or Brass that by boiling Water or cold Water and another likewise by presenting themselves before the Cross were in use also by the approbation of the Bishops Such as had any Quarrels and Contests gave their Oaths for caution and security in publick which were made upon the Shrines of Saints or on their Tombs This was also the way to purge or clear themselves of any Crime when accused in a Court of Justice and the Accused in certain cases as Adultery and the like when it could not be fully proved was allowed to bring several of their Friends to make publick Oath either Men or Women according to their Sex As for Marriages they took the liberty to repudiate or cast off their Wives when they could not endure them Their Kings had sometimes several at the same time and the Proximity of Blood or Degrees of Parentage never hindred them from satisfying their Desires When it pleased them the Children of their Mistresses succeeded them as well as the Legitimate They made Money of the Gold they found in their own Country and Coyned it more fine and of a much higher value than the Visigoth Kings a Mark of the Excellency of their Royalty above all others Payments were made as much with Gold and Silver not Coined as Coined But we shall elsewhere more amply Discourse and Explicate the Manners and Customs of this Nation and all the Orders they observed in their Judicatories their Wars and in their Government The natural Language of the French was the Teutonick or German the Austrasians at least those nearest to the Rhine kept to it ever and use it still but much changed or corrupted Those the most distant on this side and the Neustrians left it by little and little for that of the Galls which was the Romanick or Romanciere otherwise called the Rustick Latin engendred of the Rust and the Corruption of the Roman or Latin wrested and turned according to the genius of the Nation and the Idioms of the several Provinces as well for the inflexion and signification of Words as the Air Accent and Phrase Notwithstanding the Conversion of Clovis and all the care of the Prelates who by Authority of the Kings pulled down the Temples there were yet a world of Pagans especially amongst the French and those of the most Principal and as for those that were converted they had much ado to wean them from their ancient Superstitions they bore a Reverence still to the places where the Gentiles had Worshipped and Adored and still retained some remainders of their Ceremonies their Festivals Augures and the Witchcrafts of Paganism which they mingled with the Exercises of the Christian Religion Since the Baptism of Clovis the Gallican Church not only enjoyed in all liberty the Gifts the Galls had bestow'd upon her but likewise acquired much greater ones by the liberality of the French Her excessive Riches begot envy in the Ambitious and the Covetous To enjoy them they Courted and Caball'd for Bishopricks which they would not have desired if there had been nothing but Study and Labour The Grandees of the Court renounced the noblest Employments for a Miter where they met with Honour Authority Riches and assurance against Disgrace There was no need of forbidding them to chuse Lay-men against their Wills but rather not elect them when they used underhand dealings to obtain it There were few chosen but of noble Race and the Elections were ever made with the Kings leave never against his Will Oft times he forced them by his absolute Commands or prevented them by Recommendations which were all one as a Command The Bishops knew well enought this was to violate the Canons but the fear of bringing things to greater disorder Interest and Complaisance shut up their Mouths and tied their Tongues The only Man Leontius of Bourdeaux had the courage or boldness to call a Councel at Saintes to thrust out one Emerius a young Youth who had been named for Bishop of that Church by Clotair I but King Cherebert his Son received him but very scurvily that was put in his place and caused him to be carried into Exile in a Chariot full of Thorns These unworthy Elections and Intrusions bred most infinite Disorders publick Simony which spread it self from the Head even over all the Members the Non-Residence of Bishops their servile and perpetual adherence to the Court a disgust to Christian Vertues and the Functions of their Ministry the love of Vanity and the things of this World which led them into all manner of Pleasures and Secular Employments as Feastings sumptuous Cloaths Hunting and the use of Arms. From hence arose the scorn of the People towards these false Pastors who were crept in at the Windows and in the Civil Wars a wonderful desire and itch to invade the Wealth and Goods of the Church as esteeming it only the taking from such as were wholly unworthy of enjoying them thereby to correct their excess by paring away what was superfluous It cannot be denied but there were some extreamly irregular as Salonius d'Ambrun and Sagittarius de Gap who should rather be termed Bandits then Bishops Giles de Rheims a perfidious and factious Firebrand of Civil Wars Saffarac Bishop of Paris and Contumeliosus of Riez both of them as I think guilty of Uncleanness and Deposed for that Crime and that Cautin of Tours of whom Gregory recounts most horrible wicked things But in Recompence there were a great many who having edified their Flocks by a most Religious Conduct have left their Names and Memory in great veneration amongst all the Faithful In the beginning of this Age flourished Remy de Reims and Vaast d'Arras whom I have mentioned in the last but were still in being Gildard of Rouen Aquilin d'Eureux Contest de Bayeux Melaine de Rennes Avite de Vienne Cesarius d'Arles Venne de Verdun a little after Ageric or Agroy of the same City Lubin de Chartres Firmin d'Vzez and Macutus or Malo first Bishop of Quidalet This City having been ruined the Bishoprick was transferr'd to another which was raised out of its Ruines and bears the name of this holy Prelate About the middle of the same Age were Nicetius de Treues Paul de Leon in Bretagne Felix de Nantes Aubin d'Angers Lauto or L de Coutances Medard de Noyon Saulge d'Alby Germain de Paris This last died Anno 579. and was Interred in the Church of St. Vincent which was likewise called St. Croix and is at this day St. Germain des Prez And about the latter end lived Gregory de Tours who hath written the History of the French till within a year or two of the time of his Death it hapned as I believe Anno 595. Sulpicious de Bourges whom they surnamed the Severe to distinguish him from the Affable who since fat in the same Bishoprick St. Gall de Clermont Milleard or Millard de Sees Arigla de Nevers and Sanson de Dol. Amongst those most holy
to St. Omers But as he was retreating towards Monstreuil Eustace Earl of Boulogne who had a great Body of Reserves took Robert and carried him to St Omers He that Commanded the place surrendred it to deliver Richilda for which the King was enraged that he sacked and burnt the City Year of our Lord 1071 The same year Richilda though still assisted by the French lost another Battle in which Eustace Earl of Boulogne being made prisoner his Brother Chancellor of France and Bishop of Paris to obtain his freedom obliged the King to intermedle no more in that dispute Nay which was more he made him Marry Bertha the Daughter of Florent I. Earl of Holland and Gertrude of Saxony who had taken Robert for her second Husband By this means he was engaged to maintain the Cause for his Father-in-law who by his assistance defeated Richilda's Army the Fourth time and so remained Master Year of our Lord 1071 of Flanders Roger Brother of Robert Guischard Duke of the Normans in Puglia was by his Brother sent into Sicilia which was possessed by the Saracens he conquerd d the City of Panormus and Messina which opened him a way to become Master of the whole Island Year of our Lord 1073. and 4. After the death of Baldwin the Regent King Philip being arrived to the age of Adolescency ran into many disorders and vexations with his Subjects Whereupon Pope Gregory VII who sought but the occasion to constitute himself the Judge and Reformer of Princes wrote to William Duke of Aquitain that together with the Lords he should make him some Remonstrances and Declare that if he did not amend he would Excommunicate both him and all the Subjects that obey'd him and would place the Excommunication upon St. Peters Altar to re-aggravate it every day Year of our Lord 1076 The death of Robert I. Duke of Burgundy his Son being deceased before him had left two Sons Hugh and Otho the first of these succeeded his Grandfather Year of our Lord 1077 After William the Conquerour had entirely subdued England suppressed the Rebellion of his Son Robert and quelled the Manceaux he went into Bretagne to reduce them to his Obedience and laid Siege to Dol. The Duke or Earl Hoel implored the Kings help who marching in person to his assistance made them raise their Siege A Peace immediately follow'd but was broken almost as soon again upon another Year of our Lord 1076 score which was for that the Conquerour in the Kings Presence having given the Dutchy of Normandy to his Son Robert before he went to invade England Robert would take possession of it the Father hindred him and the King justified the Son in his demands This was the subject of a new War The Father besieges his rebellious Son in the Castle of Gerbroy near Beauvais In a Sally the Son wounds him and turned him off from his Saddle with his Lance but Year of our Lord 1077. 78. and the following coming to know who it was by his voice he helped him up again with Tears in his eyes and the Father at length overcome by the sentiments of nature and the intreaty of his Wife and Barons gave him his pardon and quitted the Dutchy to him then returned into England Gozelon Duke of the Lower Lorrain who in favour of Baldwin Earl of Monts Year of our Lord 1077. and 78. the Son of Richilda had fought and defeated Robert the Frison being a while after this Victory assassinated in Antwerp the Emperour detained the Dutchy of the lower Lorrain and gave only the Marquisate of Antwerp to Godfrey Duke of Bouillon the Son of Adde Sister of Gozelon and Eustace Earl of Boulongne but Twelve years after for his great Services he gave him the said Lorrain Year of our Lord 1080 The Lords of Touraine and of Maine extreamly pressing Foulk Rechin by force of Arms to set Gefroy his Brother at liberty this barbarous Man rather then release him chose sooner to give the County of Gastinois to King Philp that he might maintain him in his unjustice Some time after his own Son named Gefroy likewise and surnamed Martel moved Year of our Lord 1080 with the miseries of his Uncle forced his Father to set him free but whether it were the Melancholy he had contracted or some Drink they had given him he could never relish the sweetness of his liberty The famous Robert Guischard Prince of the Normans in Puglia after he had gained Year of our Lord 1085 two Naval Victories one over the Venetians and the other over the Greeks died this year 1085. He had two Sons Boemond and Roger the eldest being then upon the coasts of Dalmatia with a Navy his younger Brother seized on the Dutchies of Pouille and Calabria for which the Brothers were contending till the time of the first Croisado or Holy War when the French Lords passing that way to the Holy Land brought them to an agreement Their Uncle Roger held Sicily with the Title only of Earl Year of our Lord 1085 Upon complaints about the vexations and ill Treatment Duke Robert shewed to his Norman Subjects his Father the Conquerour comes over out of England to chastise him but his paternal tenderness did easily admit of a reconciliation The death of Guy-Gefroy-William his Son William VIII aged but 25 years succeeded him Year of our Lord 1086 King Philip a very voluptuous Prince being disgusted with Berthe his Wise made use of the pretence of Parentage which was between them and having proved it according to the course then in use caused his Marriage to be dissolved by authority of the Church though he had a Son by her named Lewis about Five years old and a Daughter named Constance He banished his Divorced Wife to Monstreuil upon the Sea-side where she lived a long time poorly enough Year of our Lord 1087 This Divorce according to Rule and a judicial Sentence being made he demanded the Daughter of Roger Earl of Sicilia named Emma who was conducted as far as the coasts of Provence however he did not Marry her the reason is not given Year of our Lord 1088 William the Conquerour become crazy was under a strict regiment of Dyet at Rouen to pull down his over-grown fatness which did much incommode him The King rallied at him and asked when he would be up again after his Lying in the Duke sent him word that at his Uprising he would go and visit him with 10000 Lances instead of Candles and indeed as soon as he could he got on Horseback he destroy'd all the French Vexin and forced and burnt Mantes But he over-heated himself so much in the assaulting of that place that it set his own Blood and Body on fire and brought a fit of Sickness so that he returned to Rouen where he dyed in a few days By his Will he gave the Kingdom of England to William called Rufus who was bat his Second Son Normandy to Robert who was
way of appealing to the Councils and notwithstanding goes on and reduces Sussex and all the Southern parts excepting Windsor and Dover The Ambassadors pleaded his Cause earnestly at Rome they shewed that John was justly degraded for his Tyrannies and because he had been condemned to death for the Murther of his Nephew Arthur by the Pairs of France and made it out that the Kingdom since he was Excluded belonged to his Neece the Wife of Prince Lewis Whilst they disputed their Masters Rights he successfully employs his Sword in Conquering Essex Suffolk and Norfolk Having reduc'd them he returns to besiege Dover his Father reproaching him for having imprudently left that place behind him The Pope offended at his Progress confirmed the Sentence of Excommunication against him and although Philip protested he gave him neither Assistance nor Advice prosering even if the Church did so ordain to Confiscate his Lands nevertheless he commanded the Bishop of Sens to denounce him Excommunicate likewise and to put France under an Interdiction but the Prelats assembled at Melun declared they would not submit to that Sentence till they were more fully informed of the Popes Intentions Mean while King John who wandred about the Country hating all his Subjects hapned to dye by Poyson which as it was believ'd a Monk had given him He left three Sons very young Henry Richard and Edmond The hatred of the Englishmen towards him expired with his Life and their Affection for his Son Henry revived being their Natural Lord and one whose Innocence and Tender Age called for their Compassion so that the young Kings Affairs began to prosper and Lewis's to decline He perceiving the English forsook him one after another and his own People afrighted with the thundring Excommunications from Rome inclined to make a Truce with Henry for some Months Year of our Lord 1216 During this Suspension he returns into France to Consult with the King his Father but he fearing to exasperate the Pope refuses to see his Son and would not Confer with him but by the interposition of others Lewis upon his return into England found his Enemies Party were the stronger his Army was afterwards defeated near Lincoln and he besieged in London after that rout Wherefore to free himself from farther danger and retire with Bag and Baggage he was forc'd to Treat with Henry promising amongst other Conditions to surrender all the places he held in England to submit his Pretensions to the Judgment of the Church to use his utmost endeavour to oblige his Father to restore all what he had taken from King John in France and if he could not prevail to do it then himself when he came to the Crown Which was to promise more then he would or could perform Year of our Lord 1216 Henry Emperor of Constantinople and Brother to Baldwin who had been so likewise died Anno 1216. having Reigned Eleven years Peter de Courtenay Earl of Auxerre who Married his Sister Yolant went this year from France to take that Crown Passing thorough Italy he was Crowned at Rome with his Wife took Shipping eight days after and arriv'd in Greece but as he was crossing Thessalie having Pass-ports from Theodorus Comnenus he was made Prisoner by that perfidious Man who slew most part of those Lords that went with them and having detained him three or four years caused him cruelly to be Murthered Yolant a Heroick Woman govern'd the Empire two years after his death in which time the Lords sent to profer the Empire to Philip Earl of Nevers his eldest Son but he refused to accept it and yielded up willingly that perilous Honour to Robert his younger Brother Year of our Lord 1217 When young King Henry was fully setled in his Throne his Council sent Ambassadors into France to challenge Lewis of his Promise and re-demand the Dutchy of Normandy and other Countries taken from his Father They were answer'd with the Confiscation that had been ordered by the Judgment of his Pairs Year of our Lord 1217 18. Whilst the Eari of Montfort in vain besieged the City of Beaucaire Count Raimond brought some Forces from Arragon whither he was retir'd with which he regained several of his places and especially Toulouze which he presently fortifi'd with Intrenchments and Pallisado's Montfort went and laid Siege to it but after he had held it besieged seven whole Months he was slain in a Sally He had three Sons Year of our Lord 1218 Amaulry who succeeded him in the Rights of his Conquests Guy who was Married to Petronella Heiress to the Count of Bigorre as being Daughter of Estiennete the Daughter and Heiress of Count Centulle and Simon Earl of Leicester in England by the Grandmother Year of our Lord 1219 Amaulry was not strong enough to maintain his Conquests the King assisted him first with Six hundred Men then with Ten thousand Foot who not being yet enough to compass that business Prince Lewis upon the Popes earnest Request undertakes that Expedition the second time He happily succeeded in the taking of Marmanda on the Garonne and some other places in Angenois but not in the Siege of Toulouze because his Father recalled him fearing the Troubles that were begun in Bretagne might be created by the English on purpose to set France in a greater flame Year of our Lord 1218 19 and 20. The business was that the Earls Salomon and Conan whom Duke Peter had unjustly thrown out of their Estates being retir'd into the Forests ravaged and wasted his Country with some Bandits they had got together and at the same time the Barons revolted against him because he would arrogate to himself the Guardianship or Wardnoble of Gentlemens Orphan-Sons till they had attained to Twenty years of Age. They had Combined in a League and with Amaulry Lord de Craon very potent in Friends and Alliance who had declared War against him about a certain Castle that Duke had usurped from him This Quarrel complicated with several Interests lasted above two years and ended not but by a great Battle fought near Chastean-briand where the Duke much the weaker in numbers of Men gained the Year of our Lord 1220 Victory and made Amaulry Prisoner The Barons were not brought so low by this bloody loss but they continued the War for some Months but that was only to obtain the better Conditions Year of our Lord 1220 21 and 22. The Truce with the English being prolong'd France enjoy'd a Calm for three or four years during which Philip employ'd himself about the Walling Enlarging Fortifying building Bridges making Causeys and the like conveniencies in all the Cities that were of his Demeasns or belonging to the Crown which Expences though for the publick good was out of his own proper Fund not raised or exacted upon his Subjects but paying very justly for all those Grounds and Houses belonging to private Persons which were necessary for him to have towards carrying on these Publick Works Year of our Lord 1222
the eldest was the most happy being joyned this year to Lewis King of France a Prince that Year of our Lord 1235 was much greater by his Virtues then his Crown The same year the Earl of Champagee it is not said for what cause fell again into Rebellion for which he was punished with the loss of his Cities of Montereau-Faut-Yonne Bray and Nogent upon the Seine These losses did not make him much wiser he persisted still in his foolish passion for the Queen who had ruin'd him and retired to his Castle of Provins to write Verses and Songs for entertainment of his amorous Dotage Year of our Lord 1235. and 36. Nevertheless he was soon diverted by the death of Sancho VIII called the Strong King of Navarre who dying without any Males left the Kingdom to him as the next Heir and Son of his Daughter Blanch. So he went and took possession and transported a great number of Husbandmen from his Landes in Brie and Champagne who improved and made that Countrey very fertile and populous The Countrey of Artois was erected to an Earldom Pairrie in favour of Robert the Kings Brother on whom his Father had bestow'd it by his Will Some place this erection in the time of Philip Augustus However it were I think we may be confident it is the first of that nature At the sollicitation of Pope Gregory who had as well a quarrel to the Emperour Frederick's Forces his Enemy declar'd they being in possession of the remainder of Year of our Lord 1237. and 38. the Kingdom of Jerusalem as to the Saracens there was a great Crusado of French Lords over whom the new King of Navarre was made Chief But these Adventurers had no better success then all the rest for the ill conduct of these new Soldiers of the Cross and their Divisions brought the whole Army almost to ruine and most part of the Officers and Commanders were slain there or taken prisoners Year of our Lord 1238 Peter Duke of Burgundy died in his return from this Expedition his only Son John Surnamed Rufus succeeded him The affairs of Constantinople were no whit better the Emperour Baldwin comes into France to beg assistance against the Greeks and for a great sum of Money sold the Crown of Thorns wherewith our Saviour was Crowned the Spung and the Lance which pierced his Side to St. Lewis the King who put them into his Treasury of Reliques in the Holy Chappel which he had purposely built in his own Palace It was now about three years that all the Doctors both Seculars and Regulars of the Sacred Faculty of Divnity at Paris which was then almost the only School for that Science and as it were the perpetual Council of the Gallican Church had resolv'd the question and were all agreed upon this judgment in a famous Assembly and after mature deliberation and discussion that oue and the same Ecclesiastical person could in Conscience hold but one Benefice at one time This year 1238. William III. Bishop of Paris held another Assembly of the same Faculty in the Chapter of the Jacobins where it was unanimously concluded That one could not without forfeiture of Eternal Happiness possess two Benefices at the same time provided one of them were of the value only of Fifteen Liures parisis per annum There were none but Philip Chancellour of the Vniversity and Arnold afterwards Bishop of Amiens who were obstinately resolv'd to hold their own The First when he lay on his Death-bed being earnestly desired and pressed home by the Bishop William to discharge himself of that burthen which would sink him down to Hell replied That he would try whether that were true How few are to be seen in these days that do not chuse to run the same hazard or are not troubled that they cannot have the opportunity of such ✚ a Trial But it does not appear so great a risque to them since the Popes give Dispensations Year of our Lord 1239 The quarrels between Pope Gregory IX and the Emperour Frederic growing hot to all extremity of Outrages on either side Gregory sent to St. Lewis King of France to proffer him the Empire for his Brother Robert Earl of Artois The Lords assembled by the King upon a proposition so important did not approve that violent proceeding and said it was sufficient for Robert that he was Brother to a King who was more excellent in Dignity and Nobility then any Emperour whatever The Albigensis could not submit themselves to the Orders of the Inquisition Trincavel Son of the Vicount de Beziers and five or six Lords of the Countrey putting themselves at the head of them they seized upon Carcassonne and some Year of our Lord 1239 other places and ran into some parts belonging to the King in hostile manner He presently sent some Forces thither Commanded by John Earl of Beaumont who drove them out from Carcassonne and besieged them in Mont-real where after they had held some time they made their capitulation by means of the Earls of Foix and Toulouze Year of our Lord 1239 The old de la Montagne so they named the Prince of the Assassins a People that occupied the mountainous Canton of Syria had dispatched two of his Murtherers into France to kill the King but soon after I cannot say by what motive he repented and countermanded them by some others who before they could find them out advertised the King to have a care of himself This old de la Montagne bred up great numbers of young Youths in pleasant aud delicious Palaces and the hopes of an Eternal Felicity in the other World if they obey'd his Commands blindfold and to make them the more capable and fit to execute his bloody Will in all Countreys he made them learn all Languages Year of our Lord 1239 The interests of the Pope and the Emperour were not at all compatible together and therefore Frederick and Honorius and then Gregory IX who succeeded Honorius fell necessarily into discords and afterwards into mortal hatred Gregory le ts fly the Thunder-bolts of the Church against Frederick and his Legat having called the Prelats of France together at Meaux order'd several of them to go to Rome to hold a Council where they pretended to degrade that Emperour He complained to the King desired him not to permit his Bishops to go out of France and his desire not taking effect he caused them to be way-laid and watch'd at Sea and having taken them distributed them in divers prisons Then in his turn he for a while slighted the Kings intercession for their release which thing made some alteration in that good correspondence that for some time had continued between France and the Empire In the year 1240. The King having assembled the flower of the Barons and the Year of our Lord 1240 Knights of his Kingdom at Saumur gave the Girdle of Knighthood to his Brother Alphonso whose Marriage had a little before been compleated with Jane
Parliament were Assembled and so blow up the King with all his Lords and Commons there attending One of the Conspirators could not forbear writing a Letter to a Gentleman his Friend but in a Counterfeit hand and without any Name conjuring him not to meet there in Parliament for some days This Gentleman Communicates his notice to a couple of the Lords belonging to the Privy Council who made their Report of it to the King thereby to discharge their Duty They took it to be a piece of Raillery on purpose to affright and scoff at them but the King was not of their Opinion and judged by the terms of the Letter which said That it should be a terrible Blow and the Danger past as soon as you can burn this Letter that this must be some Execution by Fire It was therefore thought necessary to search into all the Cellars and the neighbouring Houses the first time nothing was discover'd but the great quantity of Woods and Coals giving some suspition they returned agen the second time this was the Night preceding the Day the Parliament was to Assemble viz. the Fifth day of November They then perceived one of Percy 's Men at the Door named Faukes he had been observed there before and his Countenance was now Agast they seized him therefore and finding him provided with Match to give fire to the Train he boldly owned the Design The Conspirators who were retired into the Country till the Fougade had taken Effect hearing it was discover'd dispersed several ways to draw their Friends together and make the People rise but they were so roughly handled that some were slain others taken and the rest in great Numbers forced to quit the Kingdom Most of these last got over to Calais where the King had Year of our Lord 1606 commanded the Governor to give them shelter those that governed his Conscience month January having first persuaded him it was a meer Persecution contrived by the Ministers of State against those of the Catholick Religion The last day of January Eight of the Chief Conspirators suffer'd in London the Punishment inflicted on such as are found Guilty of High-Treason Not one of them accused the Priests or Friers being bound not to discover them by terrible Oaths yet King James caused diligent Search to be made for them especially the Jesuits Two of those Fathers had made their Escape viz. month January February c. Garnet and Hall with a Boy that served them to the Castle called Abington belonging to a Gentleman the People hid them in the Tunnel of a Chimney and fed them with Broath convey'd to them by a long Pipe But the Searchers having turned out all the Domesticks of the Family and left a strong Guard Year of our Lord 1606 there the poor wretches were fain to produce themselves They were brought to London the Boy whether in dispair or for fear he should by force oftortures discover his Masters Secrets ript open his own Belly with a Knife whereof he died before he could be examined King James was persuaded that Garnet knew every particular of the Plot as being an intimate Confident of Catesby's but would not put him to the month February c. Rack for he had rather his Confession should be free and voluntary than have the reproach of being extorted for Compulsion would have rendred it suspected He therefore made use of Moderation and Craft instead of Severities and the Rack They allowed him much liberty in Prison and suborn'd a Fellow who feigning himself a Catholick spake so much till he made him both speak and write They permitted him to converse even with his Compagnon Hall and from their Discourse which was over-heard by two Witnesses who lay conceal'd they got full proof for his Condemnation He died as a Martyr notwithstanding and passed for such in the opinion of the English Catholicks His Apologist writing also four years after affirm'd that a Gentleman who was present at his Death desiring to have of his Reliques having month May. gather'd up some few Straws which he saw stained with his Gore found Garnet's Picture traced in lines of Blood upon one of them which was at that time kept by a Lady as a most precious and wonderful Relique The Pope fully justified himself from the reproach of this horrible attempt and shewed by good literal Proofs that he had forbid the English to maâ—â— use of any such Bloody ways The Jesuits labour'd also on their part to make Father Garnet's innocency appear And King Henry IV. whose honor was much concerned in their Conduct since he had recalled them sent Father Coton to the English Ambassadour to assure him the Society had no hand in that Conspiracy and that if some particular Members of theirs were concerned they disowned and detested them There was however another Jesuit in England named Oldcorne who maintain'd that the said Enterprize was good and laudable and for so doing was Condemned and Executed as Garnet had been Year of our Lord 1605 In France about the end of the fore-going year was discover'd the Treason month December of John d'Alagon de Merargues a Gentleman of Provence but originally by his Ancestors of the Kingdom of Naples whence King René had brought his great great great Grandfather The resemblance of his Surname had infected him with the vanity to believe he was of the House of Arragon and upon that score it came into his head to make himself a Fortune by the Spaniards to deserve which by some Signal action he had undertaken to bring the Spaniards into Marseilles The Office of Procureur Syndic of that Country and his great Alliances by Marriage his Wife being related to the Duke of Montpensier and the House of Joyeuse rendred him very considerable the Command of two Galleys maintained for the King's Service seemed to facilitate the means to make him Master of the Harbour or Port and the Office of Viguier which he was assured of for the next year now at hand gave him great Power over the City He had notwithstanding so few Instruments for so great a Design that he communicated it to a Slave belonging to one of his Galleys whom he would needs employ in it the Slave discover'd it to the Duke of Guise and the Duke of Guise sent notice of it to the Court. Merargues going thither soon after about some Affairs of the Province la Varenne had order to observe him and acquitted himself so well that one evening slipping into his House with a Prevost he surprized him while he was entertaining Bâ—uneau Secretary to the Spanish Ambassadour with his Design They seized upon both and searching them found a Writing tied under Bruneau's Garter which decypher'd the whole Mystery Bruneau was Imprisoned in the Bastille Merargues in the Chastelet and from thence transfer'd to the Conciergerie The Spanish Ambassadour made great noise at the detention of his Secretary he spake of it as a high injury to the Dignity of his Master
in hand the Defence of King Hilderic whose Kingdom Gilimer had usurped sent the great Captain Belisarius thither who made an end of that Conquest in less than Six Months having happily overthrown those Arrian Barbarians in some Battles taken Carthage and received the Tyrant Gilimer upon Composition who had sheltred himself in a Fortress The Visigoths during the Wars of Burgundy and Turingia had taken divers places of Septimania The Princes Gontier and Theodebert who were Sons the former of Clotaire the latter of Thierry had Orders from their Fathers to recover them Goutier returned without doing any thing Theodebert took some Castles in the Countrey of Beziers but suffered himself to be taken also by the Beauty of the Artificious Deuteria Lady of Cabriere who received him into her Castle and into her Bed From Septimania he carried the War to Provence reckoning to have a better Market of the Ostrogoths When he had sorely snaken it and already received some Hostages from the City of Arles he received news that his Father was very sick at Mets he goes away in all diligence and arrived there some few days before he died Year of our Lord 538 Thierry Reigned a little more then 23 years and had lived about 55. He had no Son but Theodebert but a Learned Historian gives him likewise a Daughter named Theodechildus he believes it to be her that was Married to Hermegisile King of the Varni of whom Procopius relates a memorable Adventure and who being returned into France amongst many pious Works built the Monastery of St. Pierre le Vis near Sens. It is fit we observe that the Bavarois or Bojarians were under his obedience since in their Estates or General Assembly at Chaalons he put their Laws in Writing They were originally of Germany it is not certain of what Canton but that they had the same Language as the Lombards About the time of the death of Odoacer King of Italy they were come to possess that part of the Norica which lies on the Banks of the Danube and in time they also gained the Mediterranean part and Rhetia Secunda which was situate betwixt the Rivers L'Oein and the Lec so that they were bounded by Panonia Swevia Italy and the Danube Perhaps Clovis subdued them at the same time he subdued the Almains but they had always retained their Laws and a Duke of their Nation who was confirmed by the King of Austrasia he was to be of the Race of the Agilolfingues or Descendents of Agilolfe who in all appearance brought them into that Countrey CHILDEBERT in Neustria at Paris CLOTAIRE in and Neustria at Soissons THEOD'EBERT aged about 30 years in Austrasia Burgundy betwixt both  Year of our Lord 534. and 535. The Uncles of Theodebert were prepared to invade the Kingdom of his Father his diligence broke their measures After he had agreed with them by a Peace which he bought and that he in appearance had tied the knot of a strict amity with Chlidebert who promised him the Succession because he had no Children he sent for Deuteria and publickly Married her despising Wisgard the Daughter of Wacon King of the Lombards whom he had betrothed in the life time of his Father Thierry Year of our Lord 534 In this year they place the Erection into a Kingdom True or Fabulous of the Countrey of Yvetot in Normandy which was done say they by King Clotaire in satisfaction for his having with his own hand in the very Church and on a Holy Friday Killed one Gautier who was Lord of the Mannor Athalaric King of Italy dies in the age of Adolescency Amalasuinta his Mother espouses Theodad Son of Amalafrede Sister to King Theoderic and sets him on the Throne but shortly after the Ingrateful makes her away upon a suspicion of Adultery The death of Amalasuinta caused the ruine of the Ostrogoths Justinian with whom she had always kept in amity gave Command to Belisarius to revenge her death and to recover Italy At first Dalmatia the Islands of Sicily and Sardinia after that Abbruzza and Lucania the Campagnia or Terra del Lavor surrenders to him without any resistance and the City of Naples is surprized by a way thorough an Aqueduct Theodad sends an Army under the Conduct of Vitiges his Officer but the Ostrogoths who had a hatred for him elect this Vitiges who to secure the Diadem for himself puts Theodad to death and Marries Mattasuinta Daughter of Amalasuinta Year of our Lord 536 When Theodad dyed he was in Treaty with the French and proffer'd them Provence and Two thousand pound of Gold if they would embrace his Defence Vitiges being pressed by Belisarius and finding himself not strong enough to resist the Imperialists and the French put in execution what his Predecessor had projected and deliver'd Provence and the Money to the French If we must believe Procopius Justinian confirmed this Cession by his Letters Patents It seems they divided it into two Provinces that of Marseilles and that of Arles Year of our Lord 537 Theodebert made no scruple to take off both Parties that he might be the better enabled to ruine them both He had caused Ten thousand Burgundians to slip into Italy who having joyned with Oraia one of Vitiges Chiefs had helped him to retake Milan Year of our Lord 539 When he believed both parties to be much weakned he entred the Milanois with Two hundred thousand Men. The Roman Army and that of the Ostrogoths were encamped one just over against the other neer Pavia either of them thought he came to their assistance and his design was to surprize them both He therefore Assaults and Defeats the Ostrogoths and then comes thundering upon the Romans and cuts them all in pieces But a Plague and Famine soon revenged them upon him for this perfidiousness When he found his Men perished by thousands he repassed the Mountains with all speed for fear lest Belisarius who was in Tuscany should come and attaque him Year of our Lord 539 Afterwards Vitiges being Besieged by Belisarius in Ravenna omitted not to crave help of the French who promis'd to come to his assistance with Five hundred thousand Men but before they were arrived he had compounded with Belisarius and was gon to Constantinople where of a King he became an Officer to the Emperour The Visigoths in his stead chose Theodobaldus Governour of Verona and he being slain three years after they substituted the famous Totila who Took and Sacked the City of Rome twice in 547. and in 550. Year of our Lord 540 The Queen Deuteria became so furiously jealous of her own Daughter because the King her Husband began to look on her that she made her away in a cruel and ingenious manner having caused untamed Bulls to be harnassed to draw her Chariot who precipitated her from off the Bridge at Verdun into the Meuse The French who during the Two first Races and a good while in the Third had
whom as afterwards with Childeric II. his Son she had great Interest and Power This done Grimoald confidently sets up his Son upon the Throne there are proofs of some Royal Acts he did but this attempt lost him all the veneration the Austrasians had for the memory of Pepin and gave them such horror for their Mayre and his Son that having taken them in some Ambuscades laid for them they led Grimoald to Paris to King Clovis who caused him to be put to death or as others will have it confined him to perpetual imprisonment however there was Year of our Lord 652 no more heard of him It is not said what became of his Son nor whether the Austrasians elected another Mayre Perhaps Erchinoald executed that Office in all the three Kingdoms for since the Decease of Floacat the Burgundians had created none CLOVIS II. Solus Year of our Lord 653. c. In these Minorities there being no Authority great enough to curb the Grandees they audaciously undertook to do any thing what pleased them best and most commonly deciding their quarrels by the Sword they put all the Kingdom into a combustion The Authors of those times accuse Clovis with giving himself up to the Debauchery or pleasures of the Mouth and Women and make a mighty noise for his having plucked off an Arm from the Body of St. Denis to place it in his Oratory They say he immediately fell into a fit of Madness as if he had been smote from Heaven Year of our Lord 655 and attribute to this attempt which at the worst was but an indiscreet Zeal all the mischiefs that afflicted the Kingdom of Franee during the Reigns of his Successors The same year this King aged only 21 or 22 years but having his Brain much shaken Year of our Lord 655 with frequent Convulsions dries up at the Root and dies in the spring of his age He did not Reign Seventeen years if we leave out that whole year wherein Dagobert dyed as the Authors of these times usually do but if we account from the very day he succeeded him he was entring into the Eighteenth he was interred at St. Denis His Mayre Erchinoald had amongst his Domestiques a young English Maid named Batilda of a rare Beauty but whom he had bought out of the hands of Pyrats who had stollen her away amongst some other Captives for in those days they brought great numbers from those parts he bestowed her upon this young Prince for a Wife about the year 548 or 49. and of his Slave made her the Wife of his Year of our Lord 548 King It was given out that she was of the Blood of the Saxon Princes who Reigned in England By this Batilda Clovis had three Sons Clotaire Childeric and Thierry Clotaire was saluted King of Neustria and Burgundy under the Government of his Mother and Erchinoald and Childeric made King of Austrasia whither he was Conducted and left he and his Kingdom under the management of Vlfoad Mayre of that Kingdom Thierry had no share perhaps because he was but yet in his Cradle Clotaire III. King XIII POPES VITALIANUS Elected in August 655. S. Thirteen years three Months EBROIN Mayre CLOTAIRE III. King in Neustria and Burgundy aged at most but Five years CHILDERIC King of Australia aged Three or Four years Year of our Lord 655 THe Government of the Mayre Erchinoald ended with his Life which hapned in a few Months after the death of Clovis the II or as others say a short time before Some with probability enough make him the prime stock of the House of Alsatia whence is issued that of Lorrain of these days which for Nobility yields to none in Chistendom unless that of France The French bestowed that Office upon Ebroin a man active valiant and who being greatly in friendship with the most Holy Men of those times and Founder of some Churches was held a good Man and he lived in that Reputation many years Year of our Lord 655 c. Queen Batilda Governed with as much Goodness Prudence and Justice as any wiâ—e King could have done And indeed for Ten years together there hapned no Trouble in her Sons Reign Before her time the Gauls as well those Infants that lay in their Cradles as their Fathers paid a great Tribute by Poll which restrained many from Marrying or obliged them to expose their Children the good Queen discharged them from it and forbid those Jews that used to buy such poor innocent Children and send them into Forreign Countreys to deal any longer in so inhumane a Trade Nay she bought several that those Infidels had already purchased and likewise such as had been stollen away by Thieves and sold for that purpose but she exhorted them to put themselves into Monasteries which she very greatly desired might be well Peopled She had a very particular care for all that concerned the Church For some time past the Princes had taken Money for Spiritual Promotions and the Bishops sold by Retail what they bought in the Lump She forbad that Sacrilegious Traffick Year of our Lord 656. 57 c. Besides she enriched divers Monasteries with Possessions and precious Ornaments obtained immunities for them and exemptions from Tribute built two famous Monasteries one for Women at Chelles the other for Men at Corbie on the Somme and invited many Holy persons to Court but to tell truth she gave too much access to the Bishops either for the good of the Church or her own Reputation Year of our Lord 664 or 65. Amongst the rest there were two in very great credit and esteem Leger whom she had made Bishop of Autun and Sigebrand we cannot tell of what place This last extreamly proud of the Queens Favour which gave occasion of much jealousie and ill report amongst the envious did so highly distaste the great ones that they put him to death without any form of Process or Trial. After this attempt whether they apprehended the Resentments of that Princess or had slandered and bespattered her on purpose to make her uncapable to Govern they besought her so importunately to retire that she was obliged to condescend Even those whom she had most gratified with her Goodness were of the party Some of the Grandees conducted her to her Monastery of Chelles where of a Queen she became only a simple Nun and yet was more Illustrious in her Humility then she had been in her exalted Greatness She lived till the year 686. Year of our Lord 665. c. It is to be believed that Ebroin the Mayre had managed all this contrivance that he might be left sole Governour for when the Reyns were off his Pride his Avarice his Cruelty and Treachery began to appear bare-faced He seized the Goods he took away the Offices he hunted away the Greatest that were about the Court and forbid any others to come in there without his leave Above all he hated Leger the Bishop of Autun because he was a Creature of
Burgundy and the Earldom of Nevers on the one part and Bourbonnois Beaujolois Lyonnois and Forez on the other Then it proceeded a little further at Nevers in the interview of Charles Duke of Bourbon and the Burgundian whose Sister Charles had Married These two Princes having accommodated those Affairs that were between them concerning the Homage for some Lands which the Duke of Bourbon refused to render him and for which they had made a rude War for some time began to fall into discourse of the Affairs of the whole Kingdom and agreed together that there should be a Conference held at Arras to find out the best means for procuring Peace between the two Crowns and between the King and the Burgundian Year of our Lord 1435 According to this Resolution there was held at Arras the greatest and the most noble Assembly that ever this Age had heard of All the Princes of Christendom had their Ambassadors there the Pope and the Council each their Legats The Harbingers took up Stabling for ten thousand Horse This was opened the Sixth day of the Month of August Year of our Lord 1435 The Duke was obliged in honour not to Treat without the English provided they would be satisfied with reasonable Conditions They were profer'd Normandy and Guyenne if they would do Homage for them but when he found they would relinquish nothing of their Pretensions he disengaged himself from them and made a separate Treaty the Popes Legat having absolved him of that saith he had given them The Popes did often practise this believing it a part of the power which our Lord Jesus Christ had given to bind and unbind Here is the Summary of the chiefest Articles The King by his Ambassadors disown'd that he had consented to the Murther of Duke John wickedly perpetrated and by wicked Counsel for which he was sorry with all his heart Promised he would do justice and cause such as were guilty to be prosecuted whom the Duke should name to him That if they could not be taken he would banish them from the Kingdom for ever and never admit them upon any Treaty He obliged himself to build for the Soul of the deceased Duke the Lord de Novailles and of all those that died since in that quarrel a Chappelat Montereau on the place where the Body of that Duke lay interred to set up a Cross on the Bridge to found a Monastery or Chartreuse where should be twelve Friers and a high Mass that should be sung every year in the Church at Dijon To pay fifty thousand Gold Crowns at 24 Carats c. for the Goods and Equipage taken when the Duke was Murther'd Moreover he relinquished and acquitted him of all Homage due for any Lands he held of the Crown and his Service and Personal Assistance during his life Gave him to perpetuity for him and his Heirs Males and Females the Countries of Mascon and Auxerre the Lordship of St. Jengon the Bailliwick of St. Laurence the Castlewick or Chastelleny of Bar upon the Seine and as security for four hundred thousand Crowns payable at two certain terms the Chastellenies of Peronne Roye and Montdidier and the Cities of the Somme that is St. Quentin Corbie Amiens Abeville and others As also the County of Pontieu on either side the Somme and the enjoyment of the County of Boulogne for him and the Heirs Male of his Body with all the Rights of Tailles Gabelles and Imposts all profits of Courts of Justice of the Regalia and all others arising from all those Countries That the Burgundians should not be obliged to quit the St. Andrews Cross even when they were in the Kings Army That in case of any contravention of the Subjects both of the one and other of these Princes should be absolved from their Oaths of Fidelity and should take up Arms against the Infringer That the King should tender his submissions for the compleating of this Treaty into the hands of the Legats from the Pope and the Council upon pain of Excommunication Reagravation Interdiction of his Lands and all other to which the Censures of the Church can extend That to the same purpose he should give the Seals of the Princes of his Blood the Grandees of the State the most noted Prelats and the greatest and chiefest Cities Year of our Lord 1435 And to make this Reconciliation the more firm and durable there was added the promise to bestow Catharine the Kings Daughter upon Charles Earl of Charolois the Dukes Son both as yet very young Four years after they sent this Princess to the Duke of Burgundy to compleat the Marriage Year of our Lord 1435 Besides this weighty blow which amazed the English much they received another which was the death of the Duke of Bedford Regent in France after whom they never had any but Men that were very violent hare-brain'd without either prudence or conduct The French in the mean time time took Diepe by Escalado and the kind usage they shewed to the Inhabitants brought them all the places of the Country of Caux Year of our Lord 1435 At the same time which was about the last day of September died the Queen Mother Isabella de Baviere in the Hostel de Saint Pol at Paris where she lived in a mean condition since the time of her Husbands death justly hated by the French and ingratefully despised by the English Some have written that to save the expences of her Funeral they conveyed her Corps in a small Boat to St. Denis attended only by four People Her death is attributed to an inward grief occasioned by the outrageous railleries of such as delighted to tell her face that King Charles was not the Son of her Husband Year of our Lord 1435 and 36 One of the greatest faults they committed after they had refused the offers made them at Arras was their not treating the Duke of Burgundy well their giving him reproachful language and not suffering him to be Neuter as he desired but to fall on his People wherever they met them endeavouring to surprize his places and harrasing him so perpetually that at length they constrained him to become their utter Enemy The Parisians comparing the pride and wretchedness of these Strangers with the courtesie and magnificence of their Natural Kings could no longer endure them or if any thing did yet with-hold them it was some remainders of that affection they preserved for the Duke of Burgundy But this knot being broken they now sought nothing but the opportunity to free themselves from their Bondage Year of our Lord 1436 The English having therefore been beaten at St. Denis by the Constable the honest Citizens of Paris took that opportunity to treat about their surrender to him Having obtained an Act of Oblivion and the confirmation of their Priviledges in such form as they desired they introduced him by the Gate called St. James This was on the Friday after Easter When he was entred the People fell upon the English
Ports of Brest and Conquet and it was put to the question in the King's Council whether he should compleat the Conquest of that Country by force of Arms. The Courtiers did all advise and desire it the Chancellor Rochefort alone disswaded them representing that a Most Christian King ought not to measure his Conquests by his Sword but his Justice That it were most shameful to dispoil a Pupil one that was innocent of his Kindred and his own Vassal in that Dutchy which he might have by Marriage a much more honest and more easy Method to obtain his desired ends This remonstrance and perhaps the Arrival of six thousand English with whom she garrison'd her Towns put a stop to their present acting to the great regret of the Dame de Beaujeu who had already got a Grant of the County of Nantes Year of our Lord 1489 Innocent VIII Successor to Sixtus IV. whether out of a design to make a Holy War against the Turks or perhaps to draw a good Pension from Bajazeth obtained of the King's Council that Prince Zizim should be put into his Hands upon a condition he should not send him out of Rome but should always have him guarded by some Knights of Rhodes Peter Vaubusson Grand Master of the Order had a Cardinals Cap for managing this Affair For some time after the King had delivered him up to the Popes Agents came an Embassy from Sultan Bajazeth to demand him offering in exchange all the Relicks that were at Constantinople to recover the Holy Land at his own Expences and to pay him a very great Pension Year of our Lord 1490 As for the Affairs of Bretagne upon divers Ruptures there were divers Negotiations There had been some French and Breton Arbitrators appointed but they being thought too much interested or dependent it was judged fitter to make choice of two that were not so and to this purpose the King and the Dutchess agreed upon Maximilian of Austria and the Duke of Bourbon a Prince of great Integrity and withal no great Friend to the Dame de Beaujeu The Deputies of both Parties being met at Francfort it was agreed by Provision that the King should restore all the Places to the Dutchess excepting Saint Aubin Dinan Fougeres and Saint Malo which were to be put under Sequestration into the Hands of the two Arbitrators who should surrender them up to those to whom the Dutchy should be adjudged to belong of Right That in the mean time they should put out all the Soldiers both French and English That the two Parties should produce their Titles before certain Lawyers appointed to examine them in Avignon and that the Deputies should meet again at Tournay the five and twentieth of March following to hear the definitive Sentence which should then be given by the Arbitrators In the midst of all these Goings and Comings there was another secret Treaty carrying on of which the King's Council had not the least suspicion which was the Marriage of Maximilian with the Dutchess and this was so far advanced that in the Year 1489. this Dutchess married him by his Proxy who was the Earl of Nassaw The thing was kept secret a long time and yet nothing of what they agreed on at Francfort was put in Execution So that the King whether he had discovered the Marriage or was tyred at the tedious delay of the Arbitration took up Arms again and caused his Forces to March to besiege the Dutchess in Renes but they were countermanded for what Reasons I know not Year of our Lord 1491 In vain the Princess presses for Assistance from England and Germany she had but very weak returns Maximilian a Poor and a Cold Lover did not bestir himself as he should have done for so fair a Mistriss he never furnish'd her with above two thousand Men. In the mean time Bretagne was invaded on all Hands by the French and the Lord d'Albret enraged to see himself supplanted by a German gave them up the City of Nantes upon condition of some compensation promised him for those Pretensions he had to the Dutchy This claim was derived from his Wife Frances of Bretagne Daughter of William Vicount of Limoges youngest Son of the House of Pontieure During these Disorders nothing could be more facile then for the King to have taken away the Dutchess by force However he was advised to try Maximilian's way rather then force and to Marry the Princess and so gain her by composition Of an Enemy therefore he became her Lover and sought to win her by Courtship and Allurements but she was haughty in her Misfortune she could not resolve to break her Faith nor bestow her Heart upon a Prince that had treated her so ill and who had too much Power not to violate in a short time the Laws and Liberties of Bretagne The Duke of Orleans had acquired a great deal of Credit with her the King desiring to make use of him to conquer her high Spirit and besides being perswaded thereto by some of the Gentlemen of his Chamber goes one Day and takes him out of the Tower at Bourges without consulting the Dame de Beaujeu who had kept him Prisoner two Years and some Months This Duke by the Mouth of the Count de Dunois and with the help of Prince of Orange and the Mareschal de Rieux who was reconciled to the Dutchess omitted no Courtship nor Reasons of State to perswade her in favour of the King She resisted for a while but in fine the great negligence of Maximilian and he pressing necessities added such force to their Arguments and Reasons that she yielded and with a Sigh gave her self up a Sacrifice for the Safety of her Country Year of our Lord 1491 Wherefore after the deliberation of the Estates of Bretagne the Contract of Marriage was perfected at Langeais in Touraine the sixteenth of December and the Nuptials consummated the same Day By the Contract either of the Parties in case of Death did reciprocally yeild up all the Rights each of them had to the Dutchy and the King made a Separate Treaty with the Estates of that Country for the Preservation of their Laws and their Priviledges Some time before this Marriage was spoken of the great Authority of the Dame de Beaujeu diminished a little and gave way to the favour of some of the young King 's Domestick Officers which she did the more cheerfully undergoe because her Husband was become Duke of Bourbon by the decease of John his eldest Brother which hapned in 1488. Year of our Lord 1490. And 1491. The young King now become Master of his own Will and Desires did endeavour to form himself to Goodness by his own inclination addicting his Mind to the Study and Reading useful Books and delighting in the Conversation of knowing Men as much as his former neglected Education and narrow Breeding could give him Light to do but the flattering Courtiers to whose Humors a wise serious Prince proves but a
a long time in this Age and retired to Lyons where he Died in Anno 1419. The Cardinal Dailly Peter de Versailles Bishop of Meaux Thomas de Courcelles Canon of Amiens a powerful and most admirable man for his Doctrine but yet more valuable for his modesty who drew divers of the Decrees of the Council of Basil William Forteon and Stephen de Bruslefer of the Order of St. Francis John Siret Prior General of the Carmelites Martin Magistri Doctor of Sorbonne and William Chartier Bishop of Paris who was maintained in the Schools by Charles VII And was a Good and Holy Man and a great Clerk Amongst the Curious in humane Learning I find Alain Chartier Brother of William out of whose mouth proceeded so many good Sayings and grave Sentences that Margaret Stuard Lewis the Dauphins Wife finding him one Day fast asleep in a Hall where she was passing thorow with her Train would needs do him the Honour to bestow a kiss upon him I find one Charles Ferdinand who being Born blind gave himself nevertheless so much to Study that he acquired a great deal of Reputation for his knowledge in Humane Learning in Philosophy and in Divinity He took on him the Habit of St. Bennet in the Abbey de la Couture at Manse There was likewise Judocus Badius Famous for many of his Commentaries John Bouteiller advocat in Parliament Author of the Somme Rurale Robert Gaguin General of the Order of the Mathurins Library-keeper to Charles VII and after sent on divers Embassies John de Rely Bishop of Anger 's who was Confessor to Charles VIII and harangued at the Estates of Tours for the three Orders Octavian de Saint Gelais of the illustrious Family of Lusignan who was Bishop of Angoulesme and began somewhat to Purge and Beautify our French Poetry I may add Peter Reuclin and Picus Mirandolus without borrowing any thing from Germany or Italy since themselves in their Writings own they had drank in that Fountain of all Arts and Sciences our University Trithemius relates that in the year 1456. there came a young Spaniard thither named Ferrand de Cordule Doctor in Divinity who astonished the whole University by his prodigious Learning for he knew all Aristotle by rote together with all the Law-Books also Hippocrates Gallen the principal Commentators on all those Authors the Greek the Latin the Hebrew the Arabian and the Caldean Languages Judicial Astrology much sought into and Studied but very little understood was in vogue and had great access in the Closets of King Charles VII and Lewis the XI Seven or Eight of their Prognosticks are to be seen concerning each of those Kings and 't is affirmed but perhaps not till after the events that they did foretel several particulars that came to pass The most Famous of them was Angelo Catto a Native of the Dutchy of Tarentum whom Lewis XI made Arch-Bishop of Vienne The Author of the Memoirs of his Life writes that going to King Lewis XI who was then hearing Mass at Tours he foretold the defeat and Death of Charles Duke of Burgundy the very day it happened at Nancy But if that had been true Philip de Comines who Dedicates his Memoirs to him would never have omitted it Printing was brought to Paris about the year 1470. by three Germans Martin Vlric and Michael very able men in that new Art In the beginning they used Characters that imitated writing Hand then Square or Roman Letters and some time after the Gothique or Lombard Letters and at last they came to the Italick and Roman Character Physick was likewise Cultivated with more success then formerly The Doctors of that Faculty knowing that an Archer of Bagnolet very much subject to the Gravel was condemned to Death for some Crime Petitioned the King that he might be put into their hands to try an experiment whether they could cut him and draw forth the Stone or Calculuos matter Their operation Succeeded very happily and the Archer survived a long time after in good and perfect Health During this whole Age France did not furnish the Church with any one Canonised Saint but there were many Illustrious Prelats The most remarkable of those that wore the Sacred Purple were Peter Dailly Grand Maistre of the Colledge of Navarre then Bishop of Cambray John de Roquetaillade Cardinal Arch-Bishop of Rouen Vice-Chancellor to the Pope and his Legat at Boulogne Renold de Chartres Arch-Bishop of Reims William d'Estouteville who was Legat in France and reformed the University Peter de Foix Arch-Bishop of Arles who had been of the Order of St. Francis Lewis d'Albret Bishop of Cahors who was named the delight of the'Sacred Colledge John Joffredy Bishop of Arras then of Alby John de Balue Bishop of Euvreux and William Briconnet Bishop of St. Malo's who all signalized themselves in the greatest affairs the six first being of noble Parentage and rare Learning Joffredi and la Balue of mean Birth that Son of a Peasant and this of a Taylor in Saintonge the former considerable however for his Erudition but la Balue only by his Intreagues and his Fourberies The Cardinal de Foix was he that founded the Famous Colledge bearing his name at Thoulouse with five and twenty Bourses to maintain Scholars We have had a very Learned Prelat from thence whose name will be sufficiently made known to all posterity without expressing it here Amongst the Bishops we may observe James and John des Vrsins Brothers and Successively Arch-Bishops of Reims Martin Gouge Son of an Inhabitant of Bourges who was Bishop of Clermont and to ennoble himself assumed the name de Charpagnes These three lived in the time of Charles VII whose affairs Martin administred and held the Seals till the time of his Death which happened in Anno 1444. Andrew Espinay Arch-Bishop of Bourdeaux had great Credit and Employments under Lewis XI Lewis d'Amboise Bishop of Alby John de Rely of Anger 's and Octavian de Saint Gelais of Angoulesme heretofore mentioned were considerable to Charles VIII The Clergy were but little vexed with Tenths during this fifteenth Age as well for the great respect which Charles VII had for the Church as because things were as yet so uncertain that the Pope who had ever raised them at discretion could no longer do it without the Kings consent nor the King without the Popes permission or allowance which neither of them did willingly grant to each other However in time they found out an expedient to share the Dole between them and strick the Ball very regularly each in his turn LEWIS XII Surnamed The JUST AND THE Father of the People King LVI Aged XXXVI Years compleat POPES ALEXANDER 5 years during this Reign PIUS III. Elected the 22th of September 1503. S. 26 Days JULIUS II. Elected the last day of October in the year 1503. S. 9 years and 4 Months LEO X. Elected the 11th of March 1513. S. 8 years and near 9 Months whereof one year and
make a Peace with the King Ferdinand and the Venetians having brought him a little to heart again he fell to practise his wonted Artifice which was to amuse the King with Propositions of an Accommodation and to engage the Queen to act who by Motives of Conscience Caresses Intrigues and Importunities often disarm'd him and made him relent With this his trouble in Mind occasioned by the death of his Nephew the misunderstanding which arose between the Cardinal Sanseverin who was Legate and la Palice who had the Title of General the little obedience the other French Captains yielded to this last and the ill-timed good Husbandry or sparingness of the Treasurer Pay-Master to the Army did not only render that Victory fruitless but occasioned the loss of the Dutchy of Milan For the Treasurer disbanded a considerable part of the Forces and la Palice left Sanseverin but six thousand Foot and a thousand Horse and led the rest into Milan There being encamped at Pontevica a Place proper to relieve Milan Cremona Bress and Bergamo four thousand Lansquenets which made up two thirds of his Infantry and had been raised in the Territories of the House of Austria were recalled by the Emperor Maximilian at that instant when the Swiss were entring into that Country In few Words the French reduced to two or three thousand Men did wholly abandon all Milanois Maximilian Sforza was restored to that Dutchy by the Year of our Lord 1512 Swiss who declared themselves Protectors of it The City of Genoa revolted and created a Duke which was Janus Fregosa Almost at the same time the King of England sent a Herauld to declare a War against the King and the Emperor who had so often protested never to seperate from him forsook him and knit a new Alliance with Julius Amidst this rout amongst the French the Council of Pisa who were retired to Milan made their escape to Lyons During the time they had been at Milan they held four or five Sessions in which the Fathers had Summond Julius to name some free Place for the Council and to meet there in Person to justifie himself had declared him suspended of the Papal Administration and forbid to pay him Obedience The Council of Latran much more numerous and better authorized thundred with more force especially after the Emperor had owned them In their third Session which was upon a Friday the sixteenth of November a Bull was read which condemned the Council of Pisa their Abettors and Adherents and confirmed the Excommunications and Degradations which Julius had fulminated against the Cardinals and Bishops who composed it As also their Letters Monitorie of the fourteenth of August whereby he put the Kingdom of France under interdiction excepting the Dutchy of Burgundy and tranferr'd the Faires from Lyons to Geneva In the Fourth which was the eleventh of December there was read a Decree which adjourned the King and the Prelates Chapters and Parliaments to appear before him within sixty Days and to shew their Reasons why Year of our Lord 1512 they would not have the Pragmatick Sanction abrogated The Lure which King Ferdinand had made use of to engage the Young King of England his Son-in-Law in a War against France was the Promise he had made him to assist him with all his Forces to conquer Guyenne Upon this assurance the English by the end of May landed a great Army near Fontarabia but Ferdinand had of a long time formed the design of conquering Navarre so that in stead of joyning with him he falls upon that unhappy Kingdom nothing concerned in the Quarrel and took occasion upon the apprehensions of their Army to invade it the more securely and easily Year of our Lord 1512 King John d'Albret had not dar'd to arm himself for fear of giving him that Pretence he desired to oppress him So that as soon as he appeared on the Frontiers he coward-like retired into Bearn and abandon'd the whole Kingdom to him excepting only some Fortresses When Ferdinand had usurped Navarre he sought out some Title to it that he might still hold it He could find no other but the right of War and a Bull of the Popes which left it as a Prey to the first Occupier because John said he Year of our Lord 1512 was an Abettor of the Council of Pisa and an Ally of the King of France Enemy to the Holy See But as to the right of War unless they mean the Force ✚ or Power of the Sword which gives no right but amongst the Barbarians Ferdinand had none at all since John had no way wronged him and was so far from taking Arms against him that on the contrary he proffer'd him free Passage thorow his Kingdom And as to the other Point that Bull so much alledged is no where to be found but could it be produced it could give no right to a Crown which is held only from God and if it could give any it was published say the Spaniards in the Month of July and the Invasion was made in June Which is to chop off a Man's Head and then pronounce his Sentence The Succors which the King sent to John his Ally being ill conducted did him no Service The Duke of Longueville Governor of Guyenne and Charles Duke of Bourbon who commanded them could not agree The King sent Francis Duke of Valois thither His Authority stifled their Discord he entred into Navarre in dispite of the Duke of Alva who was encamped at Saint John's de Pied de Port and laid Siege to Pampelonna but the want of Provisions and Inconveniences of the Season constrained him to De-Camp at the end of six Weeks Ferdinand having reaped what Fruit he could hope for by this War did willingly make a Truce with the King About these Times began the Reign of the Cherifs in Affrica by one Mahomet Benhemet who saying he was descended of the Blood of his Great Prophet and having Sanctified himself in the Opinion of the People by a tedious and long Solitude animated them with a furious Zeal to Make War upon the Christians and those Moors that had made Alliance with them and by the help and means of his two Sons conquer'd the Kingdoms of Fez of Morocco and of â—remissen Year of our Lord 1513 The wrath of Julius had no bounds he had framed a Decree in the Name of the Council to transfer the Kingdom of France and the Title of Most Christian to the King of England When he was just on the Point of publishing it the Heavens taking pitty of him and of all Christendom called him cut of the World the three and twentieth of February He died of a lingring slow Feaver contracted as they said thorow Grief for that he could not persuade or incline the Venetians to make an Agreement with the Emperor So violent were his Passions much fitter for a Turkish Sultan then the common Father of all Christians Year of our Lord 1513 The Cabal of Young Cardinals having observed
Party And the King spared the Lives of some who were so only out of Interest The Montmorencies Cossé and Biron were in the black List but Montmorency's absence he being at Chantilly secured the Lives of his Three Brothers the Prayers and Tears of the beautiful Chasteau-neuf Monsieurs Mistriss saved Cossé his Allie and Biron Great Master of the Ordnance having loaded and levell'd or appointed some Culverins at the Gate of the Arsenal stopt the impetuous Torrent of the Massacrers and let in some of his distressed Friends amongst others James second Son of the Lord de la Force who being then but Ten or Twelve years old had craftily hid himself between his Fathers and his Eldest Brothers Corps Murther'd in bed where they all three lay together When the Admiral was kill'd they threw his Body down into the Court the Duke of Guise who stood below wiped the Blood off which cover'd his Face to know if it were he After that an Italian cut off his Head and carried it to the Queen Mother who causing it to be Embalm'd sent it to the Pope as the Huguenots say The Populace fell upon the unhappy trunck of his Body They first cut off the Hands and Privities then left it on a Dunghil in the afternoon they return to it again dragg'd it three dayes about the Streets then to the River side yet did not throw it in and at last to Montfaucon where they hung it up by the Feet with an Iron Chain and made a Fire underneath which half consumed it This miserable Relick hung there till the Mareschal de Montmorency got some to steal it away in a very dark Night and laid it to rest in his Chappel at Chantilly About Noon on the Sunday the Massacre first began a white-thorn growing in the Church-Yard called Sainct Innocents half wither'd and stript of all its Leaves put forth great store of Blossomes This wonder much heightned the phrensie of the People the Fraternities Marched along with Drums beating and strove who should Massacre most Huguenots in a day the King himself would needs see that Prodigy Most People would have it to be a Miracle and those of either Religions interpreted it to their own advantage The less creduloâ—s attributed it to the nature of the Tree which does many times Blossom when ready to die We might say that the same cause which heated the Peoples Brains and excited them to so much violence and fury was that which heated this Tree likewise whether proceeding from Vapours out of the Earth or the Influence of the Stars and Planets from above It had been resolved in the King and Queens most private Council to charge the Guises with all the Malice and Odium of these Massacres and report that the Admirals Friends intending to revenge the hurt he had received it begot so furious a Sedition that the King could not allay or hinder it and to this effect they had agreed and appointed that they should retire to their own homes as soon as ever the Chiefs of the Huguenots were dispatched Upon this Foot the King had written to all the Governours of Provinces commanding them to assure the People he would not break thâ— Edict of Pacification and in one Letter he said expresly That he was joyned with the King of Navarre and the Prince of Condé to revenge the death of the Admiral his Cousin But the Guises apprehending as they had reason lest the Queen Mother should some time or other lay this Crime to their charge to ruine them insisted so resolutely upon it having the power in their own hands the Catholick Nobility the Duke of Montpensier and the Parisians to back them that they obliged him to change his Note and to send word every where That what had been done was by his Order to prevent the effects Year of our Lord 1572 of that detestable Conspiracy the Admiral and his Friends had plotted to destroy him and all the Royal Family as also the King of Navarre and the Prince of Condé Wherefore upon Tuesday the Third day of the Massacre after hearing of Mass to return solemn thanks to God for the precious Victory obtained over Heresie and commanded Medals should be Coyned to preserve the Memory thereof he went and sat on his Royal Seat of Justice in Parliament where he owned the whole Action Some dayes after he sent orders to that Assembly to employ all the Authority of the Law to justifie it and to that end to proceed immediately without delay to make Process against the Admiral and his accomplices month September and October For this a Chamber or Court was purposely set up during the Vacation by whose Sentence the Admiral was declared Attainted and Convict of the Crime de Lesae Majestatis Chief Head and principal Author of a Conspiracy against the King and his Kingdom ordained that his Body if it could be found if not his Effigies should be drawn upon a Hurdle and hanged upon a Gaâ—lows at the Greve from thence carried to the Gibbet at Mont-faucon all Pictures of him to be mangled and trampled under Foot by the Hang-man his Armes dragged at a Horses Tail about the Streets of Paris his Estate Confiscated his Children declared Plebean and Ignoble Intestable and unworthy to hold any Office Dignity or Estate in the Realm his House of Chastillon razed and an Inscription set up there graved on a Copper Plate containing this whole Sentence and Decree against him It was added that from thence forward upon the Four and Twentieth day of August should be yearly observed a general Procession to render thanks to God for the discovery of that Conspiracy Briquemaut an old Gentleman and Arnaud de Cavagnes a Master of Requests and Chancellour of the Cause being taken after the Butchery in a House where they a while concealed themselves were declared his accomplices and Condemned to the same punishment They were drawn upon a Sledge to the Greve and Executed together with his Fantosme made of Straw in the Mouth of which they did not forget to stick a Tooth-picker The King and Queen Mother stood at a Window in the Town-Hall and beheld the Execution through a Tiffany Vail Two dayes after the King had been in Parliament he put forth an Edict whereby he assured the Huguenots that what had been done was not in hatred to their Religion but to prevent the wicked designes of the Admiral and therefore that every one of them should keep quietly in his own abode and not make any publick Assemblies but at the same time he wrote to the Governors of the Provinces and Cities that they should take the very same Course and Treat them as they had been at Paris During two Months this horrible Tempest run over all France more or less Bloody according to the disposition of the Countries and their Governours It was not so violent in Burgundy and Bretagne because there were few Huguenots nor in Languedoc and Gascongne because they were strong
Vicounty d'Vzes in Languedoc for Anthony de Crussol As simply Dutchies the Vi-county of Toüars in Poitou for Lewis de la Trimouille the Seigneury of Roüanais for Claude Gouffier Boisy The same Vices of Wantonness Luxury Impiety and Magical Abominations which reigned under Henry II. triumphed over Charles IX with an uncontrouled Licence But besides those Disorders Treacheries Poisonings and Assassinates became so common that it was made a Sport to take away the life of any man if they could reap but the least advantage by it I do not speak of that Murthering and Bloody Spirit which had possess'd the Minds of men divided in Opinions of Religion Before this Reign it was wont to be the Man's part both by Example and Courtship to persuade and tempt the Women to Galanteries but now since amorous intrigues were joyned with the greatest Mysteries of State the Women ran after the Men The Husbands laid the Bridle in their Necks either out of Complaisance or Interest and besides those that delighted in Variety found their own Satisfaction in this liberty which instead of one Wife furnished them with an Hundred As to Magick it is certain the Queen Mother had puzled her Brain with those impious Curiosities She was so fond as to wear Characters and Spells about her There are some yet preserved in being which are marked upon a thin Skin supposed to be of a Still-born Child People of vain and light Fancies were easily inclined to follow her example A Priest named des Eschéles who was Executed at the Grove for having conversed with Evil Spirits accused Twelve hundred more of the same Crime So sayes my Author I know not whether we may believe him for such as have once filled their heads with these Crude and Melancholy Imaginations thinks every little Trick to be the Operation of Demons and Sorcerers Interregnum of Three Months Year of our Lord 1574 SO soon as King Charles his Eyes were closed up by the cold hand of Death the Queen Mother wrote to all the Governors that he had left her the Regency and obliged even the Duke of Alencon though a Captive as he then was to give his Declaration But it was admired that in a Post-script she gave an account of the Sickness and Death of the King saying She did thus to take away all such Scruples as some might have conceived The same day she dispatched a Courier into Poland and the next day a second to give notice thereof to her Dear Son and intreat him earnestly to return as soon as he possibly could Those from the Prince of Condé had got the start of hers and given so hot an Alarm at Cracovia that the King being narrowly observed it might be thought no easie task to steal away from so many Eyes as were upon him The Queen Mother in the mean time was put to no little trouble to preserve her Authority amidst that great Confusion of Affairs and the general Hatred of all Men. Her Enemies having lost all respect together with their fears defamed her with biting Satyrs the People talked insolently of her Conduct and these Universal Murmurings made it plainly appear that all were ready to run open mouth upon her Notwithstanding all this loud noise did not much startle her she having the Heads of every Faction in her Power and Custody The Mareschals were strongly guarded in the Bastille by City Companies who every day relieved each other And for the two Princes she had removed them from the Bois de Vincennes to the Louvre where she not only secur'd them by Soldiers who carefully watched their Motions and by Windows double barr'd about all their Lodgings but also by the Charms of her beauteous Maids into whose Apartment they had liberty of access at all hours to make their Chains seem the lighter and the time of their Captivity less tedious and rude Matignon had with much regret put Montgommery into her hands the Parliament was commanded to make his Process The Death of King Henry II. which she desired to revenge upon this Noble-man was rather his Misfortune than his Crime what he had acted during the three Civil Wars was pardoned by the Edicts of Pacification so that they could charge him with nothing but this his last taking up of Arms nevertheless in his Sentence they added That it was for carrying the English Colours when he came to relieve Rochel He was Condemned to be Drawn in a Tumbrel to the Greve and there to lose his Head his Posterity to be degraded of their Nobility month June c. They put him to cruel Torment on the Rack to make him discover the Complices in the pretended Conspiracy of the Admiral The Tortures could force nothing from him but Complaints for having violated the Faith they had given him He went to Execution all over bruised in his Body but with so Serene a Countenance and such Tranquility of Mind as would have merited much Commendation in a better Cause and Pity for any one that had been less Cruel This great example of Severity was rather to intimidate the factious about the Court than the Huguenots for after the Saint Bartholomew nothing could frighten them The Juncture was very favorable but they had no Princes nor Persons of Quality to Head them they wanted Money and the People in their great Cities as Nismes Montauban and Rochel would not confide in the Nobility And to say truth most of the Gentry sought but to be hired if they could but have Money enough bid for their Service She did not think fit to attaque them towards Poitou nor Guyenne they being there too numerous and strong but she renewed some Negociations with la Noüe and their other Chiefs which concluded in a Truce for the Months of July and August During that time they had leave to hold at Millaud a general Assembly of the Provinces of Guyenne Daufiné and Languedoc to consult of some Expedients for the Treating of a general Peace Gramont had been sent into Bearn to reduce it to the ancient Religion Being in the Castle of Haguenau where he assembled the Nobility the young Baron of Arros surprized him there in the boldest manner that can be possibly imagined This Gentleman prompted to so desperate an Undertaking by the Persuasions of Year of our Lord 1574 his Father who was Fourscore years of old and Blind entred the Castle as did the other Gentlemen with Ten or Twelve resolute Fellows and when he saw his opportunity falls a Charging all that stood before him slew scatter'd and made the amazed Crowd to fly and carried off Gramont Prisoner The Army of the Prince Daufin being entred into Daufiné a Party of his Van-Guard was cut off at the Bridge de Royans by Montbrun who afterwards failed in an Enterprize upon Die The Prince Daufin had a Design to clear that Country of all those Places the Huguenots held there he gained two or three of them then ran himself aground before Livron
return of the Duke of Mayenne who seemed loath to enter upon this matter let slip some Sessions without any proceedings then adjourned the Conference for eight days notwithstanding a Truce or Suspension was agreed for ten days At first a difficulty arose which had like to break off all those of the League would not suffer that Rambouillet should be present because the Dutchess of Guise accused him of having a hand in the death of her Husband Rambouillet on the contrary insisted upon his staying since he was come fearing lest his exclusion should imply a tacit owning of what they charged him with and the Blood of that Prince be required of him and his Posterity He therefore positively denied the Fact and offer'd to purge himself by Oath upon which the Deputies of his Party stood up so resolutely for him that he was not excluded It is very remarkable that the King having heard how some did even charge him with that death took the pains to write a Discourse which was perused by the chiefest ☞ of that Assembly wherein he shewed he never was the Author of so tragical and so cursed a Council He instanced amongst other things that the late King telling him how a great Man who pushed him on to do that action had in a Letter written to him on that Subject put in these four Latine words MORS CONRADINI VITA CAROLI He the King of Navarre replied in the presence of many Persons of Honour still living Yes but Sir this Party has not told you all the History for the death of Conradin was the ruine of Charles For the particulars of what passed in the Conference at Surene they are to be seen in the Records that are published The Archbishop of Lyons and he of Bourges made very Eloquent Discourses on either side to shew the one that they could not acknowledge an Heretical prince the other that they ought to obey him and this last summoned the Leagued Catholicks to joyn with them for instructing and converting the King but these stood stiff not to receive nor have any communication with him till he were truly converted and the Pope had received him into the bosom of the Church This Resolution express'd with great freedom and assurance brought over that Prince who wavered before in so much as he gave his positive word he would become a Convert to those Princes and Lords that were about him and demanded a Conference for his instruction to which he invited all the most learned of his own Party and of those for the League to meet the Fifteenth of July Not that he pretended the performance of his promise should depend upon that but only as a ceremony and form becoming such an Act. Year of our Lord 1593 It was time he should speak plain for the Estates some days before having made a month June solemn Procession were preparing for the election of a King and if the Spaniards had then made the Proposition which they did a Month after in behalf of the Duke of Guise it is most certain that all had gone that way even in despite of the Duke of Mayenne for he had not yet made his Faction strong enough as having been too long employ'd at Rheims He was newly come from thence very melancholy and dissatisfied with the Princes of his own House who were more vex'd with him so that they had parted as irresolv'd and as much dis-united as ever each of them with vast and confused thoughts and very little abilities to put them in execution Nevertheless there was enough to console him for his misfortunes had he known how to improve the opportunity for the King apprehending the Estates might nominate one before himself were Converted offer'd to give him then the same advantages the Spaniards promis'd him only for the future He had no other aim when he consented to the Conferences but only to amuse the Royalists but the event was quite contrary it gave the King great advantage The Seize on the one hand and the Huguenots on the other did in vain endeavour to interrupt them they were too much engaged from Surene they were transfer'd to la Raquete then to la Villette They ended and broke up in this latter place because the Leaguers would conclude on nothing more but that they referred the judgment of the Reduction of the King to the Authority of his Holiness who only said they had the power of opening the Gates of the Church to him and the other rejected this Proposition because that would be to submit the Crown of France to the disposal of the Pope During the time these Conferences held the suspension of Arms was continued and brought the People to an absolute longing after Peace The King having observed this effect would allow it no farther but for three days but in exchange offer'd a Truce of six Months The Legat and Spaniards expressing great aversion to it the Duke of Mayenne durst not accept of it The Spaniards on their side having already suffer'd the Spirits of their Party to grow cool in the Estates disgusted them wholly by their odious Propositions for Mendozze labour'd to prove the right of the Infanta and to demonstrate that the Crown appertained to her His discourse was very unacceptable Feria afterwards imagining that they had rejected it because the French abhorred the Government of a Woman caused Tassis to propound that the Catholick King would Marry the Infanta to the Arch-Duke Ernest who should Reign joyntly with her as if it would not have been more eligible to admit of one Stranger to sit in the Throne of France then to crowd two in at the same time Year of our Lord 1593 The Nobility having referr'd it to the Duke of Mayenne to make him such answer month June as he should think fit the Duke gave him to understand that the Fundamental Laws of the Kingdom could not allow of a Stranger That nevertheless the Estates to testifie their acknowledgments to the Catholick King desired he would take it well they should elect some French Prince and that he would be pleased to honour them with his Alliance by the Marriage of the Infanta to him Now after the Spaniards had spent some days in deliberating on this Proposition Feria replied by the Mouth of Tassis that the King his Master would furnish them with all the assistance they should desire provided the Infanta were declared Queen upon this condition she should Marry one of the French Princes whom that King should chuse the House of Lorrain therein comprehended This Overture dazled most of the Deputies and if at that time the Ministers of Spain without so many Ceremonies had but named one the Assembly would have agreed to it but whilst they were standing upon their gravity and expected to be courted to what did n◠in any wise belong to them this opportunity slipt thorough their Fingers Three Princes aspired to this nomination the Duke of Nemours and the Duke of Guise
Pope resumed the Purple and assisted cloathed in that manner at the Act of the Majority of the King in the Parliament of Rouen whereat the Pope was so incensed that he publickly pronounced the Sentence and caused it to be affixed in the Markets of Rome and afterwards dispersed all over Europe But as for the Queen of Navarre the Kings Council considering the consequences of suffering a Princess to be dispoyled who was related to the King and that her Husband died fighting in defence of the Catholick Religion that her Case would be a prejudgment against all Crowned Heads and that this Chastisement would turn less to the advantage of Religion then to the profit of the King of Spain who from thence would take an opportunity to invade her Countrey made such effectual Remonstrances to the Pope by the mout h of Henry Clutin-Doysel his Ambassador that the Citation given against this Queen was revoked As for the Bishops the Cardinal de Lorrain having likewise informed the Pope that it was against the Rights and usage of the Gallican Church to suffer their Process to be made at first instance at Rome it stop'd that business for th e present but five years after Pius V. taking advantage of the weakness of the Kingdom to extend his own Authority pronounced a like Sentence against them as that which had been thundred against the Cardinal de Chastillon and caused it to be published in France The Rebellion of the Huguenots produced the Faction of the League the example of their Confederations with Forreign Princes authorised also the measures these took with Spain The proceedings of both Parties were almost the same at first they affected a strict Discipline then after a little while they fell into all manner of Licentiousness Their Pulpiteers and their Libellers were equally insolent and Factious they employed the same Maxims and used the same Language and Arguments against Soveraign Authority which they attacked and for the Liberty of the Subjects and of Conscience to those whom they Debauched In like manner both the one and the other when they found they were in such extremities they could not possibly extricate themselves by ordinary means suborned Assassines to help them out but all who made use of those cursed means perished by a like fate For as Poltrot murther'd Francis Duke of Guise so the Son of that Duke kill'd the Admiral the Quarante-cinq Massacred this Prince at Blois and those whose hands were stained in his Blood did most of them come to a Bloody end the wrath of Heaven punishing the first by the second and these by a third who were so too by others Which had gone on to infinity if the Clemency of King Henry IV. had not put a stop to those Murthers which necessarily trod upon the heels of one another The first Lineaments of the League were traced in Guyenne and in Languedoc during the first Civil War when there was danger lest the Huguenots should make themselves absolute Masters of those two large Provinces In the year 1585. Humieres with the Nobless in his Government of Vermandois formed one at Peronne and Lewis de la Trimouille another in Poitoü The House of Guise labour'd hard to collect and joyn them all together especially after the Death of the Duke of Anjou Not perhaps that those Princes were then pushed on with the ambition of usurping the Crown as they have been accused but because they were so by the Natural desire of self-preservation For the Physicians assuring them that Henry III. could not live long they justly feared when he should be no more to be crushed either by his Favourites betwixt whom he had a mind to share his Kingdom or by the Huguenots whose hatred against their Family could not be satiated with less then the blood of all those Princes therefore it was they so provided and Fore-Arm'd themselves lest they should remain exposed to the Mercy both of the one and the other It is probable the Forces they afterwards got into their hands by the Confluence of such potent Party 's both from within and without the Kingdom might inspire them with thoughts that were both more high and more Criminal though it would be yet a much more easie task to find credible Conjectures then an certai n or convincing Proofs of it The Pope the Sorbonne the Jesuits and almost all the new Religious Orders contributed with all their might to form the League But yet their Credit would never have been sufficient to maintain it if the People had not been so very ill used as they then were and if the burthen of the Imposts the Insolence of the Favourites the Weaknesses and scandalous Manners of Henry III. had not given them both an aversion and contempt for the Government The Duke of Nevers began it out of zeal and then disowned it out of jealousie Father Claude Matthieu a Jesuite was the first Courier for them Gregory XIII fomented it Sixtus V. approved and protected it Some will needs have that the former contributed to the Conspiracy of Salcede as the latter excommunicated the King of Navarre and the Prince of Condé Anno 1585. After the Barricades he wrote to the Duke of Guise comparing him to the Machabees and gave him notice he had Created a Legat a Latere this was John Francis Morosini to whom the Cardinal de Bourbon and himself should communicate all their designs The Death of this Prince murther'd at Blois gave him much Year of our Lord 1588 grief that of the Cardinal de Guise and the detention of the Arch-Bishop of Lyons furnished him with a pretext of revenging it with the Anathemaes of the Church His Monitory against King Henry III. was published the four and twentieth of May affixed in the usual places at Rome the same Day and on the Gates of the Cathedral Churches of Meaux and Chartres the three and twentieth of June If the Relations we have of those times are true this Pope was even transported with joy upon the news he received of the Assassination of the said Prince and highly applauded the act of Jacques Clement in the Consistory comparing it to the most glorious Mysteries of Christianity and to the generosity of the most glorious and Illustrious Martyrs He thought after this change he was bound openly to take in hand the defence of Religion and to hinder Henry IV. from getting into the Throne so long as he remained out of the Church He therefore sent the Cardinal Caetan Legate a Latere to the Duke of Mayenne Upon this occasion the Members of Parliament who were remaining still at Paris and those that had withdrawn themselves to Tours being directly opposite acted after a quite different manner but with alike heat the one for the Pope the others for the King The Sorbon refused nothing to the intreaties of the League and the desires of his Holiness in an Affair that concerned Religion It is not unknown what Year of