age is alwaies accompanied that age comes not alone b When as wine and life grow low they become sowre Antiphanes hauing brought him diuers discommodities an incorrigible melancholy agitations of the minde a slow Feuer and the paines of the Emerauds He hath more prouision then he hath way to go he gathers and laies vp when hee should abandon and let go c Age becomes couetous when it hath not any need of goods it feares the earth should faile it One demanded of Symonides why he was so sparing in the extremity of his age for that said he I had rather leaue my goods after my death to my enemies then in my life time to haue neede of my friends His designes are great and spacious and his desires grow yong hee cannot free himselfe from new hopes his soule is as it were hung betwixt the feare of death and the hope of life his vnderstanding is a Milstone which the continuall course of affaires doth turne day and night And although his life passeth away in languishing and griefe yet had he rather endure the paine then not to be desiring rather to be freed from it then from life the which how painefull soeuer it be hath some houre of ease d There iâ— no life so languishing and full of paine but it is supported by some hope freed from the feares of death When aâ— Antisthenes the Philosopher was in extreame paine hee cryed out Who shall deliuer me froÌ„ these miseries Diogenes presenting a knife vnto him said This if thou wilt and that soone I do not say of my life replyed the Philosopher but of my paine For if paines be violent they are short and if they be short they giue no leasure to complaine Going to heare Masse at a little Parish neere to the Forges of Saint Chinon The King suddenly and
Lewis the eighth his father gaue it for a portion to his brother Robert vpon condition that he should not transferre it to the daughters which should be borne of his marriage with Maude daughter to the Duke of Brabant For these reasons the treaty of Arras betwixt King Charles the seuenth and Phillip the second Duke of Bourgundy did expressely reserue the Fealty Homage and Soueraignty of those lands which did hold of the Crowne b King Lewis the eighth disposed after this manner of the Country of Artois Volumus ordonamus quod filliusnoster secundâ—â— natu habeat totamterram Attrebatensemin feudis domanijs totam aliam terram quam ex parte matris nostrae Elizabeth possidemus saluo dotalitio matris suae Quod si idem qui Attrebatensium tenebit sine haeredem decedat volumus quod terra tota Attrebatensis alia terra quam tenet ad filium nostrum Regni nostri successorem liberos integrè redeat The Franch-County hath made a part of the â—state vnder Cloues The Franch-county and Cloâ—ilde The Dutchy of Bourgundy hath alwaies beene one of the goodliest Flowers Henry the first King of France gaue it to Robert of France his brother for his portion His posterity hath held it vnto Phillip the sonne of Eâ—des Phillip the fourth married Ioane the eldest daughter of King Phillip the Long c Phillip the Long had foure daughters by the Lady Ioane of Bourgundy Ioane married to the Duke of Bourgundy Margaret married to Lewis of Crecy Isable married to Guy Dauphine of Viennois who was slaine with an arrow before the Castle of Lapierre and Blanch a Nunne in the Monastery of Louchan neere Paris By this alliance the two Bourgundies were vnited and of this marriage came Phillip Prince of Bourgundy who was married to Ioane daughter to Robert Earle of Bolleigne who died at the battell of Crecy Phillip his sonne surnamed de Roue succeeded in the Dutchy of Bourgundy after his Grand-fathers death in the yeare one thousand three hundred fifty and foure Hee was married yong to Margaret of Flanders the onely daughter to Lewis the third Earle of Flanders and dyed at the age of twenty foure yeares in in the yeare one thousand foure hundred three score and two By his death the Dutchy of Bourgundy came vnto the Crowne by the right of returne and by proximity of bloud King Iohn being found neerest to the succession This proximity is easie to verefie being certaine that Robert Duke of Bourgundy had foure sons and two daughters by Agnes of France daughter to King Saint Lewis Hugh or Hughues Eudes Lewis Robert Ioane and Margaret Hughues was Duke and dyed without children Eudes succeded him Ioane was married to Phillip of Vallois father to King Iohn who onely remained of the discendants of Robert Phillip the Hardy Duke of Bourgundy He caused it to bee vnited and incorporated to the Crowne and gaue it to Phillip the Hardy his sonne by reason of his seruice and recommendation d In the inuestiture which beares date the 6. of September 1363. wee reade these words Ad memoriam reducentes grata laude digna seruitia quae charissimus Phillippus filius noster quarto genitus qui sponte expositus mortis periculo nobiscuÌ„â—mperterritus impauidus stent in acie prope Fictauos vulneratus captus detentus in hostium potestate ibi post liberationem nostram hâ—ctenâ—s exhibuit indâ—fessevero amore filiali ductus ex quibus suam merito cupientes honorare personam perpetuoque praemio fulcire sibi paterno correspondentes â—more spem fiduciam gerentes in domino quod ipsius crescente prouidentia dicti nostri subditi Ducatus eiusdem à suis oppressionibus releuabuntur The Deputies of Flanders were well instructed what they should answere and if they had not beene a deniall had serued for a sufficient reason for in disputes of consequence to consent were base and to deny wisedome They said that reasons drawne from Lawes and Customes obserued did not proue that successions Fees and the place of Peeres were incompatible with the quality of women Iudith daughter to Charles the Bald brought vnto her successors Earles of Flanders the Low CouÌ„tries with their largest limites e The ancient bounds of the County of Flanders were betwixt the Ocean Sea and the Riuers of Escault and Somme The same Prouinces haue beene gouerned in diuers seasons by women Margaret of Alsas Ioane of Constantinople and Margaret of Mallaine The place of Peeres of France hath beene held by woâ—men f In France women are capable to hold the places of Peeres and to giue their opinion in the iudgement of Peeres Maude Countesse of Artois did assist at the Processe of Robert Earle of Flanders in the yeare 1315. And in this quality the Dutchesse of Orliance and the Countesse of Artois were adiourned to iudge the Processe of Iohn Monfort Duke of Brittany The examples are in Normandy Guienne Tholousa and Brittaine Raouâ— married the daughter of Lewis King of France who had Normandy for her Dowry Eliâ—or daughter to William Earle of Guienne had that goodly Prouince in marriage Alphonso brother to King S. Lewis was Earle of Tholousa by his wife Maude of Artois g Maude of Artois caused Robert Grand-child to Robert the second Earle of Flanders to be excluded from the succession by two decrees the one made by Phillip the Faire at Asmeres the 9 of October 1309. and the other by Phillip the Long 1318. by the iudgement of Phillip the Faire succeeded in the County of Artois by this onely reason that the daughters were capable of this succession and that representation had no place in the direct line To all this the Deputies of France answered suddenly Answeres to the obiections That Prouinces once vnited to the Crowne can bee no more dismembred That great Empires should endure great changes and alterations if the Females were made equall to the Males in the right of succession for their Crownes should not be dismembred into many peeces for that we finde in Common-weales in generall and in Families in perticular more daughters then sonnes That if examples had more force then reason and that they must decide the controuersy by the number they might not contradict the authority of King Phillip the Faire who would that the County of Poictou which hee had giuen to Phillip his sonne should returne vnto the Crowne for want of Heires Male by reason whereof when as Eudes the fourth Duke of Bourgundy and Ioane of France his wife daughter to Phillip the Long had pretended the succession of the County of Poictou against King Charles the Faire h Phillip the Faire would that the County of Poictou which he gaue to Phillip his son who was afterwards King of France Surnamed the Long should returne to the Crown for want of Heires Male vpon condition that the King should be bound to marry the Daughters they were
his owne bloud z Churches are Sanctuaries but they giue no safety but to Innocents and to them that are wrongfully 〈◊〉 The Temples of the Ancient were a Sanctuary to three sorts of men to Offendours to Slaues and to Debtors God did raise vp the Earle of Richmond Earle of Richmond prisoner to the Duke of Brittany who was prisoner to the Duke of Brittaine all good men desired it to reuenge the innocent bloud and this Tyrant fore-seeing that there was nothing to bee feared but from that part sent Thomas Hutton to the Duke of Brittany to deale with him that hee might not bee set at liberty a Ambition of raigne is not restrained neither by the respect of piety nor the motions of Nature Cupido regni fratre fillia potior The desire of raigne is deerer then brother or daughter Tacit. Annal. lib. 12. seeking the friendship of King Lewis who would not make any answeres vnto his Letters nor heare his Embassadours calling him most inhumane cruell and wicked for the most horrible and execrable murther of his Nephewes The King assisted the Earle of Richmond who being set at liberty by the Duke of Brittany past into England with three thousand Normanes the scumme as Phillip de Commines saith of the whole Prouince and was presently fortified by all them that were offended for the death of their lawfull Prince Earle of Richmond King of England giuing him battell within few daies after his arriuall in the which this Tyrant was slaine and the Earle of Richmond acknowledged for King In all these great reuolutions wee must confesse a Diuine Iustice which doth earely or late reuenge iniquities pursuing them euen in the generations of children who are punished for their fore-fathers offences Henry the fourth caused Richard the second to dye in prison Henry the sixth his Grand-child dyed a prisoner to King Edward the fourth Richard Duke of Glocester murthers Edwards children and Richard is slaine by Henry Earle of Richmond the seuenth of that name Who can deny but there is an Eternall Iustice in all this b When 〈◊〉 ◠wicked man commits any villany hee is presently a prisoner to GODS Iustice and like a fish hee is taken with the baite of pleasure and delight which hee hath taken in doing it which doth punish the wicked by themselues and makes vse of them to scourge others and it deferres publicke punishment for a time the secret doth neuer abandon the crime and is a perpetuall thorne in the offenders soule Francis Phoebus sonne to Gaston Earle of Foix dyed also hauing succeeded to Elenor of Arragon his grand-mother Death of Francis Phoebus King of Nauarre hee being but twelue yeares old and raigned vnder the gouernement of his mother c The Ladie Magdaline of France during her sonnes minority carried this Title Magdaline Daughter and Sister to the Kings of France Princesse of Viana Gouernesse to our most deere and wel-beloued sonne Francis Phoebus by the Grac◠of GOD King of Nauarre The Realme of Nauarre was so diuided as it had neede of a Prince of more greate respect and farre better experience and yet for that hee was neere allied to the Kings of France and Castile the most factious were quiet and tooke the oath of Alleageance when as hee entred with incredible applause into the Towne of Pampelone the tenth of December in the yeare one thousand foure hundred foure score and two Presently after his Coronation Ferdinand King of Castile offered him Ioane his second daughter in marriage The Queene his mother did still protest that her will did wholly depend vpon King Lewis the eleuenth her brother The History of Spaine saith that he had a desire to marry her to D. Ioane a Nun at Coimbra to the end hee might renue the pretensions which shee had to the Realme of Castile as daughter to Henry the fourth and by this meanes hee did alwaies assure himselfe of the County of Rousillon But when as his mother had brought him backe into Bearne hee was poisoned at Pau playing on a Flute Hee dyed with this griefe that his life nor death did not profite any man d As no man should desire to liue to himselfe alone so that death is honourable which is imployed for the publicke Turpe est sibi soli vivere mori Plut. there being nothing that doth more trouble a great spirit then when he liues and dyes not for himselfe Dying hee spake these holy words which the mouth of the Sonne of God pronounced a little before his death My Kingdome is not of this world If hee had liued he was borne to be a great Prince but the world to speake truely is so small a matter as the Phylosopher had reason to mocke at Alexander who had carried the Title of Great e Alexander would be instructed in Geometry to learne the greatnesse of the earth Hee found that the Title of Great which he carried was false cōsidering Quā pusilla terra esset ex qua minimum occupauerat Quis enim esse magnus in pusillo potest How little the earth was wherof hee held the least part who can be great in a small thing Sen. The Lady Catherine his sister succeded him Katherine of Foix Queene of Nauarre and was married to Iohn of Albret Iohn of Foix Vicount of Narbona her Vncle did quarrell with her for the Earledomes of Foix and Bearn saying that these lands lying within the Realme of France whereas women did not succeede Queene Katherine could not pretend any thing and did by force seaze vpon Maseres and Monthaut and besieged Pamiers but could not take it Queene Katherine aduertised King Lewis the eleuenth with this inuasion f France doth furnish many examples against the Vicount of Foix to shew that the daughters being neerest of bloud did exclude the Males that were farther off who sent Commissioners into the Country to forbid the Vicount of Narbona to proceed by way of fact vpon paine of loosing his right This controuersy was of such importance as he himselfe would be iudge thereof Controuersy for the lands of Foix Bern and Bigorre and after him Charles the eighth was Arbitrator In the end they must passe by the censure of the Court Parliament of Paris Iohn of Foix Vicount of Narbona and after his decease the Kings Atturney Generall as Tutor and Gardien to Gaston of Foix his sonne said against Katherine of Foix that daughters being vncapable of dignites by reason of their sexe might not succeed in the Realme g King Charles the eighth sought to make an agreement betwixt the parties and therefore committed it to the Cardinall of Foix and Monsieur D'Alby but seeing they could not agree hee sent them to the Court Parliament All which proceedings in writing were imparted vnto me by Maister Galland one of the most famous Aduocates of the Parliament Dutchies or Counties but onely the Males and that they might not
Gabardan Of this marriage issued D. Mathea married to Gaston Prince of Bearne who succeeding her father and mother brought vnto the principality of Bearne those goodly peeces of Bigorre Marsan and Gabardan In like manner by the daughter of Gaston Prince of Bearne named Margaret married to Roger Bernard Earle of Foix all that is come vnto the house of Foix. Examples which serue to confirme this generall custome obserued within the Realme That in all Dutchies Counties Vicounties Baronies Lands and Signiories the daughters being neerest in degree haue succeded and beene preferred before the Males So as if King Lewis the eleuenth had liued he would haue decided this controuersie in giuing sentence for the Neece against the Vncle His iudgement had beene grounded first vpon the right of the first borne and representation secondly vpon the conuentions of marriage betwixt Gaston of Foix and the Lady Magdalen of France making expresse mention that the children which should bee borne should succeed in all the lands of Foix and Bigorre then held by Gaston of Foix her father Thirdly vpon the ancient customes and obseruances of the Realme Fourthly vpon the testament and last will of the Earle of Foix. Alphonso of Portugall died also at the same time Death of Alphonso K. of Portugall hee had his share in the miseries of Kings hee entred a childe into the Realme t Such as God giues the prince such must the people receiue him but the wisest of all Kings saith Vnhappy is that Realme which is commaunded by a child Metius Falconius Nicomachus approuing the Election which the Senate had made of Tacitus being old and broken vsed these wordes Dij auertant principes pueros pattes patriae dici impuberes quibus ad subscribendum magistri literatij manus teneant quos ad Consulatus dandos dulcia circuli quaecunque puerilis voluptas invitet Quae malum ratio est habere Imperatorem qui samam curare non nouerit qui quid sit Respub nesciat nutritorem time at respiciat ad nutricem manum magistralium ictibus terrorique subiaceat faciat eos Consules Duces Iudices quorum vitas merita aetates familias et gesta non nouerit God forbid the Princes and Fathers of the Countrey should be tearmed children whose hands their maisters must hold when they subscribe and who are drawne to giue Offices with childish delights What a misery is it to haue an Emperour which knowes not how to maintaine his fame nor what a Common-weale is who feares his Tutor and is subiect to stripes and terror and shall make them Consuls Dukes and Iudges whose liues merites ages families and actions hee doth not know which was ill for himselfe and worse for his subiects His mother Elenor sister to Iohn the second King of Arragon was depriued by the Estates of the Regency which her Father had left her Peter Duke of Coimbra caused her to bee poysoned Alphonso tooke Armes to reuenge his mothers death Peter was slaine before Lisbone with a poysoned Arrow They would haue married Alphonso to Ioane the supposed daughter of Henry the fourth King of Castille this Tragedy hath beene formerly plaid He died at Sinta being nine and forty yeares old in the yeare one thousand foure hundred eighty two and the three and fortith of his reigne and was interred in the Royall Monastery of the Battell of the order of preaching Friers After the warres betwixt him and the King of Castille and the vnfortunate voyage which he made into France hee did nothing but languish He saw himself forst to passe into France for succors Fortune could not set him in a more wretched estate for there is nothing so miserable as to see a Prince expeld his Countrey and begging Pitty is presently changed into contempt and the consideration of that which is honest doth not ouer-sway that which is profitable They may well say that kings are brethren that one royall bloud cals another that their interrests are common that Rome is his mother the Senators his fathers their children his brethren yet if the aid which he demands doth not benefit him that giues it he shall returne more discontented then he came u In great deliberations profite goes before honesty Demetrius sonne to Seleucus hauing beene giuen in hostage and bred vp from his infancy at Rome intreated the Romans to restore him to his Realme which was held by the children of Antiochus and to moue them thereunto hee called Rome his Countrey and Nurse the Senators his fathers and their children his brethren But for all this the Senate inclined to that which was most safe and profitable they assisted the children of Antiochus being weake and yong suspecting much the great courage of Demetrius who was in the flower of his age Polib Thus behold three Kings imbarked almost at one instant in the shippe of Death Death of the Dutchesse of Bourbon onely God knowes the port whereunto they are arriued hee did call at the same time the Lady Iane of France Dutchesse of Bourbon to the end that Lewis should not be grieued to leaue the world The Chronicle calles this Princesse Most noble Powerfull Holy and the example of good liuers She died in the Castle of Moulins in May 1482. She had laboured all her life to entertaine loue and friendship betwixt the King her brother and the Duke of Bourbon her Husband knowing that the concord of France and the greatnesse of her houshold depended thereon and we may ascribe vnto her the glory of the peace which was made at Ryon by the which the principall fire-brands of the great fire of the league were quenched Whereupon all they that loued quyet cast their eyes vpon those of this Princesse and held them the Pleiades of France whose sweete Influences made the Oliue-tree of peace to flourish x Princesses by whose meanes peace doth flourish are the Pleiades of Estates wherein they are allied Pliny saith that the Oliue-tree springs vnder the Influence of the Pleiades Conâ—ipiunt oleae virgiliaruÌ„ exortu haec sydus illaruÌ„ est Polybius saith that among the Grecians the Caduce and among the Barbarians the Oliue is a signe of peace friendship At the same time dyed Iohn of Bourbon the second of that name Earle of Vendosme Here amazement stayes me suddenly why in all the History of King Lewis the eleuenth Philip de Commines hath neuer made any mention of that Nursery of Caesars and of Alexanders and of that Royall branch which hath brought forth the greatest King that euer ware Crowne or Scepter He speakes of foure sonnes of Iohn the second Duke of Bourbon of Charles Cardinall of Bourbon of Peter Lord of Beaujeu of the Bishop of Liege and makes no mention of Iohn the second Earle of Vandosme who liued vnder the reigne of Charles 7 and continued vnto the end of Lewis 11. wee must not wonder if the Chronicle hath forgotten it it doth often follow toyes and leaues
his Cyropadia shews how the Persians did vse it Tacitus speaks of Halotus who carued the meate and tooke Say to Claudius inferre epulas explorare gustu solitus Athaneus saith that the Romans called him that had this charge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the GreciaÌ„s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they vse to other Princes an ancient custome and knowne to the Romanes who had it from the Persians whereat being amazed and desiring to let them know that he was not come thether to distrust he did eate of euery dish that was set before him before any Say were taken Noble and generous minds said Zizimi are not distrustfull I feare not to be poysoned among such braue and noble Knights and if I had feared it I would not haue trusted my safety in their hands I wil liue among them as a priuate man and not as a Prince Bajazeth was so fearefull least he should be set at liberty and trouble his Estates as he payed yearely 45000 Ducats to the Treasury of the Religion 35000. for the entertainement of Zizimi and 10000. to repaire the spoiles which Mahomet his father had done them at the siege of Rhodes d There was an accord made betwixt the great Maister and Bajazeth the 8. of December 1482. the which is worthy of memory for that it may be said that the great Turke to liue in peace and fearing that Zizimi should returne into Turkey was forced to yeeld himselfe tributary to the Knights of Rhodes and would that the Embassadours which carried the first payment should passe into Auuergne to see in what estate he was The great Maister wrote to all the Princes of Christendome that if they did not contemne this goodly occasion to diuide the Empire of the Ottomans by the meanes of Zizimi they might spoile him of all the Estates he had taken from the Christians and by so pretious a Gage bridle all his designes in such sort as Christendome might remaine long in peace and tranquility for hee should not dare to attempt any thing whilst his brother were in the Christians power e Bajazeth feared both at home and abroad Zizimi had friends he put all them to death whom he suspected to fauour and among others Acmath Basha who had taken Otranto Isaac Basha was dismist from his Offices But at this season Italy was full of diuisions The Pope Venetians and Siennois were in league against Ferdinand King of Naples the Florentines and the Duke of Milan The Emperour made an excuse that hee could not intend it Christendome did not reape the profite it might haue done and neglected this occasion as the precedent offered by one of the sonnes of Amurath who had made himselfe a Christian and maintained that Mahomet was vnlawfull and supposed f 〈…〉 Mahomet the son of Amurath and gaue him to Pope Nicholas the 5. who caused hâ—m to be instructed in the Christian Religion and in good learning after his death he retired himselfe to the Emperour and then vnto Mathias Coruinus King of Hungary and knowing the controuâ—â—â—y that was betwixt Bejazeth and Zzimi hee let the great Maister of Rhodes vnderstand that both their pretensions were vaine Mathias Coruinus King of Hungary sent his Embassadours to the Pope to entreate him to be a meanes to deliuer Zizimi vnto him promising by this meanes that Christendome should be reuenged for the dishonour and losse that it had receiued at the cruel and bloudy battell of Varna Let vs stay our eyes vpon the excellent vertues of this braue Prince which is the third of the three greatest Princes which Phillip de Commines saith had raigned at one time a season which did produce but meane things and let vs turne them a little away from the first who is now dying and is no more but a sad and lamentable image of the ruines of life Mathias Huniades or Coruin was second sonne to Iohn Huniades a great Noble-man of Valachia Commendation of Mathias Coruiâ—us King of Hungary who after the death of Vladislas King of Poland and Hungary slaine at the battle of Varna was chosen at the age of twenty yeares by the common consent of the Hungarians to be Lieutenant generall of the Realme g Of all the battels betwixt the Christians Turkes that of Varna was the most memorable in lossâ— It continued three daies and three nights the victory which seemed to fauor the Christians in the beginning tâ—rned from then and Ladislaus King of Hungary was slaine there tbe 20. of Neueâ—ber 1444. He had forces in field courage and opportunity to climbe higher and to make himselfe King but he would keepe himselfe in this estate and preserue the Crowne for Ladislaus sonne to Albert of Austria and to Elizabeth daughter to Sigismond King of Hungary The Emperour Fredericke drew him vnto him after the death of his father to bring him vp The Hungarians demanded him and vpon the Emperours refusall to deliuer him Coruin did ouer-runne the Country of Austria Stiria and Carinthia filled them with fire and bloud expelled the Bohemians out of the Townes which they held in Hungary and restored Ladislaus in his capitall Citty to his fathers Throne at the age of 12. yeares This great seruice deserued an equall guerdon but as suspitions iealousies and slanders are plants which grow of themselues in the Courts of Princes Huniades made trial how hard it is for great vertues to be free from them and to be long happy by the onely conduct of wisedome h Suspitions deâ—ractions in the Courts of Princes not onely hurt the against whom they are made but them that inuent theâ— anâ— that giue care vnto them A Prince should giue no 〈◊〉 eare vnto them especially when it concernes those whom he may not punish but he must forget the great seruices which he hath 〈…〉 Vertue was in this braue courage as the Iuy which ruines the wall that holds it vp Glory which is the fruite of vertue made the Tree to wither and this reputation grounded vpon his merites stirred vp enuy against him and enuy framed slander a monster of hell Slander worse then hell more curell then hell it selfe which torments onely the wicked but she doth cruelly afflict Innocents There was nothing in him that could offend it but the greatnesse of his merits and seruices which made him to be esteemed the i The History giues this commendation to Iohn Coruin Huius felicitas tyrannorum impetus repressiâ— velut obiecta moles exundans flumen Nec quisquam regum aut ducuÌ„ res maiores Europae vtiliâ—res aduersus Tuâ—caâ— gessit This mans felicity did suppresse the fury of Tyrants like a banke cast vp against an ouer-flowing Riuer Neither hath any King or Captain done greater matters nor more profitable for Europe against the Turke Hercules of Hungary and the rampire of Europe for he alone had presented his head like a strong rampire against those furious torrents Amurath and Mahomet
and the Stoickes haue painted palenes and blushing on the foreheads of many great and valiant Captaines The greatest courage of the world wold not willingly go to danger if he were assured to dye there finding it too distasting for a Kings eare Yet must he be content that she present her selfe and that she take his Crowne from his head as she hath done the Armes Club Scepter and Sword out of the hands of Achilles Hercules Alexander and Caesar They that had charge of his conscience expected when he himselfe finding his strength to faile would acknowledge it The resolution to signifie this iudgement vnto him was taken betwixt a Diuine his Physition and Maister Oliuer They went roughly unto him and with small respect like vnto men which had added impudencie to the basenesse of their condition there speech was after this manner Indiscretion of theÌ„ that speaks to Lewis the 11. of death Sir wee must discharge our consciences hope no more in this holy man nor in any other thing for vndoubtedly you are a dead man thinke of your conscience for there is no remedy Euery man spake something briefly to let him know that they were all of one accord concerning his death He answered I hope that God will helpe mee and the flesh desiring to deceiue the Spirit by a vaine confidence of her forces and to declare herselfe openly against the constancy and resolution which this last point of life required of him to make them iudge of his courage she made him say I am not it may be so sicke as you thinke Being halfe dead he counterfeits himselfe whole The spirit body forces faile him onely dissembling holdeth good Hee desired rather to weare in languishing then couragiously to breake in sunder the chaine which although he were a great Prince held him in the seruitude of life q Lewis hath had great resemblances in his raigne and in his life to the â—umour of Tiberius his end did also sauour of his Tiberium iam corpus iam vires nondum dissimulatio deserebat ideÌ„ animi vigor sermone ac vultu intentus quae-sitae interdum comitate quaÌ„uis manifesta defectione tegebat Force strength fayled Tiberius but not dissembling the same vigor of the minde with a setled speech and countenance and a counterfeit courtesie did couer it although he decayed visibly Tacit. lib. 6. Annal. Hee was enuironed with Reliques and made Barricades of them thinking that death should not dare to passe ouer them and lay hold of him he was so often dead as fiue daies before his death r Tiberius did all he could to conceale his death it being bruited abroad Caligula thought to enter into the Empire but behold the dead man demanded meate and his successour began to quake for feare Macro who had beene one of his fauourits seeing him to continue too long caused him to be smothered with couerings Macro intrepidus opprimi senem iniectu maltae vestis iubet discedique ab limine Macro being without feare commanded that the old man should be smotherd with couerings and that they should presently go from the dore newes came to Paris before the accident by reason of a fainting They that were about him held him for dead and euery man thought of his owne priuate affaires But behold sodainely the dead man called for meate they saw him reuiue in an instant hauing a plaine speech a firme vnderstanding and a iudgement such as in the vigour of his age disposing of many things for the good of his Estate as if this fainting of his bodily force had beene nothing but to suffer his spirit to meditate saying Tell Des Cordes that hee giue ouer the enterprise which wee haue vpon Callice least hee incense the English that hee remaine sixe monthes with the King my sonne and that they thinke no more to make warre against the Duke of Brittany nor any neighbours to this Realme for fiue yeares at the least Hee would haue peace beginne his new raigne to the end the Kingmight grow in age and France in wealth I will be interred said he at our Lady of Clery and accompanied at my funerall by such and such They told him that the Kings of France were interred at Saint Dennis s Saint Dennis 〈…〉 is the Sepâ—lchâ—e of the kings of France Dagobert was the first sâ—under and there was interred The kings predecessâ—uâ—s had there Seâ—ulâ—â—res in dâ—uers places Clouis is interred at Saâ—nt 〈◊〉 Childeberâ— Chilperiâ— and Câ—oâ—aâ—e at S. 〈◊〉 main dâ—spres Clouis or Lewis at Châ—lâ—es Peâ—in at Saint Denis Chorlemanse at Air Laâ—â— apelle and their successours haue their Tombes in diuers places but the greatest number is at Saint Dennis and that his father and Grand-fathers were there It is all one said he I will lye there Hee had so great a deuotion to the Virgin Mary had made so many vowes vnto her and had receiued such visible effects of her intercession as he would haue her Temple the depositary of his bones He fell extremely sicke on Monday and although that no man thought that he should haue continued vntill the next day yet hee said That the good Lady would make him liue vntill Saturdy It was true his prayer returned into his owne bosome he ended the weeke Death of Lewis the eleuenth the last day of his life was on Saturday the thirtieth of August at eight of the clocke at night hauing liued three score and three yeares and raigned three and twenty Hee continued in the world longer then any Prince of his race that is to say of the third branch of the Kings of France but he liued little t I thinke saith Phillip de Commines that from his infancy he neuer had but troubles and afflictions vntill his death and if all the good daies which hee had in his life wherein he had more ioy and pleasure then trouble care were well numbred I beleeue there would bee few sound and that for one of pleasure ease their would bee twenty of paine and affliction hee that hath beene long at Sea in stormes and tempests and hath neuer arriued at a safe Port cannot say that he hath sayled much but that he hath bene long tossed with a tempest In like manner hee that hath liued long in the crosses of this life cannot say that his life hath beene long but that hee hath continued long in the waues of this world Hee dyed not with this griefe not to haue done any thing in the world he that in dying carryeth no other marke of his being but old age departeth shamefully out of this life Lewis the 11. left it not with that remorse to haue beene idle to haue let the torrent of age slip away without retaining some-thing u Of running water there is nothing kept but what is drawne forth to vse In like manner of the course of life there remaineth nothing but what vertue reserueth for glory to haue liued Tantum
it selfe to the tyrany of vice hee is not wicked with one kind of crime onely Quisnam hominum est quem tu coâ—tentum videris vno Flagitio What is hee among men whom thou shalt sâ—e content with enâ— villany Iuvâ—n killing his children so soone as they were borne Hee was hanged at Paris and his daughter was burned at Magny neere vnto Pontoise Three Serieants forced a Priests chamber in Paris and did beate him outragiously they were condemned to bee whipt through the Streetes of Paris A Religious man of the Temple had his Throate cut by one of his brethren The great Prior of France being assisted by the Commanders and Knights condemned him to bee kept prisoner in a Dungeon and there to be fed with the bread of sorrow and water of heauinesse A faire Burgesse of Paris who was much esteemed among the women of best fame gaue eare to the Earle of Foix who attempted against her honour suffered her selfe to be wonne and left father mother husband and children to follow him A Hosier being accused of many Thefts cut out his owne tongue for that hee would not confesse any thing There were many scandalous Libels cast abroad in Paris against the Kings chiefe Officers namely against the Constable of Saint Paul An Archer was condemned to be hanged at Paris for e â—he Schoole oâ— Physitions at Paâ—â—s dere an 〈◊〉 to be cut that they might see how the stone is framed and how it lyeth in mans body for that there were many troubled therewith in those daies he was cured and his life saued sacriledge hauing robbed the Church of Meudon A Franciscan Frier Preaching indiscretly was banished the Realme in the yeare one thousand foure hundred three score and eighteene in the month of October a Monke Hermaphrodite vsing both Sexes became great with childe Behold how that in those times as well as in ours excesse and disorders were common The world is nothing but a sincke of all filthinesse O what a vile and abiect thing said an Ancient is man if hee doe not raise himselfe aboue man Wee see few become good men for the onely respect of integrity and honesty If they enter into the Temple of Vertue it is alwaies by some false dore Lewis the eleuenth had three sonnes and three daughters Ioachim died yong Children of Lewis the 11. and this death drew with sorrow from the fathers heart a Vow neuer to know any other woman but the Queene Francis Duke of Berry died in the yeare one thousand foure hundred three score and foureteene This losse caused him to shut himselfe vp for some few daies in the Castle of Amboise refusing to see or to bee seene of any not considering that Kings children were men borne in the cries and groanes of their mothers and bewayling their owne miseries like to other men f Stratonicus an Artificer of Athens hearing that the mother of Timotheus cryed out at her deliuery said How wold she haue cryed if she had made an Artificer Hee mocked at that common slattery which spake of Kings children as of the children of the Gods Atheneus This griefe was humane and should haue beene lamented humanely and comforted by this reason That the thing which is restored to him to whom it belongeth cannot be said to bee lost But it is hard to see a goodly flower die at the breake of day A vaine reason he that maketh it to grow may gather it when and how he pleaseth Louyse his eldest daughter dyed also in her Infancy Anne was betrothed to Nicholas Marquesse of Pont Grand-childe to René Duke of Anjou but hee did not marry her for the Duke of Bourgundy being iealous of this Alliance propounded vnto him the marriage of Mary his onely daughter to draw him by this vaine hope from the seruice of this Crowne Shee was married to Peter of Bourbon Ioane his third to daughter was married to Lewis the twelfth and put away in the first yeare of his raigne So as finding her selfe hatefull vnto her husband and vnpleasing to many shee left the world g Being vnmarried she wedded herselfe to solitarinesse the which shee had desired all her life In her Infancy the King demanded of her of what Order shee would haue her Confessour and shee made choice of the Gardien of the Franciscan Fryers at Amboise Her father loued her not for that Nature had giuen him cause to complaine of her deformity hauing not ingrauen any makes of her fauours neither vpon her face nor on her person for she was blacke little and crooked h Beauty is a peece of so great recommendation as they that are not fauored there-with are lesse pleasing eueÌ„ to them that by Nature should loue them The Signior of Lesguiere her Gouernour did hide her often vnder his Gowne when as the King met her to the end hee should not bee troubled with the sight of her The hatred of King Lewis the eleuenth her father the death of Charles the eighth her brother and the diuorce of King Lewis the twelfth her husband changed all the sweetenesse of her life into the bitternesse of the Crosse and imbarkt her as in a tempestuous Sea whereas shee found no other Port but that of death The children of great men to become the children of God are bound to drinke of the cuppe of affliction i Happy are those paines and afflictions which are to amend saue not to ruine destroy the afflicted The Crosse is the marke of the Cittizens of heauen they whom the hand of God disdlaines to strike are such as he disdaines to amend as well as the meanest The way to heauen is full of Thornes The flaming sword appeared at the entring of Paradice The Land promised to the faithfull aboundeth with plenty of Milke and Honny Milke is first bloud before Milke Honny is drawne from bitter flowers Roses grow among Thornes Her husband loued her not Cause of the dissolution of the marriage of Lewis the twelfth and yet during the time of his imprisonment in the great tower of Bourges he receiued no other succour nor assistance but from this Princesse The cause of their Diuorce was Sterrility and want of consent in marriage CLAVDIVS of Seyssell saith that hee gaue her vnto him to the end that sterrility and barrenesse might depriue him of all meanes to haue children so much he hated and abhorred the Bloud Royall k The cause of this diuorce was fterility and want of consent in marriage Lewis declaring that King Lewis the 11. had forced him to marry her Her consolation was in this solitarinesse for that shee recouered the liberty which shee had long desired The King gaue her the Dutchy of Berry for her portion the Towne of Bourges was her retreate with a yeerely pension of one thousand two hundred pounds Sterling Shee made the Order of the Religious of the Annunciado otherwise called the Order of the Virgin Mary the which was allowed and
the Sun is far from the Horizon Iudgements are setled vpon that which they see wherefore Machiuel saith It concernes euery man to see and few to feele but in the end the maske falles Hee tooke from the poore to giue vnto Churches and did more oppresse his people with Tributes and Taxes then any other King of his Predecessors and therefore hee made his subiects to bee ill affected vnto him Hee confest himselfe often for that once a weeke hee touched them that were troubled with the Kings euill Curing of the Kings euill It is the onely miracle which hath remained perpetuall in the Christians religion and in the house of France That this griefe whose beginning is an incorrigible ill digestion a hidious vlcer to looke on dangerous to touch and for the most part incurable should bee healed by these words The King toucheth thee and God cures thee is a wonder beyond the reach of discourse and iudgement m That Clouis did first cure the Kings Euill is drawne out of the Epistle of Hormisda a Pope S. Lewis addes to the Ceremony of touching the signe of the Crosse. His arme is at Poblette whither they that are sick of that discase go in pilgrimage to be cured I say aperpetuall miracle The Kings of England haue the same vertue for since Clouis the first Christian King it hath continued to them which succeeded to his Religion and Crowne Other Realmes haue had the like graces giuen them but they haue not continued The Kings of England cured the falling sickenesse they of Hungary the Iaundise and they of Castille those that were possest I could not finde what men he imployed for the seruice of God and the conduct of his conscience n Wee finde that he who was the head directer of Gods seruice in the Kings house was cald Apocrisâ—ire vnder the first race Arch-chaplain in the secoÌ„d and great Chaplain or great Almoner vnder the third I reade that besides the great Chaplin or Arch-chaplin hee had two Chaplins and one Clarke of the Chappell and that a Franciscan Fryer called Iohn Vouste did for a long time exercise one of these charges The Chronicle saith that a little before his death hee made a Doctor of Tours called Maister Martin Magistri his Councellour and Almoner who dyed at Clerry after the voyage of Saint Claude In the accounts and expences of his House wee finde that hee bound the Citty of Tours to giue euery day in the Weeke Friday and Saturday excepted a peece of Royall Beefe a foote square to the Lepers and Hospitall of Tours and for the performance thereof gaue a hundred pounds sterling to bee imployed in the purchase of lands for the foundation of this peece Leprosie which growes from an Adust and Melancholy bloud demands meates that are lesse earthly o The aire water and nourishmeÌ„t may not only alter the temperature of bodies but also of the minde Sunt qui non corpora tantuÌ„ verum etiam animos valeaÌ„t mutare liquores being certaine that nourishment ingenders diseases and being ingendred entertaines them Hee granted vnto the holy Chappell at the Palace of Paris the moities of the Regalities to bee imployed in the entertainment of the Church and Ornaments Hee founded the Religious Nuns of the Aue Marie which was the ancient Conuent of the Beguines a kinde of Religion which was as it were Neuter betwixt the Maries and other religious Women his picture and that of Queene Charlotte is to bee seene in the quire in glasse He did enrich the Church of our Lady of Clery and of Victory with great reuenues Being at Lyon in the yeare 1476. he gaue vnto the Chapter of the Church of Foruiere p This Church is onâ—â— of the most remarkable Antiquities of the Câ—tty of Lyons The word of â— oruiere comes from Forum veneris or Forum vetus It is much boâ—nd to the memory of Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury the rents and guards of S. Simphorien le Chastel and the Farme of the Chastelenie of Charlien to binde them to say certaine Masses daily in a Chappell called Our Lady of good Councell The letters of dispatch shewe the great deuotion of this Prince to the seruice of the virgin Mary and begin in these tearmes Hauing had consideration of the great and singular graces which God our Creator hath heretofore done vs at the Intercession of his blessed Mother the glorious virgin Mary in whom after God her sonne we haue alwayes had our chiefe refuge and hope and who in the conduct of our greatest affaires hath alwayes imparted vnto vs her grace and Intercession to God her sonne so as by her meanes and aid our Realmes and Signiories are by the grace of God preserued entertained and remaine in peace vnder vs and our true obedience notwithstanding any enterprises practises and conspiracies which haue beene made since our comming to the Crowne against vs and our said Realme Signiory and Subiects as well by our enemies and aduersaries as other our rebels and disobedient subiects their adherents and complices He did institute many godly things the obseruation whereof hath continued vnto our times q The institution of the prayer which is made at noone by the sound of a bed was the first day of May 1472. his deuotion to the virgin Mary made him ordaine that at noon-day euery man should pray at the sound of a bell and say the salutation of the Angell for the peace of the Realme The Emperour Charlemaine had great and eminent vertues The commendatioÌ„ of Charlemaigne hee declared himselfe enemy to Didier King of the Lombardes who had reuolted against the Pope he pacified Italy subdued the Saxons and expelled the Sarazens out of Spaine But this enterprise was greater and more hardy then profitable and needfull for Gannes otherwise called Gannelon betrayed him and was the cause of that memorable defeat of Roncivaux r In the valley of Ronceuaux dyed these valiant Captaines Rowland Reynold of Montauban and Ogier the Dane Charlemaigne made these foure verses vpon the death of Rowland his sisters sonnes Tu patriam repetis tristi nos orbe relinquis Te tenet aula nitens nos lachrymosa dies Sed qui lustra geris octo binos super annos Ereptus terris iustus ad astra redis where those braue and generous knights were lost whose incredible valour is no more beleeued then the truth of the Romance He ioyned the Roman Empire to the Monarchy of France But the Emperiall Diadem did not cure the great afflictions of the minde which he had all the time of his Empire by the reuolt of the Sarazens in Spaine the Sclauonians or Danes and the Normans Three yeares before his death at the age of 68 yeares he gaue himselfe to holy contemplation and to the care of Religion and the Church Founder of the Vniuersity of Paris he erected the Vniuersity of Paris by the aduice of Alcuin
his Schoole-maister and did people it with the most learned men of his time Hee had soure wiues and many Concubines the greatnesse of his vertue and the wonders of his reputation made him to be adored of his subiects and redoubted of strangers The Sophie of Persia and Prester Iohn of Ethiopia sought for his alliance He built two goodly houses His Buildings the one at Iughelheim the place of his birth the other at Nieumegue hee built the Bridge at Mentz a worke of tenne yeares the which the yeare before his death was ruined by a suddaine fire in lesse then two howres He built the Church of Aix la Chapelle where he is interred During his life he caused sixe Councels to be called at Mentz at Rheims at Tours at Chalons at Arles and at Francfort and made Orders for the Reformation of the Church s Charlemain made a booke for the reformation of the Church which carries this title Capitula Carolâ— Magni and containes Proofes of his great piety When he went to Collegiall Churches or Monasteries hee did sing with the Priests and say the lessons of the morning and caused theÌ„ to be said by his children and other Princes of his Court. He died the eighteenth of Ianuary and in the eighth day of his sickenesse in the yeare eight hundred and foureteene His Death the three score and eleuenth yeare of his age and the seuen and fortieth of his raigne including fifteene yeares of his Empire For his great and heroicke vertues which serue as an example and patterne to Princes and for his great bounty to Churches for the which Phillip de Commines saith that a Chartreux Monke called Iohn Galleas His Canâ—nization Duke of Milan Saint t Phillip de Commines visiting the Church of Pauia and beholding the statue of Iohn Galeas Duke of Milan on horseback to be higher then the Altar whom a Chartrous Monke borne at Bourges called Saint he demanded of him why he called him Saint seeing the Towns which were painted about him were so many markes of his tiranny hee answered softly in this Country we cal all theÌ„ Saints that do vs good hee built this Monastery King Lewis the 11. would that the day of his death should be solemnized like Sonday The Church doth not solemnize the birth of Saints it makes the day of their death a Feast which is another kind of birth then the first there being no more proportion betwixt the world out of which they go and heauen whereinto they enter then there is betwixt the wombe out of which they go and the world whereinto they enter He caused his Statue to be taken out of the ranke of the Kings to make an image vpon the Altar of the Chappell at the Pallace with that of Saint Lewis he would also haue his owne in his ranke after another fashion kneeling before the Image of our Lady But how great soeuer his zeale was vnto the Church yet would he haue the Popes know wherein and wherefore they were bound vnto the Crowne of France The Kings of France haue deserued the glorious Surname of Eldest sonne of the Church Popes bound to the Crown of France hauing defended it from great enemies and freed it from terrible persecutions It is also found that at the last wherewith she is threatned she shall haue no other deliuerer but a King of France u This opinion is grounded vpon a Treatise of Antichrist which some attribute to Saint Augustine others to other ancient fathers and many to Rabanus Reade vpon this subiect the eighth Discourse of Doctor Suares a Portugois vpon the Apocalipse the which hath made many to say and write that the Maiesty of the Church shall neuer bee ouerthrowne so long as the Crowne of France shall endure The deuotion of Lewis did not make him incensible of the wrongs which the Temporall power might receiue from the Spirituall Pope Pius the second Paul the second and Sixtus the fourth knew well that this spirit could not submit himselfe in all things without knowing the reason He did not dissemble the wrong which Sixtus the fourth x Pope Sixtus beeing â—ffâ—rded at the violence done to Cardinal Riario his Nephew and to the Arch-bishop of Pisa did excommunicate the Florentines declaring that â—ee would employ against them the Venetians his person goods whatsoeuer else he could The KIng vpon this aduertisement thought it not reasonable that the goods appointed for the seruice of God should be employed in war making a defence to to carry mony to Rome did vnto the dignity of his father and common pastor of Christian people banding himselfe against the Common-weales of Florence and Venice and suppoting the vndue exactions which were made in the Chancery of Rome He forbad all men to send any mony thither to haue prouision of Benefices by Buls and expectatiue graces vpon paine of confiscation of body and goods giuing the moueables iewels and horses of all the offendours to them that should discouer them Hee appointed Commissioners in the chiefe Townes of the Realme to see and peruse the Buls and prouisions which should be brought from Rome that he might know whether they were contrary to the priuileges and liberties of the French Church y The Signior of Gaucourtâ— Chamberlaine to the King was appointed in the Towne of Amiens the commission is reported by Du. Tillet He commanded the Bishops and Prelates which remained in the Court of Rome to watch ouer their Troupes and to be resident in their Bishoprickes vpon paine of priuation of the Temporall of their Reuenewes and to prepare themselues for the holding of a Councell at Lyon when it should be called vpon the instance which he would make vnto the Pope He was aduertised that Religious Friers going to generall Chapters of their Orders out of the Realme were imployed to carry packets Religious men imploied in messages and intelligences he made a defence for the going to any Chapters which should be held in forraine Prouinces z The defences by this Edict giuen at Selongnes the third of September 1476. were generall against the Religious of the Order of Cisteaux of the Charthusians of Clugny and the fowre begging Friers But the Chartusians are not subiect to the punishment by the same Edict it is spoken of the Friers Minors of the three Orders the punishment was diuers He appointed banishment for them of Cisteaux and of Clugny and declared them incapable to hold any Benefices in France and in regard of the Begging Friers besides banishment he said that he would root out and expell the Realme all them of that Order which should infringe his Edict Howsoeuer he did reuerence Church-men yet would hee not haue them stray from publicke instructions Sermons of seditioÌ„ to censure affaires of Estate for such kinds of discourses do more trouble the minds of men then comfort them They be but cloudes which breake forth into brutes of sedition
act the part of Kings of France for many yeares made him to take Armes and to ioyne the reuenge of this death to the defence of the Crowne Hee was taken prisoner at the battell of Agincourt and carried into England where hee remained fiue and twenty yeares His liberty and rest came from thence from whence proceeded the causes of the miseries of his house and of his captiuity Phillip Duke of Bourgundy paied two hundred thousand Crownes for his ransome married him to Mary of Cleues his Neece and gaue him the Order of the Golden Fleece y The Duke of Orleance receiued the Order of the Duke of Bourgundy after his returne out of EnglaÌ„d in the yeare 1440. Hee was not receiued by King Charles the seuenth according to his hopes and the greatnesse of his quality Assembly at Neuers in the yeare 1442. This discontent made him to ioyne with the intentions of the Dukes of Bourgundy Brittany Alençon and other Noble men who assembled at Neuers to make King Charles the 7. regard them better then he did and to reforme the disorders of the Realme z The discontented Princes assembled at Neuers in the yeare 1442. The Archbishop of Rheims Chancellour of France was sent to moderate their choller and to assure them of all they desired This was presently repaired for the English made their profite and the Duke of Orleance recouered the ranke and authority which the dignity of his birth gaue him neere the King Who employed him in the conference which was made at Tours for a Truce betwixt France and England vnder the fauour whereof hee vndertooke the conquest of Milan after the death of PHILLIP MARIA The successe of this enterprise did shew that hee had beleeued them too lightly who had represented it so easy as the first day hee should arme Lombardy would giue him the Castle of Milan Hee past into Italy to take possession of the Dutchy a It is a great errour in a Prince to beleeue that lightly which is represented vnto him of the facillity of a great designe notwithstanding that the most temperate are subiect to suffer themselues to bee carried away with these goodly perswasions Credulitas error magisest quam culpa quidem in optimis cuiusque mentem facillimè irripit Credulity is an errour rather then a fault and it doth easily creepe into the best mens minds Cicero But as it hath beene alwaies reproached vnto the French neuer to thinke of their returne when they passe the Mountaines being there hee was presently vnfurnished of all necessary meanes to worke any great effect and was forced to end his enterprises as soone as they beganne The conquest of the County of Ast was the fruite of his voiage the rest remained to FRANCIS SFORCE This County of Ast serued him for a retreate for some time after the greatnesse of his courage not suffering him to remaine neere the King Cause of the Duke of Orleans death for the small esteeme he made of him A contempt which did wound his heart with so sencible a griefe as CLAVDIVS of Seyssell finds no other cause of his death Lewis Duke of Orleance was successour to this bad vsage and to the end that this contempt might bee a counterpoise to the greatnesse of his courage hee would haue his breeding lesse exquisite then his generous disposition could beare and forced him to marry his daughter who was weake and crooked b The Author of the remembrances of the Royall House of Bourbon saith that Lewis the eleuenth caused Lewis Duke of Orleance to bee bred vp as grossely as he could to abate that generous heart of the house of Orleance Claudius of Seyssell saith that he vsed him very roughly and sought to kill him giuing him a boane of griefe and repentance to gnawe for aboue twenty yeares According to the Maxime to humble the Princes of his bloud hee intreated the Earle of Angoulesme no better and would not suffer him to thinke of marrying the Princesse of Bourgondy desiring rather that that great and mighty Estate should be in the power of a forraigne Prince Hee doubted the courage of them that were neerest allied vnto him and held them as it were ouerwhelmed vnder the rocke of contempt and necessity and kept them from great charges The springs of his bounty were drawne dry for them for he vsed France like vnto an Orchard where as they cut pull vp and transplant trees at their pleasure That great and wonderfull house of Bourbon which alone can reckon as many triumphes as France hath had enemies and which before all others carried a Ducal Crowne auoided these stormes c This royall family of Bourbon hath bin so much esteemed by our ancieÌ„t Monarks as it was the first among the Princes of bloud that was honoured with the Title of a Duke for although the Dutchy of Bourgondy were long before the erection of the Dutchy of Bourbon yet it was neuer compreheÌ„ded in the house of France but since Charlâ—s the fift and the Dutchie of Bourbon was erected by Philip of Valois Grand-father to Charles the 5. He would haue vsed it with the like rigor but hee found it more firme Greatnes of the house of Bourbon forcing him to conuert his spleene and hatred into other effects of loue and affection For he he gaue the first Coller of the Order to Iohn Duke of Bourbon his brother who had married the Lady Ioane of France daughter to Charles the seuenth and the Lady Agnes his daughter to Peter of Bourbon to whom he committed all his important affaires hee gaue him the inheritance of the Earle of Armagnac yet he would not haue him carry the Title of Earle Maiesty Next to the duties which binde a Prince to serue God and to loue his Allies there is not any thing which should keepe his spirit more in action then the care of Maiesty for it is so delicate a spring as if it slip or breake the whole frame of authority is in disorder and he becomes a king of a Tragedie When I speak of Maiesty I meane not that to maintaine that a Prince should liue like vnto the Kings of Persia in a Castle with three Ditches Ridiculous grauitie of Princes and as many Walles d The Kings of Persia were rather worshipped then reuerenced by their subiects They remained in a Castle with three Ditches three walles speaking to few and yet had news daily from all parts of their Empire from the straight of Hellespont to the East Indies by Centinels which were set vpon the mountaines that they should not speake vnto him but through a trauers like vnto the Kings of Borney that hee should not see his subiects but bare-headed and couered with ashes or that hee should not shew himselfe but once a yeare like to the first Kings of France But my meaning is to speake of that inuiolable and glorious respect which bindes a Prince not to say do or
Treasurer of France at Grenoble instructed mee herewith After his death King Charles the eighth by his letters dated the three and twentieth day of March in the yeare 1483. restored them to their Honours Fame and Reputation and would that all their goods should bee restored vnto them notwithstanding any opposition which was made by them that held them as confiscate The examples of this seuerity shewes the reason of the feare and distrust which troubled his minde and kept him shut vp like the vestall fire and set Care and Silence in guard about him being reasonable that hee should feare those which hee had hurt for neither great nor small can loue them that haue wronged them Herewith accords that which Claudius of Seyssell hath written g The feare which growes from rigour and seuerity doth neuer purchase the peoples loue Oderunt quem me tuunt And it is hard long to resist the publicke hatred Plebi multae manus principi vna ceruix A multitude hath many hands and a Prince but one necke He openly discouers the feare which he had of his subiects when as hee heard say Galeas D. of Millan brother in law to the King that Duke Galeas Sforce had been slaine by certaine Millanois in the Citty of Millan vpon a festiuall day and in the Church for he augmented his guards about his person and forbad them to suffer any man to approach neere him and if any one did striue hee commanded them to kill him And moreouer hee caused a page to carry a Pertuisan after him to defend himselfe if any should offer to outrage him the which beeing come into his Chamber was set at his beddes head And truly it appeared plainly at his death whether he were beloued or hated for then all sorts of people reioyced few were sorry for it no not his very seruants and they to whom hee had done most good But if nothing but the dislike of the people had blemished the memory of this great Prince it had not beene lesse glorious the Iudgements of the multitude are Iudgements of folly and the affections of the people are alwayes indiscreet they reiect that which is good and approue that which is bad what they say is false what they commend is infamous what they vndertake is fury and they make things greater then they are h They that haue wel known the people haue compared their iudgements to a tempest In Imperita multitudine est varietas inconstantia crebra tanquam procella sic sententiarum commutatio In the vnskilful multitude there is variety inconstancy and often like vnto a tempest so often they change their mindes Cic. pro domo sua His Iustice. Iustice. They cannot depriue him of the honour of the erection of two parliaments to doe iustice to them of Guienne and of Bourgondy He instituted that of Bourdeaux in the beginning of his Reigne and that of Dijon presently after the death of Charles the Terrible We haue shewed before how much he was grieued for that hee had not reformed many things that were deformed vnder his reigne and especially the administration of Iustice He had beene bred vp in an Age so full of liberty that as he had beene forced to see and suffer many iniustices i A Prince shold neuer dispence with the lawes of reason Those words are flatteringly tyrannicall Licet si libet in summa fortuna id equius quod validius nihil iniusta quod fructuo sunt sanctiras pietas fides priuata hona sunt qua iuvat Reges eant That is lawfull that they list in a great fortune that is iustest that is of most force there is nothing vniust that brings profile sanctity Piety and Faith are priuate vertues Kings may go which way they please The Law is the Prince which wee must obey the head which wee must follow and the rule whervnto we must apply all our actions Arist. 3. Polit. It is the inuention and the gift of the Gods Demost. in Aristog so hee did not care but to doe iustice himselfe according to the lawes of his will thinking that his duty was contained within the limits of his pleasure and reason within those of his will But admit his life were so pure and sincere Hatred of Lewis 11. against the parliamēt as the most seuere Cato could finde no cause of reprehension yet would it bee hard to excuse that which Philip de Commines saith That hee hated the Parliament of Paris and that hee had resolued to bridle it This is not like a little flye vpon the face of his reputation to beautifie it but a malitious vlcer to disfigure it It is the duty of a good Prince to giue authority to the administration of his soueraigne Iustice to maintaine those venerable heads which conceiue the Oracles and preserue the rules of state who are alwaies laden with mortar to repaire the ruines and are the Ministers and Interpreters of the law k which is the rarest inuention and the most excellent gift that Heauen hath giuen to men The rootes of this hatred were very deepe and the first effects did appeare in the yeare 1442. when as K. Charles the 7. his father left him at Paris to command there in his absence The Earle of Maine sought to make vse of this occasion and of his fauour to haue certaine priuiledges verified The Court of Parliament being prest and in a manner forst put this clause in the verification By the expresse commandement to shew that if their suffrages had been free it had not been done l We finde often in the Registers of Soueraigne Courts these words De expresso mandato and De expresissimo mādato and sometimes Multis vicibus reiterato he sent for the Presidents of the Court and commanded them to put out that clause else hee would leaue all and would not go out of Paris vntill it was done The wisdome of the Court contented him the clause was put out of the Decree and retained vpon the Register The change which he made in the Parliament presently after his Coronation was a branch of this root m Iohn of la Vacquety was Recorder of the Town of Arr as when as after the death of Duke Charles the King did send to summon it to yeeld La Vacquerie said that it might not be for it was of the ancient patrimony of the Earles of Flanders descended to the ◠daughters for want of heires male and I thinke that it serues for a reason for that vpon the execution of the Treaty of Conflans the letters were directed to the Chancellour and Priuy-Councell before the Parliament It is also true that hee would often haue had the willes of the Court liable to his and that hauing threatned it vpon the refusall it made to verifie some Edicts which it had found vniust n Whether a Magistrate bee allowed to quit his Office rather then to verifie an Edict is a
Ministers of England Philip de Commines saith that he was imployed to win the Lord Hastings as the Duke of Bourgondy had formerly done to haue him his friend at a thousand Crownes pension Hee was very difficult to resolue but as Siluer is like vnto Cephalus Arrow which is neuer shot in vaine that a long pursute shakes the most constant resolutions hee suffered himselfe to be wonne for two thousand Crownes pension The King sent Peter Cleret one of the Stewards of his House vnto him to carry him this Money and to bring backe a quittance to bee put with the rest and to iustifie hereafter that not onely Hastings Lord Chamberlaine but also the Lord Howard high Admirall the Lord Chainey Maister of the Horse and Thomas of Montgomery had beene Pensioners to the French King This was said to make a gaine in giuing and to make a Trade of liberality q To hope for profite of that which is giuen is to trafficke and to put money to vsury it is to thinke to â—old in letting goe and to receiue in giuing Philip de Commines doth plainly set downe what past betwixt them Cleret demanded a quittance and Hastings was not so ill aduised as to giue him any Cleret let him vnderstand that hee had to doe with a Maister who was very distrustfull and if he did not make it appeare how he had deliuered this summe vnto him he might say he had stolne it and therefore he desired onely a letter of three lines vnto the King Hastings seeing that there was some colour in his reasons but much more in those which did not allow him to write gaue him to vnderstand Wisedome of the Lord Hastings that they should trust his Faith and Word r There is nothing that doth binde more then the assurance which wee take of the fidelity conscience of any one It is easier to breake ciuill bonds then them of honour which hee esteemed more then an hundred bondes in writing Hee therefore answered after this manner Sir that which you say is reasonable but this gift comes voluntarily from the King your Maister and not at my suite if you will haue mee take it you shall put it into my sleeue and you shall haue no other letter nor testimony â— will not that it shall bee said by me that the Chamberlaine of England hath beene a Pensioner to the French King nor that my quittances bee found in his chamber of accounts s It is iniustice to cause benefit to be hurtfull infamous to him that receiues it The said Cleret rested satisfied left him the money and came and made this report vnto the king who was much offended that he had not brought him a quittance but he commended the said Chamberlaine more then all the other seruants of the King of England and he was euer after paid without giuing quittance He was so great an Architect as he imployed all sorts of spirits fortunes and conditions in the building of his designes Hee did not only seeke to haue at his deuotion the chiefe Ministers of kings but hee also drew them vnto him that had credit and authority in free Townes and Common-weales therefore he loued great Cosmo de Medicis and was grieued for his death which happened in the first yeares of his reigne The lawes of wisedome did binde him to enter frendship with a house Commendation of the house of Medicis whose great felicity drew the greatest of Europe to admiration Vertue doth force euen Enuy it selfe to suffer this Palme to grow which sprung vp the higher the more they sought to depresse it t When as Enuy hath stormed striuen against the growing glory of a house in the end shee is forced to yeeld her eyes can no more endure such a glistering light Est aliquod meriti spatium quod nulla furentis Inuidiae mensura capit Claud. in laud. Stiliconis and made it knowne that it is no lesse indiscretion to maligne the glory and prosperity of merit as to bee angry when the sun shines which Iupiter commandes and Apollo pronounceth his Oracles In those dayes to enuy the glory of the greatnesse of the house of Medicis was to depriue the Colossus of vertue of his shadow which is glory Lewis 11. had great reasons to esteeme him knowing that great Cosmo de Medicis had made Francis Sforce Duke of Millan that the wealth of his seruants had raised the hopes of many great Princes Riches of the house of Medicis which were in a maner deiected u A seruant vnto Peter de Medicis lent vnto Edward the fourth an hundreth and twenty thousand Crownes and another 50000 to the Duke of Bourgondy at one time and 80000. at another that without him Edward 4. had not returned into his Realme and the Duke of Bourgondy had lost his credit in Italy In those times they did not speake but of the Piety and Magnificence of great Cosmo de Medicis who had opened the barre to his posterity to attaine vnto the soueraigne command of Tuscanie Hee liued as a Cittizen commanded as a Prince and his Countrey gaue him the Title of Father His vertue was a Rampart to good Men x A good man is a great Rampart to good man against a powerfull Citizen that persecutes them Such was Nicias at Athens against the insolency and rashnesse of Cleon. Plut. in Nicias his House a refuge to good Wittes out-raged by Fâ—â—tune and a Port to the Muses chased out of Greece His bâ—unty appeared in foure Millions of Gold The Kings of Perou haue their newes carried after this manner They haue vpon the high wayes posts or Cabanes appointed at euery mile the first Carrier cries vnto the second what is commanded him the second carries it vnto the third with the like speede and so vntill it comes vnto the place appointed e 〈◊〉 as Suetonius reports Iâ—uenes Pâ—â—ro modicis interâ—alles per militatis vias dehinc vehicula disposuit He first set yong men by small distances vpon the high wayes and then hee appointed Coches Hee speakes also of Caesars diligence by Coches Longissimas vias incredibili celeritate confecit expeditus meritoria rheda centena passuum millia in dies singulos Hee went long iourneyes with incredible speed a hundred miles euery day being set in a hired Coch. The Emperour Augustus ordained Coaches in certaine places to conduct them that carried his commandements through the Prouinces or that brought him any newes before time they did hire them and Caesar did vse them when as he went in so short a time from Rome to the bankes of Rosne Paris the Rome of France the miracle of the Citties of Europe whereof it should be the Dyamond if it were a Ring owes vnto this Prince the most fauourable concession and confirmation of the priuiledge which it enioyeth and wherewith Kings haue alwayes gratified it holding it reasonable that it should beare the markes of their fauour
Priuiledges of the Parisians and the profit which it feeles by the ordinary presence of their Maiesties he gaue leaue to euery Burgesse to take yearely a certaine measure of salt for their prouision paying the Marchants right onely and to be freed of the forraigne imposition paying six deniers vpon the Liuer in Paris and twelue vpon the furthest parts of the Realme not being bound to giue caution for the sale of it That they should not bee forced by any harbinger to lodge the kings Officers nor any Souldiers but at their owne pleasures f These priuiledges were amplâ—fied and confirmed during the warre of the Common-weale and for that the people did apprehend that they might bee reuoked when it did cease the Chronicle saith that he declared in a great Assembly that hee desired rather to augment them then to cut off any thing Not to be bound to plead any where but in Paris for what cause soeuer To be freed from all duties and seruices for the fees they held yet vpon condition to haue sufficient and defencible Armes according to the value of their fees for the guard and defence of the Citty In like manner the Citty of Lyon that mighty Bulwarke of the State is bound vnto him for the establishment of the Faires Commerce is a great meanes to drawe forraigne commodities into a State but it may cause a dangerous transport of gold and siluer if it bee not entertained by the exchange of Wares And as it should not bee lawfull to transport those that bee necessary and whereof the Subiects may haue need g One of the iustest and most ancient meanes to augment a kings tributes is vpon the entry going forth and passage of Merchandise It is the forraigne Imposition an ancient right to Soueraignes and it is called Portorium quod mercium quae importantur exportanâ—urve nomine penditur neither those which are vn-wrought so the permission should be easie and free for those which are needfull for strangers that the subiects may thereby gaine the profit of their hands This Prince being giuen to vnderstand that the Faires at Geneua did draw a great quantitie of Money out of France he erected foure Faires at Lyon h The Estates of Tours after the death of King Lewis the eleuenth required to haue these Faires â—ept but twice a yeare at Easter and at the Feast of All-Saints and in some other Towne then Lyon for that it was too 〈…〉 â—â—â—thest bounds of the Realme and gaue them his letters patents at Saint Michael vpon Loire the 20 th of October 1462. Trafficke cannot receiue a more sencible iniury then by the calling downe or raising of Money which wrongs the Law of Nations If there bee any thing in an estate which should bee immutable it is the certainty of their valour Wisedome is not commended but for the constancy of that which she resolues i A Prince who is the warrant of publicke Iustice subiect to the law of Nations should not suffer the course of Money to bee variable vncertaine to the preiudice of his subiects strangers which treat traffick with them Wherfore the Kings of Arragon comming to the Crowne tooke an Oath not to alter the Coines which were allowed she learnes fit accidents which are mutable and immutable to reason which is constant and one and not reason to accidents When as the course of Money is disordered and vncertaine all is in confusion Lewis the eleuenth changed the course of coins in the yeare 1473. hee ordained that the great Blankes should goe currant for eleuen Deniers Turnois which before were worth but ten he reduced another coine called Targes Orders for Coins to eleuen Deniers which past for twelue The Crowne at thirty Souls three Deniers Turnois and after this proportion all other peeces Then considering that one of the causes of the weakning of Coines grew for that the Officers tooke their Fees and entertainements from the rights of the Mint which should bee vnknowne in great Estates k The Ancients knew not what the right of Minting meant and the Coines were not imparted for the fees of officers which were taken froÌ„ other kindes of mony to the end that the coyning of money should be free from all suspition of deceit it was done in publicke places as at Rome in Iuno's Temple and Charlemain did forbid any to bee coined but in his Palace and are not seemely but in petty ones where they draw profite from euery thing and augment their Reuenues by the coining of money In the yeare 1475. he displaced the Generals and Maisters of the Mint and set foure Commissioners in their places Germaine de Merle Nicholas Potier Denis the Britton and Simon Ausorran and ordained that the Kings crownes of Gold which before had course for foure and twenty Souls Parisis and three Turnois should goe for fiue and thirty peeces of eleuen being worth fiue and twenty Souls eight Deniers Parisis and they should make other Crowns which should haue a Halfe-moone in stead of a Crowne which was on the rest and should be worth thirty six peeces of eleuen of the value of twenty six Souls six Deniers and new Dozains at 12 Turnois a peece Liberality Wee should lye in calling this Prince couetous as well as in saying he was liberall Liberality he neuer knew what it was to spare no not in his age when as couetousnesse doth most trouble the mind when it hath least need of it l Couetousnesse which comes in the end of mans life is inexcusable What auails it to prouide so many things for so smal a iourny Auaritia senilis maxime est vituperanda Potest enim quicquaÌ„ esse absurdius quam quo minus viae restat eo plus viatici quaerere Couetousnesse in age is much to be blamed Can there bee any thing more obsurd then when there is least way to go to make most prouision Cat. Mâ—i One thinking that there was nothing so honest as to demand and receiue demanded of King Archelaus being at supper a cup of gold wherein he dranke The King commanded his Page to go and giue it to Euripides who was at the table and turning towards him that had beg'd it â—e said As for thee thou art worthy to demand and to be refused for that thou dost begge but Euripides is worthy to be rewarded although he demands not he knew not what it was to giue with reason and discretion to whom how much and when Hee gaue not with a refusing countenance but cheerefully and freely No man holds himselfe bound for that which is giuen by importunity and which is rather wrested away then receiued Slow graces are as troublesome as the swift are sweete Bounty should preuent demands sometimes hopes and neuer merit Shee doth not consider who receiues how farre the greatnesse of his courage and fortune goes that giues and doth fore-warne him that there are some that deserue to bee refused when
they demand and others which demand not deserue to haue giuen them m Hee gaue good Words but his Promises were so sure as hee seemed to bee bound to the day hee promised A Man might hold that receiued which hee offered There is nothing so great hast past hath giuen thee nothing but increase the conspiracies of the greatest powers of Europe haue onely tried thy forces Rich and goodly France whom the ingratitude of thine owne children could not shake If thou hast beene sometimes ignorant of thine owne power thou canst not at this day dissemble what the felicity of an Estate is which liues in assured peace In former times there was nothing found in the Treasury but debts The difficulties which Kings haue had to decide Controuersies with their owne Subiects haue forced them to sell their demaines the chiefe part of the entertainment of their Maiesty The sinewes of this body were heretofore shrunke their functions were neither liuely nor free now that this great Esculapius hath set together the members and restored it to life heate and motion France may say that shee was not happy vntill the day that she was vanquished by his victorious Armes f Lat. Pac. making Rome to speake in the panegerickeâ— of Theodosius saith thus Quando me Nerua tranquillus amor generis humani Titus pietate memorabilis Antoninus teneret quum moenibus Augustus ornaret legibus Hadrianus imbueret sinibus Trajanus augeret parum mihi videbar beatâ— quia non eram tua When as milde Nerua the loue of mankinde religious Titus and memorable Antonine enioyed me when as Augustus did beautifie mee with walles Adrian gaue mee Lawes Traian augmented my boundes yet did I hold my selfe scarce happy because I was not thine It is the Hercules which hath cut off these Hydras heades which hath deliuered France tyed Want to mount Caucasus and who after incredible toyles hath dedicated Peace that white Hinde Menelea which hath the Head and Feete of Gold The beames of this Glory reflect vpon so many great vnderstandings so many noble resolutions which haue followed the Iustice of his Hopes and the crosses of his Fortunes A good Prince hath an Interest in the Commendation of his Seruants hee hath a feeling of that which honours them hee is moued with that which wrongs them and a good Seruant cannot desire a more glorious acknowledgement of his seruices then in the heart and iudgement of his Maister Euery man knowes and many vnderstand the esteeme which the king made of the Duke of Suillyes seruices which are such that as all the Nations of the Earth giue the palme of Valour to this great King in the restauration of this great Empire of FRANCE so they cannot deny him the glory of great Wisedome and cleere Iudgement and Prouidence in the election which he hath made to commit vnto him the principall peeces of his Estate The purest eloquence hath already shewed her riches vpon this subiect by Discourses which cannot bee followed but by the eyes of Admiration and a desire to imitate them A great rare and happy Wit Counceller to the King in his Councels and President in a Soueraigne Company hath made the Marbles to speake vpon this verity His Panegericke filling mens mindes with Admiration and their eyes with Wonder hath made knowne that one line sufficeth to iudge of the excellency of the Hand that drew it I haue taken this period as a glistering stone to beautifie this Discourse Commendation of the Duke of Suilly This great HENRY hath lodged his Treasure in the Temple of your Integrities a Temple shut for the prophane a Temple whereas onely vertue findes a place to receiue the reward of her Trauels You haue made all Europe knowe that there is not any place so fortified either by Nature or Art or by both together which can long holde out against the thundering Artillerie which the IVPITER of France hath committed into your handes as to his faithfull Eagle to carrie it wheresoeuer hee shall command It is now that our great King may sit in his Throne of Iustice and punish Rebelles according to their deserts For although that Mens offences bee without number hee can cast forth as many thunderbolts as they can commit faults The glistering of so many perfections and Armes wherewith your Stone-houses are filled dazles the eyes of Subiects and people bordering vpon France the one feare them the other are assured but both the one and the other doe equally admire so fearefull a Power in the King and in you so great Industrie who knew how to prouide the meanes to make our peace so firme as wee can giue it and take it from whom wee please whereby the Kings Maiesty is at this day the Arbitrator of Christendome Valour comes in order in the obseruation of the Vertues and Vices of this Prince Valour naturall to the Kings of France It is superfluous curiosity to search it among his Vertues for although some men say That Nature makes few men valiant and that valour comes from good institution yet it is true that the Kings of France are all borne valiant g Valour doth constantly resist all the accidents which may shake the weaknesse of man Timendorum contemptrix quae terribilia subiugare libertatem nostram nitentia despicit prouocat frangit A contemner of fearfull things those things which bee terrible and seeke to subiugate our liberty hee despiseth prouokes and breakes This vertue which through excellency is simply called Vertue and which containeth many other vertues all Heroicke and Royall Magnanimity Wisedome Assurance Constancy and Perseuerance to vanquish breake and endure all kindes of accidents and difficulties which returnes from Combats in the like sort it goes feares death no more in Armes then in his House and hath his seat in the Heart and Will This Prince had not learned the Art of Warre by discourse hee went to Horse at the age of foureteene yeares and continued vntill his Father had expelled the English out of his Realme h Hee that is no Souldiar but by seeing battels painted is like vnto him that vnderstands musicke but can not sing Hee made proofe of his Courage at the battell of Montlehery at the Alarme and Assault of Liege and in the Warre of Artois His Wisedome corrected the heate of his Valour for that which was esteemed valour before hee was King would haue carried the name of Rashnesse after he came to the Crowne PHILIP DE COMMINES saith that of his owne nature hee was somewhat fearefull and would not hazard any thing But euery where and in any great occasion hee giues him the glory to haue carried his resolutions beyond all kindes of accidents and dangers Wee must iudge of Courage by all the dimensions and not onely by the height and greatnesse but also by the length and extention not being sufficient to bee valiant if it continue not Aduersity is the Touch-stone of mens resolutions i Hee that
Aduentures vnto the thirtieth yeare Predictions vpon the life of Lewis the eleuenth hee aduertised King Charles the seuenth of his rebellion and how his gouernment would be wonderfull to men k This man was much esteemed by Duke Amedeus the Pope hee foretold the Schisme of the Church and the warre betwixt France and England Manasses a lew of Valencia continued these predictions vnto the battel of Montlehery Peter of Saint Valerien a Chanon of Paris and a great Astrologian was sent in the yeare 1435. into Scotland for the marriage of the Lady Margaret during his abode in Flanders hee consulted alwaies with Astrologians of future things and these impostors more hurtfull to a Common-wealth then Players l Sights entertaine the people and breed them vp â—n idlenesse And therefore Phillip Augugustus by an Edict banisht Plaiers out of France Nihil tam moribus alienum quam in spectaculo desidere Sen. whom his predecessours had chased away were alwaies in his eares Hee caused many iudgements to be made by Iohn Coleman his Astrologian who taught him to vnderstand the great Almanacke and vpon the great Coniunction of Saturne and Mars which was the eighth of Aprill about ten of the clocke eighteene minutes in the yeare 1464 He spake plainely of the troubles of the League and so did in like manner Peter of Grauille whom Lewis the 11. caused to come out of Normandy Conrade Hermgarter a Germaine left the Duke of Bourgundies seruice for the Kings who gaue him great entertainements But aboue all hee made great esteeme of Angelo Catho a Neapolitan who came into France with the Prince of Tarentum m Iohn Spirink did also foretel the Duke of Bourgundy that if he went against the Suisses it would succede ill the Duke answered that the fury of his Sword should vanquish the course of heauen and had foretold the Duke of Bourgundy and the Duke of Guelders their misfortunes The King gaue him the Arch-bishopricke of Vienna wherein hee could not reside for the great crosses he receiued from them of Dauphiné but was forced to retire himselfe to Rome His Chronicle doth also speake of the death of Maister Arnold his Astrologian during the plague in the yeare 1466. the which hee had foreseene and which vnpeopled Paris of aboue 40000. persons France had other kinds of men which did better deserue the fauour and bounty of the King then these Deuiners God is offended at the rashnesse of this science which vndertakes the knowledge of future things which is onely reserued to his eternall Prouidence and which in regard of man is all composed in with clouds and impenetrable darkenesse Vanity of Iudiciary Astrology The curious are deceiued for they tell them things that are either true or false n Fauorinus with this Dilemma mockes at Iudiciary Astrology Aut aduersa dicunt prospera Si dicunt prospera fallunt miser fies frustra expectando Si aduersa dicunt mentiuntur miser fies frustra timendo Either they tell aduerse things or prosperous If they fore-tell prosperous things and erre thou art a wretch in vaine expectance if they tell aduerse things and lye thou wilt be a wretch in fearing without cause They make themselues miserable in the expectation of prosperity which neuer happens They are miserable also in the apprehension of aduersities which they feare incessantly happen not but when they least dreame of them thinking they haue escaped them and howsoeuer lying deceiues hope and augments feare o Iudiciary Astrologyis forbidden by the reasons which Epiphanius produceth against the Manicheans Basâ—le in his Exameron Chrisostome vpon Genesis Hom. 5. Augustin lib. 4. cap. 3. of 〈◊〉 Cofessionâ— and by the Counciles of Tolâ—do The Church which hath the eternall truth for the verticall Starre of her establishment which doth alwaies looke vnto the Sunne of Iustice and Constancie not gouerning her selfe like vnto the Synagogue by the inconstancy of the Moone hath religiously and iudiciously detested the practice of Iudiciary Astrology which filles the eares with vanity and curiosity and the conscience with amazement If the curiosity had had any reflexion to the aduancement and beautifying of learning Barbarisme had not tyranized so long ouer so many good wits Princes cannot adde goodlier Crownes to the Palmes and Bayes of their vertues then those which good wits do dedicate vnto them as an acknowledgement of their fauours to learning p The glory which a Prince doth get by Armes is great That which comes from the fauour and protection of learning is immortal Intâ—r omnia quae vertute principum ac felicitate recreantur sint licet for tasse alia magnitudine atque vtilitate potiora nihill est tameÌ„ admirabilius haec libertate quam fouendis honorandisue literarum studijs iâ—partiuÌ„t Among all the things which are delighted with the vertue and felicity of Prinalthough it may be there are some to be preferred in greatnesse and profite yet there is nothing more admirable then that liberality which is bestowed to nourish honour the study of learning Eumenes Rhoetâ—r in orat pro instau scho King Charles the seuenth father to Lewis and King Charles the eighth his sonne had some care of the Vniuersity of Paris The first set downe an order for the decision of causes referred to the Court of Parliament The last declared what men should enioy the priuiledges of the Vniuersitie and how they should be inrowled in the booke of Priuiledges But wee do not finde that Lewis hath done any thing either with it or against it The President Thou whose History Europe doth no lesse admire for his eloquence and boldnesse then Italy did Titus Liuius and Greece Thucidides speakes of Iohannes Vulceus of Groningue and saith that he reformed the Vniuersity during the raigne of this King and this reformation shewes that there was some disorder The negligence of men was not so much the cause as the violence of times full of troubles and confusion which did not permit them either to teach or to learne These clouds of Ignorance were as darke in other Nations Barbarisme in in the time of Lewis The misery of that age was so great as who so should represent the potrraite of that Barbarisme would moue the minds of men both to pitty of so great ignorance and to feare that our negligence would bring vs soone into the like The sweetenesse of the Muses was but bitternesse their flowers all withered and their light all confusion the men of those times did not onely contemne learning but they did abhorre her beauty and said that it did not agree with the grauity and seuerity of other Sciences q Barbarisme being banished the schooles whereas the taught good learning it remained long among the Lawiers King Francis the first hauing seene these words in a Decree debotauit debottat commanded that alâ— the Actes of iustice and contracts should be made in Lattine For this cause the purity of
the Kings Authority to restraine him from this liberty Hee made of men as an Auditor doth of Counters placing some for hundreds others for thousands some for ten and some for vnits He allowed many petty Companions in his Cabinet who could not remember the condition of their fore-fathers without blushing or disavowing them s Honor meeting with an vnworthy subiect hath lesse luster and esteeme When as the people of Athens saw that Yperbolâ—◠〈◊〉 decayed man and who had nothing to loose was intreatreated equally with good men they dissolued the 〈◊〉 an honorable punishment for those whose vertue was suspected In like manner they tooke it ill at Roma when as Flauius being freed by Appius was made Edilis Curulis But for all that he did not leaue to haue about him and to imploy in great charges Noble-men issued from houses which were then illustrious both by their owne vertues and by those of their fore-fathers Of this number was Iohn of Daillon Lord of Lude The Lord of Lude and Imbert of Baterney Lord of Bouchages They came in fauour with this Prince by diuers meanes and maintained it in like maner The Lord of Lude had been bred vp with this Prince and the affection which begins so soone doth not wither easily Philip de Commines addes this reason that he knew well how to please the King Fortune fauoured the merits of Imbert of Baterney Imbert of Baterney Lewis Dauphin of France retiring himselfe into Dauphiné and going from Moras to Romans hee staied in a valley vnder the Castle of Baterney to take the coole aire and demanding some refreshing in the heate of the season and the tediousnesse of the way the Lord of Baterney sent some things vnto him and came himselfe to doe his duty hee brought with him Imbert of Baterney being then but a youg man who carried a Hauke with the which hee kild some Partridges t The pleasure of hunting which had beene the raâ—ing of his fortune was in a manner the cause of his ruine Claude of Seyell saith that going to 〈◊〉 to see the Dauphin hauing had him to field to see his Haukes flye the king was much incâ—sed thinking that he had a designe to make him see the woâ—ld and to know it The Dauphin tooke pleasure in it and commanded him to come vnto him to Romans for that hee had a desire to see that Hauke flye againe He went and did so please this Prince as he demanded him of his father and from that time he neuer abandoned him vntill his death He made him great in riches and honor as he was in merit and vertue Charles of Artois Charles of Artoix Earle of Eu hauing remained three and twenty yeares prisoner in England returned into France and was much beloued of king Lewis the eleuenth for that he held nothing of the sower arrogant humors of his predecessors he continued in the Kings seruice at such time as the Noble-men left him to follow the Princes Armie He reconciled the King and the Duke of Brittanie and soone after died in Iuly in the yeare 1471. without any children Iohn of Bourgondy Earle of Neuers his Nephew was his heire u The accord betwixt the king and the Duke of Brittany was made at Saumur in the yeare 1469. and the difficulties were decided by the deâ—terity of the Earles of Eu and Dunois Iohn of Orleans Bastard of Orleans Earle of Longueville base sonne to Lewis Duke of Orleans was the greatest and most fortunate Captaine of his time he alone of all the Noblemen of the league of the Common-weale pursued the fruits which France expected of such an enterprise He was chiefe and President of the Commissioners appointed for the reformation of the disorders of the Realme and died before he could see the effects of that which hee had so earnestly pursued in the yeare 1470. Andrew of Laual Andrew of Laual Lord of Loheac Lewis 11. tooke from him the dignity of Marshall of France wherewith Charles 7 had honoured him and rewarded his seruice Hee restored it vnto him againe when as necessity made him know that none was more capable then he For his sake he gaue vnto his brother the Lord of Chastillon the Office of great Maister of the Waters and Forrests Alaine of Albret purchased the surname of Great by the same greatnesse of courage which gaue the sword of France to Charles of Albret his grand-father Alaine of Albret x Charles of Albret was not onely entreated but in a manner forced by the King to receiue the sword of Costable The king pâ—t it into his hand the Dukes of Orleans Burgondy Berry Bourbo girt him with it a little before hee had caried Charles the seuenth vnto the font He left the league of the Common-weale as soone as he was entred into it and remained more constant in the assurance of his word then the Duke of Nemours his great corage found nothing impossible He was often wont to say that he which had force in hand needed no other thing He married Francis Vicountesse of Limoges and was father to Iohn of Albret King of Nauarre Iohn of Bueil Iohn of Bueil Earle of Sancerre presently after the coronation of Lewis the eleuenth was dismist from his Office of Admirally y The Earle of Sancerre was Admirall of France by the death of Pregent of Coitiuy Son-in-Law to Giles of Raix Marshall of France for no other reason but for that he had serued Charles the seuenth He returned to Court and fauour but yet he stood alwayes vpon his guard against that Lyon which strooke with his paw when they least thought of him Iohn of Andie Iohn of Andie Bastard of Armagnac Lord of Lescun and Earle of Cominges was Admiral of France after the dismission of the Earle of Sancerre and then Marshall of France he chased the Brittains from Baieux and was Gouernour of Dauphine Ioachim of Rouvault Ioachim of Rouvault z Hee had done great sâ—ruices vnder King Charles the seuenth and had beene present at the battell of Fromigny and at the siege of Bourdeaux The King gaue him the place of Marshall of France and Monstrelet saith that Charles the seuenth made him constable of Bourdeaux and that hee tooke his oath in the hands of the Chancellors of France Lord of Gamasches serued him worthily and couragiously in the warre of the Common-weale and was the cause of the preseruation of Paris He alwayes coasted the Duke of Bourgondy his Army to keepe it from scattering to the hurt of the Kings subiects and that it should not make profit by the surprise of any places in passing Then he cast himselfe into Paris and by his presence fortified the courages which an accident rather feared then foreseene had much deiected The King gaue him the gouernment with a troope of two hundred maisters and made him Marshall of France Tanneguy of Chastel Tanneguy
of Chastel a He was one of the Commissioners whom the King appointed for the accusation and Imprisonment of the Cardinall of Balue one of the Architects of the league found in the end that there was no better lodging then at the kings armes His fortune was ruined in Brittany and raised in France Hee did negotiate the enter-view of the King and Duke of Bourgondy at Peronne he was imployed in the Truce of nine yeares 1475. and was aduanced to the gouernment of Rousillon The Lord of Nantoillet had for a time the authority ouer all the Armies of France Lord of Nantoillet he wanted nothing but the name of Constable for he did exercise the Functions the King hauing made him his Lieutenant Generall throughout his whole Realme and afterwards Lord Steward of France He was so fauoured as the King gaue him often the moity of his bed This fauour lasted not long The Chronicle of the Kings library saith That the King could not pardon any one of whom he had suspition Death of the Lord of Nantoillet He caused his head to be cut off in the yeare 1468. and that the Hangman hauing cut off but a peece at the first blow hee lest him force and courage enough to stand vp and to protest before heauen and the people that hee died an Innocent After that Philip de Commines had said that he had serued the king well in Paris in the warre of the Common-weale he addes In the end he was ill rewarded more by the pursuite of his enemies then by the Kings fault but neither the one nor the other can well excuse themselues Anthony of Chabannes Anthony of Chabannes Earle of Dammartin brother to Iames of Chabannes Lord Steward of France saw the ship of his fortune cast vpon the shelfe in the beginning of this Princes Reigne His good fotune drew him out of the Bastille to go to the warre of the Common-weale in the end whereof hee was made Lord Steward of France hee had the chiefe charge of the Kings Army in Guyenne and was then much fauoured by this Prince with whom hee was so inward as when hee meant to marry his second Daughter to the Duke of Orleans hee discouered his secret affections vnto him by a letter which hee did write vnto him vpon that subiect wher of the Chronicle in written hand of King Lewis the twelfth makes mention hee sent him word that whatsoeuer they said hee was resolued to giue his daughter to the yong Duke of Orleans but no man should bee troubled to nourish the Children that should bee borne of that marriage Peter of Termouille Peter of Tremouille Lord of Croan saw not his life to end with the fauours and honors hee had had of this Prince His Predecessors Guy of Tremouille and Iohn of Tremouille Lord of Ionuelle were made great in following the Duke of Bourgondies party The eldest of this house married Ioane Countesse of Boulleyn and Comminges Widow to Iohn of France Duke of Berry b K. Charles 〈…〉 yeare 1430. King Charles 7 supported George of Tremouille Lord of Craon in the quarrell which he had with the Earle of Richmont for the Lands of Thouars and Benon Peter of Tremouille defeated the troopes of the Prince of Orange before Gy in the Franch-County but hauing beene repulst from the siege of Dole hee was disgraced by Lewis the eleuenth who loued the seruices better then the seruants Hee was saith Philip de Commines a very fat man who being reasonably well content and rich retired himselfe to his house Charles of Ambois did long feele the disgrace of Peter of Chaumont his father Charles of Ambois who retired himselfe in the begining of the reigne of Lewis with the Duke of Berry c The House of 〈…〉 by the Kings Commandement in the 〈◊〉 1465. He was afterwards imployed in great affaires and continued vnto the end His brother was Bishop of Alby and then Cardinall and the greatest fauourite of Lewis the twelfth who called him M r. George Philip de Commines calleth Charles of Ambois a most Valiant Wife and Diligent Man Peter of Rohan Peter of Rohan Lord of Gy did gouerne his fortune happily amidst the waues and stormes of this Princes reigne who made him Marshall of France He was one of the foure which vndertooke the gouernment of affaires during the Kings infirmity and disability d 〈…〉 the Bishop of 〈◊〉 the Lord of Châ—umont the Marshall of Gye and the Lord of Lude gouerned the Estate for 10 or 12 dayes Hee continued this great Authority vnder the reigne of Charles the eighth for the respect whereof the Lady Anne of France Regent to the King and Wife to Peter of Bourbon offended that the Duke of Orleans attempted vpon her Authority would haue taken him prisoner by the Marshall of Gye The Duke of Orleans retired himselfe and hee that was chosen to stay him was the Instrument of his returne and made his peace with the Regent Iohn of Chalons Prince of Orange Iohn of Chalons left the Duke of Bourgondy to serue Lewis the eleuenth then hee left Lewis to serue Mary daugther to the Duke of Bourgondy This first discontentment against his first maister grew for that disputing the succession of Iohn of Chalons Prince of Orange his Grand-father e Iohn of Chalons sonne to Lewis Margaret of Vienne was married to Mary of Baussac heire of the principalitie of Orange by whom hee had Lewis surnamed the Good Lewis first maried Ioane of Montbelâ—art by whom hee had William and then hee maâ—â—ied Elenor of Armagnaâ— by whom hee had Lewis and Hugh Williaâ— was married to Katherine of 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Iohn of Chalons was borne of whom wee now make mention against Lewis and Hughe his vncles the Duke of Bourgondy being President in his Councell when as the cause was pleaded made a Decree against him This despight drew him to the Kings seruice who promised to restore him to his lands and to giue him the gouernment of Bourgondy but when as he saw that he had but the name and that the Lord of Tremouille had the command of all the forces he returned to the seruice of the Princesse of Bourgondy and caused the whole Countrey to reuolt from the King He troubled him much and let him see that a great Prince hath no small enemies that a Hornet is able to put a Bull into fury Iohn of Esteteuille Iohn of Eâ—â—teuille Lord of Torcy gouerned his fortune amidst so many rockes and shelues vnto a safe port The King made him maister of the Cross-bowes and committed vnto him the guard of the Cardinal of Balue in the Castell of Montbason It was he that came and aduertised the King of the danger in suffering such numbers of English to enter into Amiens during the Treaty of Piquigny Philip of Creuecoeur Philip of Creuecoeur Lord of Esquerdes or Cordes Marshall of France He had great
might be helpt by his nourishment hee did not care to breed him vp in those vertues which are worthy of a Prince These defects proceeded not so much from the fathers fault as from the time p In thâ—se daies they held that learning did wrong to courage and the most valâ—ant of those times were very grosse and ignâ—rant They say also that Italy being giuen more to learning then Armes had giuen a great aduantage to them that had conquered it where the old errour was sworne by the greatest Families that the study of learning did daunt their courages Hee would not haue him learne any more Lattine then these few words Qui nescit dissmulare nescit regnare q King Lewis the 11. would not haue his sonne learne any other Art but how to dissemble in the which he had pasi Maister he also said that in reading bookes he should find so many accidents and perils as he would becomelesse couragious A Prince leaues his sonne learned enough when he hath made him capable to force obedience Obedience is the Science of Princes r There is not any Science necessary for a Prince but to command well and to bee well obeyed Of his two daughters hee loued none but her whom hee gaue to the Duke of Bourbon the eldest was a sadde encounter to his eyes Hee fayled also in the affection which hee ought vnto the mother for hee gaue her not so good a share of his heart as shee ought to haue had CLAVDIVS of Seyssell saith That whilst hee was in the vigour of his age hee was not loyall of his person Hee alwaies kept her meanely attended in some Castell for the most part whether hee went some times to see her Lewis the 11. a bad Husband more for a desire to haue Issue then for any delight hee tooke in her and for the feare shee had of him and his sowre vsage of her it is credible that shee had no great delight nor pleasure in his company But that which is worse towards the end of his daies hee sent her into Dauphiné and did expressely command that shee should not bee neere his sonne when hee should bee King Of all the contentments of life that of marriage is most to bee desired It is a roughs passage the waies are flanked with Bushes and Thomes it is impossible to go vnto the end of it but some Brier or Bramble will catch hold of you s Marriage is good of it selfe but it is subiect to bad accidents To explaine this truth Gregory brings a comparison of a way which is cleane and straight yet hath on either side brambles which may catch hold In via quidem munda non offendimur sed à latere nascitur quo pungamur We are not hurt in a cleane way but it growes from the sides wherewith we are prickt Greg. 12. Moral And the great Prince which did draw all sorts of Sciences aboundantly out of the Treasures of the Eternall Wisedome doth number the concord of Marriage among his chiefest felicities holding him happy that hath a wise wife and aduowing that there is not any thing more pleasing vnto God then Nuptiall Concord That of brethren is no lesse pleasing vnto him Lewis bad to his brother there was not any betwixt the King and the Duke of Guienne his brother and wee cannot say that of them which is written of the two Twinnes t Two brethren were held Twinnes for that being toucht with the same Infirmity the beginning progresse and declining was equall in either of them August lib 5. de Ciuit. that the one had a feeling of anothers infirmity There was no resemblance of Complexions and Will betwixt them The Duke of Guienne hauing seene that his presumptions in the League of the Common-weale and those of the Dukes of Brittany Bourgundy Bourbon had beene recompensed and to draw fauours from the King it was good to make himselfe to bee feared hee still continued his practises with them that might terrifie him and held his spirit in the apprehensions of warre This great rigour which the King vsed towards him might well bee excused and maintained with this great reason not to make the Princes of the bloud great in a time of trouble and liberty If his brother had had a greater share in the State and if his portion had lyen neerer to his enemies the League of the Common-weale had continued longer In the beginning hee thought to content him in giuing the Dutchy of Berry u The Dutchy of Berry was giuen him for his portion in Nouember 1461. in the yeare 1465. he entred into the Dutchy of Normandy and the Lands which the Duke of Orleance held there as the Counties of Mortaigne and Longueuille to him and to his Heires Male then the Dutchy of Normandy with power to impose all sorts of Subsidies But hee did all this onely for the necessity of his affaires and to dispierce and cut assunder the storme of the League Soone after hee draue him out of Normandy and compelled him to retire and with-draw himselfe into Brittany as poore as euer This seuere course was approued and allowed by the three Estates who held it not fit nor conuenient to pull so goodly a Flower from the Crowne saying that hee should rest himselfe contented and satisfied with the offer which the King made him of twelue hundred pounds Sterling yearely rent with the Title of a Dutchy and foure thousand eight hundred pounds Pension x This offer was made according to the Ordonance of King Charles the fift in October 1374. by the which he would that Lewis of France his second son should haue twelue hundred pound sterling yearely rent for his portion and 4000. pounds giuen him to furnish him In the end hee gaue him the gouernement of Guienne but hee commanded Iohn of Popincourt President of the Accounts at Paris not to inuest him with his Letters before hee had deliuered and resigned vp the others and made his renounciation This was but a scantling of the whole peece for of this great spacious and goodly Prouince of Guienne hee had nothing but the Country of Bourdelois Bazadois and Landesse Hee neither enioyed it long nor yet possessed it quietly for being there hee presently found great troubles for the limites and bounds which the Kings Officers stroue and contended for and for the which the Duke of Bourgundy would haue taken Armes but it was compounded and verefied by the Court of Parliament two yeares after Death gaue him a more contented quiet and certaine Portion in the other world If death had not done the like grace to the Duke of Orleance and drawne him out of the cares and afflictions of this life hee had declared the cause of the same resolution the which hee made knowne to King CHARLES the seuenth The violent death of LEVVIS Duke of Orleance his father hauing inuited the English to mount vpon the Stage and there to