the King in case he would surrender them which being denied they acknowledged Edward to be King of France and gave him their Oaths of Fidelity then did he begin to take that Title upon him in all publick Acts and to put the Flowers-de-Lys in his Coat of Arms and in his Seals However I find that the year before he had by a Declaration forbid any to call Philip by the name of King of France but only Earl of Valois Year of our Lord 1339 Having shortly after passed over into England to recruit himself with Money there was nothing done in all this year but sacking or plundering and some skirmishes that were not decisive In the mean time the King by his Craft and Money together had found means to take the Emperour off from the English Interest Insomuch as he repeated his Title of Vicar of the Empire which he had sold at so dear a rate to him Year of our Lord 1340 But whatever skill they did make trial of in tampering with the Flemmings they could not be brought over again and their Earl not daring to return into that Countrey nor put any trust in Artevelle kept himself within l'Isle The Pope upon the Kings request had put their Countrey under Interdict and all their Priests obey'd very exactly which did at first cause a great consternation but the King of England sent some that were less scrupulous amongst them who opened the Churches and officiated boldly Year of our Lord 1340 The Duke of Normandy this was John the eldest Son of Philip after he had made strange havock in Hainault laid Siege to the Castle of Thin-l'Evesque on the Sambre because it did much incommode the City of Cambray The French and Flemmish Armies were there once more near each other but the Flemmish now withdrew themselves without blows the besieged observing their retreat set fire to the place and made their escape As soon as the King of England had recruited himself with Money and Men he came and landed a Second time at Scluse and overthrew the French Fleet that lay Year of our Lord 1340 upon that coast in wait thinking to hinder his attempt The discord between their Admirals there were two of them was the main cause of their defeat Year of our Lord 1340 This advantage having abated the edge of their courage King Philip retired and distributed his Army in the several Garrisons The King of England sent to defie him in single combat one to one or else a hundred on either side or both Armies in a pitch'd battle He was answer'd That a Lord accepts of no challenge from his Vassal Some days after he besieges Tournay which was reduc'd to great distress but the long and vigorous defence of the besieged saved the place by the Truce that was then made Year of our Lord 1340 Mean time the Flemmings were cut in pieces before St. Omers Robert d'Artois who Commanded them was not only in danger of losing his Life there but afterwards being pursued by the Populace who cry'd out he had betray'd them was forced much wounded as he was to make his escape to the King of England Year of our Lord 1340 The French Garrisons were drawn together in a Body to relieve Tournay Philip had made divers attempts for that purpose had lost all hopes of succeeding in it when on the suddain Edward condescends to a Truce whether by the mediation of the Widdow Jane Countess of Hainault who was his Sister and Mother of the Queen of England at that time retired to the Convent of Fontenelles or as Villain tells it because of the desertion of the Duke of Brabant whom the King had gained by his Money and besides being unwilling that City should fall into the English hands went away from them with all his Forces It was to last from the Twentieth of September to the Five and twentieth of June following and was again prolonged at an Assembly which shortly after was held at Arras upon the earnest desires of the Popes Legats Year of our Lord 1341 John II. Duke of Bretagne dying this year 1341. upon his return from Flanders whither he had attended the King that War which he so much apprehended broke out in his Countrey and kept it in a flame for two and twenty years space For John Earl of Montfort being very liberal of those Treasures he had in Limoges secur'd himself of the best Soldiers and of the Cities of Brest Nantes Rennes Hennebond and Avray Then foreseeing his Antagonist would have recourse to the King of France his Uncle he goes over into England where he contracted a secret Alliance with Edward and also did homage to him Year of our Lord 1341 During this progress Charles de Blois comes unto the King as to his Sovereign Lord. The Dutchy was a Fief of the Crown of France ever since the Dukes Peter de Mauclere and John le Roux his Son had acknowledged it to be held of the Crown and moreover it was a Pairrie Philip the Fair having grac'd it with that Title in Anno 1277. in recompence for that John II. had brought him Ten thousand Men to the Siege of Courâ—ray Besides both of the contenders had presented their Petitions to the King to be admitted to do homage which no doubt but either of them would have performed in any manner required and for this reason the King Year of our Lord 1341 referr'd it to the judgment of the Pairs who caused both parties to be summon'd to make out their Right and Titles The Duke of Bretagne appeared but finding by the very first words the King spake to him that not only his Cause but likewise his Person was in danger he makes his escape one fair night into Bretagne with three more himself disguised like a Merchant â—aving left all his Officers at Paris who put a good face upon it as if their Master were not sled but kept his Bed for some indisposition The better to cover his evasion he left a procuration with one of his people to act and carry on this Cause before the King and Pairs and produce what Deeds and Papers were necessary to maintain his Right His adversary had done the same but either of them notwithstanding without power of concluding on any thing but only for debating and putting their Arguments and Titles into a method to instruct the Judges Year of our Lord 1341 Upon these imperfect proceedings the Pairs received Charles de Blois to homage and threw out Montfords Petition Immediately Charles and his friends were putting themselves into a posture to execute the Decree the Duke of Normandy entred into Bretagne with an Army and having forced Chantoceaux besieged Nantes where Montford had shut up himself The Nantois terrified at the misfortune of Two hundred of their Burghers taken in a Salley obliged Montford to surrender himself to the Duke who sent him to Paris where he was confined to the great Tower of the Lovre Thus one
affectionate to the Princesses which hapned the Sixth day of January in the year 1386. Year of our Lord 1386 The same year the Widow-Queen and her Daughter going into the Countrey fell into the hands of Horvat Governour of Croatia one of King Charles's Partisans or Confederates who to revenge the death of his Master caused the Widow and the Murtherer Gato to be massacred He kept the Princess some time then sent her to Sigismund having first obliged her by all sorts of Oaths to pardon him Sigismund did not think himself bound by her promises and therefore having surprized him made him dye amidst a thousand torments Year of our Lord 1386 The news of Charles's Murther being brought into Italy Thomas de Sanseverin caused Lewis II. eldest Son of the deceased Duke of Anjou to be proclaimed King and Clement VII to be owned Pope Afterwards Marguerite the Widow of Charles being retired to Cajeta with Ladislaus or Lancelot her Son aged about Ten years he reduced almost the whole Kingdom and Naples it self Thus all things went on smoothly for Lewis till Mary de Blois his Mother and Governess having sent Clement de Montjoye Nephew to Pope Clement with the Title and Authority of Vice-Roy the Sanseverins thinking themselves under-valued were alienated from her Service and turned to Ladislaus Year of our Lord 1386 In the mean while Lewis was put into possession of Provence and invested with the Kingdom of Naples by Clement but it was not without great trouble before the Provensaux would acknowledge him the Kings Counsel themselves inciting them underhand to a Rebellion upon divers motives because they would have disposed them to give themselves up to France After Five or Six years Truces and petty Wars the Council resolved to attacque the English not in Guyenne only but even in their own Island For this end they made the most formidable preparations of Men Engines and Ships that ever yet were seen They bought up or hired all the Vessels they could light on from the Ports of Sweden to those in Flanders they built a City of Wood which was to be taken in pieces to shelter themselves upon their Landing The King went to Sluyce to take a view of his Army and Navy consisting in Nine hundred Vessels The Duke of Berry's envy and jealousie retarded the progress he would needs break the design because he was not the contriver In order to which he made them wait for him till the Fourteenth of September when the Seas began to appear un-navigable So the Forces drew off into Quarters part of this numerous Fleet were scattered by Tempests the English pickt up many that were wrack'd or stragled Year of our Lord 1386 There was no reason to trust the Duke of Bretagne too much because of his too many Obligations to the English and the consideration that their suppression must he his ruine wherefore they warily minded his actions but he to justify himself laid Siege to Brest which they yet held as a bridle to Bretagne The Constable assisted him in the undertaking the place was mightily streightned but when they were at the last gaspe the Duke of Lancaster who was going into Spain with great Forces made them raise the Siege The occasion of his voyage was this Ferdinand last King of Portugal had no Child but a Daughter born of a Lady whom he had taken from her Husband He caused this Girl to be owned as his presumptive Heyress as likewise the Mother had been owned Queen and married her to John King of Castille who was a Widower and had two Sons but when he died the principal Cities of Portugal apprehending the Castillan bondage had more mind to have a bastard Brother of Ferdinands for their King his Name was John Froissard names him Denis thorow a mistake instead of saying he was Grand Master of the Order D'Avis The fortune of the War was favourable to the Bastard he gained a Battle at Juberot against his adversaries the Castillans having out of an ugly jealousie suffer'd the Gascons and French to be defeated who took their part with above Eight thousand Men and then were afterwards themselves defeated Notwithstanding this advantage it was to be feared the Castillan would be able yet to crush them and therefore the Bastard sent to the Duke of Lancaster inviting him to come and pursue the right he had to the Kingdom of Castille as on the other hand the Castillian had recourse to France Year of our Lord 1386 The Duke of Lancaster passed therefore into those Countreys with a huge force conquer'd a part of Castille and struck such a terror into all the rest that King John made some overtures of Peace but he spun out the Treaty awhile expecting the French succours when he sound those did not come the Duke of Bourbon their Conductor marching very slowly he concluded the Treaty the Duke of Lancaster Sealed it by the Marriage of two of his Daughters one with the King of Portugal and the other with the Castillans eldest Son This little piece of Honour cost the English very dear the losses they suffer'd by contagious Sicknesses in Spain and afterwards by Storms in their return were so great that the Duke of Lancaster hardly carried home the sixth part of his Men and not one but in a languishing condition half dead with malady and pain At last by a just punishment from Heaven Charles the Wicked who had blown up so many flames and burnt so many entrails with his violent poysons was most cruelly burnt himself He had caused his Body to be wrapp'd all over with Sheets drenched in Spirit of Wine and Sulpher to corroborate the natural heat decay'd by his debauches this took fire I know not by what accident and broiled him to the very bones whereof he died three days after being the First of January in the year 1387. Charles called the Noble his Son succeeded him Year of our Lord 1387 The Constable Clisson and the Admiral John de Vienne had so fill'd the King's Head with the expedition for England that he makes another preparation to execute it this year The state of Affairs was very favourable all England was in combustion against King Richard because he had put mean and vile People into places of the highest Trust who bear all the sway which his Uncles could not endure nor indeed would they have the Power lodged in any other hands but their own Now when France was on the point of making advantage of these troubles the Duke of Bretagne either of intelligence with the English or without thinking of them was cause of interrupting the Enterprize this time as it had been formerly Clisson was then in Bretagne to dispatch the Forces that were at Treguier that they might go and joyn with those at Sluyce but at the same time he was Treating of the Marriage of one of his Daughters with John the Son of Charles de Blois whom he had purposely got out of the hands
his Death Seulfe Arch-Bishop of Rheims having had some contest with the Kindred of Hetto his Predecessor for having taken some Fiefs from them which they held of the Church was joyned with Hebert's Party to gain their protection and had made him a promise never to assent to any Election whatsoever but whom he pleased Year of our Lord 925 During the Reign of Rodolph of Lewes Transmarine â—nd Lotaire III. there was almost a continual War betwixt the French and the Germans for the Kingdom of Lorrain We shall mention only the great events It is certain that Rodolph reduced a great part thereof to his obedience Year of our Lord 924 They were fain this year 924. to make a Collection for the Normans as Charles the Bald had done several times partly by voluntary contribution the rest by way of a Tax The Duke of Aquitain William I. of that name the Son of Ebles did not submit himself so much as he ought to Rodolph he was obliged to turn his Sword that way William knowing his resolution advanced to the River of Loire which made the bounds of his Dutchy where after some negociations he passed the same and alighting came to Rodolph who embraced and kissed him sitting on Horse-back and the next day granted him a Truce for eight Which being expired the Duke did him Hommage and in requital had the City of Bourges and Berry restored which Rodolph had taken from him Year of our Lord 924 The Italians grown weary of Berenger bestowed the Soveraignty upon Rodolph II. King of Burgundy Trans-jurane Berenger taking no other counsel but from revenge was so unhappy as to make a league with the Hungarians and drew them into Italy Those Barbarians having sacked Mantoua Brescia and Bergamo reduced the celebrated and rich City of Pavia Capital of the Kingdom of Lombardy to a heap of ashes Two hundred of the Citizens escaping the Fire and Captivity redeemed the Walls thereof from the hands of those destroyers for eight Bushels of Silver which they had raked together out of the Ashes and Rubbish of it's ruines This money being received the Bulgarians passed the Mountains and penetrated Year of our Lord 924 even into Languedoc The same Rodolph and Hugh Count of Vienne followed them and pressed so close upon them that those Barbarians partly cut off by the Sword and the rest perishing by the Flux or Dysentery and want of Food enriched greatly those Countries with their Spoil which they came to plunder Year of our Lord 925 The year following Berenger struggling to regain the Kingdom of Italy was slain by his own People at Veronna After his death the Title of Emperor in the West was not conferr'd upon any at least by the Pope or Italians till Otho I. An. 962. By his death the Kingdom remained entirely Rodolph's but the inconstancy of the Italians who were ever hunting out one Lord and Master by another made them resign themselves to Hugh Count of Arles the Son of Brethe to ridd themselves of Rodolph Who being informed that they had Treacherously killed Burchard Duke of Swevia his father in Law withdrew himself into his own Kingdom of Burgundy not daring to attempt any thing amongst such wickedly disposed people Rodolph King of France Henry of Germany Hugh of Italy Rodolph II. of Burgundy Every year almost the Normans made Incursions Besides those that were in Year of our Lord 926 Neustria there were others in Burgundy and towards Artois and at all times they were forced to be making head against them or be in pursuit of them but they had such sure friends amongst the Grandees who would not suffer the Kingdoms grievances to be scann'd that they ever got away scot-free This year Rodolph King of France having surrounded them in a Wood in the Country of Artois they made a Furious Salley unawares in which he was wouned and had been taken without the timely assistance Count Hebert gave him Those that held the Islands in the Loire having been a long time besieged by Hugh and Hebert defended themselves so stoutly that they gave them the City of Nants for their habitation Year of our Lord 927 Notwithstanding the strickt alliance which seemed to be between King Rodolph and Hebert the City of Laon became an occasion of discord between them Hebert would have it for Otho his Son and the King desired to keep it to himself Hebert not able to get it by friendship had thoughts of gaining it by force He therefore draws Charles the Simple out of Prison and carries him to parley with the Normans who suffer'd his confinement with great impatience because he had bestow'd upon them the richest Province of France This menace having effected nothing for as much as Emma the Wife of Rodolph was obstinately bent to preserve Laon and had put her self in there he conducts him to Reims as if designing to restablish him Then was the Queen forced to let go her hold and surrender up the place to Year of our Lord 927 Hebert who being by this means appeased returned Charles to the Castle of Peronne and made a new Oath to Rodolph Year of our Lord 928 In the year 928. Hugh King of Italy came into France we do not find for what reason King Rodolph went towards Lyonnois to receive him and conferr'd with him A crew of Normans gotten into Boulenois made a double Foss or Water-graft round about Guises Afterwards Arnold Earl of Flanders gave it in Fief to Sigebert Year of our Lord 929 Commander of that Fleet who some time after stole away his daughter Eltrude but finding he came to besiege him was in so much dread of his wrath that he hanged himself and left that Woman great with child of a Son named Adolph who was since Earl of Guisnes Year of our Lord 929 Sometimes Rodolph otherwhile Hebert gave hopes of setting the unfortunate Charles the Simple at Liberty and paid him all the respects due to a Soveraign Yet only death took him out of their custody putting a period to his Captivity and unhappiness in the City of Peronna the 7 th Day of October in the Year 929. He was Interred at St. Foursy's in the same City His Reign if we reckon from his Coronation day to that of his imprisonment was 37 years his life 50. He left but one Son named Louis by his Queen * Ogina Daughter of Edward King of England Rodolph King of France Henry of Germany Hugh of Italy Rodolph II. of Burgundy Whilst King Rodolph was gone into Aquitain he had news that the Normans of the Islands in the Loire had adventured to run as far as Limosin He went and Year of our Lord 930 set upon them in the place called Dextricios we cannot well tell where that was and so hemm'd them in that not one of them returned This seasonable victory gained him great esteem amongst the Aquitains and induced them to acknowledg him with a little more submission Year of our
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
he brought most of them to their Duty one after another Eudes being dead during these Transactions he Treated with Hugh de Puiset who was to inherit that Earldom and making him resign his Right provided he would give him his liberty put himself in possession of that place of great importance at that juncture Year of our Lord 1112 c. Some time after Hugh having re-fortisied le Puiset and committing a thousand Insolencies upon the Neighbouring Countries he besieged him in that place but the Champenois having the rest that were in League together for him failed not to come to relieve it Two great Battles were fought one to the Kings disadvantage the other to his advantage after that they talked of an Accommodation and Hugh obtained his Pardon Milon Vicount de Troyes whom the King had re-setled in Montlehery had withdrawn himself from the rest of the Leagued Party Crescy not being able to draw him in again surprized him by Treachery and after he had led him about to divers Castles bound and setter'd not knowing where to secure him so but the King would deliver him nor how to let him go but he would take his Revenge he caused him to be Strangled in the night and thrown out of a Window at the Castle of Gumet He would have had it believ'd that he had broken his Neck endeavouring to make his escape but the Crime was discover'd and the King with great diligence besieged the Castle of Gumet The wretched Murtherer being condemned to justifie himself by Duel in the Court of Amaulry de Montfort had not the courage to expose himself to that hazard and therefore finding himself Convicted he came and cast himself at the Kings Feet gave up his Lands to him and put on the Habit of a Monk as his Pennance Year of our Lord 1116 Hugh du Puiset being Revolted the third time the King again besieged that Castle razed it and then turned that Rebel out of all his Estate This unfortunate Man having in a Sally killed Anseau de Garlande Grand Seneschal and Favourite to the King and not daring to remain any longer in the Country went a while after to the Holy Land which in those times was the Refuge of Banish'd and Condemned People as it was likewise of true Penitents Year of our Lord 1116 Thomas de Marle Lord of Coucy had been Excommunicated and Degraded of his Nobility Anno 1114. by the Popes Legat in the Council of Beauvais for the Sacriledge and Robberies he committed upon the Churches and the People belonging to the Bishopricks of Reims Laon and Amiens That Sentence had inflamed his Rage to do yet worse even to the setting Fire to the City of Laon and the Noble Church of Nostre-Dame I believe it was that of Liesse to Massacre the Bishop Galderic and cut off that Finger whereon he wore the Episcopal Ring The King who flew about every where with incredible Celerity ran that way before this Robber had seized the Tower of Laon forced and razed his Castles of Crecy and Nogent and brought him to Reason Year of our Lord 1116 17. He quelled likewise another puny Tyrannet named Adam that ravaged all the Neighbourhood of Amiens He had gotten possession of the City Tower which was very strong and gave a great deal of trouble but the King having begirt it for two years gained it and razed it About Ten or Eleven years afterwards Thomas draws the King again upon him by the like Deportment so that he went and besieged his Castle of Coucy It hapned that making their approaches Rodolph Count de Vermandois met him wounded him and took him Prisoner He was carried to Laon where he died miserably of his Wounds Henry King of England was the Boute-feu and Support of all these Revolts Year of our Lord 1117 King Lewis in Retaliation had stirred up against him his Nephew William Son of the Deceased Duke Robert whom he admitted to do Hommage for the Dukedom of Year of our Lord 1117 Normandy and gave him the Castle and City of Gisors the first occasion of the Quarrel This Nephew being thus supported put his Uncle to so much trouble that he was fain to make a Peace with Lewis promising to leave all the Rebels to his Mercy Year of our Lord 1118 Archambaud Lord of Bourbon being dead Hemon his Brother surnamed Vaire-Vache under pretence of claiming his Share detained the whole Possession to the prejudice of the Son and Treated his Subjects especially the Clergy very Tyrannically The King assigns him to plead his Right before the Parliament Upon his refusal to appear he went in Person to compel him and besieged his Castle of Germigny Hemon dreading his Wroth came and craved his Pardon he received him to Mercy and took both him and his Nephew along with him to bring them to an agreement of all their Disputes The Quarrel between the Emperor and Pope concerning the right of Investitures being burst out anew with more heat then ever Pascal II. being Pope the Emperor Henry V. had seized both upon him and all his Cardinals and constrained him to allow him the priviledge of nominating two Bishopricks Afterwards that Pope being at liberty annull'd that Treaty in the Council of Latran and Excommunicated the Emperor Year of our Lord 1118 In this year 1118. Galasius was elected in the room of Pascal or Paschalis but he sought not the approbation of the Emperor who being displeased at that neglect or contempt caused one Maurice Burdin to be chosen a Limosin by Birth and Archbishop of Braga in Portugal to whom they gave the name of Gregory Year of our Lord 1119 Gelasius being then driven from Rome took his way into France to hold a Council there as he did in the City of Vienne but he died the same year in the Abby of Clugny Year of our Lord 1119 The Cardinals that had followed him elected Guy Archbishop of Vienne who took the name of Calixtus II. He was the Brother of Stephen Earl of Burgundy and Uncle of Adele or Alix Queen of France who was the Daughter of his Sister and of Humbert Earl of Morienne and this consideration did fortisie the Holy See with great Alliances against the Emperor Year of our Lord 1119 The whole Kingdom of France having taken his part he came from Vienne to Toulouze where he held a Council Thence he went to Reims where he called another in which divers Canons were made to take away Simony the Investiture of Benefices from Laicks Concubines from Priests and the selling of Sacraments The King was present the Emperor Henry would not be there and having refused to part with the right of Investitures was Excommunicated There was almost the same contest and difference betwixt the Popes and the Kings of France These pretending the Election and Provisions of the Popes were not sufficient without their consent So that it had begot great troubles in the Churches of Bourges Reims Beauvais and
of Allemans or Almans because this Prince being Duke of the Almans had ever both in his Train and in all Offices more of those People then of any other Country The Italians even in those days called then Tudesâ—hi as they do still Death ravisht from the King his two ablest Councellors which were Suger Abbot of St. Denis the Fifteenth of January and Rodolph Earl of Vermandois the last Prince of the second Royal Branch of that name He having no Children and his Sister being Married to Philip Son of Thierry Earl of Flanders the King who cherished this Philip left him the possession of Vermandois the Subject of a Quarrel in the Reign following Year of our Lord 1152 Whether it were jealousie or scruple of Conscience the King eagerly pursued the Separation from his Wife and obtain'd it by Sentence of the Prelats of his Kingdom whom he had called together at Baugency Immediately proceeding with integrity he withdrew his Garrisons from Aquitain to leave her that Country in freedom and gave her liberty to go whether she pleased keeping the two little Daughters he had by her with him This Woman burning with Love and Ambition Married some Months after Henry Duke of Normandy and Presumptive King of England a Prince both young hot and Red-Haired very able to satisfie her Desires As soon as Alienor was Divorced Lewis sent to demand Constance-Elizabeth Year of our Lord 1152 Daughter of Alfonso King of Castile by Hugh Archbishop of Sens who performed the Ceremony of that Marriage at Orleans and there Crowned the new Queen the Archbishop of Reims protesting in vain that this Right belonged to him only Lewis not able to endure his Vassal should go equal with him nor Henry who had so many great Lordships suffer a Soveraign above him it was imposible they should continue good Friends This last being assigned to appear in Parliament refused to come Lewis to punish him besieged and took the City of Vernon but Henry submitting out of some apprehension he yet had of King Stephen the Lords reconciled him with Lewis who restored the place to him Year of our Lord 1152 King Stephen the Usurper of the English Crown being dead Henry gets into possession of that Kingdom according to the former agreement betwixt them It was not permitted the Kings of France says Yves de Chartres to Wed any Bastards Now there went a report that Constance was such wherefore King Lewis two years after his Marriage would satisfie himself herein and under the pretence of going on Pilgrimage to St. Jago in Galicia took her Fathers Court in his way the most magnificent Prince of those times who received and entertained him Year of our Lord 1154 most Royally at Burgos and took away that suspicion he had conceived Year of our Lord 1154 Divers do in this year 1154. reckon the Death of Roger I. King of Sicily one of the most Warlike and Potent Princes of this Age. He raised the reputation and fame of the Normans to its highest pitch in so much as after him it did ever decline He had a Son named William and a Daughter called Constance the Son Reigned but with so much Injustice Avarice and Tyranny that he deserved the surname of Wicked or Bad. He prided himself most in filling his Coffers and draining his Subjects to the very last Penny Constance being an old Maid Married the Emperor Henry VI. in the year 1186. Year of our Lord 1155 Gefroy Earl of Gien on the Loire knowing himself too weak to oppose William Earl of Nevers who made a rude War upon him allied himself with Stephen de Champagne Count of Sancerre and gave his Daughter to him and for Dowry his Earldom to the Exclusion of his Son Herve The Son thus disinherited by his Father without any fault committed implored the Kings Justice who goes in Person and besieges Gien takes it upon Composition and settles him there Year of our Lord 1159 When Henry was possess'd of England Gefroy his Brother demands Anjou Touraine and Maine according to their Fathers Will but far from giving these he takes Loudun Chinon and Mirebeau from him so that he had been left without any thing had it not been his good Fortune to be chosen by the Nantois for their Earl who having forsaken Hoel stood in need of a Prince to defend them against the Assaults of Conan Year of our Lord 1158 The Enmities between King Lewis and Henry being ready to break forth the Lords found out a way to prevent it yet a while by the Alliance of Henry's eldest Son of the same name with Margaret Daughter of Lewis by his second Wife though both of them were Children and had scarce left off their Bibs The Girl was put into the Father-in-Law's hands and Lewis promis'd to bestow in Dowre with her Gisors and other places in the Normand Vexin which in the interim were trusted to the keeping of the Grand Master of the Knights-Templars to be deliver'd up to Henry when the Marriage should be Consummate The Emperor Frederick composed the Difference between Bertold of Zeringhen and Renauld about the Earldom of Burgundy in such a manner that he dismembred or cut off from it the little Country of Nuctland which is beyond Mount-Jou and the Cities of Geneva Lausanna and Sion to give them to Bertold leaving the remainder to Renauld whose Daughter and Heiress named Beatrix he Married After which keeping open Court with great Pomp at Besancon he received Hommage of all the Lords and Prelats belonging to the Earldom of Burgundy and the Kingdom of Arles who notwithstanding regarded not his Soveraignty but only to obtain a better Title to their Usurpations Those that were common Friends to both endeavour'd to procure an Enterview between him and the King of France and agreed upon the time and place but the King stung with Jealousie at the Grandeur of that young Prince or having some suspicion he would design upon his Person would go attended with a great number Year of our Lord 1159 of Soldiers which caused Frederick to withdraw very much dissatisfied Gefroy Earl of Nantes being dead without Children Conan Earl of Renes or of Little Bretagne seized on the City of Nantes King Henry Brother of Gefroy pretending it belonged to him by Succession undertakes to recover it by force of Arms. Year of our Lord 1160 Conan being hardly press'd buys his Peace by giving him his Daughter and Heiress named Constance for his Third Son by name Gefroy the same as his Uncle deceased After the Death of Pope Adrian the greater number of the Cardinals elected the Cardinal Rowland a Siennois who was named Alexander III. But the Roman People and two Cardinals only gave their Votes for Cardinal Octavian a Roman who took the name of Victor The Right of either side was dubious for on the one hand the Decrees of some Popes had referr'd the Election to the Cardinals only and on the other the Roman
People pretended they had the better Title and had most commonly maintain'd themselves in possession of it alledging the Popes could not deprive them of a Right born with the Church its self and practised in the times of the Apostles Year of our Lord 1160 King Lewis relying upon the Judgment of the Gallican Church whom he Assembled for this purpose at Estampes adhered to Alexander All the West followed his Example excepting the Emperor Frederick who with his Almans and what Partisans he had in Italy fiercely rejected him because he was Install'd without his Approbation King Henry besides the Kingdom of England held the Dutchy of Normandy which had then a part of Bretagne holding of it the Country of Maine Anjou Touraine and the Province of Aquitain His Ambition upheld by this great increase Year of our Lord 1160 of Power made him revive afresh the Right his Wife had to the County of Toulouze For this end having made Alliance with Raimond Prince of Arragon and Earl of Barcelonna he raised a great Army of Aquitains and Routiers amongst whom was Malcolme King of Scotland enter'd upon Languedoc took Mâ—issac Cahors and some other places The jealousie Lewis had of his growing Greatness moving him at least as much as Year of our Lord 1160 61. the Prayers and Intreaties of Earl Raimond his Brother-in-Law caused him to march that way and cast himself into Toulouze but he had so few with him that it was in the power of Henry to have forced that City had not the scruple of falling upon his Soveraign deterr'd him from it After which they were reconcil'd but Henry would not let fall his claim and hold of the Earldom of Toulouze till he bestow'd his Daughter Jane Widow of William II. King of Sicily on Earl Raimond In these days the cursed Crew of Routiers and Cottereaux began to make themselves known by their Cruelties and Robberies we cannot tell certainly why they were so called but they were a kind of Soldiers and Adventurers coming from divers parts as from Arragon Navarre Biscay and Brabant who wandred over all Countries and would be hired by any one that offer'd to take them provided they might be allow'd all manner of Licence The Cottereaux were most of them Foot-Soldiers the Routiers served on Horseback In the mean while Pope Alexander fearing the Emperor after he had pull'd down the Pride of the Milannois might come to Rome did not judge himself a fit match and so retired into France where he remained above three years Year of our Lord 1161 This year he held a Council at Clermont in which he did not forbear to thunder against Victor Frederick and all their Adherents Year of our Lord 1161 The most Potent and most Factious Family in all France was the House of Champagne Lewis to divide them from the English and gain them to himself takes Alix for his third Wife who was youngest Sister to the four Brothers Champenois for Constance his second Wife was dead Anno 1159. and for the two Daughters of his first Bed he gave one to Henry the eldest of the four Brothers Earl of Troyes and the other to Thibauld the second Earl of Blois Year of our Lord 1162 Pope Alexander came to Torcy on the River Loire where the two Kings Lewis and Henry received him with extream submission Both of them alighted and each taking one of the Reins of his Horses Bridle conducted him to the House prepared for him Year of our Lord 1162 A second time the Emperor came into the County of Burgundy bringing his Victor with him and a second time some endeavoured to procure a Conference betwixt him and the King to determine that Difference which made the Schism by the Judgment of a Council They agreed upon the place of Interview to be at Avignon as being the Frontier of either Prince whither the King by Oath obliged himself to bring Alexander But that Pope refusing to go there saying he could be judged by none it broke off the Conference and put the King in very great danger For the Almans having reproached him that he kept not his word plotted to way-lay him and had taken him Prisoner had not the King of England caused his Army to advance to disengage him Thence follow'd a cruel War between the Emperor and Alexander which horribly tormented Italy and out of which the Emperor could not withdraw himself but by the means of a shameful submission craving Pardon of the Pope and suffering him to set his Foot upon his Throat Which hapned in Anno 1177. in the City of Venice Year of our Lord 1163 Anno 1163. Alexander assisted at the Council of Tours Assembled by his order and there he thunders once more against Victor and Frederick He caused some Decrees likewise to be made against the Hereticks who had spread themselves over all the Province of Languedoc There were especially of two sorts The one Ignorant and withall addicted to Lewdness and Villanies their Errors gross and filthy and these were a kind of Manicheans The others more Learned less irregular and very far from such filthiness held almost the same Doctrines as the Calvinists and were properly Henricians and Vaudois The People who could not distinâ—uish them gave them alike names that is to say called them Cathares Patarins Boulgres or Bulgares Adamites Cataphrygians Publicans Gazarens Lollards Turlupins and other such like Nick-names Year of our Lord 1163 Death of Odo III. Duke of Burgundy to whom succeeded Hugh III. his Son There being Peace between the two Kings Lewis employs himself in doing Justice and suppressing Disorders The Inhabitants of Vezelay having made a Corporation would have shaken off the Abbot who was their Lord protected by the Earl of Nevers He compell'd them and their Earl to ask Pardon and break their Corporation The same year he went in Person to â—ight the Earl of Clermont the Earl du Puy and the Vicount de Polignac Lords of Auvergne who denied to forbear plundering of Churches overthrew them and brought them Prisoners to Paris where having detained them a long while he releas'd them upon giving their Oaths and Hostages In like manner he punished the Earl of Chaalons with the loss of his County because he had pillag'd the Abby of Clugny and kill'd above five hundred some Monks some Servants However the Daughter of this Man re-entred upon her Patrimony Year of our Lord 1163 Thomas Becket Chancellor of England elected Archbishop of Canterbury Anno 1163. soon lost the good favour of King Henry for divers causes and particularly Year of our Lord 1164 for stickling too fiercely in maintaining the Priviledges of the Clergy Being banished the Kingdom he retired himself in France in the Abby of Pontigny of the Diocess of Sens whence he gave much trouble to his King and suffer'd not a little himself during six years Year of our Lord 1164 Death of Victor the Anti-Pope in whose stead the Cardinals of his Party elected Guy
de Creme who named himself Paschal and was confirmed by Frederick But Alexander III. recalled by the Romans left France the year following and returned to Rome to put an end to that Schism Year of our Lord 1165 In the year 1165. Lewis had a Son born whom he believed Heaven had sent him in return of his Prayers For this reason he was surnamed Dieu-Donne i. e. Gift of God or God-Gift and after for his brave Acts the Conqueror which Paul Emilius has rendred by Interpretation Augustus and is followed in the same by all the Modern Historians Year of our Lord 1166 The Life of Conan the Little Duke of Bretagne which had been ever full of trouble ended Anno 1166. to make room for Gefroy of Normandy his Son-in-Law This Prince being yet but Fifteen years of Age remained together with his Datchy under the Guardianship of the King his father for some time after which being at liberty he begins a War against him because he would make him do Hommage for his Dukedom a Duty he required by vertue of a Treaty made by Charles the Simple with Rollo Duke of Normandy Year of our Lord 1168 Thierry of Alsatia Earl of Flanders dies at Gravelin Philip his Son governs after him Year of our Lord 1169 70. The Feud was renewed between the two Kings upon several occasions one was the Earl d'Auvergne whom Lewis as Soveraign Lord took into his protection and safeguard against Henry to whom the Earl was a Vassal holding of him in Aquitain the other the support he gave to Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury The War thereupon breaks forth and lasted for two years however it was carried on but slowly and so as the Respect either of them had for Pope Alexanders Mediation brought them to an Agreement for some time Year of our Lord 1170 These two Princes having Conferr'd together at Saint Germain en Laye concluded the Peace betwixt them and there the King of England's Sons rendred Hommage to Lewis for those Lands their Father assured to them by advance of Inheritance Henry of the Dutchy of Normandy the County of Anjou and the Office of Grand Seneschal joyned thereto from the time of Grisegonnelle as also the Earldoms du Maine and de Touraine and the second named Richard of the Dakedom of Aquitain as for the third which was Gefroy he had Bretagne by his Wife and ow'd Hommage to none but the Duke of Normandy The Kings Intercession obtained of Henry that Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury might return into England but he continuing to act with the same heat four Gentlemen of Henry's Court out of Complaisance as mean as detestable having plotted and contrived to deliver their King of him entred the Church at Canterbury where that Holy Prelat was reading Service it was on the Christmas Holy-days and Murther'd him at the foot of the Altar Year of our Lord 1171 Though the King disown'd this Murther and shewed an extream grief nevertheless Year of our Lord 1172 having given cause to commit it if perhaps he did not command it the Pope Year of our Lord 1173 made a mighty business of it from which he could not get clear without submitting to great Pennance and such Reparations and Satisfactions as was ordained by his Legats The Holy Archbishop revered as a Martyr was Canonized the following year and the frequent Miracles wrought on his Tomb attested his Holiness Year of our Lord 1173 Every year almost there was some Rupture then a Peace or Truce between the two Kings either concerning their own proper Interests or that of their Friends and Vassals Lewis had this advantage that being the Soveraign Lord he had a right of hearing the Complaints of Henry's Vassals and of making himself his Judge Year of our Lord 1173 He had stirred up many in Aquitain and Normandy but this year he Armed his own Children against him The eldest with Margaret his Wife being gone to Visit him and having staid some time in that Court had a fancy put into his Head that since he was Crowned he ought to Reign and to demand of his Father the enjoyment either of the Kingdom of England or the Dukedom of Normandy With this disposition and fretted for that his Father had taken some young People from about him who gave him such like ill Counsels he stole away one Night from him and came and cast himself into the Arms of the King Immediately all the young Nobility follows him Queen Alienor favours him his two Brothers Richard Duke of Aquitain and Gefroy of Brâ—tagne joyns with him and those whole Provinces follow their Motions The King of France takes them into his protection William King of Scotland declares for them and attaques England whither at the same time went some French Forces under the Command of Robert Earl of Leicester Year of our Lord 1174 It seemed therefore as if the unhappy Father must needs be overwhelm'd on a suddain but he overthrew all the Enemies Lewis having taken Verneuil au Perche durst not hold it and retreated before him The Earl of Leicester is defeated in England and all those that followed him either slain or taken then all the Kingdom reduced in less then Thirty days by old Henry who went thither presently after this defeat Year of our Lord 1175 The following year whilst he was doing Pennance at St. Thomas Becket's Tomb William King of Scotland his most capital Enemy loses a Battle against his Lieutenants and was taken Prisoner The Fleet of young Henry is dispersed and disabled by Tempest King Lewis who had carried Philip Earl of Flanders with him is rudely repulsed from Rouen so that finding Henry who was come over-Seas again to Relieve this City made ready to give him Battle he hearkens to a Truce for some Months Year of our Lord 1175 Whilst that lasted old Henry going into Poitou and subduing Richard the worst of his three Rebellious Sons who held that Country all the others returned to their Obedience and he enters upon a Treaty of Peace with Lewis who gave him Alix his Daughter for his Son Richard and put her into his hands to compleat the Marriage when she should be Age for it Year of our Lord 1177 The two Kings now grown old were weary of so many Wars and Disturbances Either of them had cause to fear the one the activity of his three most valiant Sons the other the weakness of his only Heir as yet too young so that they confirmed the Peace by new Oaths promised mutual friendship against all others and took up a resolution to go joyntly into Languedoc to extirpiate those Hereticks already mentioned by us But they thought it more convenient first to send the Popes Legat thither with three or four other Prelats to endeavour to reclaim them by Exhortations and Anathema's which converted and brought back a great many and kept the rest within bounds for some time These Hereticks were all called Albigensis because they propaged
most in those Countries under the protection of Roger Earl of Alby who much favoured them Year of our Lord 1178 During the Calm of this Peace Lewis who was extream feeble with Age using the same provident foresight as his Predecessors resolved to have his Son Philip Crowned but it hapning that this young Prince fell ill upon an afright for having lost his way in a Wood as he was Hunting this Ceremony was fain to be put off which was not performed till the year following In the mean time Peoples Devotion increasing towards the Reliques of St. Thomas of Canterbury from the example of King Henry who of his Persecutor was become his Adorer King Lewis passes into England prayed on his Tomb and left very rich Tokens of his Piety there behind Year of our Lord 1177 In sine Prince Philip was Anointed Crowned at Reims on All Saints day by William Archbishop of that City and Cardinal Brother to the Queen his Mother The Duke of Normandy and Philip Earl of Flanders both Pairs or Peers assisting at that Ceremony and holding the Crown upon his Head Year of our Lord 1180 Soon after Philip Earl of Flanders faithful and affectionate to King Lewis procured the Marriage of his Neece Isabella-Alix Daughter of his Sister and of William Earl of Hainault with the new King who was his God-son and treating her as his own Daughter because he had no Children he gives her in favour of this Marriage the County of Artois and the County all along the River of Lys. Year of our Lord 1180 Hardly was the joy of this Festival over when King Lewis died of the Palsy in the City of Paris the 18th or 20th of September Aged as many tell us near Seventy years but according to my Computation not above Sixty three or Sixty four whereof he had Reigned Forty three His Corps lies in St. Denis He was not very happy in his grand Designs and too effeminate or mild in Affairs that required vigour but as Pious Charitable Good Just Liberal and Valiant as any Prince in his Time He can be taxed but for two faults the one against Prudence for Divorcing his Wife the other against the Laws of Nature having supported the Rebellion of Henry's Children against their Father He had three Wives Alienor or Eleanor of Aquitain Constance of Spain and Alix or Alice of Champagne By the first he had two Daughters Mary and Alix who Married the two Brothers Henry Earl of Champagne and Thibauld Earl of Chartres and Blois By the second came Margaret Married first with Henry the young King of England and then with Bela III. King of Hungary By the third he had two Daughters Alix who was betroathed to Richard of England afterwards Married to William Earl of Pontieu Agnes Married to Comnenius the Son of Emanuel of Constantinople and a Son named Philip who Reigned Philip II. King XLI POPES ALEX. III. One year under this Reign LUCIUS III. Elected 29 Aug. 1181. S. Four years three Months URBAN III. Elected in Decemb. 1185. S. One year and near Eleven Months GREGORY VIII Elected in Octob. 1187. S. a little less then two Months CLEMENT III. Elected in January 1188. S. Three years three Months CELESTINE III. Elected in April 1191. S. Six years nine Months INNOCENT III. Elected in January 1198. S. Eighteen years six Months nine days HONORIUS III. Elected in July 1216. S. Ten years eight Months whereof seven during this Reign PHILIP II. Surnamed the Conqueror or Augustus King XLI Aged Fifteen years EVen in the Life-time of Lewis the Young Affairs began to be governed in the name of Philip and by the Administration and Care as I believe of Philip Earl of Flanders who was his Guardian his Governor and his God-father The Methods of Piety and Justice his Father and Grand-father had taken to Year of our Lord 1180 strengthen their Authority had much advanced them in their Design He was therefore Councel'd to pursue them Wherefore immediately undertaking the Protection of the Church he with a high hand went and reduced Ebles Lord of Charenton in Year of our Lord 1180 Berry Imbert Lord of Beaujeu in Lyonnois and Guy Earl of Chaalons upon Soane who oppress'd the Ecclesiasticks At the same time he began to let the Grandees of the Kingdom know how he could order and reduce them for he dissolv'd a powerful League which they had formed against him perhaps out of the jealousie they had conceiv'd of the greatness of the Earl of Flanders and forced the Earl of Sancerre who was the first that declar'd himself to fly to his Mercy Year of our Lord 1181 After the Death of his Father desiring to Sanctifie his new Reign he publish'd an Edict against such as utter those horrible Blasphemies composed or made up of the Name and Body or Members of the Son of God condemning them to pay a certain Pecuniary Mulct if they were People of Quality and to be thrown into the Water if they were meaner People Year of our Lord 1181 Prompted with the same Zeal he caused strict search to be made after all those that were accused of Heresie and sent them to the Fire expell'd all the Jews within his Territories and Confiscated their Estates suffering them to carry away only the Price of their Household-Goods His Piety appeared no less in the expulsion of Comedians Juglers and Jesters or Buffoons whom he turned out of his Court as People that serve only to flatter Vice encourage Sloath and fill idle Heads with vain Chimera's which perverts them and puts their Hearts into those irregular Motions and Passions as Wisdom and true Religion commands us so much to suppress and mortifie Princes were wont to bestow great Presents on those People and reward them with their richest Clothes But he being persuaded says Rigord his Historian That to give to Players was to Sacrifice to the Devil chose rather according to the Example of that Holy Emperor ☜ Henry I. to make a Vow he would henceforth employ his Money towards the maintenance of the Poor Anno 1183. he encompassed the Park du bois de Vincennes with a Wall and stock'd it with Deer which the King of England sent over to him The same year Henry the young King of England died in the Castle of Martel in Quercy Perhaps by the just Punishment of Heaven for having been so often as he was at this time in Rebellion against his Father Year of our Lord 1183 Every private or particular Lord having usurped a Right of making War upon one another after either had sent his defiance there followed Murthers and continual Spoils and Plunderings For which the Bishops and some of the wisest Lords of the Kingdom had endeavour'd to find a Remedy from the year 1044. having ordained the Truce or Peace of God for those Disputes and Contests betwixt particular Men during certain times in the year and certain days of the week with most severe Punishments
two causes One was that Richard refused to do Hommage to Year of our Lord 1186 the King for his County of Poitou grounded perhaps on this that it held immediately of the Dutchy of Aquitain The other Henry deferr'd to surrender Gisors and other places of the Vexin which Louis VII had given in Dowre to Margaret who had no Year of our Lord 1187 Children by young Henry Philip sets upon him towards Berry took Issoudun and besieged the Castle-Ruouel The King of England and his Son came to its Relief and sent to bid Battle but the two Armies being ranged Henry's heart failed him he talks of an Agreement promises Satisfaction to Philip and leaves him Issoudun for his Expences in that War Year of our Lord 1187 The Fifth of September Lewis the first born Son of Philip came into the World for which the City of Paris expressed so much Joy that they made the whole week but one Holy-day keeping all darkness at a distance by the infinite numbers of Flambeaux every where Saladin King of Syria and Egypt who from a low Birth was raised to that high power not without great desert after his having obtained many Victories over the Christians at last tears the Holy City of Jerusalem from them whereof Guy de Luzignan was then King it was taken the Second day of October and all the Holy-Land excepting only Tyre Tripoly Antioch and some strong Holds Thus at the end of Eigthy eight years Ended the Kingdom of Jerusalem which Title after it had ambitiously passed through the Houses of divers Princes does at this day make us part of the Catholick Kings At this dreadful news which arrived towards the end of the year 1187. all the Faithful made a great moan never was any sorrow so great or so universal The Kings Philip and Henry being sensibly touched Conferr'd together at Gisors and Trie and resolved to take up the Cross with great numbers of Princes Lords and Prelats to recover those Holy Places out of the hands of the Infidels In remembrance whereof they erected a Cross in the Field where they had resolved upon this Croisade and mutually promised to leave all Disputes in the same posture they then were till after their return from this holy Expedition Year of our Lord 1188 The Month of March following Philip Assembles a Parliament at Paris where it was resolv'd by Advice of the Bishops and Barons to take the Tenths of all Goods Movables and Immovables of all Persons as well Ecclesiasticks as of the Laity excepting only the Monks de Cisteaux the Chartreux de Fontevrault and the Spittles belonging to the poor Leprous People This Impost was called the Saladine Tith Year of our Lord 1188 Whilst they were preparing with great chearfulness and courage for this Expedition Richard for I not what little Injury received of Alfonso Earl of Thoulouze renew'd the old Pretention of his Mother Alienor to that County and endeavoured to recover it by the Sword Philip to disengage his Brother-in-Law and make a Diversion falls into Berry takes all the places the English were possessed of drove out old Henry who was got thither with an Army and pursued him as far as Normandy Year of our Lord 1189 Winter brought them to a Truce In the mean time Richard falls out with his Father and threw himself into the Arms of Philip. His discontent proceeded from his Fathers delay in giving him Alix of France betroathed to him Some believe the old Man cast other looks upon her then he ought towards his Sons Wife and besides by compleating this Marriage he had been obliged according to the Contract to let his be Crowned and give him the Title of King The Physitian Rigord in the History of Philip relates That being at Argenteuil when the Moon was at Full and the Night very clear a little before day-break the Prior of that Monastery and several of the Monks saw that Planet descend in a Moment to the Earth where having rested some time it went slowly up again and took its former place Year of our Lord 1189 The following Spring Philip takes the Field Conquers all the Countrey of Mayne and the City of Mans Touraine and the City of Tours himself having as by Miracle found a Foard in the Loire which he discover'd to his Army At the same time John surnamed Without-Land the Third Son of Henry likewise takes up Arms against his Father who not knowing which way to turn himself leaves Chinon and advances towards King Philip humbly to desire a Peace Philip grants it and reconciles him to Richard upon condition that one of them should accompany him to the Holy-Land Year of our Lord 1189 But Henry as unfortunate in War as he was unfortunate in his Children overcome with shame and sorrow dies three days after he was returned to Chinon Richard succeeds him and then Philip his Brother-in-Law generously restores to him all he had Conquer'd of his excepting Issoudun and the Fiefs he held in Auvergne settling Gisors and all the Vexin for his Wives Portion The two Princes thus united in a Friendship which appeared to be very cordial and so firm that one would imagine nothing could untie or shake it fitted themselves for their Expedition to the Holy-Land appointed the Rendezvous for their Armies at Vezelay and took Shipping Richard at Marseilles and Philip at Genoa Both of them landed in Sicily but Philip not so happily as Richard a furious Tempest having forced him to throw over-board part of his Horses and his Equipage Year of our Lord 1190 Before their departure Philip with the leave and by the agreement of all his Barons left the Guardianship of his Son and the Government of the Kingdom to the Queen his Mother Alix de Champagne and to William Cardinal-Archbishop of Reims Brother to that Queen But fearing they might abuse it he left an Authentick Order in Writing Signed by the Great Officers belonging to the Crown which limited their Power and prescribed their Lesson in many cases Amongst others he would have them bestow vacant Benefices of the Regalia by the Advice of Brother Bernard who was a devout Hermit living in the Bois de Vincennes and that during his absence no Tailles should be levied by any Lords upon their Lands nor in case he should happen to dye by the Regents during the Minority of his Son Year of our Lord 1190 He likewise ordered the Sheriffs of Paris that they should take care to enclose it with Walls and Towers There were no Ditches made the Enclosure on the left hand of the River upwards hath been often enlarged and altred The Burghers of other Cities by their example were ambitious to Wall their Towns and make Ramparts for defence William the Good King of Sicily Son of William the Wicked or Bad being dead without Children Anno 1189. He had an Aunt the Daughter of King Roger named Constance who being almost Thirty years of Age not a Nun as some have
Lord 1197 Amongst all the events of this War which amounted only to Burnings and Plunderings is to be observed what hapned to Philip de Dreux Bishop of Beauvais Cousin german to the King This Bishop being taken in the War Armed and Fighting by some of Richard's Soldiers was detained a long time in an uneasie prison The Pope would interpose his recommendation to Richard for his deliverance and in his Letters he call'd this Bishop His most dear Son But Richard having sent word back in what posture and manner he was taken and having sent his coat of Maille all Bloody with order to him that carry'd it to ask him Behold Holy Father whether this be the Coat of your Son The Pope had nothing to reply but that the Treatment they shewed to that Prelat was just since he had quitted the Militia of Jesus Christ to follow that of the World Death of the Emperour Henry As he had manifested himself as rude an enemy to the Popes as his Predecessors and besides was very odious for his cruelties Innocent III. strongly opposed the Election of Philip his Brother excommunicating all his Adherents and stood up for Otho Son of the Duke of Saxouy and a Sister of Richards who was Crowned at Aix la Chapelle so that there was a Schism in that Empire which had often occasioned one in the Church The King of England the Earl of Flanders and the Arch-Bishop of Colen supported Otho and King Philip on Year of our Lord 1197 the contrary made a League with his Rival The same year died in the City of Acre or Acon the generous Henry Earl of Champagne Titular King of Jerusalem his Nephew Thibauld or Theobald III. of that Name Earl of Blois inherited those Lands he had in France in prejudice of his Year of our Lord 1197 Uncles two Daughters The eldest was named Alix and was Queen of Cyprus and by her was born a Daughter of the same Name whom we shall find making War against Thibauld IV. The Second was called Philippa who was Married to Erard de Brienne Year of our Lord 1198 These bloody and obstinate Wars the particulars whereof cannot be brought within the compass of an Abridgement caused much mischief in France but the greatest was that Philip grew extreamly covetous and became too greedy in heaping up Treasure under pretence of the necessity of raising and maintaining great numbers of standing Forces which are truly very proper to make Conquests and new Acquisitions but some times become oppressive to the Subjects and destructive to the Laws of the Land As he was the First of the Kings of France that kept Men in pay and would have Soldiers always ready to employ them in what he pleased he set himself likewise upon making great exactions upon the People ransoming or taxing the Churches and recalling the Jews who were the introducers of Usury and Imposts But however he was very frugal and retrencht himself as much as possible knowing and considering ☜ that a King who hath great designs ought not to consume the substance of his Subjects in vain and pompous expences Year of our Lord 1199 At the end of two years War the Pope by his intercession procured a Five years truce between the two Kings during which Richard as covetous of Money as he was proud having intelligence that a Gentleman of Limosin had found a vast Treasure and carried it into the Castle of Chalus he went presently and besieged him he was wounded there with a Cross-bow and his debauchery having envenom'd his wound he died of it the Eleventh day of April in this year 1199. He had introduc'd the use of Cross-bows in France before that time Sword-men were so generous and brave that they would not owe their Victory but to their Lances or Swords they abhorr'd those treacherous weapons wherewith a coward sheltred or conceal'd may kill a valiant Man at a distance and thorough a hole Year of our Lord 1199 He had no Children therefore the Kingdom of England and the Dutchy of Normandy belonged of right to young Arthur Duke of Bretagne as being the Son of Gefroy his Brother elder then John without Land but John having seized the Money gained Richards Forces and stept into the Throne In the mean while the Earl of Flanders with his Allies regained the Cities of Aire and St. Omers It hapned that the Kings party took his Brother Philip Earl of Namur and Peter Bishop Elect of Cambray The King refusing to release this last the Popes Legat puts the Kingdom of France under a prohibition so that after three Months time he was constrained to set him free Year of our Lord 1200 The day of the Ascension in the year 1200. Peace was concluded at a solemn Conference between the two Kings between Vernon and Andeley It was warranted by Twelve Barons on either part who made oath to take up Arms against him that should break it and moreover confirmed by the Marriage of Blanche Daughter of Alfonso VIII King of Castille and Alienor Sister to King John with Lewis the eldest Son of Philip to whom King John in favour of this Alliance yielded up all the Lands and Places which the French had taken from him Each had a care to secure his Partisans John was oblig'd to receive his Nephew Arthur into favour who did hommage to him for his Dutchy of Bretagne but yet remained with Philip. Reciprocally Philip pardon'd Renauld Earl of Boulogne and some while after Treated the Marriage between his Son of his own name whom he had by his Queen Agnes and that Earls Daughter Since the repudiation of 1semburge of Denmark King Philip had kept her in a Convent at Soissons and at three years end that is Anno 1196 he had espoused Mary-Agnes Daughter of Bertold Duke of Merania and Dalmatia Pope Celestine III. upon the complaints of King Canut Brother of the Divorc'd Lady had Commissioned in the year 1198. two Legats to take cognisance of this Affair who had assembled a grand Council at Paris of the Bishops and Abbots of the Kingdom but all those Prelats being partly terrify'd and some corrupted durst give no Sentence and the Legats were suspected to favour the Cause of Agnes Afterwards the Holy Father more importunately desired to do justice had sent two more One of them in the month of Decemb in the year 1199. having called the Prelats of France to Dijon notwithstanding the Appeal interjected by Philip to the Pope pronounced Sentence of prohibiton upon all the Kingdom in presence and by consent of all the Bishops and nevertheless that he might have leasure enough to get away into some place of safety he was willing it should not be publish'd till twenty days after Christmass He had reason to fear Philips anger In effect it burst out with furty against all his Subjects against the Ecclesiasticks first whom he believ'd to be all accomplices in this injury for he drove the Bishops from their Sees cast the
Boulogne had served Philip very well since his Reconciliation and had likewise been very well recompenc'd by a great deal of good Land bestow'd upon him in that Country Nevertheless the King suspecting him of holding Correspondence with the King of England demands his strong Holds of him and upon his refusal to deliver them he attaques them and press'd upon him so briskly that he durst not defend them but went away to the Earl of Bar his Kinsman and from thence to Flanders Year of our Lord 1212 Although King John had been Excommunicate the precedent year by the Popes Legat he scoff'd at those Censures But he was hugely astonished when he understood that by a more terrible Sentence the Pope had absolv'd his Subjects of their Allegiance and expos'd his Kingdom as a Prey and that King Philip made great preparations to invade it having already a prodigious number of Vessels ready at the mouth of the Seine The Legat by secret Informations increases his fears and disturbs him to that height as he promises to make his Kingdom hold of the Holy See and to pay a thousand Mark of Silver as a yearly Tribute besides the Peter-Pence When the Legat had wire-drawn all he desired from him he tries to persuade Philip to wave his Enterprize but he was too far engag'd in Honour and Expence to break off so Year of our Lord 1213 All the Lords of the Kingdom in a Parliament held at Soissons the Morrow after Palm-Sunday had promis'd to assist him with their Lives and Fortunes There was only Ferrand Son of Sancho I. King of Portugal Earl of Flanders that refused to accompany him in this Expedition unless he would restore the Cities of Aire and St. Omer which he had gotten from him to have his consent that he might Marry the Heiress of Flanders who was the eldest Daughter of Baldwin V. The King thought that his approach might bring him back to his Duty when he should see him on those Coasts ready to Embarque Therefore when he was at Boulogne he sent him order to come and meet him at Graveline The Earl made them wait for him but he appeared not so that the King resolv'd before he took Shipping to put him in a Condition not to be able to hurt him Year of our Lord 1213 The Towns of Ipres Cassel and all the Country to Bruges submitted to his Sword His Naval Force consisting of One thousand seven hundred Sail having cast Anchor at Dam. While the greatest part were in the Road with scarce any Men comes the English Fleet Commanded by the Earls of Boulogne and Salisbury who took and sunk a great many and laid Siege to the place Philip decamping from before Ghent routs those they had sent on shoar and slew two or three thousand Nevertheless they keeping the Seas and his Vessels not being able to get out without falling into their hands he took out all their Furniture and caused them all to be burnt and the City of Dam afterwards Year of our Lord 1213 Then having wasted and plundred the Territory of Bruges squeezed great Sums of Money from those Citizens as likewise from the Inhabitants of Ghent and Ipres sack'd and dismantled L'Isle he left his Son Lewis and Gaucher Count de Saint Pol in that Country with a strong Body of Horse and Garisons in the Cities of Doway and Tournay only When he was retir'd out of Flanders the Earl Ferrand re-entred and soon Master'd Tournay and L'Isle which Lewis was beginning to repair as in revenge Lewis sack'd and burnt Courtray Philip for the second time goes into Flanders to secure his Conquests and presently Ferrand withdraws but as soon as Philip was gone Renauld Earl of Boulogne took the Field with some Forces he brought out of England But without doing any Exploit only after he scowred about the Country once or twice and attempted two or three Sieges in vain he forced Henry Earl of Louvain and Duke of Brabant who had Married one of the Kings Daughters to joyn with him On the other side King John landed at Rochel with a great Army and having patch'd up again with the Earls de la Marche d'Eu d'Angoulesme de Lezignan and other Poitevins who assisted him with their Forces crosses Poitou made himself Master of some places in Anjou and began to rebuild the Walls of Anger 's his Native City To hinder this Progress the King recall'd his Son out of Flanders and sets him in opposition This Prince takes his head Quarters at Chinon and was seconded with the Forces of Bretagne by Peter de Dreux who this year had Married the Heiress of that Dutchy It was Alix or Alice Daughter of the Dutchess Constance and Guy de Touars Year of our Lord 1213 In the mean while the English wrought diligently about the fortifying Anger 's and enclosed that part towards the River of Maine with a Wall His Soldiers made excursions to the very Suburbs of Nantes on the other side of the Loire surpriz'd Robert the eldest Son of the Earl of Dreux in an Ambuscade who was got over the Bridge to attaque them cut his Men in pieces and made him Prisoner Peter King of Arragon having gotten into his League and under his Protection the Earls of Toulouze de Foix and de Comenges the Vicount de Beziers and others whose Lands Montfort had usurp'd sâ—â—t his Heraulds to deâ—ie him Montfort had left a strong Garison in Muret to make waste in the Neighbourhood of Toulouze This King lays Siege to it in the Month of September His Army consisted of an Hundred thousand Men almost Montfort who was at Castlenaudry having hardly drawn together a thousand or twelve hundred got into the place From whence making a furious Sally upon the King who slighting so small a number set down to eat at the beginning of the Fight cut all his Army off threw him on the ground where his Throat was cut by a private Soldier took his Royal Standard which was carried in Triumph to Rome and cover'd the Field with dead Bodies without the loss of Year of our Lord 1213 above eight Men. The weighty blow of this Club made the Earl of Toulouze and the Inhabitants of that great City fall down at the Legats Feet they offer'd to submit to whatever Conditions he would impose but they could not get off with words it was resolv'd they should be plum'd of all Year of our Lord 1214 This year 1214. France was shrewdly attaqu'd by King John and on the Flanders side by the Emperor Otho and the Counts Ferrand of Flanders and Renauld de Boulogne but both in the one and the other part his Arms remained Victorious Prince Lewis having drawn his Forces together at Chinon march'd resolutely against King John who besieged the Castle de la Roche au Moine upon the Loire between Anger 's and Nantes Being within a days Journey of that place that King was frighted repasses the River in such great haste
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
better to spoil and ruine the whole Countrey about Toulouze pull down the Houses root up the Vineyards and burn the Corn which so disheartned the Toulousains that both they and their Earl were forced to submit to what conditions he pleased Year of our Lord 1228 The Treaty was chalked out at Meaux and compleated at Paris the Earl and Deputies of Toulouze being present The Earl was deprived of all his Lands excepting some little fragments they for meer pity left him It was order'd they should all devolve to his Daughter Jane who should be Married to Alphonso the Kings Brother into whose custody she was put forthwith That the Earl should pay Seventeen thousand Marks of Silver part to the King some to the Monks de Cisteaux and the rest for a Foundation of Doctors in Divinity at Toulouze That the Walls of that City and of Thirty more should be demolish'd for performance whereof he should give Hostages and in the mean time remain prisoner That there should be an exact search after Heretiques at his charge and that for pennance he should go and make war five years against the Saracens These Articles Signed he and those of his company that had been Excommunicated were at Nostre-dames of Paris upon Good-Friday bare-footed in their Shirts to receive Absolution of the Popes Legat. That done the Earl returned prisoner to the Tower of the Louvre till he had given his Hostages About the Feast of Pentecost the King gave him the Order of Knighthood and sent him into his own Countrey The Legat went with him and setled the Inquisition which exercised great severities and was again the cause of many troubles and Massacres Year of our Lord 1228 The Male-contented could not disgest that the Government should be in the hands of two Strangers a Spanish Woman and an Italian Cardinal they therefore took up Arms again drew to their party Robert Earl of Dreux elder Brother to the Duke of Bretagne and Philip Earl of Boulogne the Kings paternal Uncle to whom they promised the Crown so that the King feared a second time to be involved by this conspiracy and had been surprized if the Earl of Champagne had not run seasonably to him with 300 * Horse-men to bring him off In Spring the Conspirators turned all their Force against the Earl of Champagne and Brie They demanded those Counties of him for Alix Queen of Cyprus Daughter of his Uncle Henry who died in the Levant and more then that called him Traytor and accused him of having poysonned the deceased King proffering to convict him by Duel a reproach that made him so black and loathsome amongst his Vassals that they joyned in League with his Enemies against him The Count finding so heavy a burthen on his Shoulders and his City of Troyes besieged implores the assistance of the Queen Regent who caused the King to march to his relief and commanded them if they had any thing to say against the Earl they should come and require justice upon him in her Court But they who would not acknowledge her Regency as if the Kingdom had been vacant elected in a private Assembly or Cabal the Lord de Coucy for King who was in great reputation for his Wisdom and Justice The Queen Regent having got intelligence gave immediate notice of it to Philip Earl of Boulogne whom they had made believe they would give the Crown to by this means she took him off from them then by divers politique contrivances made all their designs vanish but not their ill intentions Year of our Lord 1228 For a few days afterwards the Duke of Bretagne by their assistance and Councils took up Arms again and called the King of England to his aid who landed in Bretague with considerable Forces but when he saw the King conducted by the Queen Regent had taken the Castle de Belesme au Perche from the Duke which was held impregnable he Shipp'd himself again The Duke thus abandonned was constrained to betake himself to an agreement Year of our Lord 1229 The very next year he broke it but not without punishment the King having taken all his Holds and Places and gained all his Vassals and Friends shuts him up in his City of Nantes so that to get out of the Briars and make the best of a bad bargain he was forced to render him hommage of Allegiance for the Dutchy The Bretons who pretended they owed but ouly single Homage named him because of his so doing Mau-clerc as who should say Witless or wanting Judgment and Understanding Thibauld Earl of Champagne was ill rewarded for the good services he had done the Queen Regent She took in hand the cause of her Cousin Alix and condemned him to pay her Forty thousand Marks of Silver and sell to the King to raise that Money the Counties of Blois Chartres Sancerre and the Vicount of Chasteaudun Year of our Lord 1230 After all these disorders there was a calm and peace for four years which was only a little disturbed by some tumults caused by the remainders of the Albigensis and the hurly-burlies of the Scholars belonging to the University of Paris It was then the fairest Ornament of the Kingdom and the innumerable numbers of Scholars that flocked thither from all parts of Europe brought great riches to that City which in a manner made all the other Universities in Christendom submit to it Now some of them having been ill handled in some scuffle with the Citizens and not obtaining such satisfaction as they desired they all resolved to quit Paris not without having first published a great many Songs and Licentious Poems which fullied the reputation of the Queen Regent and Cardinal Romain the Popes Legat who swayed her The Duke of Bretagne and the King of England proffer'd to receive them into their Countries and to grant them great priviledges but the Kings Council fearing that capital City might be deprived of so great an advantage and benefit found means to allay their heats and keep them there Year of our Lord 1231. and the following The Inhabitants of Marseilles and the adjacent Countreys being revolted against Raimond Berenger Earl of Provence called in Raimond Earl of Toulouze to Command them because he was next Heir For we must know that Gilbert Earl of Provence and Nice had had two Daughters Faidide who Married Alphonso Great Great Great Grandfather of Raimond de Toulouze and Douce that had married Raimond Berenger Earl of Bacelonna from whom was descended the Earl of Provence now mentioned He therefore accepted of their Homage and acted as their Lord whence follow'd a War that lasted four years between those two Cousins This Earl of Provence having been harrass'd by divers Revolts and other misfortunes was at the end of his days made compleatly happy by the Marriage of four Daughters he had by his Wife Beatrix of Savoy a most Virtuous Princess For all four of them had the honour to be Married to Kings Margret who was
Gibbelins of Tuscany especially those of Florence and restored all the Guelphes to their Lands and Dwellings In the mean time the young Conradin had sent a Manifesto to all the Princes of Europe declaring himself to be the rightful Successor to the Kingdom of Sicily and imploring their assistance to recover that Succession of his Fathers Insomuch that with the aid of the antient friends of the House of Souaube or Scwaben and some Year of our Lord 1267 adventurers that sought their fortunes he gathered a huge Army and came into Italy about the end of October observing and giving ear rather to the importunities of the Gibbelines who pressed him to march on then the wise Counsels of his Mother who feared the unexperimented Youth of her Son scarce Sixteen years of age would be Ship-wrack'd against the fortune and courage of Charles He had brought with him out of Germany the young Frederic Son of Herman Marquiss of Baden who said likewise he was Duke of Austria being Son of a Daughter of Henry Brother to Frederic last Duke of those Countreys and withal he held himself certain of the assistance of Henry and Frederic Brothers of Alphonso X. King of Castille who upon his arrival in Italy were to declare in his favour Those Brothers having been driven out of Spain by the King Alphonso had retired themselves into Africk to the King of Tunis where they had acquir'd a great deal of reputation Money and Friends Henry having information of the progress of Charles in Italy was come to proffer him his Service with Eight hundred Horse and had lent him a considerable sum of Money In requital Charles had gotten him to be chosen Senator of Rome hut because he afterwards thwarted him in his designs of obtaining by the Pope the Kingdom of Sardinia that Spaniard was alienated from him and secretly conspired with Conradin so that he disposed the City of Rome to receive him driving thence or imprisoning all those that contradicted and when he saw him approaching near he set up his Flags and Arms upon the Gates and joyned openly with him Conradin having spent the Winter at Verona despising the Popes Thunders embarqued at the coast of Genoa on some Vessels belonging to Pisa Being landed in Tuscany he surprized and cut in pieces those Forces that Charles had left there and Year of our Lord 2268 at the same time Conrad being come from Antioch caused all Sicily to Revolt except only Messina and Palermo These prosperous beginnings betraid young Conradin and flattered him to bring him to his death while he was entring into the Kingdom of Sicily Charles quitted the Siege of Nocera and came to meet him resolved to decide the quarrel by a Battle it was fought the Five and twentieth day of August near the lake Fucin now Year of our Lord 1268 called the lake Celano the French gained it but not without much hazard and much blood Conradin Frederic Duke of Austria and Henry of Castille saved themselves by flight but being discover'd they were taken and brought back to the Conquerour After this Victory he took upon him again the dignity of Senator of Rome which he had been obliged to lay down and by the Pope was constituted Vicar of the Empire in Tuscany His Fame would have been beyond a parallel had he been but as merciful as valiant and had not exercised such mortal feverities upon his prisoners of War and such people as revolted from him Year of our Lord 1269 They were so great that being resolved to pass into Africk with St. Lewis the King not knowing what to do with Conradin and Frederic whom it was very dangerous to keep and more to set them free in a Kingdom full of Factions and Rebellion he caused their Process to be made by the Syndics of the Cities of that Kingdom Those Judges having condemned them to death as disturbers of the Churches quiet their Heads were cut off upon a Scaffold in the midst of the City of Naples the Twenty seventh day of October an execution which makes posterity tremble yet with horror but which seemed a retribution of the Divine Justice for those yet more horrible barbarities which Frederic the Grand-father of Conradin had used to all the Family of the Norman Princes Henry de Castille had his Life given him but was confin'd to a prison from whence he got not out till Five and twenty years after to return into Spain Almost at the same time this Conrad Prince of Antioch Son of one Frederic a bastard of the Emperour Frederic II. who was come from the East to the assistance Year of our Lord 1269 of Conradin and had contributed to make the Island of Sicily revolt being taken by some belonging to Charles was hanged and thus ended by the Hangmans hands that famous and glorious Race of the Prince of Scwaben of whom there have been so many Kings and Emperours I should have told you before that Conradin being upon the Scaffold after he had made bitter complaints of his misfortunes and the cruelty of his Enemies threw down his Glove in the Market-place as a token of the investiture of his Kingdoms to such of his kindred as would prosecute his quarrel a Cavalier having taken it up carried it to James King of Arragon who had Married a Daughter of Mainfroy's The abuses and the designs of the Court of Rome were grown to such a height and come to that pass that the King St. Lewis though very devout to the Holy See made this year a Pragmatique to stop the current of them in France especially touching the dispensation of Benefices This same year the Marriage of his Daughter Blanch was made with Ferdinand eldest Son to Alphonso X. King of Castille the Pope having given his Dispensation for the near consanguinity between the parties The Nuptials were celebrated at Year of our Lord 1269 Burgos Philip Brother to the Bride Edward Prince of England James King of Arragon the Bride-grooms Grand-father Alhumar King of Granada and divers other Princes and great Lords honoured the Solemnity with their Presence and it was expresly said in the Contract that if Ferdinand died before his Father her Children should represent him and succeed to the Crown The affairs of the Christians in the Levant being reduced to the last extremity by Bendocabar Sultan of Egypt the exhortations of the Pope and the zeal of St. Lewis stirred up those of the West to make one more great attempt to support them The King of Arragon and Edward eldest Son to the King of England promised to Second St. Lewis and his Brother Charles to go thither with all the force of Italy The number of Adventurers of the Cross consisted of Fifteen thousand Horse and Two hundred thousand Foot which were divided in two Armies to attaque the Saracens in two several places at once Year of our Lord 1270 The Arragonian and the English undertook to go and make War in the Holy Land the Arragonian
came to the Crown Three hundred years after by King Henry the Fourth surnamed the Great The Daughters were named Isabella Blanch Margaret and Agnes Isabella was Married to Thibauld the II. King of Navarre and died without Off-spring Blanch a little before this Voyage to Africk Married Ferdinand called De la Cerde eldest Son of Alphonso X. King of Castille and had two Sons who were unjustly deprived of the Kingdom by their Grandfather because their Father had preceded him and Representation had no place Margaret was Affianced to Henry Duke of Brabant and Limbourg then that Prince turning Monk Married to John his Brother and Successor They had no Children Agnes Espoused Robert Duke of Burgundy and brought him many Philip III. King XLIV POPES A Vacancy GREGORY X. Elected the 1st of September 1271. S. Four years four Months ten days INNOCENT V. Elected in January 1276. S. Seven Months JOHN XXI Elected in July 1276. S. Eight Months NICHOLAS III. Elected in November 1277. S. Two years nine Months Vacancy of Two Months Martin IV. Elected Feb. 21. 1281. S. Four years one Month seven days HONORIUS IV. Elected in April 1285. S. Two years one Month whereof six Months in this Reign PHILIP III. Surnamed the Hardy King XLIV Aged Twenty five years four Months Year of our Lord 1270 THE Christian Army wholly disconsolate for the death of their King and ready to sink under their Toils and Dangers resumed courage and received refreshments upon the arrival of Charles King of Sicily who with his Naval Forces landed at the very time the King his Brother was giving up the Ghost Being come ashoar he came and paid him his last Duty and caused his Flesh to be all taken from his Bones as it was then the Custom when any died in Foreign Countries He carried the said Flesh to Sicily with him and buried it in the Abby of Montreal near Palermo and King Philip kept the Bones which he deposited in St. Denis in France The Funeral being over they continued the Siege Charles having the Command of the whole Army because Philip being fallen Sick could not act At the end of three Months the taking of the place being most infallibly certain though not till the Winter was over King Philip's impatience who much desired to Year of our Lord 1270 go and take possession of his Kingdom and yet more the interest of his Uncle Charles who cared for nothing but to get Money and oblige the King of Tunis to pay him Tribute were the Motives that made them give Ear to Propositions of Peace with that Barbarian King Year of our Lord 1270 They allowed him a Truce for Ten years provided he would defray the whole Expences of that Expedition and that he would pay to Charles as much Tribute as he paid to the Pope Annualy That he would deliver up all the Christians he then held in Slavery That he would grant free liberty of Trade and exemption of Imposts to all their Merchants and would permit them to dwell in Tunis and have the Exercise of the Christian Religion At the end of the Siege Prince Edward of England arrived there with his Forces hoping that after the taking of that place the two Kings would go into the Holy-Land as they had promised but they thought it fitter to return to their own homes and left him to pursue his Voyage Year of our Lord 1270 Heaven seemed to be angry at their return all manner of misfortunes followed them Part of the Vessels wherein Philip was Embarked arrived happily enough at the Port of Trapani or Trapos in Sicily but the others that had King Charles and his on board were overtaken with a moit furious Tempest which destroy'd most of them with the loss of Four thousand Men all their Equipage and the Treasure that was in them Besides all this Thibauld King of Navarre being taken Sick ended his days at Trapani about the end of December his Brother Henry the Fat succeeded him Isabella of Arragon Queen of France being great with Child hurt her self by a fall from her Horse and died in the City of Cosenza Alphonso Brother of St. Lewis was taken off with a Pestilential Fever at Siena and his Wife Isabella de Toulouze died in the same place about twelve days after him So that King Philip cloathed in Mourning Weeds for the Death of his Father his Wife and his nearest Relations after so much Expence and Toil brought nothing back into France but empty Chests and Coffins full of the Bones of the dead Year of our Lord 1271 He staid in Sicily about two Months departed towards the end of February crossed Italy and arrived at Paris in the beginning of Summer He was Crowned at Rheims the Fifteenth day of August or as others say the thirteenth by the Bishop of Soissons the Archbishops See being vacant Of the ancient Pairs of the Laity there was none assisted at this time but the Duke of Burgundy and the Earl of Flanders Robert Earl of Artois bore the Sword of Charlemaine they name it Joyeuse At their going thence he intreated the King to go and visit his Country and received him in his City of Aâ—ras with such Welcom and Expressions of Joy as hitherto had not been heard of in France This King passing thorough Rome paid his Devotions on the Tomb of the Apostles At Viterbo finding the Cardinals had been there Assembled for two years together without coming to any agreement concerning the Election of a â—ope he exhorted them to make some end that the Church might be no longer without a Head His good Advice did not take effect till Eight Months afterwards upon their electing of Thibauld de Piacenza Archdeacon of Liege who went Legat into Syria with Prince Edward he took the name of Gregory X. Year of our Lord 1271 The Earldom of Toulouze was vacant by the decease of Jane the Daughter of Raimond and Wise of Alphonso Philip put himself into possession pursuant to the Terms of the Treaty made with Raimond in the year 1228. but it was King John that annexed it to the Crown Year of our Lord 1271 This year died Richard pretended King of the Romans The year after his Brother Henry III. King of England followed him and his Son Edward I. of that name who was in the Holy Land succeeded Year of our Lord 1272 Year of our Lord 1272 In a Bloody Quarrel the Earl of Armagnac had against Gerard Lord of Casaubon his Vassal it hapned that Roger Earl de Foix whom the Earl of Armagnac had called to his aid pursued Gerard and besieged him in a Castle belonging to the King whither he was fled and had put himself under his Protection The King angry for the little Respect these Earls had for him marched into those Countries with an Army capable of striking a terrour to the very heart of Spain He besieged Roger in his Castle de Foix and being resolved to level a Mountain wich hindred his approach
to it daunted him so much that he came and threw himself at the Kings Feet He could not however obtain his Pardon till after he had been detained Prisoner a year in the Castle of Beaucaire At his return from the Holy Land Edward passed thorough France and did Homage to the King Being afterwards gone to visit his Countries of Guyenne Gaston de Moncado Lord of Bearn refused to render him Homage Edward seized upon his Person and kept him Prisoner in his Train for a while From whence making his escape the King of England made complaint to Philip Soveraign Lord of Guyenne This King having summon'd his Parliament and Debated the Case gave Judgment in favour of Edward and compelled Gaston to hold his Lands of him The Viscounty of Bearn was Originally a Member of the Earldom or County of Gascongny which held of the Dutchy but had been dismembred and held by Lords who were the Issue of those Dukes till it came to the House of Moncado by the Marriage of the Princess Mary Daughter of Vicount Peter and Sister of the Vicount Gaston deceased without Children This was about the year 1170. The Princess being yet a Minor having put her self I know not for what reason under the Power of Alphonso II. King of Arragon in whose Dominion she had also some Lands was obliged to do Homage for Bearn to that King and to Marry William de Moncado which Advantage Alphonso procured him as a Recompence for his having brought about the Marriage between Prince Raimond Berenger Earl of Barcelonna his Father and Petronella Daughter and Heiress of Ramir le Moyne king of Arragon The Family of Moncado is one of the Nine most illustrious of all Catalongne and are said to be Issue of a Dapifer or Grand Seneschal to Charlemain Year of our Lord 1273 The Electors displeased to see the German Empire so long in confusion met together at Francfort upon the earnest intreaties of the Pope and without any regard to the opposition King Alphonso made resolved never more to make any Emperor that was not of the German Nation So that at that very time they elected Rodolphus Surnamed Rufus who had been Master of the Palace to Othocare King of Bohemia He was Earl of Habspurg a Family which as well as that of Lorrain were the Issue of the Earls of Alsatia and the Mayre Erchinoald He was raised to the Imperial Dignity principally by the Suffrage of Vernher Archbishop Year of our Lord 1273 of Mentz the only Elector almost that knew him and whom he had otherwhile obliged in some Affair of Importance Now it was the more easie for this Elector to do him this good Office because the King of Bohemia and all the other German Princes refused this Title as being much more burthensom then gainful or honourable Year of our Lord 1273 Many and different Subjects required the Assembling of a Council The necessary Regulation for the future in the Election of Popes the Refermation of Abuses in the Church and of Morality amongst the Christians the Differences about the Grecian Empire between Michael and Baldwin and for that of Germany between Rodolph and Alphonso the hopes to unite the Greek Church to the Roman and the pressing necessity for assisting the Faithful that were remaining in the Holy Land to which the Pope had solemnly obliged himself at the time he received the news of his Election Year of our Lord 1273 For these Reasons he had Convoked a Council in the City of Lyons which lies as it were in the midst of the principal Estates of Christendom He came thither himself about the latter end of this year 1273. and was visited by the King who let him have several of his Gentlemen and Officers to serve him for a Guard Year of our Lord 1274 The Council was open'd the First day of May in the year 1274. there were present Five hundred Bishops seventy Abbots and a thousand others as well Doctors and Deputies as Chapters Gregory presided accompanied with Fifteen Cardinals The Ambassadors from the King the Emperor Rodolphus and from several other Western Princes were there Those from Michael the Emperor of Greece arrived there at the Fourth Session and prescuted some Letters from him by vertue of which they were admitted to an abjuration of their Schism and a profession to follow the Faith of the Roman Church especially about the Procession of the Holy Ghost After that the Pope owned Michael for rightful Emperor of the East and forbad Baldwin to bear that Title any longer This was the end for which Michael had feignedly desired the re-union The Election of Rodolph was likewise confirmed but not till after King Alphonso had submitted and referr'd his Right to the disposal of the Pope upon Condition he might have leave which was granted him to take the Tenths of all the Clergy in his Kingdom to make War against the Moors Thus all the Reparations whatever happens are ever laid upon the Peoples Shoulders to make satisfaction who pay for all at last There were several Constitutions concerning the Elections Provisions and the Residences of Benefices They Treated about the setling many Differences betwixt the Princes and Cities in Italy It was Ordained That the Cardinals should be hence-forward shut up in the Conclave for the Election of Popes and they made very severe Decrees against Usurers by vertue whereof the King put them all in Prison thoroughout the whole Kingdom but soon after he released them upon the payment of some certain Taxes which he imposed upon them Which was to tell the truth only the way to teach them for the future to take the greater Usury that so they might have enough both for themselves and for him They granted likewise a great many Indulgencies and Priviledges to such as listed themselves for the Holy Land or did contribute their Money towards that Expedition and they suppressed all the Orders Mendicants excepting only the Preachers and the Minors The Augustins and the Carmelites were tolerated only till a more ample deliberation Two great and Holy Scholastick Doctors died in these times St. Thomas Aquinas Year of our Lord 1274 near Terracina as he was coming to the Council and St. Bonaventure in Lyons after he had been assistant there The first was of the Order of the Preaching Friers the other of the Minors and had been made a Cardinal by Pope Gregory X. Year of our Lord 1274 Philip tired with being a Widower four years cast his Affection upon Mary Daughter of Henry and Sister of John Duke of Brabant Married her at the Bois de Vincennes in the Month of August and Crowned her the year following in the Holy Chappel of Paris on St. John Baptist's day He would needs have the Archbishop of Year of our Lord 1275 Reims perform â—he Ceremony without any regard to the right of him of Sens who was the Metropolitan The 21th of July Henry the Fat King of Navarre died at Pampeluna his
much that he died at Perpignan the 6th day of October He was in the beginning of the Five and fortieth year of his Life and the Sixteenth of his Reign His Flesh and Bowels were interred in the Cathedral of Narbonne and his Bones brought to St. Denis If we consider his Qualities he was Valiant Good Liberal Just and very Pious but too simple and too easie to be deceived If his Conduct it was not over-happy in those undertakings he made abroad but for his Enterprizes at home they could not succeed better for his Kingdom since it grew rich and flourishing by a Peace of Fifteen years continuance without any vexation of Imposts and the maintenance of a most exact and speedy Justice By Isabella Daughter of James I. King of Arragon he left two Sons those were Philip and Charles The first Reigned the second was Earl of Valois and Father of a Philip who came to the Crown By his second Wife Mary de Brabant he had one Son and two Daughters the Son was Lewis Earl of Euvreux From him sprang the Branch of Euvreux into which the Crown of Navarre was brought by Marriage The Daughters were Margaret and Blanch Margaret was Married in the year 1298. to Edwardâ— King of England Blanch having been twice Contracted once with John de Namur eldest Son of Guy Earl of Flanders the other time with John d'Avesnes Earl of Ostrevant eldest Son of John d'Avesnes Earl of Haynault Married at last in the year 1298. to Rodolph Duke of Austria eldest Son of Albertus the Emperor by whom she had a Son but both the Mother and the Child were Poysoned in the City of Vienna Anno 1305. Philip IV. King XLV POPES HONORIUS IV. Eighteen Months Vacancy Nine Months and an half NICHOLAS IV. Elected the 22th of February 1288. S. Four years one Month and an half Vacancy Two years three Months CELESTINE V. Institutor of the Celestines Elected the 5th of July 1294. S. Five Months and an half BONIFACE VIII Elected the 24th of Decemb. 1294. S. Eight years nine Months and an half BENNET XI Elected the 20th of October 1303. S. Eight Months seventeen days Vacancy Eleven Months CLEMENT V. Elected the 5th of June 1305. transfers the See into France S. Nine years wanting five weeks PHILIP IV. Surnamed the Fair King of France XLV and of Navarre also by his Wife Aged Seventeen years and some Months Year of our Lord 1286 After Philip had brought back into France the remainder of the Army and conveyed his Fathers Bones to St. Denis he went to be Crowned at Rheims by the hands of the Archbishop Peter Barbet the Sixth day of January with the Queen his Wife Year of our Lord 1286 Guy de Dampierre had succeeded in the Earldom of Flanders after the death of his Mother and had done Homage for it to Philip the Hardy but neither his Mother nor himself for want either of will or power had not as yet caused the Articles to be Sworn to and Ratified which were made in the year 1225. between Philip Augustus and Ferrand because in truth they were very destructive and ruinous to the Flemmings This year the King having threatned Guy if he did not perform it without delay to own him no longer for his Vassal but to declare a War the Cities and Commonalty of the Countrey were so alarmed and scared that they obey'd his Will and Pleasure Ever since the death of Philip III. Edward King of England had omitted no endeavour to confirm the Treaties with his Successor In the year 1286. being landed in France about Pontieu he was received at Amiens by several Lords whom the King sent to meet him from thence he came to Paris where he was Treated magnificently was present at the Parliament which was held after Easter and going from thence about Whitsontide went by Land to Burdeaux The apparent cause of his Voyage was the desire he had to Compose the business of the King of Arragon because Alphonso the eldest Son and Successor of Peter had Married his Daughter Alienor He forgot not likewise to press earnestly he might have some reparation for Normandy and those other Countries which both his Father and himself had renounced but could obtain nothing in either of these two points Being returned to Burdeaux he solemnly received the Ambassadors from the Kings of Castille of Arragon and of Sicilia all Enemies to France which gave no little jealousie to Philip. John de Launoy Vice-Roy for Philip in Navarre continued the War against the Arragonians But a Lord of the Country named John Corbaran whom he had entrusted with the Command of the Armies having been worsted by their Forces a Truce was agreed upon between the two Crowns The King of England laboured very seriously to Compose the Difference between the Kingdom of France and that of Arragon and Sicilia To this purpose he Conferr'd with Alphonso and Olâ—ron de Bearn and afterwards took the pains to make a Voyage into Sicily that he might Treat with James the Brother of Alphonso who as we have related had seized upon that Island The Negotiations of the King of England were somewhat retarded by the Progress some French Lords had made in that Island But the rest who were going thither to compleat that Conquest being beaten and taken at Sea by Lauria the Admiral they gave a more willing Ear to what was propounded Year of our Lord 1288 The Treaty was carried on so well that Charles the Lame was set at Liberty promising he would bring it so about with the Earl of Valois that he should renounce the Kingdom of Arragon and with the Pope that he should invest James of Arragon in that of Sicily which his Brother Alphonso should yield to him For security whereof Charles gave his Three Sons and Fifty Gentlemen of Quality as Hostages When he was deliver'd from his Imprisonment he did not hold himself obliged to make that good which he had been forced to promise on the contrary being in France he exhorted the Earl of Valois not to desist from his Right to the Kingdom of Arragon and going afterwards into Italy he got himself to be Crowned by the Pope who was then at Geronsa King of Sicilia both on this side and beyond the Fare So that James of Arragon perceiving the Treaty was broke fell upon Calabria where the City of Catensana had revolted in his favour Robert d'Artois laid Siege to it James and his Admiral Lauria hastned to its relief and being beaten went and blocked up Gaieta thinking to make a Diversion but Charles and Robert followed at the same time and besieged the Besiegers so straightly that they reduced them to Famine Then the Sicilian caused I know not how the Popes Legat to intervene who demanded a Truce for two years and Charles not well informed of the extremity wherein his Enemies were consented to it a little too easily at which Robert was so incensed that he retired into France and carried
a Truce upon pain of Excommunication he made Reply That he took no Rule or Law from any one in the Government of his Kingdom and that the Pope had in this case no right but to Exhort and Advise not to Command This was the first occasion of Enmity betwixt these two great Powers Year of our Lord 1296 There were two more almost at the same time The one that Boniface received the Complaints of the Earl of Flanders who implored his Justice because Philip denied to restore his Daughter to him The other for that he erected the Abby of St. Antonine de Pamiez to a Bishoprick and put the Abbot of St. Antonine into it Observe en passant that this City was other while called Fredalas King Philip was offended at this Erection and more yet with the choice of the Bishop his name was Bernard Saisset because he believed him a Factious Man and too much devoted to Boniface Nor would he suffer him to take possession and therefore Lewis Bishop of Toulouze administred in that Church for two whole years together Year of our Lord 1295 and 96. The War was still carried on in Guyenne by the Earl of Valois and the Constable de Nesle and then by Robert Earl of Artois The English had for Commanders there John Earl of Richmond and Edmond the Kings Brother To what purpose would it be to relate the taking of many petty places and the divers small Skirmishes The French say they won two Signal Victories one of them was gained by the Earl of Valois and the other by the Earl of Artois It is certain that Edmond being beaten by the first near Bayonne was forced to retire into that City where he died and the Earl of Lincoln who commanded that English Army afterwards having lost many of his Men before Daqs durst not stay for Robert d'Artois and retreated Year of our Lord 1296 In the mean while a most dangerous Storm was forming against France A League was made at Cambray by the Interest of the King of England whereinto he entred with the Duke of Brabant the Earls of Holland Juliers Luxemburgh Guelders and Bar Albert Duke of Austria the Emperor Adolphus and the Flemming himself all which sent their several Cartels of Defiance to King Philip but none of them vexed him so much as the Challenge from the Earl of Flanders because he was his Vassal The Earl of Bar began the Attaque by ravaging Champagne but he retir'd when he heard how Gaultier de Crecy Lieutenant of the Kings Army burnt and plundred his Country Soon after the Queen being advanced that way to defend her Country of Champagne he was so saint-hearted as to surrendet himself to her without making any desence They sent him Prisoner to Paris from whence he could get no Release but upon very hard Conditions For he did Homage to the King for his Earldom which he ever had pretended to hold in Franc Alleud or Free-Tenure and moreover he was condemned by a Decree of Parliament to go and bear Arms in the Holy Land till the King were pleased to recall him Year of our Lord 1297 As for Florent Earl of Holland he was kill'd by a Gentleman whose Wife he had Dishonour'd His Son John died soon after him by eating of some ill-Morsel John d' Avesnes Earl of Haynault their Cousin and nearest Relation inherited Holland and Frisland Year of our Lord 1297 The greatest burthen of the War fell upon Flanders King Philip marched into the Country with a vast Army to whom the Queen joyned her Forces after she had subdued the Earl of Bar. He took L'Isle by a three Months Siege and Courtray and Douay without much difficulty whilst on the other hand Robert Earl of Artois gained the Battle of Furnes where the Earl of Juliers was so ill handled that he died of his Wounds Year of our Lord 1297 Adolphus detained in Germany by the private Troubles the French started amongst them or the Sums of Money Philip gave him under-hand did not bring the Flemming that Relief which he expected Withall they found a way by the all-powerfulinfluence of Money to debauch Albertus Duke of Austria from the Party who brought over with him the Duke of Brabant and the Earls of Luxembourg Guelders and Beaumont As for the King of England who was there in Person and had his Navy at Damm and his Land Forces in the Country Towns he brought more inconvenience then assistance to the Flemming Besides we may add that the greatest Cities in Flanders as Ghent and Bruges had been against the making of this War and amongst them a Faction had declared for the French who called themselves the Portes-Lys or the Flower-de-Luce-Bearers Now the King being retired to Ghent with the Earl of Flanders could find no other way to Charm the Swords of the French in those Countries but by a Truce The intercession of the Earl of Savoy and Charles King of Sicilia obtained it with difficulty for them from the Tenth of October till Twelfth-day for Guyenne and to S. Andrews Holy-day for Flanders only Edward knew how to employ that time to good purpose Having passed the Sea he went against the Scots who had shaken off the Yoke and not only forced their King John and his Barons to do Homage to him a second time of which a Charter written in French was Signed and Sealed and to renounce the Alliance with France but likewise kept him Prisoner a while with some of those Lords confining them in the Tower of London resolving not to release him till he had made an end of his Disputes with the French Year of our Lord 1298 The Truce being expir'd he made ready to return into Guyenne by the Month of March in the year 1298. Nevertheless as either of these Kings had partly what they desired that is the King of France the Towns in Flanders and the King of England the Kingdom of Scotland it was not difficult for their Ambassadors who met about it at Monstreuil on the Sea Coast to prolong the Truce to the end of the year It was agreed That the Allies of both Kings should be Comprised by consequence John Balâ—ol ought to have been so but they could never obtain his liberty and that all the places Conquer'd in Flanders should be in the hands of Philip during that Truce The King of England had obliged himself by Oath to the Flemming not to make a Peace till they were restor'd but in the mean time he agreed his Marriage with Margaret the Sister to Philip and that of his Son Edward with Isabella the Daughter of that King Year of our Lord 1298 The Money that Adolphus had received on both hands from the Kings of France and England was the cause of his Ruine and on the contrary what Albertus had taken for the same end served to raise his Fortune For this last having made use of some of it to corrupt the Princes of Germany who were displeased
the rest were so overloaden It was perhaps for these reasons they were accused for having by a Compact made with the Jews these had been restored in the Reign of Lewis Hutin and Intelligence with the Turks cast some of their Ordures or some Bags of Poyson into the Wells and Fountains thereby to infect all those that were in Health with their fowl Leprosie or else to poyson them They were besides guilty of several Crimes against nature so that great numbers were condemned to the Fire the rest shut up very close within their Lazar-Hospitals As for the Jews the Populace did justice upon those themselves and burned a great many The King drove the whole Nation of them out of the Realm Year of our Lord 1321 His Council had resolved to settle over all France the same Weights the same Measures and the same Coyns but as under the pretence of some Expence and Charges they would be at they would likewise take the Fifth part of the Subjects Goods The Princes and Prelates who had a right of Coyning Money would not suffer the Kings Commissaries to go on in this Reformation they appealed to the Estates and Leagued themselves with the Cities so that the Impost being not raised the Reglement was let alone Year of our Lord 1322 During these Disturbances Philip loaden with the Curses of his People and hated of the Clergy because of his too frequent exaction of the Tenths fell sick of a Quartan Ague wherewith he langushed five whole Months and in the end died at Bois de Vincennes the Third day of January He lived One and thirty years and Reigned Five years and six weeks His Corps was conveyed with Ceremony to St. Denis his Heart to the Cordeliers at Paris his Bowels to the Jacobins Ever Year of our Lord 1322 since St. Lewis these good Fathers claim it as a special Right to have some part of the Entrails of our Kings which were not given them without Foundations He Married but one Wife to wit Jane who was Daughter of Othenine Earl of Burgundy and was also his only Heirese her Sister Blanch having been forced to Encloister her self to expiate her Crime By this Jane he had Three Daughters Jane Countess of Burgundy and Artois who Married Eudes IV. Duke of Burgundy and brought him these two Earldoms Margaret who had for Husband Lewis Earl of Flanders Nevers and Rhetel and Isabella who first Married Guignes Dauphin of Viennois and afterwards John Baron de Fanlcongmey in Franche-Comte Charles IV. King XLVIII POPE JOHN XXII During all this Reign CHARLES IV. Called the Fair King of France XLVIII and enjoying the Kingdom of Navarre Aged Twenty eight years Year of our Lord 1322 THe Succession of the Males being well setled Charles came to the Throne and was Crowned at Reims the Eleventh of February without any opposition all the Pairs assisting thereat excepting the King of England and the Earl of Flanders The named Gerard de la Guerre Native of Clermont in Auvergne and of mean Parentage had held the Soveraign management of the Treasury under Philip the Long and had been the grand Projector of the Imposts In the beginning of this Reign being sought for and taken for his Depredations he was put to the Wrack and Examined which they did so rudely that he died in the midst of those Torments This prevented not the dragging his Body thorough the Streets and hanging him on the Gallows at Paris There was afterwards a general search made for all the Farmers and such as were any ways concerned in the Revenues who were for the most part Lombards and Italians horrible Usurers and Exacters Their Goods were all Consiscate and they sent back into their own Country as beggerly as they came thence The King had been indulgent enough in not putting his Wife Blanch to Death who had been condemned for Adultery When he came to the Crown the desire of having Children prompted him to repudiate her under pretence of Parentage and after she had taken on the Vail at Maubuisson he Espoused Mary Daughter of the Emperor Henry of Luxembourg Who dying in the year 1324. in her first Child-bed and the Infant some few days after he Married for the thrid time Jane Daughter of Lewis Earl of Evreux his Uncle having to that end obtained a Dispensation from the Pope After the death of Lewis de Nevers Earl of Rhetel which hapned at Paris for he had retir'd himself into the Court of France and also the death of Robert de Bethune his Father Earl of Flanders which followed soon after the eldest Son of Lewis bearing his Fathers name enjoy'd all those three Earldoms But Robert de Cassel his Uncle pretending to be the nearest by one degree because he was the Son of Robert whereas Lewis was but Grandson presented himself to the King demanding the Investiture of that of Flanders In the mean while Lewis went immediately to take possession without rendring him that Devoir Which so irritated the King that although this young Prince were his Nephew he caused him to be summoned before the Parliament and kept him Prisoner The Parliament taking this weighty Affair into their Cognisance pronounced in favour of Lewis who being set at liberty did Homage to the King and gave Oath never to re-demand the Cities of Lisle Douay and Orchies The King confirmed the Appennage given by the Father to Robert de Cassel He likewise made an Agreement between William Earl of Haynault and Holland with Lewis who desisted from disputing with him for the Islands of Walcheren One Jordain Lord of the Island in Aquitain had committed many enormous Crimes and Murthered an Usher of the Kings with his own Mace as he was summoning him to appear in Parliament He was notwithstanding so much a fool as to come to Paris trusting to his great Alliances and upon his having Married the Neece of Pope John XXII But for all those Considerations he was committed Prisoner to the Chaâ—tellet and by Sentence dragg'd at a Horses Tail and hung up on the Gallows at Paris Year of our Lord 1323 and 24. The King had cause to compalin of Edward because he had not assisted at his Coronation and that his Seneschal of Bourdelois had placed a Garison in a Castle which the Lord de Montpesat had built in a place which was Land belonging to France Wherefore after some Negotiations in which the English seemed not to proceed fairly he sent Charles de Valois his Uncle into Guyenne who set so close upon the Skirts of Edmond Earl of Kent Brother to King Edward in the City de la Reoule that he obliged him to Capitulate and then pass immediately over into England to persuade his Brother to give the King satisfaction promising that if he could not obtain it to return as his Prisoner In the mean time the Earl of Valois made an end of the Conquest of Guyenne excepting only Bourdeaux St. Sever and Bayonne Year of our Lord 1324 and
and misused him so strangely that he durst not go into any of them but Ghent The King as his Lord and of near Parentage took his part and entred Flanders with an Army of Twenty five thousand Men. The Flemmings had posted Sixteen thousand upon a Hill near Cassel to guard their Frontier He coming to encamp in a Valley beneath them they had the confidence to go and attaque him and appointed three Bodies at the same instant to make their way to his Tent to the King of Bohemia's and to that of the Earl of Hainault thinking to surprize them all three unawares His Person was in great danger but whilst the bravest of his Men stood as a Rampart and put a stop to the Enemy the rest Armed themselves and charged the Flemmings so stoutly that the three Princes defeated those three Parties not one Man of them escaping All Flanders quell'd by this great shock submitted to his Mercy He caused several hundreds to be Hanged Banished and Confiscated and the year after dismantled five or six of their Towns which allay'd their heat for some time but did not extinguish it The severest punishment for those that are corrupt Officers of the Treasury and indeed the most beneficial to the Publick is not the hanging of them but to pare their Rapacious Talons so close that they may not be in a capacity to deserve it Peter Remy Sieur de Montigny had succeeded to Marigny and la Guette in the management of the Treasury their sad example had not so great influence upon him as the passion to enrich himself as they had done So that by Sentence of Parliament where there were Eighteen Knights Five and twenty Lords and Princes and the King himself present he was Condemned to be Drawn and Hanged as a Traytor at the Gallows of Montfaucon which he had caused to be rebuilt His Confiscation amounted to Twelve hundred thousand Livers a prodigious Sum for those times Of the Six great Pairries of the Laity the Kings had appropriated four to themselves to substitute others in their place and erected many new to wit Beaumont le Roger in Anno 1328. for Robert d'Artois and Anno 1329. the Barony of Bourbon this with the Title of Dutchy that with the Title of Earldom Then afterwards in several years Alenson Evreux Clermont in Beauvoisis all for Princes of his Blood and upon Lands truly of much lower Dignity and Consideration then those of the former six Pairries but as much above those of this Age as the Princes of the Blood are above Private Gentlemen Edward Earl of Savoy was come into France to demand assistance of the King against the Dauphin de Viennois and the Earl of Geneva his perpetual Enemies Year of our Lord 1329 Dying at Paris and leaving only a Daughter John III. Duke of Bretagne Husband to this Princess made earnest sute to have the Succession but the Estates of Savoy wherein presided Bertrand Archbishop of Tarentaise declared That the Salique Law took place there and called Aymon Brother of the deceased to that Crown Year of our Lord 1329 Upon the first Summons they sent to Edward by two Lords who had express Commission according to the custom of Fiefs he promised to come and do Homage to the King of France The seizure of his Fiefs of Guyenne and Ponthieu was therefore deferr'd and he came to Amiens in great Equipage After he had there in vain demanded the restoring of what had been taken in Guyenne from his Father he did Homage But it was with his Tongue and in general words only intending to Advise first with his Barons what was to be done When he was returned into England he sent Letters to King Philip under his great Seal in which he declared That that Homage was Liege and that he owed it for the Dutchy of Guyenne and the Earldoms of Ponthieu and Monstereuil Year of our Lord 1328 The Troubles that hapned in England had hindred him from performing that Devoir sooner His Mother with her Mortimer had made him believe that his Uncle Edmund Earl of Kent had plotted to take away his Life Indeed thaâ— Earl endeavour'd to get King Edward II. out of prison who was his Brother and as he thought yet living Upon this Information young Edward causes him to be seized and condemned to death somewhat too lightly but afterwards Mortimer and the Queen his Mistress were Treated in the same manner For the young King weary of their scandalous deportment caused the Gallant to be hanged upon pretence of several Crimes and his Mother to be shut up in a Castle where they hastned her end a very just act had it been done by any other hand but that of a Son The discord between Pope John XXII and the Emperour Lewis of Bavaria grew to that extremity that Lewis being in Italy after the example of the Emperour Otho degraded John of the Papal Dignity and in his place substituted Michael de Corbiere a Frier Minor under the name of Nicholas V. Michael de Cesenna General of that Order and divers of his Monks supported him mightily by their Preachings and Writings These Monks and others of the Imperial party having spread many reproachful and bloody Invectives thorough all Christendom against Pope John XXII an Assembly of the Clergy was held at Paris where the Bishop in his Pontifical Habit attended by many other Prelats and Clergy-men declared to the People in the Church-Porch of Nostre-Dame the Attempts and Mistakes of Corbiere and pronounced Excommunicate both the said Corbiere the Emperour Lewis and Michael de Cesenna with their Adherents Two things ruined this Party the Emperours ill Conduct which forced him to go out of Italy and the disagreement between the Friers Minors many of whom having forsaken their General it weakned his Interest so much that in the end he was disowned by all of that Order So that Corbiere after many Adventures being caught and brought to Avignon in the year 1330. begged pardon of John XXII with a Rope about his Neck but he could not get off so they put him in prison where he died some Months afterwards Year of our Lord 1329 We must not confound this Assembly above-mentioned with another which was held in the same City and the same year 1329. upon complaint the Kings Judges made by the Mouth of Peter Cugnieres Kt. Counsellor and Advocate-General of the Parliament touching the Usurpations and Attempts of the Clergy upon the Secular Jurisdiction The business was discussed in a Council held at Vincennes then again in the Assembly of Parliament Cugnieres spake earnestly and to the good liking of all the Nobility who applauded him Peter Roger elected Archbishop of Sens afterwards made Pope and Bertrand Bishop of Autun who was a Cardinal having undertaken the defence of their Body replied very eloquently The Clergy was in great danger not only of being lopt off in part but quite rooted out of their Jurisdiction The King at
last by a Decree of the Twenty eighth of December maintained them in their possession protesting it was his hearty desire to augment the Rights and Priviledges of the Church rather then any way dimish or infringe them for which reason they gave him the Surname of the Good Catholick Notwithstanding after this shock the Authority of that Body hath been so much weakned especially by Appeals in all Cases that now they really believe they have more just cause of Complaints against the Secular Judges then the Seculars had in those times against them Year of our Lord 1330 France being in Peace King Philip following the foot-steps of his Predecessors had conceived a desire of undertaking an Expedition into the Holy-Land To this purpose upon his return from a Pilgrimage he made to Marseilles with a very small Attendance in performance of a Vow he had made to St. Lewis Bishop of Toulouze he visited the Pope in Avignon and discoursed in particular with him about his design Towards the end of the year he summon'd the Estates of his Kingdom and laid before them the passion he had for the Holy War By their advice he sent to demand permission of the Pope to levy the Tenths of all the Clergy in Christendom and many other things but so extraordinary that he could obtain no favourable Answer Year of our Lord 1331 The English could not well digest that Edward had so easily renounced to the Crown of France They ceased not from spurring him on opportunity seeming to present it self favourably because Scotland which France was wont to make a counterpoise to England was extreamly embroil'd For Edward the Son of John Baliol who for a long time led a private Life at his House in Normandy with a small Force had recover'd that Crown and driven out King David who was retired to the Court of France together with his Wife and Children After the death of Mahaut the Earldom of Artois sell Jane of Burgundy Wife of Philip the Long and according to the Articles of Marriage was given to Blancb her Daughter the Wife of Eudes Duke of Burgundy Robert d'Artois who could not yet forbear his pretentions to that Earldom renewed the Process and produced certain Grants under the great Seal which he said he had found by Miracle He believed the King being his Brother-in-Law and owing him so great obligation would not search too deep after the truth of it But the King because it concerned the interest of his Daughter who was much nearer to him then his Sister caused these Letters Patents to be examin'd so exactly that they were found to be false and a Gentlewoman of Artois that had counterfeited them was burnt alive for it they having accused her as being a Sorceress Robert enraged for the loss of his Process and of his Honour slew to reproaches against the King so much the more injurious as they were true and so exasperated his anger that he was pushed on to the utmost extremity against him They seized upon his Confessor whom they obliged by force or promises to bear Witness against him his Wiâ—e was laid hold on though she were the Kings own Sister and after some delay for want of appearing he was Banished by sound of Trumpet and Proclamation through all the Suburbs of Paris and his Estate was declared to be Confiscate He then knew there was no more quarter for him and would have taken Sanctuary at the Earl of Hainaults but the Kings wrath did not suffer him to be so near he excited the Duke of Brabant to make War upon the Hanuyer Robert not to be a Cause of the ruine of his Friend went out of those Countries and resolved to all the extremities whereunto dispair does usually hurry Men of courage he goes to the King of England and by force of blowing the Coals kindled the Flame that set all France on Fire Year of our Lord 1332 In the mean time the King of England strenghned himself with Alliances Moneys and all sorts of Ammunitions for some great Enterprize He had in his Party the Earl of Haynault the Emperor Lewis his Brother-in-Law several German Princes with the Cities of Flanders and to have the greater power in the Low-Countries and over the Princes along the Rhine he purchased at a dear rate the Quality of Vicar of the Empire The King was secure of the Earl of Flanders the Duke of Lorrain the Earl of Bar the Kings of Castille of Scotland and of Bohemia but especially of this last whom he had made fast by many several ties For besides that he had Married a Sister of his and his Son Charles born of that Wedlock had been bred in the Court of France he also Married his Daughter Bonne to John Duke of Normandy The Nuptials were compleated at Melun The Designs of the English being not yet formed gave Philip no apprehension so Year of our Lord 1332 that he was taking up the Cross for the Holy Land and with him three other Kings Charles of Bohemia Philip of Navarre and Peter of Arragon with a great number of Dukes Earls and Knights The Clergy took but small joy in it so mightily were they oppressed with extraordinary Exactions as if they had a design to ruine the Churches of France to go and restore those in Palestine Year of our Lord 1333 Upon the design of this War Philip endeavour'd to make Peace between all his Neighbour Princes he brought the Duke of Brabant to an agreement with the Earl of Flanders and the Earl of Savoy with the Dauphin de Viennois The difference betwixt the first was for the City of Malines It belonged to the Bishop of Liege and to the Earl of Guelders the Bishop had sold his part to the Earl of Flanders the Duke of Brabant claimed it saying he was the Lord of the Fief It was concluded it should remain to the Flemming unless the Duke would rather chuse to reimburse him 85000 Crowns With that was agreed the Marriage of three Daughters of the Brabanders with Lewis eldest Son of the Flemming William Earl of Holland and Renauld Earl of Guelders Year of our Lord 1333 Pope John XXII had publickly preached at Avignon That the Vision or Joyes of the Blessed Souls and the Pains or Torments of the Damned were imperfect till the final day of Judgment and endeavour'd to make this opinion pass current for the Doctrine of the Church The Faculty of Theology of Paris courageously opposed it He tried to get them to own it by two Nuncios whom he sent to them the one was the General of the Cordeliers the other a famous Jacobin Doctor The most Christian King did not judge the Pope to be infallible but order'd the question to be discuss'd by Thirty Doctors or the Faculty of Theology who confounded the Cordelier Nuncio whereupon a Decree was made and Sealed with their Thirty Seals which he sent to the Holy Father exhorting him to believe those who
would have guessed the business had been at an end but his Wife Margaret Daughter of Robert Earl of Flanders a wise and couragious Princess who made good use of her Head in Council and of her Sword upon occasion as well as the deepest Politician or the bravest Soldier of her time could have done upheld that ruined party and not only so but even raised it again by her heroick Virtue She retired to Brest fortify'd her places put her Son who was but four years old in a place of safety having sent him into England and pressed King Edward so earnestly for the assistance he had promised to her Husband that he sends it by Sea to her It came inde ed somewhat too late to preserve Rennes but early enough to save Hennebond whit her he was retired It was however too weak to maintain the cause the Enemies were Masters of the Field and took the Towns but Charles de Blois I cannot tell by what motive gave her some respite by a years Truce during which this Princess goes over into England to represent the state of her Affairs there Year of our Lord 1342 In the Month of April of this year 1342. hapned the death of Benedict XII This good Pope moreconcerned and affectionate for the exaltation of the Holy See then of his own Family left a vast Treasure to the Church and nothing at all to his kindred but good instructions for the saving of their Souls Peter Roger Native of the Village de Rose in Limosin and Arch-Bishop of Rouen succeeded him by the name of Clement VI. This Man behaved himself quite contrary he scrupled not at all to make use of his Wealth to enrich his Relations and restored the Nipotisine very prejudicial to to the Church Year of our Lord 1342 The Countess Margaret acted so successfully at the Court of England that she brought back a powerful supply commanded by Robert d'Artois The Naval Forces of the Genoese and Spaniards which were under the Command of Lewis of Spain Brother of Alphonso who was Constable set upon them smartly and might well have hindred their Landing if a sierce Wind had not obliged him at night to put out to Sea fearing his great Vessels should run aground their Ships being smaller got to Port near Vannes Robert d'Artois being landed besieged that City and carried it by Assault which he made upon them in the night presently after another very hot one which he had given them in the day time But after that the Captains of the contrary party knowing he had sent the greatest part of his Army to besiege Rennes and that himself staid in Vannes they came and besieged him and press'd so hard upon him by repeated Assaults that they regained the place Himself was hurt in the last attaque and with much ado saved himself by a postern and got to Hennebond from thence he went into England where he thought to find best Chyrurgeons he died of his wounds in London detested of all good and loyal Frenchmen and passionately regretted by Edward who promis'd him to revenge his death And in effect he landed soon afterwards in Bretagne where all at one time he besieged Vannes Rennes and Guincamp protesting he did not intend to break the Truce made with the French but only he would defend and protect the Lands of a Pupil he meant Montfort's Son to whom he had promised his Daughter in Marriage On the other hand the Duke of Normandy thought he did not infringe it if he assisted Charles de Blois his Cousin German Year of our Lord 1342 After divers exploits of War on either part the Duke hemm'd in Edward before Vannes both by Sea and Land Now as the English were reduced to hunger and the French extreamly incommoded with the Autumn Rains they were glad on both sides to get out of these straights by a Truce for two years which was concluded betwixt them only for Bretagne The Legats of the new Pope brought this about and withal got the promise of both Kings that they should send to Avignon to the Holy Father there to determine all their Disputes by a firm and lasting Peace Year of our Lord 1343 The Twenty eighth of January hapned the death of Robert the Wife King of Naples who left his Kingdom to Jane Daughter of his Son Charles and the Sixteenth of September that of Philip King of Navarre Charles his Son who since ws surnamed the Bad came to the Crown under the Guardianship of Queen Jane of France his Mother Year of our Lord 1343 The Duke of Normandy and the English Deputies met at Aviguon to Treat about a Peace and although they could not come to an agreement in any one thing yet nevertheless it was believed they would conclude a Peace at last because the Popes Mediation was pleasing to both Princes But here an unhappy accident falls in their way and not only stopt their proceedings towards a Peace but set them at farther distance then ever they were and overwhelmed France with a deluge of woes Year of our Lord 1344 Oliver de Clisson and Ten or Twelve Lords Bretons of the French party having accompanied Charles de Blois to a Turnament that was held at Paris the King caused them to be all made prisoners upon some suspition of their holding intelligence with the English and soon after beheaded without any Trial or Hearing of their Case to the great astenishment of all the World and indignation of the Nobility whose Blood till then had never been shed but in Battle and indeed this too severe King who revenged even his own mistrusts did so alienate the affection of his Grandees that they served him but very ill when he had need of them upon great occasions Year of our Lord 1344. and 45. The death of these Lords of Bretagne enraged the King of England he was almost like to have done the same to Henry Lord of Leon of Charles de Blois his party whom he held a prisoner but upon the humble intreaties of the Earl of Derby he gave him his Life and Liberty upon condition he should go and declare to King Philip that the Truce was infringed by this Murther and that he was now going to begin the War anew as he quickly did as well in Guyenne by the Earl of Derby assisted by the Gascon Lords under his obedience as in Bretagne by Montforts party till he could go himself and carry a War into the very heart of the Kingdom Year of our Lord 1344 The people of France had liberally granted to King Philip very notable Subsidies of Money for his Wars he raised them by much and which was worse he setled a new one upon Salt for which cause Edward by way of railery called him the Author of the Salique Law This impost which makes the Sun and Water to be sold so dear was the invention of the Jews mortal enemies to the name of Christians as the word or term Gabel denotes
same day which was the Six and twentieth of August His too hasty March and three long Leagues of way had made the French lose both their breath and strength before they engaged the enemy On the contrary the English were fresh and recruited and dispair re-doubled their courage The Genoese the chief strength of Philips Infantry who were commanded by Antony d'Oria and Charles Grimaldi did nothing to the purpose their Cross-bow strings being made useless by a deluge of Rain that fell just upon the first beginning of their Service they retreating from before a showre of the English Arrows the Count d'Alenson who suspected it to be Treachery rides quite over them with his Cavalry and so began the rout We must also take notice that in this famous Battle the English had four or five pieces of Canon which gave much terror for that was the first time they ever saw those thundering in our Wars To all this add that some amongst the Grandees very glad to see Philip engaged upon this occasion made more shew then they did service These causes chiefly gave the victory to the English The Battle lasted from four in the Afternoon till Two the next Morning A great flight of Ravens which a little hefore the Fight were observed to hover over the French Army were esteemed as a presage of their defeat Of the French side there remained dead upon the place Thirty thousand Foot Twelve hundred Knights and Fourscore Banners taken John King of Bohemia Charles Earl of Alenson Brother to the King Lewis Earl of Flanders and Twelve or Fifteen of the most illustrious Counts lost their Lives King John stark blind as he was fought very valiantly having caused his Horses Bridle to be sastned to the Bridles of two of his bravest Knights horses His Son Charles King of the Romans was hurt with three wounds but it is not true that the Kings of Majorca Scotland and Navarre were in this Engagement the two first were in their own Countreys busie enough about their own concerns and the other not above the age of Thirteen or Fourteen years under the tuition of his Mother The King this time Vnfortunate retired out of the Battle under the favour of the night and saved his Person in the Castle of Broye from thence got to Amiens and so to Paris to raise another Army The next day another slaughter twice greater then the former was made by Five hundred Lances and two thousand Archers amongst the common People who being ignorant of what had hapned were marching to the French Camp The English having ravaged all Boulonois at their pleasure went and laid Siege to Calais about the Eighth of September and stuck close to it with the more security upon the news that David King of Scotland was vanquish'd and made prisoner by the Queen of England upon his falling on the Frontiers Year of our Lord 1346 Before the Battle of Cressy the Emperour Lewis was Excommunicated by the Pope and degraded by Five Electors who in his stead placed Charles the Son of John King of Bohemia This Prince after the death of Lewis which hapned in October the following year got his Election confirmed and bought the Claims of two or three others who disputed their Title to the Empire with him because they had been named by some of the Electors Year of our Lord 1347 After the Duke of Normandy had raised the Siege of Aiguillon the Earl of Derby remained Master of the Field regained all that part of Guyenne which lies beyond the Dordogne and having passed the Rivers ravaged and burnt Saintonge and Poitou took St. John d'Angely and kept it sacaged the great City of Poitiers and quitted it after he had refreshed himself there for Twelve days together Year of our Lord 1346. and 47. The Flemmings having lost their Earl at the Battle of Cressy sent a Deputation to the King to re-demand his Son who was their natural Prince Whilst he was in their power they had assianced him to King Edwards Daughter but that Alliance being contrary to his inclination he escaped from them and returned to the Court of France After he had staid there a year he made a particular peace with the English by the consent of Philip his Sovereign It was agreed that he should permit the Flemmings to give them assistance but as for himself he should not intermeddle with the Affairs either of the one or other of the two Princes Year of our Lord 1347 The Flemmings being at Edwards Devotion made great inroads upon Artois and on the other side John de Montforts party got the upper hand in Bretagne by the help of the English For Charles de Blois going to besiege la Roche de Rien Montfort gave him Battle the Twentieth of June vanquish'd him and took him prisoner with his two Sons John and Guy and most of the Lords of his party His Wife whom ambition and the Royal Blood she came of inspired but with too much courage gathered up the fragments and maintained the business so well that he recover'd once more Year of our Lord 1347 It was but in vain that Philip advanced between Wissant and Calais with an Army of One hundred and fifty thousand Men to relieve the City the English had enclosed his Camp with such good Trenches that he could find no way to attaque him The besieged driven to the severest extremity of Famine were forced to surrender the last day of August Fame shall never forget the name of Eustace de St. Pierre the most noted Citizen of Calais and his heroick generosity to save his fellow Citizens Edward mortally enraged at their long resistance would not receive them on composition unless they would deliver up to him six of their principal Burghers to do what he pleased with them The Council not knowing what to resolve and the whole City remaining Year of our Lord 1347 exposed to the revenge of a cruel Conquerour Eustace freely proffer'd to be one of those Six By his example there soon follow'd enough to make up the number who went out in their Shirts with Ropes about their Necks to deliver the Keys to Edward He was so obstinately bent to put them to death that the Queen his Wife had all the trouble imaginable to obtain his pardon for their Lives He drove out all the Inhabitants of the place even the Ecclesiastiques and repeopled it with natural English Robert King of Sicilia having no Heirs of his own Body but Jane the Daughter of his Son Charles Duke of Calabria had Married her Anno 1333. to Andrew Second Son of Carobert King of Hungary the eldest of these two being then but seven years of age It hapned Twelve years afterwards Andrew not being enough to Jane's liking and having been Crowned King by the Pope pretending that the Kingdom did delong to him certain Conspirators made him rise one night out of the Bed where he was lying with her and hanged him at a
all France was left exposed to the plundrings of the licentious Soldiers as well French as English Now at the very hour that Paris was reduced to the extreamest want and it was in the power of the Navarrois and only depended upon him alone to give the mortal blow to France his heart was changed in a moment without any apparent cause but an extraordinary favour of Heaven towards this Kingdom Insomuch as he made his agreement with the Dauphin and referr'd almost all his pretensions to his own free Will in despite of all the arguments and oppositions of his Brother who quitted him and retired to the English at Saint Sauveur le Vicomte Year of our Lord 1359 This Peace saved the City of Paris but did not ease the neighbouring Provinces * for those Garrisonn'd places that had held for the King of Navarre declared for the English that they might still have opportunities to plunder The Lord Auberticour a Hennuger ravaged Champagne by means of certain Castles he held upon the Marne and the Seine Broquard de Fennestranges a Knight of Lorrain drawn into the Service of France with Five hundred adventurers whom he had under his Pay delivered the Countrey of him having defeated and taken him prisoner in a great Fight near Nogent upon the River Seine but himself became a more severe scourge burning and laying all waste till the Dauphin could give him the Arrears due to his Soldiers During all these Wars with the English until Charles VIII had driven them out of France there were many of these Captains whereof some paid their Men out of their own pockets and then hired them out to those that would bid most and others maintained theirs with the plunder they took indifferently on either side These last were called Robbers those that Commanded them were meer Soldiers of Fortune when they were snapt they found no quarter Year of our Lord 1359 There were Propositions of Peace perpetually on foot between the two Crowns King John though he had all manner of liberty even for Hunting and all pastimes and gallantries was very weary of his imprisonment nevertheless he referr'd those conditions the English propounded for his Release to the Estates of his Kingdom They being assembled at Paris for this purpose it was in the Month of May found them so hard that all with one voice chose rather to have War and offer'd very great sums to carry it on but these could not be levied so soon The King of England netled with their Reply raised a formidable Army there were Eleven hundred Vessels and near an hundred thousand fighting Men landed at Calais with his four Sons who began to march although the Season was very far spent They let him keep the Field at his own pleasure the Towns were so well provided that he could not take one neither St. Omers nor Amiens nor Reims where he thought to have been Crowned King of France nor Chaalons Burgundy redeemed themselves from plundering for Two hundred thousand Florins and some Provisions for his Camp Nivernois compounded likewise Brie and Gastinois were ransacked About the latter end of Lent he came and encamped within Seven Leagues of Paris between Chartres and Montlehery and finding they made no one step towards the satisfying his demands he plants himself just before the City Gates with design to oblige the French to Speak or to Fight Year of our Lord 1360 After he had tarry'd there some time without being able to gain either the one or the other he turns back towards Beauss resolved to refresh his Men along the River Loire and in case of misfortune retreat into Bretagne Cardinal Simon de Langres the Popes Legat and the Dauphins Deputies always follow'd his Camp and sollicited him eternally for a Peace One day he being encamped in the Chartrain Countrey there arose a dreadful Storm with so much Lightning and Thunder and such a shower of great Hail that it grievously maim'd a great many of his Men and killed above a thousand of his Horses He took this prodigy as a warning and command from Heaven and turning himself towards our Lady's Church of Chartres which was to be seen about five or six Leagues off made a promise before the Almighty of concluding the Peace besides the Duke of Lancaster with other English Lords pressed him earnestly because his Army was much shatter'd and he had brought over almost all the force of England Year of our Lord 1360 The Deputies on either part met the First of May at the village called Brotigny within a mile of Chartres In this place Treating in the name of the two Kings eldest Sons they concluded upon all the Articles in eight days time On the one side they gave the English King besides what he had already all Poitou Saintongne Rochel and the Countrey of Aulnis Angoumois Perigord Limosin Quercy Agenois and la Bigorre in full Sovereigaty besides Calais the Counties of Oye Guisnes and Pontieu and three Millions in Gold for the Ransom payable at three several Terms of King John who should be brought to Calais and set at liberty after the restitution of those places force-mentioned and upon giving up as Hostages his Three youngest Sons his Brother Philip and other Princes of the Blood and besides all these Thirty more as well Earls as Illustrious Knights and two Deputies of each of the Nineteen Cities whose Names were expresly mention'd On the other hand the King of England renounced the Title of King of France and generally all his other pretensions Year of our Lord 1360 And till the two Kings could ratify the Treaty a Truce was agreed upon for a year In the Month of July King John was brought over to Calais where he was immediately visited by his Children and staid there till the Five and Twentieth of October when King Edward coming thither both of them swore to the agreement of Peace very solemnly That between the King of England and the Earl of Flanders and another between the King of Navarre and King John were made up in the same place and Year of our Lord 1360 this last sworn by the two Philips Brothers of those two Kings the Treaties were confirmed by the Holy Father under the penalty of Ecclesiastical censures against those as should first contravene King John being freed from Captivity the Four and twentieth of October which he had now undergone four years and one Month went to give Thanks to God at the Church of St. Denis in France There he received the King of Navarre into Favour who came and Saluted him The Thirteenth of December he made his entrance into Paris and the City testified their joy by a Present of Plate of a Thousand Marks Year of our Lord 1361 The extream necessity he was in for Money to pay his Ransom made his generous courage stoop to a weakness judged to be more prejudicial to the Honour of the Noble House of France then even the Treaty of Britigny it self
But nothing could quench the irreconcileable animosities of these two Houses nor prevent their seeking all opportunities to destroy each other as they did this year 1362. and the following Year of our Lord 1362 Whilst they were labouring but not effectually enough to have the Garrisons vacated King John took a fancy to go to Avignon and visit Pope Innocent with design as was believed to endeavour a Marriage with Jane Queen of Naples the second time a Widdow defamed indeed for her ill life but who would have brought him in Dower the Counties of Provence and Piedmont being on his way he heard of the death of Innocent but he went forwards and on the eighth day of October assisted at the Coronation of William Grimouard a Native of Montferrat who was chosen out of the Sacred Colledge being but a simple Abbot They named him Vrban V. Whilst he staid at Avignon the Holy Father Preaching for a new adventure to the Holy Land he accepted of the Command of Generalissimo in the Expedition The two Kings Peter of Cyprus and Woldemar III. of Denmark took the badge of the Cross for the same purpose in the same place But the affairs of France not suting very well with this Enterprize was so far from being put in execution that it was not so much as approved of or countenanc'd Year of our Lord 1363 At his return he took possession of the Dutchy of Burgundy but whilst he was yet in that Countrey the Burgundians did so positively make him understand that they could not live without a Prince that was Resident amongst them that he revoked and null'd the re-union he had made of this Dutchy to the Crown and yielded and bestowed it upon Philip his youngest Son who had deserved the Name of Hardy at the Battle of Poitiers To hold it for him and his Heirs begotten in lawful Marriage About the end of this year 1363. King John Embarqued at Boulogne and went again into England the occasion of his voyage was not his love towards a Lady with whom he had familiarity when he was formerly there but upon notice that the Duke of Anjou his second Son and one of his Hostages had escaped out of England this generous King would repair the Honour of that young Prince and demonstrate Year of our Lord 1364 that he had no hand in that juvenile act as likewise to dispose if it were possible King Edward to the expedition of the Holy War Charles the Dauphin Regent for the Second time Year of our Lord 1364 HIs eldest Son to whom he had left the Regency sound himself presently attaqued by his Cousin the King of Navarre upon the pretensions he had to the Dutchy of Burgundy This Prince having rashly sent him defiance before he had any Army ready to justify it lost the Cities of Mantes and Meulan which were taken by Bertrand du Gueselin whose valour was already raised much above the common standard Year of our Lord 1364 In England King John having had many Conferences with King Edward when he hoped to have dispatched all his Affairs was surprized about mid March with a distemper which ended his days the eighth of April He died in the Savoy without the Walls of London after he had lived Two and fifty years and held the Scepter Thirteen years and eight Months His Son the Duke of Berry the Dukes Philip of Orleance and Lewis II. of Bourbon and John of Artois Earl of Eu all Princes of the Blood heard his last Sighs and closed his Eyes The King of England made him a magnificent Funeral worthy the grandeur of that King and becoming his own generosity His Corps was brought back into France and interred at St. Denis upon the seventh day of May. He was esteemed to be the bravest and the most liberal Prince of his time but the same root which produced these virtues did likewise bring forth Pride and the scorn to follow any other Counsel but that of his own Brain attended with prodigality precipitation and that violence which exposed his own Kingdom to pillage and plunder and his own Person to the mercy of his enemies But we must not deny him two great advantages or perfections he had above other Princes that he was frank and sincere and did most inviolably keep his word nor forget that heroick saying attributed to him That if Faith and Truth should be banished from all the rest of the world yet they onght to be found in the mouths of Kings He married two Wives who were named Jane the First Daughter of John King of Bohemia in Anno 1332. and the Second of William Earl of Boulongne and Widow of Philip of Burgundy Earl of Artois in Anno 1349. By the First he had four Sons and four Daughters the four Sons were Charles who succeeded to the Crown Lewis Duke of Anjou and Earl of Mayne John Duke of Berry and Auvergne and Earl of Poitou Philip first Duke of Touraine then of Burgundy The Daughters were named Mary Jane Isabel Margaret the first married Robert eldest Son of Henry Duke of Bar the second Charles the Bad King of Navarre the third John Galeaz Viscount First Duke of Milan the fourth devoted her self to JESUS CHRIST in the Monastery of Poissy By his Second Wife he had two Daughters that attained not to the ripeness of Marriage Charles V. called the VVise and the Eloquent King of France LI. Aged about XXVI years POPES URBAN V. Seven years Four Months under this Reign GREGORY XI Elected the Thirtieth of December 1370. S. Seven years three Months Schisme URBAN VI. Elected the Eighth of April in the year 1378. S. at Rome II. years six Months six Days whereof two years and above five Months under this Reign And CLEMENT VII Elected the Twenty first of September S. in Avignon Twenty six years whereof Two years under this Reign THe prosperous Conduct of this King is the noblest proof we meet with thoroughout all the History of France that the weightiest Affairs are managed better by skill and judgment then by sorce and that success in Year of our Lord 1364 Battle is oftner the effect of the judicious Orders and Contrivances in the Closet then the valour of those that sight them Year of our Lord 1364 His Coronation was performed at Reims the Nineteenth of May. It is to be observed that Wenceslaus of Luxemburgh Duke of Brabant his maternal Uncle John Duke of Lorrain and Robert Duke of Bar though Strangers and Vassals of the Empire did the Office of Pairs there the First representing the Duke of Normandy the Second the Earl of Champagne the Third the Earl of Toulouze The Duke of Burgundy and the Earl of Flanders held their natural places and Lewis Duke of Anjou that of the Duke of Guyenne They had just reason to say that never King armed himself so little and yet did so many brave exploits in War as this same It seemed as is Wisdom had tyed Fortune to his
was almost the only Man who was capable of revenging him for all these Affronts to this end the second day of October he puts the Sword of High Year of our Lord 1370 Constable into his hands which Moreau de Fiennes too much broken with age and toil could bear no longer but gave him few Soldiers that he might only observe the Enemy and not fight them Du Guesclin who had another aim encreased the numbers at his own expence having sold all his Jewels and rich Household Furniture he had gotten in Spain to buy up more Soldiers After he had followed and annoyed the Enemy for some time he had an opportunity to be t up one of their Quarters near the Pont Valain in the Country of Mayne By this means having broke the ice he put them to a rout then defeated them piece after piece till even Knolles himself had much ado to escape Year of our Lord 1371 From thence he turned up into Berry and drove out the English who fled into Poitou cleared Touraine and Anjou and did the like in Limosin and in Rovergne Year of our Lord 1371 He also rendred a most important piece of Service to France having brought the King of Navarre to an Enterview with King Charles In the present posture of Affairs that Prince might have done a great deal of mischief by introducing the English into Constentin where he held Cherbourgh with some other places and into the County of Evreux which was all his own But he being as irresolute as malicious he neither knew how to keep his Faith nor break it to his own advantage Though he had made a Truce the preceding year he still deferr'd the concluding of the Peace by his Artifice In fine he suffers himself to be led to it when he had least need and was contented with the City of Mâ—ntpellier which was put into his possession Upon which Consideration he renounced the English Interest at that time when it would have been more advantage not to do it Year of our Lord 1371 In the year 1367. Pope Vrban V. had made a Voyage to Rome in appearance to give some Orders for the Affairs of Italy but indeed out of anger for that the Army going into Spain had oppressed and extorted a great deal from him After he had staid there two years and an half he returned to Avignon where in short time he died the 19th of December The Cardinals placed in the Holy Chair Peter Roger who was Son to William Earl of Beaufort in Valee and Jane Sister of Pope Clement VI. In the Month of May of this same year David King of Scotland Son of Robert Bruce died without Children Thus that Crown passed into the House of the Stewarts by one Robert who was his Sisters Son He ratifi'd the Truce with the English and prolonged it for thirteen years The Maritine Cities of Flanders being all filled with Merchants had no other Interest to mind but Trade Wherefore neither considering that of their Earl nor Year of our Lord 1371 the Kings they made a League with the English thereby to secure their Commerce which appeared more advantageous from that side then from the French Within a while after the new Constable had re-conquer'd Perigord and Limosin from the English the Prince of Wales though he could not stir but in a Litter draws his Men together at Cognac and went to besiege Limoges His Hurons or Miners of which he had great numbers having thrown down a great part of the Wall into the Ditches the Town was taken by Storm He was so enraged against the Inhabitants that he took cruel Vengeance even upon the very Women and Children above four thousand of them dying by the edge of the Sword This was his last exploit in War afterwards he retired very much indisposed into England where yet he languished three years When he was gone the Affairs of the English ran every day into decay the greatest part of the Lords and Commanders in Guyenne whom his Valour and Bounty tied to his Court going over to the French Year of our Lord 1372 He had left the care of his Affairs to the Duke of Lancaster who stay'd no long time in Guyenne but went over into England to be present in a great Council which was held about the concerns on this side the Water At his departure he Married the Daughter of Peter the Cruel and stiled himself King of Castille his Brother the Earl of Cambridge likewise took the youngest Sister to his Bed Year of our Lord 1372 This was to declare a Mortal War against King Henry who besides being engaged to the Crown of France resolved as well for his own security as out of gratitude to Year of our Lord 1372 serve it with all his power He knew the English were sending an Army into Poitou Commanded by the Earl of Pembrooke he put out a Fleet of forty great Ships to Sea well stored with Canon and Fire-Arms who lay in wait for the Earl of Pembrooke at the chops of the Rochel Channel The Fight lasted two days the Eves-eve and the Eve of St. Johns Feast the Rochellâ—rs looking on in cold blood not to be persuaded by their Governor to go out to the aid of the English who in the end were overcome and all either taken or sunk The Victors carried away the Earl of Pembrooke with the rest of the Prisoners into Spain all laden with Chains This was the Custom both of the Spaniards and Germans towards their Enemies the French and English treated theirs with more generosity and civility ☜ This disaster was the utter ruine of the English Party The Constable besieged Year of our Lord 1372 and took all places with ease After he had help'd the Duke of Berry in reducing St. Severe which was believed to be impregnable he came to take possession of the great City of Poitiers that opened her Arms to him The Commanders that kept the Field were all amazed at it but much more astonished upon the defeat of the Captal de Buch who marching to relieve the City of Soubise situate at the mouth of the Charente sound himself surrounded and taken by the Spaniards whose Fleet hover'd about that Coast No Ransom nor Exchange could persuade the King to set him at liberty a second time he was shut up in a Tower belonging to the Temple at Paris where he died four years after Year of our Lord 1372 The Rochellers could never agree with the English humour scarce compatible with any Nation whatsoever they studied how to withdraw themselves from their Government and for this purpose it was that the Spaniards kept so nigh to favour their design The Castle only hindred them the Mayor bethought himself of a Wyle Having given the Captain a Dinner he presented him certain Letters Sealed with King Edwards Signet out of which he read That they were ordered to make a Muster of the Garison in the Castle and the City Militia There
Earl of Buckingham and afterwards Duke of Gloucester He had also Four Daughters Isabella who Married the Earl of Bedford Jane who was Wife to the King of Spain Mary that was so to John de Montfort Duke of Bretagne and Margaret to the Earl of Pembrook This great multitude of Children was his strength during his life-time and the ruine of England after his death Year of our Lord 1377 The Wise King had not consented to suspension of Arms but to prepare himself the better Therefore he would hear of no more Propositions and making himself assured of the event o◠the War he began it anew with five Armies He sent one into Artois One into the Countreys of Berry Auvergne Bourbonnois and Lyonnois One into Guyenne One into Bretagne and kept the Fifth near himself as a reserve Year of our Lord 1377 to assist either of the other Four that might stand in need of it They were Commanded by the Dukes of Burgundy of Berry and of Anjou Oliver and the Constable all which behaved themselves so well that the English could not preserve any places of importance but Calais in Belgica Bourdeaux and Bayonne in Guyenne and Cherbourgh in Normandy which was sold to him by the Navarrois Year of our Lord 1378 The eldest Son of that King named Charles as himself was had a great desire to see the King of France his Uncle his Father was just then upon the point of concluding a bargain with the English very disadvantageous to France which was to give them some Lands and Places he held in Normandy and to take the Dutchy of Guyenne in exchange for the defence whereof they were to furnish him every year with Two thousand Men at Arms and as many Archers to be paid by them When his Son therefore went to see his Uncle he would needs take this opportunity to brew some Plot or Conspiracy in France and even to poison the King He had therefore placed about his Son the most crafty and most wicked Men he could pick out amongst others la Rue his Chamberlain and du Tertre his Secretary but was so unadvised withal as to send the Captains of his best places of Normandy His design was discover'd or perhaps prevented the King caused his Son and his Captains to be seized and la Rue and du Tertre to be put into the hands of Justice The Son whatever intercession could be made remained a prisoner Five years the Captains were not set free till the places they belonged to were surrendred to the King du Tertre and la Rue had their Heads cut off At the same time some Forces were sent into Normandy and took all his Holds to the number of Ten or Twelve excepting Cherbourgh which after a long Siege remained still in English hands and immediately dismantled them The Duke of Anjou pressed the English very home likewise in Guyenne The taking of Bergerac and the gaining of a Battle which was fought near the little City of Aymet where almost all the Chiefs and Barons of Gascongne remained prisoners made himself Master of all the Places above the two Rivers the Dordogne and the Garonne Three things weakned the English so much that they had neither the Sence nor Courage nor Forces and Strength to defend themselves One was the Minority of their King aged but Thirteen years the Second a great Plague which depopulated England and the Last the incursions of the Scots who had broken the Truce being incited to it by the King and upon condition of a hundred thousand Gold Florins with the Pay for Five hundred Men at Arms and as many Sergeants Year of our Lord 1377. and 78. The Pope ceased not to exhort the King of France to make Peace and pressed the Emperour Charles to make use of his intercession The Emperour whether out of affection for the Royal House of France or to take measures to secure the Empire to his Son Wenceslaus or for some other subject desired to visit that Court though he were very much tormented with the Gout The King sent two of the most illustrious Earls and two hundred Horse to meet him at Cambray where he kept his Christmass the Duke of Bourbon to Compiegne and two of his Brothers to Senlis himself went beyond the Suburbs of St. Denis to receive him and lodg'd him in his Palace All the time he was in France he entertained him with all the magnificence imaginable paid him all manner of Respects unless such as denote a Sovereignty and which hereafter might give a Title to some imaginary pretences For this reason when they received him into any City they did not ring their Bells nor bring their Canopy of State such as made Speeches did not forget to tell him it was by order of their Sovereign and at his entrance into Paris the King affected to be mounted upon a White Horse and ordered a Black one for the Emperour He came in thither the Fourth day of January and went out thence the Sixteenth returning by the way of Champagne Year of our Lord 1379 During his abode in the Court of France he gratify'd the Dauphin with the Title of Vicar irrevocable of the Empire by Letters Patents Sealed with a Seal of Gold and by others he likewise gave him the same Office for Danphiné with the Castles of Pipet and Chamaux which till then he was possessed of in the City of Vienne Since that we do not read that the Emperours have concerned themselves any more in the ✚ Year of our Lord 1378 Affairs of that Kingdom of Arles nor touching Daupiné which have remained in compleat Sovereignty under the Kings of France who indeed even long before did not acknowledge the Emperour Gregory XI had scarcely been Fourteen Months at Rome when either of Melancholy or otherwise he fell ill of a detention of Urine whereof he died the Seventh of March having declared in his agony that he foresaw grievous troubles and that he did heartily repent his having rather given credit to deceitful Revelations then followed the certain light of true knowledge and good understanding There were in all in the Roman Church three and twenty Cardinals six whereof remained still at Avignon and one was gone upon a Legation Of the Sixteen that were in Rome there were Twelve of them French-men and four Italians all of them foreseeing that the Roman Populace would force them to elect a Pope of the Italian Nation agreed amongst themselves that they would elect one feignedly only to avoid the fury of the People and another in good earnest whom when they were gone thence they would own for the true Pope During this Convention the heat and violence of the People growing more terrible then they Year of our Lord 1378 could have imagined they named the Cardinal Bartholomew Boutillo a Native of Naples Arch-Bishop of Barry in that Kingdom who immediately took himself to be lawful Pope and assumed the Name of Vrban VI. The Cardinals in the
After all the King coming to know of the capacity of that Duke took the Government of the Province from him and bestow'd it on the Earl of Foix. Whether the King were ignorant of the disposition of the Bretons or thought he could change them he sent for the Lords of that Countrey and screw'd a promise from them that they should assist the Duke of Bourbon and those other Chiefs he would send into Bretagne to execute the Decree against their Duke But the Lords on the contrary sent for him to come thither and stood by him so effectually with their Forces and such as he brought over with him from England that they restored him to most of his Towns This was the greatest and almost the only shock this wise King met with in all his Enterprises He was so transported and sensibly touched that he Commanded all Year of our Lord 1380 the Bretons who should refuse to serve against the Duke to go out of his Kingdom and shewed more severity towards some of them then was agreeable to his nature But this usage did only strengthen the party for the Duke and draw those over to his service that were at that time the ablest Men of the French Armies He durst not even upon this occasion make use of the valour of his Constable who would but unwillingly have drawn his Sword for the destruction of his native Countrey he chose rather to send him into Guyenne to cleer some places from whence the English and certain crews of vagabonds by their connivance foraged the Countrey of Auvergne After the taking of some Castles and beating some of those Bands whilst he was besieging one of them in Chasteau-neuf de Randan between Mendes and le Puy in Velay he was assaulted by a Fever whereof he died the Thirteenth of July his very Name compleated the Work the Besieged surrendred and brought and laid the Keys upon his Coffin The King upon the refusal of Enguerrand de Coucy gave the Constables Sword to Oliver de Clisson Compagnon and Countrey-man of the Deceased no less valiant then the other but very unlikein all things else Unjust Proud Covetous and Cruel Bretagne was then the Theater of War the King had resolved to throw in all his Armies there when he was constrain'd to quit the World and all his Designs Some years before Charles the Bad had caused some poyson to be given him the violence whereof a Physitian belonging to the Emperour Charles IV. had allayed by opening an issue in his Arm to discharge part of its venome that issue being stopt it took his Life away He died in the Castle of Beaute upon the Marne which is beyond the Bois de Vincennes the Sixteenth of September the Sixth Month of the Seventeenth year of his Reign and the Four and fortiethof his Life His Tomb is to be seen at St. Denis his Heart was carried to the great Church of Rouen because he had been Duke of Normandy and his Bowes to Maubuisson and laid by the Body of the Queen his Mother Upon his Death-bed this Wise King could not forget his care for the Kingdom he confirmed the Law concerning the Majority left the Government to Lewis Duke of Anjou his eldest Brother with a Council and the Guardianship and Education of his Son Charles to the Dukes of Burgundy and of Bourbon Commanding them most expresly to take off the Imposts to make some agreement with the Duke of Bretagne if it were possible and to Marry his Son into some potent Family of Germany In all his Conduct there appeared much solidity of Judgment and marvellous clearness of Wisdom and Understanding a great deal of Moderation and Goodness much Frugality and Aeconomy and yet Magnificence and liberality upon occasion He had been carefully bred in the Study of good Learning by Nicholas Oresme a Theologian of Paris and Dean of Rouen whom he made Bishop of Lisieux and indeed he had as much affection for the Sciences and for Learned Men as aversion for Comedians Juglers Buffoons and all those sorts of People who under the pretence of Divertisement corrupt the bravest Souls He delighted to hear the Truth from the Mouths of honest Men and although ☞ he merited the loftiest praises he could hardly endure any and despised them because in all times Courtiers have given the very same both to good and to bad Princes The expences of his Wars did not hinder his Magnificence from shewing it self in the Buildings of the Castle du Bois de Vincennes which subsists to this day and that of the Louvre the other parts whereof we have seen demolished to make room for tho proudest Structure that ever Architecture raised upon Earth but which how great soever it can be shall yet be much less then the King that undertakes it But above all his Virtues the fear of God and zeal to Justice did shine in him to a supream Decree the care of which being the noblest Function of a King he took pleasure in dispensing it himself and very often came to hear the Pleadings in his Parliament where he made them admire his Reasoning and Eloquence speaking so fully to the Subject in hand that there was nothing left for his Chancellour or Attorney-General to say He left considerable Treasures behind him in Lingots of Gold and rich Furniture It is a Problem in the Politiques whether he did well in heaping it up In point of Justice it is none if they may make Millions of People miserable to enrich one single Man And in truth his memory is not exempt from all blame on that side but they throw it upon the Cardinal of Amiens one of his principal Counsellors His Name was John de la Grange an obdurate Soul ambitious and covetous whose great possessions fully demonstrate that he caused the Subsidies to be doubled meerly out of design to enrich himself By Jane Daughter of Peter Duke of Bourbon and Isabella de Valois a Princess much accomplish'd both in Body and Mind he had two Sons Charles who Reigned Lewis who was Duke of Orleans and six Daughters who all dyed very young Charles VI King LII Called by some The Well-beloved King Aged near XII years POPES URBAN V. S. at Rome Nine years One Month during this Reign And CLEMENT VII in Avignon S. Fourteen years during this Reign BONIFACE IX at Rome Elected the Second of November 1389. S. Fourteen years Eleven Months BENNET XII Peter de Luna in Avignon Elected the Twenty eighth of September 1394. S. till his Deposition in Anno 1409. INNOCENT VII at Rome Elected the Seventeenth of Octob. 1404. S. Two years and Twenty two days GREGORY XII at Rome Elected the last of November 1406 till his Deposition by the Council of Pisa 1409. ALEXANDER V. in 1409. S. Ten Months JOHN XXIII Elected the Seventeenth of May 1410. S. Five years Deposed at Constance Ann. 1414. Vacancy from the year 1414. to the year 1417. MARTIN V. Elected the Tenth of November 1417.
at one another the Burgundian breaks off the Treaty and thinks of nothing now but to accommodate Affairs with the Dauphin They conferred therefore in the open Field near Povilly le Fort within two Leagues of Melun between the two Armies each of them attended by half a score Horsemen and there they made a Treaty in which they sware to love and assist each other like Brothers submitting themselves in case of any failure to the Soveraign Judgment of the Holy See After which they agreed to meet upon the Bridge de Year of our Lord 1419 Montereau Faut-yonne the Eighteenth of August each accompanied with ten Men armed to determine all their disputes in a most amicable manner The Servants belonging to the deceased Lewis Duke of Orleans particularly Taneguy du Chastel and John Louvet President of Provence procured these Interviews for no other end but to find an opportunity to revenge the death of their late Master upon him that was the Author of it They durst not attempt it at Pouilly but they put things in better order at Montereau by the contrivance of certain Barriers which being made in appearance for the mutual safety of them both served as a snare or trap to that unfortunate Prince The day being come the Dauphin arrives at Montereau the Duke made him wait almost fifteen days His friends forewarning and advice his own pressentiment all humane prudence and reasonning forbid his going thither the power of his ill destiny dragg'd him along by the horrid treachery of a second Dalila I mean the Lady de Gyac his Mistress or perhaps it was the hand of Divine Justice for the Blood of his own Cousin and so many thousands of Men as had been spilt in that Quarrel To allure him the better they delivered up to him the Castle of Montereau but wholly unfurnish'd of Provisions or Artillery From thence he descended to the Bridge with his ten Men and placed a guard at the end While he was kneeling before the Dauphin Taneguy du Chastel and some others leaping over the Barriers Massacred him by several wounds his People making but a slight defence only Nouailles Brother of Captal de Buch who was kill'd with him We must believe this act was done without the Dauphins order for he was not above Seventeen years of age and Heaven would never have permitted a Prince designed to wear the Year of our Lord 1419 Crown of France should have perpetrated so horrible and base a piece of treachery However it were the event made it appear how much those wounds did blemish his Honour and not only proved hurtful to him but almost mortal to the whole Kingdom For Philip the only Son of the deceased although a very good Prince highly undertakes to revenge his Fathers death and wanted not for means to do it All that were friends to that House all those that were discontented came and tendred their service to him compassion and horror for this Murther renewed and heated the affections even of such as were grown coldest the Parisians sent to assure him of their Services and he to gain the love of the People obtained a Truce of the English to the exclusion of the Dauphins People who were come to Rouen to desire the same thing for which they made great profers From this time the French the English and the Burgundians began to mix and live together as if they had all been but one Nation but the difference of their humours and interests would suffer no long unity amongst them Year of our Lord 1419 On the other hand the Dauphin gathered up all his Friends in the Provinces of Poitou Orleannois Berry Auvergne Lyonnois Dauphine Provence and above all thought to secure himself of Languedoc He took away that Government from the Earl of Foix and gave it to Charles Count de Clermont eldest Son of the Duke of Bourbon From these Provinces it was that he drew his Succours that maintained him Besides the Kings of Castille and of Scotland with the Duke of Milan suppli'd him in his necessities with some of their Forces Year of our Lord 1420 According to what had been agreed upon the King of England and Philp Duke of Burgundy met at Troyes where the King and Queen were and there the Peace was Treated together with the Marriage of Catharine of France with King Henry Which was first sworn to by all the Lords there present and then by all the good Cities that were of their party The Marriage was compleated the Second day of June This Treaty amongst other things contained That King Charles named and owned Henry for his Heir to the Crown of France That however Henry should not take the Title of King of France during the life of Charles but that he should have the quality of Regent and the government of Affairs That the two Kingdoms of France and England should be united and held by the same hand viz. by Henry and his Heirs but that they should not depend upon one another and should be governed according to their Laws That all Priviledges and Rights should be preserved to all Estates and to every particular Person That no Treaty of Accommodation should be made with the Dauphin without the consent of both the Kings the Duke of Burgundy and the three Estates of both the Kingdoms The two Kings afterwards with the Burgundian having taken Sens and Montereau journyed towards Paris Melun made the King of England know how much all France might cost him he was four Months before it and not able to force it Famine only did what his Sword could not The Besieged surrendred upon composition but contrary to the faith given they were all detained Prisoners At their departure from thence the two Kings made their entrance into Paris the first Sunday of Advent and the next day the two Queens The Duke of Burgundy having tender'd his complaint before them and their Councils in the Hostel St. Pol the Dauphin was summon'd to the Table de Marbre with the usual formalities and afterwards as attainted and convict of Murther was declared unworthy of all Succession namely of that to the Crown of France and banished the Kingdom to perpetuity From this Sentence given by incompetent Judges against all Right and contrary to the Laws of the Kingdom he appealed to God and his Sword and transferr'd the Parliament and University to Poitiers at which place the most illustrious Members of those two Companies did not fail to appear Thus almost every thing was double in the Kingdom there were two Kings two Regents two Parliaments two Constables two Chancellors two Admirals and so of most of the great Officers not to mention the multitude of Mareschals of France whereof each Party made seven or eight Year of our Lord 1420 This year 1420. the Portugal Navigators defray'd and encouraged by Henry Duke of Visen Son of John King of Portugal sailing at large in the Ocean found in their midway between Lisbonne and
the Fortunate Islands a little Island which they named Madera because it was full of Wood or Materials fit for building From thence steering along the exteriour coasts of Africa they there discover'd several large Countries and in time sailed to the East-Indies which till then were unknown at least those parts towards the Sea Pope Martin and after him his Successors bestowed upon the Portugals all those Lands by them discover'd or to be discover'd from the Cape which lies at the end of Mount Atlas to the Indies When the King of England had sojourned some weeks at Paris he laid Siege to the City of Meaux the only place the Dauphin had left upon the Rivers of Seine and Year of our Lord 1420 Marne After a three Months brave defence the Besieged capitulated the ninth of May the Inhabitants had their lives and liberties but all the Soldiers were sent Prisoners to divers places where they let them cruelly perish for hunger The Bailiff named Lewis de Gas had his Head cut off in the Halles at Paris The City taken King Henry went into England to draw over a new supply of Men and Money So great was the fondness of the French for the Conquest of the Kingdom of Naples that Lewis Duke of Anjou forgetting those disasters of his Father and Grandfather and abandoning his own Country to the mercy of the English suffers himself to be cajolled by the promises of the Pope and Sforza who called him to dispossess Queen Jane a Princess lost in her Reputation by her continual Galantries Year of our Lord 1421 or Amours The Affairs of Lewis being in a pretty good posture in that Country Alphonso King of Arragon who held the Island of Sicilia undertakes the protection of Jane she having adopted him her Son Sforza does reconcile himself to her and in a word there was nothing left for the poor Angevin but the way to walk home again Year of our Lord 1421 One of the first seeds of division between the English and the Duke of Burgundy was about Jacqueline Countess of Hainault Holland Zealand and Friseland After the death of John Dauphin of France they had Married her to John Duke of Brabant Son of Anthony and Cousin German to Duke Philip but the young Gossip not being satisfied with her second Husband a Man of little merit prosecuted for a Divorce and consederated with some Captains to carry her away as it were by force into England where she Married Humphrey Duke of Gloucester Brother of King Henry This undertaking turned much to the contempt of Philip who besides observed that the English began to treat him with more pride and endeavour'd so to settle their affairs as they might have no further need of him Year of our Lord 1421 The War was very hot in every Province on this side the Loire particularly in Champagne Picardy and in the Countries of Perche Maine and Anjou The Duke of Clarence Brother to King Henry having got together eight or ten thousand Men went and besieged Bauge in Anjou John Earl of Bouchain a Scot and the Mareschal de la Fayette marched to its relief gave him battle and won it He was slain upon the place with two thousand of his Men the rest escaped through the Country of Mayne into Normandy This Earl of Bouchain had brought three or four thousand Men from his own Country to the Dauphins service in recompence he gave him the Constables Sword Year of our Lord 1421 The Field being clearly left to the French the Dauphin accompanied with his new Constable and the Duke of Alenson regained some places in the Countries of Perche and the Chartrain In the mean time Henry being come back from England with a great reinforcement and in a rage and fury for the defeat and death of his Brother did endeavour all that was possible to meet with the Dauphin He marched by Chartres and Chasteaudun lodged in the Suburbs of Orleans and not meeting him in the Field but a violent Dysentery that took off three thousand of his Men he falls upon the City of Dreux which being surrendred upon Composition he goes to rest himself at Paris and sends over his Queen who was great with Child to be deliver'd in England Year of our Lord 1421 Whilst he lay at the Siege of Dreux an honest Hermit unknown to him came and told him the great evils he brought upon Christendom by his unjust ambition who usurped the Kingdom of France against all manner of right and contrary to the will of God wherefore in his holy name he threatned him with a severe and suddain punishment if he desisted not from his Enterprise Henry took this exhortation either for an idle whimsey or a suggestion of the Dauphinois and was but the more confirmed in his design Year of our Lord 1422 But the blow soon followed the threatning for within some few Months after he was smitten in the Fundament with a strange and incurable Disease the acuteness of its pain made him go to Senlis to seek for cure The Queen his Wife was a while before this returned out of England having brought forth a Son to whom they gave the same name as his Fathers Both she and her Husband made their entry with great splendour into Paris and kept open Court at the Louvre upon the Feast of Pentecost each Crowned with their Royal Diadems but the People that went to see the Ceremony had cause to regret regret the liberalities of their ancient Kings and detest the niggardliness or pride of the English who gave them none of their good Cheer nor did vouchsafe to profer them one Glass of Wine The Dauphin in the mean time had besieged the City of Cosne on the Loire and the place had capitulated to surrender if they were not relieved by a prefixed day with an Army able to give them battle The Duke of Burgundy got a great number of Men to go thither the Dauphin being informed of his march did not think fit to stay for him but raised his Siege Year of our Lord 1422 The King of England though already indisposed was gotten into his Litter that he might be present at this memorable Action While he was at Melun his distemper encreased so much that he could proceed no further but made them bring him back to Vincennes where he died the eight and twentieth day of August He had only one Son who was named Henry he left him to the education of the Cardinal of Winchester his Uncle who bred him in England gave the Government of that Kingdom to the Duke of Gloucester and the Regency of the Kingdom of France to John Duke of Bedford to whom he recommended above all things to give content to the Duke of Burgundy never to make any Peace with the Dauphin unless Normandy were yielded to be left in full Soveraignty to the English and not to release those Prisoners that were taken at the Battle of Azincour till his Son were
of all these was Lonvet the President of Provence who had an ambition to govern in despite of all the Grandees He chose rather to be the ruine of his Master whom he had strangely fetter'd then to be thrust away from him so that Year of our Lord 1425 he found means by his contrivances to animate him against the Constable but the Constable made his Party so good that the King found himself abandoned of all the Grandees and all his places refused obedience to him excepting Selles and Vierzon Then he saw it was high time to discharge Louvet and all the rest Taneguy generously sacrificing his fortune to serve his King begged leave to be gone as his Reward Louvet upon his retreat as his Master-piece of Court-craft put the Lord de Gyac in his place The Constable had no little ado to reconcile himself to the King who fled before him that he might not see him At length he suffers him to approach that he might get assistance of the Breton Who being in the end satisfied by the expulsion of his Enemies came to him at Saumur rendred him Homage and gave him his Contract and the Contracts of all the Lords within his Dutchy under Hand and Seal commanding them to go upon his Service They did him but little good but they might Year of our Lord 1425 have done him a great deal of hurt The Seventh of September Charles the Noble King of Navarre ended his Life Blanch his only Daughter Married to John the Brother of Alphonso King of Arragon was his Heiress Year of our Lord 1424 and 25. As on the one hand these Broils prejudiced the Affairs of King Charles on the other hand the Quarrel which hapned between the Duke of Burgundy and the Duke of Gloucester about Jacqueline Countess of Hainault and the Duke of Brabant her lawful Husband did much retard nay set back those of the English forasmuch as it diverted the Forces of those two Princes who would undoubtedly have wholly subdued France had they joyned them to the Duke of Bedfords Jacqueline would not endure that the Duke of Brabant whom she affirmed was nothing to her should enjoy her Lands and the Duke of Gloucester who had Married her did serve and assist her in that Quarrel The Duke of Bedford desiring not to distaste the Duke of Burgundy endeavour'd to patch up some agreement between the Parties the Duke of Brabant submitted but Gloucester regarded it not but still pursued the right of his pretended Wife with Sword in hand Year of our Lord 1424 and 25. He and the Burgundian pickered by Letters and went on so far as to defie each other to a Personal Combat agreeing upon the time the place and the Weapons The Duke of Bedford having assembled the chiefest of the French and English Lords brought that Challenge to nothing and declared that there was no just or legal cause for Combat And to testifie to the Burgundian that he had no hand in the Enterprizes of his Brother he desired they might see one another at Dourlens as they did upon the Eve of St. Peters day This did not hinder them from making a brisk War in Holland where the Duke of Gloucester and the Duke of Burgundy tried their Forces but at two years end the Pope having declared that the Marriage of Jacqueline with the Duke of Gloucester was of no value that Prince desisted from his prosecution and Married a Damlet whom he entertain'd Year of our Lord 1425 The English had taken and fortified the City of Pontorson nigh Auranches from whence they perpetually molested Bretagne the Constable laid siege to it and regained it in a short time He was not so happy at Saincte James de Beuveron which they had repaired His Soldiers having forsaken him for want of their pay he made a shameful retreat and left all his Artillery and Equipage to the Enemy Pontorson was afterwards besieged by the English and having surrender'd the Duke of Bedford came to the Frontiers of Bretagne with a great Army upon which the Duke was so astonished that he renounced the Alliance he had made with France returned to that with England and promised to do Homage to King Henry The shocks great Captains meet with does often times proceed from the malice Year of our Lord 1426 and envy of those that are of the Kings Council whose care and province it is to provide for the subsistance and payment of the Armies The Constable knew that Gyac was the cause of his disaster because in stead of sending him Money he stop'd the current from running that way and diverted it to his own use and entertained his Prince in solitude and private pleasures that he alone might enjoy his Person and his Favours For this reason in the Month of January following he went with a strong hand to surprize him in his Bed at Issoudun and after some slight formalities of Justice caused his Head to be cut off or as others relate drowned him Year of our Lord 1426 Another Gentleman named le Camus de Beaulieu undertook to supply the place of Gyâ—c and tread in his footsteps some while after People were amazed to see the Constable rid himself of him as he had done of the other The Mareschal de Bouslac by his order slew him in the open Street and almost in the Kings sight in the City of Poitiers He remembred too well what the Favourites had contrived at Montereau and against the Duke his Brother wherefore he would suffer none to be near the King of whom he was not well assured he therefore places the Lord de la Trimouille at Court whom he judged to have sentiments contrary to the two former his House owing all their good fortunes and rise to the Dukes of Burgundy But this Man soon blinded with his new fortune as well as those whose post he now had taken he kept the Princes as much at distance as he possibly could so that even the Constable himself retired into Bretagne This proceeded to a kind of a War which divided the Court and retarded all the Kings Affairs for seven or eight Months Year of our Lord 1426 and 27. It would be endless to take notice of all the Sieges Fights and Enterprizes in these Wars both Foreign and Domestick There was not a City or Burrough but had Garrisons Forts and Castles were built in all convenient places upon Hills on Rivers in narrow ways and in the open Fields Every Lord had his Soldiers or to speak more properly his Bands of Robbers who maintained themselves by feeding on the poor Country People I shall therefore mention only the most remarkable Events in this place that the French raised the Siege of Montargis in the year 1426. and the year after recovered the City of Manse which had been taken by the English during the divisions of the Court. The Siege of Orleance was yet much more memorable and more important The Year of our Lord 1428 Earl of
honour Those were the four heads of her Accusation but which they proved very ill as being unable to make out any thing clearly against her but only that she cloathed her self in the habit of a Man and had taken up Arms which they imputed a Crime because said they that change of habit stained the modsty of her Sex and flatly contradicted the express command of God against it Peter Cauchon Bishop of Beauvais in whose Bishoprick she was taken the Vicar to the Inquisition some Doctors in Divinity and Canon Law were her Judges the Chapter of Rouen during the vacancy of the See lending them place After divers captious interrogatories they condemned her to perpetual imprisonment the bread of sorrow and bitter water of affliction but the English not being satisfied with moderate injustice pressed them so earnestly that some days afterwards they said she had relapsed in putting on the Habit of a Man again Excommunicated her and delivered her over to the Secular Power who burnt her alive the Thirtieth day of May in the Market place of Rouen Being on the Pile of Faggots she foretold the English that the hand of God was lifted up to strike them and that his Justice would not only drive them out of France but pursue them even into England and make them suffer the same calamities and mischiefs they had inflicted on the French It is related that her heart was found entire amongst the ashes and that a milk white Dove was observed to fly out of the midst of the flames a token of her innocency and her purity Year of our Lord 1431 Charles Duke of Lorrain died in the year 1430. without any Male Children There was a debate for the succession between Antony Earl of Vaudemont his Brother who pretended that Dutchy was Masculine and Rene d'Anjou already Duke of Bar who had Married Isabella who was but the third Daughter of Duke Charles but the two elder had renounced the Dutchy The Burgundian in hatred to the House of Anjou the capital Enemy to his and the Duke of Savoy his Allie assisted Antony and fortune was kind to him in the Battle that was fought between Bullegueville and Neufchastel in Lorrain For Rene's Army was totally routed Lord Bazan a great Soldier slain and Rene taken and led away to Dijon to the Duke of Burgundy who detained him till the year 1437. Year of our Lord 1431 After the death of the Pucelle the English Affairs went still worse and worse To remedy this they brought their young King to Paris and Crowned him with a double Crown in Nostre-Dame the Twenty seventh of November and withal the better to retain the Duke of Burgundy who was ready to start from them they confirmed the donation of the Countries of Brie and Champagne to him Year of our Lord 1431 The Lord de la Trimouille made ill use still of his favour and interest against the Constable and the rest of the Lords One day he being with the King at the Castle of Chinon they by confederacy brought two hundred Men in thither who took him in his Bed gave him a wound in the Belly and led him Prisoner to the Castle of Montresor The Queen her self consented to it and therefore soon appeased the King and that his fancy which never could be satisfied without some particular favourite might not be left unfurnished she helped Charles of Anjou Earl of Mayne to gain the Kings good will and more then ordinary kindness La Trimou I le was not set free till he deliver'd up the City of Touars which he had usurped and the King in an Assembly of the Estates at Tours owned all that had been done in respect to him Year of our Lord 1431 By vertue of what had been ordained at Pavia by the Council and the Pope the Council of Basle began this year upon the Three and twentieth of July under Engenius IV. who newly succeeded to Martin V. There was never any good correspondence between him and the Fathers of this holy Assembly For if on their part the Fathers at the very first gave him to understand that they would put some curb to his Authority by stoutly maintaining that ancient rule That the Council is above the Pope he on his part made them know that his greatest desire was to dismiss or dissolve them But as he could not so suddenly do it because the Emperor upheld them he was obliged to confirm the Council after two years of Controversies Year of our Lord 1431 32 33 and the following The War was carried in all the Provinces of France with various success but very feebly Do not wonder to see it languish in this manner for seven or eight years together the weakness of both Parties was the cause thereof they wanting Money could set no great Armies on foot Add to this the weakness of the two Kings Henry of England for his minotity and Charles of France for the easiness of his mind still held in leading-strings by his Favourites and Mistresses Year of our Lord 1431 The Twenty fourth of November in the year 1431. Lewis of Anjou King of Naples died at Cosenza in Calabria without any Issue The Second of February the year following Queen Joan or Jane ended her life also and left Rene the Brother of Lewis to inherit her Kingdom The Pope confirmed this Institution but as Rene was yet a Prisoner to the Duke of Burgundy Alphonso King of Arragon had full leisure to seize upon the Kingdom In this Jane ended the first Branch of Anjou which had produced above thirty other Sprigs furnished Hungary and Poland with Kings and lasted near two hundred years Year of our Lord 1434 Ame VIII Duke of Savoy wearied with the noise and perplexity of Soveraignty had made his retreat to the delicious Hermitage built by himself at Ripailles and taken on the habit of a Hermit with two more Gentlemen his Confidents having resigned his Estates to Charles his Son Earl of Geneva whom he had Married some years before to Anne Daughter of Janus King of Cyprus Year of our Lord 1435 Amongst an infinite number of petty Combats hapning within these two or three years I do not meet with any that was considerable but that of Gerbroy a little City near Beauvais Saintraille and la Hyre had undertaken to fortifie it and the English to hinder them These although three times more in number were beaten the Earl of Arundel their Achilles mortally wounded with a Culverin Shot in his Heel and eight hundred of their Men left dead upon the place Year of our Lord 1434 and 35. The earnest intreaties of the Council and the Pope to the Duke of Burgundy did at length incline his good nature to shew his just resentment and to take pitty of the miseries of France His Treaty had been first begun and rough drawn by Ame Duke of Savoy who in the year 1423. had mediated a Truce between the King and him for the Dutchies of
on all hands crying out a la queue Many had their Brains beaten out in the Streets the rest escaped to the Bastille where they made composition All the little Neighbouring Forts were an Accessory to this Reduction In the Month of August following the King recalled the Parliament the Chambre des Comptes and the University thither The English had declared themselves Enemies to the Duke of Burgundy by all Acts of Hostility upon his Countreys and by underhand-dealings to stir his Subjects up to Rebellion in those days very much knit to and concerned for England as well by Commerce and Trade as out of a real hatred they had towards the French He would therefore needs revenge himself by taking of Calais which he esteemed no great difficulty and laid Siege to it with a numerous Army In the midst of this Enterprize the Flemmings finding it spin out to a great length fell into an imagination that they were betray'd and herding together in several small parcels on a suddain made up all their packs in great confusion leaving their Provisions and Artillery behind for want of Waggons to carry them off All that their Duke could possibly do for them was to cover them with his Cavalry leâ—t the English should have charged them and after that to follow them The Duke of Gloucester who had sent word that he was coming to give him Battle not finding him there entred into Flanders where he increased their former jealousie by his burning all those places he came near Year of our Lord 1437 It was impossible for Rene of Anjou to obtain his liberty of the Duke of Burgundy without paying him an extraordinary Ransom yielding up several places and consenting to a Marriage between his eldest Daughter whose name was Yoland as then but nine years old and Ferry eldest Son of Anthony Earl of Vaudemont the means whereby Lorrain returned to the Males of that House Year of our Lord 1437 In the interim they carried the King into Lyonnois and Dauphine to make Moneys in those Countries and the following year he went even to Languedoc for the same end Upon his return he laid Siege to Montereau Faut-yonne which submitted not till after a long resistance From thence he came to make his entrance into his good City of Year of our Lord 1437 Paris the fourth of November and then he might truly call himself King of France having replanted his Throne in the capital City of his Kingdom Year of our Lord 1438 These long and tedious Wars did necessarily produce great licentiousness and daily Robberies The Soldiers not being paid lived at discretion and the extream scarcity of all things rendred them most inhumane There were divers Bands commanded even by the Kings best Officers who under colour of seeking for subsistence ran from Province to Province rifling all they could lay lands on Those called Escorcheurs and then the Redondeurs committed strange disorders By these ravages the flight of the Husbandmen and Peasants who neither ploughed nor sowed and the continual Rains during two years 1437 and 38. ensued a great Famine and then a horrible Mortality over all France especially at Paris and its Neighbourhood That City was so depopulated the Wolves came and devoured Children even in the midst of the Street St. Anthoine They were forced that they might rid themselves of those Beasts greedy of humane Flesh to make Proclamation that any one should have twenty Solz a piece for every head of a Wolfe they brought to the Magistrate Pope Eugenius and the Council of Basil were imbroiled to that height that Eugenius declared the Council dissolved and called another to Ferrara and on the other hand the Prelats that were at Basil having summon'd him divers times to come thither began to think of deposing him with the greater confidence for that the Most Christian King seemed then to favour them having forbid the Prelats of the Gallican Church from going to Ferrara Year of our Lord 1438 This Discord in the end turned to a Schism he that might have extinguisht it hapning to die I mean the Emperor Sigismond who ended his days in Moravia the Eighth of November 1437. Albertus Duke of Austria his Son in Law succeeded him in the Kingdoms of Hungary and Bohemia and the year following in the Empire by the suffrages of the Electors The Clergy of France ever since the translation of the Holy See to Avignon had suffered infinite oppressions by the Court of Rome And therefore the King having assembled them at Bourges to find out some way to reconcile the Pope to the Council who had each sent their Legats they embraced the opportunity which they could never have since the Council of Constance and made their remonstrances touching those insupportable abuses The King desiring to provide against it order'd them to apply the most convenient remedies To this end by advice of his Council they framed that so celebrated Reglement called the Pragmatique which preventing any the like Enterprizes of the Court of Rome might well be termed the Bulwark of the Gallican Church Year of our Lord 1439 Eugenius transferr'd his Council of Ferrara to Florence where they treated concerning the uniting the Greek to the Latine Church their Emperor John VI. assisting with a good number of his most illustrious Prelats But in the mean while those who were assembled at Basil though reduced to a small number and not well agreed amongst themselves deposed Eugenius and elected Ame VIII Duke of Savoy who had retired himself as was before related to the solitude of Ripaille France Germany and most part of the West paid their obedience to him during the life of Eugenius but after his death all of them almost turned to Nicholas V. Two years after Rene was delivered from captivity he went into his Kingdom of Naples where according to the example of his Predecessors his entrance was very happy but his exit very different Year of our Lord 1439 The Siege of Meaux by the Constable although long and full of difficulty succeeded happily for the French but that of Auranches in the Lower Normandy being ill managed by the same Person and the Duke of Alenson brought them nothing but shame the English having made them raise it and taken part of their Bagage and their Ammunition At the Sollicitation of the Dutchess of Burgundy and the Popes Legats a great Conference was held between Graueline and Calais the Deputies of France England and those of Burgundy meeting to treat about a Peace The English not receding from that Condition that Normandy and their other Conquests should be left to them in full Soveraignty they parted without doing any thing in it Year of our Lord 1440 The King by inclination was well enough disposed for the good of his Country and we observe that from this very time even to the Reign of Henry II. the Kings did often and willingly make use of this term The Publick Concerns of Our
who then had the Government and prevailed with him at last to put him to death without any form of Process Which excited the hatred of all the great ones against her and made them think of ruining her that they might preserve themselves Year of our Lord 1444 or 45. King Charles was then not much above the age of forty three and the Dauphin who was already two and twenty trod upon his Heels and would have plaid the Master in so much as one day at Chinon he gave a box on the Ear to the fair Agnes There hapned another incident worse yet then this He had bargained with Anthony de Chabanes Earl of Dammartin to assassinate some body that had displeased him James Brother of that Earl who was Grand Maistre of the Kings Houshold dissuaded him from it The King coming to the knowledge of this gave the Dauphin a sharp reprimand The young Prince to excuse himself charged the Earl as having suggested this base design first to him the Earl boldly denied it in the Kings presence and offer'd to justifie himself by Combat against any of the Dauphins Gentlemen that would undertake it The King then found the malignity of his Son abhorred it and commanded him not to see him in four Months time but to go into Dauphine He retir'd with menaces and being once gone thought no more of returning but to Cantonise and Reign alone without any dependance but on his malicious fancies The City of Genoa in a few years had changed their Lords and Governors four or five times The Fregoses and the Adornes who were of their principal Citizens disputed for the Siegnory amongst themselves Barnaby Adorne had usurped it Year of our Lord 1445 with the Title of Doge Janus Fregose pretending he would put it into the Kings hands having treated with him for that purpose made use of the Forces and Money of France to make himself Master then kept it in his own hands and Year of our Lord 1446 scoffed at the French Year of our Lord 1446 The King had for a while adhered to Pope Felix or at least stood Neuter but when informed that Nicholas was elected in the room of Eugenius he would let all Christendom understand he approved his Election He sent a famous Embassy to tender his obedience which perhaps brought in the custom of those stately and expensive Embassies of Obedience which Kings now send to every new Pope Year of our Lord 1447 The Government of the Viscounts at Milan after its having lasted One hundred and seventy years ended this year by the death of Duke Philip And that Estate was claimed by divers Pretenders as either having a right or thinking it would be of great convenience and necessary for them The Emperor Frederic the Duke of Savoy the Venetians Alphonso King of Naples and Charles Duke of Orleans Now as it truly appertained to this last according to the Conditions of the Contract of Valentine his Mother he went thither with some Forces but the Milanese intending their own liberty he could get no more then only his Earldom of Ast Afterwards those People having for many years undergone much trouble and affliction by the contending Parties that strugled for the Mastery fell as we use to say out of the Frying-pan into the Fire by accepting for their Duke Francis Sforza who had Married a Bastard of Duke Philips Year of our Lord 1448 There were but little Infantry in France The King that he might have some that were good and well maintain'd ordained that every Village throughout the Kingdom should furnish him with and pay one Foot-Archer who should be exempt from all Taxes and Subsidies For which they called them the Franc-Archers These made a Body of two or three and twenty thousand Men. Year of our Lord 1448 The Truce prolonged three or four several times was not to end till about a Twelvemonth after this time a Captain of the English Party this was Francis de Surienne extreamly greedy after Prey surprized the City of Fougers belonging to the Duke of Bretagne where he met with a Booty of above Sixteen hundred thousand Crowns and at the same time the English made irruption in Scotland which was also comprehended in the Truce as well as Bretagne but they were soundly beaten there England began likewise to be imbroil'd within its self by reason of some new Tax which King Henry would raise in London which hath most commonly been the occasion or at least the pretence for a Civil War Year of our Lord 1448 The Duke of Bretagne and the Scots likewise make their complaints to King Charles for this breach of the Truce The English are summon'd to repair the damage they disown'd Surienne indeed but for the rest gave no satisfaction but put off's and delays All this was suffer'd six Months they imagine the French are afraid At length the Duke of Bretagne flies out and with the Kings consent surprizes at the same time the Pont de Larche above Rouen Conches near Evreux Gerbroy not far from Beauvais and Cognac upon the River Charente Year of our Lord 1449 By force of many Intreaties Negotiations and Menaces the King overpersuaded Felix to set his hand to the re-union of the Church He renounced the Papacy more gloriously then he had accepted of it His Conventions with Nicholas V. were such that he seemed to quit it as a thing belonging to him which he conferr'd as a favour upon his Rival For he made his demission in the Council which he had purposely transferr'd from Basil to Lausanna and after he had deposited his Pontifical Ornaments the Fathers elected Nicholas who left him perpetual Legat in all the Countries of Savoy Montferrat Lyonnois Swisserland and Alsatia and received all those Cardinals he had created into the Sacred Colledge Year of our Lord 1449 The disturbances of England continuing King Charles found the opportunity so favourable that he resolved to chace the English out of his Kingdom He had made the Earl de Foix Lieutenant of his Armies from the Garonne to the Pyrenees and the Earl de Dunois in all the Kingdom in such sort nevertheless as he rendred respect and honour to the Constable when they both met in the same place The first had Order to take all places the English held at the foot of the Pereneans thereby to block up the passage against John of Arragon King of Navarre who had made a League with them and obliged himself for a certain Sum of Money to keep and guard Mauleon de Soule for them a place very strong in those times and situate upon a high Rock For this purpose he had taken it into his protection and had placed his Constable in it The Count de Foix was Son in Law to that Prince however he had more regard to the Kings Orders then his Father in Law and scruples not to besiege it The Navarrois knowing it wanted Provisions Arm'd himself to relieve it and came within two
would leave it to them two He failed not to take his advantage of these inconsiderate words He would not have his Brother be so near a Neighbour to the Burgundian his Interest was to place him at the other end of the Kingdom to break off their Communication That young Prince Weak Year of our Lord 1468. and 69. and Inconstant of mind was Governed by Oder-Daydie Lord of Lescun a Gascon and vain who would needs be a Prophet in his own Country by his means he was persuaded to renounce Champagne and accept of Guienne with the City of Rochel This change was the loss of that young Prince The Cardinal de la Ballue in whose hands the Treaty of Peronne had been Sworn with much regret suffered it to be altered whether out of love to Monsieur or that he would have had the King still in some perplexity This good Prelat and William de Hoeraucoux holding Intelligence with the Burgundian wrote to Monsieur to dissuade him and represented many things to him for his advantage but contrary to the Kings intentions Their Letters having been intercepted and they Seized they ingenuously confessed their practices The King sent the information to his Brother who suffering to be overcome by his Carasses accepted of Guyenne and came to meet him at Tours The Bishop was shut up in an Iron Cage a punishment he well deserved since he was the first inventor of it The Cardinal was convey'd to the Bastille where he remained twelve years the Pope demanding him as liable only to his Justice and the King pressing the Pope to let him have Judges assigned him within the Kingdom to hear his cause Year of our Lord 1469 The good correspondence between the two Brothers seemed to be perfected and the King to gain or wean Monsieurs Heart from the Countries on this side allured him with a great Match in Spain Henry King of Castille had a Daughter named Jeane but whom the Castillians held for a Bastard because he was esteemed impotent in so much as they had constrained him to declare the Infanta Isabella who was his Sister his Heiress The King sent the Cardinal of Arras to demand this Isabella for Monsieur But the Lords of the Country having stollen her away and married her to Ferdinand Infant of Arragon he seeks to have Jane which Henry agreed to A Matter for a long War if Charles had lived The first day of August the King being at his Castle of Amboise instituted an Order of Knighthood in honour of St. Michael and limited the number of Knights to 36 yet was it never filled up in all his Reign The French particularly Honoured St. Michael as the Tutelary Angel of that Monarchy And a better could not be pitched upon to tread down the Pride of the English who carr'd Dragons in their Ensigns then that Prince of they Celestial Militia who is painted with a Dragon under his feet And indeed it had been reported that he was seen at the head of our Army 's sighting against them for the French He imagined by means or vertue of this Collar that he should have drawn all the Grandees of the Kingdom within his clutclies when he held this Chapter And therefore the Duke of Bretagne refused it and the Duke of Burgundy doing yet worse received the Order of the Garter and wore it to his Death The Breton had in his service one Peter Landays his Treasurer a man of Low Birth but very knowing and able to countermine all the Artisices of Lewis XI It was he that led him to all these evasions and emboldned his Master to withstand all his devices and his threats Thus what ever endeavours he could use though he were on his Frontiers with an Army he could never disunite him from the Burgundian but only obliged him by a Treaty made at Saumur to renounce all offensive Leagues against the Kingdom Year of our Lord 1470 In the year 1470. John the Natural Son of Lewis Duke of Orleance left this world aged 70 years having divers years before left the Court because of his almost continual pain of the Gout which the hardships in the Wars had brought upon him This Prince valued in all things says Comines having made himself as able a Counsellor as he was a Captain was one of the principal instruments God made use of to drive the English out of France Therefore the Princes of his Family gave him the County of Dunois King Charles that of Longue-ville the Office of Great Chamberlain and the Lieutenancy General of his Army's and strong Forts A power of so great extent that it hath been communicated to none but himself in the third Race Year of our Lord 1470 The renunciation which the King caused the Breton to make had most respect to Edward of York King of England and Brother in Law to the Burgundian of whom it was hourly reported that he was coming to Land at Calais He was wholly prevented by the Earl of Warwick who in revenge of some injuries received from him set himself to carry on the interests of the House of Lancaster and had even Debauched the Duke of Clarence his Brother He had the foregoing year defeated his Army and afterwards took him Prisoner Then Edward having escaped beat him in his turn So that he was forced to save himself in France about the end of the Month of May this year From thence returning into England with the Succours the King leâ—t him he changed the Scene a second time For all slocked to him according to the Genius of that Country which loves change and Year of our Lord 1471 Edward wholly forfaken fled into Flanders to the Duke of Burgundy his Brother in Law Then King Henry who was in the Tower of London was set at Liberty and Warwick and Clarence took upon them the Government of the Kingdom Though the King still resented in his Heart the affront received at Peronne nevertheless being of a fearful Spirit and the length of any enterprize putting him out of patience if the success were not as swift as his desires he would have lived in peace if the Constable and those that were about him had not excited his resentment to draw him to a rupture They feared and the Constable most of all that a Peace making them appear useless the King might think of retrenching their great allowances and his stirring mind if it were not employ'd abroad might put him upon great alterations at home in his Court. Besides these motives there was also an Intrigue of the Bretons and the Constables in favour of Monsieur As they desired to strengthen him against the King they had inspired him with a desire of marrying the only Daughter of the Burgundian And because they knew the Father would not easily consent to it they believed they should sooner bring it about by force then by friendship and therefore they resolved to engage the King to make a War upon him The Bias they took
his Councel to hearken to an accommodation The procedure of the Burgundian who had made them expect too long and which was worse the double persidious dealing of the Constable and the approaching Winter they having no one place to shelter themselves in gave them a plausible pretence to do so In few days the Deputies for the two Kings agreed upon conditions It was a Merchandized Truce for nine years the Burgundian and the Breton to be comprized if they would 73000 Crowns of Gold ready Money for the English and the Marriage of his Daughter with the Dauphin for whose maintenance King Lewis would allot the Revenue of Guyenne for nine years or 50000 Crowns ayear which should be carried to the Tower of London to the King of England Year of our Lord 1475 When the Duke had notice of what was treating he came in great hast he being the Sixteenth of his Company to find Edward He spake loud he thundred and braved him But neither his fury nor his reproaches having done good he turned short home again The Truce agreed whilst the Kings were to sign the Treaty the King of England came with his Army to lodge within half a League of Amiens The King sent him 300 Waggons laden with the best Wines and gave order they should permit as many English as desired to come into Amiens and that nothing should be spared to make them welcome Which lasted three or four days It was afterwards resolved the two Kings should have an enterview on a Bridge which was erected at Pequigny upon the Somme with a Barriere grated betwixt them And there they ratified the Peace the 29 th of August That done the King of England with all the Lords of his Retinue repassed the Sea very well satisfied with the good Wines and the sine French Gold there having been 16000 Crowns distributed in Pensions amongst such as had most Credit with their King The Burgundian shewed himself a little refractory till in the Month of October he accepted of a Truce In the mean time his Choler discharged it self upon the young Rene Duke of Lorrain whom he stripp'd of his Dukedom all but Nancy which defended it self above two Months Then the Constable who thought to have plaid upon all the three Princes promising to each of them his Town of St. Quentins found himself exposed as the Butt for all three to Shoot at and unhappily for him his Wife who was Sister to the Queen hapned to Die This Lord so powerful who wanted neither for Servants nor Money nor strong Holds wanted both Courage and Brain all of a sudden and fearing all the World durst not Trust any one In fine he retired into the Burgundians Country whom he guessed the most exorable and who in effect gave him security to go thither He was no sooner gone out of St. Quentin but the King Seized it and gave notice of it to the Burgundian Summoning him to deliver up that Infidel in Exchange of that place conformably to an Article of the Truce between them The Burgundian was then before Nancy which was necessary for him to keep Lorrain in awe and to joyn the Low-Country to the Dutchy and County of Burgundy For fear therefore lest the King should disturb him in that Conquest he caused the Constable to be Seized at Mons whence he was transferr'd to Peronne and ordered his People to deliver him but not till a certain day remote enough in which time he believed he should take Nancy and then promised himself by that space he might revoke his order But the place defended it self so well that he could not master it within the said time and nevertheless his people delivered up the Constable with his Letters sealed Writings and other pieces to convict him Year of our Lord 1475 They gave him not leasure to bethink himself he was led to the Bastille the 2 d of December examined by some Commissary's condemned to Death by the Parliament and Executed in the Greve the 19 th of the same Month. A Lesson Written in Letters of Blood for such as would make themselves a Terror to their Princes Year of our Lord 1475 After the City of Perpignan had endured a year and a halfs Siege and a Famine to the very Eating of Leather it Surrendred to the French about the end of this year and thus the Country of Roussillon remained once more in the French hands Year of our Lord 1476 The eighth of January following was Published an Edict of the Kings which enjoyned all the Bishops to go to their Diocesses on pain of a Seizure of their Temporals to prepare themselves for a Council which he said was necessary He likewise Ordained that all such as came from Rome should be obliged to shew the Papers they brought All this to frighten the Legat the Popes Nephew it was John de la Rovere who would undertake too much Lorrain being Conquer'd the Burgundian cast his thoughts upon many other Provinces King Rene made him hope for Provence he disposed of the Estates of Savoy almost as much as of his own the Dutchess adhering to him fearing lest he should bring the Uncles of her Pupil to invade that Dutchy From thence he went into Italy where he had an Alliance with the Duke of Milan and a great ascendant by Fame over all the petty Princes of that Country But before this he would needs compel the Swissers to stoop to his Laws where he went so much resolv'd hating them besides already that he refused their most humble Submissions and the offers they made to enter into his alliance and to renounce all others even that with the King An Invasion they had made upon the Lands of James of Savoy Count de Romont served him for a pretence to Attack them the quarrel between them and that Count proceeded from a very small occasion which was for a Cart Load of Sheep Skins he had taken from them Against this Rock it was then that his querellous Ambition went to make Shipwrack and dash it self in pieces They were as yet but Peasants and very little known but who had all the Strength and Force of a Natural Valour never yet softned by the Luxury of their Neighbours Year of our Lord 1477 To tell it in few words the 5 th of April he lost his Infantry and his rich Equipage at Granson the 20 th of June all his Forces even to the number of 18000 Men before Morat and in fine the 5 th of January being the Eve of Twelfth-day his own life and the Grandeur of his House before Nancy Year of our Lord 1476 After the Battel of Morat Duke Rene who was come thither with the Swisse and the Germans and by his Valour had contributed much to the Victory went and retook his City of Nancy The Burgundian after that unfortunate day finding all his Allies abandon'd him and his Subjects began to despise him was fallen sick with Spite and rage from which not being
the Fossez but at their return not standing well upon their Guard they were Charged and put to the rout The Battle was fought the eighteenth of August near Guinegaste it was named The Battle of Spurrs because in this Fight the French made more use of them then of their Swords The more Valiant notwithstanding shewed great Personal courage which they paid for the Duke of Longueville and the Chevalier Bayard were hemm'd in and carried away by the English Terovenne capitulated fifteen Days after The two Princes not being able to agree who should have it commanded it to be dismantled against the express Terms of the Capitulation and burnt it all excepting only the Churches Tournay fearing the like Fate surrendred in good time to the Kings of England who built a Citadel to bridle them About the same Time James IV. King of Scotland the only Ally the King had left him having marched into England to make a Diversion was beaten by the English Army and slain upon the Spot the seventeenth of September Year of our Lord 1513 The King's Spirit bore him up bravely against all these Adversities but he had a Domestick trouble greater then those of all his Enemies This was his own Wife who moved with the Scruples common to her Sex could not endure he should be at variance with the Pope and should maintain a Council against him She still making a noise in his Ears upon these two Points he was oft-times forced to keep Peace within Doors to lay down his Arms when his Affairs were most promising and in a fair way of bringing Julius quickly to reason In fine being quite tyred and overcome by her Importunities and the remonstrances of his Subjects whom she stirred up on all Hands he renounced his Council of Pisa and adhered to the Latran Council by his Procurators who caused his Mandate to be read in the eight Session the fourteenth of December Year of our Lord 1513 the Pope then Presiding He likewise promised to appear concerning the Business of the Pragmatick but because of those Enemies who encompassed him round on all Hands he demanded a competent Time which was granted him The Cardinals de Sancta Croce and Sanseverin went to Rome to cast themselves at the Feet of Pope Leo and presenting themselves in the Council in the Habits of simple Priests craving pardon on their Knees acknowledging they had justly been degraded by Pope Julius and detesting the Assembly of Pisa as Schismatick were restored to their Dignities and took their Places in the Sacred Colledg After these submissions the Pope seemed in appearance to be satisfied with the King but did not omit underhand to incite the Emperor to make War upon him that he might be so much embroil'd as not to have leasure to return into Italy Year of our Lord 1514 Queen Anne survived but few Days after this reconciliation which she had so infinitely desired She died the ninth of January at the Castle of Blois Her Husband loved her so entirely that his Heart bowed under this Asslication he put on Black for Mourning shut himself up for several Days in his Closset and turned all the Fidlers Comedians Jugglers and Buffoons out of the Court. Having no Children he with great tenderness bred up Francis Duke of Valois whom the Laws of the Kingdom appointed necessary Successor Queen Anne out of a hatred she had ever conceived for Louisa Mother of this Prince had hindred his Marriage with her Daughter Claude The King would have it consummate the eighteenth day of May at Saint Germains en laye Himself had as then no thoughts of re-marrying but the Duke of Longueville who was Prisoner in England and endeavoured to make a Peace between the two Crowns having talked of a Marriage between the King and Mary the Sister of King Henry the good Prince hearkned willingly to it out of the desire he had to settle his People in Peace and the King of England inclined thereto as perceiving the Fourberies of Ferdinand his Father in Law who had disappointed him three several times Year of our Lord 1514 The Peace and Marriage were made in London on the same Day being the second of August The King of England was to hold Tournay and Lewis obliged himself to pay him six hundred thousand Crowns at two payments as well for the Expences of his War as for the Arrears of the Pension that had been promis'd by the Treaty of Pequigny and confirmed by that of Estaples in 1492. In this Summ they had deducted his Wives Portion which was four hundred thousand Crowns The Marriage was compleated at Abbiville the tenth Day of October Year of our Lord 1514 The young Duke of Valois who was all fire and flame for the fair Ladies did not want some Sparks for this new Queen and Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk who loved her before this Marriage and followed the Court of France in Quality of Ambassador from England had not extinguished his first Flames But the remonstrances of Arthur de Gouffier Boisy having made the Duke of Valois consider whose Governor he had been that he was going to play a ticklish Game and had reason to apprehend the like from the Duke of Suffolk the wean'd himself of his Folly and caused every Motion of that Duke to be narrowly observed The good King's Grave was not far distant from his Nuptial Bed As he was raising a Potent Army to re-pass the Alpes making himself secure of Fortunes favour since he had gained the King of England his most dreadful Enemy a fit Year of our Lord 1515 of Vomiting seized upon him in his Hostel des Tournelles at Paris and brought him so low that he died of it the first day of January Anno 1515. He was fifty three years of Age and had Reigned seventeen His Humour was open gay and easie he loved to hear the Truth and that of things even concerning himself without shewing any Anger unless it reflected on the Honor of some Ladies of whom there were not many Stories to relate the Queens severe Chastity and his great and manly Soul above those triflings and vain divertisements that begets so much Corruption having made them keep themselves mightily reserved He pleased himself in reading of good Books and cherish'd and advanced Learned Men but more those that were able to instruct and do him Service then such as could only flatter and please the Ear with their soft difcourses Never Prince loved his People so much nor was so much beloved as he As he spared them as much as he could himself so he took care they should not be a Prey to the Grandees and Sons of War He had so well regulated the last that often times the Provinces would request it as a Favour and Advantage that he would send them Companies of his Men at Arms. He was more then once observed to have Tears in his Eyes when he was forced to lay some little Subsidy upon them and upon
into their Hands and retired to Mantoua The Emperor continued the Truce for five Years with the Venetians for twenty thousand Crowns they were to pay him each Year and the King desiring to fasten and secure the Confederation with the Pope by some fresh Ties gave up into his Hands again the writing whereby he had obliged himself to surrender Reggio and Modena to the Duke of Ferrara Christendom enjoy'd a most Vniversal Calm when She was troubled with two of the most horrible Scourges or Plagues that did ever torment Her Selim the Turkish Sultan having conquer'd Syria laid Ismael Sophy's Power in the Dust extinguish'd the domination of the Mamalucs in Egypt by the utter defeat and death of Campson the last Egyptian Sultan vaunted that in quality of Successor to Constantine the Great he should soon bring all Europe under his Empire and at the same Time the Bowels of the Church began to be torn and rent by a Schisme that hitherto no Remedies have been able to take away The first Evil gave occasion for the birth of the second Pope Leo desiring to oppose all the Forces of Christendom against the furious Progress of the Turks had sent his Legates to all the Christian Princes and formed a great Project to attack the Insidels both by Sea and Land Now to excite the Peoples Devotion and get their Alms Year of our Lord 1517. 18 19. and the following and Benevolence for so good a Work he sent some according to the usual Custom in such Cases practic'd to preach Indulgences in every Province This Commission according to the allotments made of a long time amongst the four Orders Mendicants belonged to the Augustins in Germany Nevertheless Albert Archbishop of Mentz either of his own Head or by Order from Rome allots and gives it to the Jacobins The Augustins finding themselves wronged in their Interest which is the great Spring even of the most Religious Societies Camplain make a Noise and fly to Revenge Amongst Year of our Lord 1517 these there was a Monk named Martin Luther of Islebe in the County of Mansfield Doctor and Rcader in Theologie in the Vniversity of Witemberg a bold Spirit Impetuous and Eloquent John Stampis their General commanded him to preach against these Questors They furnished him but with too much Matter for they made Traffick and Merchandize of those sacred Treasures of the Church they kept their Courts or Shops rather in Taverns and consumed great part of what they gained or collected in Year of our Lord 1517 Debauches and it was certainly known besides that the Pope intended to apply considerable Summs to his own proper use Perhaps it would have been better done to prevent these Disorders only to have reremoved the occasion of his clamor but the thing seemed not worth while to trouble their Heads about it In the mean time the Quarrel grew high and was heated by Declamations Theses and Books on either side Frederic Duke of Saxony whose Wisdom and Vertue was exemplary in Germany maintained him and even animated him as well for the Honor of his new Vniversity of Witemberg which this Monk had brought in reputation as in hatred to the Archbishop of Ments with whom he had other disputes He at first began with proposing of Doubts then being hard beset and too roughly handled he engaged to maintain and make them good in the very Sence they condemned them in They had neither the Discretion to stop his Mouth or seize upon him but threatning him before he was in their Power he takes shelter and then keeping no more Decorum he throws off his Mask and not only declaimed against the Pope and against the Corruptions of the Court of Rome but likewise opposed the Church of Rome in many Points of Her Doctrine And truly the extream ignorance of the Clergy many of them scarce able to read the scandalous Lives of the Pastors most of them Concubinaries Drunkards and Vsurers and their extreme negligence gave him a fair advantage to persuade the People that the Religion they taught was corrupt since their Lives and Examples were so bad At the same Time or as others say a Year before to wit in Anno 1516. Ulric Zuinglius Curate at Zuric began to expose his Doctrine in that Swisse Canton and since almost every Year new Evangelists have arisen in such Swarms that it would be difficult to number them Year of our Lord 1518 Every Day brought forth some occasion of difference between the King and Charles of Austria the Lords de Chevres and de Boisy met at Montpellier to determine them but the Death of de Boisy made that great Work be left imperfect William his Brother Lord de Bonnivet much less wise then he held the same Rank in the Kings Favor who made him Admiral of France Year of our Lord 1518 About the same Time John Jacques Trivulcio lost it and died for Grief at the Burrough of Chastres under Montlehery Lautree his antagonist had given the King an ill impression of him upon his being made a Burgher amongst the Swisse and his Brother and others of his Kindred puting themselves into the Venetians Service There had been some Seeds of division sowed between the King of France and the King of England their Counsels before things grew to a greater height thought sit to unite them by a new Alliance The Admiral therefore going to London made a Treaty to this effect That the King of England should give his Daughter as then but four years of age to the Daufin not yet compleatly one year old That there should be a defensive League between the two Crowns and that Tournay should be restored to the King of France who should pay two hundred and sixty thousand Crowns for the Expences the English had been at there and three hundred thousand more in twelve years time besides that he should acknowledge to have received other three hundred thousand for the Dowry of the little Princess The King not having the Money ready gave six Lords in Hostage and by this means got Tournay It was likewise agreed that the two Kings should have an entre-view at their convenient time between Boulogn and Calais In Maximilian's Councel it was judged more proper for the Grandeur of the House of Austria to give the Empire to the Arch-Duke Charles his Grandson then to Ferdinand his younger Brother to whom for the same reason King Ferdinand his Grand-father would not leave his Kingdom of Arragon who bred him in his own Court. And therefore Maximilian treated with the Electors to get them to design him King of the Romans but before he had accomplished that affair he died at Lints in Austria aged sixty three years the two and twentieth day Year of our Lord 1519 of January in Anno 1519. After his Death King Francis and Charles declared themselves Aspirers or Competitors for the Imperial Crown without shewing however the lest picque against one another Of the Capetine Race none but Charles
Earl of Valois had hitherto desired it The Swisse denied Francis their Intercession with the Electors the Pope pretended to favor him but he was not either for one or other Year of our Lord 1519 of these two Princes because they were too Potent and if he recommended Francis it was to get the Suffrages from Charles and by this Intrigue to turn their Eyes and Thoughts toward some other German Prince The Electors for the same reason were in suspence a good while at the beginning the Palatine Triers and Brandenburgh seemed to be for Francis and the latter promised to gain the Archbishop of Ments his Brother likewise But when he had singer'd his Money and it came to give their Votes Ments pleaded stoutly for Charles and Brandenburgh seconded him Triers kept his Word The reputation of his Victories in Italy spake advantageously for the King and the War the Turks threatned Germany withal ought to have made him more considerable then Charles who had as yet done nothing and promised but little more But he was not of the German Nation besides the more he seemed to merit the more they feared he would reduce the German Princes to a low condition as his Predecessors had reduced those of France and if there were apprehensions of oppression on either Hand it did not appear so visibly on Charles's side nor seem to be so neer in likelihood from him who was five years younger then the other and of no very promising Genius In fine upon all these considerations and with three hundred thousand Crowns brought even a year before into Germany and not distributed but to good purpose Charles carried it and was elected at Francfort the twentieth of June being at that instant in Spain whither he was gone almost two years before Though King Francis set a good face upon it yet this refusal went to his Heart and he could not but imagine that Charles being Master of so many great Estates would revenge the Injuries done to his Grand-father and those of the House of Burgundy For this reason he applied himself with more care to gain the friendship of the Pope and the King of England but the Pope followed Fortune and invested Charles with the Kingdom of Naples notwithstanding the constitution of his Predecessors which forbid that the said Kingdom and the Empire should be in the same Hand Year of our Lord 1520 The election of Charles of Austria hastned the enterview of the King and Henry of England This was done in the Month of June between Ardres and Guines The two Kings equally Pompous and Vain made their magnificence appear to the highest profusion Francis expended more there then the Emperor did at his Coronation and put his Nobless to great inconveniences who ever imitate their Princes but more readily in their Excess then in their Wisdom This enter-view was called the Camp of Cloath of Gold After they had saluted each other on Horse-back they went into a Pavilion erected expresly with two or three Ministers of State belonging to either King and there talked a few Moments about their Affairs That done they left the care thereof to them and spent ten or twelve days together in Feastings and Turnaments at Nights Francis returned to Ardres and Henry to Guines Before they parted they confirmed their Treaty by solemn Oath upon the the Holy Communion which they received together But soon after Francis who too credulous built already on the Amity of the English might plainly perceive what stress he was to lay upon so jealous and so inconstant a Foundation Charles V. coming from Spain by Sea to the Low-Countries that from thence he might go to Aix to take the Crown passed first over into England and saw Henry with less splendor and perhaps more Fruit then he For the King of England promis'd him that in case any Difference hapned between him and Francis he would be Arbitrator and declare himself Enemy to him that would not stand to his Award or Judgment His Intention was not to joyn with either the one or the other but to keep himself in the midst and be sought to by them both giving them to understand that he could make the Ballance sway to that side he turned to As he seemed to point out to King Francis at their late enter-view at Ardres where over his Tent Door he had caused the Figure of an Archer to be placed with these Words He that accompanies or joyns with him is Master This was the Method he used all his Life The two and twentieth of October Charles was crowned at Aix la Chapelle and assigned a Diet at Wormes for the Month of January following In the mean time not staying for the Judgment of of the Assembly being at Colen he condemned Year of our Lord 1520 Year of our Lord 1520 Luther's Books to the Fire as Heretical but this so hasty proceeding he made more Friends and Defenders then Enemies In revenge Luther without respect either for Pope or Emperor was so confident as to burn the Book of the Decretals which he asserted to be contrary to the Word of God in several Passages he had extracted from them Year of our Lord 1520. 21. The Spaniards grew angry that their King had left them to go into Germany andbesides they could not endure the Government of the Flemmish for after the Death of that memorable Cardinal Ximene he left the Administration of Affairs to the Lord de Chevres They complained that those Strangers heaped up all their fairest Pieces of Gold and that they took into their Hands or sold the greatest Offices and the richest Benefices amongst others the Archbishoprick of Toledo wherewith the Lord de Chevres had provided his Brother Some Grandees of that Country who thought to do their business in the absence of a Prince whom they esteemed of little Courage kindled the Fire and made a League which they called la Sancta Junta Toledo and the greatest Cities came into it and the Chief Officers that commanded their Forces were John de Padillia and Antonio d'Acugno Bishop of Zamora They had a Design of giving the Kingdom of Arragon to Ferdinand Son of that Frederic that died in France and to make him come in with some Colour would marry him to Jane the Frantick Mother of Charles V. whom they siezed upon but whether he doubted the event or stood upon the Honor of keeping his Faith he rejected the proposition and would not stir out of the Castle where Charles V. had left him In the mean while the Vice-Rois of Castille and Arragon with the rest of the King's Servants having armed themselves against the Rebels lopp'd off by little and little the Branches of that Party and then fell'd it almost quite down by the defeat of their united Forces and the deaths of Padillia and the Bishop both slain in that Battle Now whilst the Vice-Rois had drained the Garrisons of most of the Places in Navarre to defend
and put himself under his Protection At his departure thence he was so rash as to send a Challenge of Desiance to the Emperor in the Diet at Wormes and afterwards Florenges his Son with three thousand Men besieged Vireton in Luxembourgh Immediately the King of England undertaking to be Mediator sends to Francis whom he took to be the chief Promoter of this Challenge to intreat him not to commence a War Francis takes his Advice and commands Florenges away from Vireton but the Emperor did not take this for satisfaction he would not have it said that a Man whose Ancestors had been Domestick Servants to the House of Burgundy should have braved him impunitively He raised a great Army the command whereof he gave to Henry Count of Nassaw who took four or five little Places from Robert and caused some Soldiers of the Garrisons to be hanged on the Battlements After this the Emperor being in some measure satisfied granted him a Truce of forty Days At the same time the Lord de Liques a Hennuyer seized upon the City of Saint Amand in Tournesis under pretence of some Dispute he had with Lewis Cardinal of Bourbon who was the Abbot He afterwards besieged Mortain which he said belonged to him The Captain who was in it gave it up upon Condition to have his Life and Goods spared but the Emperors Men ransacked the Garrison Then the Governor of Flanders laid siege to Tourney The King could interpret these Undertakings for no other then a Declaration of War however the Emperor would not own them as yet having the like Design upon many other Frontier Places which he intended to execute without mentioning a Word and besides he dreaded the King of England who would needs be Mediator and therefore wished both the one and the other to send their Deputies to him at Calais there to make known their difference giving them plainly to understand that he would declare himself an open Enemy to him that should refuse They were therefore obliged either of them being affraid to have him their Enemy to send Ambassadors to him Those from the King were James de Chabanes la Palisse Mareschal of France the Chancellor du Prat and John de Selve first President of Parliament who went to attend Henry at Calais At first those on behalf of the Emperor demanded no less then the Dutchy of Burgundy and that the King should acquit him of all Homage as well for that Country as for the Counties of Flanders and Artois because the subjection as Vassal said they did injury to the Imperial Majesty Year of our Lord 1521 During this Conference of Calais the Count de Nassaw with the Emperors Army passed the Meuse and besieged Mouzon The Soldiers that were in it frighted to see themselves exposed and laid open to a Battery that was on the Hill compell'd their Commanders to demand composition There were two of them who were so imprudent as to go both together to Nassaw to make it and by this over-sight they had no Terms but what were very disadvantagious The Chevalier Bayard behaved himself much more generously against the Attacks of the same General for he not only defended himself like a brave Soldier but made such a Division by counterfeit Letters between Nassaw and Sickingben who commanded that part of the Imperial Army on this side the Meuse that he made them raise their Siege It appears to me if I have rightly observed that in this Siege the Enemies made use of that sort of Artifice or Engines since called Bombes which are great Granados long or round loaden with Gun-Powder and shot out of a Morter-piece that they may fall in some certain place where they work a double Mischief both by the weight of their fall and the great violence of the Powder which is set on fire by a Fusee so disposed that in a Moment it causes the Bombe to burst after it's fall and breaks and tears all that is either above it nor neer hand about it In this Retreat Nassaw having fired all in his way putting Men Women and Children to the Sword especially in the City of Aubenton gave the first beginning to Burnings and Massacrings of Innocents The King having drawn his Forces together had his revenge for this Affront of the Emperors he regained Mouzon burnt and dismantled Bapaume reduced Landrecy and Bouchain Then with his whole Army passed the Scheld over a Bridge made for the purpose to seek out the Emperor who with his own was come to Valenciennes but he staid not for him retiring from thence under the favor of a very thick Fogg Year of our Lord 1521 Upon this occasion the King to content his Mother began to discontent the Constable Charles de Bourbon for he gave the command of the Van-Guard to the Duke of Alenson first Prince of the Blood and who had married his Sister but a Man of shallow understanding and uncertain Courage Which is more he slighted the good Advice he gave him to fall upon the Emperor's Army in their Retreat when no doubt he might have put them into great disorder In his whole life he never met again with so fair an opportunity though he sought it every where it seemed as if Fortune displeased that he would not lay hold of her Favor then had sworn to avoid and fly from him and never make him the like happy proffer again The Grave Tacite and Haughty Humor of Charles de Bourbon did not sute well with the King 's which was Pleasant Free and Open And withal Madame mortally offended that he disdained the Love she had for him push'd on her Resentments all the ways imaginable till in the end she had her revenge upon him at the expence of her Son and the whole Kingdom of France An old Tradition but which hath more the countenance of Falshood then of Truth says that this Princess desiring to marry the Constable had perswaded the King this Match would be greatly to his advantage for since he could have no Children by her the rich Succession of that House of Bourbon would by consequence revert to him according to some agreement or pact made with Lewis XI That the King was allured by this advantage and having one day spoken of his Mother to the Constable that Prince who had an Aversion to her made some reply that reflected on her Honor at which the King was so offended that he gave him a Box on the Ear. The Admiral Bonnivet having feigned a March towards Pampelonna turned short by Saint John de Luz and besieged Fontarabia which surrendred after the first Assault the eighteenth of October The Deputies from the King and the Emperor were still at Calais with the King of England labouring to adjust their Differences and take away all such stumbling Blocks as might occasion the like hereafter They were agreed upon every thing having covenanted that the Emperor should raise the Siege of Tournay and recal his Troops out of
Pension Yearly That in the following Month of July they should commence the War in Italy the English with Nine Thousand Foot Soldiers the French with Fifteen Thousand and Horse and Artillery proportionable That they should make known this League to the Emperor and Summon him to deliver up the Children of France and enter into the Peace of Italy If not within one Month afterwards they should declare a War against him After this Confederation the News of the Popes being taken coming the King made another with the Venetians the Fifteenth of May That they should joyntly maintain Ten Thousand Swiss and pay them alternatively by the Month That the King should send Ten Thousand Foot under the Conduct of Peter de Navarre and that the Venetians should entertain the like number of Italian Infantry The Imperial Army was near Thirty Thousand Men Hugh de Moncado and Dugast having brought thither all the Forces from Naples Had they found a General fit to employ or Command so great a Body they might have given Law to all Italy but these were nothing but Mutiny and Confusion and they were so fleshed with the City of Rome it was impossible to get them out thence The Vice-Roy and the Marquess Dugast fearing lest the Foot Soldiers should fall upon them fled away by Night the Prince of Orange remained and had the Title of General but no Power the Army would take Orders from none but themselves So that the Duke of Vrbin had a fair opportunity to come and deliver the Pope and yet he made so many delays pretending sometimes one excuse then another Advancing Retreating ranging about that at length the Pope reduced to extremity Surrendred himself the sixth day of June and because it was upon conditions impossible for him to perform amongst others to pay down four hundred thousand Ducats ready money and to deliver up Places which were not in his disposal he remained a Prisoner six whole months and in great misery under the custody of Captain Alarcon a Spaniard who formerly had the custody of King Francis During all this his Estates being guarded only by the People for as much as they were interested the Venetians his Allies Seized upon Ravenna and Cervia with the Salt-Pits Sigismond Malatesta on Rimini the Duke of Ferrara upon Reggio and Modena and the City of Florence which was almost brought under they Yoke of the Medicis threw it off and returned to their Popular State of Government The Debaucheries of the Souldiers the Nastiness of the Germans and the excessive heats of the Weather had Engendered a Plague in Rome so that those Robbers dying in heaps part of them went into the Field to take the Air. The Confederates Army diminished apace likewise and were retired towards Orvietta Year of our Lord 1527 from whence they went to the Lake of Perugia otherwhile named Trasimene In the mean time the Holy Father was in great danger as well because the Plague was got into the Castle Saint Angelo and had taken off some of his nearest Houshold Servants as because the Spanish Captains would carry him to Cajeta with his thirteen Cardinals and from thence he apprehended to be transferred into Spain The Emperour desired it most passionately and indeed they had conveyed him thither if the Prelates and Spanish Lords had not made him know they thought it contrary to Christian Piety thus to detain in Prison and like a Slave mis-use and treat the Head of all Christendom I cannot imagine after all how they could be reconciled with or judge of the proceedings of their Prince who commanded publick Processions to be made in Spain to ask of God the deliverance of the Pope as if himself had been two different Persons that is in Italy a Barbarous Persecutor and in Spain a Zealous Servant to the Holy See The Union between the Kings of France and England becoming more strict and the Emperour having refused to Surrender the Pope and the Children of France they were resolved to carry the War into Italy with all their Forces The King of England was to furnish thirty thousand Crowns in Gold per month for the payment of ten thousand Lansquenets very good men commanded by Lewis de Lorrain Count de Vaudemont and Cardinal Woolsey being come to confer with the King at Boulogne brought over three hundred thousand Crowns to lend him if he had any need of them The seventeenth of September the King having called an Assembly of the most Notable Persons of the three Estates of the Kingdom for their Advice what he should do touching the deliverance of his Children offered to return to Prison if they judged he were so obliged to do rather then act or undertake any thing prejudicial to the State The twentieth of that Month each of the three Orders separately answered That his person was the Kingdoms not his That Burgundy was a Member of the Crown whereof he was but Uâ—uâ—ructuary That ☞ therefore he could not dispose either of the one nor of the other But withal which was the true Motive for calling this Assembly they offered him two Millions of Gold for the Ransom of his Children and assured him that if it must come to a War they would spare neither their Lives nor Fortunes Lautreâ— had been named General of the Armies for the League according to the desire of the King of England but against his own will fore-seeing by experience of times past that when once they had engaged him in that employment and he gon afar off from them they would furnish him with nothing either in time or in quantity sufficient He passed the Mountains in the beginning of the Month of August with part of the Army And till the remainder were come he Besieged the Castle of Bosco in the Alexandrian Countrey where a thousand men were in Garrison which he forced to Surrender at discretion From thence he went before Alexandria which he likewise constrained to Capitulate then to Pavia which not Submitting in due time was taken by Assult and Saccaged and the Governour made Prisoner This was Lewis de Barbiana who was named Earl of Beljoyeuse At the same time André Doria a Genoese but General of the French Galleys and Caesar Fregosa with French Forces brought Genoa under the King's Obedience and Alphonso Duke of Ferrara forsaking the Emperours Alliance took that of France He was absolutely sixed by the Honour the King did him promising Renee Sister of the late Queen Claudia to his Son Hercules who notwithstanding did not Marry him till ten months afterwards which was in July 1528. They did not omit in the mean time to Treat about a Peace with the Emperour The Ambassadors of France England Venice and Sforza were at Burgos for that purpose Not being able to incline him to reason they took their leaves Year of our Lord 1527 and 28. and immediately afterwards the Heraulds from the two Kings declared War against him The Emperour having sent those Ambassadors twenty Leagues distance
and Pensions for his Nephews and Friends That the Duke of Ferrara and in his absence a Prince whom the King should name should have the General Command of the Armies This League was held secret for some time the Cardinal de Lorrain at his going to Rome had by his fair words drawn in Hercules de Ferrara to be an Allie but his eloquence had not the same power over the Venetians The Cardinal Nephew did likewise employ motives of interest and those of fear He propounded to give them Ravenna in pawn and Puglia when it was conquer'd threatning in case they did not make a League with him to call in the Turks which they dreaded above all things but all this could not move them On the other hand King Philip foreseeing the Pope would by his Sentence endeavour to deprive him of the Kingdom of Naples and Excommunicate him prepared to assemble all the Cardinals together at Pisa to declare the promotion of the Pope not Canonical and by that means invalidate all that he should do to his prejudice He had thirteen or fourteen very sure on his side without reckoning such others as he might gain besides In the mean time the Duke of Alva informed of those Treaties after he had taken order for the Affairs of Milanois and Piedmont passed by Sea into Tuscany where he conferr'd with the Duke of Florence and from thence went to the Kingdom of Naples At the same time the King who had resolved upon the rupture wrote to his Ambassador at Constantinople his name was la Vigne that he should speak of it to Solyman as if he did it for his sake and by that means endeavour to procure a considerable assistance Solyman much pleased to find that a new flame was breaking forth in Christendom promised wonders and made his Fleet put out to Sea But it served the French only to clear themselves in some sort For an Agent of the Kings named Codignac who was discontented going over to the Spaniards had given the Turks some jealousie upon the Kings designing to make himself Master of Italy as if he from thence intended to pass into Greece as Charles VIII would have done and to encrease their apprehensions he discover'd to them I know not what kind of ancient Prophesies which threaten that the Franc's shall overthrow the Empire of the Crescent Year of our Lord 1555 Though this League were concluded before the end of the year 1555. it did not hinder but by the mediation of Mary Queen of England and Cardinal Pool the King and the Emperor were inclined and at last brought to agree upon a general and trading Truce for five years It was treated at Vaucelles near Cambray the fifth of February in Anno 1556. The Emperor contributed much to it Year of our Lord 1556 very well satisfied that this calm consolidated the new begun Reign of his Son When the Cardinal Caraffa heard of this Truce he made a great complaint to the King that they had abandoned the interests of his House that they left it exposed to the vengeance of the Spaniards and the Florentines He demanded that for security the King would at least be pleased to put those places into the hands of the Pope which were yet left him in Sienna He imagined that by this means he should be sought to by those Princes and that they would be glad to buy his amity and when the King had refused them he importun'd his Uncle so much that he condescended he should go Legate into France to dispose the King to break the said Truce He came in a proud Equipage but concealing his Design and giving out it was to labour for a Peace between the two Crowns He saluted the King at Fontainbleau made him a Present of a Sword and an Hat which had been blessed by the Pope and entertain'd him in private with his grand Designs The King was very irresolute but in the end the Legates vast promises and the opinion he possess'd him with that nothing was able to resist his power and withal the artificial address of Valentinois who had already made Alliance with the Guises by giving one of her Daughters to the Duke of Aumale with the intrigues of the Queen who desired a War in Italy to employ her Kinsman the Mareschal de Strozzi there thrust him into the Precipice and made him resolve to declare a War against the Spaniard But before this the Council thought expedient to send to the Emperor and to King Philip to admonish them to recall the Duke of Alva and his Forces out of the Territories of the Holy-See They had already taken divers places there and even the City of Ostia which the Nephews had neglected to provide The Legate made his entrance into Paris with the Magnificence usual on such Ceremonies At Court and in the City he shewed himself a Cavalier to the Nobility a Gallant in the Ladies Company of a merry humour amongst the gay people made Courtship to the Dutchess of Valentinois and gave her extraordinary fine Presents both from his Holyness and from himself The Queen being brought to Bed of Twin-Girls he had the honour to be Godfather to one of them and gave her the name of Victoria as expressive of the great advantages the League between the Pope and the King would acquire in Italy but soon after this presage vanished with the life of that Princess In the mean time whilst the Army they were to send into Italy was making ready they gave Strozzi orders to assist the Pope to whom they sent Three Thousand Men under the Conduct of Montluc who made the Duke of Alva retire from the Neighbourhood of the City of Rome Then when they had fathom'd Philip's intentions by his haughty reply they judged it was high time the Duke of Guise should pass the Alpes At the beginning of March a Comet with a flaming Train was visible in the Eight Degree of Libra and lasted but twelve days only The Emperor fancied this Phaenomena called him to the other World so that not being able to gain his Brother to a consent of yielding the Empire to his Son he Commissioned some Ambassadors to carry his Renunciation to the Electoral Colledge However they went not till two years after because of the War new breaking out between the two Crowns and Three of the Electors were dead That done he Embarqu'd at Sudburg in Zealand about the beginning of September and went into Spain where he retired into the Covent of Saint Just of the Order of the Hieronymites which is in the midst of a delicious Valley surrounded with high Rocks in the Province of Estramadura eight Miles from Placentia near the Burrough of Scarandilla It is believed this was otherwhile the place of Sertorious his retirement He reserved no more to himself of all his great Train and his large-possessions but twelve Men a little Horse to ride out for Pleasure and Air and one Hundred Thousand
and Marc Antony The Arm of the Almighty was stretched out against the Infidels they were wholly vanquished One Hundred and Seventeen of their Galleys taken above Twenty sunk Five and Twenty or Thirty Thousand Men swallowed up in the Sea near Four Thousand made Prisoners all their Chief Commanders either Slain or Drowned excepting the Bassa Perthaw who made his escape to Lepanto in a Skiffe and old Louchali who got off with Two and Thirty Galleys So great an advantage ought to have produced many others but it was so ill pursued by reason of the misunderstanding amongst the Confederate Christians that the Venetians were at last constrained to have recours◠to the mercy of the Barbarians and Treat a Peace with them Year of our Lord 1571 After many Earth-quakes hapning in Tuscany and Lombardy which almost wholly ruined the City of Ferrara there followed most furious Floods of Waters in several Countries The Rhosne quite drowned the Suburbs de la Guillotiere at Lyons and its Streams by their rapid Violence having torn away a Rock from the Mountain near the chops of the Sluce made a Bank against themselves which stopt their Passage and forced them to flow back against the usual current so that the Mills along that River had their Wheels turned the contrary way The Winter was so hard from the end of November in the Year 1570. till the end of February following that during those three whole Months it Froze the Rivers so much that they drove Carts upon them and blasted the Fruit-Trees even in Languedoc and Provence killing their very Roots Notwithstanding the Edict of Pacification new occasions of quarrel and strife arose every day between the Catholicks and the Huguenots under colour of remedying it the King dispatched to Rochel the Mareschal de Crosse and a Master of Requests who conferr'd with the Heads of the Huguenots but as it appeared afterwards it was but only to make them the more tame and gentle and confiding And indeed at this very time were those two Baits thrown out above mentioned the Marriage of the King's Sister with the Prince of Navarre and the design of making War upon the Spaniards in the Low-Countries The Admiral passionately desired it as well to Revenge the affront he received at Saint Quentins as to uphold the Protestants and restore the Princes of Nassaw that so they might be enabled to give each other mutual assistance These Seeds of deceit thus cunningly sown amongst them began to allay their Suspicions the Huguenots Deputies followed Cossé to Court and received all manner of Satisfaction though at that time the King's Council were framing a terrible design but he feigned a most profound Tranquility The King made his Entrance into Paris the Fifth day of February by Saint Denis Gate without it he on a Scaffold heard the Harangues of the Soveraign Companies and Body of the City The Twenty-Ninth of the same Month the Queen was Crowned at Saint Denis Year of our Lord 1571 They went on in the mean while with the grand design of drawing the Huguenots into the Trap by all the alluring and specious semblances proper to decoy the most wary and jealous They began kindly to use all such as they guessed to be joyned by Alliance or Interest or Amity with them on the contrary they slighted and rejected all those that were their Enemies or suspected by them Their Deputies carried back all the imaginable tokens of affection and good usage The King interceded with the Duke of Savoy to restore those Lands belonging to Jacqueline Countess d'Entremont which that Duke had seized because she Married the Admiral contrary to his Commands being Widdow of Claude Batarnay Anton who was Slain in the Battle of Dreux So many favours did a little startle the Admiral he sends Count Ludovic of Nassaw to the King to prie into his disposition and Treat concerning the Low-Country War The King expresses an incredible Joy and would needs have him come Incognito for fear of giving Jealousie to the Spaniards He found the King at Fontenay in Brie who welcomed him with a Thousand Caresses pretended to lay open his whole Heart to him and gave him up his Castle of Orange where till that time he had kept a French Garrison And to succeed the better with the Admiral they made use of the Credit of Teligny his Son in Law towards him a young Gentleman upon whom he had bestowed his Daughter meerly for the esteem he had of his great Wisdome Teligny therefore carried him word that the King had resolved to give his Sister Margaret to the Prince of Navarre as a pledge of his promises to all the Huguenot Party and that he had taken a Resolution to free himself from the Captivity of his Mother and his Brother the Duke of Anjou against whom he had indeed conceived so much Jealousie that he could endure him no longer This Machine as we may term it drew in the Admiral he came to Court in the Month of September and with the greater boldness they being then at Blois and month September he permitted to come with Fifty Gentlemen his Friends well Armed The King embraces him kisses him admits him into his Council restores his Estate and Pensions to him gives him an Hundred Thousand Livers in Consideration of his lost Household Goods then at a Months end permits him to go and see his House at Chastillon At the same time the Cardinal his Brother then in England preparing to take Shiping for his Return into France was Poysoned by one of his Valets de Chambre with a perfumed Apple The discovery of which Crime came not to light till two years after when the same Fellow being Surprized at Rochel where he served as a Spy was Condemned to be Hanged and Confessed the Fact at the Gallows Scarce had the Admiral been five Weeks at Chastillon but the King sends him word his Presence was necessarily required to assist about the Treating of a League with England and to renew the Alliance with the Protestant Princes of Germany This second time he had yet a more favourable reception then at the former they heap Caresses Presents and other advantages upon him The Courtiers murmur'd at it the Clergy trembled with indignation to behold him who had destroyed and burnt so many Churches stand in the highest rank of Favour the People cry'd out the King was in the high Road to Huguenotism and the Guises themselves though they had a hand in the design apprehended lest the King who did not over-much love them should turn all this dissimulation into a Storm that might at last fall on their Heads After he had sojourned for some time at Court they gave him his Liberty to be gone for the second time but the King Corresponded with him by daily Letters month January c. and took his Council in his most private Affairs There was none now but the Duke of Anjou that made the Huguenots afraid it hapned
chiefly in that Country Year of our Lord 1573 The Three Armies destined against the Huguenots did but little La Chastre succeeding ill in his Attaques upon Sancerre at the end of Three Months turned the Siege into a Blocade Danville instead of taking Nismes as the Cities of Lyons and Thoulouze did heartily wish because they paid and maintain'd his Army set upon the little City of Sous-Mieres whether with design not to succeed or otherwise I know not for he knew very well they plotted the Ruine of his House and he put as little Confidence in the Kings Council as they did in him He therefore ruined his Army before it and raised the Siege after he had lost Two Thousand men with Henry de Foix Count de Candale slain upon an Assault This Lord had Married his Sister and brought him Twelve Hundred Gascons Villars and la Valette cleared Gascongne of several small Garrisons but could not take Cossade and were constrained to disband their Troops who lived so licentiously that the Commons rose up in Arms to fall upon them The greatest efforts were at the Siege of Roâ—hel Strossy and Biron had invested it the preceding year all the Forces of the Kingdom were come thither and Monsieur himself Arriving there in the Month of February had brought along with him all that were bravest and greatest about the Court the Duke of Alencon month February c. his Brother the Duke of Montpensier all the Guises the Duke of Nevers and even the King of Navarre the Prince of Condé and the Mareschal de Cossé for fear lest they should make some stir elsewhere in favour of the Huguenots After several fruitless Conferences after that la Noüe not being able to perswade the Rocheliers to submit was come out of the Town and they had chosen Six Captains in his sted Monsicur began to express his mind by the roaring Mouths of his Cannon having Four-score in Battery against them In this Siege it was made more manifest then in any other of these last Ages that there is nothing which the perswasion of 〈◊〉 and Religion does not overcome and nothing that can overcome it It lasted Eight Months to reckon from the time of the Blocade the Baron de la Garde had begun within a Month after Saint Bartholomew the City during that time sustained Five and Thirty ☜ Thousand Cannon shot Nine grand Assaults above Twenty lesser ones near upon Seventy Mines very frequent Conspiracies as well by contrivance of some that were Rich who feared to loose their Wealth as by some of the Gentry who have ever some particular engagements at the Court and seldome desert it but in expectation of being called back again to the Cost of whatever Party they Espouse The People labour'd with so much heat that they raised a double Terrass and digged a deep Retrenchment at the place where they batter'd the Town before they could make their breach Besides their men were perpetually making Sallies the Women went along every where with them some to Fight others to carry necessaries and refreshment carry off and dress the wounded and gather up the Spoil others again to throw kettles of scalding Liquor or Oil melted Pitch red hot Iron Hoops Bricks Stones Timber Loggs and the like upon the Assailants heads Their Courage did not fail them though the Assistance from England which Montgommery was to have brought failed them After a long expectation in mid March they appeared but very Slender for as much as the Mareschal de Rais as well by the Intrigues he forged in England as the Pensions the King bestowed on Queen Elizabeths Councellours had notably hindred him from obtaining Year of our Lord 1573 so considerable a Supply as was promised Finding the choice Mâ—n of the Besiegers Army had put themselves into the Kings Ships and the Channel stopt up with an Estacade which they could not gâ—t over but at Spring-Tydâ—s â—e weighed Anchor and went and seized upon Bâ—ll-Isle But hearing the Count de Rais was coming against him with a dozen Ships he quitted it after he had plundred it and retired to the Isle of Wight The Count de Rais under pretence Bâ—ll-Isle wanted some Lord to defend it manag'd his Interest so that the King by his Soveraign Authority caused it to be substracted and dismembred from the demesne of the Abbey of Saincte Croix de Quimperlay and erected it to a Marquisate to bestow it upon him During all the Siege of Rochel those within enjoy'd a perfect health they had established a very good order for the distribution of their Provisions so that they had enough for two Months longer when they were deliver'd For though they were but meanly furnished with Corn they had great Stores of Flesh and Salt-Fish and the Sea shewing her self Charitable and Merciful to that Town which she hath ever looked upon as her Nurse-Child threw upon the Owze infinite quantities of Shel-Fish for the Subsistance and Relief of the Poor On the contrary the Besiegers were under all sorts of inconveniencies the neglect of discipline and the desolation of the Country round about them had caused extream scarcity of Provisions and Forrage in their Camp and a most terrible Infection which bred frequent and contagious distempers But the complement of all those Evils was their general Division which held the Royal Army in perpetual agitations and ready to cut one anothers Throats like Cadmus his Soldiers There were of three sorts of People the Malecontents the Gentlemen were most of them so with the Queen Mother who governed all by two or three Strangers Covetous Proud and without Faith the Faithful these were the Huguenots who had not quitted their Religion but to avoid the ruine of their Houses or for some Interest at Court had followed Monsieur and the New ones whom the fear of being Massacred had forced to go to Mass though they did not believe in it Out of some of each of these was a Club or Party made whom they named the Politiques and these had together agreed that without any more mention of Religion they would demand the Reformation of the State and expulsion of Strangers Amongst the Catholicks the Montmorencies Biron and Cossé were the Chief Heads these were linked together above a Twelve month before the Saint Bartholomew The Duke of Alencon a Prince ambitious and unquiet despised for his low Stature and his ill Meen had desired to be one and having in his tender Youth taken some Impression of the New Religion from those that Educated him had tied himself in strickt Amity with the Admiral believing by that means to make a Party strong enough to equal the Credit of the Duke of Anjou and get some share in the Govâ—â—â—ment To which he was thrust on by the Ambition of his Favourites and by his Sister Margarets Spleen much offended the Duke of Anjou slighted her after he highly cherish'd her Divers considerations proceeding from jealousie suspicions and fear had withheld the
arrival of a new Governour Don Juan of Austria In the mean time the Spanish Troops having mutined plundred the wealthy City of Antwerp where they got so much booty that some private Soldiers were seen to play for Ten thousand Franc's in one night The Catholique Provinces fearing they might be plundered in the same manner united by a Treaty made at Ghent with those of Holland and Zealand Now before they received or admitted Don Juan the Estates would have all the Spaniards sent out of the Countrey and the Treaty of Ghent to be confirmed Don Juan feigned to agree to those conditions and entred the Countrey in Sheeps cloathing but soon changed it for the Foxes skin seising upon Namur Charlemont and Mariemburgh Then the States armed against him drove him back into Luxemburg called in Matthias the Emperors Brother whom they chose for their Governor and the Prince of Orange for his Lieutenant But by the jealousy of the Catholique Lords thwarting the wise Councils of Orange Don Juan had time to receive the Forces brought him by Alexander Farness Duke of Parma with which he gained a signal Battle at Gemblours over the Army of the States and afterwards the Gueux having turned Year of our Lord 1577 the Priests and Monks out of Ghent broke and pull'd down all the Images in their Churches So that the happy success of Don Juan and the attempt of this insolent rabble gave occasion to some Lords already discontented to form a Third Party whereof Montigny was Head and to draw both Artois and Hainault to joyn with them The same Lords finding that the States had Treated with Queen Elizabeth who sent Casimir to them with some German Forces moved with apprehension of the great danger their Religion was in resolved to Treat with the Duke of Anjou to which the States did likewise incline being induced thereto by the practises of the Prince of Orange who had great suspition of Casimir Year of our Lord 1578 This business had been negotiating a year before by the tacite consent of the Queen-Mother but the King did not approve of his Brothers medling with the Low-Countreys Affairs he was too jealous of his advancement and besides too much netled at his Bussy's braving his Favorites every day Now these Picques and Controversies rising higher on either part he caused his Brother to be laid hold on in the Louvre and set Guards upon him but they did their Duty so negligently that he escaped out of their hands being let down by a cord into the Trench under the Louvre and went to the Abby St. Germain where Bussy waited for him and had made a hole in the Wall of the City From thence they got to Anger 's and after they had sojourned there some weeks advanced to Mons in Hainault to conclude the Treaty which was before prepared by one of his Secretaries He promised to assist the States with his Forces and Means to raise Six thousand Foot and Three thousand Horse to maintain them at his own charges for Three Months and to endeavour to bring the Queen of England the King of Navarre and Casimir into this Alliance Reciprocally they promised him that where-ever he should be personally he should Command in Chief with the General for the States That if they accepted of any Lord other then the King of Spain they would prefer him before all That forsecurity and a retreat for his Sick they would give him Quesnoy Landrecy and Bavais That if they could obtain a good Peace they would repay his disbursements and give him a reward worthy of his Grandeur month August Year of our Lord 1578 There never was a business so intangled nor a Countrey more divided and tormented then that same The Arch Duke Matthias had his party amongst the States and amongst the Nobless the Prince of Orange had all the power in the Provinces of Frise Holland Zealand and Vtrect Don Juan of Austria was Governor for the Spaniard but declared an enemy by the States Prince Casimir was there in the behalf of Queen Elizabeth the Duke of Anjou as their Ally and Protector Imbise had seized upon Ghent and Prince Casimir with his Forces was got into those parts as it were to cantonnize himself The Catholique Lords of Artois and Hainault floated between all parties desiring to preserve if it were possible their Liberty and their Religion So that there were Five Armies feeding upon and laying wast that unfortunate Countrey That belonging to the States was of Thirty eight thousand Foot and Eight thousand Horse That under the Duke of Anjou much inferiour for number to what had been promised him by Treaty He besieged Bins and batter'd it so furiously that it surrendred the Fourteenth day being the Sixth of September The civility he shewed month September to that Garrison open'd him the Gates of Maubeuge but the insolence of his Soldiers in the Field caused those of Quesnoy and Landrecy to be shut up against him For vexation of this inexecution and because Casimir kept still in Ghent he would not joyn with the States Army to whom however he had already sent Three thousand Men Commanded by la Noüe but retired into France having first sent to the Arch-Duke Matthias and the Council of the States to let them know the reasons for his departure and give them an assurance of his return The greatest part of his disbanded Troops went into the Service of the male-contented Lords Some Months after Don Juan of Austria hapned to die the King his Brothers jealousie made all his designs miscarry and perhaps hastned his end by some potion as he had the end of Escovado his Secretary and intimate Confident in Spain by cutting the thred of his Life with a keen ponyard His loss caused so great a consternation in his Army that if that of the States had fall'n upon them they might with ease either have forced or dispersed them but Year of our Lord 1578 besides that their disorders were likewise great in that great Body for want of pay the death of Maximilian Crook-Back who Commanded in Chief hapning within Six weeks after broke all that little Union there was between the Lords of the Countrey who fell from the common interest of the publique good to seek their own private advantages During this expedition of the Duke of Anjou into the Low-Countries the King languished still in unactive idleness wherein he was entertained by Villequier and Francis d'O his Son-in-law This last was Surintendant des Finances a Man wholly given up to Luxury who put the King daily upon making new Edicts called Bursaux and by carrying him to the Parliament forced them by his Presence to verify the same This was one of the chief causes of the ruine of this Prince the People observing so frequently that from his Court whence nothing but good and wholsome Laws should have proceeded there came nothing now but Edicts of Oppression and Severity did by little and little lose
Bouchard and even Chastelleraud it self open'd their Gates to him From thence he advanced as far as Argenton in Berry to aid the City which held for the King against the Castle that stood for the League Which gave so much jealousie to la Chastre that he declared for the League and made the City of Bourges declare with him The happy progress of this Prince and his Proximity gave the King some reason Year of our Lord 1589 to court his assistance in his extream necessity the Duke of Nevers who apprehended month April this medley of Huguenots and Catholicks might bring Religion into danger dissuaded him with all his might and there were withal great obstructions on either hand On the Kings part the fear of farther offending the Court of Rome and scandalizing the Catholicks the Conscience of so soon violating an Oath twice reiterated before the Estates and the shame of being forced to call into his assistance him whom he had so roughly persecuted On the King of Navarres part the just suspicion lest they should sacrifice him to appease the fury of the League for this King that invited him was himself one of the principal Authors of the bloody St. Bartholomew and the constraint of stooping to the Favourites who sported with the lives of those that did not bow the knee before them Notwithstanding Du Plessis Mornay and some others by their prudent management removed all these Obstacles and accommodated every thing between these two Kings upon condition the Treaty should not be divulged till the King should think it fit It contained an agreement of a Truce for a year during which time the King of Navarre should aid him with all his Forces and should give him up all such places as he should take from the common Enemy Reciprocally the King should give him the Pont de Ce upon the Loire and one place in every Bailiwick as a retreat for his sick Men. When the Legat had discover'd this new Confederation he employ'd all his power and interest to incline the Duke of Mayenne to an Accommodation even so far as to offer him Conditions much beyond the power of his Commission The King finding he did but only lose time that in the Dukes Army they gave him no better Title then the Tyrant the Massacrer and dethroned Henry and that the Duke was at Chasteaudun within three days Journey of Tours he caused the Truce to be proclaimed though with a great deal of repugnance There were at Rome some Envoys on his behalf to sollicite for his Absolution and others in behalf of the League to oppose it The thing was found to be much more difficult to obtain of the Pope then he had imagined In that Court the Blood of a Cardinal is not so lightly valued and Pope Sixtus who gloried in trampling upon Crowned Heads would be sure not to let slip this opportunity of magnifying his own power He demanded before any further proceedings that they should set the Cardinal de Bourbon and the Archbishop of Lyons at liberty Charles d'Angennes Bishop of Mans had made him believe the King would grant him this but when in stead of a compliance that Prelat entertain'd him with excuses and ragione di stato and at the same time they were informed by Letters from the Legat of the Kings Confederation with the Head of the Huguenots the Pope le ts fly a Monitory the Fifth of May by which he demanded and commanded to set the Cardinal and the Arch-Bishop Year of our Lord 1589 at liberty within ten days after publication and to give certain notice month May and June thereof within thirty by an authentick Act In default whereof he declared he had incurr'd the Censures Ecclesiastical especially those which are contained in the Bull in Coena Domini of which he could not be absolv'd but by the Pope himself unless at the point of death and upon giving security to make satisfaction cited him to appear personally at Rome within sixty days allowing him twenty days for each Admonition and disanulling all Indulgences Faculties and Priviledges to the contrary granted by the Holy See either to him or to any of his Predecessors This Monitory was published in Rome and affixed upon the Church doors of St. Peters and St. John de Latran the Three and twentieth of May and the Month of June following in the Cathedral of Chartres in that of Meaux and some other Churches in France but the King still pretended cause of ignorance He notwithstanding had well enough foreseen this thing and the apprehension he had of it hastned him to satisfie the King of Navarre by giving him a passage upon the Loire Du Plessis Mornay by his Address brought it so about as in lieu of Pont de Ce a very ill-favoured place he gave him the City of Saumur whereof his Master gave him the Government This security being granted the two Kings met about the Thirtieth of April about the hour of One in the Afternoon at Plessis Les Tours in the Park he of Navarre was come to the Bridge de la Motte which is a Rivolet a quarter of a league beyond Tours and had brought part of his Forces which were quarter'd about two leagues beyond that but would venture no farther Nevertheless d'Aumont and Chastillon having informed him that such mistrust displeased the King pressed him so home that they prevailed with him to pass the River of Cher and come into the Park His old Captains trembled both for anger and for fear lest the King said they in a season wherein treachery may be so advantageous to free himself out of that Labyrinth whereinto another had drawn him should have agreed for his Absolution at the price of this Princes Life and destined his Head a present to the Pope to accompany the Admirals The same day to dispel their fears he returned to his lodgment but the next day by six in the morning and without giving them notice he repasses the River with only one Page and came to the King as he was rising The two Princes spent all that morning and the next in consulting of their Affairs Their resolution in gross was to attaque Paris the principal head of the League and that which gave motion to all the rest They reckon they should for this purpose have the Forces of the Huguenot Party and great numbers of the Nobility a powerful assistance which the King expected from England and a levy of twelve thousand Swiss whom Sancy was gone to raise in the Protestant Cantons After they had remained together two days Year of our Lord 1589 the King of Navarre went to Chinon to bring forward the rest of those Troops he month April had left there In the Provinces the two Parties had had divers Rencounters Sautour a Royalist besieging Mere upon Seine Hautefort who qualified himself Lieutenant General for the Union in Brie and Champagne charged him kill'd or caused most of his Men to drown themselves
notwithstanding of the Duke D'Espernon who feigned to be very well satisfied though he fore-saw he should have no power in those parts so long as the King lived Ever since the Kings absolution at the Court of Rome the Jesuits had missed no opportunity of employing the Popes intercession with all their art and industry to sollicite their re-establishment pretending it was one of the secret conditions which had been opposed at his absolution But the imprudent conduct of some of their Society in England at Venice and in the lesser Cantons of Swizzerland having brought complaints against them to Rome the Pope grew somewhat cold in the pursuâ—e of it Now as the King was passing by Verdun the Year of our Lord 1603 Rector and Fathers of the Colledge in that City incouraged by la Varenne presented themselves to request of him that the Decree of the Parliament of Paris which forbid the French to send any of their Children to study in the Jesuits Colledges might not extend to theirs The King having returned them a very Gracious Answer they thought it a fit time to try a little further Their Provincial named Armand and three or four of his came to Mets and chusing the week of the Passion of our Lord most proper to stir up mercy and compassion in a Christian Soul got into the Kings Closset upon Holy-Thursday after noon and fell down at his feet The good Prince soon raized them agen and gave them a full Audience The Provincial who was Spokes-man insinuates himself by extolling of his Victories and his Clemency then endeavour'd to justifie his Society from the common reproaches of their Enemies and afterwards concluded by conjuring and imploring his Royal Clemency by the precious Blood of Jesus Christ to shew mercy towards them and to do it in such sort that this favour might depend on nothing but his own goodness that it might be wholly from him alone and that they might have no obligation but to himself They had put down their harangue in writing after he had heard it with all possible humanity he took it out of their hands as if to read it with more attention The Monday following having called them a second time into his Closet he gave them his positive word for their being restored commanded the Provincial to come to him at Paris and to bring Father Cotton then embraced him and all his Compagnons in token he freely forgave them for the time past and would make use of them for the time to come While he was at Mets he received some Letters the Prince Palatine had written in favour of the Duke of Bouillon his Brother in Law In the same place some German Princes came to Compliment him particularly Maurice Landgrave of Hesse N. de Bavaria Duke of Newburg the Duke of Deux-Ponts of the same House and John George of Brandenburg who disputed the Bishoprick of Strasburg with Charles Cardinal of Lorrain ever since the year 1592. the first having been Elected by the Protestants at Strasburgh and the second by the Catholicks at Saverne The Emperor had often endeavour'd to bring them to an agreement but could never effect it The King rather suspended then decided the controversy by sharing the Revenue between the two Contenders but the following year it was absolutely and finally determined by the mediation of Frederick Duke of Wirtemberg upon these conditions amongst many others That John George of Brandenburg should entirely yield up the Bishoprick to the Cardinal de Lorrain for an hundred and thirty thousand Crowns of Gold ready Money and that the City and Baillywike of Oberâ—agh should remain in the hands of Frederic redeemable at the end of thirty years by the Cardinal or his Successors for the sum of four hundred thousand Crowns From Mets the King went to Nancy to visit the Dutchess of Bar his Sister and to give her the satisfaction of seeing a Balet danced which was of her own invention for such things are not to be counted the least important Affairs of the Court It was likewise as some would have it further to convince the Duke of Bar of his scruples concerning that Marriage and to let him know that the devoir of Man towards his Wife being founded both on a natural and a divine right ought to be more regarded then humane prohibitions However it was within some few Months after the Dutchess believed she was with Child The King had designed a longer stay upon those Frontiers that he might draw the German Princes to him by making himself a friendly Mediator of their differences reconciling as much as possible the Protestants with the Catholicks re-uniting in one common League those that apprehended they might be oppressed month April by the grandeur of the House of Austria and scattering Money amongst the Captains and Officers But the News he received that Elizabeth Queen of England was at the Agony made him suddenly leave that place to return to Paris This Princess so much exalted by the Protestants and made so black by the zealous Catholicks was in truth worthy of immortal praise for the grandeur of her courage her marvellous prudence the rare qualities of her mind and above all that tender love ☞ wherewith she cherished her people a vertue which may well cover all the other Vices in a Soveraign but her reputation will be for ever stained with the Blood of a Queen her Cousin which she spilt upon a Scaffold and with that of a great number of Catholicks her Subjects whom she exposed to cruel deaths This severity notwithstanding proceeded Year of our Lord 1603 not so much from her own temper as the Instances of her Counsellors Who by reason of the frequent Conspiracies hatched by an indiscreet and unwarrantable zeal month April against her person had specious opportunities to involve the innocent with the guilty and to encrease her hatred to that Religion by the hainousness of those attempts She died the fourth of April about four in the morning Aged sixty nine years and six months of which She had Reigned forty five and more On her Death-Bed she gave Letters written with her own hands and sealed with her own Seal to Robert Cecil High Treasurer and Secretary with Command he should open them so soon as she expir'd Now whether by these writings she had declared James Steward King of Scotland her Successor or had left the liberty of Election to her Subjects as the last mark of her affection the Lords the Bishops those of the Privy-Council to the late Queen with a great number of the Nobility and the Major and Sheriffs of London being on the same day assembled early in the Morning at the Guild-Hall Elected that Prince for their King and so speedily that they Proclaimed him by eight of the Clock whereof sending him notice to Edinburg he came to London the seventeenth day of May. It concerned France to take care in time to secure the Alliance with this new King for that hitherto
His indiscretion 666 St. Bartholomew's a fatal Day to the Huguenots 721 Battle of Dreux 686 The two Generals are taken ib. Battle near Paris 697 Battle of Moncontour 711 Battle of Lepanto 714 Battle of Ivry 804 Bathory elected King of Poland 740 Bauais demanded of the Flemings by the Queen of England 751 Bavaria Duke enters into the League made by Hen. IV. 935 Bayeux seized by the Huguenots 681 Bayonne feels not the Sainct Bartholomew's bloody Effects 721 The Bearnois a Name given to Henry IV. 800 Beia Lewis Duke pretends to the Crown of Portugal 752 Belle-Isle erected to a Marquisate 724 Bertrand Peter Son of Blaise de Montluc passes into Affrick his death 701 Berghe rendred to the Spaniards 763 Besancon in a fright 846 Beza at the Colloquy of Poissy 677 Judgment on that famous Man ib. Bigarrats a Name given to the Royalists 808 La Bigny Secretary of the Conspiracy at Amboise 666 Bins Besieged and taken by the Duke of Alenson 751 Birague Chancellour his Speech to the Estates of Blois 745 Birague Keeper of the Seals 717 Birague the Cardinal René his Death 766 His Defects ib. Biron the Mareschal same 699 An ill Catholique 709 His Courage 763 In danger at the Saint Bartholomew's saves himself by his resolution 720 Sent Governor to Rochel 722 Invests that place 723 Pursues the Army of the Dukes of Mayenne and of Parma 822 His death 824 Biron swears Fidelity to Henry IV. 797 Hinders the King from going to Paris 705 Concerns himself in every thing 809 Sent before Rouen 812 The King takes away the Office of Admiral from him first cause of his Discontent 839 Treats with the Spaniards 881 Does well and talks ill 884 His anger proceeds to rage ib. Goes into England 889 Goes into Swisserland 892 Comes to Court 894 His obstinacy 895 896 Condemned to Death 897 Blois regained from the Huguenots 683 Bobigny Meziere kills the Mareschal de Saint André 686 Bodin his Liberty in the Assembly of Estates held at Blois 747 Bois de Vincennes the place where died Charles IX 729 Bonne de Lesdiguieres his Condition and Qualities 740 Receives the one half of a piece of Gold broken from Henry King of Navarre 755 Makes War in Daufiné 771. Quits Savoy to go and succour Aix 841 Is thwarted by the King's Order without diminishing any thing of his Fidelity 852 Resists the Duke of Savoy and carries the War into his own Country 859 Is astonished at the taking of Crequi 864 Takes Barraux and puts a stop to the Duke's Progress ib. Commands an Army in Savoy at the same time with Biron 882 Seizes upon all the Valley of Saint John de Maurienne 883 Bouchard Chancellour to the King of Navarre reveals the Secrets of the Prince of Condé 668 A Butcher Kills a Hundred and fifty Huguenots 719 Burbon the Cardinal persuades his Brothers to come to Court 669 Secur'd in Peronne 769 Seized in Blois 786 Concurrent with Henry 797 Proclaimed King 799 His death 807 Lewis of Bourbon Prince of Condé instructed in Calvinism 665 Declared Head of the Pretended Reformed 665 Is accused of being concerned in the Conspiracy of Amboise 666 Comes not to the Assembly at Melun 669 Comes to Court ib. Is Condemned to Death 670 Is declared Innocent 674 Reconciled to the Duke of Guise 675 Makes a League with the Germans 679 Made Prisoner at the Battle of Dreux 686 Recommences the War 696 Appears in Arms before the King's Army ib. Is almost surprized at Noyers 702 His death 710 Bourbon the young Cardinal makes a Party Du Bourg burnt 662 Bourges Besieged by the King's Army Commanded by the King of Navarre and the Duke of Guise 683 Surrenders to Henry IV. 836 Bragadin defends Famagusta Greatness of his Courage during that Siege and after the taking of the place 714 Is flayed alive ib. John of Braganza restored to his Kingdom and Crown of Portugal 753 Branch of the Valois ends in Henry III. 795 Brandenburgh Marquiss refuses Succour to the Huguenots 697 Breda taken by the Duke of Parma 758 Bretagne feels little of the fury of the Saint Bartholomew 721 Acquired to France by the Conduct of the Valois 795 Vexed by the French and by Strangers 817 Brissac Mareschal of France a great Partisan of the Guises 670 Bruxels invested by the D. of Parma 760 Bruges enters into the Union of the Vnited Provinces 757 Bucentauro a Vessel in which Henry III. was received at Venice 733 Bulls of the Pope without effect 815 Bouillon Duke suspected of Huguenotisme 682 Bouillon declares the Sentiments of Henry IV. to the Duke of Savoy 873 Bussy Favorite of the Duke of Anjou affronts those of Henry III. which causes the detention of his Master 751 Bussy comes to the Duke of Alenson at Dreux 741 Favorite of the Duke of Alenson 751 His Death 754 Bussy le Clerc his Impudence 788 C CAen seized by the Huguenots 681 Caesar Monsieur Natural Son of Henry IV. 865 Is Contracted with the Daughter of the Duke of Mercoeur ib. Calais redemanded by the English 689 Calvin becomes as Powerful as Luther Vide Church of the 16 th Age. Cambray Besieged by the Spaniards 849 La Capelle Besieged by Mansfeild 838 Captains possessing Benefices 16 th Age. Capucins their Founder Ch. 16 th Age. Carcistes Factionaries 754 Cardinals Inquisitors cite the Prelates suspected of Heresie Ch. 16 th Age. Casimir sent by Eliz. Queen of England into the Low-Countries is ill look'd upon by the Prince of Orange 751 Castres retained by the Huguenots 701 Catanea Albert drives the Vaudois out of their Valleys Ch. 16 th Age. The Catelet taken by the Spaniard 855 Rendred to the French 868 Catherine de Medicis her Maxime 667 Is declared Regent 673 She favours the Huguenots 675 Causes Charles IX to visit all the Kingdom 692 Demands the Kingdom of Tunis for the Duke of Alenson 722 Is declared Regent of the Kingdom after the Death of Charles IX 731 Her aim the day of the Massacre of Saint Bartholomew 717 Her Galantery 712 Comforts her Son the King of Poland promising him a quick return 726 Would have her Daughters Children reign in France 767 Her Death 789 Catherine Sister of Henry IV. Married to the Duke of Bar. 868 Is forsaken by her Husband 879 Catholicks persecuted in England under Queen Elizabeth 903 Cavagnes Master of Requests Chancellour of the Cause Condemned Drawn on a Sledge with the Effigies or Fantosme of the Admiral 721 Robert Cecil Enemy of the French 903 Chaalons retaken from the Huguenots 683 Chiverny Chancellour 870 His Death 874 End of that Family ib. Charbonieres taken by the Duke of Savoy 864 Charles IX King 673 Crowned by the Cardinal de Lorrain 674 Is declared Major in the Parliament of Rouen 690 Courts Elizabeth Queen of England 712 The said Queens Excuse ib. Marries Elizabeth the Emperour's Daughter 713 Forms the Design to Massacre the Huguenots 715 Authorizes that Cruelty 717 Makes his Brother depart for Poland 726 Becomes good
Year 800 beginning the Year on the First day of January but Year of our Lord 800 801 if we account Christmass Day the first of the New Year as the French Authors of those Times are wont to do After the Ceremony the Pope adored the New Emperour that is to say Kneeled down before him and acknowledged him for his Soveraign and caused his Portraiture to be exposed in publique that so all the Romans might pay him the same respect If we give credit to some of the Annalists of those Times he did not seek for this honour and the Pope surprized him when he besought him to accept of this Title And indeed it was so far from bringing him any advantage that it made him now hold that only by the Election of the Romans which he before held by the power of his Sword By this means the West had an Emperour again but one that had no connexion now with that in the East as formerly it had Year of our Lord 801 As the New Emperour was returning into France being at Spoleta there was a furious Earth-quake accompanied with horrible Noise which shook the Country thereabouts Neither was France and Germany free from it But Italy felt it most a great number of Cities being thrown down and destroy'd and this Prodigy was followed with Furious Tempests and afterwards with divers Contagious Maladies This Year Charles made no Military Expedition but his Son Lewis made himself Famous by the taking of Barcelona Year of our Lord 801 When the petty Saracen Princes upon the Frontiers of Spain feared they should be oppressed by the King of Cordoüa who was Generalissimo of Spain they made an Alliance with the French but the danger once past they fell again to their wonted Treachery Zad Prince of Barcelona studying some Treason against the French was nevertheless so imprudent thinking the better to conceal his Design as to come to King Lewis at Narbonna who caused him to be seized The Saracens Elected one Hamar of his Kindred in his room resolved to defend themselves to the uttermost Whilst this hapned the Gascons revolted because Lewis had set up at Fesensac a Count they were not pleased with After he had severely chastiz'd them he undertakes the Siege of Barcelona The King of Cordoüa takes the Field to Relieve it but being informed there was a Body of an Army to hinder his passage he bends his Forces against the Asturians The besieged after a Twelve-months resistance surrendred themselves up to Lewis who came himself to hasten forwards the Attaques he settled a Count in it named Bera who is said to be the Stock of the Earls of Barcelonna All the Princes of the Earth either feared or loved Charlemaine Alphonso King of Galicia and the Asturia's writing or sending Ambassadours to him would be called no other but his Man his Vassal The Scottish Kings always stiled him their Lord and termed themselves his Subjects and his Servants The Chiefs of the Saracens of Spain and Africa reverenced him and besought his Alliance The Haughty Aaron King of Persia who despised all other Princes in the World desired no Friendship but his He this Year sent him Jewels and Silks and Spices and one of the largest Elephants Withal understanding that he had a great devotion for the Holy Land and the City of Jerusalem he gave him the Propriety of them reserving to himself only the Title of his Lieutenant in that Country And two Years after interposed so earnestly in his behalf with Nicephorus that he engaged that Emperour to conclude a Treaty of Peace with him very advantagious to France Year of our Lord 802 During this great Torrent of good Fortune it had been easy for Charlemaine to conquer all the remainder of Italy and their Islands the Grecians having only a very wicked Woman in their Imperial Throne it was Irene the Widow of Leo who had caused the Eyes of her own Son Constantine to be put out But to stop his progress had the policy to amuse him with the hopes of marrying her which would have put the Empire of the East into his hands This Negotiation was well advanced and Charle's Ambassadours were at Constantinople to conclude it when she was driven thence by Nicephorus who made himself Emperour Nicephorus having chaced away Irene proposed to the Ambassadours of France who were come to Treat with her to make an agreement with Charles about Year of our Lord 802 Sharing the Empire He agreed therefore that he should bear the Title of Emperour as well as himself and that all Italy should be his to the Rivers of Ofantus and the Vilturnia with Bavaria Hungary Austria Dalmatia and Sâ—lâ—vonia the Gauls and Spaines For as to Germany it had never been in subjection to the Romans But Great Brittain or England had been a Member and by consequence ought to hold of Charlemaine Year of our Lord 802. and 803. Grimoald Duke of Benevent had revolted under the favour and with the support of the Greeks The French gain'd from him the City of Nocera but soon after he retook it with Vinigisa Count of Spoleta who lay sick in the place But when the agreement was made betwixt the two Empires he sent him back again very civilly and made his peace with the French Year of our Lord 804 The Saxons now revolted for the last time especially those beyond the Elbe incited by Godfrey who was King of Denmark and very potent at Sea Charles being come thither with all his Forces aud having pitched his Camp near the River Elbe that King advanced as far as Sliestorp upon the Borders of his Kingdom and the Country of Saxony to confer with the Emperour but some kind of Jealousie made him on the sudden turn back again and so the Saxon Holsatians finding themselves abandoned redeemed themselves from utter destruction by turning all Christians But he transported one part of them into Flanders and another into the Helvetian Country whence it is said the Swisse are descended a People who are very free in their own Country and yet serve in all others He bestowed the Lands they inhabited beyond the Ebre upon the Abrodite Sclavonians and he established a Councel in Saxony in manner of an Inquisition who had power to punish Mutineers especially such as returned again to their Idolatry This sort of Inquisition lasted in Westphalia to the 15 th Age. Thus ended the long and obstinate Rebellion of the Saxons who partly by consent partly by force submitted to the Yoak of Jesus Christ and the Dominion of France Year of our Lord 804 In the Month of October of the same Year Pope Leo's Ambassadours came to him at Aix la Chapelle to let him know their Master desired to see and entertain him with some of the Miraculous Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ which was affirmed to have been found at Mantoüa The King sent his Eldest Son Charles as far as Saint Maurice in Chablais to
Italy betwixt them Year of our Lord 888 THus the Succession of the Carlovinian House was divided into five Dominions without counting the Lords who set up almost for Soveraigns 1. Italy which was joyned with the Title of the Empire 2. Germany which then also comprehended the Kingdom of Bavaria 3. France which had the Kingdoms of Neustria Aquitain and part of Burgundy 4. Burgundy Cis-jurane named ordinarily the Kingdom of Arles or Provence under which were likewise the Lyonnois and Daufine 5. and Burgundy Trans-jurane or beyond the Jour as the other on the contrary We need not doubt but these new Kings gave part of the Quarry to the Lords of their Party and consented to every thing to get only their Oaths and Homage nor can we imagine but these Lords did the like towards their Vassals and these again to the lesser Nobility From hence arose so many Lordships both small and great of which the Bishops themselves such as were of good Families and had but courage enough did not forget to take their shares Year of our Lord 889 Now Eudes to show himself worthy the choice they had made of him went out against the Normans who ravaged Burgundy He set upon them on St. John Baptists Day nigh Mountfaucon slew nineteen thousand and pursued the remainder to the very Frontiers shewing himself personally brave on all occasions Another party of them who were in Champagne descended by the Marne as far as Paris and there loading the Barks upon Waggons carried and put them into the River again below the City then falling down to the Sea and so running along the Coasts plund'red the Country of Constentine Year of our Lord 889 Alain and Judicael who were contending for their shares in Bretagne agreed together to sight the Normans their common Enemy Judicael alone rashly presents them Battel and so doing lost both his Life and honour But Alain having gotten all his Forces together fought them so fortunately that of fifteen thousand hardly did four hundred escape The Bretons attribute this success to a vow he made to bestow the Tythe of the Spoil he should gain upon St. Peter's at Rome Such Devotion towards the Holy-Chair was very ordinary in those Ages Divers Princes devoted their Estates and became Tributaries to St. Peter Which did not a little contribute to imprint that persuasion the Popes then had in their minds that they had a right both to give and to take away Crowns After these losses the Normans having but few men left in France two of their Chiefs Godfrey and Sigefroy went and shipped a new levy of a hundred thousand men raised in Denmark Sweden and Norway that their reputation might not be wholly blasted They entred the Meuse with fourscore and ten thousand leaving the remainder to guard their Vessels King Arnold's Lieutenants assaulting them indiscreetly were defeated with the loss of an infinite number of the Nobility Year of our Lord 890 But Arnold himself picqued at so bloody an affront passes the Rhine with the whole Force of Germany seeks them in their very Camp which was close by the Meuse and forced them with so much fury that he left not so much as one of them alive The dead Bodies made a Bridge quite cross the River and the Flood was swoln with the Blood of those Barbarians If any wonder whence there could come such vast numbers we must know First that all the rascally and pilfering French and the like of other Countries joyned with them That besides those Countries were then extremely populous and all those Inhabitants greedy of Plunder listed and embarqued themselves to come and rob such rich and fertile Nations In fine there came so many who were either destroyed or else Inhabited in France that those large Territories of the North are unpeopled to this very day Thus in these last Ages Spain which once swarmed with men has made her self become a Desart through the covetous humour in her Subjects who all transport themselves into that new World where are the Mines of Gold and Silver they so long for Year of our Lord 891. and 892. All the Neustrian Lords did not own Eudes for their King Aymar Earl of Poitiers whom he would have dispossessed of his Estate to give it to his Brother Robert Ranulfe II. Duke of Aquitain and some others in those parts had taken up Arms against him Year of our Lord 892 Now whilst he was employed in Poitou in the War a confederacy was contrived between Herebert and Pepin Brothers sprung from Bernard King of Italy the one Earl of Vermandois the other of Senlis and Baudouin or Baldwin Earl of Flanders Fulk Arch-Bishop of Reims and many others who having been to fetch Charles the Simple out of England whither his Mother had carried him caused Year of our Lord 893 him to be Crowned at Rheims the 27 th of January in the year 893. It was by the assistance of Fulk that he immediately wrote Apologetick Letters to Arnold Guy and Rodolph exhorting them to help the Pupil against the Usurper Which at first made some impression upon Arnold in favour of Charles but soon after either in terest or inconstancy turned him on Eudes side Some have said that that Guy of Spoleta whom we have mentioned had likewise been Crowned at Langres three years before So that there were three Kings chosen and Crowned in West-France But Guy had absolutely quitted it for Italy and seemed to pretend no more to it CHARLES Called The SIMPLE King XXX POPES STEPHEN VII Near Three years THEODORE II. Elect. 901. S. 20 dayes JOHN IX also Elected in 901. S. 3. Years 15 days BENNEDICT IV. Elect. 905. S. about 2. Years LEO V. Elected in 907. S. 40 days after which Christopher dethroned him S. 7 Months SERGIUS III. an 908. having dethroned Christopher S. about 3 years ANASTASIUS III. Elected an 910. S. 2 years 2 Months JOHN X. Elected in 912. S. 15 years whereof 12 under this Reign Arnold King of Germany Bavaria and Lorraine Eudes and Charles Competitors for West-France Guy Emperour and King of Italy Rodolph in Burgundy and LOVIS in Arles Year of our Lord 893 FOr two whole years the parties for Charles and Eudes made War with various success Eudes being returned from Guyenne drove Charles out of Neustria but shortly after he got in again by the assistance of the Lords of his party Eudes made him work enough and had no less to do himself being forced to guard himself as well from his own party as from his Enemies Count Gautier Son of Adelme his paternal Uncle and Count of Laon drew his Sword upon him in open Parliament and had afterwards the confidence to take shelter in the City of Laon but Eudes followed him so close that not giving him time to put himself into a posture of defence he took the Town and caused his Head to be cut off Year of our Lord 892. and 3. Arnold was sometimes on his side
they held as what they produced how situated or some particularities of their Castles or such Office they bore Some there were that chose such things as preserved the memory of their brave Feats of Arms or some singular Adventure which had hapued to them or theirs and others in fine would have such as betokened their inclination not to mention those that would needs have their Coats out of a meer fantastical Humour and without any design These glorious Marks and Badges belonged otherwhile only to the Nobility and was not the least illustrious part of the Succession of their Noble Families Now at this time every one hath them the meanest villains are the most curious herein they have not only brought the ✚ Rebus's of the little Citizens Merchants Cyphers Shop-keepers Signs and Artists tools and implements into their Coats under the shadow of Crowns Helmets and Supporters but likewise by a confidence not to be endured they have made choice of the most illustrious things and given occasion to observe that there are no better Coats then the Arms of a Villain or Plebeian Year of our Lord 1096 97 98 and 99. From the first Croisade William Rufus King of England taking the opportunity of his Brothey Roberts absenc had seized on the Dutchy of Normandy Swoln with this increase of Power he promised himself to invade France because he saw the Excommunicated King languishing in the Arms of his Concubine who besides had but one lawful Son of 15 or 16 years of age and was destitute both of Money and Friends Nevertheless this young Prince surpassing his age did by his Courage and Virtue defend himself so well three years together that Rufus was forced to leave him in Peace and retired again into England In that Countrey letting himself loose to all sorts of infamous pleasures tiranny Year of our Lord 1100 and execrable wickedness both towards God and Man he perished in a tragical manner being as he was Hunting shot with an Arrow either designedly aimed at ☞ him or by chance which pierced his very Heart Henry his younger Brother got into the Throne during the absence of Duke Robert who was still in the Holy-Land Notwithstanding the Popes Excommunications the King had renewed society with Bertrade by the consent even of Foulk her Husband being so infinitely enchanted with that Woman that he was often seen at her Feet there to receive all her Year of our Lord 1098 99 and 1100. Commands as if he had been a Slave Some of the Belgick Bishops honour'd the Kings Adultery with the name of Marriage and on their great Feasts according to ancient custom placed the Crown upon her Head to shew or signifie they did not hold her to be Excommunicated but the Popes Legats denied to communicate with him and conven'd a Council at Poitiers in July where he was Excommunicated once more William Duke of Aquitain who feared the like Treatment having committed the like fault for he entertained a Concubine and had forsaken his lawful Wife affronted and abused the Prelats greatly and perhaps his Sorrow and Repentance for it afterwards prompted him to go to the Holy Land as we have observed The King constant in his Affections solicited the Popes Favour so earnestly that he sent some Legats to re-view the Cause Year of our Lord 1101 They assembled a Council at Baugency The King and Bertrade promised to abstain from each other till the Popes Dispensation and thus the Council broke up Year of our Lord 1102 without giving any Judgment The King continued with the recommendation of the Bishops to endeavour the obtaining a Dispensation in the Court of Rome in the end he had it he was Absolved in the City of Paris and his Marriage confirmed so officacious is constancy even in things not commendable The opposition of the Bishops served only to authorize the use of Dispensations from Rome which since have been very common in all matters and occasions Young Lewis whom they named the Prince of the Kingdom and was designed King by his Father it is not specified in what year took the Government of Affairs Year of our Lord 1102 3. and the following PHILIP LEWIS Surnamed the Gross designed King aged 19 or 20 years In those times the Rights of the French were such that they could not legally arrest the Lords nor punish them with death unless it were for Treason but only deprive them of their Lands I mean those they held of the King they called them Honours This was it that gave them Licence to arme to oppress the weaker to rob and plunder and above all usurp the Goods of the Church Year of our Lord 1100 Lewis had to do first with Bouchard Lord of Montmorency against whom he embraced the Cause of the Monks of St. Denis whose Lands that Lord had pillaged and having appeared according to an assignation in the Kings Court of Justice refused to obey the Sentence or Judgment given against him therein He forced him by destroying and burning all his Villages and his Castle it self to submit to Reason In like manner he chastifed Droco or Dreux de Mouchy and Lionnet de Meun who tyrannized this over the Churches of Orleans the other over those of Beauvais Also he humbled Matthew Count of Beaumont upon Oise Son-in-law to Hugh Earl of Clermont in Beauvoisis who having half of the Lands of Luzarches in Dowry had seized upon all and had devested the good Man his Father-in-law Year of our Lord 1103 He durst or would not intermeddle with the quarrel between the two Norman Brothers Robert and Henry The First upon his return from the Holy Land demanded the Kingdom of England of his younger Brother who had usurped it after the death of William Rufus The business after three years Negotiation and War was determined in this manner Robert An. 1107. having lost a Battle at Tinchâ—bray in Normandy was made prisoner by his cruel Brother who deprived him of Sight by placing a burning Bason of Brass before his Eyes whereof he dyed in Prison Thus the whole Succession of William the Conquerer remained in Henry the youngest of his three Sons Year of our Lord 1103 In the year 1103. Lewis passed into England to King Henry I cannot tell upon what design Bertrade his Mother-in-law who could willingly have sent him out of the World sollicited Henry to make him away and this Artifice failing she caused poison to be given him at his return into France which put him in great hazard of his Life Year of our Lord 1104 The King to rid himself of the trouble brought upon him by the Family of Montlehery agreed upon a Marriage with Guy Troussel betwixt Philip his Son and bertrade to whom he gave the Earldom of Mantes on condition that Guy should deliver him the Castle of Montlehery which he did Year of our Lord 1104 At the same time or a little after Guy Lord of Rochefort Uncle of Troussel entirely possessing the Kings
it governed almost all Europe both in Spirituals and Temporals We must not omit how Robert Native of the Village d'Arbresel in the Diocess of Rennes founded the Order of Fontevralt whose Monasteries are double of Men and Women living according to the Rule and wearing the Habit of St. Bennet This Robert was at first Archdeacon of Rennes then had a particular Mission from Pope Vrban II. to Preach to the People Finding he was every where followed by an infinite multitude of either Sex he built Cells for them in the Woods of Fontevrault three Leagues from Saumur on the Confines of Poitou and then shutting up the Women apart this was perhaps after the good Advice of Gefroy de Vendosme he made a large Monastery which produced many others in each of them the Abbess Commands and she of Fontevrault is the General of the whole Order About the year 1048. began a famous Dispute between the Benedictine Monks of St. Denis in France and those of St. Himmeran of Ratisbonne these having given out a report that they had the Body of St. Denis the Areopagite and that it was bestow'd upon them by King Arnold They held a famous Assembly at St. Denis upon it where the Contenders of either side having fasted and pray'd the Shrine of this Saint was opened and there his Corps was found intire excepting one Arm which Pope Stephanus III. had carried to Rome Those of Ratisbonne would not yield for all this but always maintained their Supposition The great Zeal People then had for Reliques prompted such as hold nothing so Sacred as Money to go for some to Jerusalem and the East to steal Reliques where-ever they could come at them and oftentimes likewise to suppose and bring Counterfeit ones to make Merchandize and the great Lords gave dear Prices for them not only out of Devotion but also to enrich their Towns and Castles by the affluence of those People that came to behold them Lewis the Gross King XXXIX POPES PASCAL II. Nine years six Months during this Reign GELASIUS II. Elected in January 1118. S. One year CALISTUS II. Elected in Feb. 1119. S. Ten years ten Months HONORIUS II. Elected in Decem. 1124. S. Five years one Month and an half INNOCENT II. Elected in Feb. 1130. S. Thirteen years seven Months whereof Seven years seven Months during this Reign LEWIS the GROSS King XXXIX Aged about Twenty seven years Year of our Lord 1108 THis Prince no less Massive of Body then his Father but brave active vigilant exposing himself boldly to all Labours and all Dangers had undertaken to suppress the Pilferings and Licentiousness of the Lords They had made several Leagues against him and at that time there was one whereof Guy Earl of Rochefort was the chief Promoter and this perhaps had hindred him from being Crowned in his Fathers life time The fear of this League obliged him to hasten his Coronation so that five days after the Death of Philip he was Anointed and Crowned at Orleans by Giselbert Archbishop of Sens assisted by all his Suffragants He would not have it performed at Reims because Rodolph who was chosen Archbishop by the Clergy and confirmed by the Pope had not his approbation for which reason he disturbed him in the enjoyment and Rodolph thereupon had put the City under an Interdiction Year of our Lord 1109 The War raised by Guy de Rochefort and his Friends lasted still The new King besieged Chevreuse and other little Castles which the other party defended well Mean time Guy died and Hugh surnamed de Crescy his second Son succeeded to the Animosity of his Father Hugh Lord Puiset in Beauce mighty famous for his Robberies was of the League Eudes Ea. I of Corbeil Grandson to Earl Bouchard having refused to joyn with the Male-contents Crescy though his Brother by the Mother made him Prisoner and shut him up in the Castle of la Ferte-Baudouin The King set him free soon after taking the place partly by Intelligence Year of our Lord 1109. 1110 c. At the same time the King had War with Henry King of England and Duke of Normandy The Subject was that that Prince did not keep the Promise he made upon his doing Hommage for Normandy to pull down the Castle of Gisors built on this side the Epte a River which served as a Boundary between the Territories of the French and the Normans The Difference put to Discussion between the Deputies of the one and other side and the Parties not able to agree the Fact King Lewis offer'd to prove it by Combat Body to Body Some idle Jesters said the two Kings had best fight upon the Bridge which shook and was ready to fall Henry having refused this Challenge they came to a Battle the English lost it and their broken Remains sled to Meulan Robert Earl of Flanders pursuing them too rashly was wounded to Death His Son Baldwin surnamed a la Hache succeeded him Under the favour of this War the Male-contents drew Philip the Kings Brother to their Party The power and greatness of Amaury de Montfort his Uncle by the Mother the credit of his Mother Queen Bertrade and of Foulk Earl of Anjou afterwards King of Jerusalem his Brother heightned his courage He had two strong Holds Mantes and Montlebery the King besieged Mantes and forced it to surrender For that of Montlehery the better to keep it they would have given it to Hugh de Crescy with a Daughter of Amaury's in Marriage but the King prevented it and restored it to Milon Vicount de Troyes who had some right to it He after this attaqu'd le Puiset in favour of Thibauld Earl of Chartres who was mightily molested by Hugh Lord of that Castle and took the place together with the Lord whom he kept under a good strong Guard in Castle-Landon This War begot another Thibauld would build a Fort on the limits of the Country of Puiset the King obstructing him he maintain'd he had promised him leave to do it and therefore did him wrong which he offer'd to prove by Combat proposing his Chamberlain for Champion in his own stead he being yet too young The King on his part appointed his Grand Seneschal Anseau de Garlande but the Champions could find no Court or Judge in the Kingdom who would secure them the field of Battle Perhaps the King might underhand obstruct it The Earl therefore declares War against the King with the Assistance of Henry King of England his Mothers Brother and the Duke of Bretagne for according to the Customs of those times the Lords thought they might do it when they apprehended there was a denial of Justice With him joyned the Lords Hugh de Crescy Guy de Rochefort returned from the Holy Land Lancelin de Dammartin Payen de Mont-Jeay Rodolph de Beaugency Milon Vicount de Troyes and Eudes Earl of Corbeil To tell it in gross the King received a great deal of trouble and made them suffer so much too that
prudence He won a Battle at his passage over the Meander but reaped little benefit for after that not standing upon his Guard he received a notable check in a narrow Pass through the Mountains At last he arriv'd at Antioch whereof Raimond Uncle to the Queen his Wife then held the Principality Year of our Lord 1148 This Raimond did all he could to oblige him to employ his Forces for the enlarging the limits of his Principality The King refusing it because he would continue his march towards Jerusalem he resolved to be reveng'd and to this purpose persuades the Queen to demand to be Divorc'd from him as being of Consanguinity within the third or fourth Degree This Princess being Fickle and Amorous and having but a mean Esteem for her Husband was easily over-sway'd by her Uncle The King could find no other remedy to avoid this scandal then by taking her away in the night time out of Antiocb and sending her before him to Jerusalem Now the Emperor Conrad after he had been at Constantinople to refresh himself was come to Jerusalem to pay his Devotions The King and he holding a Council together with the Lords in that Holy City resolved to besiege Damascus This Enterprize had no better success then all the rest by reason of the horrid treachery of the Christians of those Countries So these two Princes detesting their wickedness which outvied the Malice and abominable Vices of the very Infidels thought of nothing but their return again The Emperor having made Alliance with the Greeks against Roger King of Sicily was by them brought back into Italy Soon after the King being Embarqu'd in his Year of our Lord 1149 Fleet met the Navy belonging to those Traitors who lay in wait for him Whilst they were engaged or as some Authors tell us were carrying him away Prisoner by good fortune arrives the Fleet of Roger King of Sicily their capital Enemy commanded by his Lieutenant who made them quit their Prize having burnt taken and sunk a great many of their Vessels Alfonso Earl of Tonlouze Third Son of Raimond de Saint Gilles had also made that Voyage about the same time as the King but went all the way by Sea and landed at the Port of Ptolemais He got not far into the Country before he died having been basely Poyson'd though it could not be known who had committed the Execrable Deed. His Son Raimond was his Successor During the time of this Expedition St. Bernard was wholly employ'd in Languedoc in opposing one Henry a certain Monk that had cast off his Frock a Disciple of Peter de Bruys who Preached with much applause but with little integrity of Life as it was said of him almost the same Opinions as the Zuinglians and the Calvinists Preached in these latter Ages Year of our Lord 1148 A certain Wealthy Citizen of Lyons named Valdo did likewise about Ten or twelve years after this Preach the same things in Lyonnois and the neighbouring Provinces They called such as were Followers of Henry and Peter de Bruys Henricians and Petro-Bruysians and those Valdo Poor of Lyons or Vandois There were some Remnants of these last in the Valleys of Dauphine and Savoy when Luther began to appear Year of our Lord 1148 In the year 1148. hapned the death of Conan the Gross Duke of Bretagne Eudon Earl of Pontieure who was Married to Berthe his Daughter seized on the Dutchy to the prejudice of Hoel whom the Duke Conan had disowned for his Son From hence broke forth a War between these two Princes which two or three years afterwards was complicated with another much longer which lasted Thirteen or fourteen years at times between the same Eudon and Conan III. surnamed the Little his own Son who would needs enjoy the Dukedom because it came by his Mothers side This bad Son having recourse to Henry King of England for assistance used his Father roughly and also compell'd the Nantois who took Hoels part to forsake him we do not know what became of him at last The ill success of the Foreign Expedition which had made so many Widows and Orphans ruin'd so many good Families and unpeopled so many Countries bread Year of our Lord 1149 50. grievous Murmurings and Reproaches against the Reputation of St. Bernard who seemed to promise them a quite contrary Event So that when the Pope would two years after have had him Preach up another Croisado and obliged him to go Personally to the Holy-Land to draw the greater numbers after him the Monks of Cisteaux broke all those Measures fearing a second misfortune which might have proved greater then the first Year of our Lord 1150 The King at his return to France finding the War continued still between King Stephen and Matilda joyned his Army with Eustace Son of Stephen to besiege the Castle d'Arques Gefroy the Husband of Matilda and his Son Henry to whom the year before he had resigned the Dutchy marched to the Relief The two Armies being within sight the Lords on either side undertook an Accommodation and manag'd it so that the King who without doubt found himself to be the weaker agreed to receive Prince Henry upon Hommage who by this means was the Twelfth Duke of Normandy Towards the end of the year Gefroy ended his days at the Castle du Loir leaving three Sons Henry Gefray and William He ordained that forthwith Henry should Year of our Lord 1150 quietly enjoy the Mothers Estates to wit England and Normandy That Gefroy should have the Paternal that is Anjou Touraine and Maine with the Castles of Loudun Chinon and Mirebeau and William the Earldom of Mortaing Year of our Lord 1151 Not long after died Enstace Earl of Boulogne his Death was a means to restore Englands Peace for as much as Stephen his Father seeing himself Childless was over-persuaded it was not though till two years after to consent that when he died the Kingdom should return to Henry This Prince as English Authors tell us would have resumed the County of Toulouze in right of his Wife but Earl Raimond gained so much upon him by Marrying his Sister Constance the Widow of Earl Eustace newly dead that he confirmed to him the possession thereof The following year 1152. hapned the death of Thibauld Count Palatine of Champagne Year of our Lord 1152 surnamed the Liberal the Father of the Council and Guardian of the Poor and Orphans a Man of great Justice who notwithstanding was almost in continual War with the Kings He had four Sons and five Daughters The Sons were Henry Earl of Troyes or Champagne Thibauld Earl of Blois and Chartres Stephen Earl of Sancerre Henry Archbishop of Sens afterwards of Reims This year also died the Emperor Conrad to whom for want of Male Issue by Election succeeded Frederick I. surnamed Barbarossa Duke of Alman or Sâ—wabe his Sister Son If I do not mistake it was under this Frederick that the French began to give the Germans the name
Canons out of their Churches put the Curats from their Parishes and consiscated and plundred all their Goods Then against the Laity vexing and loading the Citizens with new Imposts and unheard of Exactions tiercing or thirding the Gentry that was taking away Thirds of their Revenues and of all their Goods which had never been heard of in France The Interdiction lasted Seven Months during this time Philip sollicited the Pope so earnestly that he gave order to his Legats to take it off upon condition he should take Isemburge again and in six Months six Weeks six Days and six Hours he would have the Case of her Divorce decided by his two Legats and the Prelats of the Year of our Lord 1200 Kingdom the Friends and Relations of that Princess being assigned to defend her The Assembly was held at Soissons by Isemburges choice King Canut sent the ablest people in his Kingdom to sollicite and plead her Cause After twelve days jugling and proceeding Philip had intimation that Judgment would be against him he goes one fair Morning to fetch Isemburge from her House and setting her up on Horse-back behind him carries her thence having order'd notice to be given to the Legat not to give himself so much trouble about examining whether the Divorce he had Decreed were good or not since he owned it and would have her for his Wife Nevertheless he used her but little better then before nor did shew any more kindness besides some little Civilities to her Year of our Lord 1200 Besore the years end Agnes her Rival died having been five years with the King She had two Children by him One Son and One Daughter whom Pope Innocent III. Legitimated Died likewise Thibauld Earl of Champagne who had then only One Daughter a Minor The King would have the Guardianship-Noble but soon after the death of Thibauld his Wife was brought to bed of a Post-humus Son who had his Fathers Name and the Surname of Great The Daughter lived not long after the birth of the Posthume In those times Usury and Uncleanness Reigned bare-faced in France God raised up two great and virtuous Men Fulk Curate of Neuilly in Brie and Peter de Roucy a Priest in the Diocess of Paris to Preach against these Vices with so much power and efficacy that they reclaimed a great many Souls from those Sins and Follies Now it hapned that a few Months before the death of Thibauld Fulk who had this gift of perswading People to what he approved by his earnest Exhortations knowing there was to be a great meeting of Princes Lords and Gentlemen at a Year of our Lord 1120 Turnament or Justs at the Castle d'Ecris between Braye and Corbie went thither and exhorted them so earnestly effectually to undertake the voyage to the Holy Land that the Earls Baldwin of Flanders Henry d'Anguien his Brother Thibauld de Champagne Lovis de Blois his Brother Simon de Montfort Gautier or Gualtier de Brienne Matthew de Montmorency Stephen du Perche and several other Lords Crossed themselves nevertheless they could not set forwards till two years afterwards The reconcilation between the two Kings seemed perfect and sincere This year they conferr'd at Andeley Nay Philip had the the King of England with him Year of our Lord 1201 to his City of Paris and Treated him with all the magnificence and all the demonstrations of friendship he could desire But John had begun to contrive his own unhappiness by casting off his Wife Avice or Avoise Daughter of the Earl of Glocestre to Marry Isabel only Daughter of Aymar Earl of Angoulesme and Alix of Courtenay whom he ravished from Hugh le Brun Earl de la Marche to whom she was affianced From that time the said Lord sought all manner of ways to revenge himself for that injury He began to hold private intelligence with Philip he endeavour'd to make an insurrection in Poitou and Rodolph his Brother Earl of Eu began to commit Hostilities on the skirts of Normandy John chastised them for their Rebellion bydepriving them of their Lands especially some Castles in the County d'Eu They make address to the King of France their Sovereign Lord and demand Justice of him Upon this difference the two Kings saw one another near Gaillon where Philip who had laid his design spake high and summon'd John to appear in his Court that right might be done not only upon the complaint of Hugh but likewise of Prince Arthur who demanded Maine Anjou and Touraine Year of our Lord 1201 The Earl of Flanders and the other Lords that had taken the Cross departed for the Holy Land and as in those times there were but few Vessels upon the coasts of Provence they had taken their way by Venice where they hop'd to find a great many well fitted and there Thomas I. Earl of Savoy and Boniface Marquis of Montferrat joyned them But the Venetians would not furnish them with Vessels till they had first employ'd their Arms to recover the Cities of Sclavonia especially that of Zara for the Republique from whom they had withdrawn themselves to own the King of Hungary which retarded them above a year in those parts Year of our Lord 1201 In the year 1195. Isaac Angelus Emperour of the East had been deprived of his Empire his Sight and his Liberty by his own Brother Alexis And the Son of that Isaac likewise named Alexis had made his escape into Germany flying to Philip of Snevia pretended Emperour who had Married his Sister This young Prince having notice that there was an Army of the Crossed at Venice went thither to implore their assistance Several difficulties hindred them from going into the Holy-Land besides the Venetians hoped to find it better for their purpose to make a War in Greece because the spoil and plunder promised more gain and seemed more certain to them and more-over all the Latine Christians were ravish'd to meet with this occasion and opportunity to revenge the Treachery and Outrages the Greeks had practised since the beginning of the Holy-War They concluded therefore to turn their Arms that way upon condition the young Alexis would defray the charges of their expedition allow them great rewards and submit the Greek Church to the Obedience of the Pope To provide for the expences of his War King Philip endeavour'd to accustom the Clergy to furnish him with Subsidies and they excused themselves upon their Liberties and for that it was not lawful to employ the Moneys belonging to the Poor in prosane uses they only promis'd to assist him with their Prayers to God Now it hapned that the Lords de Coucy de Retel de Rosey and several others went and pillag'd and invaded their Lands they fly to the King for protection who in their own coin assisted them with Prayers to those Lords but as they understood one another they proceeded to worse dealing Then the Prelats redoubled their intreaties and besought him to employ his Forces
Widow had Thessaly for his Year of our Lord 1204 share with the Title of a Kingdom upon which condition he gave up the Island of Candia to the Venetians The Grecian Princes preserved Asia to themselves where they established divers Sovereignties Theodorus Lascaris attired himself with Imperial Robes at Nicea in Bithynia and had the largest Dominion for extent Of the Family of the Comnenes Michael had part of Epirus David Heraclea Ponticus and Paphlagonia and Alexis his Brother the City of Trebisond on the Pontus-Euxinus There was the Empire of Trebisond formed which still remained separate and distinct from that of Constantinople till the Turks devoured both the one and the other Baldwin enjoy'd not the Empire two years for going to besiege Adrianople Joannitz or Calojan King of Bulgaria coming to assist the Greeks drew him into an Ambuscade made him prisoner and having carried him into Bulgaria cut off his Arms Year of our Lord 1205 and Legs and cast him into a Precipice where he languisht for three days It was thus given out but many are of opinion that he escaped from that imprisonment However it were his Brother Henry succeeded him in the Empire He left two Daughters the eldest Married Ferrand Brother of Sancho King of Portugal who by this means was Earl of Flanders the youngest had Children by Bouchard d'Auesnes Year of our Lord 1205 King John not attributing his misfortunes to his crime his cowardize or sloth but to the ill-will of his English Subjects particularly the Clergy who had not assisted him in his necessities sets himself upon molesting and vexing them by all Year of our Lord 1206 manner of exactions Guy de Touars who Govern'd Bretagne being Husband to the Dutchess Constance had turned to Philips party and assisted him not a little in his late Conquests He had likewise brought over to him the Vicount Touars his Brother but this year both of them were at variance with him Guy would Cantonnize himself in Bretagne the King begirts him in Nantes and compels him to return again to his Service how-ever the Vicount remained for the English Interest That King having Levied vast sums of Money and a powerful Army in England comes and Lands at Rochel the Vicount Savary de Maulcon and some other Lords joyn with him Philip finding himself too weak contents himself only with providing and strengthening his Towns in Poitou with all speed and then retires to Paris John marches into Anjou takes Anger 's dismantles it and presently after remembring that it was his Ancestors native City causes the Walls to be rebuilt At the same time there were some Bretons who seizing upon the Promontary de Garplic built a Fort there to favour the approaches of the English upon those Shallows These were all the Effects of the great Prowess of King John for being soon tir'd he caused a Truce to be propounded by the interposition of the Pope who threatned Excommunication in case of refusal Philip agrees it for two years against the opinion of the French Lords who proffer'd him all assistance and engaged not to forsake him although the Pope should proceed against him by censures Year of our Lord 1208 The two contenders for the German Empire Otho and Philip had agreed An. 1207. in such sort that Otho who had the approbation of the Pope but was the weaker should leave the Empire to Philip whom if he hapned to die without Children Otho should succeed him and in the interim Marry his Daughter Now this year Philip being Murthered in his Sick Bed by Otho Palatine of Vitelspack the Empire fell to his Competitor who the following year went into Italy and was Crowned at Rome Immediately after he had a quarrel with the Pope about some Enterprize upon the Lands belonging to the Church and those belonging to Frederick King of Sicily Feodary to the Holy See for which he was Excommunicated An. 1210. Innocent III. was then Pope a Prelat of great courage rare merit and who being in the strength of his age was stirring in every place and concern'd himself in every thing driving all things to the height where he met with a weak or divided party England made an unhappy Experiment King John being absolutely resolv'd not to accept of Cardinal Stephen Lanctbon for Arch-Bishop of Canterbury whom the White Friers had Elected to the Popes liking but without the Kings consent and the Pope standing stifly up to maintain and justify this Election the contest grew so hot that the Pope sends to three of the English Bishops a Sentence of Interdiction to be laid upon the whole Kingdom John was so enrag'd that he confiscated the Estates of all the Clergy and resolv'd utterly to abolish Episcopacy in the Nation Commanding them immediately to depart and to secure himself against any personal effects of the Excommunication wherewith he was threatned he took Hostages of the Towns and Nobility The Pope not being able to reduce the Hereticks of Languedoc who had almost gained the whole Province fals upon Raimond Earl of Toulouze because he was their chief promoter and encourager and had caused one of his Legats to be massacred it was Peter de C hastean-neuf a Monk de Cisteaux or White Fryer and the First that exercised the Inquisition He Excommunicated that Earl Absolv'd his Subjects of their Oath of Fidelity and gave his Lands to the first Occupier but without prejudice to the right of the King of France his Sovereignty Such an apprehension seized on the Earl that being come to Milon the Popes Legat at Valence he intirely submitted gave up eight places of strength to the Roman Church to perpetuity as a pawn of his Conversion and the following year to obtain Absolution suffred himself to be scourged with Rods at the Gate of St. Giles's Church where Peter de Chasteau-neuf lay buried and thence dragg'd to that Friers Tomb by the Legat who put the Stole about his Neck in presence of Twenty Arch-Bishops and an infinite multitude of People After which he likewise crossed himself or put on the badge of the Cross and joyned the next year with those that took his and the Towns of his Allies Year of our Lord 1208 It was not his penitence that humbled him to undergo so horrible a shame it was the fear he had of a dreadful storm just ready to break and fall upon his Head For the Pope having turned that sorvent Zeal which animated the People so much to go in defence of tho Holy-Land had this very year order'd a Croisade to be Preached against the Albigenses and many Lords Prelats and great numbers of common People had listed themselves in this Militia the King himself set out Fifteen thousand Men that were to be maintain'd at his own charge These bore the Cross upon their Breast to distinguish them from such as went to the Holy-Land who wore that badge upon their Shoulder Amongst these Heretiques there were some whom they called the Poor
cannot say how long she survived after the year 1180. but there is yet to be seen in the Parochial Church of that place her Monument and her Effigies also in Stone which over-head is crowned with Flowers The People of that Country assure us That God by divers Miracles hath approved the Devotion they have towards her Lewis VIII King XLII POPE HONORIUS III. All along this Reign and beyond it LEWIS VIII Surnamed the Lyon and the Father of St. LEWIS King XLII Aged Thirty six years compleat Year of our Lord 1223 PHilip Augustus had not caused his Son to be Crowned in his Life-time whether he had a jealousie of him or thought his Family so well Establish'd that he had no need of such precaution to secure the Crown to him He was therefore Crowned at Rheims with his Wife Blanch de Castille the Tenth day of the Month of August The King of England did not assist at his Coronation as he ought to have done in Quality of Pair of France but sent Ambassadors to summon him according to the Oath he had made at London to surrender Normandy to him with all those other Countries that had been taken from King John his Father They receiv'd for Answer That they had been Consiscated by Judgment of the Pairs and that they pretended to have the remainder likewise which he held so far were they from giving back what he demanded Year of our Lord 1022 and 1223. As the People of Languedoc did easily return again to their Natural Lord Raimond Earl of Toulouze Amaury finding himself too weak to stay in those Countries came and resigned and yielded up all the Right and Title he had into the hands of the King who for Recompence made him High Constable It was then but an Employment lasting no longer then the War So that we sometimes find such Lords on whom it hath been conferr'd two or three several times Year of our Lord 1224 Raimond Earl of Toulouze having made his Address to Pope Honorius with all imaginable submission the Holy Father sent to his Legat to call a Council at Montpellier to reconcile him with the Church After which Raimond before an Assembly of the Clergy in Languedoc promis'd and sware entire Obedience to the Roman Church sufficient security to the Clergy for restitution and the enjoyment of their Goods and Profits and the extirpation of Hereticks throughout all his Country Upon this satisfaction the Pope received him to Mercy and owned him for Earl of Toulouze Year of our Lord 1224 But as the resistance and opposition of his Subjects hindred him from making good his Promises the Pope sent a Legat to the King it was Romain a Cardinal that had the Title of St. Angelo to persuade him to undertake that Expedition which he did the more readily because it suited with his zeal and with his Interests Year of our Lord 1224 The two Kings Lewis of France and Henry of Germany eldest Son to the Emperor Frederic had a Conference at Vaucouleurs where they Treated about several Difference between the two Crowns and made divers Propositions but came to no conclusion At his return from thence pursuant to a Resolution had been taken to drive the English wholly out of France Lewis enters Poitou gains a Battle there over Savary de Mauleon General of the English in Guyenne makes himself Master of the Cities of Niort and of St. John d'Angely and generally over all the Places even to the Garonne and receives the Homage of all the Lords of those parts Year of our Lord 1224 There was nothing left but Rochelle where Savary de Mauleon defended himself for a long time expecting Relief from England In fine being basely disappointed and deceived by the King of England's Ministers who sent him Chests full of old Iron in stead of Silver to satisfie the Garison he was forced to surrender the Town the 28th day of July and afterwards pretending whether true or false that he had been Treated in England as a Person whose Faith they suspected he quitted his old Master and went to the King of France After the taking of that important City the Kings to secure it the better to themselves had as it were outvied each other in gratifying it with many great Priviledges by which means it was raised to a high pitch of Renown for its Wealth and Liberty but through their ill management of those Advantages she hath utterly lost them all in these latter times Year of our Lord 1225 The rest of Guyenne had been gained by the French if Richard Brother to King Henry had not landed at Bordeaux with a great Army which raised up the drooping Spirits He took St. Macaire near Bordeaux by Storm but la Reoule gave him a great Repulse and being inform'd that the French Army was at the River Garonne he Ship'd himself again and left order with Aimery Vicount de Touars to procure a Truce There wandred a certain Person about Flanders near this time who said he was that Baldwin Earl of Flanders and Emperor of Constantinople that had been taken Prisoner by the King of Bulgaria He related how he made his escape out of Prison and put them in mind of several Tokens and Circumstances to know him by The Flemings who mightily loved Baldwin gave Credit to this Man and put him in possession of all Flanders Year of our Lord 1225 The Countess Jane Daughter of Baldwin finding her self at a loss for her Husband Ferrand was still a Prisoner at Paris had recourse to the King who sent word to this pretended Baldwin that he should come to him at Peronne He came boldly thither but disdaining or not being able to answer the Questions put to him which he must needs have known if he were not a Cheat the King commanded him to depart his Territories within three days and gave him a safe Conduct Being afterwards forsaken by all the World he endeavour'd to escape away in a disguise but he was taken in Burgundy and carried to the Countess who after ✚ she had made him undergo divers Tortures sent him to the Gibbet as an Impostor His Execution did not hinder malicious People from believing that the Daughter had chosen rather to hang her Father then to restore him to his Soveraignty Year of our Lord 1225 This same year the King being in Touraine the Legat went to him and obliged him to prolong the Truce with Aymery Vicount de Touars the only Nobleman that opposed the King yet in Poictou This Vicount shortly after came to Paris to render Hommage to the King in presence of the King of England's Ambassadors Year of our Lord 1226 The City of Avignon having refused the Army passage was besieged the 14th of June It defended it self obstinately Guy Count de Saint Pol one of the bravest of the Besiegers was slain there the Plague got amongst the Soldiers and the Earl of Champagne Male-content went away without leave The King nevertheless swore he would not
Daughter and Heiress of the Earl of Toulouze and also gave him the Counties of Poitou and Auvergne and all that had been conquer'd in Languedoc upon the Albigensis Year of our Lord 1241 These years the Tartars made cruel irruptions amongst others one in Hungary under the Command of Bath who was one of their Generals and one in Russia Poland and Silesia whither they were conducted by another of their Generals who was named Pera. These Barbarians were Scythians Originaries between the Caspian Sea and Mount Imaus Some make them descended from the Ten Tribes of the Hebrews who were transferr'd by the King of Assyria into those Countreys and derive their Name from the Hebrew Word which signifies Forsaken Others derive it from the River Tatar which ran thorough their Countrey and say it was given to the whole Nation of the Mogles composed of seven principal People of which they made one They were Tributaries and as we say Slaves to a Christian Nestorian Prince whose Kingdom was in the Indies he was called Prestor-John But Cingis or Tzingis-Cham set that Nation free about the end of the last age ruined the States of Prester-John and founded a very great Kingdom out of it from whence divers Colonies went forth and setled in other Countreys even in some parts of Europe The Earl of Toulouze sought out all means underhand to repair the shameful Treaty he had made with the King and therefore he consulted and contrived with James King of Arragon who was come to Montpellier and with the Earl of Provence though he were the Kings Father-in-law to Dissolve his Marriage with Sanchia Year of our Lord 1241 the Arragonians Aunt upon pretence of parentage that he might Marry the Daughter of the Earl of Provence and that his Daughter Jane whom he had perforce given to the Earl of Poitou might not be his Heiress An example that proves to any that might doubt that amongst Great ones Honour Parentage Alliance and ☞ Conscience does easily give way and stoop to their Interest and Humour Hugh Count de la Marche to his misfortune had Married Isabella the Widow of King John who had formerly ravished her from him This Womans pride would not suffer him to do Homage to Alphonso the new Earl of Poitou the King undertook to compel him and on a suddain took several of his Towns and demolish'd them amongst others Fontenay where his Brother Alphonso was wounded with an Arrow The King of Englands assistance in behalf of his Mother was too slow he and his Brother Richard landed in the River of Burdeaux The Earl de la Marche had assured them that all Poitou would rise and joyn with them upon their arrival but as his promise failed their courage failed too the King falls upon them at the Bridge of Taillebourg fighting desperately in person making them retreat as far as Xaintes and from thence to Blaye The Earl and his proud Dame being forced to forget she had been a Queen found no safety but at the Kings Feet They experimented his Goodness was as great as his Courage and although she had suborn'd Rascals to Murther him who had been discover'd and punished he pardon'd both her and her Husband keeping only two or three of their Places in his hands till he was better assured of their Obedience Year of our Lord 1243 Italy was horribly shatter'd by the Factions of the Guelphs and Gibelins The First held for the Pope the others for the Emperour Year of our Lord 1243 The jealousie betwixt the Franciscans and the Dominicans which had its Birth almost with their Orders encreased likewise proportionably with their growth Insomuch that the Pope who stood in need of them and the King St. Lewis who cherished them found it no little trouble to distribute their favours equally and hold the ballance so even that they should have no cause to take advantage of each other But both of them took much over all other Religions Orders whom they despised as more imperfect and not only set a value upon themselves for their Divinity wherein sometimes they were so meerly notional and over-subtil as it approached very near to error but likewise took upon them the functions of ordinary Pastors drawing the grists of Alms pious Legacies and Burials of rich people to their own Mills concerning themselves in the directing of Consciences and the administration of the Sacraments to the prejudice of the Hierarchy who from that time hath ever been contending with them to maintain her authority Year of our Lord 1244 The Holy See having been vacant near twenty Months Innocent IV. was elected He was thought to be a friend to Frederick but whether that Emperour had not used him well or what else it were he followed the steps of his Predecessors and began to quarrel with him upon the same score of differences The feud grew so hot that Frederic being the stronger in Italy Innocent went thence that he might with more safety let fly his Thunder against him and came into France where being arrived in December this year 1244. he called a Council at Lyons for the year following In the year 1228. the Emperour Frederic being constrained by the threats of Pope Gregory was gone into the Holy-Land where by his Reputation rather then his Sword he had so contrived it that the Sultan had given him up the City of Jerusalem but dismantled with part of the Holy-Land The Pope not satisfied with that agreement had afterwards procured other Adventurers to go who broke the Truce aforesaid to the great damage of the Christians who being mightily weakned it hapned Ann. 1244. that the Chorasmins a People drove out of Persia by the Year of our Lord 1244 Tartars others say of Arabia fell upon the Holy-Land laid it all waste ruined all the Holy places of Jerusalem and drowned them in the Blood of Christians This news was brought to St. Lewis whilst he was fallen sick at Pontoise towards the end of December All those that were about him despairing of his Life he made a vow to God if he restored him to health that he would go in person to make war against those Infidels and in truth being recover'd he took the Cross from the hands of the Legat but could not so soon accomplish his pious design Year of our Lord 1245 The Council of Lyons was open'd the Monday after St. John Baptists Feast in the Abbey de St. Just and from thence transferr'd to the Cathedral Church of St. Johns The Emperour Baldwin the Earl Raimond de Toulouze and Berenguier de Provence were present there these two solliciting for the dispensation that Raimond might Marry with Beatrix the youngest Daughter of Berenguier but the Kings of France and of England and Richard Earl of Cornwal who had Married the other three Sisters hindred the Grant of it Year of our Lord 1245 The Emperour Frederic having quitted his Affairs of Italy to come there and having in the mean time sent his
Power the advancement of Religion and the Service of God providing for the nourishment of the Poor the Marriage of decay'd Gentlewomen the maintenance of the Church and above all the ease of the People by the revocation of all Tolls and extraordinary Subsidies and Taxes which the malignity or necessity of former times had introduced and imposed The Titles of the Chamber of Accompts which have been shewed us by Mr. d'Heroval to whose care the History of our Kings of the Third Race is indebted for the greatest part of the new discoveries made known in these last times tells us amongst many other rare and curious things that this truly most Christian King spared nothing for the Conversion of Infidels that for this end he took up all the Jewish Children that were Fatherless or in want caused them to be bred up in the Christian Faith and allowed them two four six Silver Deniers a day for their Dyet or Keeping which was paid out of his own Demesnes and pass'd in Dowry to their Widdows and oftentimes to their Children that these were called the Baptized as those who embraced Christianity being of age were called the Converted That the Duke of Burgundy the King of England and some others practis'd the like in their Countreys which brought over a world of Jews from their obstinacy and that the Kings his successors did imitate him therein till the Reign of King John We have by the same means likewise learn'd that when St. Lewis made a journey any where there was always a Prelate which was ordinarily the Arch-Deacon of Paris and a Lord of some note that follow'd some days after the Court and made inquiry at all the Lodgings and in all the Countreys and Places they had pass'd what wrong or spoil they might have done to the Landlords or to their Lands and the just King made present reparation and satisfaction with his own Money without any complaint made by the party agrieved so far was it from suffering ☞ them to spend and squander away what they had in Fees and Charges to get Justice done to them Year of our Lord 1256 The City of Marscille did not give that obedience to Charles as he expected and desired wherefore he blocked them up with his Army and brought them to that low condition by Famine that they surrendred at discretion to this merciless Prince who caused many of the principal Citizens to be beheaded Year of our Lord 1256 Three sorts of People of Italy the Venetians the Genouese and the Pisans were become mighty powerful in the Levant Seas and for that reason were grown very jealous of Year of our Lord 1256 each other The two first having each of them their several quarters and their Magistrates in the City of Acon or Acre fell to quarrelling with each other upon some private pieque and went together by the ears to their mutual destruction which compleated the ruine of the Western Christians in the East Year of our Lord 1258 In an enter-view at Montpellier the two Kings Lewis of France and James of Arragon Treated the Marriage of Philip then Second Son to King Lewes but who in two years after became the eldest with Isabella younger Daughter of James to whom her Father gave in Dowry the Counties of Carcassone and Beziers Year of our Lord 1258 After this they agreed about their other differences in this manner St. Lewis yielded up to the Arragonian the Sovereignty which France had still held upon Catalonia Barcelona Rousillon Empurs Vrgel and Geronde from the time the French first conquer'd those Countreys of the Saracens And on the other hand the Arragonian yielded to him all the right he pretended whether by Marriage of his predecossors or otherwise by any Title whatsoever to the Counties de Razez Narbonne Nisines Alby Foix Cahors and other parts in Languedoc held in Under-Fief of the Crown of France as also the Rights he had in Provence to the Counties of Forcalquier and Arles and to the City of Marseilles Year of our Lord 1259 The English had still a very passionate desire to recover Normandy and the other Countreys they had lost in France and if Richard could have fixt himself well in Germany he and his Brother Henry might have attaqued France very shrewdly on both sides The pious King was not ignorant of it but he knew likewise that Henry was so dangerously engaged in a quarrel with his Barons that it would be easie to content him with a little and even to oblige him to an acknowledgment and therefore the business having been stated by the Popes Legats the King of England passes over into France together with his Wife his Brothers and his Children and being arriv'd at Paris confirmed the Treaty The substance of it was That he his Sons Brothers and Successors should for everrenounce all claim to Normandy Anjou Maine Touraine and Poitou and that the King gave a great sum of Money to Henry and released to him and his that part of Guyenne beyond the Garonne and on this side Limousin and Perigord upon condition to do Homage-Liege to the Kings of France and take place amongst his Pairs in quality of Duke of Guyenne Immediately upon this the King of England does this Homage and the eldest Son of France hapning to dye he was at his Funeral and helpt to bear his Corps upon his own Shoulders with the other Lords part of the way from Paris to St. Denis Year of our Lord 1260 In the year 1260. a new and strange heat of Zeal inspired many Christian people which was to whip themselves in publique with small Cords or with Thongs of Leather These whipsters were called the Devots and afterwards they were named the Flagellants This Phrensie begun in the City of Perugia in Tuscany by the example and Preaching of a Hermit named Râ—ynier spread it self even into Poland travell'd as far as Greece and in the end degenerated into Superstition and Heresies Year of our Lord 1261 In the month of July of the year 1261. a Lieutenant to Michael Paleologus VIII of that name Emperour of Greece who returned from making a War against Michael the Despote of Epirus made himself Master of Constantinople getting entrance by a hole under the Walls of the Town discover'd to him by some Traitors a thing of great importance which he effected the more easily because the Emperour Baldwin was abroad having carried his Naval force to besiege a little City upon the Black Sea or Pontus Euxinus Thus was it that Constantinople fell again into the hands of the Greeks from whom about two hundred years afterwards it fell under the Tyranny of the Turks The Latins had kept this fragment of the Eastern Empire about Seven and fifty years and as it had begun with a Baldwin it ended with a Prince of the same name The Venetians who had a great interest in this loss put a mighty strong Fleet to Sea wherewith they Commanded the whole
Archipelago and reduced Constantinople Year of our Lord 1262 to such streight that Manuel was upon the point to abandon it But the Genoese in hatred to the Venetians made a League with him and relieved him notwithstanding the intreaties of all the Christian Princes and the Popes Excommunications The Emperour Baldwin yet held for some time after the Island of Eubaea or Negropont The bastard Mainfroy not content to have usurp'd the Kingdom of Sicily without consent of the Holy See domineer'd over the Pope and the Countreys belonging to the Church most strangely Insomuch that Alexander IV. had offer'd that Kingdom to the King of Englands Son Edmund who had accepted it and to this end his Father had laid so many Imposts and Taxes upon the People that most of them made a League against him and were revolted Vrban IV. Successor to Alexander having caused the Crusado against Mainfroy to be Preached stirred up some French Lords to go into Italy who at the very first forced the passages of Lombardy and beat the Saracen Soldiers whom Mainfroy entertained in his Service but soon after their Pay falling short they came back into Year of our Lord 1262 France leaving the Pope more in the Briers then ever Year of our Lord 1262 The better to fortifie himself against his implacable wrath Mainfroy contracted Alliance with James III. King of Arragon giving his Daughter in Marriage to Peter his eldest Son who disdained not the Match because it gave him approaching hopes of having the Kingdom of Sicily Mainfroy having no Male-Children In effect it is by this means the Kings of Arragon have attained it and they must needs own they hold their Right from a Bastard an Usurper and Excommunicated person Year of our Lord 1263 The pious King Lewis did not understand this false policy which has quite other Maximes then are practised taught or allowed by Christianity and natural Justice And for this reason it was that he endeavour'd with all his power to decide the quarrels between his neighbours and not to foment them with this spirit of Charity he labour'd so happily to compose the business between the Barons of England of whom Simon Montford Earl of Leicester was Head with their King that they submitted to what he should ordain He calls his Parliament for this purpose at Amiens and pronounced the Sentence in presence of King Henry However the Barons found some difficulties and exceptions and would not abide by it Insomuch that the troubles continuing the Pope sent to revoke the gift of the Kingdom of Sicily which he had made to Edmund the King of Englands Brother since he could not pursue it and invested Charles Earl of Anjou Brother of St. Lewis His Wives vanity which made her greedily long to have the Title of Queen as well as her other Sisters inclined and perswaded him to accept of it Year of our Lord 1264 It hapned this year 1264. in a Village near Orviete that the Sacred Host cast forth Blood upon the Corporal or fine Linnen wherein the Sacrament is put to convince the incredulity of the Priest that celebrated the Mass Pope Vrban satisfied of the truth of this Miracle instituted the Feast and Procession of the Holy Sacrament to be solemnized the Thursay after the Octave of Whitsunday St. Thomas Aquinas who was then Professor in Theology at Orvieta composed the Office for it Vrban IV. being dead at Perusia the third of October the Cardinals after a vacancy of Four Months elected the Cardinal Guy the Gross a native of the Province of Languedoc who had been Married before he entred into Holy Orders He took the name of Clement IV. amongst his Virtues he is admir'd for his rare Modesty though very little imitated by his Successors He made a protestation at his first coming to the See that he would advance none of his kindred and so exactly did he keep his word that of three Prebendaries which his Brother had in possession he obliged him to quit two and far from Marrying his Daughters to great Lords ✚ as he might well have done he gave them such small portions that they chose rather to make themselves Nuns Towards the end of the Month of July about the beginning of the night a Comet was observed towards the West and some while after a little before break of day it appeared in the East pointing its tail Westward It was visible till the end of September lasting two Months and a half Year of our Lord 1405 Clement IV. upon his advancement to the Holy See ratified the Election his predecessor had made of Charles of France for the Kingdom of Sicily obtained of St. Lewis a Tenth of all the Clergy of his Kingdom for him and lent him all the Money he could scrape together having for that purpose engaged the Revenue of the Churches in Rome Year of our Lord 1265 Charles with this assistance with the Kings help and his Wives great care who sold all her Jewels to raise Soldiers which she cull'd and chose for the bravest got a good Army on foot to go into Italy by Land and in the mean time put to Sea with Thirty great Vessels and sailed to the Port of Ostia He was received at Rome with great Honour by the People declared Senator of that City which was as it were Governour and Sovereign Judge And the year following upon the 28th of June Crowned King of Sicily by the Pope in St. Peters Church upon condition to pay the Pope Eight thousand ounces of Gold and a white Palfrey every year never to be elected Emperour nor to unite that Kingdom to ☞ the Empire For the Popes would have no power left in Italy that was not lesser then their own Year of our Lord 1266 His Land-Army arrived not till about the years end which he compleated in Rome The following he marched to Naples the Guelphes flocking from all parts to List themselves under his Banner The Earl de Caserta quitted the passage du Gariglian most basely to him he afterwards gained the Post of St. Germain guarded by Six thousand Men and in fine the Twenty sixth day of February in the Campagne of Benevent he gained an entire but bloody victory against Mainfroys Army who was slain upon the place All submitted to the Conquerour both beyond and on this side the Fare except the City of Nocera where Frederic II. had placed a strong Garrison of Saracens which yet held out a long time It then appeared that Charles knew not how to Govern his good fortune with Humanity for he let Mainfroy's Wife and Children dye in prison with many Lords of that party and his Army committed horrid cruelties upon the taking of the City of Beneventum Year of our Lord 1267 Nevertheless as he shewed himself very obedient to the Popes Orders he declared him Vicar of the Empire in Italy with the Title of Keeper of the Peace and in this quality he by one of his Lieutenants subdued all the
all his Forces with him Year of our Lord 1289 Don Sancho King of Castille desired earnestly to have a Peace with King Philip and for that reason he would have given him up the two Sons of Alphonso de Cerda and to this intent had endeavoured to get them out of the hands of the Arragonian who kept them Now the Arragonian having denied so to do he Treated with Philip obliging himself to give the Kingdom of Murcia to the eldest of those two Brothers and some other Lands to the second The Arragonian hearing of this Treaty made haste to set them at liberty that so they might be obliged to him and continue still Enemies to Sancho In effect they were so ill advised as to refuse to stand to the Agreement which Philip their Cousin German had made for them and immediately took up Arms against the Castillan Year of our Lord 1290 Philips displeasure for being thus cantradicted by these two Brothers was craftily manag'd by the Castillan so that those two Kings had Interview at Bayonne and there made a Treaty by which Philip according the Advice of some interessed Counsellors totally abondoned his unhappy Cousins and withall yielded up and gave to Don Sancho all the rights he might have to the Crown of Castille This year Alexander III. King of Scotland dying without Children there arose a long and bloody Quarrel for the Succession between two Lords each of them pretending to be the next Heir Both of them being of the Blood Royal by their Mothers who were the Daughters of Scotland Their names were Robert Bruce and John de Baliol. This last was Originally of Normandy History does not mention of what part for there are divers places have the name of Baliol. These two Competitors having referr'd their Difference to Edward King of England he gives Judgment in favour of Baliol whether he believed his Title to be the better or whether it were because he made himself his Vassal as the Scots reproach him and had promis'd to hold his Crown of him Year of our Lord 1291 Alfir Sultan of Egypt had in the year 1288. wrested all the Cities of Tripoly Syria Lidon and Tyre with some other strong Holds out of the hands of the Christians They had nothing more left in all those Countreys but the Sea-Port Town of Ptolemais which made a Truce with the Sultan The French the Pisans the Genoese and the Venetians had each of them their distinct Quarters and Magistrates The Pope the King of Cyprus the Earl of Tripoly the Patriach of Jerusalem and the Templars contended for the Soveraignty Amidst these Divisions there was nothing but Murthers Robberies and Plunderings both within and without the City Besides all this they were so imprudent as to suffer some numbers of new Recruits that were come to them as Adventurers of the Cross to break the Truce The Sultan Mebee-Arafe who succeeded to Alfir demanded Reparation but as it was not in their power to deliver up the Violators he besieged the City and after Forty days continual attaques gained it by Storm putting to the Sword all that were within excepting only such as could save themselves on Ship-board Such was the end of the Christians Conquests in Syria and their Expeditions into the Holy Land For although the Popes have since caused the Croisado's to be preach'd for the recovery of it and several Princes and great Persons have made ✚ â—ow to go thither for the same purpose Nevertheless since the loss of Ptolemais none of them have gone thither but only some Pilgrims Year of our Lord 1291 Charles the Lame was in the end forced that he might free his Children and release those Gentlemen he had given in Hostage and who were all sent into Arragon to persuade his Cousin Charles Earl of Valois to renounce the Kingdom of Arragon upon which Condition King Alphonso engaged himself to go with his Forces into the Holy Land and in his pasiage through Sicilia to do his utmost to induce his Brother James Usurper of that Island to restore it to Charles the Lame Who in the mean while gave his Daughter Clemence in Marriage to Charles de Valois and for a Portion the Counties of Anjon and Maine Year of our Lord 1291 Otheline Earl of Burgundy ready to be trod under foot by Robert Duke of Burgundy who would have the Earldom to hold of the Dutchy and do him Homage cast himself head-long into the protection of King Philip bringing to him his eldest Daughter named Jane that he might Marry her to one of his Sons and in favour of this Alliance he from that time gave him up his Earldom reserving only to himself the Revenue during his Life This Jane was afterwards Married to Philip the Long the Kings eldest Son who was then but in his Cradle and her Sister Blanch to the second who was called Charles the Fair. Year of our Lord 1291 The excessive Usury of the Italian Bankers suckt all the Substance of the poor People The King had need of Money he was glad oâ— such an opportunity and pretence to do Justice to get some from them He therefore caused them all to be seized upon May-day night This was a sweet Knot or Nose-gay of May-Flowers but since under the same pretence they laid hold of many honest Merchants likewise and raised great Fines or Taxes upon them as well as upon the Blood-sucking Leeches this inquiry which in it self was just and necessary was converted into a most odious Robbery Year of our Lord 1291 It is believed that this year the holy Virgins little House at Nazareth where the Incarnation of the Word was declared to her was by Angels transferr'd to the top of a little Mountain in Dalmatia on the other side of the Adriatique-Sea That from thence three years afterwards it was brought to the hither-side in a Wood that belonged to a Widow named Loretta and that it was removed at two other times into two several places in the last whereof the Angels left it There is a Magnificent Church built there and a pretty good Town and both are called by the name of Loretta Year of our Lord 1291 The Emperor Rodolph ended his days in the Burrough of Geâ—inesheim near Spire the last day of September having Reigned Eighteen years He laid the foundation of the prodigious Grandeur of the House of Austria but undermined that of the Empire in Italy by neglecting to go thither and selling the Soveraignty to divers Cities of Tuscany in the year 1286. especially to that of Luca and Florence who bought it of him with their Money Year of our Lord 1292 In his room Adolph Earl of Nassau was elected the 6th of January and Crowned at Francfort a brave and generous Prince who would have maintained that Title better then any of his Ancestors had he but had as much Riches as Vertue The Peace between France and England had lasted to this time to the great satisfaction of both
at Malan but broke out more fiercely at Bruges where the French Garrison being all knoc'd on the Head the Towns of Furne Bergh Bourbourgh Cassel followed and Guy Earl of Namur one of the Flemmings Sons laid Siege before the Cittadel of Courtray The King raised a great Army to chastise the Rebels and gave the Command of it to Robert d'Artois That Prince marched to relieve Courtray with Ten thousand Horse and Forty thousand Foot The Flemmings though they were but ill Arm'd had neither Nobility nor Cavalry durst resolutely wait his coming and gained the Victory with the slaughter of Twenty thousand French amongst which number was that Prince himself above Twenty great Lords with him and Peter Flota principal cause of those misfortunes This was on the 9th of June Year of our Lord 1302 To revenge this bloody affront the King takes the Field himself with above an Hundred thousand Men but the assurance of the Flemmings and the intelligence sent him by his Sister the Queen of England that if he hazarded a Battle he would be betraid to his own Men hindred him from proceeding any farther then Douay besides the Autumnal Rains rendred his march very difficult This War very troublesome in it self would have been much more so had the King of England medled in it as he ought to have done after he had engag'd the Flemmings Their troubles help'd to advance his Affairs after his having prolonged the Truce two or three times with the French he converted it at last to a final Year of our Lord 1303 Peace The Treaty was concluded at Paris the Twentieth day of May 1303. It was agreed that Philip should restore to him all what he had taken from him in Guyenne and should grant him a Patent for the investiture of that Dutchy John Baliol was set at full liberty but the Scots despised him as a Man of little courage who had twice bowed the knee before the King of England and would not own him for their lawsul King so that he remained in France where he ended his days as a private person It is not said what the fortune of his Son Edward was However although the English had wholly subdued Scotland it nevertheless hapned that some years afterwards Robert Son of Robert Bruce raised that Kingdom again which seemed to be extinguished and freed it from the bondage of England Year of our Lord 1303 Now the courage of the Flemmings being untameable their old Earl who grew weary of his imprisonment obtained a Truce by the means of Ame Earl of Savoy during which interval they permitted him leaving his Sons in hostage to go to his Towns in Flanders to endeavour to bring them back again to the obedience of the King The same year the King having had information that there was a dangerous Faction brooding in Languedoc and in Guyenne took a progress into those Countreys where he visited and highly caressed the chief Cities and Nobility At his return Guy de Luzignan Earl of Angoulesme and Lord of Cognac having no Children resigned his Lands to him to the great prejudice of three Sisters he had The King to make those Sisters some manner of reparation gave them I know not what Lands in Angoulmois Queen Jane his Wife Heiress of Navarre Champagne and Brie built and founded in the University of Paris that famous Colledge that bears the name of Navarre and Year of our Lord 1303 which even to this day has been the Cradle or rather Nursery of the most illustrious Nobility of France She died about the end of the same year The Earl Guy not having been able to gain any thing upon the Flemmings the King resolved to make them bend by force He got together the most numerous Army that had been levied of a long time of French Germans Spaniards and Italians and put himself at the head of them At the same time he had a Fleet at Sea commanded by the famous Roger de Lauria This Admiral gained a bloody Battle against Philip one of the Flemmings Sons who besieged Ziriczea that held for John Earl of Holland who by this means preserved Zealand and kept it The King soon after Year of our Lord 1304 gained another at Land near Mons the Eighteenth of August but not without great danger to his Person Above five and twenty thousand Flemmings were slain there For all these rebukes they would not stoop nor give over but having shut up shop in all their Cities and got an Army on foot of Sixty thousand fighting Men they came before l'Isle which he then held besieged demanding Peace or a Battle This Year of our Lord 1304 furious resolution obtained them a Peace upon condition that they should enjoy their Liberties Goods Priviledges and strong Holds that the Earl should be restored to his Earldom excepting those Lands on this side the River Lys which should remain to the King as likewise the Cities of l'Isle and Douay till the Earl should be more fully agreed with him and the Flemmings paid down the sum of 800000 Livres The prisoners set at liberty the Earl Guy went to visit his Countrey and his Children Being returned to Compeigne upon his faith as he had promised to finish the Treaty he died some few days after aged Fourscore years His eldest Son Robert de Betune succeeded him in his Earldom Year of our Lord 1303 The preceding year before he undertook this Expedition King Philip had consider'd how to pre-arm himself against the Bulls of Boniface and for that purpose had Year of our Lord 1303 convoked a second general Assembly of his Subjects at Paris The Earls Guy de St. Pol John de Dreux and William du Plessis Lord de Vezenobre did there accuse the Pope of Heresie and divers things so horrible that a Christian can hardly tell how to name much less to believe them Duplessis offer'd to prosecute him before the Council adhering to the Appeal heretofore brought by Nogaret and putting himself under the protection of the Council and the Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul The King promised to procure the Convocation and in case Boniface should any way proceed against him formed his Appeal as Duplessis had done Moreover fearing his People too much oppressed with Imposts and dissatisfied with the Government of his Ministers should chance to fail him in his necessity he found it necessary to prevent all stirs and factions that might be set on foot in favour of the Pope to have Writings or Letters of all the Provinces Cities Corporations Churches Religious Houses Prelats and Lords of his Kingdom who approved of his Resolution and joyned therein with him Year of our Lord 1303 During these proceedings Nogaret was gone into Italy to seize upon the Person of Boniface under pretence of bringing him by fair means or by foul to the Council The Pope had retired himself to Anagnia the place of his Nativity where he thought himself in greater security then in Rome and there
on the highest part of the Gibbet with the other Thieves he was hanged His immense Riches sufficiently proved the Justice of this Sentence Afterwards those Receivers or Officers of the Treasury who were of his gang were laid hold on and several put to the Wrack they would confess nothing however so well those Caterpillars know how to wind up their bottoms desiring rather in the greatest extremity to lose their Lives then part with their Money They carried on this search even to his very friends and particularly Peter de Latilly Bishop of Chaalons and Chancellor of France He was accused of giving the Morsel that is to say of having poysonn'd the Bishop his Predecessor and also the late King He was put out of his Office and left a prisoner in tbe hands of the Arch-Bishop of Reims his Metropolitan The execrable Custom of Poysonning was grown very common in France and it grew so in my opinion because the Ministers of the deceased King had been so extream Violent and vindicative This Prelat accused of so Villanous a Crime was referr'd to the Judgment of the Bishops of his Province To that end there was a Council Assembled at Senlis in the Month of October of this year 1315. where the Archbishop of Reims was present with his Suffragans The Party accused upon his request and according to Law was first redintegrated to his Liberty and his Bishoprick and afterwards it having been proved that four Women had been Convicted and Punished for Poysonning his Predecessor he was absolved fully and wholly Year of our Lord 1315 The Gentry and Commonalty of the Country of Artois having divers causes of Complaint against their Countess Mahaut the King sent for her in presence of Ame the Great Earl of Savoy and obliged her to give him her Hand that he might take notice of it Year of our Lord 1315 This Ame the Great was one of the most considerable Princes of his time He acquir'd the Title of a Prince of the Empire which was granted him by the Emperor Henry VII in Anno 1310. He increased his Territory with the Lordships of Bresse and Baugey by his Marriage with Sibilla the only Daughter of Guy Lord de Baugey as likewise with a part of the little Country of Revermont by Purchase of the Duke of Burgundy who had it of Humbert Dauphin of Viennois and the Earldoms of Ast and Yvree the first whereof came to him by the Concession of the Emperor Henry VII the second by the voluntary subjection of the People His Wisdom made him reign in all the greatest Courts in Europe the Emperors King Philip's of France Edward King of England's and made him find the Art to be so much a Friend to all these Princes who were at great variance that he became the perpetual Mediator concerning those Differences which Interest and their Jealousie bred amongst them Year of our Lord 1316 The Truce with the Flemming being at an end about the very time of the Coronation the King assembled his Forces and whilst on the other side William Earl of Hayâ—ault ravaged the Country along the Scheld he besieged Courtray The unseasonable Weather did what the Flemming durst not undertake and forced him to raise the Siege but the infinite havock and spoil the Soldiers made caused a horrible Famine in Flanders About the end of the Month of May in the year 1316. King Lewis began to feel the effects of those Poysonnings grown so rife in France They had given him a Dose so violent by what hand was not known that it carried him off the Fifth day June An Accident which the Vulgar thought to be presag'd by a Comet which had Year of our Lord 1316 display'd its terrible Train in the Heavens the One and twentieth of the Month of December before He died at the Bois de Vincennes the Nineteenth Month of his Reign and the Eight and twentieth of his Age. He left Clemence his second Wife with Child being four Months gone By his first which was Margaret Daughter of Robert II. Duke of Burgundy he had had a Daughter named Jane to whom belonged the Kingdom of Navarre and the Counties of Brie and Champagne but the Kings Philip the Long and Charles the Fair found out pretences to detain them REGENCY without a KING for Five Months Year of our Lord 1316 WHen Lewis Hutin left this World Philip the Long Earl of Poitiers his Brother was at Lyons where in pursuance of his Orders he laboured to make them elect a Pope to supply the See that had been vacant for above three years He had employ'd himself with so much zeal that at length he got all the Cardinals to Lyons and had shut them up in Conclave in the Jacobins Convent They had been there together some days when the news was brought him of the death of Hutin this made him return to Paris with diligence after he had left the guard of the Conclave with the Earl de Fores. After the end of fourty days the Cardinals could come to no other agreement about the election of a Pope then to refer it to the single Vote of James Dossa a Cardinal Bishop of O Porto who without hesitation named himself to the great astonishment of the whole Conclave who notwithstanding let it pass so He took the name of John the Twenty second of that name He was of the Country of Quercy the Son of a poor Cobler but very Learned for those times The Succession of the Males to the Crown was established not by any Written Law but by the inviolable Custom of the French nevertheless because in all other Kingdoms and in great Fiefs the Daughters succeeded and that in France of a long time no occasion had been offer'd to exclude them The Friends and Parents of little Jane particularly Eudes Duke of Burgundy Brother of her deceased Mother were on the Watch pretending the Crown belonged to her in case the Fruit of Queen Clemences Womb should come to no Perfection In the mean time they named Philip the Kings Brother for Regent till the time of her delivery Philip V. King XLVII POPE JOHN XXII Elected the 7th day of August 1317. S. Eighteen years and Three Months whereof Five years under this Reign PHILIP V. Called the Long because he was Tall King of France XLVII and enjoying the Kingdom of Navarre Aged Twenty six years Year of our Lord 1316 THe Fifteenth of November the Queen brought a Son into the World whom they named John but he went out of it again eight days after He was buried in St. Denis and in the Funeral Pomp was declared King of France and Navarre Which hath given some occasion to some Modern Authors to increase the number of the Kings of France and to call him John I. Year of our Lord 1317 Then the Dispute touching the Crown was renewed with more heat then before Charles Earl of Valois seemed to favour little Jane and the Duke of Burgundy her Uncle claimed and
1325. The Council of England found it necessary that Queen Isabella who was Sister to Charles the Fair should pass over into France with Edward his eldest Son to Negociate the Peace She managed the business with a great deal of Skill and finished the Treaty contriving it so that her Son Edward was invested in the Dutchy of Guyenne and the Earldom of Pontieu for which he did Homage to the King The King of England had too near him the two Hugh Spensers Father and Son the last having been bred with him in an unbecoming familiarity had an absolute empire over him and made him do what ever he desired The English Lords having made some Conspiracy and taken up Arms against this Favourite he drew them to a Parly where he caused them also to be seized against the Publick Faith and afterwards chopt off the Heads of Two and Twenty Barons amongst whom was Thomas Earl of Lancaster Son of Prince Edmond who when living was Brother to King Edward Pursuring his design he kept Queen Isabella and the Earl of Kent the Kings Brother at distance from the Court and likewise did privately seek to destroy them whether for that they had been in the Conspiracy with the Lords or that he apprehended their Credid or Interest and this was the chief ground for their coming into France Year of our Lord 1325 King Charles received his Sister with all the tenderness of a good Brother kept her a great while in his Court Treating and Honouring her according to her Quality and promised her assistance both of Money and Men as much as he well could without breaking with the English to Chastise that insolent favourite who continued to take off all those Heads that stood in the way which his Ambition led him to Unhappy Flanders was hardly ever without Troubles The Flemmings had but little affection to their Earl because he was too much French by inclination and resided but little in that Country He had a long and bloody Contest with the Citizens of Bruges Robert de Cassel supported them because he would have had him been kill'd They made John Earl of Namur his Uncle Prisoner and a while after they also did detain himself But when the Pope had laid an Interdict upon the Country when those Mutineers had been beaten by the Ghentois and they found the King was sending Forces to his relief they were forced to bend the Knee and humble themselves before him He Chastised them by great Fines the loss of their fairest Priviledges and by the banishment of a great number of the hottest Spirits Year of our Lord 1325 It was above a year that Charles Earl of Valois languished with a Distemper which was very odd and yet more painful Who knows whether it were not the effect of some cruel Poyson The Physicians not knowing either how to find out the true cause of the Malady nor any Remedies the poor Prince falls into an imagination that it was a Divine Punishment for the too eager and severe pusute he had made against Enguerrand de Marigny They have not forgot to mention his Penitence and to enumerate the satisfactions he offer'd to his Memory but perhaps these proceeded from a Mind as sick and as much out of tune as his Body After all if God so severely Chastised a Prince for persecuting a publick Robber and bringing him to Justice by unjust Methods and with an ill intent what did not that Robber deserve who for so long a time had tormented Millions of innocent Souls Year of our Lord 1325 and 26. The Spensers dreading the Storm which threatned them from the Coast of France obliged Edward earnestly to re-demand his Wife and they made use of so many Arts and scattered so much Money in King Charles his Court and even in the Popes to make him bestir himself for them that at length Charles won by their Presents or frighted with the fears of a Rupture not only retracted those Promises he had made his Sister but likewise upon pain of Banishment forbid all Knights to assist her and Commanded her to go out of his Countries Year of our Lord 1326 One Roger de Mortimer a Gentleman of Normandy was very much in the favour and good opinion of this fair Princess the Spensers had taken occasion to raise some Jealousie in the King her Husband and detain this Roger in the Tower of London but having sound means to escape he was come over into France and perhaps this was none of the least Arguments for which King Charles who was an Enemy to that unclean Folly would endure her no longer and so abandon'd her Year of our Lord 1326 At her leaving the Court of France she retired disconsolate into the County of of Pontien then into Hainault where she was so happy that John Brother of William the Earl declared himself her Knight-Errant caused her to be well and kindly received in his Brothers Court and having mustred Three hundred Knights more he carried her back into England No sooner was the news of her being landed known but Henry Earl of Lancaster the Brother of Thomas came to her the Earls Barons and Knights flock'd thither from all parts She besieged the King and both the Spensers in Bristol Spenser the Father and the Earl of Arundel Son-in-Law to the younger Spenser were taken in the City and beheaded The King and Spenser the Son who were retired into the Castle and from thence thought to make their escape in a Bark were taken at Sea The Favourite according to his Sentence given by the Barons was drawn on a Hurdle thorough the Streets of Hereford then led to the top of a Ladder where the Executioner cut off those parts that had transgress'd and plucked out his Heart then threw it into the Fire and quarter'd his Body Year of our Lord 1326 As for the King the Lords made his Process degraded him of his Royalty and condemned him to perpetual Imprisonment to put his Son Edward III. in his stead Afterwards the Friends to this unfortunate Prince by practising several means to save him compleated his ruine It was resolved to dispatch him out of the World and that after a most cruel manner They thrust a red hot Iron up into his Fundament through a Pipe of Horn fearing the burning should be discovered His Wife in her turn was punished by her own Son in the same horrible manner of revenge Year of our Lord 1326 In the mean time young King Edward Married Philippa the second of the four Daughters which the Earl of Hainault had by Jane Daughter of Charles Earl of Valois Divers Bands of Gascon Adventurers whom they called the Bastards perhaps because their Chiefs were such ravaged Guyenne They went into Saintonge where they seized upon the City of Xaintes but perceiving that the Captains whom King Charles had sent thither were resolved to give them Battle they withdrew in the night having set Fire to the City Year of our
understood Divinity better then did the Canonists of the Court of Rome So that the Pope perceiving his Opinion was not well received and entertained said he had propos'd it only by way of Disputation or Argument Year of our Lord 1334 He died the year following leaving an immense Treasure scraped together by his exactions made upon the Clergy of France Peter Fournier Cardinal of very mean and low birth but greatly eminent for his Moderation and Frugality succeeded him in the Holy See and took the name of Benedict or Benet XII Year of our Lord 1335. and the following Arthur II. Duke of Bretagne had married two Wives the First was Mary Daughter and Heiress of Guy Vicount Limoges The Second Yoland Daughter of Robert IV. Earl of Dreux and one Beatrix Daughter and Heiress of Amaury V. Earl of Montfort by Mary came three Sons John II. who was Duke after his Father Guy who had for his part the Earldom of Pontieure and from whom came a Daughter named Jane and Peter who died without Children Of Yoland came a Son named John who had the Earldom of Montfort as his Great Grandfather by the Mother had Duke John II. having no Children and his Brother Guy being dead in the year 1330. leaving only a Daughter which was Jane it was easie to foresee that great troubles would arise for the succession of the Dutchy between this Daughter and John de Montfort for this last pretended that he was one degree nearer then she was and besides being a Male he ought to exclude her Now as Duke John had a particular affection for the House of France from which he was descended by the Male line he had it in his thoughts to avoid the destruction of Bretagne for to exchange this Dutchy with the King for that of Orleance or to leave it in Sequestration in his hands to restore it to which of the pretenders he pleased The Lords of the Countrey not able to endure either of these two methods he bethought him of Marrying his Niece to Charles de Chastillon Brother of Lewis Earl of Blois and Nephew by his Mother to King Philip de Valois upon condition he should take the Name the Motto and the Coat of Arms of Bretagne The Marriage was consummate in Anno 1339. The Duke kept him with him and Treated him as his presumptive Successor John de Montfort dissembling those pretences he had to the contrary Year of our Lord 1336 Edward having attained to full majority prompted by his own great courage and the Favours Fortune had newly bestowed in a Victory over the Scots was easily led by the continual instigations of Robert d'Artois animating him to recover the Kingdom of France by the Sword He thought it convenient to begin with complaints and accused Philip before the Pope for having ravished that Crown from him during his Minority The Pope having given him no other Answer but an exhortation not to disturb a Prince who had taken on him the Cross for an expedition to the Holy Land the young King impatient of such long delay sent to defie King Philip. All his Allies every one in particular except only the Duke of Brabant accompanied his Year of our Lord 1336 Cartel with their own and the Bishop of Limoges was the bearer Some time before the King having intelligence that they were preparing to make the Rupture went to Avignon with John Duke of Normandy his eldest Son to visit the Holy Father Benedict XII as well to justifie himself of the accusations of the King of England as to cut out work for the Emperour Lewis of Bavaria by rendring his agreement with the Pope more difficult Year of our Lord 1336 The defiance being signified Gautier de Mauny began first by opening the War on the Flanders-side surprizing the City of Mortagne not the Castle then that of Thin l'Evesque which he kept to bridle Cambray that shew'd it self for the French The King of England's Lieutenants likewise began the War in Saintonge by the taking of the Castle of Palencour the Governour whereof for having but poorly defended himself lost his Head at Paris Thus the expedition to the Holy Land was broken off the King called back the Forces he had at Marseilles and kept the Genoese in his pay the best Men for Sea-service in those days with theirs and the assistance of the Castilians he sent a Naval force to the coasts of England where they did a great deal of mischief there being no less then Sixty thousand of them under pay Year of our Lord 1336. and 37. At the same time his Land-Army commanded by Rodolph Earl of Eu and Guisnes his Constable entred Guyenne and gained the Lands of the Vicount de Tartas The Earl de Foix who succeeded him in that employ did likewise conquer many other petty places Year of our Lord 1337 The Cities of Flanders whereof Ghent is as it were the Head hesitated some time between the fear of the power of the French and the distress and indigence the English drove them into expresly having prohibited the carrying to them any Wools out of England into their Countrey but when an English Army had deseated one of theirs in the Island of Cadsant James d'Artevelle whom Edward had gained by the power of Money and Presents mtroduced his Ambassadors into Ghent and Treated his Alliance with that City This Artevelle was a private Brewer and Beer-Merchant but crafty undertaking and politique who had acquired almost the absolute Government in Flanders and maintained Agents in all the Cities So that the Earl could not possibly stop the torrent and was constrained to quit the Countrey Year of our Lord 1338 During all this Edward who after the Declaration of War had returned to his own Island came and landed at Scluse with an Army and Fleet of Four hundred Sail went by Land to Colen to confer with the Emperour who confirmed the Title of Vicar of the Empire to him and promis'd to attaque France with the Forces of Germany provided he might have such great sums of Money as he demanded Year of our Lord 1338 At his return from Colen he encamped some days before Cambray an Imperial City but wherein the Bishop had suffer'd Prince John the Son of King Philip to enter Finding he could do little there he passed the Scheld to give the King battle The two Armies were nigh each other about the Village of Viron-fosse in Cambresis The King much the stronger in appearance forbore to give battle because Robert King of Naples a great Astrologer had sent him word that in what place soever he should venture to fight the English he should lose the day and run his Kingdom into an extream danger The remainder of the year was spent in picquering and sending forth small parties to make inroads upon one another Year of our Lord 1339 For the Flemmings as the three Cities of L'sle Douay and Orchies stuck much in their Stomachs they proffer'd their Service to
which comes from the Hebrew Year of our Lord 1345 The Earl of Derby after the having refreshed himself at Bourdeaux with the Forces he had brought from England took the Field to fall upon the Provinces on this side the Dordogne The Earl de Laille and the Gascon Lords who had thrown themselves into Bregerac thinking to obstruct his passage over that River were constrained to abandon that Town to him and to let him over-run all the Upper Gascongny where he conquer'd several small places When he was returned to Bourdeaux the Earl de Laille took his opportunity having sent for the Lords of that Countrey he being as it were Vice-Roy and laid Sieg to Auberoâ—ke but not with the like success The Earl of Derby coming to its relief with only aâ—thousand Men defeated his Army which consisted of Tenthousand and took him prisoner with eight or ten Earls and Vicounts more After which he with much ease besieged and took the Cities de la Reole Angoulesine and divers others John Earl of Montfort had been set at liberty by virtue of the Truce upon condition that he should not depart the Court notwithstanding he goes and puts himself at the head of his Forces in Bretagne he besieged Kemper but was so far from taking it that himself had like to be taken Going from thence he sacked and burnt Dinant then over burthen'd with grief and anger for the slow progress in his Affairs he died about the end of September leaving the management of his pretensions to his Wife and his Son who was yet very young He had the same name as his Father and afterwards gained the Surname of Valiant Year of our Lord 1345 The famous Artevelle had made a promise to King Edward to procure that his Son the Prince of Wales should be owned for Earl of Flanders by the great Cities to the exclusion of their natural Lord. Upon this assurance Edward carries his Son to Scluse the Deputies of the Cities went to wait on him he treated them very magnificently but they would not hear of disinheriting their Earl Artevelle's enemies did not fail to make use of this occasion to stir up the peoples hatred against him When he was returned to Ghent having been so ill advised as to remain some days at Scluse after the other Deputies the People fell upon him and murther'd him The King of England retir'd in a fury for the death of his good friend however the Cities of Flanders having sent their Deputies to him he accepted their satisfaction and the offer they made him to bestow the Daughter of their Earl upon the Prince of Wales There was great reason to put some stop to the Earl of Derby's progress in Guyenne the Duke of Normandy goes to Toulouze in the beginning of January with an hundred thousand Men bearing Arms. All this formidable multitude did no more in three Months besides the taking of two or three little paltry Towns in Angenois and the City of Angoulesme whence they fell down upon Tonneius and after that came and hesieged Aiguillon seated on the confluence of the Rivers d'Olt and de Garonne well munition'd and well fortify'd those times In all this age we do not find a more memorable Siege either for the Attaques or the Defence They made three Assaults each day for a whole week together then they came to their Artillery and their Engins both by Sea and Land Philip the Son of Eudes Duke of Burgundy and Earl of Boulogne by his Wife who was Daughter and Heyress of Earl William was wounded upon a Salley whereof he died At last the Battle of Cressy being lost drew away the Duke of Normandy from this Siege which till then he obstaintely continued Year of our Lord 1346 The Second day of June Edward with a Fleet of Two hundred Sail wherein he had Four thousand Men at Arms Ten thousand Archers and as many Foot as well Irish as Welshmen puts to Sea with his eldest Son with intent to land in Guyenne He did not relye so much upon his Forces as upon the secret discontents of the French Nobility and the intelligence he held with many of the Grandees He had with him Gefroy Brother of the Earl of Harcoâ—r a Lord very powerful in Normandy who having lost the favour of King Philip in his indignation and finding no certain security there went into England The winds having turned Edward two several times out of his road towards Guyenne this Gefroy inslamed with revenge perswaded him that Heaven would have him steer his course for Normandy a fat and plentiful Countrey that had not felt a War for two ages so that he went and landed at the Port de la Hogue St. Vaast in Constantin near St. Sauveur which were Lands belonging to Gefrâ—y resolved to cross thorough France to go and joyn the Flemmings Year of our Lord 1346 His Army marched divided by day in three Bodies which joyned together at night Gefroy undertook the Office of Field Marshal The Cities of Valongnes Carentan St. Lo and Harfleur were his first prey Rodolph Earl of â—u and of Guisnes Constable of France and the Count de Tancarville whom the King had sent to Caen encreased his Spoil and Fame by taking them prisoners with the defeat of Twenty thousand Men the Burghers braver in words then deeds having fortaken them in the midst of the Fight Going from thence he continued his march by the Bishopricks of Lisieux and Evreux saccaged and burnt all along the Seine even to Paris but approached not nigh Rouen and came and encamped at Pâ—issy from thence he sent a defiance to Philâ—p to fight him under the Walls of the Louvre but after he had staid there five days fearing to be enclosed betwixt the Rivers of Seine and Oyse he caused the Bridges to be repaired and passed into Beatvaisis with design to retire into his County of Ponthieu marking his road all the way with long traces of Fire and Blood Year of our Lord 1346 Philip foaming with rage to behold with his own eyes from his capital City suh Flames in the very heart of his Kingdom goes forth to pursue him in great haste that he might fight him before he could pass the Somme Edward not being able to find any passage over the River was so happy as to have a prisoner that shewed him the Foord of Blanquetague below Abbevilie Gondemar du Fay a Norman Lord could not hinder him with Twelve thousand Men from passing at low Water and was put to the rout The same Evening Edward went and encamped at Cressy and the next day Philip lodged at Abbevilie which is within three Leagues of it on this side he had not less then an hundred thousand Men with which he might have hemm'd them in and reduced them to a Famine in a few days but he believieng that having over-taken them was conquering them he marches the next day out of Abbeville and gives him battle the
people admitted left it to the Chevalier that Commanded the Watch and his Archers Though the Truce was not expir'd there was still some enterprize upon one another The English seized upon Guisnes having corrupted the Governour with Money Edward excused it pleasantly saying The Truces were Merchandise and that he did no more then follow the example of King Philip who would have bought Year of our Lord 1351 Calais The Traytor that had sold Guisnes was taken and drawn in pieces by four wild Horses Guy de Nesle Mareschal of France was defeated and taken with Arnold d'Endreghen and several people of note in a rencounter in Guyenne Year of our Lord 1350 and 51. In Bretagne the two parties of Blois and Montfort though they had only two Women in the head of them were perpetually engaging and fighting it out desperately In those days challenges between Cavaliers and the chief Commanders of parties that were enemies was very common but more frequent between a certain number appointed on each side then singly hand to hand and indeed they called them Battles The most remarkable in these years was that of Thirty Bretons against as many English Richard Brembo was the chief of these and the Lord de Beaumanoir of the others The victory fell to the Bretons and the greatest Honour to their Chief The following year 1351. Charles de Blois who had been four years a prisoner in England was released upon ransom giving two of his Sons for hostage till the payment of it and till he had discharged that debt he forbore to take up Arms. The Lords that had been taken prisoners in their attempt upon Calais having been discharged carried on the War with the Mareschal de Beaujeu about the Countrey of St. Omers having upon a time surprized the Lombard that had betraid them they Year of our Lord 1351 caused him to be quartered alive The Earl of Flanders had deny'd to assist at the Kings Coronation because they refused to restore his three Cities to him nevertheless he came to Paris to pay homage for his Lands and renew the Treaty of Confederation Year of our Lord 1352 The Sixth of December hapned the death of Pope Clement VI. Cardinal Stephen d'Albert a Limosin by birth and Bishop of Clermont succeeded him the Eighteenth of the same Month and took the name of Innocent VI. Year of our Lord 1353 King Charles of Navarre his return into the Kingdom brought with it a long train of war and calamities He had all the good qualities that a wicked Soul renders pernicious Wit Eloquence Craft Resolution and Liberality Though he had this year 1353. married Jane one of the Kings Daughters he gave not over from pursuing his pretensions to the Counties of Brie and Champagne and also Angoulesme Charles d'Espagne to whom the King had given this last disswaded him from proffering satisfaction The Navarrois discontented retires to his County of Evreux and understanding that the Constable was in his Castle de l'Aigle he undertakes a thing as base as it was bold He carries with him a hundred Horse men Year of our Lord 1354 scales the Castle it was on the Sixth of January and makes them stab him in his Bed That done he had the insolence to own the fact to justifie himself by Letters to the King and Council and all the good Cities of the Kingdom to raise Forces fortifie his Towns and sollicite all the neighbouring Princes to a League against France Year of our Lord 1354 The King dissembles him and flatters him to draw him to Paris but he will not come till they grant him conditions very advantagious of Lands for the value of Brie and Champagne the independance of his Earldom of Evreux from all others but the King full and free Absolution for those that had murthered the Constable and besides all this a very considerable sum of Money and the Kings Second Son in Hostage Year of our Lord 1354 Upon these Securities he appears in the Parliament of Paris the third day of March The King sitting on his Throne attended by the Pairs the Legat and divers Prelats The criminal having crav'd his pardon in a studied Speech intermixed with complaints and excuses the Constable had order to arrest him only for forms sake and lead him out to the next room while they debated then straightway he was released upon the request of the two Queens the Widdows of Charles the Fair and of Philip de Valois The Legat made him a grave Remonstrance and after all the King declared him Absolv'd Some few days after he retired into Normandy but went immediately without leave of the King and made a journey to Avignon He went ierreting up and down till the English should take the Field whereupon the King enters again into Normandy and seized his Lands but that Prince returning from Navarre by Sea having brought Forces that sacaged all the Countrey and besides it being Year of our Lord 1355 feared the English would soon Land it was thought sitter to make use of kindness Charles the Kings eldest Son soothed him so finely that he was pacified and least in appearance and came with him to Paris The Emperour Charles IV. goes to be Crowned at Rome or rather to be cover'd with shame having made that infamous Contract with the Pope that he would not sojourn so much as one whole day in that City which brought both Year of our Lord 1355 himself and the Empire into the most despicable condition The year following upon the Eleventh of January he made that famous Constitution called the Golden Bull of which the Politicians judge very variously Upon a Shrove-Tuesday night the English by Scalado took the Castle of Nantes and the very same night Guy de Rochefort took it again and hew'd them all in pieces as a reward for their having broken the Truce Gaston Phebus Count de Foix who Married the Sister of the King of Navarre was sent prisoner to the Chastellet at Paris because he refused to hold his Lands of the Year of our Lord 1355 King perhaps it might be those holden of the English But in a Month after he was set at liberty upon condition he should go into Guyenne and command the Kings Army against the Prince of Wales For the Truce was no sooner at an end but that young Prince invested in the Duchy of Guyenne by his Father began to make himself known by ravaging and burnings He made incursions even as far as Beziers and Narbonne without meeting any opposition from the French Commanders the Earl of Foix James de Bourbon Constable Year of our Lord 1355 and John de Clermont who were stronger then his party but too much divided by jealousies amongst themselves His Father at the same time landed at Calais and ran over all the Boulonois and Artois even to Hesdin where he broke through the Park yet could not force the Castle but having intelligence that King John was coming directly to
was nothing of all this in the Letter but the Captain who could not read believed it and drew out the Garison The Mayor had laid an Ambuscade amongst some Ruinous Buildings which cut off his passage and hindred his return Ten or twelve Forelorn Wretches that were left in the Castle Capitulated After this the crafty Rochellers before they would open their Gates to the French made their Treaty with the King and obtained to have the Castle demolished or if we will believe their Memoirs an Amnesty for having demolish'd it before the Treaty Besides this they got so many Priviledges and great Advantages as tended as much towards the putting this City at liberty as for the exchanging their Master After the Constable who represented the King had taken their Oaths of Fidelity he pursued the Conquest of Poitou and Saintonge Most part of the Lords were retired to Touars he laid Siege to it and forc'd them to Capitulate That they should put themselves their Lands and that place under Obedience of the King unless the King of England or one of his Sons did come with an Army strong enough to sight the Besiegers by Michaelmass-day This sort of Composition was practised as long as there was the least faith left amongst Men. It ever included a Cessation of Arms during which the Besiegers taking Hostages of the Besieged raised their Camp and left them all manner of liberty excepting only the admitting more Soldiers into the Garison or to furnish or provide it with Stores Year of our Lord 1372 When King Edward heard of this Capitulation Honour and Necessity rowzing and bringing to his mind the remembrance of his Victories he puts to Sea himself with four hundred Vessels that he might not lose so fine a Country and so many brave Men. But the Winds refused to be serviceable to him upon this occasion they tossed him about for six weeks together and would not afford one favourable gale but what blew him towards his own Ports of England The time being expired the Lords performed the Capitulation after which the Cities of Saintes Angoulesme Saint John d'Angely and generally all the Country even to Bourg and Blaye returned to the Obedience of their Ancient and Natural Soveraign Year of our Lord 1372 John de Montfort Duke of Bretagne looked with fear upon the Prosperity of the French his ancient Enemies and with regret upon the decay of the King of England his Father-in-Law and his Protector but he was not Master in his Dutchy the People would have no more War the haughty humour of the English was not compatible with their Liberty and the Barons dazled with the lustre of de Guesclin and de Clissons Fortune had their Eyes turned upon the Employments and Pensions of the Court of France Thus the Duke was under great constraint If he admitted any English to land upon those Coasts the Common People fell upon them if he quarter'd them in his Garisons the Lords rose up Having placed some in Brest Conquet Kemperle and Henneband they besought the King to send them some Forces to drive them thence and put the Cities into his hands as they did Vennes Renes and divers others The Revenge he would have taken by laying Siege to St. Mahé did but hasten his loss and the Constables march with the Duke of Bourbon Some English Soldiers that he had sent for to strengthen himself withall had the whole Country against them and were all cut in pieces so that although he had some good places left he durst not shut himself in any of them but passed over to England to cry out for help Whilst he was gone the Constable secured them all excepting three Brest Becherel and Derval this last belonged to Knolles he laid Siege to all these at the same time as likewise to la Roche-sur-yon in Anjou This last being farthest off from all Assistance surrendred Brest Becherel and Derval promised to do as much if within a certain prefixed time there appeared not an Army sufficient and that would hold Battle to make the French raise their Siege As for Brest and Derval they saved themselves by this means The Earl of Salisbury was then at Sea to guard the English Coasts against the Spanish Navy Commanded by Evans of Wales whose Father King Edward had put to death to get that Principality Hearing what danger Brest was in he landed in Bretagne encamped and entrench'd himself near that place then sent his Heraulds to the Constable to proclaim that he was come to raise the Siege and expected him there The Constable did not think sit to attaque him in so well fortisied a Post Thus that place was deliver'd At their departure thence Knolles who had defended it threw himself into Derval not thinking himself obliged to stand to the Treaty made by that Garison which cost the Lives of their Hostages and by way of Reprizal the Lives of some Gentlemen whom Knolles had taken Prisoners As for Becherel it held out a whole year at the end whereof no Army appearing on the day prefixed to relieve it it fell into the hands of the French The King of England did not fail of his Guaranty to the Duke of Bretagne he raised an Army of above Thirty thousand Men whom he gave to the Duke of Lancaster to restore that Prince who had the confidence to send defiance to the King of France his Sovereign they landed at Calais the twentieth of July marched thorough and pillaged Artois Picardy Champagne Fores Beaujolois Auvergne and Limosin and descended into Guyenne instead of going into Bretagne as Montfort hoped and expected It was the constant resolution of this wise King not to hazard any great Battle against the English but he ordered his Forces should be lodged every night in some Town should follow the enemy by day and never cease from galling and disturbing them falling upon all straglers and sitting so near their skirts as to keep all Provisions and Forage from them by which means he defeated their great Armies by little and little and made them moulder away to nothing These having been observed and pursued by the Duke of Burgundy as far as Beaujolis and from thence to the Dordogne by the Constable were not only prevented from undertaking any thing considerable but were so much weakned and diminished that scarce six thousand of them got into Bourdeaux Year of our Lord 1373 During this irruption the Duke of Anjou Governour of Languedoc made another much more advantageous into the upper Guyenne He conquer'd several places of little or no name at present but in these days of great importance Two great Judgments a Famine and a * Plague tormented France Italy and England this year 1373. There likewise Reigned especially in the Low Countreys a phrantick passion or phrensie unknown in the foregoing ages Such as were tainted with it being for the most part the scum of the people stript themselves stark naked placed a Garland of
the Battle Year of our Lord 1382. in December The other Cities that had sided with them redeemed themselves by great sums of Money Courtray did not enjoy that favour although they had paid down the purchase the cause of this their misfortune was said to be the resentment of the French for their annual Festivity in commemoration of that Battle they had gained over them in the year 1302. with certain Letters from the Parisians which were found making mention of a League between the Cities in France with those in Flanders for the utter rooting out of the Nobility they were therefore plundered massacred and the Town afterwards set on fire And in effect as soon as the King was gone out of France the Citizens of Paris Rouen Troyes Orleans and several others had taken up Arms upon occasion of the Imposts insomuch that the Princes and the Grandees who sought to make advantage of Confiscations and Fines having easily perswaded the King whether it were true or not that the People had conspired against the Crown that young Prince by their advice and instigation severely chastised those Cities by putting great numbers to death by Proscriptions revocation of Priviledges and excessive Taxes The Parisians as proud but less courageous then the Ghentois went armed forth to meet him in the Plain near St. Denis to the number of Thirty thousand to pay Year of our Lord 1383 their respect to him in appearance but in truth to let him see their strength Nevertheless they did too much and too little for they returned every one to his own home upon his first word of Command He entred their City therefore as into a place conquer'd by force caused their Gates to be unhinged their Barricado's to be broken down took away their Chains and all their Arms their Prevost of Marchants and Sheriffs Offices and afterwards a great many of their Lives who were drowned in the River or hanged or else beheaded Amongst those of the last number was the Kings Advocate John de Marais more guilty for opposing the Princes exactions then for contributing towards their popular commotions After all these punishments they ordered all the Citizens of Year of our Lord 1383 both Sexes to appear together in the Palace-yard The King sitting on his Throne which was raised very high the Chancellour d'Orgemont shewed them the horror of their reiterated crimes in such harsh terms and terrible expressions as seemed to bid them all prepare for death They prostrated themselves upon the ground the Ladies with dischevell'd Hair the Men beating their Breasts all crying out for Mercy The Dukes of Berry and Burgundy fell on their knees before the King who as if he had been moved at their Prayers did with his own Lips pronounce that he did pardon them and did commute the punishment they had deserved to pecuniary Mulcts and Fines This was the true meaning of all that Theatrical project above one moity of their Goods was now exacted from them and then whilst their terror was yet upon them the Imposts were again setled and they were levied with unexpressible extortion The other Cities were Treated in the like manner and these vast sums went almost wholly into the pockets of the Nobility who soon squandring them away agen in foolish and vain expences did in some sort justify those commotions which they so horribly chastised Year of our Lord 1383 The English perceived but too late the fault they had committed in not supporting the Ghentois more early and therefore the Truce being expir'd they resolved to assist them Vrban sounding his Trumpet of war in every corner against the Clementines a Croisado had been preached up in England whereof Henry Spencer Bishop of Norwich made himself Chief Being landed at Calais instead of attacquing the French he fell upon Flanders pretending that Countrey belonged to the King of France who was a Clementine The taking of Gravelin and a Battle he won nigh that place over twelve thousand Flemmings brought a terror upon the whole Countrey After which having had a re-inforcement from the Ghentois he laid Siege to Ypres but the King returning personally into Flanders with a powerful Army drove him from that place re-took and saccaged Bergh which the English had forsaken and shut them up in Bourbourgh he might have taken them at discretion had not the mediation of the Duke of Bretagne obtained them terms that were honourable enough The History written by the Monk of St. Denis speaks not a word of the Bishop of Norwich but attributes this expedition to the Duke of Gloucester However it were he that Commanded was forced to go back into England without much credit and almost without any of his Men. Year of our Lord 1383 This rebuke inclined the English to desire a Peace Deputies on either side were sent to the Village of Lelinghen in the mid-way between Calais and Boulogne The Duke of Lancaster would comprehend the Ghentois and the Earl of Flanders opposed it which caused the Conference to end only in a Truce from the Month of October till St. Johns day following of which it was allowed the Ghentois should be partakers Year of our Lord 1384 The Earl at his going thence having retir'd himself to St. Omers was seized with a Malady whereof he died the Three and twentieth of January in the year 1384. this grief attending him to his death that he beheld his Countrey laid in ashes and glutted with the blood of his own Subjects Perhaps it wounded his Heart to hear the Duke of Berry reproach him with most injurious terms That his too obstinate revenge was cause of all those mischiefs Philip I. Duke of Burgundy his Son-in-law succeeded him in all his Estates and carried on the War against the Rebels but with more mildness and a design of reclaiming those stubborn Spirits and bringing them to a true submission rather by policy and perswasion then by force Year of our Lord 1384 During the Truce there were certain Troops of Robbers who ravaged all Guyenne The Mareschal of Sancerre Governour of the Province could not put up their Robberies they having been so insolent as to attaque himself wherefore he cut them all off There was another rising of the Peasants as cruel as those of the Jacquerie who over-ran Poitou Berry and Auvergne and most inhumanely butcher'd all those whose Hands were not hardned with Labour they were named the Tuchins Year of our Lord 1384 their Leader was named Peter de la Bruyere The Duke of Berry drew his Forces together dispersed them and put their Ring-leader to death with many more of his Rustiques Year of our Lord 1384 After the departure of the Duke of Anjou the Duke of Berry and the Duke of Burgundy engrossed all Authority but especially this last The Duke of Bourbon finding he was not able to make head against him quitted the Government of the Kings Person and partly to perform a Vow he had made to go into the Holy-Land went
his Wife inflamed his covetoufness as his birth and quality inspired him with pomp and magnificence So that being possessed with two contrary passions of getting and spending he succeeded his Uncle the Duke of Anjou and even exceeded him in the unjust desire of pillaging the Kingdom and snatching away the Goods of other People Year of our Lord 1389 Upon the Popes intreaty the King made a journey to Avignon where he was present at the Coronation of Lewis of Anjou by the Popes hands From thence he went into Languedoc where he took information of the Duke of Berry's exactions of which he heard daily complaints They punished this Prince in his Ministers by casting out several of the worst Officers and making the Process of John Betisac principal Counsellor and Minister of his violence He was burnt alive for a crime against nature and this was a Bon-fire to the People whom he had most horribly vexed and abused From Toulouze the King went into the Countrey of Foix. Gaston Phebus received him magnificently and having rendred him homage for his Countrey intreated him that he would be his Heir which was to deprive Matthew Vicount de Castelbon his Cousin-german by the Father of his Succession and get some share of it to fall upon his natural Son At his return he took away the Government of Languedoc from the Duke of Berry and bestow'd it upon the Lord de Chevreuse but five years after he restored it again to him as he was going to make War upon the Duke of Bretagne A Second time the Duke of Bourbon upon a request the Genoese made to the King for his assistance against the Barbarians of Tunis who by their continual Piracies interrupted all manner of Trade fitted out a Fleet wherein were Five hundred Men at Arms all Knights or Esquires and a great number of Cross-bow Men. Philip de Artois Earl of Eu the Count de Harcour the Admiral John de Vienne Charles Sire d'Abret were Voluntiers the Earl of Derby Son to the Duke of Lancaster would needs be amongst them with some Forces made up of his own Countrey-men Being joyned with the Genoese they laid Siege to the City of Carthage at that time the Bulwark of the Kingdom of Tunis The enterprize was greater then their Forces at six weeks end they found themselves so disordered through the heats of the Climate Labour and Wounds that although they had gained a great Battle yet they lost either their hopes or courage and re-embarqu'd again the Genoese only had the craft to take advantage of the King of Tunis by a private Treaty for liberty to Traffique Year of our Lord 1390 To continue the abatement of Imposts they ought to have retrench'd their expences at Court and the cupidity of the Ministers but both of these rather increasing then diminishing their exactions were renewed An honest Hermit the preceding year came to the King commanding him in the name of God not to oppress his Subjects The words and admonitions of this poor Man contemptible in the eyes of the Court having wrought no effect Heaven it self would make use of a more powerful voice and express'd it self in wrath About the midst of July while the Council were assembled at St. Germansen Laye to settle some new Impositions the King and Queen being the same instant at Mass on a suddain there arose such a dreadful strom of Wind Hail and Thunder as almost beat the Castle about the ears of those evil Counsellors and so terrify'd them they durst not go forward with their projects The Turks made mighty progress in Europe Sultan Amurat gained a bloody Battle in the Plains of Cosow against the Kings of Servia Bosina and Bulgaria but he perished there Bajazet his Son Surnamed the Thunder-bolt succeeded him About the same time Themir-lanc King of the Tartars raised himself to great power Year of our Lord 1391 Lewis the Kings Brother buys the County of Blois and that of Dunois or Chasteaudun with some other Lands of Earl Guy who had no Children He likewise got of the King the Dutchy of Orleans notwithstanding all the Remonstrances the Burghers of that City made by the mouth of their Bishop The chief ground of the mortal feud between the Houses of Orleans and Burgundy was their disputes for the Government Having been raked up now for a while this year it began to break forth anew The Duke of Orleans pretended to the administration as being nearest related and arrived at the age of Twenty years but the Estates being assembled at Paris gave their opinion for the Duke of Burgundy Gaston Phebus Earl of Foix who bare the name and devise of the Sun and who was so renowned for his Victories his Generosity his Buildings his Magnificence and his Train and Equipage equal to that of a King died suddenly as they were filling Water for him to wash his Hands before Supper after his return from Hunting He had made a Gift of his County to the King who not desiring to be beneath him in generosity returned it to his Bastard-Son From whence soe're it came or whose fault soe're it was the Treaty between the Duke of Bretagne and Clisson was broken The Duke was infinitely troubled that France should support his Subject against him and make a private Gentleman equal with him The King sent for both of them to Court the Duke far from coming thither renewed his antient Alliances with England Upon this day they dispatch Year of our Lord 1391 the Duke of Berry Peter de Navarre and divers other Lords to him to complain of the correspondence he held with strangers his Coyning of Moneys and making his Subjects give their Oaths to him and against all others He imagined this stately Embassy was only to stir up his People and was upon the point to seize on all of them as a pawn for his better security His Wife having some hint of it though she were great with Child and at that time half undress'd took up her Children in her Arms found him out and by the powerful influence and rhetorique of her Prayers and Tears made him change his mind and resolution She farther prevailed with him to go to Tours where the King was but he came with Six hundred Gentlemen and under the protection of the Duke of Burgundy his good Cousin The King Treated him very civilly and desired nothing more of him but only that he would pay the remainder of the hundred thousand Franc's to the Constable and give up some places to the Earl of Pontieure John Galeazo Viscount had usurped the Seigneury of Milan upon Bernard his Uncle whom he put to death in prison and had deprived his Son Charles and a Daughter married to Bernard Brother to the Earl of Armagnac of his Succession This Earl for his Brothers sake and upon the intreaty of the Florentines and Bolognians whom Galeaze oppressed marched into Lombardy to make War upon him Being more courageous then he he
united Year of our Lord 1415 When all his Forces were in readiness he made no scruple to declare his Pretensions and after he had written Letters full of Protestations and Threatnings to the King whom he stiled only his Cousin Charles of France he came and landed at Havre de Grace at the mouth of the River of Seine where he put on shoar six thousand Men at Arms thirty thousand Archers and all other Necessaries proportionably With these he laid Siege to Harfleur The place defended it self bravely by the courage of four hundred Men at Arms and seven or eight Lords of that Province that had thrown themselves in there In fine it was taken by assault and sacked perhaps not without some secret intelligence or at least the cowardize or baseness of the Chiefs of the French Army who took no great care to relieve them The blame fell on the Constable d'Albret In the mean time the King having set up the Oriflamme or Standard at St. Denis got his Soldiers together The English had lost a great many of their bravest Men upon their Attaques Diseases reigned in their Army and a scarcity of Provisions for they were forced to keep close together reduced them to great streights Insomuch as having held his Quarters for three weeks together along the Sea Coasts they were forced to remove and took their march towards Calais They crossed the Country of Caux the Earldom of Eu and the Lands of Vimeu with intention to pass the River Somme at Blanquetaque Year of our Lord 1415 The French Army which was as yet nothing but a multitude of Rascals pickt up in haste durst not attaque them in their march but when the King who was come in Person to Rouen had sent fourteen thousand Men at Arms and all the Princes to them excepting the Dukes of Guyenne Berry Bretagne and Burgundy it wa resolved they should go and fight them and instead of strongly guarding the passages over the Somme whereby to ruine them they went to way-lay them on the other side of the River and lodged themselves at Azincour in the County of St. Pol. The English being tired seeing the French to be four times stronger then themselves and believing they should be utterly lost if they came to an Engagement sent to profer them reparations for all damages done from the time of their landing in France But their Offers were rejected and Battle presented for the next day being the five and twentieth of October Year of our Lord 1415 The same causes that made them lose that of Crecy and that of Poitiers made them again lose this same I mean the necessity or desperate condition they reduced them unto either to vanquish or to dye their impetuous precipitation the confusion in which they fought all the Chiefs striving to be in the Head besides the ill order of their Van-guard drawn up so close that none but the first Ranks had room to stir themselves and the inconvenience of the Soil so fat and slippery with the Rain and withal so deep that they stood half way the Leg in Myre The Field was bestrewed with Six thousand of theirs and with Sixteen hundred of the English Amongst the slain were the Earl of Nevers and Anthony Duke of Brabant Brothers to the Duke of Burgundy the Duke of Alenson the Constable d'Abret the Duke of Bar the Mareschal de Boucicaut the Admiral Dampierre the Archbishop of Sens Brother of Montaigu and the Vicount de Lannois Son of the same Amongst the Prisoners the Dukes of Orleans and of Bourbou the Earls of Vendosme and Richemont and fourteen hundred Gentlemen The Army indeed Victorious but as much shatter'd as if they had been vanquish'd had much ado to crawl to Calais from whence their King Henry went over again into England Year of our Lord 1415 This great misfortune begot such Civil Discords as made the Wound much greater The Duke of Burgundy went on with his design of usurping the Government and he believed this Juncture very favourable towards it But when it came to be known that he was marched to Dijon with the Duke of Lorrain and ten thousand Horse to come again to Paris they brought the King back with speed and the Duke of Guyenne quartered Men in all the places thereabout The Burgundian being arrived at Lagny sent to the King to desire he might come to him and that the Duke of Guyenne might receive his Wife again whom he had pack'd away to entertain a Mistress He was promised satisfaction in this second thing he demanded but for the first he could never obtain it he was expressly forbidden to come near Paris but only with his own Servants There had been no security for him he found they had put all his Friends in Prison Hang'd up all his Soldiers they could light upon and sent for the Count of Armagnac his greatest Enemy to take the Constables Sword The mischief proceeded principally from the evil Counsels of certain Plagues in Court who for their private Interests promoted the differences between the Princes and plunged the young Duke of Guyenne into all Debauchery The University and Parliament made loud Complaints and moved that young Prince so much that he did promise to take some order but in few days afterwards he fell sick of a Loosness whereof he died the Five and twentieth of December not without visible marks Year of our Lord 1415 of Poyson The Count d'Armagnac being arrived at Paris the nine and twentieth of the same Month set aside the Propositions for Peace envenomed the Sore instead of healing it and made himself absolute Master of the Government having obtained the Soveraign Administration of the Treasury and the Command of Captain General of all the Fortresses with power to put in what Governors and what Garrisons he pleased After the death of the Duke of Guyenne the Succession to the Crown was to fall to his second Brother John Duke of Touraine The Earl of Hainault whose Daughter he had Married had carried him into his Country all honest Frenchmen wished he might return to inform himself in all Affairs In the mean time to gain the affection of the People and shew he was not engaged to any Party he Commanded both of them to lay down their Arms. The Burgundian who had stood gaping idly in Lagny was glad of so fair a pretence to retire He went back into the Low-Countries vexed to the very Soul that his Enemies should deride him and call him John de Lagny not much in haste The Emperor Sigismund desiring to procure the Churches Peace and also a Peace amongst Christian Princes made a Voyage into France and from thence Year of our Lord 1416 into England but without any success because the Constable refused the Truce for four years which he had propounded betwixt those two Crowns The King received him magnificently at Paris and was willing he should take his place in Parliament but it was not so well
Leagues but finding he was too weak and that his prayers availed not with his Son in Law he retreated and his Constable was forced to capitulate The Castle of Guissant which is within four Leagues of Bayonne surrendred likewise after three thousand English whom the Constable of Navarre and the Year of our Lord 1449 Mayor of Bayonne sent by Water to their relief had been beaten by the Besiegers At the same time Veneuil in Perche was taken by the contrivance of a Miller in revenge for that the English had beaten him the great Tower held it out yet a while In the interim the Count de Dunois by the small resistance he met with from Pont-Audemer Lisieux Mantes and the Forts that were round those Cities perceiving the English were at a low ebb sent the King word that Normandy was sorely shaken He was besides informed that the Duke of Bretagne with the Constable had taken Coutances and that the Inhabitants of Alenson had restored their Duke to his City and besieged the Castle which immediately capitulated Upon this good news he departs from Vendosme where he got his Forces together came to Verneuil thence to Louviers and Pont de Larche to summon the City of Rouen whose Inhabitants were disposed to shake off their yoak Year of our Lord 1449 The Earl of Sommerset who was in it with three thousand English did not permit his Heraulds to come near Which could not prevent a party of the Inhabitants from placing many Frenchmen upon their Walls but the rest not joyning with them that design miscarried These would first make their Conditions with the King as they did the next day Their Archbishop Rodolph Roussel who was chief of the Deputation obtained security and liberty for the Persons and for the Goods of all those that were within the City as well English as French whether choosing to remain there still or to remove elsewhere if they desired it When he had given an account of the Treaty in the Town-Hall the English endeavoured to frustrate the execution by seizing on the Gates and Walls but the Inhabitants soon dispossess'd them and forced them to retire to the Bridge the Castle and the Palace The Fort St. Catharine held but little Sommerset having few Provisions in the old Palace capitulated within fifteen days That himself and all his should go out with their Lives and Goods and all their furniture for War excepting their great Guns That they should pay fifty thousand Gold Crowns and all such Debts as they owed to the Bourgois and the Merchants belonging to that Country That they should be obliged to procure the surrender of Caudebec Moustiervilliers Lislebonne Tancarville and Honnefleur and for Hostages should leave the Sire Talbot and five or six more of their principal Commanders The Tenth day of November the King entred the City in Pomp and celebrated the Feast of St Martin the ancient Patron of Gall. Year of our Lord 1449 and 50. Notwithstanding the inconveniences of the Winter Season he laid Siege to Harfleur which was the first place that was conquered by the late Henry King of England It surrendred upon the Twelfth day of January As did Honnefleur afterwards which held out but a few days Year of our Lord 1449 At the same time the Duke of Bretagne and the Constable reduced Valongne with six or seven other little places and after a long Siege regained likewise his City of Foulgeres Year of our Lord 1449 These prosperities were not without some mixture or allay of sorrow to the King In the year 1449. while he was at Jumieges they poysoned his dear Agnes de Sorean without whom he could not live one moment To comfort him Antoinetta dt Maignelais Dame de Villequier Cousin to the deceased took her place but she was not sole Mistress the impotence of age stirring up this Kings desires he entertained a great number of beautiful Damsels at least to satisfie the pleasure of his Eye Some would needs have it that some of the Dauphins friends made away Agnes and that he who did most contribute to it was the famous James Coeur Keeper of the Kings Plate Master of the Moneys or Mint-Master of Bourges his Native City a Merchants Son and one that managed all the Treasury There are such wonders related of his Riches his Credit and his Buildings that Chymists would fain persuade us he had the Philosophers Stone In Anno 1452. an Accusation was framed against him in the Kings Council and all his Goods were seized as well for the Crime above mentioned as for those of Concussion Exaction Transportation of Money out of the Kingdom falsifying of Coyn counterfeiting Seals selling Arms and Powder to the Sarrasins c. He appeared voluntarily to justifie himself he was Arrested and removed to several Prisons Finally the King being satisfied that he was guilty says the Decree of the Nineteenth of May 1453. of all these Crimes and yet remitting the pains of death for the services he had rendred him and upon the intercession of the Holy Father condemned him to make Amende Honorable to pay a hundred thousand Crowns and confiscated all his Goods Some time after the Parliament restored him in his Reputation and Estate after he had paid his Fine Towards the beginning of this year 1450. there landed three thousand English at Cherbourgh commanded by Thomas Kyrle who drawing a Party out of the Garrisons made up a gross of six thousand Men with which he adventur'd to take the Field The Constable having heard of their march goes forth to seek them although he had not half their number of Men. He met and fought them nigh the Village of Fourmigny between Carentan and Bayeux along a small River which ran behind them These new Levies joyned with such as had never hunted together could not stand before the old experienced Soldiers who had so many brave Leaders and Warlike Nobility to encourage them few of them escaped since they counted three thousand seven hundred seventy four that were slain and fourteen hundred Prisoners Year of our Lord 1450 This blow brought them to their last gasp they appeared now no more but upon the Walls of some places yet remaining in their hands The King being gone into the Lower Normandy found no great difficulty in besieging them nor much more in taking them Vire Bayeux St. Sauveur le Vicomte Falaize Caen defended themselves but weakly Caen made its composition upon St. John's Eve They provided the Earl of Sommerset and four thousand English he had about him with Vessels to transport them into England but not to any other place The City was given up to the King the Second day of July Falaise the Twentieth of the same Month. The King made his entrance into Caen the Sixth Nothing remained but Cherbourgh the Constable had besieged it after the surrender of Caen Thomas Govel who was Governor with a thousand Natural English gave it up the Eleventh day of August Thus was
all Normandy regained by the French or to speak more properly helped to recover it self in one year and six days The King desiring the remembrance should be preserved and that eternal thanks should be rendred to God ordained general Processions should be made in the Month of September of the same year and annually hereafter upon same day that Cherbourgh surrendred Year of our Lord 1450 After the King had given Order for all the Affairs of this great Province leaving only six hundred Lances and their Archers he turned towards Guyenne and this same year open'd the passage over the Dordogne by the taking of Bergerac which was besieged and mastered by John Earl of Pontieure and Vicount of Limoges He was one of the four Sons of Marguerite de Clisson who was restored to the Estate belonging to his Family by Duke Francis pursuant to the Treaty made at Nantes in Anno 1448. As the loss of the Battle at Fourmigny made the English lose all Normandy the defeat of the Bourdelois made them lose all the rest of Guyenne Amanjeu d'Albret Lord d'Orval going to scowre about the Neighbourhood of Bourdeaux with seven hundred Horse only there came forth ten or twelve thousand Horse and Foot English and Bourdelois who ran confusedly upon him as to a certain Victory D'Orval knowing whom he had to deal with charges them briskly puts them to the rout strewed the ways and Fields with a thousand of those giddy-brain'd Fellows and carried away a great many more to Basas Year of our Lord 1452 The following Summer the King who was still at Tours having drawn together a great many Men resolved to compleat the Conquest of Guyenne much crest-faln at that shock The Count de Dunois is Lieutenant General the Count de Pontieure Foix and Armagnac attaqu'd it at the four corners the English were beaten and gave ground every where so that having no more then Fronsac Bourdeaux and Bayonne the Count de Dunois having besieged Fronsac they capitulated to surrender those three places if upon St. John Baptists-day there appeared not in the Field and near Fronsac an Army able to give them Battle Which not having been able to do they executed the Agreement excepting only as to Bayonne whom they abused with the flattering hopes that the King of England was preparing to come and relieve it Personally The French Generals made their triumphant entry into Bourdeanx the Nineteenth day of June Year of our Lord 1451 In vain did the English struggle obstinately to keep Bayonne after some assaults the apprehension of being taken by Storm obliged them also to capitulate on Friday the Twentieth of August The Governor John de Beaumont with all the Garrison were made Prisoners of War and it cost the Inhabitants forty thousand Crowns of Gold to be spared The favour of Heaven was so benign towards the French or the Peoples fancies so strong that upon that same Friday they beheld a white Cross in the Air over Bayonne which seemed to instruct them that God would have them to forsake the red Cross of England and take up that of France This place being reduced the English had nothing left them in all France but only Calais and the County of Guisnes If we search into the causes of this so suddain and wonderful a revolution we shall find it was the neglect of the English in not well providing and strengthning their places their wont of good Commanders the hatred the People had for their scornful and imperious way of Government On the other hand the union and hearty zeal of the Nobles and all the French Militia the good order and discipline in their Armies the huge stores and provision of Canons and all sorts of Warlike Engines Pioneers and Ammunitions and the new method of approaching and attaquing of Towns by Works and Trenches but above all the Civil War that Richard Duke of York had kindled amongst the English Year of our Lord 1451 and 52. That Duke knew how to make such use of the disgust that Nation had taken against the Government of Queen Marguerite who was a French-woman as to raise himself amidst their discontents up to the Throne which he pretended was due to him rather then to Henry For he descended but only by the Female side from Lionel of Clarence who was second Son of King Edward III. and Henry came but from the third Son who was John Duke of Lancaster his Paternal Great Grandfather Year of our Lord 1452 These Divisions were calmed for a while upon the intreaties of the Lord de L'Esparre deputed from the City of Bourdeaux and the Lords of the Country of Bourdelois who taking distaste at some new Impost that was laid upon them offer'd to restore that Country to the English Talbot the bravest of that Nation and the most zealous for its honour being therefore landed in Medoc with four thousand Men was brought into Bourdeaux by the Citizens the Twenty fourth day of October and about the latter end of the year having received a like reinforcement from England he made himself Master of Castillon Cadillac Libourne Fronsac and some other small places besides The Bourdelois had taken their opportunity when the King was just going to engage in a great War against the Duke of Savoy who apparently must have been upheld by the Dauphin and by conseqence had correspondence in the very heart of the Kingdom Year of our Lord 1452 The Kings quarrel to that Duke was because he had agreed the Marriage of his Daughter Charlotte and the Dauphin without his consent This was the true motive of the War but that he might have some apparent cause he had taken into his protection certain Lords belonging to the Estates of Savoy who having joyned in a League against their Princes chief Minister named John de Compeis were for ever banished by a Sentence given at Pont de Beauvoisis The King advanced even to Fores to restore them but being informed the English were landed at Bourdeaux the Duke being come to wait upon him at Feurs he suffer'd himself to be overcome by his most humble submissions and agreed to a Peace Year of our Lord 1453 The following year he marched to Lusignan in Poitou thence to St. Jean d'Angely for the recovery of Bourdelois His Army besieged Castillon Talbot coming to its relief with six thousand Men was beaten and slain together with his Son His defeat caused the surrender of the City the utter ruine of the English Party and after that the regaining of Bourdeaux For they perceiving Fronsac Libourne Langon Cadillac and all the other Towns about them were reduced the King quartered at Lermont all Relief and even all Provisions failing them surrendred upon composition which the King would never have granted them if a great mortality had not swept away his Men. However the better to curb and keep this City which the interest of Traffick and reciprocal Marriages inclined to be for the English he banished forty
troublesome Master diverted him from all these laudable Exercises and Employments before he had persevered in them one Year and made him plunge anew in the delights of Fopperies and Women Year of our Lord 1492 The Marriage being made with the Dutchess of Bretagne they were to consider of sending back Marguerite of Austria Maximilian cruelly affended at this double Affront cried out Treachery and accused Charles of having forfaken his own Wife to ravish the Wife of his Father in Law Henry King of England jealous of the growth of the French Manarchy and perceiving too late the Fault he had committed in suffering Bretagne to be lost leagned himself with him and both agreed to joyn their Forces that they might fall upon Picardy Year of our Lord 1492 The English failed not to land at Calais at the Time prefixt and laid siege to Boulogne but finding his endeavors signified little that Maximilian came not to joyn his Forces as was promised and withal heard the Rumors of a dangerous Faction in England he found it safest to retire again and took an hundred and fifty thousand Crowns for the Charges of his Army and for some Monies he had lent to Francis II. Duke of Bretagne Father of the new Queen Maximilian in the mean time not having sufficient Forces made use of Craft he Surprized the Cities of Arras and Saint Omers by intelligence and by Night entred into Amiens from whence he was vigorously repulsed His Anger being a little evaporated he consented they should get a Truce of the King for a Twelve-month in the Name of his Son Philip but he would neither be comprised nor named in it The Kingdom of Granada after a War of eight Years successively was entirely conquer'd by the taking of her Capital City Boabdila the last of their Kings having sustained a Siege of eight Months surrendred it to Ferdinand and Isabella the second Year of our Lord 1492 Day of January of this Year 1492. Thus ended the Dominion of the Moors in Spain where it had lasted neer eight hundred Years but not their Nation nor their Mahometan impiety which the Severities of their Inquisition and their repeated Proscriptions could not wholly extirpate but with much difficulty Now as if every thing had contributed to Fill and Crown the House of Spain with Honor and Riches that they might transfer it to the House of Austria it hapned almost at the same time when they finisht this War thae Christopher Colombus discover'd the new World or that Hemisphear opposite to ours That great Sea-Captain a Year of our Lord 1492. And 1493. Genoese by Nation having found by a Relation in Manuscript of a certain Marriner and by Arguments drawn from the disposition of the World and roundness of the Globe composed of the Sea and Land that there were habitable Countries in those Parts opposite to these which we inhabit after he had in vain apply'd himself to divers Princes obtained with much ado three Vessels of Ferdinand and Isabella to go and seek out that which he did imagine might be found He loosed from Cadix in the Month of August of the Year 1492. And sailed so far that he discovered the Islands of Florida from whence he returned into Spain in the following March bringing back with him convincing Marks and Tokens of his discovery and the infinite Riches of those Countries The Spaniards were pleased to name them the West-Indies An hundred Years before this two Venetian Captains named Zeni had found out the Northern Estotiland Year of our Lord 1493 Two Months after his return into Spain Pope Alexander VI. who was by birth an Arrogonian gave to Ferdinand and Isabella and to all their Successors Kings of Castille all the Lands discover'd and to be discover'd beyond a Line that was to be drawn from the Arctick to be Antarctick Pole distant from the Azores about a hundred Leagues towards the West and by South upon condition he should send some honest and learned Men thither to instruct those People in the Christian Religion Saint Bennet's Order had the Honor of the first Mission One named Dom N. Bueil a Catalon was sent thither with twelve Priests and sowed the first Seeds of Faith there Year of our Lord 1492 That nothing might be wanting to the Happiness of Spain the young King Charles VIII did of his own good Will surrender the Counties of Rousillon and Cerdagne to Ferdinand without requiring the three hundred thousand Crowns for which Sum they were engaged but only a Promise that he should be a friend to France The World was amazed and scandalized at this suddain and unexpected Generosity Common Fame laid the blame of it upon a Cordelier Frier by Name Oliver Maillard a famous Preacher in those days and Confessor to the young King It was reported that being suborned by Ferdinand who sent him Barrels of Silver in stead of Wine and having associated himself with John Mauleon another Monk of the same Order to help carry on this Intrigue this last being Confessor to the Dutchess of Bourbon they publickly affirmed that King Lewis XI being on his Death-Bed had given Order for the restitution of these Counties and that his Soul would have no rest till it were performed That with this Theme and by these Suggestions the two honest Fathers some add a third Man Saint Francis de Paulo cast so much terrour into the Soul of that Lady and of Lewis d'Amboise Bishop of Alby who had been Tutor to the King that they perswaded and engaged him to make this fine Restitution Year of our Lord 1493 The German Princes and the Swisse becoming Mediators concerning the differences between France and the House of Austria a Conference was agreed upon to be held at Senlis where the Deputies from the Emperor Frederic from Maximilian his Son and the Arch Duke Philip his Grandson concluded with the King's Deputies to put an end to all Disputes That the King should send Year of our Lord 1493 Marguerit back to the Arch Duke her Brother that together with her he should render up the Counties of Artois and Burgundy but that he should retain the Castles belonging to the four Cities in Artois till four Years were expired and that then Philip being in majority should come and swear and ratify the Peace Ever since the Year 1492. there had been some discourse set on foot of the Rights and Title the King had to the Kingdom of Naples and Arguments used to enflame that young Prince with the Love and Desire of so fair a Conquest Year of our Lord 1492. 1493. And 1494. The Earl of Salerno and those Gentlemen that were banished from Naples having taken Sanctuary in France made the first propositions Afterwards Ludovic Sforza was the principal Agent and brought the King to a determinate resolution for this Enterprize which cost Italy it's liberty and a vast deal of Money Blood and Trouble to France The whole thrid of this design which he spun
that the Oldest were sometimes the most passionate would essay whether amongst the youthfull there might not be found one more Temperate And for this consideration elected John de Medicis Son of Laurence who was but thirty six years of Age. He took the Name of Leo X. There were two Opinions in the Kings Council the one to make an Accommodation with the Venetians the other to regain the Emperor Stephen Poncher Bishop of Paris was of the first such as would be complaisant to the Queen stood for the second This Princess passionately desired to marry Renee her second Daughter to the Arch-Duke Charles and this Advice had carried it if she would at that very time have given her up to Maximilians Hands to breed her and had not obstinately resolved to keep her near her self till she were marriageable Ferdinand on the other side fearing lest the Venetians should renew and joyn in friendship again with France endeavoured to reconcile them with Maximilian and propounded to get Veronna to be restored again to them but the Emperor demanded prodigious Summs of Money and very crabbed Conditions So that the Venetians not being able to come to an Agreement on reasonable Terms with him condescended to a League with the Kings Year of our Lord 1513 By means of their Assistance and during the Truce he had with Ferdinand he believed he might recover the Dutchy of Milan He gave Commission for this to la Trimoville the most renowed of his Captains together with sixteen thousand Foot one thousand Men at Arms and two thousand light-Horse to whom the Venetian Army commanded by Alviane newly deliver'd by the French were to joyn in case of need At his arrival though he had not much more then the half of his Men it spread so great a Terror thorow Italy that all the Places in Milanois surrendred to him excepting Coma and Novarre in the last of which Duke Francis Sforza put himself with five thousand Swisse At the same time the Fleet which consisted of nine Galleys and some Ships having appeared on the Coast of Genoa the Fiesques and the Adornes drew near to Genoa with four thousand Men and having beaten some Soldiery whit which Duke Janu Fregoso thought to hinder their Passage from the Mountains chaced away that Duke and restored that Seigneury to the Obedience of the King having caused Antonio Adorno to be created Duke to administer in his Name Year of our Lord 1513 The injoyment of this Conquest lasted not so long as the time they had imploy'd in acquiring it La Trimoville had besieged Sforza in Novarre and made a Breach but he durst not make his Assault because the said Breach was hardly large enough and there was another Body of Swisse coming to relieve the besieged There were two Opinions that divided the Officers la Trimoville thought it best to go and meet the Swisse John Jacques Trivulcio on the contrary to avoid fighting and wait for the French Troops that were marching to re inforce them The plurality of Votes made them resolve to pursue the first and for that purpose Trivulcio with the Van-Guard should go and take his Lodgment upon that Road whilst la Trimoville should remain yet some time longer before Novarre with the Rear-Guard to expel the Swisse if they endeavour'd to make any Sallies But having some Lands of his own in the Place they had assigned him to take his Lodgment and besides being proud and haughty his Pride and Avarice made him turn another way and take his Lodgment near la Riota in a Boggy Ground and cut up and down with deep Trenches so that the Horse could be of no Service nor be able to help the Foot Year of our Lord 1513 The Swifse that were in Novarre therefore marching forth in the Night which could not have been imagin'd and having joyned the others came with much fury to charge the French Army at the first birth of Day Their Charge was received with the like courage Fifteen hundred of their Men were slain and as many wounded nevertheless they gained the Victory and hew'd all the German Infantry in pieces together with the Gascons La Trimoville wounded in the Leg retreated with all his Cavalry to Vercel and from thence to Susa The burthen of the War fell afterwards upon the Venetians they maintained it well enough but all those Cities that had given themselves up to the French returned and submitted themselves to the mercy of Sforza and were chastized for their defection by great Fines which served him to pay the Swisse The Adornes who had not yet held the Government of Genoa above one and twenty Days having not wherewith to support themselves after such a revolution made their best advantage of it They assembled the People and having declared that they would not maintain an ambitious Government to the great hazard of their Country withdrew themselves out of the City most of the People and Senate conducting them forth with Tears and Wishes for their return By the interest of Cardonna General of Ferdinand's Army and upon the Popes recommendations Octavian Fregosa was â—etled in that Principallity and not Janus who was formerly expell'd Hitherto Maximilian although he had abandoned the King had not yet formally declared himself When he found the opportunity so fair he enters into open hostility against him and then was France in more eminent danger then it had of a long time been For on the one side the Swisse extremely puff'd up by the Victory at Novarre entred by the Dutchy of Burgundy and he with the King of England fell upon them in Picardy Year of our Lord 1513 The Swisse besieged Dijon with five and twenty hundred Men to whom the Emperor had joyned the Nobless of the Franche-Comte and some German Horse commanded by Vlric Duke of Wirtemberg La Trimoville having defended it six Year of our Lord 1513 Weeks judged it better to turn this Torrent another way which after the taking this Place would have overflowed all even to Paris than to render it more violent by thus putting it to a stop He enters upon a Treaty with them and manag'd it so wisely as to send them back into their own Country obliging himself that the King should pay them six hundred thousand Crowns and should renounce the Council of Pisa and the Dutchy of Milan He had no express Order to make these conditions but thought he might be allowed to do it for the saving of all France and thereupon gave them up six Hostages two Lords and four Citizens The King refusing to ratifie this Treaty their Heads were in great danger Only the fear the Swisse had of losing the great Summs of Money he proffer'd them saved the Lives of those innocent Persons Year of our Lord 1513 At the same time about mid July the Emperor and the King of England had besieged Terovenne with above fifty thousand Men. The French Army happily enough threw a Convoy of Provisions and Ammunitions into
the prospect he had of what would be squander'd and wasted in Luxury and vain Prodigallity by Francis I. after his death he sighing said Ah! we labour in vain this great Boy will spoil all Two Male Children he had by Anne of Bretagne died in the Arms of their Nurses There were only two Daughters left Claude who was married to Francis I. and Renee who in Anno 1528. was by that King married to Hercules Duke of Ferrara a petty Prince whom he made choice of purposely that he might not be able to contend with him for the Dutchy of Bretagne FRANCIS I CALLED The Great KING AND THE Father of Learning King LVII Aged XX Years and about four Months POPES LEO X. near seven Years under this Reign ADRIAN VI. Elected the 4th of January in the Year 1522. S. 1 Year and above eight Months CLEMENT VII Elected the 29th of November 1525. S. 10 Years and above 10 Months PAUL III. Elected the 13th of October 1534. S. Years and one Month whereof 12 Years and a half under this Reign Year of our Lord 1515. in January THis is the third time in the Capetine Race that the Scepter for want of Male-Children in the direct Line passes in a collateral Line Lewis I. Duke of Orleans had two Sons Charles who was Duke of Orleans after him and John who was Earl of Angoulesme Lewis XII was the Son of Charles and from John came another Charles who was Father of Francis I. who succeeded to Lewis XII He was crowned at Reims the five and twentieth of January and took the Title of Duke of Milan with that of King of France When this Prince appeared on the Throne in the Flower of his Youth with the Meene and Stature of a Hero with wonderful dexterity and address in all the noble Exercises of a Cavalier Brave Liberal Magnificent Civil Debonnaire and well Spoken he attracted the Adoration of the People and the Love of the Nobility and indeed he had been the greatest of Kings if the too high Opinion of himself grounded upon so many fair Qualities had not inclined him to suffer himself to be entangled in the Snares of Women and the Flatteries of Courtiers who corrupted his Mind and made it spend its self most in outward vain Glory and superficial appearances His first Cares were to seek the Alliance and Amity of the Princes his Neighbours The King of England taking yet to Heart the Infidelity of Ferdinand his Father in Law continued the Peace with him on the same Conditions as he had made with his Predecessor and to last during both their Lives The King sent back Queen Mary to him who afterwards married the Duke of Suffolk The Arch-Duke likewise being thereto obliged by the Flemmings who in no wise would have a War with France and besides judging there might be danger to let things stand without any Colligation between France and England sent the Count of Nassaw Ambassador to him who after he had rendred the Homage due for the Counties of Artois and Flanders treated a perpetual confederation between the two Princes Year of our Lord 1515 The Band and Knot that was to tye this fast was the Marriage in future of his Master with Renee the Queens Sister It was stipulated under terrible Oaths and great pains of refusal on either Part for which Francis stak'd down the Faith of several great Lords and twelve of his best Cities for security The Conditions were six hundred thousand Crowns of Gold and the Dutchy of Berry for her and for her Children That she should renounce to the Succession of Father and Mother namely to the Dutchies of Milan and Bretagne and that the King should be engaged to assist the Arch-Duke with Men and Ships to go and take Possession of the Kingdoms of Spain upon the Death of Ferdinand his Grand-Father It would have been very easie also for the King to have confirmed the League made by his Predecessor with the Venetians but Ferdinand refused the continuation of the Truce unless upon the same Conditions as the last which was that he should not meddle with or touch the Dutchy of Milan Which the King not having accepted of the said Ferdinand the Emperor the Swisse and Sforza Duke of Milan made a League which imported That to compel the King to renounce that Dutchy the Swisse should attack France by the way of Burgundy That in order to it they should receive three thousand Ducats Monthly from the other Confederates and that King Ferdinand should fall with a powerful Army into Guyenne or Languedoc The Pope for whom they had left room in this League did not enter till the Month of July when he found that the King who had kept this design conceal'd all the Winter marched in good earnest to pass the Mountains Upon his access to the Crown he supplied the Offices of Constable and Chancellor with two Persons whereof one caused great mischiefs to France in this Reign only and the other was the occasion of such as were felt then and perhaps may last to all the following Ages He gave that of Constable to Charles de Bourbon who afterwards stirred up great Troubles against him and that of Chancellor to Antony Duprat at that Time first President of Paris who to furnish the Prodigal and conquering Humor of a young King with Money suggested to him the Sale of Justice by creating a new Chamber of twenty Counsellors in the Parliament of Paris and so proportionably in all the others to augment the Tailles and lay new Imposts without waiting the Consent or Grant of the Estates as was the ancient Order and Practice of the Kingdom Year of our Lord 1515 All the Apparel for War being ready the King went to the City of Lyons where he staid some time till Trivulcio and the Lord de Morete with the Mountainers whom the Duke of Savoy had sent to them could find a Passage over the Alpes for his Troops which were arrived in Dauphine For the Swisse who had posted themselves at Suza and those Parts hindred their way by Mount Cenis and the Mount of Genevra which begin both in that Place The Popes Army and that belonging to Ferdinand were encamped on the other side of the Po towards Piacenza and Parma and Prespera Columna had come and lodg'd himself with a thousand Horse in Villa Franca which is within seven Leagues of Saluzzes where he thought himself very secure When with incredible difficulty and by meer strength of Arms Trivulcio had made them sling and hoyst the Artillery over the tops of the Mountains and from thence with no less toyl let them down again in the Country of Saluzzes the King's Forces passed the Alpes at Dragonniera Roquepavier and other Passes which are nigh Provence La Palice who was passed one of the first having correspondence Year of our Lord 5115 with some Inhabitants of Villa-Franca used so much Skill and Celerity that he surprized Prospera as he was sitting down
about him he wrote likewise to the Pope the King of England and the Venetians The Assembly of Notables he called at Cognac said the same and the Estates of Burgundy did absolutely refuse to change their Lord though in appearance he pressed them to it as much as he could Then the Emperor trembling with Rage and Shame perceived that his evil Council with his own greediness had deceived him and hearing that all Italy was but ill disposed towards him he sent away Bourbon with his Galleys giving him Money and the Government of Milan to which he joyned the hopes of adding the Title of that Dutchy when he should have utterly dispoliated Sforza if he could convict him of the Crime of Felony He likewise sent Hugh de Moncado to the Pope to endeavour to satisfie or rather amuse him and commanded him to pass thorough France with order to go no farther if the King would give him up Burgundy Ever since the Treaty of Madrid there had been a League in hand with the King of England and the Princes of Italy which sometimes was laid aside and then again revived when the King was informed by Moncado that the Emperor was absolutely resolved to have the Dutchy of Burgundy and no other condition in exchange he was constrained to conclude it for fear they should comply with the Emperor It was proclaimed the Twenty Eight of June at Cognac between the King the Pope the Venetians the Florentins and Sforza to procure the Release of the Kings Children restore the Kingdom of Naples to the Holy-See and maintain Sforza in the Dutchy of Milan the King reserving nothing to himself in Italy but the City of Genoa Lanoy who had followed the King to sollicite the execution of the Treaty of Madrid seeing the quite contrary took his leave and retired having first summon'd him to return to his Imprisonment according to his Parole given All seemed to favour the Confederates the People of Milan were revolted upon the cruel and proud avarice of the Spaniards their Troops were all shattered and reduced almost to nothing and the Marquess du Guast had not sufficient authority to restrain them But of all the Members of this League there were none but the Venetians that did in part perform their Obligation the Pope proceeded slowly and ambiguously Sforza suffer'd himself to be amused by the Spaniards Artifices and the King aiming at nothing but to disengage his Children did not carry things on Vigorously Besides he hardly ever acted any thing but by fits the pleasures of Women and Hunting made him forget all business He never gave any Orders but when it was out of Season and when he had begun to repair the fault at a double expence he would let all fall again and give over in a moment Thus his Army conducted by the Marquess de Salusses could not get thither till September and his Galleys from Marseilles did not joyn early enough with Year of our Lord 1526 Doria's to regain the City of Genoa and prevent Bourbons Landing But which was the worst Francis de la Rovere Duke of Vrbin General of the Venetian Forces out of certain jealousies for the future and old resentments of time past against the House of the Medicis who had otherwise deprived him of his Dutchy and who still reserved some pretensions would not by any means advance the Popes Affairs too much He might with ease have relieved the Castle of Milan the Burghers would have Seconded his Design and driven out the Spaniards had they been assisted but he left them exposed to the violence of their cruel hostes who miserably saccaged them and tormented them so grievously that many to escape out of their hands gave themselves a voluntary death Afterwards those People that belonged to the Pope and Sforzas men pressed him so earnestly that he could not refuse to approach Milan and either besiege the City or force the Circumvallation about the Castle But Charles de Bourbon being got in with Eight Hundred men only he decamped by Night and obliged the other Commanders to follow him in so much as Sforza reduced at last to the extremest Famine Surrendred the Castle the Twenty Third of July to Charles de Bourbon not renouncing to the Dutchy however and reserving a certain Revenue to himself and the liberty of going to the Emperor to make out his own Justification In all the rest of this War the Duke of Vrbin behaved himself after the same manner he by his Malicious delayes retarded the reduction of Cremona which had Capitulated made them lose the opportunity of forcing Milan after he had received a re-inforcement of Fourteen Thousand Swiss and Five or Six Thousand French whom the Marques de Salusses brought him and that of taking Genoa for which Andre Doria required but Fifteen Hundred men which he would never send him The Colomnes Enemies of Pope Clement and incited by the Imperialists had taken up Arms against him he had raised men likewise to defend himself then suffering himself to be lull'd asleep by a deceitful Peace he disbanded them About the end of October they got into Rome with Three or Four Thousand Men gathered together the Cardinal Pompey Colomna having conspired to kill him and invade the Holy-See which had been Executed if he had not timely made his Escape into the Castle Saint Angelo Having miscarried in this they plundred his Palace and even Saint Peters Church then besieged him in the Castle Hugh de Moncado who was apparently the contriver or abettor of this Conspiracy became the mediator for an Accommodation Which doing he constrained Clement to Treat with them to renounce the League for Four Months and to withdraw his Forces Five Weeks after that is to say about the end of November he being ashamed of his base Cowardliness excommunicated the Columnas and degraded the Cardinal Pompey In the mean while Lanoy who returned from Spain had time to bring Soldiers from Naples Towards Hungary there happened a great and mischievous business to the House of Austria They would fain have made the World believe that Francis had occasioned it and that it was he had drawn the Infidels into those Countries Solyman falling upon that Kingdom the young King Lewis was forced by the General of his Army he was named Paul Tomore a man of Quality and one who having a long time born Armes was turned Monk of the Order of Cordeliers and then promoted to the Archbishoprick of Colacse in the Vpper Hungary to give him Battle It was upon the Twenty Ninth of August in the Plains of Mohac's where he was overcome and drowned in the Neighbouring Marshes All the Flower of his Nobility were Slain there and afterwards the whole Country over-run by the Turks and drenched with the blood of near Three Hundred Thousand of his poor Subjects That was but the beginning of the Calamities of that unhappy Kingdom Ferdinand the Emperors Brother founding himself upon the Right and Title of Anne his
from the good of the Subjects and who Establisht this Maxime so false and so contrary to Natural Liberty Qu'il nest point de terre Sans Seigneur i. e. That there is no Land without its Lord. The Office of Chancellour was given to Antony du Bourg who was likewise a Native of Auvergne and President in Parliament As to the Emperor he having foreseen that Clouds and Storms were gathering together from all Quarters against him by the King the King of England the Princes of Italy and those of Germany that he might have some pretence to Arm himself Powerfully he gave out that he was going to make War upon the Famous Year of our Lord 1535 Chairadin Surnamed Barbarossa who Infested all the Coasts of his Kingdoms of Naples and Sicilia That Pyrate was a Native of Metelin he had a Brother named Horue their Father a Christian Renegade and Poor From their Youth these two Bothers had used Piracy having but one Brigantine between them both then Increasing in Vessels in Men and Money they passed into Mauritania where engaging themselves in a War that was made betwixt two Brothers for the Kingdom of Algiers under pretence of Assisting the one they made themselves Masters of both the City and Country Horue being the Eldest bore the Title of King and Conquered Circella and Bugia likewise and Dispossessed the King of Tremisen but in the conclusion he was Vanquished and Slain in the Rout by the People of that Country joyned with the Spaniards with whom that King was allied Chairadin Barbarossa his Brother Succeeded him and became very formidable in the Levant Seas in-so-much that Sultan Solyman gave him the Command of his Naval Forces There were two Brothers at Tunis Sons of King Mahomet who disputed for the Crown Araxide and Muley-Assan this last although the younger had taken the Scepter by his Fathers appointment the other to avoid his Cruelty fled to Constantinople and Implored the Protection of the Grand Seignor Barbarossa taking advantage of this occasion appears before Tunis pretending he had brought him back to restore him though indeed he left him in Prison at Constantinople By this wile he so deceived the People that he was received into the City and drove Muley-Assan thence This man had recourse to the protection of Charles V. who undertook to re-establish him Charles landed therefore in Africk with an Army of above Fifty Thousand Men took the Fort of Goletta which he kept for himself setled Muley-Assan in Tunis beat Barbarossa at Land gave him chace by Sea and delivered Twenty Thousand Christian Slaves then upon the fourteenth of August he Weighed Anchor and set Sail for Sicily where in few days he Arrived Having so journed there neer three Months he passed to Naples about the end of November Year of our Lord 1536 From thence he wrote to his Brother-in-Law the Duke of Savoy to comfort him for the losses he had sustained by the French and of his eldest Son Lewis who died in Spain These words were but a weak support against those evils which encreased upon him every day For the Bernois having declared War in January 1536. drove out the Bishop of Lausanne Seized upon that City the Country of Vund Gex Genevois and Chablais as far as the Drance the Valesans on their side Invaded the rest of Chablais from that River all above Those of Friburgh got Possession of the County of Romont and the French Army Marched at the same time to enter into Piedmont John de Medequin Captain of the Castle of Muz afterwards Marquess of Marignan and some other of the Emperors Commanders whom the Duke had sent to Guard the Pass of Suze came there too late Antonio de Leva having visited Turin and found it was not yet Tenable was not of opinion that the Duke should venture to wait for the French there He went out therefore on the twenty seventh of March with his Wife and his Son and having Embarqued his richest Goods and Artillery â—n the Po retired to Vercel Turin Surrendred the third of April Whilst the Emperor was yet in Sicily he had News of the death of Duke Francis Sforza which hap'ned in the Month of October not leaving any Children by his Wife who was the Daughter of Elizabeth his Sister and Christierne II. King of Denmark Now the Dutchy of Milan being under the Power of the Emperor knowing the great Passion the King had for so excellent a Dutchy he made use of it as a Lure to amuse and lead him in a Slip if we may so express it all the rest of his Life Gravelle his Chancellour had told Vely the Kings Ambassadour that his Master would not dispose of that Dutchy till he had received Information from him how he intended to demean himself in these three particulars the first was in the War against the Turk the second the reduction of all the Christian Princes to the Catholick Religion and the third the setling of a Firm Peace throughout all Christendom He added that the Emperors desire was rather to bestow that Dutchy upon the Kings third then upon his second Son and demanded that the second might accompany him to the Siege of Algiers These two last Conditions did not please the King Upon the other three Heads he made such Replies as ought to have Satisfied the Emperor He demanded the Dutchy for Henry Duke of Orleans his second Son and offer'd to give four hundred thousand Crowns of Gold for the Investiture On this Foot he Year of our Lord 1536 sent to Vely that he should press the Emperors Resolution But that Prince gave only general Words and in the mean time put his Affairs in good Order for he made the Marriage between his Bastard and Alexander de Medicis who was one likewise and Confirmed him in the Government of Florence He made a new Confederation with the Venetians induced thereto by the Fame of his Victories in Africa and by the perswasions of the Duke of Vrbin General of their Armies He sent to his Sister Mary Widow Queen of Hungary to whom he had given the Government of the Low-Countries after the death of Margaret Widow of Savoy his Aunt as likewise to those with whom he had left that of Spain to make the greatest Levys of Men and Moneys they possibly could and himself on his part labour'd to get store of Money in Sicily and Naples and to encrease those Forces he brought out of Africa Now with promising hopes he led on Vely and the Kings Envoys even to Rome In the Month of April he made his Triumphant entrance and Sojourned there thirteen days There it was they Discovered his ill intentions and inclinations towards the King for after the Pope and he had conferred together about their Affairs he prayed him to Assemble his Cardinals and before them with Hat in hand he made a long harangue full of Invectives Complaints and Menaces against King Francis and would needs give them an account of all
suffer she should be carried into England The Inhabitants of Rochel of Marennes and of the Islands were revolted upon the endeavouring to settle the Gabel in those Countries The King at his return from Languedoc passed that way to suppress that Commotion About the end of December he entred with his Forces into Rochel and caused great numbers of the Seditious Islanders to be brought before him bound and chained After he had put them into an extream Consternation he suffer'd himself to be overcome with Compassion and from a Scaffold where he was Surrounded by the Grandees of his Court he heard the most humble Request they made him by their Advocate and which they seconded with doleful Cries for Mercy and after he Year of our Lord 1543 had laid open their faults in a discourse equally Tender Majestick and Eloquent he absolutely forgave them caused all the Prisoners to be set at Liberty and all the Soldiers to be sent out of the City He would likewise that day needs be guarded and served at his Table by the Bourgeois His incomprehensible goodness ✚ cloathed them with shame and confusion and left in their Hearts and Memories a mortal regret for having ever offended him This was to chastise them indeed after a most Noble and Royal manner The Princes and Emperor of Germany had so often demanded a Council that in the Year 1536. Pope Paul III. had Indicted one at Mantoua for the Two and Twentieth of May the following Year From that time he had Prorogued it to 1538. then to 1539. at Vicenza but had yet suspended the Celebration for as long time as he should find fit In the Year 1542. he was obliged by the vehement pursuit of the Emperor who pressed him because he was so earnestly pressed by the Princes of the Empire to assigne one in the City of Trent which he did by his Bull of the One and Twentieth of May. He believed this Consideration might serve to bring the two Kings to a Peace but the War growing still hotter betwixt them there came so few Bishops to Trent that Year of our Lord 1543 he was this year 1543. forced to recal the Legates he had sent thither and refer the Celebration of the Council to a more pacifick opportunity In France and Spain they were making greater preparations for War than ever The Spaniards furnished the Emperor with above four Millions of Gold John King of Portugal who was Marrying his Daughter Mary to Philip his only Son gave him very great Sums and the King of England promised him no less This inconstant Prince who could never long agree even with himself being offended for that Francis would not renounce his obedience to the Pope and for intermedling too far about the Affairs of Scotland had made a new League Year of our Lord 1543 with the Emperor who did not in the least scruple to have a Prince in Alliance with him though he were under the blackest censures of the Church a mortal Enemy to the Holy-See and one that had used his Aunt so outrageously That he might be able to withstand so dreadful a Storm the King laid an impost upon the walled Cities for the Maintenance of Fifty Thousand men which ended not with the War as he had promised nor was revoked till under the Reign of Francis II. The Emperor going into Germany went by Sea to Italy whither he also carried Ten Thousand Spaniards in some large Ships and Galleys He could not upon the Popes earnest request refuse to confer with him They met as Bussetta between Parma and Piacenza The Holy Father endeavoured to perswade him to give up those two Cities to the Holy-See and invest his Grandson Octavius Farnese with the Dutchy of Milan since the Italian Potentates would never consent that he should retain it for himself The Emperor gave him only general words and cut the Conference off very short for fear of giving jealousie to the King of England who was subject enough to misinterpretations That Muley-Assan whom he had restored to the Kingdom of Tunis being hardly beset on all hands by the Turks who had taken from him divers of his places came to Genoa to kiss his hand and crave some Assistance Whilest he was absent one of his Sons named Amida usurped the Kingdom The unfortunate Father having given him Battle with some Forces scraped together was vanquished and taken with two more of his Sons by the Rebel who put out his Eyes reproaching him for having served his own Brothers so Afterwards this Parricide being driven out of his Kingdom by the Governour of Goletta where nevertheless he got the Mastery again some while after Muley-Assan made his escape out of Prison and took refuge amongst the Spaniards Year of our Lord 1544 In the Spring time the King gave Command to Antony become Duke of Vendosme by the Death of his Father Charles to revictual Terouane Then himself lead his greatest Forces towards the Low-Countries where he thought to make a considerable Progress while the Duke of Gueldres held the Emperors in play So that about the end of May though he were indisposed he put himself in the head of his Army which was joyned with the Troops of Antony Duke of Vendosme He roved for some Weeks all about the Country of Artois and having often changed his Mind sometimes to Fortifie L'Illiers and Saint Venant another while to besiege Avenes he fixed at last upon the Fortifying Landrecy on the other side of the Sambre After he had given the necessary Orders he came to encamp at Maroles then to refresh and repose himself at Reims where he had caused the Ladies to come to divert him Whilst he was at Maroles the Daufin employed part of the Army for the taking the Castle of Emery which is on an Island in the Sambre and the Town of Maubeuge but a while after he forsook them The Duke of Orleans likewise entred into Luxembourg regained all the Country which had been taken after his going away and amongst other the Capital City which gives it the Name The King was there in Person visited the Place and notwithstanding its vast Circumference and odd Situation would have it Fortified Such as were knowing in the Trade were against the doing of it but because it was like to be a work of great profit to him that should have the ordering of it there was an Engenier ☞ that advised it and undertooke it In the mean while the Emperor having passed out of Italy into Germany came at first to attack the Duke of Cleve and by the taking his City of Duren which he sacked and perhaps by the Assistance of his own People whom he had corrupted frighted him and all the rest of the Country so terribly that he came and craved his Pardon and promised to quit his Alliance with the French and the Title of Duke of Guelders satisfying himself with that of Administrator Which was so suddenly done that the Duke had not time
Duke of Savoy to all his Lands but that he should retain the Towns so long as the Emperor did hold Milan and Cremona That what had been taken Year of our Lord 1545 in those Countries since the truce of Nice the Emperor had taken but one place and the King above twenty should be resigned by either party as likewise all those which had been taken in France and in the Low-Countries This Place being more Advantageous to the Duke of Orleans then to France the Daufin who could not Suffer either the Aggraâ—dising of his Brother nor the damage of the Kingdom made Protestations against it in the Castle of Fontainebleau in presence of the Duke of Vandosme the Count d'Enghien his Brother and Francis Earl of Aumale the second day of December The Kings People of the Parliament of Toulouze did so likewise as to what concerned the Rights of the Crown and the Translation of the Subjects to another Prince That which hastned the King to conclude this Treaty was not alone the instigation of the Duke of Orleans but likewise the unwelcom news he received of Boulognes Capitulating and the extreme danger Monstreuil was in The Mareschal de Biez defended the last most Stoutly though it were nothing worth but his Son-in-Law James de Coucy Vervin a young Fellow easie to be scared as having no experience Surrendred Boulogne most unworthily before it was in danger and when the Daufin was within two days March of the Place to Relieve it Nor did he forgive him for it having ever a strong conceit that he had given it up to favour the Duke of Orleans Monstreuil was saved because the Peace being concluded at Crespy the Count de Bures and de Roeux who were joyned with the Duke of Norfolk had very express Orders to retire The Daufin who had used great diligence to come to the relief of Boulogne finding it Surrendred made an attempt in the Night upon the Basse Ville which was enclosed only with a Ditch without any Wall and yet nevertheless where the English had put their Cannon and Equipage He gained it very â—asily But for want of good Order his men falling upon the Baggage the English came down from the upper Town and though much inferior in Numbers beat and drove them out but not all for there were four or five hundred remained dead upon the place This project failing the Mareschal de Biâ—z had orders to raise a Fort upon the point of Land which lies right over against the Old Tower to hinder the entrance into the Harbour but they having no Water there and it being impossible the Souldiers could abide in it by reason it lay exposed to all Wind and Weather they built another that faced the Basse-Ville or lower Town in a place called Outreaâ— but made it so small that after three Months labour they were fain to fill up the Trenches to enlarge it Year of our Lord 1545 The Affairs of Scotland being Embroiled by the King of England who whatever it cost him would have the Heiress for his Son the King took a care to assist the young one and the Queen her Mother The Earl of Lenox in the year 1543. carried some Forces thither which he sent But that Spark having gamed away the Money which was for Payment of their first Muster went over to the King of England's Service who bestowed his Neece upon him In his room were sent the Lord de la Brosse a Gentleman of Bourbon then Lorges Earl of Montgomery Captain of the Scotch Guards with some Soldiers Some Vandoâ—s were still remaining in the Valleys of the Alpes between Daufiné and Savoy There were of them in the two Burroughs of Merindol and Cabrieres the first being part of the County of Venisse the other in the Territories belonging to the King Since Luther's starting up they began to Preach publickly About the year 1536. the Parliament of Provence whereof Anthony Chassane was then Premier President had made a Decree for the punishing them This had been put by several times but this year 1545. John Menier d'Oppede who succeeded Chassanâ— that dyed suddenly being moved either out of Zeal or because one of his Tenants went away to Cabrieres without paying his Rent undertook to Execute it He raised Forces and joyning them with such as the Vice-Legat of Avignon was pleased to furnish him withal went to Exterminate those miserable creatures and made a general Massacre of all of them without distinction of Age or Sex excepting only such as made their Escape to the Rocks The preceding year Anthony Duke of Lorraine had left this World this year Duke Francis his Son followed him leaving a Son named Charles aged but two years Anthony was fain to use great skill to preserve and poyse himself between the King and the Emperor He Married one of his Daughters to Rene de Chaalons Prince of Orange and Francis his eldest Son to Christina Daughter of Christierne II. King Year of our Lord 1545 of Denmark and Dorothy Sister to the Emperor The King had conceived great jealousies upon it Nevertheless his conduct was so prudent and his proceedings seemed so cordial in his Laborious undertakings to procure a Peace between him and the Emperor that at length he was fully satisfied in him The Council was earnestly demanded for by the Emperor and by the Germans but the Catholicks desired a general one and the Protestants a National where the Pope should not be Judge In the year 1542. Paul III. had indicted it at Trent And nevertheless for divers causes he delay'd the opening of it till the thirteenth day of December in this year which was the third Sunday in Advent The Orders for the Convocation were directed to the Emperor and the King by Name but to all other Princes only in general When the King found he could not recover Boulogne either by force or by way of Treaties he believed the best means to regain it would be to attaque the King of England in his own Island He therefore sent Orders to Captain Paulin to sit his Galleys at Marseilles and bring them to the Mouth of the River Seine got ten great Genoese Ships divers of which perished at the entrance into that River and joyned all the Good Vessels he had in any of his Harbours But intending to Treat the Ladies at Dinner in his great Carrack which was the stateliest Vessel belonging to the Sea the Cooks by their carelesness set it on Fire utterly consumed it and much damnified all those that lay about her by the discharging one hundred Guns she had on Board Which greatly disordered the Feast and gave an ill presage of that expedition The Admiral Annebaut had the Command of the Fleet. He went to seek out the English upon their own Coasts and Seized upon the Isle of Wight The English after some small Firings retired between that Island and Portsmouth in a place surrounded with Banks and Rocks where there was
but one narrow Channel to go in It was not thought sit either to fortifie the Island nor to fall upon them in a place of such advantage but to Land on their Coasts in sight of King Henry who was come down to Portsmouth to see what passed and send forth his Men of War They made two or three Landings with a great deal of Noise but Annebaut perceiving they would not come forth and his Provisions being spent he turned his Prow towards France and arrived there about the end of July The Mareschal de Biez advanced little against Boulogne though the King himself to push the business forward were come with Charles Duke of Orleans his second Son to the Abbey of Forrest-Moustier which is within ten Leagues of it between Abbeville and Monstrevil The Wound which Francis Duke d'Aumale received in a Salley made by the Enemies is a thing very remarkable He returned from the Engagement with the Iron head of a Lance and a piece of the Wooden Truncheon sticking in his head which entered at the Angle betwixt his right Eye and his Nose and came out behind between the Nape of his Neck and his Ear. The Chyrurgeon whose name was Ambrose Paré was forced to draw it out with a strong hand and Instrument and yet he most happily recover'd In the mean time Contagious distempers got into the Kings Army and the Duke of Orleans a Prince of great hopes dyed the eight of September at Forrest-Moustier whether of Venom or of some Poison that was thought to have been given him by some Creatures of his Brothers For they could not endure the King should cherish him so much as he did and be angry that the Daufin notwithstanding his command to the contrary kept correspondence with the Conestable Montmorency whose return they desired because their Master earnestly longed for it The death of this Prince broke all the bonds of Concord if there were any between the King and the Emperor The Envoyez carrying the News of it to the latter and asking how he intended to dispose of the Dutchy of Milan he plainly told them that he to whom he had promised it being no more he thought himself disengaged of his promise He declared his intention with so much the greater confidence as finding his Affairs against the Protestants in a very good posture some of whom as Maurice one of the Dukes of Saxony had taken his Party Frederic the Elector Palatin had Submitted Year of our Lord 1546 John Frederic Duke of Saxony and Philip Landgrave of Hesse who had declared War against him did not well agree together in-so-much as their vast Army which at first was Seventy Thousand Foot and Fifteen thousand Horse were almost dwindled to nothing and that his own encreased daily by the Supplyes sent him from the Pope and the Princes of Italy and those Forces he drew out of the Low-Countries his Hereditary Lands and from the Catholick Princes A Peace was equally desired by King Francis and by the King of England The first was not in very good health his Army wasted by Sickness and he apprehended those great Forces which Charles V. raised to quell the Protestant Princes of Germany might fall upon him Henry had neither Men nor Money and feared that a Forreign War might favour such as had a mind to rise at home Upon these considerations they named their Deputies about the end of April who meeting at a place between Ardres and Guines after six weeks debate concluded the Peace upon the eight day of June by which the King of England promised to restore Boulogne within eight years and the King was obliged to give him eight hundred thousand Crowns of Gold to be paid by one hundred thousand each year The residue of this same King Francis employed in visiting and furnishing his Frontiers fearing lest the Emperor should attempt something upon him as no doubt he would had the Protestants Submitted so early as he expected Francis was advised to assist them to keep the War out of his own Kingdom and maintain it in his Enemies He might do it with honour they were his Allies he might in Conscience do it since the Emperor by his Manifesto's declared he designed nothing against their Belief but their Rebellion Nevertheless the Scrupulous Counsel of the Cardinal de Tournon diverted him and even to let them know they were to hope for nothing from him engaged him to express his wrath against such as were Professors of their Religion by kindling the Flames of persecution throughout all his Dominions Great numbers of those miserable Creatures were Burnt many redeemed themselves from Fire and Faggots by Singing Palinodia and the more Sagacious by a timely Flight Year of our Lord 1547 The eight and twentieth of February in the year 1547. Henry King of England aged fifty seven years ended the Thrid of his Life which his incontinency had horribly knotted and entangled by the Multiplicity of his Marriages and the terrible change he made in the Anglicane Church He had six Wives Catherine of Arragon Anne Bullen Jane Seymour Anne of Cleve Catherine Howard and Catherine Parre He was divorced from the first and the fourth saw the third die in Child-Bed and caused the second and the fifth to be Beheaded for the crimes of Adultery the sixth survived him and Married Thomas Seymour Admiral of England By the first he left a Daughter named Mary by the second another named Elizabeth and by Jane a Son named Edward as then nine years of Age who came to the Crown immediately after him The rumour of the Emperors Armes gave astonishment to all Christendom the Pope himself Trembled for fear lest having Subdued Germany he should pass into Italy When Francis had therefore well considered the consequences of the ruin of the Protestants he changed his mind and made a League with them obliged himself to receive the Eldest Son of the Duke of Saxony into France and in particular permit him the exercise of his Religion promised to send an Hundred Thousand Crowns to his Father and as much to the Landgrave of Hesse till such time as he could assist them with Forces In the mean while his trouble for the death of King Henry encreasing his inveterate distemper changed a lingring Feavour that was upon him into a continued one and stopt him at the Castle of Rambouillet where he finished his life the last day of March by an end worthy of a most generous Prince and a most Christian King He earnestly recommended to his Son the diminishing of the Tallage which he had raised too much not to recall Montmorency to continue the Cardinal de Tournon to whom he willed a Hundred Thousand Crowns and Annebaut in the Administration told him that the Sons ought to imitate the Vertues of their Fathers and not their Vices that the French being the best people in the world deserved so much the more to be well Treated as they refused their King nothing in his
differences It was called the Interim It contained 26 Articles whereof two were favourable to the Protestants those were a liberty of Marriage for their Priests and the use of the Cup for the Laity This accommodation pleased neither the one nor the other Party nor was received but by force and compulsion The Emperors ill will towards the King discover'd its self but too much by several tokens particularly the death of Volgesperg Mentel and Volfius German Captains whom he seized upon in their houses and caused them to lose their heads by the Hangman making it criminal for that they had raised some Troops to assist at the Kings Coronation He would at that very time have given him a taste of his good affection by declaring an open War had he not been hindred by three grand Obstacles one of them being his indisposition for he was much tormented with the Gout perhaps complicated with some other distemper for which he used Guajacum the other that he durst not so soon leave Germany held in obedience meerly by his presence and the third that Solyman in the instrument of the Truce had comprehended the King in these terms that he was not only his Friend but also a Friend to his Friends and Enemy to his Enemies Henry King of England had ordained that his Son Edward should succeed him to the Crown that he failing Mary should attain to it and after her Elizabeth whom he had by Anne Bullen He had left the Government of the Kingdom and of young Edward to twelve Lords but the eleven yielded up their authority to Edward Sâ—ymour Earl of Hereford and Duke of Somerset his maternal Vncle who by this means was Regent or Protector of England This Duke being imbued with the Opinions of Zuinglius laboured in such sort with the help of Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury who was a Lutheran that by an Ordonnance of Parliament held in the Month of November he caused the exercise of the Catholique Religion to be abolished and introduced another Medly of the Opinions of Calvin and those of Luther Year of our Lord 1548 Whilst the King was taking his measures and before he would adventure to shock so potent an Enemy as a Victorious Emperor he thought fit under colour of making a Progress through his Kingdom to visit Champagni Burgundi and Lyonnois making his entrance into all the Cities with Prodigious Magnificence especially into Lyons He proceeded even to Piedmont and every where carefully stored his Frontier Towns in case Philip the Emperors Son who was just gone into Italy should have some untoward design but he stayed little there Year of our Lord 1548 At his return being in the City of Moulins the Eighteenth of October he Celebrated the Nuptials of Anthony de Vendosme with Jane d'Albret Daughter of the King of Navarre whose former Marriage with the Duke of Cleve was easily vacated as not having been consummated After the defection of that Francis Marquiss de Salusses who as we have seen before perished at Carmagnoles King Francis would not seize upon the Marquisat of Salusses which was forfeited to him and confiscate for the Crime of Rebellion and Felony but had invested his younger Brother named Gabriel in it This being dead without Children and there remaining no lawful Heirs of that House as I believe Henry seized upon the said Fief as holding of Daufiné to which it remained United till the Year 1587. that Charles Emanuel Duke of Savoy seized it as having some pretensions upon it During the Kings absence a furious flame of Sedition was kindled over all Guyenne because of the Gabel and Garners for Salt set up amongst them by Francis I. and the violence committed upon that Score by the swarms of Officers and Satellites against those poor people The Commotion began in Saintonge by some Villagers who beat and hunted them away their number increased to Sixteen Year of our Lord 1548 Thousand Men well Armed who chose Leaders among themselves Another Gang headed together in Angoulmois who seized upon Angoulesmâ— as the former did upon Saintes then they quitted those places to scour about the Countries committing all the cruel and villainous acts such brutish souls were capable of These two Kennels of Blood-Hounds being joyned were received into Bourdeaux by the Populace constrained the Captain of the Castle and him that commanded the Town the Presidents and Counsellors of Parliament to march in the Head of them in Sea mens habits and inhumanely Massacred Tristan de Moneins Lieutenant to the Governor of the Province It was parâ—ly his own fault for he was so imprudent as to come to Bourdeaux without bringing a sufficient number of the Nobless with him he amused himself with commanding his Souldiers to out-face and make mouths at those People and then afterwards went out of his Castle du Ha to the Mairâ— to Treat with those Furies After they had spent their first fire they dispersed in a few days The Parliament Year of our Lord 1549 having resumed their Authority severely chastised some of them It was to be feared that if they had in cold blood consider'd the horror of their Crime the dispair of Pardon would have cast them into the arms of the English the Kings Counsel therefore thought requisite to amuse them with fair words and to promise them a general Amnistie and the revocation of the Gabelle but having put all in good order he fail'd not to send the Connestable and the Duke d'Aumale thither with two small Armies each consisting of Four or Five Thousand Men to punish them The Duke passed by Saintonge Poitu and Aulnis without exercising any great severities and came to Langon but the Connestable descending from Languedoc whereof he was Governor along the Garonne with a courage whetted by revenge for the Murther of Moneins who was his Kinsman was not so mild For having joyned him at that place and marching to Bourdeaux he caused thirty fathom of their Wall to be broken down that he might enter at the breach which was on the Tenth day of August when he was within he first disarmed the Bourdâ—lois and placed his Canon and his Souldiers in the Markets and at the opening of the Streets then caused present process to be made against the whole City by Stephen de Neuilly Master of Requests This man extremely violent by Sentence of the Twenty Sixth of October declared it guilty of Rebellion and therefore all their Priviledges forfeited of Majoralty Sheriffalty and Jurisdiction Condemned them to maintain two Galleys for the Governor to furnish the two Castles with â—mmunitions and to pay Two Hundred Thousand Livers as a Fine besides took away their Bells suspended the Parliament which was so for a whole year Ordered their Town-Hall should be razed and a Chappel built on the same place where they should pray for the Soul of Moneins that the Jurats with an hundred of the most noted Citizens should dig up the Corps of that Lord
Nephews which is to create quarrels with every one that hath but any Lands that lie conveniently for them that they may dispossess them and get into their Seats they attaqu'd the one and the other It then hap'ned that the Count de Sancta-Fiore Chief of the House of the Sforza's seeing Sienna was surrendred and the power of the French much enfeebled on that side the Hills drew two of his Brothers out of the French Service Charles one of the two by a notorious piece of Treachery had caused three of the Kings Galleys to be brought to Civita-Vecchia and his Brother Alexander pretending he had bought them of him seized them and convey'd them to Naples having gotten them out from thence by the invention of the Cardinal Sforza his Brother who surprized a Letter from the Count de Montorio to the Governour of the City containing an order that they should suffer them to go forth His Holiness thought himself extremely offended at this Violence committed in one of his own Ports and at the same time the Cardinal Caraffa shew'd him undeniable Evidence whether such as he had really discovered or whether he had contrived them himself to engage them to a quarrel of a horrible Conspiracy framed by the Spaniards against his Holiness which much encreased the old Gentlemans choller The Cardinal Caraffa having buzzed this in his Brain caused Camilla Colonna to be put in Prison accused for having tamper'd in this damnable Design open'd the Pacquets of the Duke d'Alva where he attested he had found good proofs of it stopt an Envoy of Philip King of Spain's raised Soldiers and by fore seized upon Palliana and Neptuna places which belonged to the Colonnas In this juncture a favourable opportunity presented for the recovery of Siena the scarcity of Provision was such that the people were raving mad for hunger and whatever care the Duke of Florence could take to send Wheat thither they could hardly get enough for fifteen days So that if the Pope had but lent his Forces to the French and those had joyned with such as they had in Garrisons and that Octavio Farnese who Commanded some Forces for the King in Tuscany would but have gone heartily about it they might infallibly have regained that City by only carrying of bread to those unfortunate inhabitants But Mendoza who at that time acted a Vice-Roy of Naples expecting the Arrival of the Duke of Alva approaching the Frontiers of the Church with Ten Thousand Men the Pope was so much frighted that he chose some Cardinals to endeavour to make a Peace between the two Crowns and in the mean time commanded Octavio to dismiss the Forces he had at Castro and Petigliana which caused Octavio who was retired to Parma to quit the service of the French make a Treaty with the Emperor by the mediation of the Duke of Alva and send the Collar of the Order back to the King The Holy Father would perhaps have rested there if the Cardinal Nephew by force of Arguments representing those outrages the Spaniards had offer'd and perswading him that both his own person and all his House were in danger to be destroy'd by the cruel Treacheries of those Renegado Apostates had not made him take a resolution of Excommunicating and declaring War against them though he had neither Soldiers nor Friends nor Money and at most but two or three years of life without either Strength or Vigour And thus it is the Popes are sometimes the Victimes of their Nephews and for their sakes sacrifice their quiet the Treasures of the Church and the Peace of Italy nay sometimes even of all Christendom France was his only refuge the Potentates of Italy are wont to flatter the French to get their help for the Executing their Vengeance or to make their own advantages then turn their backs upon them when they have gained their ends or if they find themselves in the least danger they slip aside with the earliest ✚ and leave the French behind plung'd in the Bogg and expos'd alone to all the peril When the Pope therefore sent to the King to demand his assistance and in requital promised his towards the Conquering the Kingdom of Naples the wisest were not of opinion that he should give ear to those Propositions They consider'd besides that France was drained of Money that they had work enough to defend themselves against the powers of Spain Germany and the Low-Countries with whom they should speedily find England joyned that it would be a hard task to preserve Piedmont and therefore not fit to undertake a Forraign Year of our Lord 1555 War upon the faith of people unfaithful variable and deceitful and the assurance of an old Man who had one foot in the Grave and no other weapons but the spiritual Sword of very little use or effect in a temporal War They consider'd these things very well but there were none so bold as to remonstrate them to the King They would not oppose the Cardinal de Lorrain who embraced this business that the Duke of Guise might have the Command of the Army in Italy The Constable himself was content not to approve of it without opposing it He was well enough pleased that those Princes who stood in his way should go and embarass themselves in an enterprize which would carry them out of the King's sight and which could not but succeed ill and turn to their own shame but he did not foresee that it should prove more unfortunate yet to him then to them Thus was it that all the King's Ministers some by a cursed Court-craft or Policy others out of an irregular ambition engaged this Prince to that doleful Alliance It was rough-drawn at Paris and finished at Rome by the Cardinal de Lorrain The King sent him thither expresly and he desired the Cardinal de Tournon might be joyned with him whom he took along as he passed thorough Lyons though he were of a quite contrary opinion and publickly protested that it was against his will they made use of him in so ruinous a business These Cardinals being arrived at Rome in the Month of October Signed the League Defensive and Offensive between the King the Pope and the Holy See in all the Estates of Italy excepting Piedmont It was therein agreed that towards the expences of the War the two Princes should deposite Five Hundred Thousand Crowns at Venice the King Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand and the Pope one Hundred and Fifty Thousand That they should begin it either in the Kingdom of Naples or in Tuscany as should be judged most convenient That the King should send Twelve Thousand Foot into Italy Five Hundred Men at Arms and as many Light-horse which should be Commanded by a Prince That the Pope should furnish Ten Thousand Foot and a Thousand Horse that he should bestow the investiture of Naples upon a Son of France provided it were not the Daufin but he retained a good Portion for himself and much Lands
likewise to Marry the King who was in his One and twentieth year His Mother with vast and Chimerical designs rowling in her Head had some thoughts thereby to acquire the Kingdoms of Scotland and England of getting for him Mary Stuard his Brothers Widdow Then finding Affairs did not succeed well with her she next made her Address to gain Queen Elizabeth for him and propounded a League with her in Order to a Conquest of the Low-Countries This Negotiation lasted near two years at the end whereof Elizabeth having made answer That the King was too great and too little That is to say too great a King to go and dwell in England and too young for her who was Eight Year of our Lord 1570 and Thirty years old the Queen cast her Eyes upon another Elizabeth daughter of the Emperor Maximilian II. a good and virtuous Princess but whose Innocency for she was scarce 16 and whose Simplicity could create no jealousie in her The Match had been propounded the foregoing Year The Marriage being contracted by Proxy he sent his two Brothers and with them the Duke of Lorraine the Duke of Guise and of Aumale to receive his Spouse at Sedan and himself went to Mezieres where the Archbishop of Trier put her into his Hands The next day being the Six and Twentieth of November the Nuptials were Celebrated in the same place At his return from thence being at Chantilly he gave Audience to the Ambassadors of the Protestant German Princes who came to Congratulate with him for the Peace he had granted his Subjects and to exhort him to maintain it shewing him plainly by many reasons and examples the Errour and mistake of those who aver that the Calm of Peace and a diversity of Religions are incompatible and cannot be maintained or made to live quietly together in the same Kingdom With this year ended in Spain the War with the Moors after it had lasted above three years The obstinate remainders of the Moors mixed with some Jews were revolted and had created a King then he being Slain another The Marquises de Montdjeu and de loz Velez Commanded in the beginning of this War John of Austria Bastard Son of Charles V. and then the Duke of Sesse continued it and afterwards Lewis Duke d' Arcos finished it This last was the Chief of the House of Ponce de Leon. Year of our Lord 1570. and 71. The Queen Mother had the Alliance with England much in her Head or at least she feigned so the better to lull and blind the Huguenots and hinder Queen Elizabeth from lending them Assistance She therefore makes a fresh overture of Marriage between that Princess and her Second Son the Duke of Anjou Now whatever intention she had she neither spared cajolleries nor addresses nor advantageous offers to the Queen nor caresses and presents to her Ministers to win their Hearts They proceeded even to the Treating about the Conditions there was but one they could not agree upon that the Duke might have the exercise of the Catholick Religion in England at least in his own Chamber This difficulty put the business to a stop till the Massacre on Saint Bartholomews which broke it absolutely off In these years 1570. and 71. was that memorable War between the Turks and the Venetians for the Island of Cyprus Selin who succeeded Solyman his Father having a design to build some Mosques and some Hervan-Sarays or Hospitals his Muâ—ty had told him that he might not do it but with the Spoils conquer'd from some Christians Consulting then which way he should bend his Force the desire he had to possess a Country that produced excellent Wine after which he was very Liquorish made him determine to Conquer the Island of Cyprus which bears of the best in the World His pretence to break with the Venetians who were in Possession was that they allowed those Pirates to harbour in their Ports who plyed and robbed upon the Coasts of Asia and Syria and that their Governors did not shew him that respect they ought He likewise added as some kind of Title which those Barbarians however do but little regard that the Kingdom of Cyprus was a Dependance on that of Egypt which his Predecessors had Conquer'd from the Mamalukes The Bashaw Mustapha who Commanded Selim's Army Landed on the Island with Fifty Thousand Men in the month of July and laid Siege to Nicosia a Mediteranean City Seated at the Foot of the Mountains and very well Fortified The Venetians set out an Hundred nimble Galleys and Eleven great ones but the Plague having destroyed above one half of their People that manned them and the Bashaw Piali General of the Turkish Galleys being in those Seas they durst not go near the Island So that after a Siege of Eight and Forty dayes the City was taken and Nicholas Dandolo who Commanded was Slain at the taking of a Fort. Mustapha ordered his head to be cut off and planted upon the top of a Pike within sight of Famagusta In the mean time Marc Antonio Colonna and Doria this General of the King of Spain Galleys the other of the Popes had joyned the Venetian Armada and lay Year of our Lord 1571 upon the Coasts of Caramania together making up above Two Hundred Galleys and great Vessels but Doria failed them at need and upon the News of the loss of Nicosia carried back his Fleet to the Kingdom of Naples In the following Spring Famagusta the Capital of Cyprus and the best Port in the Island was assaulted Marc Antonio Bragadin defended it with extraordinary Valour and did not Surrender it till the utmost extremity Mustapha enraged at his too long and too great resistance satisfied his Faith and cruelly caused him to be flea'd alive after they had cut off his Nose and Ears Bragadin appeared more invincible yet under his Torments than in his Fighting and Triumphed over the Treachery and Cruelty of his more than brutish Enemy by his generous Sufferings At the instant pursuits of Pope Pius V. at length a League was concluded between him the King of Spain and the Venetians their Vessels or Fleet together made up Two Hundred Twenty Five Galleys Sottili Six Galleasses and Twenty Five great Ships Whil'st the Chiefs were contending with each other about Place and Authority Famagusta was lost Don John of Austria Bastard Son of the Emperor Charles V. Commanded the Forces of Spain Marc Antonio Colonna the Popes and Sebastian Venier those belonging to the Venetians Don Juan was declared Generalissimo and in his absence Colonna was tohave the same Authority Venier having craftily engaged Don Juan to enter the Gulf of Lepanto otherwise called the Gulf of Corinth a famous Battel ensued the most Memorable that ever the Christians Fought upon the Sea It was within the Streight between those little Islands named the Echinades and the main land some Threescore Miles off the Promontory Actium so Famous by that Battel which decided the Roman Empire betwixt Octavius Caesar
that to take away those Jealousies and Suspicions the King had of him and which might have produced most dangerous effects the Queen Mother began her Practices to obtain the Crown of Poland for him which she undertook by the Advice and Intrigues of Montluc Bishop of Valence For although Sigismund Augustus their King was yet Living it was time to think of another he being very Infirm and having no Children When by many oblique turnings and windings they had Convey'd this News to the Huguenots Ears they were wrapt with Joy and assumed a much greater Confidence Then the Queen of Navarre entirely satisfied and assured came to Court to make up the Match for her Son Pope Pius V. to prevent this Marriage Year of our Lord 1572 which he looked upon to be very prejudicial to the Catholick Religion sent a Legate who perswaded and disposed the King of Portugal to demand this Princess in Wedlock and from thence passed into France to make that Proposition to the King and to exhort him to enter into the League against the Turks The Portuguese put a just value upon this Alliance and proceeding generously made known to the King that he desired no other Dowry but only that he would renounce that with the Turks The King made answer that he was engaged elsewhere for the Marriage of his Sister He excused himself likewise to the Legate upon all those other things the Holy Father demanded but conjured him to assure his Holiness of his filial obedience and gently squeezing his Hands added these words O that I might be permitted to explain my self more At the same time Jane Queen of Navarre over-perswaded by the Admiral who was but too much so himself came to Court It was then at Blois The ✚ King and Queen strove to give her a more then ordinary Reception After some debates concerning the Place and the Ceremonies of the Marriage and that Jane had consented it should be perform'd at Paris in a certain form not much differing from that of the Roman Church the Articles were Signed the Eleventh day of April There wanted nothing but the dispensation from Rome because of their near Parentage to compleat the Nuptials Amidst these Transactions Ludovic returns to Court he was more hugg'd and soothed then ever The King promised him he would send the Admiral into the Low-Countries with a powerful Army there was a division made of those Provinces how they should be shared between France and the House of Nassaw they drew together Six Thousand Soldiers with a great Train of Artillery for that month May and June Enterprise they sent Strossy and the Baron de la Garde upon the Coasts of Bretagne to hinder any Supplies that might come from Spain to the Duke of Alva they dispatched the Mareschal de Montmorency into England to Treat about an Alliance with Queen Elizabeth Schomberg into Germany to exhort the Protestant Princes and Francis de Noüailles Bishop of Dags as Ambassador to Constantinople to stir up the Turks to fall upon the Coasts of Spain The Cardinal de Lorraine and the Cardinal de Pellevé were already gone towards Rome upon pretence of being there at the Election of a new Pope for Pius V. died the first day of May. In his Life time he refused the dispensation for the Marriage of the Prince of Navarre with Madam Margaret Gregory XIII his Successor less rigid or better inform'd easily agreed to it The Wedding day was therefore assigned upon the first of June but upon some difficulty started by the Cardinal de Bourbon it was put off to the Eighteenth of August In the mean time the Queen of Navarre having over-heated her self by hurrying about to get all things ready hapned to die not without suspicion of being poyson'd by a certain pair of scented Gloves she bought at a Perfumers who was a Milanese and one of a very ill-favoured Reputation Though the Admiral held himself secure upon the faith and word of the King he could not however resolve to expose himself in Paris to the Mercy of that populace furiously exasperated against him and in the midst of his most mortal Enemies But here the last bait was made use of and proved so taking he could notwithstand it The King dismisses Prince Ludovic whom till then he had detained in Court gives him a good round Sum of Money and two Officers of great Note i. e. la Noüe and Genlis who were in great Credit with the Admiral to go and try whether by Intelligence they could secure some places of the Low-Countries Ludovic Surprised Mons la Noüe Valenciennes whilst many other Cities in Holland and Zealand took part and stood up for the Prince of Orange He judging this to be certainly an open War between the two Crowns did no longer hesitate but came to the King and into Paris where hitherto he durst not trust himself That which assured him more yet was a permission allowed Genlis to Levy Four Thousand Men to go to the Relief of Mons. However they no sooner entred into Haynault but they were defeated and their Leader taken by the treachery of the French themselves month July The Admirals example drew all the other Lords into the Net The King of Navarre and the Prince of Condé Arrived at Paris the Twentieth day of July bringing a great Train of Noblemen with them as well of such who desired to appear at the Nuptials of the first as others who had been assistant at the Prince of Conde's with Mary of Cleves which was Celebrated in the Castle of Blandy near Year of our Lord 1572 Melun This Mary was one of the three Daughters of Francis de Cleves Duke of Nevers and Sister to the Dutchesses of Nevers and Guise The exceeding Caresses they made them were so extravagant and so visible that if God had not blinded both their Eyes and their understandings they might easily have perceived those Knives they were every hour whetting to cut their Throats The Rochellers sent Messenger after Messenger to advise the Admiral he were best to withdraw himself out of that Gulf of Paris that it was a tempting of God too far by confiding in a King who was violent and passionate even to the height of fury and an Italian Woman who had endeavour'd the destruction of all that was great in the Kingdom But he replied that he would sooner resolve to be dragg'd thorow the dirt and mire of Paris then by his leaving it give any the least occasion for a fourth Civil War It was upon the same foot of Resolution that he stood up so obstinately for the Surrender of the Four Places of Security above three Weeks before the Term was expired There was only Rochel that refused to obey under pretence of their Priviledges The Mareschal de Montmorency much clearer sighted then the Admiral feigned himself sick and disordered with his England Voyage and obtained leave to retire to his House at Chantilly The King of Navarre was betroathed the
League the Politique Catholicks were likewise joyned with them Toré and the Vicount de Turenne managed the intrigues and all of them together demanded an Assembly of the general Estates The Queen Mother that she might amuse them had assigned an Assembly of the Notables at Compiegne to deliberate whether it would be expedient to call them and when they saw they could not make their Party strong enough at Court they resolved to retire to Sedan where the Duke of Bouillon had promis'd to give them reception month March and April The Huguenots had promised themselves so great advantage by the Duke of Alencon that they had resolved to take up Arms over all the Kingdom at the latter end of the Carnaval Rochel it self was born along with this Torrent and had for that purpose elected la Noue for their General This Man the Night between Shrove-Tuesday and Ash-Wednesday surprized Mesle and Lusignan by Escalado as Giron de Bâ—ssay who brought Twelve hundred Men from Bearn took Fontenay and the Lord de la Case in Saintonge Royan Talmont and four or five other little Places In Daupfiné Montbrun seized upon Lorial and Liwron the which he repaired In Normandy Coulombieres and some Gentlemen of the Country upon the hopes of greater Troubles at Court and of having the Duke of Alencon shortly with them seized upon Saint Lo Montgommery who being hated in France and unwelcom in England kept himself close and under shelter of the Islands of Jersey and Guernsey sided with them took Carentan and Valognes and set all the Country thereabouts under Contribution Year of our Lord 1574 At the same time being the Tenth of March that la Noâ—e had made the Huguenots resolve to take up Arms it was likewise resolv'd that John de Chaumont Guitry should draw near Saint Germains en Laye with as many Horse as he could get privately together to receive and bring with him the Duke of Alencon and the two Princes But it hap'ned by whose fault it is not known that Guitry anticipated the Assignation by at least Ten days so that the Duke of Alencon being fearful and irresolute could not determine with himself to forsake the Court so suddenly and la Mole his Favorite judging so great a design could not be long conceal'd went and discover'd it to the Queen Mother About Midnight behold an Alarm over all the Court The King sends for the Duke of Alencon and the King of Navarre the first tells all not caring what became of those he had employ'd The other taxed neither him nor any Friend They give out there is a Design upon the King's Person The Men of the long Robe especially and the Women hurry to Paris all Night and the Queen her self to render the Princes more odious flyes in great disorder However the King went not till the next day and lodged himself at the Bois de Vincennes whither he carried the Duke of Alencon and the King of Navarre not yet as Prisoners but carefully observed Thus the Huguenots fell very short in their accounts and besides in a Month after they set out Three Armies to destroy them in the Provinces of Normandy Poitou and Languedoc Matignon Commanded the first the Duke of Montpensier the second the Prince Daufin his Son the third Montpensier went and cool'd his heels before Fontenay but Matignon invested Montgommery in Saint Lo's from whence making his escape he pursued and besieged him in Donfront so straitly that he constrain'd him to Surrender giving him assurance for the lives of his Men but nothing more then ambiguous and random Promises for his own This fell out four or five days before the Death of the King From thence Matignon returned to the Siege of Saint Lo carrying him thither to persuade Coulombieres who was within to Surrender but the other reproached him of Cowardize and put himself courageously in the breach and his two Sons on either side of him not above Fourteen or Fifteen years of Age both having Javelins in their hands to Sacrifice said he all his Blood for the Truth of the Gospel He died there with his Sword in hand but Fortune or Pity saved the lives of his two Sons Guitry afterwards making his Courage submit to his Prudence gave up Carentan and Lorges Son of Montgommery was detained Prisoner but escaped by the favour of one of the Catholick Commanders As to Languedoc the Queen Mother who was more bent against Danville than against the Huguenots themselves had contrived to ridd her self of that Lord by the means of James de Crussol Duke d'Vzez his Capital Enemy before the War began in those Countries Some intercepted Letters giving him notice thereof he designed to make himself Master of the Province but proceeded so slowly that he could only seize upon Montpellier Lunel Beaucaire and Pezenas He was not the less noted for it at Court Martinengue shewed an Order to all the Province whereby the King dismissed him of his Government and forbid the People to own him or the Soldiers to obey him In the Spring time when the Humors overflow the King's Distemper which had been as it were laid asleep during the Winter awaked and made the Queen sufficiently understand it was high time to seize upon and secure all those that might oppose or disturb her Regency particularly the Mareschals de Montmorency and de Cosseé To this end she order'd a Commission to be given to Christopher de Thou first President and to Peter Hennequin a President likewise to inform themselves diligently about the Conspiracy of St. Germains thereby to involve them La Mole a Favorite to the Duke of Alencon and the Count de Coconas an Italian whom he had lately introduced to the Acquaintance and Confidence of that Prince were arrested The first denied all the other flatter'd with the vain hopes of getting his Pardon and a great Reward besides told a great deal more than indeed he knew The Duke of Alencon and the King of Navarre were also examined The first answered like a Criminal stuttering and trembling the other more like an Accuser than one accused with such reproaches as put the Queen Mother out of Countenance At la Mole 's was found an Image of Wax which one Cosmo Rugiero a Florentine and famous Quack had made for him to Charm a young Damsel with whom he was in Love The Queen Mother would needs have it be believed that it was Year of our Lord 1574 made on purpose to bewitch the King he still denied it stiffly but notwithstanding he was Beheaded and Coconas with him It was said that two Princesses who were in love with them caused their Heads to be stoln and Embalmed them to preserve them as long as they could Another of their Complices was broken upon the Wheel and Rugier sent to the Galleys The Queen Mother very credulous in Matters of Divination and Sorcerers released him some time after to make use of him in his Art The Mareschals de Montmorency and de
made his Party by it self as well because he was disgusted that the said King had to his prejudice given his Lieutenancy to the Vicount de Turenne as because he being in himself a serious and honest Gentleman avoided all libertinage and had a horror for their frauds and impious practises In the King of Navarres Court nothing was to be seen but Intrigues Amours and Enterprises to say all in a word Queen Margaret was the Soul of it The King month November and December her Brother who had taken a spleen against her wrote to her Husband that there were ill Reports spread of her and the Vicount de Turenne but that Prince considering the necessity of his Affairs above all things else shewed the Letter to them both and spared neither caresses nor intreaties to keep the Vicount with him who pretended he must by all means retire Now this Woman enraged to the greatest extremity had no other thought but of revenge to this effect making use of the same means she had so often seen practised by her Mother she instructed the Ladies about her to take all the brave ones about her Husband in their amorous toils and they did spread the Nets so cunningly that himself was ensnared by the beauties of Fosseuse who did but too well practise the Lessons taught by her Mistress These were the real Fire-brands of the sixth Troubles and for that reason it was called The Louers Wars Year of our Lord 1580 The Kings Envoys coming to re-demand the places of security these Gossips scoff at them peek their Gallants with Honour call it folly and cowardize to surrender what they had acquired at the price of their Blood and so heat them that they resolve not only to keep them still but also to take others To this end the King of Navarre having broken some pieces of Gold sends two halves the one to Chastillon the other to Lesdiguieres who Commanded for that Party in Languedoc and Daufine with an Order to begin the War whenever he sent them the other two halves and at the same time sends Men of Credit into divers Provinces for the execution of above threescore several Enterprises It seems this Resolution had not been communicated to the Prince of Conde nevertheless it so fell out that he acted at the same time as if it had been by agreement with the rest of the Party He passionately desired to enter into possession of the Government of Picardy it had been promised him by two Treaties and he was daily put in hopes of it In fine his patience was tired he would do himself right and formed private Intelligence and designs upon seven or eight of the best places in that Province That which he attempted upon la Fere succeeded by the assistance of month April c. Liramont de Mouy and some other Gentlemen all the others miscarried As little success had the Partisans of the King of Navarre unless upon Montaigu in Poitou and upon Cabors This City belonging to his Wives Estate for she was appenaged with the Counties of Quercy and Agenois refusing to own him he was resolved to do himself right though he knew Vesins was within the place with two thousand Soldiers he was not afraid to assault it and to make use of his Petard a new sort of Artillery which then began to be employ'd When by this invention he had made a Gate fly open he found Vesins ready to oppose him who received him very bravely This Lord was kill'd upon the first charge his death however did not so daunt his Men but they defended themselves yet four days more from Street to Street At last all were forced and the City horribly sacked and overflowed with the Blood of its Inhabitants in revenge of that of the Huguenots which they shed in the Massacres of St. Bartholomew The other Efforts of that Party manifestly discover'd their weakness which proved to be greater then could have been imagin'd For the disarmed Provinces as Normandy the Isle of France Champagne and others refused to contribute towards this War the Rochellers not thinking it very just remained quiet by the advice even of the Wise la None Chastillon could not stir up above three Cities in Year of our Lord 1580 Languedoc which were Lunel Aigues-Mortes and Sous-Mieres and if Nismes did enter the Lists it was only because the Catholicks did Harass them It is true that Captain Merle took Mandes but it was rather upon his own private account then the Parties for he had all the Plunder and the Party got nothing by it but hatred for his horrible Robberies On all hands the Huguenots had the disadvantage the Mareschal de Biron put the King of Navarres whole Forces to a full stop then drove them into their Holds He defeated three thousand of his Men in a Combat near Monterabel in which the two Sons of the Marquiss du Trans of near Relation to that King and yet both Catholicks were slain and beat back the rest to the very Gates of Nerac It is said he fired some Volees of Cannon against the Walls from the top whereof Queen Margaret beheld the Skirmish whereat that Princess was so much offended she would never pardon him The Count de Lude in the mean while took Montaigu in Poitou the defence whereof was truly much greater then the goodness of the place The Duke of Mayne cleared almost all Daufine which brought Lesdiguieres so low that another such Campagne would have beat him out of the Country and the Mareschal de Matignon reduced the Town of la Fere in Picardy of which the Prince had designed to make a second Rochel After he had been six weeks before the place he granted them very good Composition month September the Twelfth day of September The Kings two Favourites Arques and the young la Valete who was afterwards named Joyeuse Espernon and a many Lords were come to the Siege in great Equipage and Provisions were brought from all Quarters in abundance from whence it was called The Velvet Siege The Duke of Aumale Governor of Picardy and the Duke of Guise arrived there towards the latter end and would have wrested the Honour from Matignon for which he stored up so great Resentment that ever after upon all occasions he studied to thwart them and break their Measures Nothing gave the King more apprehension then the going abroad of the Prince of Conde who had left la Fere about the end of March to sollicite the aid of Protestant Princes In England he saw Queen Elizabeth at Antwerp the Prince of Orange in Germany Casimir and some other Princes yet could obtain no assistance but from Year of our Lord 1580 Casimir upon condition of certain places he promised to give him for security Upon this assurance he returns by Swisserland and Geneva amidst a World of dangers being taken and stript in the Territories of Savoy by some Bandits who knew not who he was Lesdiguieres generously furnish'd him with Money and
March The following Month of February Matignon besieged the Castle de Castels upon the Garonne at the request of the Parliament of Bourdeaux and sent word to the Duke of Mayenne it was high time to advance towards those parts The Duke after he had taken some small Castles which are not so much as mentioned in the Maps passed the Dordogne at Souillac with a design of besieging Montauban but when he understood it was too well sortified he fell upon certain pitiful beggerly places without name and without defence In the mean while the King of Navarre made them raise the Siege of Castels and the Prince being return'd from England with ten good Ships and fifty thousand Crowns lent him by Queen Elizabeth disengaged Rochel which was in a manner block'd up and surprised Royan which yielded him two hundred thousand Crowns contribution yearly Year of our Lord 1586. March The Sixth of March though amidst the greatest hurry of his Affairs he Married Charlota Daughter of Lewis de la Trimouille and by that means brought into his Party the Duke Claude his Wives Brother and all the Friends of that potent House The Duke of Mayenne lost near two Months time in waiting to surprise the King of Navarre when he should come on this side the Garonne or go to visit the Contess of Guiche with whom he was desperatly in Love and to that purpose had distributed his Horse in several Posts all along his way During this the Prince undertook to ruine the Harbour of Brouage and in effect he sunk so many Hulls of old Ships that he choak'd it and made it as it is yet to this day very difficult and dangerous to enter Matignon does a second time lay Siege before Castels When he was just upon the point of taking it the Duke of Mayenne runs thither to rob him of that honour which increased their enmity and feud The Mareschal pretended Sickness that he might not see the Duke who in the mean time making his approaches to Montsegur which hindred all commerce and passage into Limosin Perigord and Quercy fell realy sick and was carried to Bourdeaux leaving to him the command of his Army During his absence Montsegur surrendred the Fifteenth of May upon composition which was month May. but ill observed month June All along the Month of June the Army lay idle because Matignon jealous the Duke should be in Bourdeaux returned immediately and dismissed the Companies d'Ordonnance When the Duke was well again they joyntly besieged Castillon the Siege was long toilsom and difficult the Soldiers being dissatisfied abandonned the Trenches the Generals were fain to lie themselves there twenty days successively In the end the place was taken they made good their capitulation with the Soldiery but a certain number of the Inhabitants were sent away to the Parliament of Bourdeaux who condemned them to the Gallows The same year the Vicount de Turenne regained it one fair night forcing his way with a Petard which gave the Huguenots occasion to brag that they with two pounds of Powder and in one quarter of an hour did what the League could not but in two Months time and with twenty pieces of Cannon This was all the greatest Captain of the League could perform in nine Months Perhaps it was no fault of his He had no Money for the Clergy within three Months time were grown quite weary of furnishing them and the Pope contributed nothing but his Benedictions He wanted Equipage Artillery and Provisions Ammunition Year of our Lord 1586 and had against him all things that usually ruine the great designs and reputation of Princes for his Troops did often mutiny his Captains quarrel'd with each other his Colleague was jealous and suspicious and the secret or Cabinet Council from whence if we may so speak all those Animal Spirits ought to slow which keep life in an Army mortally envenomed against him He knew this but too well and therefore even trembling with rage he demanded to be dismiss'd and press'd it so home that he obtain'd it The Duke of Guise did in vain urge him by all imaginable Arguments to prevent it he could have wished he would have remained in those Countries either for the reputation of his Party or for fear he should gain the affections of the People of Paris and deprive him of the voluntary Empire he had acquired over that spacious City Whilst he was in Guyenne the Duke of Guise made use of the Army he had on the Frontiers of Champagne to seize the Cities of Raucour and Douzy upon the Duke of Bouillon On the other side the Duke d'Aumale having armed the Picards passionate Leaguers seized on the City of Dourlens and of Pontdormy which is a passage upon the Soan below Pequigny The Favourites jealous to see the whole power of the Sword in the hands of the Guises their Enemies desired the King he would likewise give them such Command which he granted the more willingly as intending to raise them and turn the affections of the Soldiery that way who do more chearfully follow plentiful Tables and favour ☞ the Mother of Rewards then the bravest Captains He had raised an Army that was to purge Auvergne Vezelay Givaudan and from these Countries pass into Daufine this Employment was designed for the Mareschal d'Aumont Joyeuse courted it so eagerly that the King could not deny it him month June He must also give the like to the Duke d'Espernon and withall a Government as well as to Joyeuse who had already that of Normandy The Government of Provence becoming vacant by the death of the Grand Prior he instantly provided him with it This Grand Prior had harbour'd a mortal resentment against a Gentleman named Altovity One day spying him at a Window of an Inn it was at Aix he goes directly up into his Chamber and runs his Sword quite thorough his Body Altovity feeling himself mortally wounded lost all Respect with his Life and plunged his Sword into the Priors Belly Year of our Lord 1586 So many Forces could not be maintained without a prodigious Expence there was Money enough raised to defray it but the Kings luxury and the greediness of the Favourites were such gulfs as swallowed up all Paris had furnished two hundred thousand Crowns for this War this lasted but eight days the alienation of fifty thousand Crowns Revenue belonging to the Clergy very little longer no more then forty thousand Crowns Rent of the Demeasn They would have raised more upon a creation of new Offices and they sent twenty seven Edicts at once to the Parliament which were the Lees and Refuse of such as had been invented by the Italian Brokers for twenty years past But these were all rejected and this attempt served only to discover the weakness and the injustice of the Government The Swiss and the King of Denmark in the first place then the other Protestant Princes of Germany sent to the King a solemn Embassy to desire him to grant
appear more plain to him then any thing else had done Now when they perceived his recovery they repented of having too openly discover'd themselves and endeavour'd to sooth him by new caresses and fairer profers then before And he on his part knew how to dissemble as well as themselves but intended for the future to order his Affairs by other measures then theirs In this mind he essay'd to make a new Party with the Cardinal de Bourbon upon whose Head he promised to set the Crown I cannot tell how far this intrigue was carried on but there is great likelihood the Dukes irresolution hindred the prosecution of it During this universal disorder the Royal Authority was very languishing for the great Cities had their designs for liberty the Lords and Governors for Soveraignties ☜ and private Gentlemen and Captains thought of nothing but Plunder and Robberies for which reason they were all of a mind to prolong the War whence they alone reaped the profit These Purloiners had the fifths of all Prizes Ransoms and Seizures disposed of the Tailles and Publick Money at their own pleasure laid new Imposts upon Passages and Rivers devoured all the labours and substance of poor People Then when they were to march served not above three weeks or a month and so returned again to their own homes But never without grumbling The King might give them new Salaries great Pensions Benefices Confiscations Year of our Lord 1592 grant them all Boons they demanded and engage the clearest of his Demeasns to them yet they were never satisfied month May. It was justly to be feared by him that if the Estates should at last elect a King all the Princes of Italy and the rest of the Catholicks might own him they being concerned only to have a King in France not whether it were he in particular before any other and lest the Pope who had some obligation to the Spaniards for his promotion should continue to assist the League This was Clement VIII for Gregory XIV died and Innocent IX his Successor Reigned but a short time Besides he wanted Money and was vexed to be no more but the Companion of his Subjects These Considerations inclined him to find out some way for an Accommodation with the Duke of Mayenne They entred upon it without much difficulty and without taking in the King of Spain or communicating it to the Lords of either Party as knowing too well those People did not at all desire an end of the Troubles Villeroy and Duplessis were made choice of for this Negociation They came to this Agreement That the King should take six Months time to be instructed by such ways and means as should be no prejudice either to his Dignity or his Conscience That the Nobility of his Party should send a Deputation to the Pope to desire his Authority for it That in the mean time they should endeavour to make a Peace and that he should be owned by those Princes that were united They afterwards further agreed That the Huguenots should enjoy those Edicts had been granted to them before the year 1585. That the Exercise of the Catholick Religion should be restored every where That the Gentdarmerie and Infantry should be regulated That the Tailles and Imposts should ☜ be moderated and that the Priviledges of Officers and of Cities should be preserved But when it came to treat of the interests of the Duke of Mayenne the Propositions seemed so excessive to Duplessis-Mornay that he dissuaded the King from giving ear to them Villeroy forbore not to enter again into Conference with the Mareschal d'Aumont and the Mareschal de Bouillon and to attend the King who was very well satisfied with his franc and loyal proceeding The fruit of these Conferences which lasted two Months proved more then a little for the benefit of the Catholick Religion for the King promised that he would forthwith send the Cardinal de Gondy and Pisany to Rome which did not overmuch please the Huguenots This Treaty being grown publick because too many People would concern themselves in it strangely alarmed the Spaniards and all the other Chiefs of the League The King and the Duke of Mayenne had both like to be abandoned the latter by all his Partisans the other by his Huguenots There were some amongst these who thinking to bind the King yet faster lest he should forsake them fortified themselves with the Queen of England and the Hollander and would needs have given them Year of our Lord 1592 May footing in France A proof hereof was evident by the Enterprise of du Fay his Chancellor in Navarre who having gotten a Commission for the fortifying of Quilleboeuf had scarce raised his Works Breast-high when he would needs Cantonize himself there and denied entrance to Bellegarde to whom the King had given the Government thereof Two or three Envoys from the King did in vain employ both their Persuasions and Menaces to make him lay aside so desperate a design his ambition had taken too high a stand to be brought down so easily he expected a supply of Eight hundred English but two days before the arrival of them he fell sick either of melancholy or otherwise and perished in the midst of his attempt He was so mightily possessed with the humour that death it self could not wean him from it for he gave order they should bury him in one of the Bastions there as if intending still to keep possession So soon as he expir'd Bellegard entred into it Villars thought he might carry the place upon this change and before it were defensible The Duke of Mayenne and he besieged it with four thousand Men but it was either so well defended or so ill attaqu'd that at the end of fifteen days they were constrained to decamp for fear of being beaten by the Count de Saint Pol and Fervaques who were coming to relieve it with Twelve hundred Horse and fifteen hundred Foot Villars going to this Siege had surprized the little Town du Pont-Audemer Whilst he was busie in fortifying it Bose-Rose one of his bravest Captains offended at his arrogance and some scurvy language he had given him seized on the Fort of Fescamp and Cantonized there This Fort was upon a Rock near thirty fathom high towards the Sea which washes the foot of it twice a day but never rises to the top but twice in the year and it was at one of those Spring-Tides that Bose-Rose surprized it by Escalado Villars flew thither immediately to recover it and not able to draw him thence he block'd it up by two Forts wherewith at last he reduced him to extremity but Bose-Rose thought it much safer to cast himself into the Arms of the King then to compound with one he had so much offended After the raising of the Siege of Rouen the greater part of the Kings Army was gone into Champagne he besieged Espernay and out of the apprehension of a relief to come would needs cover himself with a
took part with him and had the generosity to console him The Council of Spain were in dispair for that the French passed in great numbers to the Service of the Hollanders and every year the King furnished those Provinces with six hundred thousand Livers in ready Money These succours had put King Philip to so great an expence that not knowing where to get any more Cash he laid an Impost of thirty per Cent. upon all Goods imported into his Dominions or exported thence The King could not suffer such exaction which enriched his Enemies to the loss of his Subjects he prohibited all Commerce to the Low-Countries and Spain and observing that the appetite of gain tempted the Merchants who for the most part value no other Soveraign but their Interest to infringe his Laws he added great penalties to it This was to begin a rupture the Spaniard set a good face upon it as if they much desired it but under-hand sollicited the Popes mediation who put an end to this dispute by perswading them to take off the new impost oâ— the one hand and the prohibition on the other Not daring openly to revenge himself upon the King he endeavoured at least to contrive some private means to perplex and displease him Taxis his Ambassador had concern'd himself in the intrigues of the Morchioness de Vernevil Balthazar de Suniga who succeeded him follow'd his Foot-steps and held secret correspondence with five or six Italians who absolutely governed the Queen particularly Conchino Conchini a noble Florentine and Leonora Galigay a Bed-Chamber woman to that Princess whom Conchini had Married She was the homeliest Creature about the Court and of very abject birth but that great Empire she had over her Mistress repaired all the defects both of her person and condition The King as weak in his passions and domestick Affairs as valiant and rough in War had neither the heart to reduce his Wife to obedience nor to rid his hands of his Mistresses who were cause of all his Domestick broils Those little Italian people to render themselves more necessary exasperated the spirits they should have allay'd and by the malignity of their Reports and Councils encreased the Queens discontents so that instead of reclaiming the King by alluring Caresses for he would be flattered and endeavouring to regain his affection with the same Arts others made use of to steal it from her she made him loath her Society with her Eternal grumblings and bitter reproaches This contest betwixt Man and Wife was the perpetual business of the Court their Confidents were no less busily employ'd in these Negociations then the Council was in the most important Affairs of State and this disorder lasted as long as their Marriage being sometimes quieted and laid asleep for a few days then wak'd and rouz'd agen by fresh occasions and accordingly as those Boutefeux thought fit month March April c. The Marchioness on her part crafty and coquette used all her artifice to maintain those fewds which maintain'd her felicity Amongst her Jests with which she made the King merry she often mixed some insolencies against the Queen and upon divers occasions would make her self her equal spake meanly of her extraction and then would counterfeit the Gate her gestures and her way of speaking These offences did so much heighten the resentments of this Princess that she with outragious Language threatned a severe Revenge the Marchioness having reason therefore to apprehend more then a bare affront and withal displeased with the King for not taking her part made use of an artifice common enough amongst those Female Politicians when designing to revive a dying passion She feigned to be touched with a remorse of Conscience and Christian sorrow the fear of God said she would suffer her no more to think of what was past but only to do penance for it and that of her own life and Childrens forbid her to see the King in private She went yet farther and begged leave of him to seek a Sanctuary out of the Kingdom for her and hers This Artifice had not at first its effect for the Holy time of Easter approaching he was resolved to take her at her word and to give her leave to retire into England where she might have the Duke of Lenox her neer Kinsman to support Year of our Lord 1604 her but not to carry her Children As to the rest to qualifie the Queens discontent he desired she should surrender up the Promise of Marriage he had given her and with which she made so much noise shewing it to any one that had the curiosity to see it His intreaties were not prevalent enough he was obliged to make use of his Authority together with Twenty thousand Crowns in Money and the hopes of a Mareschal's Staff for the Father Upon which Conditions she deliver'd it in the presence of some Princes and Lords who verified and witnessed in Writing that it was the Original After all this the Queen being satisfied and the Marchioness appearing no more the Tempest seemed to be allay'd when the King discover'd that Entragues Father of the said Lady and the Count d'Auvergne had contrived a dangerous design with King Philip's Ambassador It was to convey the Marchioness into Spain with her Children which was negociated with Balthazar de Suniga Ambassador from the Catholick King by the management of a certain Englislr Gentleman named Morgan It was reported whether true or false how the Count d'Auvergne having acquainted the Spaniards with the Promise of Marriage the King had given the Marchioness had made a seoret Treaty with them by which King Philip promised his assistance to set her Son in the Throne And to that purpose would furnish them with Five hundred thousand Livers in Money and order the Forces he had in Catalogne to March and second the Party who were to Cantonize in Guyenne and Languedoc Nay much more was mention'd month June c. but few believed it as that the Count had framed an Attempt upon the Life of the King and that he was to dispatch him when he came to visit the Marchioness then seize upon the Daufin Now after the Death of l'Hoste the Count finding the Intrigue began to be discover'd retired into Auvergne upon pretence of a Quarrel which hapned to him at Court The Business being taken into Deliberation by the Council some gave their Opinions he ought to be treated like the Mareschal de Biron but the King would by no means proceed after that manner The example would have been of Consequence to his Bastards So that the Constable and the Duke de Ventadour the former Father in Law to the Count and the other his Brother month July in Law found it no difficult matter to get a Pardon for the Life of that wretched Man upon condition however that he should Travel three years in the Levant When he thought himself out of Danger he offer'd the King if he would he pleased to give him
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
out the French declaring himself the Soveraign 135 Is Crowned King of Bretagne 136 Over-runs and ransacks Anjou 137 Nera Foulges 204 Neustria and its extent 17 Nicephorous Emperor of the East 107 His death 110 Nicholas Moine or Monk of Soissons contradicted by a Modern Author Church of the Twelfth Age. Nicholas I. Pope Excommunicates a Council of Bishops in France who declare him Excommunicate 141 Annul the second Marriage of Lotaire King of Lorraine with Valdrade and confirm the first with Thietberge ib. Nicholas III. Pope conspires against Charles King of Sicilia 318 His death 319 Nogaret William seizes on the Person of Pope Boniface 332 c. St. Norbert Founder of the Order of Premonstre afterwards Archbishop of Magdeburg Church in the Twelfth Age. Normandy first erected to a Dutchy 163 Ravaged by a Civil War between the Heirs of Henry King of England after his death 170 c. All in Blood and Fire by the quarrels of the particular Lords of the Country 215 Normans course along the Coasts of France 123 Their descents and pillaging of Gascogne and Aquitania Secunda 134 Course along the Coasts of Spain and take Sevill 125 Course along the Coasts of Flanders 129 Land in Neustria and Bretagne 135 Enter upon Neustria again ib. Called Truands 146 Scowre pillage and ravage France 151 c. Besieges the City of Paris 155 Defeated and cut in pieces 157 Whence so great numbers of such barbarous People could come into France 158 Re-enter France by the Mouth of the River Seine 160 Become Masters of that Province called since Normandy and on Bretagne 163 Revolt against their Duke 178 Their name began to grow glorious and powerful in Italy 215 Nantes County Difference between Henry King of England and Conan Count of Renes or of the Lesser Bretagne 247 O. Odo Duke of Burgundy 237 Odo third Duke of Burgundy 248 Reduced to reason 254 Odo I. Abbot of St. Genevieve 278 Office of Constable 295 Officers Princes are responsable for the faults of their Officers 304 Ogine Queen of France 175 Onfroy Chief of the Normans in Italy and of his Conquests 216 Orders Sacred and of such as were admitted during the Eighth Century 115 Orders famous which took beginning during the Eleventh Age. 233 Orders Religious established during the Third Age. 339 Orders Sacred have each their Function 286 Order of Fontevraud and its confirmation 290 Organs when first brought and used in France 93 Oriflame born as a Standar in time of War 244 Ostrogoths over-run and ravage all Italy 217 Otho William chief of the Earls of Burgundy that is to say of the Franche-Comte 209 His death 212 Othelin Earl of Burgundy puts himself under protection of the King of France and gives him his Earldom 324 Othomans or Ottomans and the beginning of their dreadful Family or House 329 Otho King of Germany and Lorrain assists Lewis the Transmarine against his Subjects 179 Otho Duke of Burgundy 184 Otho King of Germany makes himself Master of Italy Is Crowned King of Lombardy afterwards Crowned Emperor 185 Remedies several Commotions in Italy by severe punishments ib. Causes his Son Otho to be Crowned and Associated in the Empire 186 His death 187 Otho II. Emperor and King of Germany 186 Gives Lorraine to his Brother Charles 188 Makes an irruption in France to his confusion ib. His death 189 Otho III. Emperor and King of Germany his death 209 Otho Emperor 263 Is Excommunicated by Pope Innocent 264 P. Paganis Hugh Institutor of the Order of the Templers 275 Pairs of France who were to assist at the Coronation of the Kings reduced to the number of Twelve 240 Paleologus Michael becomes Master of the City of Constantinople 309 Pamiez made a Bishoprick 326 Paris very much consider'd by the Kings of the first Race 31 Paving of its Streets 254 Surrounded with Walls 255 Parliament of Wormes 142 Of Attigny 265 Parliament of Poissy 142 Parliament of Compeigne 184 Parliament of Wormes 152 Parliament of Estampes 217 Parliament of Soissons 266 Parliament of Amiens 309 Pascal Pope Murther committed in his House in hatred of the French His death 124 Paschal II. Pope comes into France and holds a Council at Troyes in Champagne 227 Ill treated by the Emperor 236 Paschal III. Antipope 272 Pastorels Crossed 306 Patarins Hereticks 278 Peasants and Pastorels take up Arms for the recovery of the Holy Land 348 Peace with the Danes 110 With the Saracens of Spain ib. With the Greecks ib. Peace between King Lewis the Transmarine and his Rebellious Subjects 178 Peace between King Lewis the Transmarine and Hugh le Blanc 180 Peace between the two Empires Between the French and the Danes 123 With the Saracens of Spain 123 Peace between King Lothaire and the Emperor Otho II. 188 Peace with the English 236 Penitence publick 274 Penitents publick excluded from Functions Civil Military and from Marriage ib. Pepin Maire of the Palace of Austrasia his death 58 Pepin the Gross or d'Herstal Prince of Austrasia 69 Makes War upon Thierry King of Neustria seizes his Person and the Government of all France ib. Reduceth the Revolted Frisians ib. Assembles a Council 70 Expedition against the Almans 72 Makes an Alliance with Bathod Duke or King of the Frisons ib. His death his Children 78 Pepin the Brief Son of Charles Martel Duke and Prince of the French in Neustria 84 He with his Brother ranges the Dukes of Aquitain who were revolted to reason 86 Pepin called the Brief Elected Annointed and Crowned King of France 90 A generous action that made him more considerable amongst the French Lords of his Court ib. Makes the Saxons Tributaries to France 92 Becomes Protector of the Roman Church against the Lombards Marches into Italy with his Army and compels Astolphus to give up the Exarchat of Ravenna and the Justices of St. Peter 92 93 Receives the Oath of Fidelity of the Duke of Bavaria 94 Forces the Saxons to do the same and to pay him Tribute ib. Subdues all Aquitain in divers and several Expeditions 95 His death his Wives and Children ib. Pepin King of Italy his feats of Arms. 109 Unfortunate Enterprize against the Venetians 110 His death ib. Pepin Son of Lewis the Debonaire is made King of Aquitain 122 Espouses Engheltrude 123 Pepin Son of Bernard King of Italy chief of the first Branch of Vermandois 123 Pepin King of Aquitain 122 He embraces the Cause of the Emperor his Father against his Brother Lothaire then turns against him 126 His death his Wife and his Children 129 Pepin King of Aquitain shaved and confined in a Monastery and afterwards in the Castle of Senlis 137 Perfidiousness of the Emperor against the Christians of the second Croisade to the Holy Land 225 Phenomenas very extraordinary 109 Philip King of France 220 Concerns himself in the Quarrel of the Flemings unsuccessfully 222 Runs into disorders and vexations with his Subjects ib. Is threatned with Excommunication by the Pope ib. Repudiates Berthe his
869 Du Perron Cardinal made choice of to go to Rome to demand the Absolution of Henry IV. 848 Compleats the said important Affair 849 His Birth Church 16 th Age. Piali Bassa Admiral of the Forces sent by the Turk to Malta 693 Pius IV. takes the Alarm at a National Council in France 668 His Vanity Vide Chur. 16 th Age. Pius V. makes a League between the Spaniards and Venetians 715 De Piles valiantly defends Saint John d'Angely 708 Poissy the place of the famous Colloquy of that Name 676 Politiques a Faction Ch. 16 th Age. John Poltrot Meré Assassinates the Duke of Guise 687 Prodigles at the Deaths of Henry II. Henry III. and Henry IV. 941 Provinces-Vnited sollicite the French and the English to enter into a League 931 Pseffercon a Renegado Jew advises the Emperor to cause all the Jewish Books to be Burned Chur. 16 th Age. Writes against Renchin ib. Q QVarante of Paris chosen out of several Cities 788 Proclaim Charles Cardinal of Bourbon King 799 Quercy Appenage of Margaret of Valois 755 Quin̄ones Conde de Luna Ambassador of Spain at the Council of Trent disputes the precedency with France 685 John Quintin Speaker for the Clergy at the meeting of the Estates under Charles IX 673 Gives the Admiral Satisfaction 674 R RAbastains Besieged by Montluc where he was hurt 740 The Mareschal de Rais by his Practises hinders Rochel from receiving any relief from England 724 Rambouillet beats the leagued at Sablé and takes many Prisoners releases his Wife 807 Rasats a Faction under Henry III. 740 Rapin sent to Touloze by the Prince they make his Process 699 His death revenged 709 Reformed Religion at what time the Huguenots took that Title 743 Religion makes People undergo every thing 723 Makes even the very Women become couragious ib. La Renaudie chosen by the Huguenots to assemble those of their belief 665 Indiscreetly discovers his Design ib. Kills his Cousin and is Kill'd 666 Re-Union Edict given by Henry III. 783 Is sworn to by the King 784 Jo. Ribaud returns to Florida is ill treated by the Winds and worse yet by the Spaniards 700 Jo. Ribaud sent to Florida by the Admiral builds a Fort there and returns ib. His Men coming away after him are reduced to such Streights by Famine that they eat one of their Sick Company are relieved by the English ib. Rochel enters into the Huguenot Party 698 Fortifie themselves after the Saint Bartholomew 722 Is invested 723 Fortified by the Huguenots it defends its self wonderfully well ib. Rodolph King of the Romans Son of the Emperor Conducts Henry III. 733 Requesens Governor of the Low-Countries 750 Gains a famous Battle ib. A League against him ib. Rosny Surintendant of the Finances 840 Ambassador in England 903 Rosoy in Brie the Rendezvous of the Huguenots to surprize Charles IX at Monceaux 696 Rossius a Physician Hanged 825 De Roüet a Damoiselle beloved by the King of Navarre is cause of his Death 684 Rouen besieged by the Kings Army conducted by the King of Navarre and the Duke of Guise 683 Their Fort Saint Catherine taken by Assault ib. The City taken by Storm and Sacked ib. Besieged and quitted by Henry IV. 800 Roussel Francis May David surprizes the Castle of Vernueil and makes himself Master of the Town after a long Fight 682 N. de Roye Mother-in-Law to the Prince of Condé seized at the Estates of Orleans 670 Rybeirac Second in a Duel to Entragues the first Example of that kind 750 S. SAbellius his Errors in Vogue Sacierge Peter Chancellour under Lewis XII Church 16th Age. Sacramentaries a Name given to the Huguenots ib. Sagner Advoyer of Berne brings a Message for renewing of the Alliance with Henry IV. 898 Saint Cloud the place where Henry III. was lodged during the Siege of Paris and Murther'd 795 Sainte-Croix Marquess takes the Acores upon Don Antonio 760 His cruelty ib. Sainte Soulene draws off his Ships when they were ready to engage 760 They make his Process ib. Saint John d'Angely Besieged by the Duke of Anjou is taken after a rude Siege 708 Saint Luo Favorite of Henry III. forfeits his favour because he would undeceive his Master 772 Hurts the Prince of Condé to whom he afterwards Surrenders himself a Prisoner 778 Salsede Nicholas his Original his Treason and his Death 759 Salusses Marquisate seized by the Duke of Savoy 785 The King redemands it 870 Treaty for the exchange of it 887 Saveuse a brave Picard his death 793 Schomberg passes into Germany on behalf of Charles IX 716 Scbastian King of Portugal loses a Battle against the Moors 752 The Seize or the Sixteen Henry III. resolves to punish them 780 Sollicite the Duke of Guise to come to their assistance ib. Seize upon the Gates of Paris and elect the Duke of Aumale for their Governor 781 Will set up the Government of a Common-wealth or Republick Devote themselves to the Spaniard 814 Own the Duke of Guise for their Head 819 Cause some Presidents and Councellors to be Hanged ib. Obstruct the Reduction of Paris 836 Serini Count defends Liget bravely his generous Death 693 694 Sigismund of Austria King of Poland is infirm 715 Sixtus V. Pope his Ambition 792 Solyman enraged for having missed Malta falls upon Hungary 693 Dies before Ziget ib. Sonnas a Commander of the Savoy Forces that attempted to surprize Geneva is taken and Executed 900 Example of the extraordinary and unheard of Love of his Wife ib. James Spifame quits a Bishoprick to take a Wife Church 16 th Age. Strasburgh redoubles their Guards after the Saint Bartholomew 722 Strossi Cardinal makes a League 744 Surenne place of the famous Conference between the Royalists and the Parisians 830 The Swiss depute to Henry III. in favour of the Huguenots 774 Remain in the Service of Henry IV. 976 Are received and feasted at Paris 898 T TAlsy a place of Conference between the Queen and the Prince of Condé 678 Tanneguy du Chastel his Generosity and Acknowledgment 671 Tanguerel Batchellor of the Sorbonne Condemned by the Parliament for having maintained a Thesis against Kings 678 Tard-advisez rebels under Henry IV. 840 de Thiard a Poet and a Mathematician Church 16 th Age. de Thou Nicholas Bishop of Chartres Crowns Henry IV. 836 de Toledo Roderique General of the Milan Forces for the Duke of Savoy beaten and slain by Lesdiguieres 833 Truchard Maire of Rochel makes the Town enter into the Huguenots Party 698 Toloza exercises many Cruelties at the Saint Bartholomews and Hangs five Councellors 721 Henry de la Tour Vicount de Turenne Contriver of the Association of the Duke of Alenson the King of Navarre and the Prince of Condé 724 Is made Mareschal of France upon his Marriage with the Heiress of Sedan 818 Surprizes Stenay the Evening before his Nuptials ib. de Tournon Cardinal refuses to give place to the Princes of the Blood 676 Trans the Marquess his two Sons are slain 756 Tremblecour Commands the
eldest and some Rents and Moneys to Henry the youngest of the three Year of our Lord 1089 An. 1089. hapned the death of Robert called the Frison Earl of Flanders His Son of the same name succeeded in his Earldom Some time after he was Surnamed of Jerusalem because he was present at the Siege of that City An. 1099. Year of our Lord 1093 Foulk le Rechin extreamly incontinent and changeable towards Women but yet fuller of desire then ability after he had turned away two under colour of Proximity had in An. 1089. Married Bertrade the Daughter of Simon de Montfort The appetite of this Woman Young Beautiful and Gay did not sute with the age of her Husband she forsook him at three years end to cast her self into the Arms of King Philip who was a lover of Ladies and had not passed his 35th year There hapned to be a Bishop it was Eudes of Bayeux who undertoo to Marry them together upon condition he might have the Revenue of some Churches which the King bestowed upon him Year of our Lord 1094 Bertrade was of Parentage to the King in the Fifth or Sixth Degree and le Rechin her Husband in the Third or Fourth these were therefore two obstacles besides if Philip were free as he pretended he was Bertrade was not because her former Marriage had not been dissolved wherefore upon the hot pursuit of Ives Bishop of Chartres who shewed himself a zealous Defender of the Discipline of the Canons he was threatned with Excommunication at the Council d'Autun though the Pope suspended the effect or execution till the following year that he thundred it himself Year of our Lord 1095 in the Council of Clermont Year of our Lord 1095 The famous quarrel between the Pope and the Emperours which has caused so much mischief to Christendom was grown very hot it began betwixt Gregory VII and Henry VI. The First very imperious and undertaking the latter wicked cruel and irregular to the highest degree The Pope pretended to take away from the Emperour the investiture of Benefices as an unjust and sacrilegious thing but his true motive was a desire of the Empire of Italy and to subject all Princes to his Pontifical Power which seemed very feasible and easie because all Europe being divided into a Hundred and a Hundred several Dominions the Princes were but weak and the greatest number of them either out of Devotion or to avoid the Sovereignty of the more potent submitted and even devoted themselves to the Holy Chair and paid him Tribute so that had there been but three or four successive Popes crafty enough to have cloaked this design with at least an appearance of Sanctity and would have taken fit opportunities of relieving the people against their Oppressors they had made themselves sole Monarchs as well in Temporals as in Spirituals There was not that little Lord that did not Brave King Philip rocked asleep within the Arms of his Bertrade Miles Lord of Montlehery and Guy Troussel his Son made him sweat for anguish with their Castle of Montlehery and four or five others which they held in those parts with which they domineer'd over all the Country and interrupted the Trade betwixt Paris and Orleans though Guy Lord of Rochefort Brother of Miles was greatly in favour with Philip. Year of our Lord 1095 This year Vrban II. being come into France the refuge of persecuted Popes that he might be owned the true Head of the Church for the Emperour had dethroned him and caused another to be Elected Assembled a Council at Clermont in Auvergne in the Octave of St. Martins wherein he made a great many Canons for the reformation of the Clergy and especially to root out Simony and prohibit the Marriage of Priests and afterwards he Excommunicated King Philip and Bertrade his Concubine In the same Council upon the application and instances made by the Emperour Alexis to have some assistance against the Turks and upon the Remonstrances of Peter the Hermit a Gentleman of Picardy neer Amiens who having made a voyage into the Holy Land had been witness of the cruelties those Insidels did exercise upon the Christians the Pope by a warm discourse animated all the Prelats then present to incline the Faithful to take up Arms for the defence of Christendom and go into the East His Exhortations were so moving that they made impression on all their minds and this Zeal in a short time was spread all over Europe an infinite number of all qualities of all ages and of all Sexes Listed and Enroul'd themselves in this Sacred Militia The Signal was a Red Cross sowed upon the left Shoulder and the word Dieu le Veut The Turks after divers irruptions being called and taken into Pay by Machmet King of Persia who was a Saracen and had War with the Caliph of Babilon a Mahometan turned their Swords against himself and made themselves Masters of part of his Countrey in An. 1048. then of Mesopotamia Syria Judea and almost all Asia and had formed five or six Kingdoms one in Persia one in Bithynia one in Cilicia one in Damas whereon Jerusalem depended and one in Antioch Now subduing the Persian they had taken up their Religion which was the Mahometan This Reason joyned with their natural Barbarity inclined them to treat those Christians that inhabited Judea with all manner of cruelties and besides they threatned to invade the rest of Asia and destroy the whole Eastern Empire These Croisado's and beyond-sea Voyages the heat whereof lasted for above two hundred years was the ruine of the Great Lords and multitudes of the common people But the Popes and Kings found great advantages towards the making themselves absolute Those because they had the Command of these Expeditions whereof they were the Heads took into their protection the Persons and Estates of such as adventured made the use of Indulgences and Dispensations more common and current then formerly their Legats collected and managed the Alms and charitable Contributions that were given for the carrying on these Wars and it was even made a fair pretence to raise the Tenths upon the Clergy The Kings found their reckoning likewise because all the brave active and hottest Spirits going into these forreign Provinces left them a cleerer stage and more easie Government with less opposition to attain their chiefest ends The Lords and Grandees sold them their Estates or Engaged and Mortgaged them to raise Moneys or at their death they fell to Minors or Women from whose hands they were easie to be wrested And in fine France which swarmed with prodigious numbers of Men being evacuated by these great and frequent Phlebotomies became more gentle and submissive and their Wills less dependant on the Laws and antient Orders of the Kingdom Year of our Lord 1096 In the first Expedition there adventured above 300000 Men which were divided in several bodies Some took their way by Germany and Hungaria others by Sclavonia others again by
against the Infringers even to the killing them in the very Churches which served as a Sanctuary to all other the most enormous Criminals William the Conqueror had Establish'd this Law in England and in Normandy Anno 1080. Raimond Berenger Earl of Barcelonna in his Country Anno 1060. the Council of Clermont had confirmed it Anno 1096. and that of Rome Anno 1102. Now as these Truces were but ill observed and Languedoc and a part of Guyenne principally upon occasion of that War betwixt the King of Arragon and Raimond Earl of Toulouze were most miserably tormented with Factions Murthers and Robberies a certain Carpenter named Durand who seemed a plain simple Fellow Year of our Lord 1183 found the Remedy against these Calamities and a Means to enrich himself He asserted that God had appeared to him in the City du Puy in Auvergne commanding him to proclaim Peace and for proof of his Mission had given him a certain Image of the Virgin which he shewed So that upon his Veracity the Grandees the Prelats and the Gentry being Assembled at Puy on the day of the Feast of the Assumption agreed amongst themselves by Oath upon the Holy Evangelists to lay down all Animosities and the remembrance of former Injuries and made a Holy League to reconcile Mens Spirits and entertain Love and Peace which they named the Peace of God Those who were of it wore the Stamp of this Image of our Lady in Pewter upon their Breasts and Capuches or Hoods of white Linnen on their Heads which this Carpenter sold to them Which had such power over their Minds and had made such Impression that a Man with those Badges was not only in security but likewise in Veneration amongst his most mortal Enemies Year of our Lord 1184 Whether the three Princes of Champagne Brothers to the Queen Mother had gotten the upper hand at Court and put the King out of conceit with the Earl of Flanders or for some other cause the King summon'd him to surrender up Vermandois which Louis the VII had given him only as was pretended for a certain time The Earl being very Potent would maintain the possession passed the Somme with a great Army and came as far as Senlis But upon tidings of the Kings march he turns back the way he came and went and besieged Corbie from whence he decamped again immediately for the same cause The King not being able to overtake him besieges Boves the two Armies drew near to engage Some Mediators put a stop to their impetuous haste and made up the Peace The Earl yielded all Vermandois excepting Peronne and Saint Quentin which they let him enjoy during Life Year of our Lord 1184 To this Agreement the King called all the Bishops Abbots Earls and Barons that served in his Army with their Vnder-Vassals And such was then the Rights of the French The Patriarch of Jerusalem and the Prior of the Hospital of St. John's deputed on the behalf of the Christians from the Holy-Land brought the Keys of the Holy City to King Philip imploring his assistance and representing to him the extream danger it was reduced unto Whereupon having held a great Assembly of Prelats and Lords at Paris he enjoyned them to Preach the Cross or Croisade and to publish it every where and in the mean time sent at his own Expence a considerable Relief of Horse and Foot into that Country The Complaints of the Clergy of Burgundy whom Duke Odo had plundred and the Year of our Lord 1184 Lord de Vergy whose Castle that Prince besieged ingaged the King to march that way and besiege Chastillâ—n on the Seine the strongest Bulwark belonging to that Rebel Who finding his Fort taken by Assault came humbly to submit to his Commands promised to pay 30000 Livers for Reparation to the Clergy and gave up four Castles which however were soon after put into his possession again without doubt because they had some need of him Year of our Lord 1183 84. In Berry there were several Bands of Robbers that wasted the Country they were named Cottereaux and were believed to be tainte â—ith the Heresie that spread in Languedoc because they aimed chiefly to do mâ—schief to the Churchmen the Berriers getting together with the help of some Men sent them by the King cut them in pieces killing seven thousand upon the place The vast Multitudes of eople that flocked to Paris the Kings Train encreasing with his Authority made the Streets so dirty and 〈◊〉 that there was no going in them The King sent therefore for the Citizens and their Provost and enjoyned them to remedy it which they did by Pav ng it with Stone at their own expences I find about this time that one Girard de Poissi who managed the Exchequer brought in thither of his own proper Moneys or Fund Eleven thousand Mark in Silver It is to Year of our Lord 1185 be imagin'd that he had gotten them by the King but however we may say that this Example ✚ will be singular and that we shall never meet a Chequer-man will follow his Example What ever can be done that sort of People will sooner go to the Gibet then be brought to make Restitution Year of our Lord 1185 Margaret of France Widow of Henry the Young King of England is Re-Married to Bela III. King of Hungary Gesroy Duke of Bretagne and Brother of that Henry being come to wait on the King who tenderly lov'd him died of a Distemper at Champeaux and was Interr'd at Nostre-Dames in Paris He had one Daughter named Alienor and one Son only aged but three years The Bretons would give him the name of Artur in memory of that famous King whom the Romancers make to be the Author of the Knights of the Year of our Lord 1185 round Table and many high feats of Arms. He remained under the Guardianship of his Mother and the Protection of the King in despite of all the Efforts of Henry and Richard his Son who made several Attempts to seize upon his Person that they might get Bretagne into their possession The Widow Constance afterwards Married Guy Lord de Thouars The memory of Gefroy is still very famous amongst the Bretons because of that Law he made in his Parliament or Estates General which was called the Assize of Count Gefroy Whereby it was ordained that in the Families of Barons and Knights the Estates should not be shared or equally divided as heretofore but that the eldest should reap the whole Succession and bestow such part upon the younger as himself and the rest of his Kindred should think fit This hath since been thus proportion'd the Thirds amongst all the younger Children during Life to the Males and Inheritance to the Female In time the rest of the Gentry not to yield in Quality to the Barons would needs be comprehended herein likewise Towards the end of the year 1186. a War was raised between King Philip and Henry of England for