himself for not delivering of St. Quinâ—â— alleadging that if he had done it he could â—â—ve done him no further service in the Kingâ—om of France but added that seeing the King 〈◊〉 England was come over in Person he would 〈◊〉 the future do whatever the Duke should comâ—and him and gave him his Faith in Writing he â—ould serve him and his Confederates to the utâ—ost of his Power against all Opponents whatsoâ—â—er the Duke delivers the Constables Letter to the King adding some things thereto of his own head as that the Constable would certainly dâ—liver up St. Quintin and all other places in 〈◊〉 Power as soon as ever he came before them which the King willing to believe marches tâ—gether with the Duke forthwith from Peronne tâ—wards St. Quintin the English expecting to be â—â—ceived with ringing of Bells approached thâ— Town in a careless manner but had a quite contrary entertainment for they from the Towâ— fired their Cannon upon them and withâ—â—â— made a Sally both with Horse and Foot wherâ—in some English were slain and others taken Prâ—soners This double dealing both of the Constable anâ— Duke made the King the more readily hearkâ—â— to the Overtures of Peace that the French Kinâ— offered him wherefore in a Village near Amiâ—â— Commissioners for both Kings met whereof 〈◊〉 France were the Bastard of Bourbon Admiral 〈◊〉 Lord St. Peter and Bishop of Eureux and for Eâ—â—land the Lord Howard one Chalanger and Doctâ—â— Morton where it was agreed the French Kiâ—â— should pay the King of England presently befoâ—â— his departure out of France Seventy Two Thoâ—sand Crowns towards the expence of the Engâ—â—â—â— Army and 50000 Crowns a year for ever 〈◊〉 that the Dauphine should marry King Edwards â—â—dest Daughter and have the Dutchy of Guien 〈◊〉 her maintenance but at the King's return 〈◊〉 English Barons held it to be an inglorious Peâ—â—â— though 't was said to be made by the Holy Ghâ—â—â— â—or a Dove was seen to be often on King Edward's â—ent during the Treaty But the last Article was never performed for the Dauphine was afterward married to Margaret Daughter to Maximiâ—an Archduke of Austria so much to the disappointment and sorrow of King Edward that he â—ell sick upon it as Comines saies and departed â—his life at Westminster the 9th of April at the Age of 41. when he had Reigned 22 Years and â—bout one Month Anno 1483. and was buried at Windsor where before he had provided him a â—esting place this King had three Concubines whereof Jane Shoar was one of whom he would say one was the Merriest another the Wiliest and the third the Holyest Harlot in his Realm The cause of this War was a defection of the French from their Loyalty to England in Conjuction with the assistances they gave Queen Margaret and the Earl of Warwick against King Edward EDWARD V. ELdest Son of King Edward IV. was not above 12 years of Age when his Father died during this Kings short Reign if it may be called 〈◊〉 there was neither nor well could be any war 〈◊〉 act of Hostility that we read between Engâ—â—nd and France for it was but three Months that he reigned for Richard Duke of Glocester his Unkle knowing how easie a step it was from the place of a Protector and first Prince of the Blood to the Crown turned every stone to get the the Protectorship from the Lord Rivers the King's Unkle by the Mother side and having compassed it his next business was to get Prince Richard the King's Brother into his Clutches also whom the Queen Mother was fain to part with in great arfliction and struggling of Nature for she delivered him up as it were for Execution and the Protector who was resolved to make both him and the King a victim to his ambition looks upon the two young Princes from that very time as two Birds in a Cage that should not be long-lived but to blind the People he forthwith gave orders for the King's Coronation whilst he secretly contrived with the Duke of Buckingham his great Coajutor in his cursed designs to fix the Crown upon his own head Buckingham with his Artifices forced in a manner the City to a compliance which nolens volens was at last forced to proclaim Richard King of England the Duke pretending that all the late Kings issue were Bastards and the Protector only true heir to the Crown who when it was offered unto him by the Duke in the name of the City refused it with a counterfeit angry Countenance but when his Privado making himself the mouth of the Assembly said that if his Grace would not accept of the Crown they would find one that should then he was pleased to take it upon him as his right RICHARD III. WAs youngest Brother to Edward IV. of whom 't was said he was born with Teeth in his Head and Hair on his Shoulders At his first coming to the Crown he took his Seat in the Court of King's Bench where like a gracious Prince he pronounced Pardon of all offences committed against him to insinuate thereby to the People what a blessed Reign this was like to be but he spared not the two young Princes then in the Tower but they were by his Order stiffled in their Beds this reign was so troublesom at home that Richard though a warlike Prince in himself had not leasure to mind his affairs abroad for the Duke of Buckingham the great instrument of all his Villanies whether through the horrour of the said Murder or some other resentment did most certainly from that time project his ruine who had been the chief instrument of his elevation there was then at the Court of the Duke of Bretaign in France Henry Earl of Richmond the next heir to the House of Lancaster whose advancement to the Crown Buckingham and others resolved upon with proviso that Henry should consent to marry the Lady Elizabeth eldest daughter to Edward IV. whereby the Houses of York and Lancaster should be united into one but before the Plot took effect the Duke was taken and lost his Head without any form of Tryal or any regard had to his former Service Richmond lands at Milford Haven in Wales but with 200 men from whence advancing forwards by dayly reinforcements made up a body of 5000 men with whom he incountred K. Richard at Bosworth in Leicestershire being Aug. 12. 1485. The fight was very sharp but successful to Henry who carried the day and with it the Crown of England for there Richard was slain after he had acted the part of a great Captain and most valiant Soldier and so ended his bloody and short Reign which was but two years two Months and odd days but however to his praise it must be said that during his Reign he procured many good Laws for the ease of his People and omitted nothing that might tend to the honour of the English Nation HENRY VII BOrn in Pembrocke Castle in Wales succeeded next
same day landed at Calais some overtures of aâ— accommodation were made him from France before he took Shipping but he was no sooner arrived at Calais but the calm Winds of Peace began to blow for he found Maximilian was unprovided of the assistance promised for lack of Money which soon spread through the Army and upon the neck of this he received news also that Ferdinand and Isabel had made peace with Charles King of France upon his restoring unto them the Counties of Rousillion and Perpignan formerly mortgaged unto France by John King oâ— Arragon however October 15th he left Calais and directed his march towards Bulloigne where hâ— arrived in four days and so sat down before it 〈◊〉 the Siege continued for near a Month but without any memorable action or accident of War only Sir John Savage a valiant Commander was slain as he was riding about to view the Walls the Town was well fortified and had a good Garrison yet it was much distressed and ready for an assault which if it had been given 't was believed it would have been carried when the Commissioners appointed for that purpose concluded a Peace which was to continue for both the Kings lives wherein there was no Article of importance being in effect rather a bargain then a treaty as my Lord Bacon observes for all things remained as they were save that there should be paid to the King Seven Hundred Forty Five Thousand Duckats at present for his charges in that Expedition and Five and Twenty Thousand Crowns yearly for his expenses sustained in the aids of the Britons and besides this was left indefinitely when it should determine or expire which made the English esteem it as a tribute carried under fair terms and the truth is it was paid both to this King and to his Son King Henry VIII longer then it could continue upon aâ—y computation of charges but this Peace gave no great contentment to the Nobility and principal Officers of the Army who had many of them sold or engaged their Estates upon the â—opes of the War and they stuck not to say that the King cared not to plume his Nobility and â—nd People to feather himself and others made themselves merry with what the King had said in Parliament that after the War was once begun he doubted not to make it pay it self saying he had kept his Promise However Charles was by this peace assured of the Possession of Bretaign and free to prosecute his designs upon Naples which Kingdom he won though he lost it afterward in a kind of felicity of a Dream after he had passed â—he whole length of Italy without resistance so that it was true what Pope Alexander was wont to say That the Frenchmen came into Italy with Chalk in their hands to mark up their Lodgings rather then with Swords to Fight However Henry in the 11th year of his Reign upon this occasion entred into a League with the Italian Potentates for the defence of Italy He had many intestine broils and insurrections and his Reign is noted for Lambert Simnel and Perkin Warbeck's impostures and no less remarkable for the immense treasure he left behind him a testimony of his avaritious nature and after above 23 years reign and having lived 52 he died April the 22d at his Palace of Richmond which himself had built Anno. 1508. The Causes of his Wars were partly for the relief of Bretaign partly on behalf of the Arch-Duke Maximilian and partly for the recovery of his own right in France HENRY VIII HEir to both Houses of York and Lancaster and the only surviving Son of Henry VII succeeded his Father at the Age of 18 and proved a Prince of great Vertues as well as Vices Towards the fourth year of his Reign the French King making war upon Pope Julius King Henry wrote him monitory Letters to desist as being his Friend and Confederate which letters being little regarded Henry sent to demand his Dutchies of Normandy Guien Anjou and Main and the Crown of France it self but this had the same effect with the former the French King continuing his war in Italy which provoked King Henry so that entring into Confederacy with the Emperor Maximilian Ferdinando King of Spain and other Potentates he determined by the advise of his Council to make War upon France and made preparations both by Sea and Land accordingly and in concert with Ferdinando sends over into Biscay an Army of 10000 Men all foot under the command of the Marquess of Dorset with a design to invade France on that side first for the recovery of the Dutchy of Aquitain but Ferdinand failing in the promises he had made of Horse Ordinance Carriages c. the English after they had waited from May till December for performance returned into England without any memorable action performed their number being considerably diminished through sickness Henry nothing discouraged hereat calls a Parliament who gave him a plentiful supply for carrying on the War wherefore with a Puissant Army wherein were many noble Persons and over which as Captain General was constituted the Earl of Shrewsbury under the King's Person he lands at Calais on the last day of June being the fifth Year of his Reign and the day following lands the Admiral of England at Whitsand Bay entred the Town and burnt it and then returned From Calais about the 21st of July the King marches in great state and good order of Battle towards Turwin where he arrives on the fourth of August and laies close siege to it the French attempting to impede his march but without success Seven daies after came the Emperor Maximilian whom the King received with great Triumph between Aire and the Camp where he enters into the King's Pay and as a Testimony thereof wore St. George's Cross with a Rose the Town made no extraordinary defence for notwithstanding the Garrison consisted of 4000 whereof were 600 good Horse yet they capitulated the 23d and marched away the day following but the King did not think fit to keep the place and therefore rased all the Works and burnt the Town removing first the Ordinance that was in it to Aire from hence he directs his march towards the City of Turnay and about the 21st of September sets down before it it was but weakly Garrisoned but full of Inhabitants and so on the 29th of the same Month was by Capitulation surrendred the Citizens which were to the number of 60000 swearing Allegiance to him Here Sir Edward Poinings was made Governour and of this City Wolsey then the Kings Almoner was made Bishop and so by the way of Calais Henry returns for England and on the 24th of October lands at Dover the Earl of Surrey during his absence having fought the Scots slain their King James IV. and defeated their whole Army The King's Arms thus prevailing by Land in France it self and against the Scots its confederates proved no less successful by Sea for Sir John Wallop
his Brother Walter Devereux a brave young Gentleman slain with a Musket Bullet before Roâ—n the last succors was to the number of 2000 and put under the command of that excellent Soldier Sir Rogâ—r Williams who was always forward for the greatest attempts and did here excellent service He beat the leaguers that blockt up the Passes about Diep upon such unequal terms that Henry IV. could not but take notice and highly extoll his valour in his letter to the Queen this Queen after a glorious Reign of 44 Years 5 Months and odd days at the Age of 70 Years Anno 1602. and lived longer then any of the Kings of England since the Conquest dyed at Richmond and lies buried at Westminster The causes of the War in this Queen's time were not direct but collateral in behalf of the King and Reformists of France JAMES I. THen the sixth King of Scotland of that name t was immediately upon the death of Queen Elizabeth proclaimed King of England Scotland France and Ireland c. as being descended from the united Roses of Lancaster and York King Henry VII and Queen Elizabeth his Wife whose issue by the Male failing in the late deceased Queen Elizabeth the off-spring of Margaret their eldest Daughter was next heir which Lady was married to James IV. King of Scotland by him had issue James V. whose only daughter Queen Mary was Mother to this our Monarch This King was of a timorous Nature and peaceable Disposition so that Beati Pacifici was his Motto and was so far from making any pretensions to the Crown of France or any part of its Dominions notwithstanding his great power and the flourishing state of the Nation that he suffered his Son-in-Law the Palsgrave and his own Daughter Elizabeth his Wife with their numerous issue not only to be beaten out of Bohemia but even from their just Patrimony the Palatinate and to live many years in great want and Penury to the Kings great dishonour who was nothing but a bluster of Words and ever and anon sending Embassadors till all was quite lost and unretriveable this King died at Theobalds March 27th in 1625. in the 59 year of his Age having reigned 22 years compleat CHARLES I. THe only surviving Son of King James for that noble Prince Henry died before his Father succeeded to the Imperial Crown of England the reformed in France in the beginning of this King's Reign lay under great oppressions from their King Lewis XIII and his prime minister of state Cardinal Richieu in so much that they were forced for their fafty to have recourse to Arms under the command of that ever famous Cap. the Duke of Roan by Land and Monsieur Sobiez his Brother who rid Admiral at Sea and by that means Rochel besieged by the French King's Arms was relieved upon all occasions hereupon thro' the contrivance of the Duke of Buckingham an English Fleet was sent to join that of the French under the Duke of Momerancy the Dutch then basely concurring with some Ships of their alsos with which united force Momerancy fights and utterly defeats the Fleet of the Rochellers under Monsieur Sobiez and then reduced the Isles of Rhee and Oleron under the French Power but Buckingham soon after changing his Sentiments the grounds whereof we 'll assign in the causes of this War there is a Declaration of War published against France and 〈◊〉 the Prosecution of the same with Vigor the Duke is commissioned Admiral and General of a Navy of an 100 Sail and 6 or 7000 land Soldiers with which he came before Rochel still besieged by the French where Sobiez came on Board of him and for several reasons it was agreed to land the Army on the Island of Oleâ—on and not on the Isle of Rhee But Sobiez going to perswade the Rochellers to join with the English the Duke before his return lands on the Isle of Rhee in spight of the opposition made by the French but instead of pursuing the blow not only neglects to take the Fort la Prie to secure his retreat and prevent the French from landing supplies but staies five days whereby Toiras the French Governour incouraged his Men and also got more Force and Provisions into the Cittadel of St. Martins the French were so allarmed at this invasion that the King offered the Duke of Roan and the Rochellers any terms to join against the English which both refusing caused both their Ruins The Enemies retreat upon the landing of the English was so hasty that they quitted a Well about 20 paces from the Counterscarp which supplied the Cittadeâ— with Water which not being possest by the English upon their first approach the French drew a work about it which ouâ— Men could not force and without which Well the besieged could not have subsisted however the Duke resolves to take the Fort by Famine buâ— instead of pressing it with a strait Siege he entertains a Treaty of surrender with Toiras and several complements past between them subscribed your Humble Servant Buckingham and you Humble Servant Toiras till the latter got relief 〈◊〉 Men Victuals and Ammunition and then brokâ— off the Treaty with the Duke soon after thâ— the French landed Forces on the Island by thâ— neglect of the English to oppose them and ordeâ— were given to draw the English out of the Trenches which the French possess whereupoâ— the English were forced to Retreat at last the Duâ—â— makes a vain storm upon the Castle but 〈◊〉 beaten off and two days after retreats the 〈◊〉 being now equal to him in Foot and superior Horse when the English were intangled in thâ— Retreat the Duke having neglected to take la Prie or build a Fort upon a narrow Lane or Causey to secure their Retreat the French charged the English Horse in the Rear and rout them who rout the foot in the narrow passages between the Salt-pits and Ditch but in this confusion and adversity the bravery of the English appear'd for a few having past the Bridge the French following the English rallied and faced about gallantly to charge the French who cowardly retreated over the Bridge and of this a Forraign Author speaking saith The English were magis audaces quam fortunati and withall taxeth them for want of secrecy in their Counsels and Conduct of so great an affair the Duke of Buckingham upon his retreat from the Isle of Rhee promised the Rochellers to send them speedy relief now close besieged by the French King and upon return sent away the Earl of Denbigh his Brother-in-law with a Fleet to that purpose who on the first of May 1628. arrives before Rochell where he found the French Fleet consisting of 20 Sail had blockt it up by Sea upon the Earls approach the French retire towards their Fortification and anchored within two cannon shot of our Fleet and so continued till the 8th of May. The Earl promised the Rochellers to sink the French Fleet when the Waters increased and the
surnamed Ceur de Lion was the third Son of Henry the II. but the Eldest when his Father died aged 35 years when he began his Reign the former part whereof was spent by him in the Wars in the Holy-Land William Longshamp Bishop of Ely and Chancellor of England governing the Kingdom during his absence in this War he signalized his Valour to a wonder having first taken Cyprus in his way thither and at Acon in Syria so behaved himself that he became an object of Envy to other Christian Princes especially to King Phillip of France as you shall see hereafter where ever he went Terror was his forerunner insomuch that it grew common amongst those Eastern People to terrifie their Children with the apprehension of King Richard's coming in his return being driven upon the Coast of Dalmatia and thinking to pass home by Land incognito he was made Prisoner by the Duke of Austria who brought him to the Emperor Henry and was detained by him in Custody for a Year and five Months till he paid a great Ransom his unparallell'd Valour and Bravery was the occasion of this misfortune these and other Princes bearing him Envy especially the French King who invades Normandy during his absence which obliged Richard to make a Peace with Saladine for Three Years much to the disadvantage of the cause they fought for Phillip attacked Gisors and had it surrendred to him and many other Places and then hasted to lay Siege to Roan but found such a vigorous defence made by the Valiant and Noble Earl of Leicester that he was forced to quit his Enterprize and so returned into France On the 12th of March 1194. King Richard landed at Sandwich was recrowned again reduced the Kingdom entirely to his Obedience which was much divided because of his Brother John's pretentions in his absence and hearing the King of France had besieged Vernail he passed over into Normandy and arrived at Harfleur with 100 Ships full of Horsemen Armour c. the noise whereof so frighted the Monsieur that he left the Siege and went his ways whereupon Richard enters the French Dominions takes in several strong Places but the Noble Leicester had the misfortune to be taken Prisoner who afterward paid a great summ of Money for his Ransom and soon after ensued a Truce for a short time which was no sooner ended but Richard takes the Field possesses himself of the Castle of Brisen Novencourt c. the French King in the mean time besieging Albermarl whither Richard hastening to succour the Place a sharp Battle was fought between both Armies wherein the French prevailed chiefly upon the account of the English being wearied with their hard March But Richard had no sooner recruited and refreshed his Soldiers but he laid Siege to Miligio took it and burnt it down to the Ground whereupon ensued some overtures of Peace Albemarl in the mean time falling into the French hands and ran the same fate with Miligio Some three Years after Richard turned his Arms against the Barons of Poictiers that rebelled against him with prosperous success till at last besieging the Castle of Chaluz and having brought it to that extremity that he would grant no other Conditions but a surrender at Discretion he was shot in the left Arm out of a Cross-bow with an invenomed Dart by one Bartram de Gordon of which wound he died the 6th of April 1199. after he had reigned Nine Years and Nine Months and was buried at Fonteverard at his Fathers Feet The Causes were that while Richard went on so prosperously in the Holy Land the French King out of Envy and contrary to his Sacramental Oath invaded Normandy which forc'd King Richard to make peace with Saladine so much disadvantagious to all Christendom JOHN THe Brother of Richard who died without issue and youngest Son of Henry the II. succeeded his Brother to the prejudice of Arthur Geoffrey his Elder Brothers Son who was the real heir of Course This Arthur in right of his Mother was Earl of Bretagne in France so that by this exclusion England lost one of the best Provinces in that Kingdom and by advancing John to the Throne we not only lost almost all our Possessions in France but England it self became vassal to the Pope the Clergy of those times growing strangely bigotted to Rome and perverse to the King King John was in Normandy when his Brother dyed and though he wasted over into England with all possible speed to take Possession of the Crown and that his presence was so necessary here for to keep his new Subjects in their Obedience to him yet he could make no long stay for before a Year came about he was forced to return into Normandy again upon information that Phillip King of France had with a powerful Army made an irruption into Normandy who took the Country of Main and several other places from the English the Britons at the same time possessing themselves of the City of Angiers the Towns of Gorney Butenant and Gensoline Arthur doing also Homage to King Phillip for Anjou Poictiers Turain Main Bretaign and Normandy but soon after a Peace was concluded between the Kings and thereby many places confirmed to the French King that he had taken and others yielded up by John upon the account of his neece Blanch's Marriage with Lewis heir of France besides 30000 Marks in Silver paid to Phillip and all this to the great dishonour as well as detriment of the English Nation About two Years after this to wit the third of the Kings Reign one Hugo Brune a Noble Man of Aquitain raised a Rebellion against King John in that Province but he and his Adherents being unable to withstand John's Forces made complaint of him to Phillip of France whereupon he was summoned by the Nobles of France as Duke or Earl of Aquitain and Anjou to appear before the French King and to stand to the Judgment of his Peers which he refused upon which the Court adjudged him to be deprived of all his Lands which he or his Predecessors held of the King of France King Phillip forthwith raises a great Army invades Normandy takes in many Castles and a great part of the Country without resistance but Arthur Duke of Bretaign besieging the Castle of Mirable with Queen Eleanor then in it King John fell upon him there with such Force and Fury that he routed his Army and took Arthur and many others of Note Prisoners Arthur sometime after was sent Prisoner to the Tower of Roan and was there barbarously Murdered some said by King John's own hands but in all this time Phillip prospered in so much that in a very short space King John was in a manner despoiled of all the Lands he held in Fee of the Crown of France King John once and again made great preparations to recover his lost Dominions and had the good success to destroy the French Fleet and recover the Province of Poictou but his Domestick troubles both
the Prince there was a contest who took him first and the King was desired to point at him so he pointed at Howel and said this is the Man who took me There are authentick Records in some Welsh Manuscripts that confirm this Moreover they have a general Tradition and some Songs which continue fresh to this day how Howel did put a Bridle in the French King's Mouth with many other Expressions touching this great Act. Now for that signal exploit the Prince knighted him in the Field and he was ever after call'd Sir Howel y Fuyall Sir Howel with the Axe he had the Constableship of Crikyth Castle given him with the farms of Chester mills and other considerable things conferr'd upon him which surely would not have been but for the merit of some high signal Service The British Records besides Tradition and common Report that mention this were to be found in Sir John Winn's Library an honourable knowing Knight who was a curious collector of Antiquities These and many other glorious exploits were done by this King in France who ceased not his pursuits till he had got the Key of it hanging at his Girdle to wit the Town of Calais that in those days was looked upon to be impregnable which he carried after a long Siege This Kings Reign is also memorable upon many other accounts as for the Institution of the noble Order of the Garter for removing the staple of Wool from Flanders into England for that great Champion against Rome the famous Wickliff and for his own numerous issue by his Heroick Queen Phillipa being no less then seven Sons and five Daughters his Sons were these Edward the Black Prince the hopes of England and who died before his Father William of Hatfield Lioneâ— Duke of Clarence John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster Edmund of Langley Duke of York William of Windsor and Thomas of Woodstock Duke of Glocester he died at Richmond in 1377. when he had Reigned 50 Years and odd Months The cause of the War twixt the English and French in Edward the III. time was a claim to the Crown and Kingdom of France in right of his Mother Isabel which they would make invalid by their Salique or distaâ—â— Law to which the greatest Civilians do allow 〈◊〉 essence at all and Du Haillan the great French Historian hath no better Opinion of it but to be a meâ— Chymera or Imaginary thing but of this more presently OF THE Salique Law HERE I judge it no ways impertinent to be a little more particular yet touching the claim of this King Edward to the Crown of France and what grounds the French had by vertue of this Salique Law for the exclusion of him claiming from a Female and first we will briefly state his claim as it then stood and then come to the Law it self and it was thus Phillip the IV. surnamed the Fair had three Sons Lewis the Contentious Phillip the Long and Charles the Fair all these successively reigned after him and died without issue inheritable he had likewise a Daughter named Isabel I purposely omit the other being foreign to the present affair married to Edward the II. King of England and so was Mother to Edward the III. The issue male of Phillip the Fair thus failing Phillip Son and Heir of Charles Earl of Valois Beaumont c. who was Brother to Phillip the Fair laid claim to the Crown as next heir male against King Edward who made answer to the objection of the Salique Law that admitting it was as they asserted yet he was heir-male though descended of a Daughter and this in a publick assembly of the States of France first about the Protectorship of the Womb for Queen Joan Dowager of Charles the Fair was left with Child and delivered of a Daughter named Blanch afterwards Dutchess of Orleans was had in solemn dispute by Lawyers on both sides and applied at length also to the direct point of inheriting the Crown and so adjudged against King Edward What followed hereupon we have in some measure traced in the Preceding History of his Wars and are more at large recorded in Walsingham Froissart Aemilius and a multitude of more modern Writers whereby it appears and will in the Wars of this King's Successors in France how the denial of this Soveraignty to him by the French cost the lives of many thousands of their Men and involved that Country into long and miserable Calamities But as for the Law it self whereby they pretended such an exclusion of him it may well be said with Drayton in his Poly-Albion that every mouth speaks of it but few understand the thing it self or so much as the Etymology of its name and therefore to clear this point as well as we can we are necessitated to ascend a little higher then these times wherein it was made use of in prejudice to the English claim and to begin with the Original of the Francks with whom they affirm it was brought into France The Francks therefore according to many modern Historians came originally from Asia into Germany though others and perhaps upon better grounds make their original to be in Germany it self but this is certain that upon the decline of the Roman Empire they inhabited Franconia a Province of Germany and about the year 413 or according to Davila 119 invaded France under Pharamond whom they chose to be their King and Leader which Pharamond they make to be Son to Marcovir a Prince that governed them in Franconia but first before they began their Expedition they held a general Assembly near unto a River named Sala and there by the advice of the Salij their Priests or as others of the Salians whom they make to be the same with Francks enacted Laws for Government and amongst the rest one for the Exclusion of Females from inheriting the Crown which from the aforesaid appellations whether one or all it matters not came to be denominated the Salique Law But Goropius that fetches all our of Dutch and this perhaps more tollerably then many of his other Etymologies deriving the Salians name from Sal which in contraction he makes to be from Sadel inventors whereof says he the Salians were interprets them to be as much as Horse-men a name fitly applied to the War-like and most noble Persons of any Nation as Equites in Latin Chevaliers in French and Marchog in Welch do very well agree to so that upon the whole the Salique Law is made by him to be as much as a Chivalrous Law and Salique Land Quae ad equestris ordinis dignitatem in capite summo in caeteris membris conservandam pertinebat which very well agrees with a sentence given in the Parliament at Bourdeaux upon an ancient Will devising all the Testator's Salique Lands which was in point of Judgment interpreted to be a Fief and who knows not but that Fiefs were originally military Gifts but if things be so how then comes Salique to extend to the