as you see The Notes 1 The Earles meaning was that the King could not redeeme them during the said Earles life bicause they were engaged to Duke Philip and his heires males 2 The Duke of Burgundie allowed the Dolphin being in his countries monethly 3000. florences for his entertainment Meyer 3 King Lewis was crowned anno 1461. Augusti 14. 4 The Kings sister that married the Earle was named Catherine but he had no issue by hir Annal. Burgund Meyer His second wife was Isabell daughter to Charles Duke of Bourbon by whom he had issue a daughter named Marie which also was his heire His third wife was Margaret sister to Edward the fourth King of England by whom also he had no issue 5 He meaneth the taking of Roan mentioned in the next chapter How the towne of Roan by practise was put into the Duke of Bourbons hands for the D. of Berry and how the treatie of Conflans was fully concluded Chap. 13. YOu shall now vnderstand what mooued me to discourse so long of the dangers depending vpon these treaties and why I aduised Princes to be wise and circumspect whom they employ in them especially him that hath the woorse end of the staffe For while the commissioners sat to treat of peace by means wherof men met communed togither in steede of treating of peace some practised to yeeld the Duchie of Normandie to the Kings onely brother the Duke of Berry to the end he might there take his partage and restore Berry to the King which enterprise was also executed according for the Lady of Brezey the late Seneschall of Normandies widow and certaine of hir kins folkes and seruants by hir perswasion receiued Iohn Duke of Bourbon into the castell of Roan and finally into the towne the which willingly consented to this mutation as did also all the other townes and places in the countrey a few excepted For the Normans haue euer been and yet are of opinion that it is requisite for them their countrie being so large to haue their Prince resident among them neither desire they any thing more and sure it is a goodly thing and a rich for I my selfe haue knowen the reuenues thereof nine hundred and fiftie thousand frankes 1 and some say they are greater After the towne was reuolted all the inhabitants gaue their oth to the Duke of Bourbon as the Duke of Berries lieutenant saue the bailiffe of the towne named Onaste who had been a groome of the Kings chamber in Flaunders and neere about him and another called VVilliam Piquart afterward generall of Normandie and the high Seneschall of Normandie that now is who also departed to the King against his mothers will who as you haue heard was the chiefe author of the citizens reuolt When the King heard this newes he resolued to make peace seeing he could not vndoo that was already done Wherefore incontinent he sent word to the Earle of Charolois being in his campe that he would gladly speake with him and appointed the hower when he would meete him in the fields by Conflans neere to the said campe at which hower he came accompanied with an hundred horse all in manner Scottish men of his garde The Earle of Charolois met him with a small traine without any ceremonie notwithstanding many of his seruants went after him so that in the end his company was greater than the Kings but he caused them to stay a pretie way off and when the King and he had walked togither a while the King told him that the peace was already made and aduertised him of al that was hapned at Roan whereof the Earle as yet vnderstood nothing adding that notwithstanding he would neuer willingly haue granted his brother so large a partage yet now seeing the Normans themselues had made this mutation he would agree thereunto and passe the treatie in maner and forme as before at diuers meetings was deuised for as touching the other articles they had to agree vpon they were but trifles The Earle of Charolois was glad of these newes for his army lay in great distresse of vittailes but more of money and had not this hapned all these Princes had been forced to depart with great dishonor Notwithstanding to the Earle of Charolois the same day or within two or three daies after came a new releefe both of men and money sent him by Duke Philip his father out of Burgundy vnder the leading of the Lord of Sauenses being six score men of armes and fifteene hundred archers and six score thousand crownes vpon ten sumpter horses with great store of bowes and arrowes which furnished reasonably well the Burgundians army who stood in great doubt that the other Princes would make peace without them This communication of peace pleased so well both the King and the Earle of Charolois and so desirous they were as I haue heard the Earle himselfe say to conclude the treatie that they marked not which way they walked but rode straight toward Paris so far foorth that they entred into a great bulwarke of wood and earth that the King had caused to be made a good way without the towne at the end of a trench by the which laie a way into the towne The Earle was accompanied but with foure or fiue persons who were much abased when they saw themselues within the bullwarck notwithstanding he himselfe set a good face on the matter But when this newes came to the campe the whole army began to mutter and the Earle of S. Paul the marshal of Burgundie the Lord of Contay the Lord of Hault-bourdin diuers others assembled togither blaming greatly both the Earle and those that accompanied with him of this follie and alleadging the inconuenience that hapened to his grandfather at Montereau-faut-Yonne in the presence of King Charles the 7. Wherefore incontinent they commanded all the soldiers that were walking abroad in the fields to retire into their campe And the marshall of Burgundie surnamed Neuf-chastel said thus though this foolish harebrained yoong Prince be gone to cast awaie himselfe yet let vs prouide that his house his fathers estate and we our selues fall not into danger wherefore mine aduise is that euerie man repaire to his lodging and be in a readines banishing al feare whatsoeuer hapen For we are strong inough if we seuer not to retire to the marches of Henaut or Picardie or into Burgundie When he had thus said he and the Earle of Saint Paul mounted on horsebacke and walked out of the campe to see if they coulde descrie any body comming from Paris where after they had stoode a while they discouered forty or fiftie horses being certeine of the Kings seruants as well archers as others that waited backe vpon the Earle of Charolois who so soone as he perceiued these two approch caused the French men to return he stood in awe of the marshall bicause he vsed to giue him verie sharpe language neither feared sometimes to tell him that he was
him how I had wrought with this good fellow naming diuers others who in mine opinion seemed fitter for this purpose than he but the King would none but him Wherfore he came and talked with him himselfe and confirmed him more with one word than I had with an hundred None entred into the chamber with the King saue onely the Lord of Villiers then Master of the horse and now bailife of Caen. When the King perceiued this good fellow to be well perswaded to go he sent the said Master of the horse to fetch a trumpet banner thereof to make this counterfet herault a cote armor for the King bicause he was not pompous as other Princes are had neither herault nor trumpeter with him Thus the Master of the horse and one of my men made his cote armor as well as they could which being finished the said Master of the horse fetched a scutchin of a little herault of the Lord Admirals called Pleinchemin which was fastened to our counterfet herault his bootes also and his cloke were brought priuily to him and likewise his horse whereupon he mounted no man vnderstanding any thing of his iourney Further a goodly budget was tied to his saddle bowe into the which he put his cote armor Thus being well instructed what to say he rode straight to the English campe where when he arriued with his cote armor on his backe he was staied incontinent and brought to the King of Englands pauilion Where being demanded the cause of his comming he said that he came from the King to speake with the King of England and had commandement to addresse himselfe to the Lord Hovvard and the Lord Stanley whereupon they led him into a tent to diner and made him good cheere After the King of England was risen from the table for he was at diner when the herault arriued the said herault was brought before him and the King gaue him audience His message was chiefely grounded vpon the great desire the King had of long time to be in perfect amitie with the King of England to the ende both the realmes might liue togither in peace and quietnes adding further that since the time he was first crowned King of Fraunce he neuer had attempted any thing against the King of England or his realme 1 secondarily he excused himselfe for receiuing in times past the Earle of Warwicke into his dominions saying that he did it onely against the Duke of Burgundie and not against him Further he declared vnto him that the said Duke of Burgundie had for none other cause called him into Fraunce but that by the occasion of his comming he might conclude a better peace for himselfe with the King And if happily any others were furtherers thereof it was onely to amend the broken state of their owne affaires and for their owne priuate commoditie but as touching the King of Englands good successe they were altogither carelesse thereof he put him also in minde of the time of the yeere alleaging that winter approched and likewise of the great charges he sustained lastly he said that notwithstanding a great number in England as well gentlemen as merchants desired war with France yet if the King of England would incline to peace the King for his part would condiscend to such conditions as he doubted not but he and his realme would allow of lastly to the ende he might the better be informed of all these matters he said that if the King of England would grant a safe conduct for an hundred horse the King his Master would send ambassadors to him well informed of their Masters pleasure or if the said King of England should like better to assigne the place of treatie in some village betweene both the armies and to send Commissioners thither on both sides the King his Master would willingly agree thereunto and send the like safe conduct for his part The King of England and part of his nobles liked these ouuertures very well and granted our herault as large a safe conduct as he demanded gaue him fower nobles of gold 2 in reward Further an English herault was sent backe with him to the King to bring the like safe conduct from him as the King of England had granted And the next morning in a village neere to Amiens the Commissioners of both Princes met being these for the King the bastard of Bourbon Admirall of Fraunce the Lord of Saint Pierre and the Bishop of Eureux called Heberge and for the King of England the Lord Howard one called Chalanger 3 and a Doctor named Morton at this present Chancellor of England and Archbishop of Canterbury Some may thinke peraduenture that the King humbled himselfe too much but those that be wise will easily perceiue by that I haue aboue rehearsed in how great danger the realme stood had not God put to his helping hand as well in causing the King to take this wise course as also by troubling the D. of Burgundies wits who committed so many errors as you haue heard in this action lost now through his owne follie that which so long he had wished for and desired Many secret practises lay hidded at that time among our selues as well in Britaine as elsewhere which would soone haue broken foorth into great inconueniences had not this peace beene speedily concluded Wherefore I assure my selfe by that I haue seene in my time that God had then and yet hath a speciall regard of this realme The Notes 1 King Lewis had forgotten that before this time he had attempted to restore Queene Margaret daughter to King Rene. Annal. Burgund 2 Hall reporteth that the French herault had giuen him a gilt cup and an hundred angels 3 This Chalanger our chronicles name Sentleger How truce for nine yeeres was treated of betweene the Kings of Fraunce and England notwithstanding all the lets and impediments that the Constable and the Duke of Burgundy made Chap. 8. THe Commissioners of both the Princes met as you haue heard the next day after our heraults returne for we lay within fower leagues or lesse togither The said herault was well cheered and had his office in the I le of Ré where he was borne and the sum of mony that was promised him Many conditions of peace were treated of betweene our Commissioners The English men after their woonted maner first demanded the crowne at the least Normandie and Guienne but they were no more earnestly demanded than strongly denied Notwithstanding euen at this first meeting the treatie was brought to a reasonable point for both the parties desired peace whereupon our ambassadors returned to the King and the others to their campe The King heard the English mens demands and last resolutions which were these That he should pay to the King of England presently before his departure out of Fraunce 72000. crownes 1 That the King that now is then Daulphine should marrie King Edwards eldest daughter at this day Queene of England and that she should
purged him fower daies before he died bicause they sawe in his bodie the occasions of his death Euery man ran to the Duke of Orleans who was to succeede him as next heire to the crowne But King Charles his chamberlains caused him to be richlie buried and immediately after his death began solemne seruice for him which continued both day and night for when the canons ended the friers Franciscans began and when they ended the Bons-hommes 1 which was an order founded by himselfe his body remained at Amboise eight daies partly in his chamber which was richly hanged and partly in the church All solemnities belonging to his funerals were more sumptuous than euer were any K. of Fraunce for his chamberlains officers those that were neere about him neuer departed from his body till it was laid in the ground which was about a moneth after his death al the which space this solemne seruice continued so that the charges of his funerals amounted to fiue and fortie thousand franks as diuers of the receit haue informed me I arriued at Amboise two daies after his death and went to say my praiers ouer his body where I abode fiue or sixe howers And to saie the truth I neuer saw so great mourning and lamentation nor that continued so long for any Prince as for him and no maruel for he had bestowed vpon those that were neere about him namely his chamberlaines and ten or twelue gentlemen of his priuie chamber greater offices and gifts than euer did King of Fraunce yea too great to saie the truth Besides that he was the mildest and courteousest Prince that euer liued for I thinke he neuer gaue foule word to any man wherefore in better hower could he not die both to leaue his fame behinde him in histories and to be bewailed of those that serued him And I thinke verily that my selfe am the man whom of all other he vsed roughliest but bicause I knew it to be the fault of his youth and not to proceede of himselfe I could neuer loue him the woorse for it After I had staied one night at Amboise I went to the newe King with whom I had been more familiar than any man and further for his sake had susteined all my troubles and losses which now he seemed little to remember notwithstanding with great wisdome he tooke possession of the crowne for he changed no pensions that yeere though halfe the yeere were yet to come neither displaced many officers but said that he would maintaine euery man in his estate whereby he wan great honor Moreouer with all speede possible he went to his coronation whereat my selfe was present And these that follow represented the peeres of Fraunce The first was the Duke of Alençon who represented the Duke of Burgundie the second the Duke of Bourbon who represented the Duke of Normandie the third the Duke of Lorraine who represented the D of Guienne The first Earle was Philip L. of Rauastaine who represented the Earle of Flaunders the second Engilbert of Cleues who represented the Earle of Champaigne the third the Earle of Foix who represented the Earle of Tholouze And the said King Levvis the twelfth now raigning was crowned at Reims the 27. of Maie the yeere 1498. and is the fourth that hath come to the crowne by collaterall line The two first were Charles Martell or Pepin his sonne and Hugh Capet who were both of them Masters of the pallace or gouernors of those Kings whom they deposed from the crowne which afterwarde themselues vsurped the thirde was King Philip of Valois and the fourth the King that now raigneth but these two latter came to the crowne by iust and lawfull title The first genealogie of the Kings of Fraunce beginneth at Meronee two Kings had raigned in Fraunce before the said Meronee namely Pharamond who was first chosen King of Fraunce for his predecessors were called Dukes or Kings of Gaule and his sonne Claudio The said Pharamond was chosen King the yeere of grace 420. and raigned ten yeeres and his sonne Claudio eighteene so that these two Kings raigned eight and twentie yeeres and Meronee who succeeded next after was not sonne but cosen to the said Claudio Wherefore it seemeth that the right line of the Kings of Fraunce hath failed fiue times notwithstanding as before I said men begin the first line at Meronee who was crowned King in the yeere of our Lord 448. from the which time to the coronation of King Levvis the twelfth are numbred 1050. yeeres But if you reckon from Pharamond you must adde eight and twentie more which make 1078. yeeres since there was first King of Fraunce From Meronee to the raigne of Pepin when the line of the said Meronee failed are numbred 333. yeeres From Pepin to Hugh Capet raigned the true line of the said Pepin and Charlemaine his son the space of 237. yeeres The right line of Hugh Capet raigned 339. yeeres and ended in King Philip of Valois and the right line of the said King Philip of Valois continued till the death of King Charles the eight which hapned in the yeere of our Lord 1498. The said King Charles was the last of this line the which had continued 169. yeeres during the which space these seuen Kings raigned in Fraunce Philip of Valois King Iohn Charles the fift Charles the sixt Charles the seuenth Levvis the 11. and Charles the eight in whom the right line of Philip of Valois ended The Notes 1 This vvas an order of religion deuised by the King How Charles Duke of Burgundie was of the house of Lancaster as Commines mentioneth lib. 1. cap. 5. and in other places Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster m. Blaunch daughter and heire of Henry Duke of Lancaster and Darby Philippa m. Iohn the tenth King of Portugale bastard to King Ferrande of Portugale Isabella m. Philip Duke of Burgundie Charles Duke of Burgundie of whose wars and death this history treateth How Elizabeth wife to King Edward the fourth was neece to the Constable of Fraunce as mentioneth Commines lib. 4. cap. 5. Peter of Luxembourg m. Margaret Countesse of Saint Paul Conuersane Briane Lignac c. Petrus Earle of Saint Paul c. m. Margaret daughter to William D. of Andre in Prouence Iaquelna or Iaquette m. Iohn Duke of Bedford m. Richard Wooduile Earle of Riuers Elizabeth m. Sir Iohn Gray Thomas Marques Dorset m. Edward the fourth King of England Edwardus quintus R. Ang. Lewis of Luxembourg Earle of Saint Paul Constable of FrauÌ„ce m. Iane daughter heire to Robert Earle of Marle c. Anthonie Earle of Roussv mentioned by Commines lib. 2. cap. 11. lib. 4. ca. 4. Iohn Earle of Marle slaine at the battell of Morat Peter Earle of Saint Paul and Brienne m. Margaret daughter to Lewis D. of Sauoye Marie Francis m. Marie daughter to Lewis Duke of Sauoye Lewis Eaâ—â— of Ligny How Brabant Lambourg Luxembourg and Namurs came to Philip Duke of Burgundie as mentioneth Commines lib.
4. cap. 13. Brabant Lambourg Iohn the first of that name Duke of Brabant and Lambourg 1 Lambourg was erected into a Duchie 1172. and Henrie the last Duke thereof who died without issue 1293. solde it to Iohn the first of that name Duke of Brabant But Henrie Earle of Luxembourg father to Henrie the Emperor the Bishop of Colyn and one called the Earle Ghelric inuaded the Duchie of Lambourg with them Duke Iohn fought neere to the castell of Voronc and tooke the Earle Ghelric who pretended title to Lambourg and the Bishop of Colin prisoners the Earle of Luxembourg with two of his brethren was slaine the castell of Voronc razed since the which time Lambourg hath remained quiet vnder the Dukes of Brabant m. Margaret daughter to Guy Earle of Flaunders Iohn Duke of Brabant and Lambourg m. Margaret daughter to Edward the first King of England Iohn Duke of Brabant and Lambourg m. Marie daughter to Philip of Valois King of Fraunce Iane the eldest daughter died 1397. m. Wenceslaus son to Iohn King of Boheme 2 Wenceslaus succeeded Iohn Duke of Brabant but he died 1383. without issue and after his wife dying anno 1393. left Brabant and Lambourg to Anthonie second sonne to Philip the Hardie the said Ianes grand nephew by Margaret hir yoonger sister after whose death and his two sonnes Iohn and Philip Brabant and Lambourg descended to Philip Duke of Burgundie as mentioneth Commines in the place aboue rehearsed died 1383. Margaret m. Lewis Maleaâ—â—â— Earle of Flaundres Margaret m. Philip the hardy Margaret wife to William Earl of Haynault Anthony slaine in the battel of Agincourt m. Iane daughter to Walleran Earle of Saint Paul Ligny the first wife Iohn succeeded his father in Brabant and Lambourg Philip succeeded his brother m. 3 Elizabeth second wife to Anthonie Duke of Brabant was daughter to Iohn Duke of Gorlic brother to the Emperours Wenceslaus and Sigismundus who partly in respect of this marriage partly for money gaue to Duke Anthonie the Duchie of Luxembourg but after his death they and VVilliam Duke of Saxonie who had married Sigismundus daughters daughter sought to dispossesse hir of it but Duke Philip of Burgundie euer defended hir and after hir death succeeded hir as well by hir gift as also as heire to Duke Anthonie his two sonnes being dead who had paid money to VVenceslaus and Sigismundus for it afterward also Charles Duke of Burgundie bought the title of Isabella wife to Cassimirus King of Polonia and neece to the Emperor Sigismund to the Duchie of Luxembourg to hold it without quarrell Elizabeth the second wife Luxembourg Iohn Duke of Burgundie m. Margaret sisteâ— to William Earl of Haynault Holland Namurs Philip Duke of Burgundie 4 As touching Namurs Duke Philip bought it for his money of diuers that pretended title to it especially of Iohn Earle of Namur who sold it to Duke Philip vnder condition to hold it during his life which happened anno 1428. How Holland Hainault and Zeland came to Duke Philip as mentioneth Commines lib. 4. cap. 13. where also the Queenes Maiesties title to the said countries is somwhat touched Holland Hainault Zeland William Earle of Holland Hainault and Zeland m. Iane sister to Philip of Valois after K. of Fraunce Philippa the eldest daughter wife to Edward the third King of England William declared by the Emperor ann 1337. Earle of Holland Zeland Hainault and Lord of Friseland slaine by the Frizons 1345. Margaret daughter as some write to William 1 This Margaret Guicchiardin writeth to haue been daughter to VVilliam the yoonger Earle of Hainault Holland and Zeland but Annales Genealogiques Franciae say that she was sister not daughter to VVilliam as do also other most approoued Authors And if she were but sister then the Queenes Maiestie being descended of Philippa the said VVilliams eldest sister is right heire of all these countries Meyerus lib 12. fol. 140. pag. 2. and fol. 147. pag. 1. saith that Margaret was sister not daughter to Duke VVilliam which also is the more manifestly prooued bicause the wife of this VVilliam was Iane the eldest daughter to Iohn Duke of Brabant who ouerliued hir husband and after married VVenceslaus brother to the Emperor Charles the fourth which woman neuer had issue yet finde we no mention of any other wife that VVilliam the yoonger Earle of Hainault had as others sister m. Lewis of Bauierâ— Emperor William the eldest brother died without issue Albert succeeded his brother m. Margaret daughter to the Duke of Brida William succeeded his father m. Margaret daughter to Philip the Hardy Iaqueline daughter and heire had fower husbands but died without issue and to hir succeeded Philip D. of Burgundie Margaret m. Iohn Duke of Burgundy sonne to Philip the Hardy Philip Duke of Burgundy succeeded Iaqueline in all these Seniories as heere mentioneth Commines A daughter married to the Duke of Iuliers How Margaret of Flaunders was heire of Flaunders Neuers and Rethel as mentioneth Commines lib. 4. cap. 13. lib. 5. cap. 11. the which Margaret married with Philip the Hardy yoongest sonne to Iohn King of Fraunce Ottho yoonger sonne to Hugh the fourth of that name Duke of Burgundy m. Isabella daughter heire of Arnulfe Earle of Neuers which Arnulfe died anno 1243. Neuers Yolande Flaunders m. Robert of Bethune the 22. Earle of Flaunders died 1323. Lewis Earle of Neuers Baron of Douzy died before his father ann 1322. Rethel m. Mary daughter and heire of Iames â— of Rethel Lewis Earle of Flaunders Neuers Rethel slain at the battell of Crecy 1346. m. Margaret yoongest daughter to Philip le Longue King of Fraunce Lewis Earle of FlauÌ„ders surnamed of Malain slain by Iohn Duke of Berry brother to Charles the fift anno 1383. m. Margaret daughter to Iohn the 3. Duke of Brabant Margaret daughter and heire heere mentioned married two Dukes of Burgundie as in the next leafe more at large shall appeere m. Philip Duke and Earle of Burgundy the first husband m. Philip the Hardy yoongest sonne to Iohn K. of Fraunce How Arthois and the County of Burgundy descended to the said Lady Margaret aboue mentioned and how she married two Dukes of Burgundy and how Philip the Hardy hir second husband obtained the Duchy of Burgundie after the death of Philip Duke of Burgundie hir first husband Burgundie Duchie Robert Duke of Burgundy died 1308. m. Agnes daughter to King Saint Lewis Margaret the eldest daughter m. Lewis Huttin King of Fraunce Iane wife to Phillip Earle of Eureux Iane. m. Philip of Valois King of Fraunce Iohn King of Fraunce 3 Touching the Duchie of Burgundie note that after the death of Philip Duke of Burgundie nephew to Ottho the 16. Duke of Burgundie King Iohn of Fraunce being sonne to Iane the said Otthos yoonger sister seazed the Duchie of Burgundie into his hands excluding Iane daughter to Margaret the elder sister as suspected of bastardie and after gaue the said Duchie
to his yoongest sonne Philip the hardie for his aduancement in marriage with the Ladie Margaret of Flaunders Philip the hardie second husband to the Ladie Margaret Ottho the 16. Duke of Burgundie m. Iane the eldest daughter Philip died afore his father anno 1346. m. Iane daughter to William Earl of Boloin and Auuergne Philip Duke and Earle of Burgundie succeeded his grandfather died 1361. m. Margaret daughter and heire hir second husband was Philip the hardie Burgundie Countie Othelin Earle of Burgundie died 1303. Arthois m. Maude daughter to Robert Earle of Arthois 1 Touching the title of Arthois this is to be obserued that Robert Earle of Arthois father to Maude had a sonne named Philip who died before his father and left behinde him a sonne named Robert Earle of Beumont who after his grandfathers death demanded the Countrey of Arthois but this Maude by fauor of the French King obtained it bicause she was adiudged neerer heire to the Earle Robert being his daughter than the Earle of Beumont being his sonnes sonne for spite whereof the Earle of Beumont reuolted to the King of England of him are descended the Earles of Eu. Iane succeeded hir mother in hir widowhood and was poisoned immediately after hir mothers death m. Philip the long King of Fraunce Iane the eldest daughter m. Ottho the 16. Duke of Burgundie Philip died afore his father anno 1346. m. Iane daughter to William Earl of Boloin and Auuergne Philip Duke and Earle of Burgundie succeeded his grandfather died 1361. m. Margaret daughter and heire hir second husband was Philip the hardie Margaret 2 This Margaret being in hir widdowhood succeeded in Arthois and the Countie of Burgundie of Philip hir sister Ianes sonnes sonne and husband to Margaret hir sonnes daughter to whom after hir death the said Seigniories descended m. Lewis Earle of Flaunders Lewis of Malain Earle of Flaunders m. Margaret daughter to Iohn D. of Brabant Margaret daughter and heire hir second husband was Philip the hardie m. Philip Duke and Earle of Burgundie succeeded his grandfather died 1361. Blaunch m. Charles le bel K. of Fraunce How the King of Portugale was cosin germane to the Duke of Burgundy as is mentioned Lib. 5. cap. 7. Ferdinand the ninth King of Portugale Iohn a bastard but King of Portugale m. Philippa daughter to Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster Isabella m. Philip Duke of Burgundie Charles Duke of Burgundy Mary daughter and heire to D. Charles m. Maximilian Emperor Edward King of Portugale m. Iane sister to Alfonse King of Arragon Naples and Sicile Leonora m. Frideric the third Emperor Maximilian Emperor m. Mary daughter and heire to D. Charles Alfonsus King of Portugale the same that came into Fraunce for succours How the Duke of Cleues was the Lady of Burgundies neerest kinsman by his mother as is mentioned Lib. 5. cap. 16. Iohn Duke of Burgundy m. Margaret sister to William Earle of Hainault and Holland Mary m. Adolf the first D. of Cleues Adolfe Lord of Rauastain m. Betrice daughter to Iohn Duke of Cuymbria in Portugale Philip Lord of Rauastain mentioned in many places of this historie m. Mary base daughter to Philip Duke of Burgundy Iohn Duke of Cleues the D. heere mentioned m. Isabella daughter to Iohn E. of Neuers Iohn duke of Cleues the Dukes sonne for whom the marriage with the Lady Mary should haue beene made Philip Duke of Burgundy m. Isabella daughter to Iohn K. of Portugale Charles Duke of Burgundy m. Isabella daughter to Charles Duke of Bourbon Mary Duchesse of Austrich so often mentioeed in this historie m. Maximilian Emperor How King Henry the 7. was right heire of the house of Lancaster contrary to Commines who affirmeth the contrary Lib. 5. cap. 18. togither with the excuse of Commines error Edward the third King of England Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster m. Blaunch daughter and heire to Henry D. of Lancaster Iohn Duke of Bedford Henry the 4. Rex Angliae Henry the 5. Rex Angliae Henry the 6. Rex Angliae Edward Prince of Wales Thomas D. of ClareÌ„ce Humfrey Duke of Glocester m. Katharine the third wife Iohn Earle of Sommerset Iohn Duke of Sommerset the eldest sonne Margaret countesse of Richmond Henry the 7 Edmund made D of Sommerset bicause his brother died without issue male Henry Duke of Sommerset beheaded by K Edward the fourth Edmund Duke of Sommerset beheaded also by K. Edward the fourth A daughter maried Humfrey Duke of Buckingham Iohn slaine at the battell of Teukesbury The excuse of Commines error The line of Henry the fourth being failed in Prince Edward the right of the house of Lancaster came to the house of Sommerset as heere is set foorth but after the dâ—â—th of Iohn Duke of Sommerset who died without heire male Edmund his brother was made Duke of Sommerset Wherefore Commines knowing Henry the 7. to claime the right of the house of Lancaster as heire of the house of Sommerset and seeing others to be Dukes of Sommerset and not him supposed them to be of the elder house to him yet notwithstanding was Henry the 7. neerer heire than they being by his mother descended of the elder brother though they being of the male line obtained the title of Sommerset before him But this in my fansie bred Commines error and thus much in his excuse The title the Duke of Lorraine had to the realme of Sicilie countie of Prouence and Duchy of Bar mentioned by Commines Lib. 7. cap. 1. and the Kings title thereto togither with the whole quarrell betweene the house of Arragon and Aniou and why the house of Aniou had the best title as mentioneth Commines Lib. 8. Cap. 16. Naples Charles Earle of Aniou and Main brother to King S. Lewis King of Naples and Sicilie Prouence m. Betrice heire of Prouence 2 Charles surnamed the Boiteux King of Naples Hungarie m. Mary daughter heire to Stephen King of Hungary Charles Martell King of Hungarie the eldest brother Cornumbert King of Hungarie Lewis King of Hungarie Andrew strangled by Queen Iane his wife 4 m. Iane succeeded Robert hir grandfather 3 Robert King of Naples the yoonger brother Charles sans terre died before his father 4 Iane succeeded Robert hir grandfather m. Andrew strangled by Queen Iane his wife Mary Boccace his Conc. Margaret 5 m. Charles King of Naples and Hungarie 7 Iane succeeded Ladislaus hir brother died anno 1433. 6 Ladislaus King of Naples died 1414. Lewis D. of Durazzo Charles of Durazzo executed by Lewis King of Hungarie 5 Charles King of Naples and Hungarie m. Margaret 7 Iane succeeded Ladislaus hir brother died anno 1433. 6 Ladislaus King of Naples died 1414. Clementia m. Charles Earle of Valois Philip of Valois King of Fraunce Iohn King of Fraunce Lewis of Aniou adopted by Q. Iane the first slaine an 1385. Lewis of Aniou troubled K. Ladislaus died anno 1417. Bar. Yoland heire of Bar by Yoland hir mother Marie m. Charles the 7 K. of France Lewis
Francesco Gonzaga 2 Nicholas succeeded Borso but his vncle Hercules right heire expelled him and seeking to recouer the state he was taken and beheaded by Sigismundus his other vncle 1 Borso a bastard succeeded his brother bicause his brothers son was yoong he was created the first Duke of Ferrara by the Emperor Frederic 3 Hercules expelled Nicholas his nephew he was generall to the Florentines Venetians and Milanois This is he so often mentioned in this historie m. Leonora daughter to Ferdinand King of Naples Betrice married Lodouic Sforce Duke of Milan Alfonse m. Lucretia daughter to Alexander the 6. Biâ—â—op of Rome Franciscus Hippolitus a Cardinall 5 Hercules m. Renee daughter to Lewis the 12. King of Fraunce 6 Alfonsus D. of Ferrara Luigi Cardinall of Este m. Laura Alfonsus Alfonsinus â— Elizabeth married Francis Gonzaga the Marquesse of Mantua mentioned in this storie Sigismundus The pedegree of Francis Marques of Mantua so often mentioned in this historie The familie of Gonzagua had gouerned Mantua before this Francis from the yeer 1328. vnder this Francis Iohn Galliazzo besieged Mantua a yeere but preuailed not this Francis serued the Duke of Milan and the Venetians Francis died anno 1407. Iohn Francis first Marques of MaÌ„tua made by the Emperor Sigismundus was thrice generall to the Venetians died anno 1443. m. Paola daughter to Malatesta Lord of Rimini Luigi liued in the time of Frederick the third m. Barbara daughter to the Marques of Brandenburg Luigi Francis a cardinall Frederick was generall to the Duke of Milan and the Venetians m. Margarita Tedesca Francis in the age of 38. yeeres fought with Charles the 8. at Laro died 1520. m. Elizabeth daughter to Hercules Duke of Ferrara Hercules a Cardinall Frederick made general of the Church by Pope Leo and so confirmed by his successors made D. by Charles the fift he died 1539. Montferrat m. Margaret daughter and heire of William Paleologus marques of Montferrat William Francis Lewis Frederick Ferdinandus generall of Milan to the Emperor Charles the fift Iohn Francis Rodolfe m. Margaret daughter to the Duke of Bauiera Charles troubled his brother but was chased away by him died in very poore estate Lucedus was mishapen Alexander croked backed was a monke How Ferdinand King of Arragon had more right to the realme of Naples than the Kings of the house of Arragon that possessed it as writeth Commines Lib. 8. cap. 17. 1 Iohn the first of that name King of Castile m. Daughter to Ferdinand the first King of Portugale Castile 2 Henry the third King of Castile and Leon. Mary wife to Alfonse King of Arragon and Naples 3 Iohn the second 4 Henry the fourth married a daughter of the King of Portugale Elizabeth put froÌ„ the crowne by hir aunt Commin Lib. 5. cap. 7. 5 Elizabeth succeeded hir brother putting hir neece from the crowne as a bastard Castile and Arragon vnited 4 m. Ferrand King of Arragon and Castile by his wife so often mentioned in these Italian wars Katharine wife to Henry the eight King of England Iane married Philip Archduke of Austrich 6 Charles the fift Emperor Iohn married Margaret daughter to Maximilian the Emperor died before his father m. Elenor daughter to Peter King of Arragon Arragon 1. Ferrand Earle of Medina del Campo K. of Arragon This Ferrande obtained the realme of Arragon anno 1407. bicause his mother was daughter to king Peter whose heire male failed in Martin his nephew and notwithstanding that Martin had a daughter yet Ferrande obtained the crowne to hir preiudice 3 Iohn succeeded his brother in Arragon but in Naples Ferrand his brothers bastard succeeded Ferrand King of Arragon and Castile by his wife so often mentioned in these Italian wars Castile and Arragon vnited 4 m. 5 Elizabeth succeeded hir brother putting hir neece from the crowne as a bastard Katharine wife to Henry the eight King of England Iane married Philip Archduke of Austrich 6 Charles the fift Emperor Iohn married Margaret daughter to Maximilian the Emperor died before his father Charles King of Nauarre sans issue Iane Queene of Portugale Mary married Iohn the secoÌ„d K. of Castile 2 1 Naples Alfonse adopted by Iane Queene of Naples who after adopted Lewis Duke of Aniou 2 Ferrande the bastard succeeded his father in the realme of Naples died a little before King Charles came into Italy 5 Frederick succeeded his nephew Ferdinand led after into Fraunce by Lewis the 12. Ferdinand married Germain widow to King Ferdinand of Arragon 3 Alfonse fled when K. Charles came into Italy 4 Ferdinand chased from Naples by King Charles but after recouered the realme died sans issue Isabella wife to Iohn Galeas Duke of Milan Elizabeth wife to Hercules Duke of Ferrara The King of Spaine had better right to Naples than Alfonse that possessed it when King Charles came into Italie bicause Alfonses father was a bastard King Ferrands father being the first Alfonses brother ought to haue succeeded him before his base sonne Further you shall vnderstand that after Frederick was led into Fraunce by Lewis the 12. the said K Lewis enioied Naples but within fower yeeres Ferrande King of Arragon by the great captaine Consaluo chased King Lewis out of the realme and left it to his nephew Charles the Emperor from whom the French K. could neuer recouer it but at this day it is in the possession of the King of Spaine sonne to the said Emperor Charles FINIS Faults escaped Page 3. line 1. reade to wit a pag. 7. lin 13. r. armie Of ead lin dele lin 28. r. Seniories pag. 8. l. 9. dele and ead p. l. vlt. r. of Coulches p. 11. l. 28. r. with them p. 13. l. 22. r. the best ead p. l. vlt. r. Seniories p. 14. l. 41. r. and La Marche p. 17. l. 8. r. flying p. 18. l. 12. r. them not ead p. l. 13. r. before My ead p. l. 32. r. aduise p. 19. l. 21. r. and in a p. 24. l. 46. r. of Aniou p. 27. l. 4. r. 6. of September ead p. l. 38. r. quirace p. 28. l. 32. r. this companie p. 29. l. 5. r. scouts p. 31. l. 43. r. ditch notwithstanding the truce No p. 38. l. 5. r. florens ead p. l. 26. r. cordingly p. 39. l. 31. dele with p. 40. l. 2. r. his campe p. 46. l. 9. r. the canon ead p. l. 44. r. Noone drew p. 47. l. 8. r. stayning ead p. l. 31. r. 6 ead p. l. 32. r. 5 p. 49. l. 7. r. vpon our ead p. l. 38. r. After these p. 50. l. 4. r. of the which p. 54. l. 32. r. goodly p. 59. l. 2. r. rased their wals but ead p. l. 35. r. Romont p. 61. l. 36. r. Angien p. 63. l. 42. r. or Herbart p. 64. l. 38. r. Estelle p. 66. l. 5. r. Ferrette p. 68. l. 34. r. haue had but ead lin r. sixtie thousand p. 69. l. 25. r. hardinesse ead p. l. 43. r. bounds of p. 74. l. 47. r. foorthwith p. 77. l. 1. r. touching the p. 78. l. 23. r. and Desmeries p. 79. l. 9. r. Polence p. 80. l. 13. r. bounds p. 82. l. 4. r. to Gaunt p. 83. l. 9. r. his principall ead p. l. 24. r. to repaire p. 84. l. 41. r. and receiued p. 85. l. 48. r. in feare p. 87. l. 44. r. foorth on foote p. 91. l. 24. r. the very p. 94. l. 13. r. what port the ead p. l. 38. r. three thousand p. 98. l. 35. r. the others p. 106. l. 20. r. cause p. 107. l. 2. r. foade p. 109. l. vlt. r. six score soldiers p. 111. l. 12. r. the onely p. 117. l. 17. r. these Dutch p. 118. l. 5. r. than in any p. 120. l. 2. r. church Then ead p. l. 7. r. 1474. Meyer p. 127. l. 2 r. is it p. 134. l. 2. r. stoutly denied p. 138. l. 43. r. a marrish p. 139. l. 32. r. whereof p. 150. l. 23. r. debebant p. 154. l. 21. r. preparation p. 155. l. 38. r. most of the which p. 16◠〈…〉 p. 164. 〈…〉 p. 165. l. 32. r. great p. 176. l. vlt. r. Burgund pa. 988. p. 179. l. 13. r. ride p. 186. l. 36. r. had good p. 196. l. 33. r. begin p. 201. l. 39. r. to the king his p. 205. l. 40. r. Burgundish p. 208. l. 21. dele had p. 224 l. 6. r. This second p. 227. l. 23. r. in the towne p. 240. l. 16. r. to proceed p. 243. l. 18. r. a number ead p. l. 37. r. which is called p. 253. l. 33. r. vantmures p. 254. l. 25. r. Fougieres p. 260. l. 45. r. was sent p. 261. l. 30. r. Dabecsin p. 263. l. 16. r. commendation p. 267. l. vlt. r. foorth to p. 274. l. 17. r. Proctor ead p. l. vlt. r. they lawfull p. 276. l. 21. r. first voiage p. 278. l. 41. r. Treuâ—ul p. 280. l. vlt. dele Duke p. 281. l. 3. dele Duke p. 284. l. 21. r. also of the p. 291. l. 16. r. Caballiau p. 292 l. 40. r. Caballiau p. 293. l. 19. r. vantmure ead p. l. 43. r. Rosanes p. 294. l. 9. r. Picinino p. 295. l. 12. r. ride about p. 296. l. 14. r. for cruell p. 297. l. 4. r. Aenaria p 306. l 38. r. their other ead p. l. 48. r. places than they p. 307. l. 8. r. accompanie ead p. l 31. r. Otrante p. 313. l. 4. r. or Musiua p. 316. l. 17. r. and two p. 318. l. 16 r. and voluntarily p. 319. l. 39. r. Luques p. 325. l. 18 r. Albanie p. 335. l. 7. r. the Florentines p. 342. l. 4. r. enimies nauie p. 350. l. 3. r. they might p. 380. r. Iane daughter heire to Robart of Bar E. of Marle p. 391. r. Cosmus died the 80. yeere of his age We must intreate the Readers patience for these faults escaped and that he will amend the booke according to this table before he enter into the reading thereof
as the Duke of Sommerset did with the house of Lancaster To be short these wars indured so long that all they of the houses of Warwick and Sommerset were either slaine or beheaded in them King Edward caused afterward his owne brother the Duke of Clarence to be drowned in a Butt of malmesey charging him that he ment to make himselfe King but after King Edwards death his other brother the Duke of Glocester murthered the said Kings two sonnes proclaimed his daughters bastards and vsurped the crowne Immediately after the which cruell deed the Earle of Richmond now King who had been prisoner many yeeres in Britaine passed into England and discomfited and slew in battell this bloody King Richard late murtherer of his two nephewes Thus haue there died in England in these ciuill wars since my remembrance aboue fowerscore persons of the blood Royall part of the which I my selfe knew part vnderstood of by the English men resident with the Duke of Burgundie at the same time that I serued him Wherfore you see it is not at Paris onely nor in Fraunce alone that men fall at variance for worldly goods and honors But sure all Kings and great Princes ought to take heed that they suffer not factions to arise in their courts for thereof kindleth the fire that consumeth their whole countrey in the end Notwithstanding such alterations happen not in mine opinion but by Gods disposition for when Princes and realmes haue long florished in great wealth and prosperitie and forget from whence all these benefits proceede God raiseth vp an enimie against them whom they neuer feared nor stood in doubt of as appeereth by the Kings mentioned in the Bible and by that also which hath hapned and daily doth happen not onely in England and in these countries of Burgundie but in diuers other places also The Notes 1 The last of Iuly arriued the French Kings ambassadors at the treaty of Arras Annal. Burg. so that the treaty began in the beginning of August and the English men departed discontented the 6. of December Annal. Bur. and the treatie ended the 21. of September but De la Marche saith the 10. of December Meyer 11. Calen. Octob. which agreeth with Annal. Burg. 2 At the treatie vvas present Philip D. of Burgundie himselfe La Marche Meyer 3 Our Chronicles report that the Duke of Yorke vvith diuers others slaine in the battell and the Earle of Salisbury father to the Earle of VVarvvick vvho vvas taken prisoner in the battell vvere behedded and their heds sent to Yorke in derision but I remember not that the Earle of VVarvvick vvas behedded after he vvas slaine and I suppose the vnskilfull corrector hath here omitted a vvord or tvvo and that vve must read in place of Luy le Comte de Warwic Luy le pere du Comte de Warwic 4 The Earles of Marche and VVarvvick vvent to Calice before the Duke of Yorke vvas slaine or ouerthrowen in battell for they fled from Ludlovv lying in campe there against the kings force bicause they found themselues too vveake and their counsels betrayed by Andrew Trowlop vvho fled from them to the King How King Lewis entred into Paris while the Princes of Fraunce practised with the citizens Chap. 8. I Haue been long in this discourse and it is now time to returne to the historie After the Princes were come before Paris they began to practise with the citizens promising offices and great rewards to diuers and omitting nothing that might further their purpose At three daies end the citizens assembled togither in the towne hall where when they had long debated these matters and heard the Princes requests demands made openly to them for the benefit of the whole realme as they pretended they determined to send ambassadors to them to treate of peace according to the which determination a great number of the best citizens came to Saint Mor where the Princes lay and Master VVilliam Chartier then Bishop of Paris a notable prelate declared the citizens embassage and for the Princes the Earle of Dunois was appointed to be mouth The Duke of Berry the Kings brother was president of this Councill sitting in a chaire and all the other Princes standing about him On the one side stood the Dukes of Britaine and Calabria and on the other the Earle of Charolois armed at all peeces saue the head peece and vantbrases and wearing vpon his quirage a short cloke maruellous rich for he came from Conflans and Bois-de-Vincennes being well manned was held for the King wherefore it stood him vpon to come armed and well accompanied The Princes request was to enter into Paris to confer with the citizens about the reformation of the state which they said was euill gouerned charging the King with diuers disorders The citizens gaue them very lowly and humble language desiring respite before they could make any resolute answer yet notwithstanding this delay the King was afterward discontented both with the Bishop and the rest that accompanied him Thus returned these ambassadors into the towne continuing still their former practise for euery one of the Princes talked with them apart and I am of opinion that some of them had agreed secretly to suffer the Princes in their owne persons to enter the towne and their men also if they so thought good by small troupes which practise if it had taken effect had not onely been the winning of the towne but the atchieuing of the whole enterprise For the citizens would easily haue been brought for diuers considerations to reuolt to them and so consequently all the other townes in the realme But God put wise counsell into the Kings head which also he executed accordingly being alreadie aduertised of all these practises Before the ambassadors that were returned from the Princes had made their report the King in person entred the towne of Paris accompanied like a prince that commeth to relieue his people for he brought with him into the towne two thousand men of armes all the nobles of Normandie a great number of franke archers and all his owne seruants pensioners and others that vse to accompanie the King in such affaires Thus this practise was broken off and all the people altered their mindes neither durst any of them that had been with vs make farther mention of the Princes demaunds Some of them also sped but euill for that they had alreadie done notwithstanding the King vsed no extremitie towards them 1 but some lost their offices and others were sent to dwell in other places for the which easie reuenge the King vndoubtedly deserued great commendation considering that if this practise begun had taken effect the best that could haue happened to him had been to forsake his realme which also was his resolution For as himselfe hath often told me if he could not haue entred into Paris but had found the towne reuolted he would haue retired to the Switzers or to Francis Duke of Milan whom he accounted
began to attempt more boldly against his neighbors in such sort that in the end these 120000. crownes grew to 500000. and the number of his men of armes augmented so excessiuely that his subiects were greatly charged for their maintenance To say my fansie of these ordinarie men of armes I thinke vnder a wise Prince they be well imploied but if he be otherwise or happily at his death leaue his children in their minoritie the seruice wherein their gouernors imploy them is not alwaies profitable neither for the King nor for his subiects The hatred betweene the King and the Duke diminished not but still endured Further the Duke of Guienne being returned into his countrie sent often to the Duke of Burgundy following still his sute for his daughters marriage who fed him continually with faire words as he did euery other man that required hir And I thinke verily that he neither was desirous of a sonne 5 neither would haue married his daughter during his life but haue kept hir to intertaine men thereby to obtaine their friendship and aide For he had so many great enterprises in his head that all his life time could not suffice to atchieue them and those aduentures almost impossible to be compassed for halfe Europe would not haue contented him He had courage ynough to attempt any thing his bodie was able to endure as much labour and trauell as was needfull he was furnished both of men and mony but he lacked finenes and cunning sufficient for the managing of his affaires And what Prince soeuer desireth to be great notwithstanding that he be accomplished with all other good parts yet if he lacke an excellent wit all is to no purpose which vndoubtedly proceedeth of the meere grace of God To be short if part of the Dukes vertues and part of the King our masters had been tempered togither they would haue made a perfect Prince for vndoubtedly in wit the King far excelled him as it well appeered in the end The Notes 1 Of this armie he spake somwhat in the Duke of Bourbons aduertisement sent to the Duke of Burgundie mentioned in the first chapter of this booke it was led by the Earle Daulphin d'Auuergne sonne to the Earle of Montpensier Of this discomfiture reade Annal. Burgund pag. 945. 2 The reason was bicause he perceiued the intelligences of the Constable and the rest to be vntrue 3 This assembly was held the 16. of Iune Meyer 4 But this subsidie of 120000. crownes was granted but for three yeeres Meyer pag. 348. and 367. 5 The Duke desired no sonne bicause then his daughters marriage could not haue stood him in such stead as now it did Of the wars among the Princes of England during these troubles betweene King Lewis and Charles Duke of Burgundy Chap. 4. I Must now discourse of Edward King of England bicause Note that from this place til the 7. Chapter all these English affaires fall into the yeeres 1469. 1470. these three great Princes namely our King the King of England and the Duke of Burgundy liued all in one age in the which discourse I will not obserue the Historiographers vsuall order in writing who set downe the certaine yeeres and daies when each thing hapned neither will I vouch examples out of ancient histories for you know them better than my selfe and in so dooing I should but seeme to reason of Diuinitie before a Doctor But I will rudely aduertise you of all that I haue seene knowen or heard of these Princes of whom I write You liue in the selfe same age that all these things hapned wherefore me thinke it needlesse so exactly to note the houres and seasons I haue before rehearsed what occasion mooued the Duke of Burgundy to mary King Edvvards sister and said it was principally to fortifie himselfe against the King otherwise he would neuer haue done it for the great affection he bare to the house of Lancaster whereof he was descended by his mother for she was daughter to the King of Portugall and hir mother daughter to the Duke of Lancaster 1 so that as feruently as he loued the house of Lancaster as extremly hated he the house of Yorke But you shall vnderstand that at the time of this mariage the house of Lancaster was vtterly destroied and the house of Yorke no more spoken of For King Edvvard being both King and Duke of Yorke raigned peaceably During the ciuill wars betweene these two houses were fought in England seauen or eight cruell battels and in them slaine three or fower score Princes and Lords of the blood royall as before is rehearsed in this history The rest that escaped being all yoong Lords whose fathers died in these battels aboue mentioned liued as banished men in the Duke of Burgundies court who receiued them as his kinsmen of the house of Lancaster before his mariage with King Edvvards sister I haue seene them in so great misery before they came to the Dukes knowledge that those that beg from dore to dore were not in poorer estate then they for I once saw a Duke of Excester run on foote bare legged after the Duke of Burgundies traine begging his bread for Gods sake but he vttered not his name He was the neerest of the house of Lancaster and had maried King Edvvards sister 2 but when he was knowne the Duke gaue him a small pension to maintaine his estate They of the house of Somerset and diuers others were there in like maner who died all afterwards in the wars Their fathers and kinsmen had spoiled and destroied the realme of Fraunce and possessed the greatest part thereof many yeeres and afterwards slew one another and those that remained aliue in England and their children haue died as you haue seene Yet men say that God punisheth not now as he did in the children of Israels time but suffereth euill men and euill Princes to liue vnpunished True it is that he threatneth not now by expresse messengers as he was wont for he hath left examples inough to instruct vs. Notwithstanding you may perceiue by these discourses ioining thereto the great knowledge you haue besides that of euill Princes and such as haue authority in this world and abuse it to cruelty or tiranny few or none escape vnpunished though it happen not by and by after the fault committed neither so soone happily as those that are afflicted desire But to returne to King Edvvard the chiefe man in England that maintained the house of Yorke was the Earle of Warwicke And on the other side the greatest champion of the house of Lancaster was the Duke of Sommerset The said Earle of Warwicke might iustly be called King Edwards father as well for the training of him vp as also for the great seruices he did him for the which the King had also highly aduanced him for besides his owne inheritance which was great he held goodly lands of the Kings gift aswel crowne lands as lands forfeited by attaindor Farther he
was deputy of Calice and had diuers other great offices so that I haue heard his yeerely reuenewes valued at fower score thousand crownes besides his owne inheritance But in the end he fell at variance with the King his master about a yeere as I gesse before the Duke of Burgundies comming before Amiens which breach the said Duke furthered to the vttermost of his power For the Earles great authority in England much discontented him besides that they two were not friends for the Earle had continuall intelligence with the King our master To be short about this present or not long before the Earle of Warwickes force was so great that he seased the King his master into his hands and put to death diuers personages that he highly fauored namely the Lord of Scales the Queenes father 3 and two of his sonnes the third being also in great danger with them diuers other knights He entertained the King his master for a season very honorably and placed new seruants about him supposing that through simplicity he would soone forget the old The Duke of Burgundy being not a little troubled with this aduenture practised secretly how King Edvvard might escape and they two commune togither which enterprise had so good successe that the King escaped indeede and leuied men and defeated certaine of the Earles bands He was a fortunate Prince in the field for he wan at the least nine great battels fighting himselfe on foote in euery one of them The Earle of Warwicke vnable to make resistance aduertised his friends what they should do and embarked at leisure accompanied with the Duke of Clarence who had married his daughter and tooke part with him notwithstanding that he were King Edwards brother They transported with them both wiues and children and a great band of men and sailed straight towards Calais within the which was the Earles lieutenant named the Lord of Vaucler 4 and diuers of the said Earles houshold seruants who in stead of receiuing their Master presented him the canon Further you shall vnderstand that as they lay at anchor before the towne the Duchesse of Clarence daughter to the Earle of Warwicke was deliuered of a sonne and great intreatie was made before Vaucler and the rest of the towne would suffer two flaggons of wine to be brought foorth to hir which was great extremitie of the seruant towards the master For it is to be supposed that the Earle thought himselfe well assured of this place which is they very key of England and the goodliest captainship in mine opinion in the world at the least in Christendome which I dare boldly auow bicause I was there diuers times during these wars and heard also the Maior of the staple report that he would willingly farme yeerely the deputyship of Calais of the King of England for fifteene thousand crownes For the deputie receiueth the profits of all that they haue on this side the sea and of all safe conducts and placeth also the greatest part of the garrison at his pleasure The King of England fauoured highly the Lord of Vaucler for this refusall made to his Captaine and granted him by his letters patents the office of Deputie which the Earle his master before held for he was a wise and an ancient knight and one of the order of the garter The Duke of Burgundie also who then lay at Saint Omer conceiued a maruellous good opinion of him so far foorth that he sent me to him granting him a yeerely pension of a thousand crownes and desiring him to continue a true and faithfull seruant to the King his Master as he had begun which at my comming thither I found him fully determined to do so that he sware in Staple Inne in Calais laying his hand within mine to be faithfull and true to King Edward and to serue him against all men The like oth all the towne and all the garrison sware also Farther I was by the space of two months almost continually resident at Calais at the least posting daiely betweene Calais and Bullen to entertaine the said Vaucler for you shall vnderstand that during these English troubles the Duke of Burgundie came to Bullen where he prepared a great army by sea against the Earle of Warwick who at his departure from Calais tooke many ships of the Dukes subiects which aduanced forward the war betweene the King of Fraunce and vs. For the Earles men sould the bootie in Normandie whereupon the Duke of Burgundie arrested all the French Marchants that came to the Mart at Andwerp Now bicause it is meete to vnderstand as well the cunning and subtill as the iust and vpright dealings of the world not to practise them but to know how to avoide them I will rehearse vnto you a sleight or subtilitie terme it as you list that was cunningly conueighed Farther I would that men should vnderstand the practises as well of our neighbors as our selues to the end it may appeere that in all places are both good and bad When the Earle of Warwick came before Calais thinking to enter into it as his onely refuge the Lord of Vaucler being a very wise gentleman sent him word that if he entred the towne he should cast away himselfe considering that all England the Duke of Burgundie the people of the towne and a great part of the garrison namely the Lord of Duras Marshall there for the King of England and diuers others that had men in the towne were his enimies wherefore his best way should be to retire into Fraunce and as touching the towne of Calais he willed him not to trouble himselfe for he would yeeld him good account thereof when time and occasion should serue He did his Captaine good seruice by giuing him this aduise but shewed himselfe thereby a very Iudas to his Master For vndoubtedly a more traiterous part was neuer plaied considering both that the King of England had made him Deputie of the towne of Calais and the Duke of Burgundy giuen him so large a pension The Notes 1 Philippa daughter to Iohn Duke of Lancaster was married to Iohn King of Portugale and had issue by him Isabell mother to Duke Charles 2 This was Henry Holland Duke of Exceter whose wife was Anne sister to King Edward the fourth and his grandmother was Elizabeth daughter to Iohn Duke of Lancaster by his first wife but he died without issue 3 Our chronicles name the Queenes father Earle of Riuers and so doth afterward also our Author lib. 5. cap. 15. 4 This Vaucler was a Gascoine borne How by King Lewis his aide the Earle of Warwicke chased King Edward out of England to the Duke of Burgundies great greefe who receiued him into his countries Chap. 5. THe Earle of Warwicke followed Vauclers aduise and landed in Normandie where the King honorably receiued him and furnished him largely of mony for his mens expences and appointed also the bastard of Bourbon Admirall of Fraunce being well accompanied to defend the
Englishmen and their ships against the Duke of Burgundies nauie which was so mighty and strong that no man durst stir in these narrow seas for feare of it making war vpon the Kings subiects both by sea land and threatening them euery where All this happened the sommer before the King surprised Saint Quintine and Amiens which was as before you haue heard in the yeere 1470. The Duke of Burgundies nauie aboue mentioned was stronger than the Kings and the Earles ioined togither For he had taken at Sluse many great ships of Spaine Portugall and Genua and diuers hulks of Almaine King Edward was a man of no great forecast but very valiant and the beautifullest Prince that liued in his time He tooke no care for the Earle of Warwicks landing as the Duke of Burgundie did who perceiuing great tumults already arising in England in the Earles fauor aduertised the King often thereof But he made small account of any danger neither seemed to feare his enimy which sure was great follie considering the great preparation he saw made For the King armed all the ships to the sea that he could get and manned them well and prouided furniture also for the English men Besides this he made a mariage betweene the Prince of Wales and the Earle of Warwickes second daughter The said Prince was onely sonne and heire to King Henry of England who liued yet prisoner in the Tower of London This was a strange mariage when the Earle had deposed and imprisoned the Princes father to cause him to mary his daughter and to entertaine also the Duke of Clarence brother to the King of the other faction who had iust cause to feare his owne estate if the house of Lancaster recouered the crowne Thus we see that such enterprises are not atchieued without dissimulation At the selfe same time that this army aboue mentioned lay in a readines to saile into England I was at Calice to entertaine the Lord of Vaucler whose dooble dealing till that very instant I neuer perceiued notwithstanding that it had now continued the space of three months But at that present I desired him bicause of the newes we heard to put all the Earle of Warwicks houshold seruants being to the number of twenty or thirty out of the towne alledging that I was sure the Kings army and the Earles were ready to depart out of Normandy where they lay and if the Earle should happen sodainly to land in England some such tumult might arise in the towne of Calice by meanes of his seruants that he should not be master thereof Wherefore I pressed him earnestly in all haste to put them out of the towne which he alwaies heertofore promised me to do but now he drew me aside saying that he would be master of the town well inough and required me to do this message to the Duke of Burgundy that if he would be a friend to the realme of England he should endeuor himselfe to make peace and not war which words he spake bicause of the nauy the Duke had on the sea against the Earle of Warwick He told me farther that peace might easily be made bicause that day a gentlewoman passed through Calice to go into Fraunce to the Duches of Clarence with certaine ouertures of peace from King Edward And he said true indeed but as he abused others euen so was he himselfe deceiued by this gentlewoman for she went about a great enterprise which also she atchieued to the preiudice of the Earle of Warwick and his whole faction Of this fine practise all other that haue been managed on this side the sea I write the more at large bicause I am well assured that no man is able to make truer report of them then my selfe at the least of those that haue hapned within these twenty yeeres The secret deliuered to this woman was to counsell the Duke of Clarence not to cause the destruction of his owne house by setting vp againe the house of Lancaster but to remember their ancient harred and diuision adding that he might well assure himselfe that the Earle of Warwick hauing maried his daughter to the Prince of Wales and already done homage to him would by all meanes possible seeke to make him King This gentlewoman so wisely executed the charge committed vnto hir that she wan the Duke of Clarence who promised to reuolt to the King his brother immediately after his returne into England Shee was a woman well aduised and of few words and bicause of hir sexe had leaue granted hir to passe to hir Meistres easilier then a man should and as craftie a foxe as this Vaucler was this woman went beyond him and was the onely contriuer of the enterprise whereby the Earle of Warwick and his whole faction were vtterly destroied wherefore it is no shame to be suspicious and to haue an eie vpon those that passe to and fro but great shame it is to be deceiued and vndone through our owne follie Notwithstanding suspicions ought to be grounded vpon some good presumption for to be too suspicious is naught You haue heard already how the Earle of Warwicks army and the Kings ships appointed to wafte him ouer were in a readines to take sea and how the Duke of Burgundies nauie being at Hancy lay prepared to fight with them But it pleased God so to dispose of this voiage that the selfe same night so great a tempest arose that the Dukes nauie was forced to seuer part wherofran vpon the cost of Scotland and part into Holland and not long after the Earle hauing a good gale of winde passed into England without all danger The Duke of Burgundie had aduertised King Edward in what part rhe Earle would land and had sent men purposely to him to sollicite him to looke to himselfe but he litle regarding the danger passed foorth the time in hunting hauing none so neere him as the Archbishop of Yorke and the Marques of Montagu the Earle of Warwicks bretheren who had promised and solemnly sworne to serue him against their brother and all others wereunto he gaue credite Immediatly after the Earles landing great forces ioyned with him wherewith the King being much abashed began then but all too late to looke about him and sent word to the Duke of Burgundy desiring him that his nauie might still keepe the Sea to stop the Earle from retiring againe into Fraunce for vpon the land he would match him well ynough which message pleased no man that heard it for it had beene much better to haue kept him from landing then to be constrained to hazard his estate in battell when he was landed Fiue or sixe daies after the Earles arriuall his power was so great that he encamped within three leagues of King Edward Notwithstanding the Kings force was greater than his if all his men had beene faithfull and true and lay also in campe to fight with him Further you shall vnderstand that the King lodged as himselfe told me in
Prince of Wales sonne to King Henry attempt to set vp againe the house of Lancaster passe with the said Prince into England discomfited in the field and slaine both he his brethren and kinsfolks and diuers other noble men of England who in times past had done the like to their enimies After all this the children of these when the world turned reuenged themselues and caused in like maner the others to die which plagues we may be assured hapned not but by the wrath of God But as before I said the realme of England hath this speciall grace aboue all other realmes and dominions that in ciuill wars the people is not destroied the towns be not burned nor razed but the lot of fortune falleth vpon the soldiers especially the gentlemen whom the people enuy to too beyond reason for nothing is perfect in this world After King Edvvard was quiet in his realme and receiued yeerely out of Fraunce fifty thousand crownes paid him in the tower of London and was growen so rich that richer he could not be he died suddenly as it were of melancholy bicause of our Kings mariage that now raigneth with the Lady Margaret the Duke of Austriches daughter For so soone as he was aduertised thereof he fell sicke and began then to perceiue how he had been abused touching the mariage of his daughter whom he made to be named the Lady Daulphinesse Then also was the pension which he receiued out of Fraunce taken from him which he called tribute although indeed it were neither the one nor the other as before I haue declared 10 K. Edward left by his wife two goodly sonnes one Prince of Wales the other D. of Yorke and two daughters The D. of Glocester his brother tooke vpon him the gouernment of his nephew the Prince of Wales being about ten yeeres of age and did homage to him as to his soueraigne Lord and lead him to London pretending that he would there crowne him King hoping by that meanes to get the other brother out of the Sanctuary at London where he was with his mother who began already to be iealous of his proceedings To be short by meanes of the Bishop of Bathe who hauing been somtime of K. Edwards Councell fell afterward into his disgrace and was put in prison and made to fine for his deliuerance the D. of Glocester executed this exploit which you shall now heare This Bishop aduertised the Duke that K. Edvvard being in loue with a certaine Lady promised hir mariage vpon condition that he might lie with hir wherunto she consented so far foorth that the said Bishop maried them togither none being present but they two and he himselfe Which matter this Bishop being a iolly courtier neuer disclosed during K. Edvvards life but caused also the said Lady to conceale it so that it was kept secret After this the said King falling againe in loue maried the daughter of an English knight called the Lord Riuers being a widow and mother of two sonnes But after K. Edvvards death this Bishop of Bathe reuealed this matter to the D. of Glocester whereby he egged him forward not a little to the executing of his mischieuous pretended enterprise For the said D. murthered his two nephewes crowned himselfe King by the name of Richard the third proclaimed his brothers two daughters bastards in open parlament tooke from them their armes and put to death all the faithull seruants of the late King his brother at the least as many as he could lay hands on But this cruelty remained not long vnpunished for when the said King Richard thought himselfe safest and liued in greater pride than any King of England did these hundred yeeres hauing put to death the Duke of Buckingham and hauing a great army in a readines God raised vp an enimy against him of no force I meane the Earle of Richmond then prisoner in Britaine but now King of England of the house of Lancaster though not This error of Commines touching K. Henry the 7. you shall finde controuled by the peâ—egree in the end of this booke the neerest to the crowne 11 whatsoeuer men say at the least so far as I can learne The said Earle told me a little before his departure out of this realme that from the fift yeere of his age he had liued continually like a prisoner a banished man And indeed he had been fifteene yeeres or therabout prisoner in Britaine to Duke Frances that last died into whose hands he fell by tempest of the sea as he fled into Fraunce accompanied with the Earle of Pembroke his vncle I my selfe saw them when they arriued for I was come of a message to the D. at the same time The Duke entreated them gently for prisoners after King Edwards death lent the said Earle great force of men a great nauie with the which he sent him hauing intelligence with the Duke of Buckingham who for this cause was afterward put to death to lande in England but the winde was against him and the seas so rough that he was forced to returne to Diepe and from thence by land into Britaine From whence soone after he departed with his band into Fraunce without taking leaue of the Duke partly bicause he feared to ouercharge the Duke for he had with him fiue hundred English men and partly bicause he doubted lest the Duke would agree with King Richard to his preiudice for he knew that King Richard practised with him to that ende Soone after the King that now is appointed three or fower thousand men to waft him ouer onely and deliuered those that accompanied him a good summe of money and certaine peeces of artillerie and thus passed he ouer in a ship of Normandie to land in Wales where he was borne King Richard foorthwith marched against him but a kinght of England called the Lord Stanley who was married to the Earles mother ioined himselfe with the Earle and brought vnto him at the least 26000. men 12 The battell was giuen King Richard slaine and the Earle crowned King in the field with the said Richards crowne Will you saie that this was fortune No no it was the iudgement of God and for further proofe thereof marke this also Immediately after the King had murthered his two nephews he lost his wife whom some say he murthered also Further he had but one onely sonne who died in like maner incontinent after this murther This example would haue serued better heereafter when I shall speake of King Edwards death for he was yet liuing at the time my former Chapter treateth of but I haue rehearsed it heere to continue my discourse which I am fallen into In like maner we haue seene of late the crowne of Spaine altered after the death of Dom Henry that last died For the said Dom Henry had to wife the King of Portugales sister last deceased by whom he had issue a goodly daughter which notwithstanding succeeded not hir father but was
the English men Notwithstanding the King of England was oftentimes earnestly pressed by this yoong Princes for aide and therefore sent ambassadors often to negotiate with the King our Master about these affaires desiring him to grant hir either peace or truce Now you shall vnderstand that those that were at the debating of these matters in England especially in their parlament which is an assembly of the three estates where diuers wise men were present that smelt our dissimulation a far off and receiued no pension of the King as the others did were verie desirous and yet the commons of the realme more desirous that the King of England should send aide without further delay to the saide Ladie saying that we heere did but abuse them and that the marriage should neuer be accomplished alleaging that at the treatie made at Picquigny betweene the two Kings we had faithfully sworne and promised that the King of Englands daughter whom they had already called the Ladie Daulphinesse should be sent for into Fraunce within a yeere which terme was now long expired But what reasons soeuer the subiects made the King would giue no eare thereunto but alleaged diuers excuses to the contrarie And to say the truth he was a verie corpulent man and much giuen to pleasures neither could his body endure the toile of the wars Further he had wound himselfe out of great troubles and was loth to enter into them againe The couetousnes also of the 50000. crownes yeerly paid him in the tower of London qualified his minde Besides all this his ambassadors that came hither were so courteously entertained and so well rewarded that they departed euer well contented but they neuer receiued any resolute answere for the King sought onely to protract the time euer saying that ere it were long he would send to the King their Master certain noble men with such assurance of those matters he stood in doubt of as he knew well would content him According to the which promise within three weekes or a moneth after these ambassadors departure sometime more sometime lesse which was no small delaie in such a case he vsed to send ambassadors to the K. of England but at euery voiage sundrie men to the end that if the former had made any ouerture not performed the latter might plaid ignorance therin They also that were sent perswaded so well the King of England that we meant nothing but good faith that he lay still and neuer stirred for both he and the Queen his wife so much desired this marriage that partly for this cause and partly for the other reasons aboue alleaged he was content to winke at this war which some of his Counsell tould him plainely to be verie preiudiciall to his realme But he feared the breach of this marriage bicause men began alreadie to scoffe at it in England especially such as desired rebellion and ciuill war Now to discourse a little vpon this point You shall vnderstand that the King our Master neuer meant to accomplish this mariage bicause there was no equalitie betweene the age of the two parties for King Edwards daughter at this present Queene of England was much elder than the Daulphin now raigning But by these dissimulations a moneth or two was gayned in running to and fro by which meanes the King foded foorth his enimie one whole sommer wherein he might haue done him harme For vndoubtedly if the King of England had not hoped vpon this marriage he would neuer haue suffered the King to take the places bordering so neere vpon the English dominions but haue sought to defend them and if at the beginning he had declared himselfe for the Ladie of Burgundie the King who was by nature timorous and would put nothing in aduenture had neuer weakened this house of Burgundie as he hath Thus much I write chiefly to shew how these affaires passed and secondarily to the end that if heerafter those that haue to manage great affaires happen to reade this historie they may thereby learne how to helpe themselues in the like case for be their wisedome neuer so great yet a small aduertisement doth good many times True it is that if this Lady of Burgundy would haue consented to marrie the Lord Riuers the Queene of Englands brother she should haue beene aided with great force but this had been an vnequall match for he was but a poore Earle and she one of the greatest inheritors in hir time Many practises were entertained betweene the Kings of Fraunce and England and amongst others the King offered him that if he would ioine with him and passe ouer in person into the Lady of Burgundies countries he would be contented that the King of England should hold the countrie of Flaunders without homage and also the Duchie of Brabant offering further to conquer for him at his proper costs and charges fower of the greatest townes in Brabant and to put them into the King of Englands hands to wage him 10000. English men for fower moneths to the end he might the better sustaine the charge of the wars and to lend him great store of artillerie and men and carriage to conuey it and attend vpon it with this condition that the King of England should conquer the countrie of Flaunders during the time the King our Master inuaded on the other side Whereunto the King of England made answer that the townes of Flaunders were strong and great and both that countrey and also the countrey of Brabant hard to be kept if they were conquered adding further that this war liked not the English men bicause of their entercourse with those countries But seeing it pleased the King to make him partaker of his conquest if he would giue him certaine townes he had alreadie conquered in Picardie as Bolloin and diuers other which he named he would then be contented to declare himselfe for him and send men to serue him if he would pay them which was a verie wise answer The Notes 1 The King could not take Saint Omer for the Lord of Chanteraine valiantly defended it Reade De la Marche lib. 2. cap. 9. pag. 410. 2 Others write but 295. others 296. and others 299. How the marriage betweene the Ladie of Burgundie and Maximilian Duke of Austrich afterwards Emperor was concluded and accomplished Chap. 3. DIuers practises were entertained as before you haue heard betweene these two Kings to delay time but in the meane while the Ladie of Burgundies force still diminished for of those few men that remained aliue after hir fathers death diuers reuolted from hir to the King especially after Monseur de Cordes was entred into his seruice for he led away a great troupe with him Others necessitie forced to shrinke from hir bicause they dwelt either within the townes the King had already conquered or neere vnto them Some also put themselues into his seruice to be enriched for no Prince dealt so liberally with his men as the King our Master did Moreouer
was great wisedome in so simple a man He builded in the place where he liued two Churches and neuer ate since the time he entred into this strait kinde of life either fish flesh egs any kinde of whitmeate or of fat I neuer saw in my time a man of so holy life nor by whose mouth the holy Ghost seemed rather to speake for he neuer had been scholler but was vtterly vnlearned true it is that his Italian toong caused somwhat the greater admiration of him This heremite passed through Naples being honored and receiued as if he had been a great Legate sent from the Sea Apostolike both by the King and by his children with whom he communed of the affaires of the Court as if he had beene a Courtier all the daies of his life From thence he went to Rome where he was visited by al the Cardinals and had audience giuen him thrise of the Pope communing with him alone and sitting each time hard by him in a goodly chaire three or fower howers togither which was great honor to so simple a person His answers were so wise that all men woondered at them so far foorth that our holy Father gaue him leaue to erect a new order called the heremites of Saint Francis From thence he came to the King who honored him as if he had been the Pope himselfe falling downe before him and desiring him to prolong his life whereunto he answered as a wise man should I haue often heard him talke with the King that now is in presence of all the nobilitie of the realme and that within these two moneths and sure he seemed by his words to be inspired with the holy Ghost otherwise he could neuer haue communed of such matters as he did He is yet liuing and may change either to better or woorse wherefore I will speake no further of him Some mocked at this heremites comming whom they called the holy man but they knew not the deepe cogitations of this wise King neither had seene the occasions that mooued him to send for him The King lay in his castle of Plessis accompanied with few besides the archers of his gard and troubled with these suspitions aboue rehearsed Notwithstanding he had giuen good order for this inconuenience for he left none of those whom he suspected either in towne or countrey but made his archers to cause them to depart and to conueigh them away No man debated any matter with him vnlesse it were of some great importance that concerned himselfe he seemed rather a dead corps then a liuing creature for he was leaner then a man would beleeue he appare lled himselfe sumptuously yea more sumptuously then in all his life before for he ware no gowne but of crimsin sattin furred with good marterns he gaue gifts to whom it pleased him without any sute for no man durst mooue any sute to him nor debate any matter with him he punished faults sharpely to the end he might be feared and not lose his authoritie as himselfe tould me he changed officers cassed companies of men of armes diminished pensions or tooke them cleane away and told me but a few daies before his death that he passed away the time in making vndoing of men To be short he caused himselfe to be more spoken of within his realme then euer was any King and all for feare lest men should thinke him dead For as I said few saw him but when they hard of his doings all men stood in feare of him so far foorth that they hardly beleeued him to be sicke Out of the realme he had men in all places as for example in England he had some to feede K. Edward still with hope of his daughters marriage he paied truely both him and his seruants all that was due vnto them Out of Spaine he receiued goodly words and faire promises of perfect freindship and amitie and great presents from all places he made a good horse or a good mule to be bought for him whatsoeuer it cost but this he did not in this realme but in some strange countrey to perswade men that he was in health Dogs he sent for round about into Spaine for a kinde of Spanish greyhound called in French Allans into Britaine for little beagles greyhounds and spaniels which he paied deere for into Valence for little rugged dogs which he made to be bought aboue the owners own price into Sicily he sēt for good mules especially to some officer of the countrey for the which he paied double the value to Naples for horses for diuers strange beasts into diuers countries as into Barbarie for a kind of little lions no greater then litle foxes which he called Adites into Denmarke and Sweden for two kinde of strange beasts one of the which were called Helles 1 being of shape like a Hart and of the greatnes of a buffe with horns short and thicke the other Rengiers 2 being of the bignes and colour of a bucke saue that their hornes be much greater for each of the which two beasts he gaue to the merchants that solde them 4500. guildons But when all these strange things were brought him he made no account of them no very seldome spake with those that brought them To be short he did so many such like strange things that he was more feared now both of his neighbors and subiects than euer before which was his onely desire for to that end did he all this The Notes 1 Gesnerus de Quadrupedibus lib. 1. fol. 1. and Munster in the third booke of his Cosmographie in his treatise of Prussia where this beast is found name this beast in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Alces in Dutch Elch Ellend Hellend and Ellent which is not far from the name heere giuen The Moscouites name it Lozzos 2 This beast saith Munster Cosmog lib. 4. is found in Lapponia or Lappenland a countrie in Sweden The Lapponians call it Reen as he writeth in the same place and Gesner also de Quadrup lib. 1. fol. 950. The Romans saith Gesner name it Rangiferus the Germans Rein and Reinen saith Munster Reiner Rainger Renschieron the French men Rangier as he is heere named or Ranglier How the marriage betweene the Daulphin and the Lady Margaret of Flaunders was concluded and how she was brought into Fraunce whereupon Edward King of England died for sorrow Chap. 9. BVt to returne to the principall matter namely the perfect conclusion of this our historie of King Lewis and of the affaires of all those great Princes that liued in his time we must shew how the treatie of marriage was concluded betweene the King that now is then Daulphin and the daughter of the Duke and Duchesse of Austriche by meanes of the citizens of Gaunt to the King of Englands great greefe who then well perceiued the hope to be frustrate which he had conceiued of the marriage betweene his daughter and the said Daulphin now King of Fraunce which he
Glocester who had vsurped the crowne of England signing his letters by the name of Richard cruelly murthered the King his brothers two children This King Richard sought the Kings friendship was desirous as I suppose to haue this pension paid also vnto him But the K. would make no answer to his letters neither giue his messenger audience but esteemed him a wicked cruell tyrant For after K. Edvvards death the said Duke of Glocester had done homage to his nephew as to his soueraigne Lord and King and yet immediately thereupon committed this murther and caused in open parlament the said King Edvvards two daughters to be degraded proclaimed bastards vnder colour of a certaine matter which he prooued by the testimonie of a bishop of Bathe who somtime had been in great credit with King Edvvard but afterward fell into his disgrace and was laid in prison and made to fine for his deliuerance This Bishop affirmed that King Edvvard being in loue with a certaine gentlewoman in England whom he named promised hir marriage to haue his pleasure of hir which promise he said was made in his presence and thereupon the King lay with hir minding onely to abuse hir Such pastimes are very dangerous especially when such poofe may be brought foorth But I haue knowne many a courtier that would not haue lost a good aduenture that liked him in such a case for want of promise This wicked Bishop buried reuenge in his hart the space of twenty yeeres But God plagued him for his wickednes for he had a sonne whom he loued entirely and whom King Richard so much fauored that he meant to giue him to wife one of these two daughters degraded from their dignitie at this present Queene of England and mother of two goodly children The said sonne being in a ship of war by King Richard his Masters commandement was taken vpon the coast of Normandie and bicause of the contention that fell betweene those that tooke him led to the court parlament of Paris and there put in prison in the petit Chastellet where in the end he starued for hunger and pouertie As touching King Richard he liued not long vnpunished for God raised vp an enimy against him euen at This error you are admonished of before that very instant being poore hauing no right to the crowne of England as I suppose and of no estimation saue that as touching his owne person he was well conditioned and had endured many troubles For the greatest part of his life he had been prisoner in Britaine to Duke Francis who entertained him well for a prisoner from the eighteenth yeere of his age This Earle of Richmond being furnished by the King with a small summe of money and three thousand men leuied in Normandie of the vnthriftiest persons in the countrey passed ouer into Wales where his father in lawe the Lord Stanley met him with sixe and twenty thousand men at the least And within three or fower daies after he encountred this cruell King Richard who was slaine in the field and the Earle crowned King and raigneth yet at this day in England Of this matter I haue made mention before but it was not amisse to rehearse it heere againe to shew thereby how God hath plagued in our time such crueltie almost immediately after the fault committed Diuers other such like punishments hath he shewed also in this our age if a man would stand to rehearse them all How the King behaued himselfe towards his neighbors and subiects during the time of his sicknes and how diuers things were sent him from diuers places for the recouerie of his health Chap. 10. THis mariage of Flaunders so much desired by the King was thus accomplished as you haue heard by meanes wherof he had the Flemmings at his commandement Britaine which he so much hated was in peace with him but liued in continuall ielousie bicause of the great number of soldiers he had in garrison vpon their frontiers Spaine was quiet and the King and Queene thereof desired nothing more then his amity and friendship for he kept them in feare and continuall charge bicause of the countrey of Roussillon which he held from the house of Arragon being engaged to him by Iohn King of Arragon father to the King of Castile now raigning vnder certaine conditions yet vnperformed As touching the Princes Seniories of Italy they desired to haue him their friend and were in league with him and sent often their ambassadors to him In Almaine he had the Swissers as obedient to him as his owne subiects The King of Scotland and Portugale were his confederates part of the realme of Nauarre was wholie at his deuotion his subiects trembled before him and his commandements were executed incontinent without delay or excuse As touching those things that were thought necessarie for his health they were sent him out of all parts of the world Pope Sixtus that last died being informed that the King of deuotion desired to haue the corporall vpon the which Saint Peter song masse sent it him incontinent with diuers other relickes which were conueied backe againe to Rome The holie viole which is at Reims and neuer had been remooued thence was brought into his chamber to Plessis and stood vpon his cupboord at the hower of his death he was determined to be annointed therwith as at his coronation But many supposed that he wold haue anointed all his body with it which is vnlikely for the said holy viole is very small and containeth not much oile I saw it both at the time I now speake of and also when the King was buried at Nostre-dame-de-Clery The Turke that now raigneth sent an ambassador to him who came as far as Rhiue in Prouence 1 but the King would not heare his message neither permit him to passe any further The said ambassador brought him a great role of relickes remaining yet at Constantinople in the Turks hands all the which he offered him togither with a great summe of money if he would keepe in safe custodie the said Turks brother who was then in this realme in the hands of the knights of the Rhodes and is now at Rome in the Popes keeping By all this aboue rehearsed a man may perceiue how great the King our Masters wisdome and authority was how he was esteemed through the whole world and how all things 2 as well spirituall of deuotion and religion as also temporall were imploied for the prolonging of his life But all would not helpe there was no remedy needes he must go the way his predecessors went before him one great grace God shewed him that as he created him wiser liberaller and more vertuous in all things than the Princes that raigned in his time being his enimies and neighbors and as he surmounted them in all good things so did he also passe them in long life though not much For Duke Charles of Burgundy the Duchesse his daughter King Edvvard Duke Galeas of
said The towne was spoiled by the soldiers bicause Maximilian was behinde with them for certaine moneths paie Saint Omers was also taken at the same time though some refer it to an other time but whensoeuer it was taken this is most certaine that the negligence of the watch was the losse thereof For the enimies being led by George Deberfin made shew at their first comming before the towne as though they would haue scaled it at which time the French soldiers were ready to withstand them vpon the wals being strong and very defensible both by nature and by Arte whereupon the enimies vnder pretence of feare retired into their campe yea and further when the French issued foorth to skirmish with them they euer retired faining the like feare which dissimulation they vsed by the space of eight daies and by this their pollicie caused the French to remit much of their accustomed industry and diligence which when the Burgundians and Almaines perceiued they with great expedition reared ladders against the wals and bulwarks of the town which they easily entered the watch being fast a sleepe and in some place no watch at all Then brake they open the gates slew the French soldiers and the citizens and so became Masters of the towne At the same time was Amiens also attempted by the Burgundians in the night and like to haue been surprised by the like negligence of the watch but Katherine de Liques a woman of a manlike courage awaked the watch out of their dead sleepe by meanes whereof the alarme was sounded and all the towne arose in armes and part went to defend the wals and the rest issued foorth and skirmished and put to flight Maximilians bands who plainly confessed that the diligence and industrie of one woman had wrong the victory out of their hands Of the restitution of the Counties of Roussillon Parpignan to the King of Spaine of the Emperor Fridericks death of the peace between the King of Romaines and the King and of the Duke of Orleans deliuery out of prison Chap. 8. FErdinand King of Arragon desired nothing more than to recouer 1492 out of the Kings hands the counties of Roussillon and Parpignan engaged by him as he said to King Lewis the eleuenth for fiftie thousand crownes But the nobles of Fraunce would not condescend to this restitution bicause the two Counties were a rampier for the realme on that side towards Spaine adding that they were not engaged to King Lewis but absoulutely solde And notwithstanding that the King of Spaine alleaged that King Lewis by his last will and Testament had commanded the said Counties to be restored knowing that they were wrongfully withheld yet his perswasions and allegations little auailed Wherefore he perceiuing that this way no good would be done fell to practise with men of religion hoping by their preaching of conscience to King Charles to win that of him that otherwise he saw no meanes to obtaine Wherefore he corrupted with a great summe of mony Oliuer Maillard or as others write Iohn de Mauleon a frier Franciscane confessor to the Lady of Beauieu the Kings sister who vnder his coule of religion cloking his hypocrisie and couetousnes perswaded hir that except restitution were made of these territories to the King of Spaine the King hir brothers gouerment could not prosper nor please God She being mooued in conscience by this friers perswasions brake this matter to Lewis of Amboise bishop of Alby the Kings schoolmaster who togither with hir so terrified the Kings conscience that he did not onely make restitution of the said territories by the hands of the said bishop whom he sent thither to deliuer them but also freely released to the King of Arragon all the money that King Levvis his father had paid for them with these conditions that the said King of Arragon and his successors should euer after loue and honor the realme of Fraunce that he should make no war against it nor aide with money victuals or councell any of the enimies thereof nor permit them to haue passage through his dominions And thus were these countries restored greatly to the French mens griefe and dammage but in truth the King the rather inclined to restore them bicause hee began already by the perswasion of those that were about him to phansie a voiage into Italie for the recouerie of the realme of Naples which afterward tooke effect though the King both now long after this kept his purpose secret to himselfe and one or two more which voiage I thinke was the principall cause that induced him to restore the foresaid countries thereby to tie the King of Spaine to him that he should not trouble him in his enterprise but he misreckoned himselfe for he was no sooner past the mountaines but the King of Spaine forgot all his kindnes and fell to practise a league with his enimies While these matters passed thus in Fraunce Friderick the Emperor died to The Emperor Frederick died 19. of August 1493. whom his sonne Maximilian succeeded who notwithstanding was neuer crowned neither greatly desired so to be although with a small request he might haue obtaied it The Emperor Maximilian purposing to quiet the state of the Empire troubled by his fathers death seemed more enclined to peace with the King than heertofore he had beene which happened verie fortunately for the Kings affaires for without Maximilian were pacified his voiage into Italie must of force haue staide but both the parties by this meanes inclining to concord the peace was soone concluded the Emperors daughter was restored vnto him and the countie of Artois togither with all the townes he quarrelled And thus the King being in peace with all his neighbours namely with the Emperor and the Kings of England and Spaine and possessing the Duchie of Britaine quietly by his mariage and by that meanes hauing no body to feare began wholie to dispose himselfe to his voiage into Italie whereupon his minde was altogither fixed Further about this verie time the King at the earnest sute and continuall teares of his sister Iane a Ladie of singular pietie and chastitie restored not onely to liberty but also to his fauor and familiaritie Lewis Duke of Orleans husband to the saide Ladie taken prisoner at the battell of Saint Albin in Britaine as before you haue heard whereby as the King deserued great commendations for his clemencie in preseruing his enimie taken in battell and restoring him to his former dignitie and honor so did he also thereby prouide that no discontented subiect at home should trouble his estate in his absence in his voiage to Naples whereunto the historie of Commines now calleth vs which from the death of King Lewis the eleuenth till this present I haue supplied out of other good authors bicause the said Commines being imprisoned or in disgrace almost euer sithence King Lewis his death till the saide voiage of Naples whereat he was present was silent and left nothing
sped euill and the Duke of Milan who had been greatly distressed if Master Iohn Iames had beene suffered to inuade him with the whole force was now strong for the Venetians had sent diuers bands to his aide Whereupon our armie retired our footemen were dismissed and these little townes that were taken abandoned and thus ended these wars finally to the Kings profit who consumed infinite treasure in them The Notes 1 Vnderstand against the Venetians by the which meanes he might haue recouered the Polesan and the rest that they withheld from him 2 For you must vnderstand that these practises began before their places were sold 3 This Cardinall was borne at Sauonne Of certaine controuersies betweene King Charles and Ferrande King of Castile and of the ambassadors that were sent to and fro to pacifie them Chap. 16. WHat happened from the Kings returne out of Italie which was about 3. or 4. moneths before the end of the yeer 1495. till the beginning of the yeere 1498. I haue already rehearsed for all that space I was resident in the Court and present at the dispatch of most part of those affaires The King rode about from Lyons to Moulins and from Moulins to Tours holding tourneies and iusts in all places and minding nothing else Those that were of the greatest authoritie about him were so diuided that more they could not be for some of them would that the conquest of Naples should still continue bicause their profit and credit depended thereupon namely the Cardinall 1 and the Seneschall 2 who gouerned all the Kings affaires on the otherside the Admirall who before this voiage had borne all the sway with the yoong King would in any wise that these Italian enterprises should cease and trauelled to ouerthrowe them knowing that the quailing of them would turne greatly to his profite and be a meanes whereby he might recouer his former credit and authoritie and the others fall into disgrace Thus passed the Kings affaires about a yeere and a halfe during the which space he sent ambassadors to the King and Queene of Castile who were in war with him and whose friendship he greatly desired bicause they were mightie both by sea and land And notwithstanding that they did no great exploit vpon the land yet had they sent great aide by sea to King Ferrande and King Frederick of Naples for the yle of Sicilie is distant from Reges in Calabria but a league and a halfe so that some hold opinion it was once firme land with Italie 3 and that the sea breaking in made this straight 4 now named the Far 5 of Messine The said yle of Sicilie was then and yet is in subiection to the King and Queene of Castile who sent from thence great aide to Naples as well of great ships called Carauels that came out of Spaine as also of men Moreouer in the yle of Sicilie itselfe a companie of men of armes was leuied the which passed into Calabria with a certaine number of genetarios 6 and made war vpon the Kings forces there Besides this their ships were continually with the confederates nauie by means whereof when all their forces were togither the King was much too weake for his enimies vpon the sea but otherwise the King of Castile endammaged him not much True it is that once a great companie of horsemen entred into Languedock and spoiled the countrie and lodged in it three or fower daies but other exploit did they none Then the Lord of Saint André in Bourbonnois who defended those frontiers for the Duke of Bourbon the Kings lieutenant in Languedock attempted to take Sausses a little towne in the countrie of Roussillon bicause on that side they had inuaded the Kings dominions about two yeeres before For you shall vnderstand that the King had restored vnto them the said countrie of Roussillon 7 whereof the territorie of Parpignan is parcell in the which this little towne of Sausses is situate His enterprise was great and dangerous for the towne was well manned though it were but small and a great number of gentlemen of the King of Castiles house were within it besides that their armie being stronger than ours lay abrode in the fields encamped within a league of the place yet notwithstanding the said Lord of Saint André so wisely and closely guided his enterprise that within ten howers he tooke the towne by assault as my selfe can witnes and at the breach were slaine thirtie or fortie Spanish gentlemen of marke among whom was the Archbishop of Saint Iames his sonne besides three or fower hundred common soldiers They thought not that the towne could haue been taken so suddenly for they vnderstood not the feate of our artillerie which vndoubtedly is the best in the world This is all the exploit that was done between these two Princes whereof though the effects were but small yet great was the shame and dishonor the King of Castile receiued thereby his armie being so strong as it was but where God is disposed to punish commonly such small scoruges run before For the said King and Queen of Castile were shortly after otherwise punished and so were we also But sure as touching them they much stained their honor in violating their othe giuen to the King who had dealt so bountifully with them by restoring them the countrey of Rousillon the fortification and defence whereof had beene so chargeable to his father who had it in pawne for three hundred thousand crownes which summe also the King forgaue them all to the end they should not impeach nor hinder his voiage to Naples Moreouer they renued the ancient league betweene Fraunce and Castile which is between King and King realme and realme and man and man of their subiects and promised not to hinder his said conquest nor marie any of their daughters into Naples England or Flanders which straight offer of mariage proceeded of themselues for a Frier Franciscan called Frier Iohn de Mauleon made this ounerture on the Queene of Castiles behalfe Yet all this notwithstanding so soone as they saw the war begun and heard that the King was at Rome they sent ambassadors round about to enter into league against him and namely to Venice I being there present where the league aboue mentioned was concluded betweene the Pope the King of Romans them the Seniore of Venice and the Duke of Milan immediately whereupon they inuaded the Kings dominions alleaging that such a promise was not to be performed meaning the marriage of their children being fower daughters and one sonne into the houses aboue mentioned which ouuerture notwithstanding proceeded of themselues as before you haue heard But to returne to the matter After these wars in Italy were ended and all lost in the realm of Naples saue Caietta which the K. yet held when these treaties of peace began betweene him and the King and Queene of Castile but soone after lost also and the wars in the countrey of Roussillon being in like maner
Kings of Romanes and England 10 for the Prince of Wales was at that time very yoong were comprehended therein they had fower daughters the eldest of the which was a widow and had been married to the King of Portugales sonne that last died who brake his necke before hir as he passed a carrier vpon a ginnet within three moneths after their marriage The second and the third were married the one in Flaunders and the other in England and the fourth is yet to marrie After the Lord of Bouchage was returned and had made his report the King perceiued that de Clerieux had beene too credulous and that he had done wisely in sending du Bouchage thither bicause he was now assured of that which before he stood in doubt of The said de Bouchage aduertised him further that he could effect nothing but the conclusion of the truce the which he had libertie either to accept or refuse at his pleasure The King accepted it and sure it serued him to good purpose for it was the breach of their league which so much had troubled his affaires and which hitherto he could by no means dissolue notwithstanding that he had attempted all waies possible Thirdly the said de Bouchage informed the King that the King and Queene of Castile had promised him at his departure to send ambassadors immediately after him cause of their attainture was for that they had attempted to make him King of Portugale that now raigneth These Lords therefore and gentlemen were by meanes of this marriage recompensed in Castile by the King and Queene and their lands which they had forfaited in Portugale by attainture assigned to the Queene of Portugale now mentioned daughter to the said K. and Queene of Castile But notwithstanding all these considerations the said K. Queene repented them of this marriage for you shall vnderstand that there is no nation in the world that the Spaniards hate more than the Portugales so far foorth that they disdaine scorne them wherfore the said King Queene lamented much that they had bestowed their daughter vpon a man that should not be beloued in the realm of Castile their other dominions if the marriage had been then vnmade they would neuer haue made it which vndoubtedly was a great corrosiue to them yet nothing so great as this that she should depart from them Notwithstanding after all their sorrowes ended they led their said daughter and sonne in law through all the chiefe cities of their realme and made the said King of Portugale to be receiued for Prince and their daughter for Princesse and proclaimed them their successors after their death Some comfort they receiued after all these sorrowes for they were aduertised that the said Lady Princesse of Castile and Queene of Portugale was great with childe but this ioy prooued in the end double greefe so that I thinke they wished themselues out of the world for this Lady whom they so tenderly loued and so much esteemed died in trauell of the said childe not past a moneth agone and we are now in October in the yeere 1498. but the childe liueth 4 and is called Emanuell after his fathers name All these greatmisfortunes hapned to them in the space of three moneths Now to returne to the estate of Fraunce You shall vnderstand that about fower or fiue moneths before the said Ladies death a great misfortune happened also in this realme I meane the death of King Charles the eight whereof heereafter you shall heare at large It seemed therefore that God beheld both these houses with an angrie countenance and would not that the one realme should scorne the other For although the death of a Prince seeme but a trifle to many yet is it sure far otherwise for change of the Prince neuer happeneth in any realme but it traineth with it great sorrowes and troubles and notwithstanding that some gaine by it yet an hundred fold more lose bicause at an alteration men are forced to change their maner and forme of liuing for that that pleaseth one Prince displeaseth another Wherefore as before I haue said if a man well consider the sharpe and sudden punishments that God hath laide vpon great Princes within these thirty yeeres in Fraunce Castile Portugale England Naples Flaunders and Britaine he shall finde that they haue beene heauier and greeuouser than happened in two hundred yeeres before and whosoeuer would take in hand to discourse vpon all the particular misfortunes that I my selfe haue seene and in a maner knowen all the persons as well men as women to whom they happened should make thereof a huge volume and that of great admiration yea though it contained onely such as haue chanced within these ten yeeres By these punishments the power of God ought to be the better knowen for the plagues he powreth downe vpon great personages are sharper grieuouser and endure longer than those he sendeth to the poorer sort To conclude therefore me thinke all things well waied that Princes are in no better estate in this world than other men if they consider by the miseries they see happen to their neighbours what may happen to themselues For as touching them they chastice their subiects at their pleasures and God disposeth of them at his pleasure bicause other than him they haue none ouer them but happie is the realme that is gouerned by a Prince that is wise and feareth God and his commandements I haue briefly rehearsed the misfortunes that happened in three moneths space to these two great and mightie realmes which not long before were so inflamed the one against the other so busied in enlarging their dominions and so little contented with that they already possessed And notwithstanding that alwaies some as before I said reioice at changes and gaine by them yet at the first euen to them the death especially the sudden death of their Prince is very dreadfull and dangerous The Notes 1 This he seemeth to adde bicause the empire was greater but it was not the Emperors inheritance 2 Vnderstand the two first murthers of his wiues father and brother for his sonne was dead before he slue his owne brother 3 Vnderstand hir dowrie for hir first marriage 4 But the childe died also afterward and the crowne of Spaine descended to Iane the second daughter wife to Philip Duke of Austrich and mother to the Emperor Charles the fift Further you shall vnderstand that our authors memorie failed him heere for this Princes name was not Emanuel as Commines heere writeth but Michael according to all good authors and pedegrees both of Spaine and Portugale Of the sumptuous building King Charles began a little before his death of the great desire he had to reforme the Church and himselfe to diminish his reuenues and to redresse the processes of the law and how he died suddenly in this good minde in his castel of Amboise Chap. 18. I Will heere cease further to discourse of the affaires of Italie and Castile
and the Queene his wife had so greatly desired that they would neuer credit any man that aduertised them to the contrarie were he English man or stranger For the Councell of England had debated this matter with him at the same time that the King conquered that part of Picardie that ioineth to Calice alleaging that after he had subdued that he might easily attempt to take Calice and Guisnes The like was also told him by the ambassadors resident in England for the Duke and Duchesse of Austriche and by the Britons and diuers others but he beleeued no whit of all this which incredulitie turned much to his losse Notwithstanding I suppose it proceeded rather of couetousnes than ignorance for he feared the losse of the fiftie thousand crownes the King paid him besides that he was loth to leaue his ease and pleasures whereunto he was maruellously addicted About the conclusion of this marriage an assembly was held at Halots in Flaunders whereat the Duke of Austriche now King of Romans was present togither with certaine deputies for the three estates of Flaunders Brabant and the other countries belonging to the saide Duke and his children The citizens of Gaunt did many things there contrarie to the Dukes minde for some they banished and some they remooued from about his sonne in the end they told him how great desire they had to see this marriage accomplished therby to obtaine peace forced him to consent therunto The Duke was very yoong and accompanied with few noble men for all the subiects of this house of Burgundie very few excepted I meane of great personages that could haue giuen him counsell or aide in these affaires were as you haue heard either dead or reuolted to the King As touching himselfe he was come thither very slenderly accompanied and now hauing lost his wife being Lady of the countrie he durst not giue them so stout language as before he was accustomed To be short the King being aduertised of all these actions by Monseur de Cordes reioiced much thereat and a day was appointed when this Lady should be brought to Hedin Not long before the conclusion of this marriage to wit in the yeere 1481. the towne of Ayre was yeelded for a summe of monie to Monseur de Cordes by the Lord of Croy of the countrie of Artois who held it for the Duke of Austriche and the Lord of Beures his captaine The towne is very strong situate in the countrie of Artois and the deliuerie thereof increased the Flemmings desire to further this marriage bicause it standeth vpon the very entrance into Flaunders For notwithstanding that they wished the weakening of their Prince yet were they not willing to haue the King so neere a neighbor to their frontiers After these matters aboue mentioned were fully concluded ambassadors came to the King out of Flaunders and Brabant but all depended vpon them of Gaunt both bicause of their force bicause the children were in their hands and for that they were alwaies the ringleaders of all tumults There came also from the King of Romanes for the pacifying of his dominions certaine Knights yoong men like himselfe and of small experience whose names were Master Iohn de Bergues and Master Baudouin de Launoy and certaine Secretaries The King was brought maruellous low with sicknes so that hardly he suffered himselfe to be seene and made great difficultie to sweare the treatie bicause he was loth to come abrode in sight notwithstanding in the end he sware it It was very auantageous for him for in all assemblies that had beene held heeretofore about this marriage he neuer required but the countie of Artois or Burgundie one of the two but now the Lords of Gaunt as he termed them caused them both to be yeelded vnto him togither with the counties of Masconnois Charolois and Auxerrois yea and if it had lien in them to haue put into his hands Hainault and Namur and all the seniories of this house of Burgundie being of the French language they would willingly haue done it thereby to affeeble their Prince The King our Master being a wise Prince vnderstood well that no account was to be made of Flaunders nor the Earle thereof without he had the countrie of Artois which lying betweene the King of Fraunce and the Flemmings is as it were a bridle to them For in the countrie of Artois are leuied very good soldiers to scourge the Flemmings when they play the fooles Wherefore by taking away from the Earle of Flaunders the countrie of Artois he left him the poorest Prince in the world and without all obedience of his subiects saue onely at the pleasure of them of Gaunt After this ambassage was returned home the said Lady was led to Hedin and deliuered into the hands of Monseur de Cordes in the yeere 1483. She was conueied thither by the Lady of Rauastain bastard daughter to Duke Philip of Burgundie and was receiued there by the Duke and Duchesse of Bourbon that now are and by the Lord of Albret and diuers others sent thither by the King who led hir to Amboise where the Daulphin lay If the Duke of Austriche could haue rescued hir before she was passed out of his dominions from them that conueied hir he would willingly haue done it but they of Gaunt had sent hir well accompanied And as touching the said Duke all his subiects began to disobey him so far foorth that a great number tooke part with them of Gaunt bicause they had his sonne in their hands and remooued from him and placed about him such as pleased them and among the rest that were resident at Gaunt was the Lord of Rauastain brother to the Duke of Cleues principall gouernor of the said yoong infant called Duke Philip who is yet liuing and like to be a great Prince if God spare him life Whosoeuer reioiced at this marriage the King of England was highly displeased therewith for he accounted it great reproch and dishonor to be thus deluded and feared both the losse of the pension the King paid him which the English men called Tribute and also that the contempt heereof would stir his subiects to rebellion against him bicause he would giue no eare to good aduice Further he saw the King with great force neere to his dominions for the which causes he conceiued such inward griefe when he heard these newes that soone after he ended his life some say of a catarrhe But whatsoeuer his disease were the report goeth that the sorrow conceiued of this marriage caused the disease whereof he died soone after in the moneth of Aprill anno 1483. It is a foule fault in a Prince to trust more to his owne braine than to the aduice of a great number for it causeth oftentimes both great sorrow and also losse irrecouerable Immediately after King Edvvards death the King our Master was aduertised therof and seemed nothing ioifull of the newes but soone after receiued letters from the D. of
the Prince of Wales at the battell of Poictiers paied for his raunsome three millions of franks and yeelded to the English men all Aquitaine at the least all that he held in his hands with a number of other cities townes and places yea in a maner the thirde foote of his realme whereby he brought his realme into such pouertie that manie yeeres after they vsed leather monie with a little stud or naile of siluer in the middest thereof And all this gaue he and his sonne King Charles surnamed the VVise for his raunsome And if they would haue giuen nothing yet would not the English men haue put him to death but his greatest paine had beene imprisonment But admit they had put him to death yet had not that pain been so great by the hundred thousandth part as the least paine in hell Why gaue he then all this great raunsome aboue rehearsed destroying his children and subiects but onely bicause he beleeued that which he saw and perceiued well that he could not otherwise be deliuered But peraduenture when he committed the fault for the which this punishment fell vpon him his children and subiects he beleeued not firmely that the offence he made against God and his commandements should be punished Now to conclude there is no Prince or very few that will restore one towne they withhold from their neighbor for the loue of God or to eschew the paines of hell and yet King Iohn gaue all this to deliuer his bodie out of prison I asked a question before who will search out great mens faults who will informe the Iustice of them and who will be the Iustice to punish them Whereunto I now answer that the information shall be the lamentable crie and plaint of their subiects whom they tyrannize and oppresse so many waies without any compassion the sorrowfull lamentation of widowes and orphans whose husbands and fathers they haue wrongfully put to death by meanes whereof their wiues and children haue euer after liued in affliction and miserie and generally the complaints of all those whom they haue persecuted either in their persons or goods These I say shall giue information against them by their great mourning wailing and pitious teares and shall accuse them before the Lord God who will be the iust iudge thereof and peraduenture will not delay the punishment till the world to come but will also punish them in this world which punishment proceedeth of lacke of faith bicause they had not a firme and stedfast beleefe in Gods commandements We must therefore of necessitie confesse that God is forced to shew such tokens and examples to the end both Princes themselues and all the world may beleeue that these punishments fall vpon them for their misbeleefe and sinnes and that God sheweth his mightie power and iustice vpon them bicause none other in this world but he hath power ouer them At the first happily they amend not their liues for Gods scourges be they neuer so great and long But no misfortune falleth vpon a Prince vpon those that gouerne his affaires or vpon those that rule great commonalties but the issue is hurtfull and dangerous to the subiects When I say misfortunes I meane none but such as cause the subiects to smart for to fall from a horse to breake a leg to be punished with a sharpe ague are no misfortunes to a Prince bicause he may be cured of them and peraduenture they may do him good and teach him wit but I call these misfortunes when God is so displeased with a Prince that he will no longer suffer him to raigne but shew his power and iustice vpon him For then first he weakeneth his wits which is a shrewd blowe for all those that haue to do with him he troubleth his house and suffereth it to fall into diuision and disquietnes and the Prince himselfe is so far in Gods disgrace that he flieth the counsell and companie of the wise and aduaunceth none but yoong fooles voide of wit oppressors flatterers and such as soothe him in all his sayings If he take one penie they bid him take two if he threaten a man they bid hang him and after that sort in all other actions Further they giue him counsell in any wise to cause himselfe to be feared and they also behaue themselues cruelly and proudly trusting by this meanes to hold men in awe of them as though authoritie were their inheritance Those whom such Princes by the aduise of these new Counsellors haue banished and displaced hauing serued many yeeres and being well acquainted and friended in their countrie will storme at this vsage and for their sakes their friends and well willers also and peraduenture such iniurie shall be offered them that they shall be forced either to defend themselues or to flie to some Prince their neighbor who perchance is enimy to him that banisheth and chaseth them and so by inward diuision stangers shall enter into the land Is any plague or miserie so great as wars betwixt friends and acquaintance Is any malice so ranke and deadly As touching forren enimies when the subiects are linked togither they may easily make resistance bicause their enimies haue no intelligence nor acquaintance in the realme Thinke you that an vnwise Prince being accompanied with fooles can smell a far off how great a mischiefe diuision among his subiects is or beleeue that it can hurt him or proceedeth of God he eateth and sleepeth no whit the woorse for it he hath neither fewer horses in his stable nor fewerrobes in his wardrobe but many mo companions For he allureth men vnto him by promises and by parting among them the spoiles and offices of those whom he hath banished he giueth also of his owne to win thereby fame and renowme but when he shall least thinke of it God will raise vp an enimie against him whom peraduenture he neuer mistrusted Then will he waxe pensiue and suspect those whom he hath iniuried yea he will feare such as indeede owe him no euill will yet notwithstanding he will not haue his refuge to God in this extremitie but seeke to redresse this inconuenience by force Haue we not seene in our daies examples heerof euen among our next neighbors Haue we not seene the late King of England Edward the fourth of that name heire of the house of Yorke vtterly destroy the house of Lancaster vnder the which both his father and he had liued many yeeres Further the said King Edward hauing done homage to King Henry the 6. being of the house of Lancaster did he not afterward hold him prisoner many yeeres in the tower of London the chiefe citie of the realme where in the end he was put to death Haue we not also seene the Earle of Warwicke principall gouernor of all the said King Edwards affaires after he had put to death all his enimies especially the Duke of Sommerset in the end become deadly enimy to his Master giue his daughter in mariage to the