Willam King of Sicilia Al these were preparatiues of great warre against France And could Baldwine Earle of Flanders be wel satisfied being intreated as we haue seene Richard ioynes with him They resolue to make warre against Phiâip in diuers places Hauing assembled foâces their Baldwine enteâs into Artois Richard into Vexin contries then in Controuersie wherby reasoÌ the warre should begin seing the processe was bred there Philip without any amazement prouids for Artois sending forces thether vnder the command of his Sonne Lewis Warres with Richard King of England He himselfe marcheth in person against Richard who beseeged Corceeile the which he releeued in despight of him Richard not able to hinder these souccors takes his way into the Contrie of Beauuoisin and spoyles it Phillip doth the like in Normandy All tends to trouble by the willfulnes of these two Princes when as the Pope some say Celestin others Innocent .3 sends his Noncio to exhort them to peace This perswasion staied it not but only made a diuersion of their armes for Richard supposing that Philip could not auoide the blow being ingaged in Nomandie he marcheth into Berry and being assisted wâth all his forces of Guienne beseegeth Yssoudun hauing wasted and spoyled all the country Philip beseeged Vernon although the name be diuersly coated Vernon Vernueil or Aumale he leaues the Towne and flies to Richard to draw him to fight who finding himselfe to weake retyres to his towne Philip returnes to his seege and wins the Towne not withstanding all the attempts of Richard who now takes breth to seeke his reueng but God had otherwise disposed with whome all Princes ought to accoumpt for their actions 1223. who laughes at men when they vexe themselues most During his aboade at Limoges hee was aduertised that one of his men at armes had found a great treasure in the ground This Souldiar fearing to bee ill rewarded by Richard flies to a small Towne of Limosin which the Historie called Caalac or Cailus held by the French although it were of the Prouince of Guienne then belonging to the English Richard besiegeth it but as hee approched too neere the walles hee was wounded with an Arrow in the left arme His desire to follow this siege makes him to neglect his wound which impaires not being drest He takes the Towne but the man saues himselfe hauing hidden his treasure so as Richard tooke not the treasure which hee hunted after with a desire so vnseemely for a great Prince but insteed of taking gold Richard King of England dyes death surprised him who leauing his life vpon so light an occasion leaues a notable example of the vanitie of this world in the lightnesse of humaine spirits who suffer themselues to bee transported with couetousnesse a miserable councellor both to great and small This death did somewhat temper the bitternesse of their dissentions but it did not quench it betwixt France and England Iohn had right to succeed in the Realme of England as brother suruiuing the King deceased Iohn succeeds Richard and makes peace with Philip. but Arthur Duke of Brittanie sonne to Geoffrey the other brother as wee haue said pretended the Crowne to belong vnto him as the sonne of the elder Elenor their mother being yet liuâng Iohn was receiued by the English so as being in possession he had the better and stronger title Philip fauoured Arthur but hee meant to make his profit of the Brothers dâuision and to keepe the stakes Being sought vnto by Iohn the new King of England who had then nothing of greater import then his friendship hee concludes a peace with him vpon condition That Iohn should yeeld vp all that his Brother had taken in Berry and neuer pretend any thing of that which Philip had taken Vexin in these latter warres and that Elenor Mother to Iohn Duchesse of Guienne should doe homage to the King for that Prouince as depending of the Crowne of France This aâcord is ratified by a new alliance the which encreased no loue Lewis the Sonne of Augâstus takes to Wife Blanche the Daughter of Alphonsus King of Castill War betwixt Iohn King of England and Artâur his Nephew and of Iohns Sister being his Neece In the meane time Philip fauours Arthur vnder-hand who assisted by his meanes takes the Cittie of Tours to his great content Arthur doth him homage presently for the Countries of Touraine Aniou and Maine and so passeth on and takes Mirââeau where Elenor his Gâand-mother was resoluing to proceed on further but the Almightie GOD stayed his course For Iohn comes besiegeth and takes Mircbeau againe and Arthur his Nephew likewise Iohn murthers his Nephew Artâur Elenor extreamly afflicted with these diuisions dyes for griefe and Iohn puts his Nephew Arthur whom he held Prisoner to death to extinguish all controuersies for the title âf the Realme although this death were cloaked as accidentally falne out for sorrâw The cauâe of a cruell warre Hence sprung a cruâll Warre Constance the Mother of Arthur Duchesse of Brittanie demands Iustice of Philip as her Soueraigne Philip adiornes Iohn and for not appealing hee condemnes him as guiltie of the crime imposed Iohn declared ãâã of murtheâ felony by ãâã and of fellonie in disâbeying of his commandements Hee proclaimes him an enemie and doth confiscate all hee held of the Crowne This sentence is seconded by open force to make the execution thereof more easie The Brittons and Poiteuins wonderfully greeued with this cruell fact arme and come to Philip. So Iohn abandoned of all flies to Pope Innocent the third accusing Philip of the breach of his faith in making Warre against him Innocent the third declaring that the breache of faith belonged properly to his authority and so by consequence carrying himselfe for Soueraigne Iudge of the cântrouersie betwâxt the two Kings commands both the one and the other to laye aside Armes and to suffer the Churches in peace threatning to cursse his realme that should disobey his authority Pope Innocent âââârposeth his authority Philip shewes that hee hath neyther broken his faith nor peace with Iohn But that hee being his vassaile had slaine his Nephew in the territories of his obedience as it appeared by good proofes so as it was not reasonable the holye authoritie of the Church should serue as a defence or support for his impunity in so detestable a crime seeing the punishments of subiects and vassals 1201. appertained to the Prince by all diuine and humane Lawes But there were new complaints to the Pope against Philip that finding himselfe oppressed with war he imposed certain tenths vpon the Clergy to ease the people who complayned of their burthens He did not exact this of the Church by his owne decree but had assembled a Nationall Councell at Soissons to that end The Pope said this was done against his authority and not onely threatned Philip by his Censure but also all the Clergy that had assisted
all sutes among his subiects and happily hee might haue preuailed in reconciling that great deuision betwixt the Emperor and the Pope if zeale to releeue the afflicted Christians had not made him to abandon his owne quiet with all his good workes to transport his treasure and life into Affrick and there to leaue them among the Barbarians All declined in the East Mahomet preuailed so both there and in Affricke as Europe was threatned by their neighbor-hood Spaine as the neerest and Prouence and Languedoc by the easie aboard of the Mediterranian Sea Lewis not able to liue without seeking the aduancement of the Christian religion resolues a voyage into Barbarie Lewis goes into Barbèrie against the aduise of his estate and contrary to his owne experience A zeale which shall succeed ill for himselfe and his whole realme whom we cannot excuse of indiscretion Thus he inrouled himselfe the second time and his Sonne Philip likewise which shall succeed him with Peter Earle of Alanson and Iohn Earle of Neuers surnamed Tristan He left the Regencie to Simon of Neele and Mathew of Vendosme of whose fidelitie he relyed much Before his departure he made a league with the King of England to whom he had done many good offices in his great necessitie It was agreed A League wiâh Enâland 1269. âhat the English should pretend no interest to Normandie nor to the Earledome of Aniou Maine Poitou and Touraine and as for Guienne hee should enioy the Countries of Quercy Limosin and Xainronge vnto the Riuer of Charenton all which Countries hee should hold by homage of the Crowne of France and in this regard he should be Vassall and Leege-man to the King of France For confirmation of this accord Edward his Sonne enters into societie of Armes with Lewis for the voyage of the Holy-land to maâche at the same time This accord was made in the yeare 1269. and their departure was the yeare after 1270. the first day of May. He paâted from Aigues-mortes and not from Marseilles as some haue written for that there was no good port vpon the Mediterranian Sea hee caused the Cittie of Aigues-mortes in Languedoc to bee built and compassed it with goodly Walles which speake yet of him and with Chanels for the commoditie of the shoare the largest is calâed The great Lewis by his name Edward takes his course for Asia and Lewis for Affrike the French armie consisting of forty thousand fighting men that of England is not specified The voyage was shott vnhappy for them both but especially for our good Prince Lewis had scarce lost the sight of shoare and discouered the Iland of Sardinia when as both he and his whole Fleete had almost perished in a storme Lewis in danger at Sea A presage of a mournfull successe In the end he lands in Affricke A Country worthy to loose that ancient name among vs and to be called Barbarie for the barbarous and vnfortunate successe it brought Lewis resolues to take Carthage a new Cittie built vpon the ancient name and held for a strong garrison of the Barbarians He takes it but with great paine and losse From thence heâ goes to Thunis a strong and well garded Cittie resolute to haue it at what price soeuer But man purposeth and God disposeth For as Edward sonne to the King of England turned backe from his voyage of the East The Armie infected with the plague hauing passed but to Malta and Charles King of Sicilia going to ioyne with him to set vpon the Barbarians of Affricke altogether In a manner at the same time as they arriued all at Thunis the plague had deuoured a great part of the French armie and taken away many Noblemen And to encrease the mischiefe 1270. it enters the Kings pauiââon and strikes Lewis although some say it was a Flux But whatsoeuer it be our Lewis is extreamly sicke and feeling it deadly Lewis being sicke giues his sonne instruction hee calls for Philip his eldest sonne whose age and vertue preferred him to the Crowne Hauing giuen him goodly admonitions and exhorted him to serue God to liue verâuously and to gouerne his people âatherly vnder the obedience of his lawes which hee himselfe must first obey hauing recommended vnto him the loue of his brethren Lewis dyes and intâeated all the Nobilitie about him to obey Philip he yeelded vp his soule to God to take his true rest in heauen leauing all his followers in great heauinesse being the most perfect patterne of a good King that euer was read off in Historie He only wanted the happinesse of a good writer although these small gleans which wee finde in the writings of the Lord of Ioinuille make his vertue admitable A Prince borne for a testimonie to that obscure age Lewis his vertues and for ours which is corrupted to be a President to all Kings and Princes of Religion Equitie Clemencie Wisdome Valour Magnanimitie Patiencie and Continencie to Loue Pietie Iustice Order and Peace to ioyne the loue of holy things and the modestie of manners with armes and State Hauing shewed that it is very fitting for a King To be a good Christian a good Warriour a good Husband a good Father a good Gouernour a good Iusticer and to know how to make Warre and Peace Verâues required in a prince That it is very necessary to ioyne vnto the Maiestie royall Pietie Clemencie and Authoritie to gaine the Loue Respect and Obedience of all men And to conclude That the best gaâde and most assured reuenew of a Prince is the loue of his subiects worthy of that venerable name of Holy wherewith posteritie hath iustly honored him He was twelue yeares old when he began to raigne His raigne and gouerned 44. yeares So hee died in the 56. yeare of his age hauing receiued this mortall Crowne in the yeare 1226. and the immortall in the yeare 1270 the 25. of August Of Marguerite the Daughter of Raymond Earle of Proâence His Children hee had foure Sonnes and foure Daughters A Princesse worthy of so great a husband the sole Wife of one husband and hee the onely Husband of one Wife His Sonnes were Philip surnamed the Hardie King of France Peter Earle of Alanson Robert also Earle of Alanson succeeding his brother Peter deceased without Children and he likewise died without any issue and Robert Earle of Clermont in Beauvoisin His Daughters were Blanche Queene of Castile Isabell Queene of Nauarre Marguerite Countesse of Brabant and Agnes Dâchesse of Bourgongne His posteritie in his two sonnes Philip and Robert So as of his foure Sonnes there suruiued but two Philip and Robert From Philip the 3. called the Hardie his eldest Sonne are issued successiuely eyther from Father to Sonne or from brother to brother or from the neerest kinsman to the next of bloud Philip the 4. called the Faire Lewis the 10. called Hutin Philip the 5. called the Long Charles the 4 called the Faire Philip
where the Captaines iudgement is more auailâable then the souldiers force But why ascend we not from these second causes true in that which doth concerne vs vnto the first and soueraigne cause The arme of the Eternall âurging this Realme full of vicious and corrupted humours letting it blood but not suffering it to die this bloud letting shal be the beginning of a stronger medicine prescribed by the same Phisition ministred vnto France in the following raignes but in the end we shal finde the operation to the recouery of our estate Let vs now see the progresse of our miseries Edward did all he could to manage this victory wisely Philip to preuent him Edwards procâeding after the battell wonne Edward without any stay passeth on without atteÌpting the great Citties of Amiens Abbeuille although neerer he makes shew to set vpon Monstreuil Bologne but he posted to Calais a fit place for the passage of England Iohn of Vienne Marshall of France with him the Lord of Andreghan great personages in those daies commanded there with a strong French garnison being assisted with the faithfull resolution of the inhabitants So presently after the bâtâaile of Cressy Edward did besiege the Towne of Calais A long siege painfull and of remarkable successe He ãâ¦ã Philip amazed with these sharp crosses fallen out beyond his hopes of ease slept not although it were with much paine and lesse fruite But his whole care was not for the ouerthrowe at Cressy He had a further reach following the trace of this vnfortunate losse Hee was entred into a newe inheritance this newe losse was to him a newe checke Affliction is a great crime both in great and small A remarkable ãâ¦ã this raigne and opens their mouthes which haue their hearts ill affected The people of France were in extreme pouertie and yet the necessitie of the Kings affaires forced them to a new charge The ill gouernment of the publike treasure the falsehoode of the Treasorers who inriched themselues by the pouertie of the miserable people the fall of money imbased the decay of trafficke the increase of taxes A ãâ¦ã by a plâgâe imposts subsidies were the causes of this general want the which drew the people into dispaire in this surcharge of troubles falling vpon the King This burthen grewe the more heauie by a great famine being followed by a strange generall plague throughout the whole realme as if heauen and earth had conspired to the ruine of France Philip inuironed with so many and so great difficulties continues constant with a valorous resolution against them all He prouids for the gard of the Citties of Picardy lying neerest vnto danger and to driue off the time vnfit for armes he calles a great assembly of his estats Philip calleâ a Parliament to take Councel aide and comfort in the perplexity of so many dangerous occurrents In this assembly it was decreed to call the Treasorers to an accompt and to refer the gouernment of the treasure to Clergie men to the Nobility Therby to free the people from all iealousie of ill imploying it The Abbots of Marmoustier and Corbie are chosen for this Intendancie and to assist them there are ioyned foure Bishops and foure knights Peter of Essars Treasorer of France is committed to prison condemned in a great fiâe to the King Many treasorers being condemned iustly or vniustly yeeld that at once which they had bin long in gathering The treasoâers called in question for thââr charge the sponge being then pressed by necessitie The Bankers Lombards other vsurers are then called to a strict accompt by reason of their vniust exactions The interests are proued to exceede the principall the which is forfaired to the King The interest is remitted to the debitor which payed the principall But the chiefe frute of this assemblie was that the whole body was wel inclined to succor the King in so vegent a necessity Bankers and vsuâers are sifted without any alteration for the new difficulties of State Thus the winter was spent without any memorable acte on either side In the spring Philip goes to field with a great army and approcheth neere vnto Calais to drawe Edward to âight but it was in vaine for Edward contenting himselfe with his victorie and not willing to rân the hazard of a second battaile kept himselfe within his trenches and to manifest his resolution vnto Philip Edward to ãâã not to leaue the seege he built houses about Calais to lodge his army drie sends for his wiâe protesting publikely by a solemne oth not to rise vntill he did see an end and make the inhabitants pay for their obstinate resâlution On the other side Philip labored to crosse Edwards desseines but with small successe To worke a diuersion of this seege hee makes war in England by the King of Scotlands meanes and in Flanders by his sonne Iohn then Duke of Normandy and afterwards King of France but all succeeded ill Dauid King of Scotland hauing by Philips perswasion entred and spoyled England was defeated taken brought prisoner to London through the happinesse of Edwards fortune and the diligence of his officers ãâ¦ã losse in his raigne Iohn Duke of Normandie hauing left Guienne by his fathers command comes into Flanders beseegeth the Towne of Cassel held by the English faction but he is forced to rise by theÌ within the Towne Then he falles vpon Lislâ where he hath a newer repulse so as hardly could he retyre himselfe to his father Philip who sees his subiects in danger of shipwracke yet could he not releeue them Guienne abandoned by Iohn for the action of Flanders suffered much for Henry of Lancaster Lieutenant for Edward in Guienne seeing the Country left weake by Iohns departure issues out of Bourdeaux with an army and finding no enemy he doth easily surprise many Townes of Xantonge and Poitou and ladden with spoile he returnes home 1347. In the ende Calais yeelds to Edward standing to his mercy Calais taken after a long and cruell famine and almost a whole yeares siege for the siege began the 30. of September .1346 and the Towne was yeelded vp in August .1347 The French garrison was put to ransome and so set at liberty the Inhabitants were worse intreated the baser sort onely were suffred to depart with what they could carrie about them and in their steed Edward sends a Colony of English to whome he distributed all the goods of the vanquished and fortified the Towne especially towards France to leaue this place hereditary to his posterity who held it .200 yeares that is from the yeare .1346 vnto the raigne of Henry the .2 father to the King last deceased The integrity of these poore inhabitants is remarkable in their extreme affliction Edward had reserued six of the chiefe Cittizens to be at his disposition for the satisfiyng of his oth hauing vowed to make the bloud to flowe in Calais
much eased This prouision came happily for the preseruation of France against the which Edward made then great preparatioÌ at the instance of the Nauarrois The truce expired he did forbid the FreÌch to trafficke into England in the meane time his army laÌds at Calais himself follows in persoÌ with a goodly traine Being landed resolued to take possession of the realme of France or by force to turne it he marcheth directly to Arras the which he takes in 3. daies Edward enters France with an army hauing assured it with a stroÌg garâison he goes towards Champagne where passing onely he besieged Sens which yeelds without resistance and by their example Neuers All Bourgongne was strooke into such a terror as they redeemed their country froÌ spoile with a great summe of mony Hauing thus found means to intertaine his armie at his enimies charge enriched his souldiers with an inestimable booty he marcheth towards Paris as the head city of the whole realme the chiefe end of his desseââe the certain triumph of his conquest the goodly theater of his victories Our âegent was nothing amased at these threats of Edward for hauing asseÌbled a goodly army with great expeditioÌ he atteÌds him at Paris where the whole burthen of this was did lie He lodgeth his army in the suburbes fortifieth against approches being taught by the examples of his grandfather father not to hazard any thing resoluing only to defend himselfe within his trenches This resolutioÌ succeeded happily He besiegeth Paris but in vaine for Edward seeing the impossibility to draw the regent to fight notwithstaÌding al his alarums raiseth his siege marcheth into Britany to refresh his army to the great conteÌt of the ParisieÌs who could not sufficiently coÌmend the wisdom of their regent hauing so politikly auoided this storme The regent imbraceth this occasion he furnisheth Paris with aboundance of victualls commands the souldiers to liue orderly without oppression of the inhabitants he fortifies the weakest places with all speed and doth so incourage the people as they are ready to sacrifice theÌselues for the preseruation of the State Edward supposing the great wast caused by the men of warre resident in this great citty would haue taken from them al means to coÌtinue haue bred an impatiency in the minds of this vnconstant people giuing him the better meanes to enter it he returnes with his army being strong lusty by this good refreshing of Britaine Being returned he finds things better ordered then before so as preuailing nothing but walking about the citty beholding a far off the great towers and the admirable masse of so many buildings as a briefe of the whole world he resolues to leaue the siege returne no more Thus experience teaching him what the strength of our chiefe citty was he packes all vp and goes towards Chartres meaning to besiege it But whilest he lodged there his army making a horrible spoile of the whole couÌtry there chanced an occasioÌ as the worke of heauen which sodainely quailed his ambitious disseine to ruine France for behold a horrible extraordinary tempest of haile thuÌder and lightning falls with such violence as many horses men in the armie perished as if that God had stretched forth his hand from heauen to stay his course Edward amazed with thunder He resolues to conclude a peace with King Iohn This amazemeÌnt causeth Edward to vow to make a peace with King Iohn and the regent his son vpon reasonable conditions He which had thus thundred did likewise opeÌ the Duke of Lancasters mouth shewing how reasonable it was to limit humane attempts within restrained bouÌds not to attend an infinit perpetuall prosperity in wordly affaires beeing more safe to content himself with a meane successe theÌ to be traÌsported with the violent course of humane hopes cast in the mould of indiscreet desires He likewise laied before him the impossibility of so extraordinary a desseine as to make himselfe maister of all France a notable example for Princes to behold their own infirmities and the greatnes of God to whoÌ they owe the homage of their enterprises being theÌ most happy when they are most sober ââârate without imagining an infinite power in the short weaknes of this mortal life wherevnto they are subiect like other men A peace concluded at Bretignie The Articles This lessoÌ mollified Edwards hart inclining to the deliuery of K. Iohn his prisoner to a general peace the which was concluded at ãâã a village nere vnto Chartres in the yeare 1360. the 8. of May vpoÌ these coÌditioÌs That the country of Poitu the Fiefs of Thouars Belleuille the couÌtries of Gascony Agenois Peregort Limosin Cahors Tarbe Bigorre Rouergue and Angoumois in soueraignty with the homages of the two next yeares after 1360. at reasonable paâments And for the consideration the said King of England and the Prince of Wales his sonne both for themselues ãâã successors should renoâââ all rights pretended to the Crowne of France the Duchie of Normandie the countries of Tourance Aniou and Maine the soueraingty and homage of Brittâine and the Earldome of Flanders and within three weekes they should deliuer King Iohn at Calais at their charge the expences of the Kings house onely excepted The hostages giuen for the performance of the conditions For assurance of which agreement there should be deliuered into the King of Englands hands these hostages Lewis Duke of Aniou Iohn Duke of Berry sonnes to the King of France Philip Duke of Orleance the Kings brother Philip Duke of Bourgongne the Earles of Blois Alanson Saint Pol Hââcourt Porcian Valentinois Grandpre Denne and Forest the Lords of Vaudemont Coussy Pyennes Saint Venant Preaux Montmorency Careneieres Boâââ guion Estoute-ville the Daulphin of Auueigne Andregel and Craon A choâââ of well selected personages to be a sufficient caution for the money and conditions that were to be performed The Deputies that treated The Deputies for King Iohn were Iohn of Dormans Bishop of Beauuais and Chanâeller of France Iohn of Melun Earle of Tanearuille the Lord of ãâã Marshaââ of France â the Lords of Montmorency and Vigny Iohn Croâââe Simon of ãâã Iohn Marâââ Lawyers and Iohn Maillard and Stephen of Paris Bourgesies of Paris For the King of England were Iohn Duke of Lancaster the Earles of Northampton Warwicke and Suffoâââ Renauâd of Celâsâan Gualtâr of Maâny Knights with certaine learned men for their Councell This treatie of a generall peace signed by the two Kings was ratified by their two eldest sonnes Charles and Edward and proclaimed by Heraulds first at the wiâdowââ of the Kings and Princes lodgings and then at the corners of the streetes in great solemnitie The hostages were deliuered to Edward the father who imbarked at ãâã and lead them into England leauing the Earle of Warwicke in France to see the execution of the peace King Iohn brought to Calis King Iohn hauing long expected the time of his deliuerie parts from England with
euent answered the proiect and by an admirable meanes the which ruined Peter through his owne folly This tyrant growne proud by the wishfull successe of the English forces makes no regard to satisfie the Prince of Wales for the charges of this warre although the successe were for his good but busying himselfe to take reuenge of such as had risen against ãâã he contemned such as had succoured him yea treading all pietie vnder foote he allyed himselfe with the King of Belle-marine a Sarasin and marrying his daughter he abiured the Christian Religion holding the neighbourhood of so mighty a King Peter forsakerâ by the English is taken prisoner to be more certaine and profitable then all the forces of England But it fell out contrary to his conceipt for Henry assisted by the constable Guesâlin and the French forces hauing won fiue battels against Peter in the ende he was quite defeated and taken prisoner Hauing him in his power Peter King of Castile beheaded at the Castilians suâe wonderfully incensed against this Tyrant he caused his head to be cut off reaping the fruites of his impiety the which made him to forsake the true religion of his vanity trusting to a rotten planke with the losse of his conscience and of his exceeding cruelty hauing murthered his wife tiranised ouer his subiects and spoyled his brother of his estate against all right An excellent lesson for all men especially for great Princes not to dally with God who punisheth haynous crimes with haynous punishments euen in this life attending the euerlasting paine in the life to come Charles King of Nauarre was much perplexed seeing himselfe betwixt two armies for desiring to be a neuter and to please both he knew not how to gouerne himselfe He seeks to intertaine both Charles and Edward although he were more ingaged to the English and could not well trust his brother in law hauing greatly offended him The King of Nauarres dissembling So hee lets the English army to passe through his dominions when it marched into Castile to succour Peter and suffered himselfe to be taken prisoner by Oliuer of Mauny a Gentleman of Britaine who led him into Castile to make the English thinke he had bin forced and the French that hee did willingly imploy himselfe for them beeing in their troupes A miserable hypocrisie which of a maister makes himselfe a slaue who might haue bin one of the chiefe of the army without this wretched dissembling The good and wise King taught by the example of his father Iohn that an Eele is lost by ouergriping it desiâed onely to pacifie his brother in lawe although he were well acquainted with his bad disposition and the practises he continued with England So he gaue him a safe conduct to come vnto him and restored vnto him Mantes and Meulan and the free possession of his lands in Normandy but this prince fraught with malice could not be reclaimed neither by the Kings prosperity noâ by his clemency for not trusting him hee retires to his realme of Nauarre where he continues his old practises with the English Thâ ãâ¦ã King Charles hee helps the Britton with men out of Normandie and attempted against the Kings person seeking to poyson him by Iaquet Rue and Peter of Tertre his domesticall seruants who were executed and the Nauarrois places seized on as guilty of high treason Thus Charles was forced to fight against his owne bloud and to haue the malice of his kinsmen and allies No small combate for a great Prince We haue discoursed at large of the valour and happy successe both of Edward the 3. King of England and of Edward his sonne Prince of Wales But as humane things are not durable so there chanced a great accident vpon his returne from the war of Castile which brought them both to the graue The Prince of Wales finding himselfe threatned with a dâopsey passed from Bourdeaux into England to take the ayre of his natiue country but hee died soone after his ariuall the 46. yeare of his age A Prince of great hope not onely lamented of his friends but coÌmeÌded of his enimies Edward the father The death of both Edwards seeing his right arme as it were cut off died for griefe leauing Richard the son of his son Edward in his place who was receiued without any questioÌ made by his vncles as the first by right of succession Richard not to degenerate from the example of his grandfather and father The English second passage through France being crowned King vndertakes a warre in France whether he sends a goodly army vnder the coÌmaund of the Duke of Clarence his vncle who hauing landed at Calais passeth the Riuer of Somme at Clery neere vnto Peronne bending towards Soisson he crosseth the Riuer of Oise Ain Then marching towards Chaalons he passeth Marne and shewing himselfe before Troyes in Champagne he spoyles the country and so goeth ouer Seine betwixt Ville-neufue and Sousey and bending towards Beausse and Gastinois he crosseth into Brittaine there ãâã the war in fauour of Iohn of Montport spoyling the country with a strange desolatioÌ On the other side there lands an other army at Bourdeaux the which hauing entred the country fortified such places as held for the English to nourish the seeds of this new warre 1380 In the country of Geuaudan a dioces in that large Prouince of Languedoc there was a Castle neere to Mande named Randon whereas the English maintayned a strong garnison a retreat for theeues which did infinite harme in the country The country hauing sued vnto the King to free them of this incombrance he graunted them Guesâlin the Constable a man of great reputation but the army should be defrayed at their charges He comes into Languedoc ãâã Randon and brings them to the last extremity but as the beseeged not able to hold out were entered into composition behold the Constable sick to the death yeeldâ vp the ghost At the same instant the place was yelded vnto the King so aâ in signe that the honour of this prize was due to Guesâlin the Captaines carried the keyes of the castle vpon his herse The death of the Constable ãâã Thus died ãâã leauing an honourable testimony of his valour and loyalty and to Charles an ãâã sorrow for his death who honoured him with a notable obsequie causing his body to be interred with the Kings at S. Denis at the foot of his own tombe was that of Guesâlin with a burning Lampe maintained by foundation called The Lampe of Guâselin vnto this day King Charles had g uen all Bourgogne to his brother Philip for his portion according to the will of his father Iohn as we haue said and had married him with Margueret the rich heyre of Flanders Being in possession of Bourgogne there happened another occasion in Flanders which won him great credit with those people whom he should comand after the death of Lewis his father in law
the Countrie in alarme Occasions are offred of dayly skirmishes and daylie the English are beaten But the long stay of this little army and this thorne of Saint Denis stirred vp the people of Paris who loth to be so restrayned prepare a great power to force Saint Denis at what price soeuer The Marshall of Rieux loath to ingage himselfe beeing in all shewe the weaker retyres honorablie to Meulan without any losse The English beat downe the defences of Saint Denis being a common retreat to all men without any more labour eyther to keepe it or to recouer it The accord of Philip Duke of Bourgongne with Charles the 7. King of France IN the ende behold an agreement made with Charles so much expected so vnprofitablie sought after and nowe freely offred by the Duke of Bourgongne The deputies of the Councell presse both French English and Bourguignon to ende al quarrells by some good composition The Cittie of Arras is allowed of by them all to treat in The Assemblie was great from the Pope and the Councell of Pisa there came the Cardinalls of Saint Croix and Cipres An assemblie to treat of a peace with twelue Bishops For the King of France there was the Duke of Bourbon the Earle of Richmont Constable of France the Earle of Vendosme the Archebishop of Rheims Chancellor of France the Lords of Harcourt Valpergue la Fayette Saint Pierre du Chastell du Bois Chastillon du Flay de Railliq de Rommet Curselles and de Cambray first President of the Parliament at Paris with many wise and learned men as Iohn Tudart Blesset Iohn Charetier Peter Cletel Adam le Queux Iohn Taise and la Motte For the King of England the Cardinalls of Yorke and Winchester the Earle of Suffolke the Bishop of Saint Dauids Iohn Ratcliffe keeper of the great seale the Lord of Hongerford Ralfe the wise the Official of Canterburie and some Doctors of diuinity For Philip Duke of Bourgongne there came the Duke of Gueldres the Earle of Nassau the Bishop of Cambray the Earle Vernambourg the Bishop ãâã Leâge the Earles of Vaudemont Neuers Salines S. Pol and Ligây besides the deputies oâ many of his best Townes The pompe was great both on the deputies behalfe of the Duke of Bourgongnes who intertained theÌ with all the honour good cheeâe that might be ãâã But leauing these circumstances I make hast to the principal matter The Kângâ of France and England began the treaty The âundamentall question was to whom the Crowne of France belonged The English did challenge it The question for the crown of Fâanâe both for that he was ãâã from a daughter of France as also by the graunt of Charles the 6. who did instââce Henry the 5. and his successors heires of the crowne had disinherited Charles ãâã 7. whom he termed an vsurper The deputies for Charles answered that they ought ãâã to call in question the ground of the Estate which cannot stand firme without that ãâ¦ã heire to whom the lawe appoints and therfore without prouing of that which was apparent of it selfe they came to offers for the ending of all controuersies That if the King of England would both disclaime the title of King of France yeeld vp the countries held by him in diuers parts of the Realme he should inioy the Dâchies of Guiânne and Normandy doing homage for them vnto the Kings of France as his soueraigne and with those conditions which his Ancestors Kings of England had formerly inioyed theâ They stood vpon very different tearmes their authority was limited and possession puât vp the English But sometimes he refuseth that after sues He that striueth to haue all most commonly looseth all One moitie in effect had more auailed the English then all in imagination who in the ende shall finde that the soueraigne Iudge the preseruer of the lawe and of States giues and takes away Charles the English cannot agree appoints and disapoints according to his good and wise will and that there is no force nor wisedome but his Tâe mâtter was soone ended betwixt the Kings of France and England seeing right could do no good the sword must preuaile Thus the Ambassadors of England returne without any effect those of France stay to treate with the Duke of Buurgongne and his deputies amongest the which he himselfe was the chiefe as well for his owne interest as for his iudgement in affaires A man exceeding cunning who could imbrace all occasions to make his profiâ by an other as the discourse of his life hath made manifest Bât ãâã what ende serues all this morter and so great workemanship to frame a building which shall be ruined vnder his sonne and shal bury him in the ruines thereof It is a âoolish reason which thou calledst reasân hauing no ground of reason and doest not hearken to the voice of heauen O Foole all thy riches shal be taken from thee this night Man walâes in a shadow he toyles in vaine to ãâã âis name immortall in the graue he hunts with infinite labour and takes nothing As for Charles he sought to retire the Bourguignon from all league and alliance with tâe King of England and taking from him all occasions of discontent so to ingage him ãâ¦ã honours as he should resolue to follow his faction as the most profiâââââ knowing that his own priuate interest was the chiefe end of his desseins Matters ãâã cârried in shew according to the humour of that age the dâsposition of the court ãâã for the honour of Charles who must aske the Duke of âourgongne pardon hauing ãâ¦ã father to be slaine against his faith Charles sends a blank to the ãâã to ãâã what conditions he pleased But was it not true must not the crime be cânfessed by hiâ that was culpable Charles therefore resolues to send him a bâanke tâe accârd doth testâfie that the Bourguignon fiâled it with so many vnreasonable conditâons as it is strange so great a monarch should stoâp so much to his subiect vassall but necessity âath no law A presidânt for great men not to attempt any thing against reason least they bee constrayned to repaiâe it with reason and yet to know that it is an amendment of a fault to yeeld to necessity for the good of the state beeing a great thrift to loose for gaine The ââiginall sets downe at large all the conditions of this treaty wâo so please may reade ãâã Monstrellet in the history of S. Denis The summe is that the massacre ãâã ãâ¦ã person of Iohn Duke of Bâurgongne at Montereau-âaut-yonne ãâ¦ã repaired by confession and ceâemonies Great sommes of present money with goodly Seâgââuries are giuen to the Duke of Bourgongne so many assurances for him and hiâ ãâã a great volume is full of these scrupulous conditions The Duke of Bourgongnes promise is more simple that he should declare himselfe a friend to Charles the 7. King of France King Charles and the
Bourguignon reconciled enemy to his enimes that he should renounce all alliance and friendship with the king of England and promise both his person and all his meanes to expell him out off France The performance was according to promise Charles Duke of Bourbon and Arthur of Brittaine Earle of Richemont Constable of France in the name of Charles the 7. aske pardon of the Duke of Bourgongne for the death of his father and the Duke pardoned him for the loue of God The Cardinalls in the Popes name and the Counsels absolue the Duke from the oath which he had made vnto the English and eyther part sweares to maintaine the accord in that which did concerne him So the peace was published with great solemnity to the incredible content of all men The King the Duke of Bourgongne and the whole Realme reioyced exceedingly only Iohn of Luxembourg Earle of S. Pol wold not be therin coÌprehended he shall suffer for it and his house after him This was the 24. of September in the yeare 1435. a famous day for those things which happened in this raigne whereof this accord gaue the first occasion The marriage of Charles sonne to the Duke of Bourgongne with Katherine of France daughter to our Charles was concluded to seale this accord From this peace sprong a more violent war against the English The Duke of Bourgongne sends backe all his contracts to the Duke of Bedford and hauing shewed him the iust reasons which had mooued him to imbrace the Kings amity beeing his kinseman and Lord hee renounceth the alliance of England with a watch-word that euery one should looke to himselfe Euery man sharpens his sword and scoures his armes to recouer that by force which they could not obtaine by reason War very violent against the English The first fruites of this accord beganne to grow ripe euen in the heart of winter for Corbeil yeelds presently to the King with Briâ-Conte-Robert and the Castle of Bois de Vincennes The Bourguignon imployes all his friends and intelligences at Paris he vseth all his instruments meaning to set them to worke the yeare following All Normandy begins to reuolt Diâpe Fescan Monstier-Villiers Harfleu Tancaruille Bec-Crespin Gomusseule Loges Villemont Grasuille Longueuille Neuf-uille Lambreuille Charles-Mesnill S. Germain Fontaines Preaux Blainuille obey the King willingly chasing away the English receiuing the French for their safety all which was acted in two dayes What more To finish this worke God takes away one of the chiefe causes and one of the principall instruments of the misery which had so long afflicted this estate We haue seene what part Isabell of Bauierre played in this Tragedy wee haue sought her after the death of her poore husband and could not finde her for in trueth she was ciuilly dead Bedford fearing the spirit of this Medea seekes not onely to stay her hands but to keepe her eyes from the managing of affaires And for that shee had deuoured the treasure of the Realme he constraines herto keepe a diet He doth therefore sequester herto the house of S. Pol where she liued vntill the ende of this yeare in great pouerty no more assisted by the Bourgongnon then by the English Beeing dead they caused her bodye to be put into a small boate Queene Isabel dies and so transported by the riuer of Seine to S. Denis where she was buried without any pompe like to a common person A light put out whose sauour doth yet offende posterity In this yeare also died Iohn of England that great Duke of Bedford called Regent of France who hath noted many blacke pages in this volume and so much terrified our Ancestors Hauing seene the former accord and felt so sodaine effects in Normandy fearing the rest would follow he drowned himselfe in sorow and knowing no meanes to auoide this storme he dies at Rouen the 15. of December leauing to King Henry the 6. a bottome very hard to vntwist The Duke of Bedford dies and to his yong wife beeing sister to the Earle of S. Pol a cause of mourning the which continued not long for she married soone after with an English Aduenturer of small accompt giuing causeto laugh at her beeing but little pittied Charles being thus discharged of a heauy burthen by this accord hath more liberty to follow his honest delights He goes to Lions visits Daulphiné and stayes in Languedoc a Prouince which he loues aboue all the rest 143â hauing found it most denâââd to his seruice Montpellier was his aboad a place very pleasantly seated ãâ¦ã this time of ââreation he had left good lieutenants in France who shal soone send him ãâã of their exploytes The Citty of Paris yeelds to the King and expells the English THe Bourguignon prepares to annoy the English whilest that the Constable makes way for the reduction of Paris His intent was parting from Pontoise to put himselfe into S. Denis a Towne halfe dismantled but Thomas of Beaumont Captaine of the Bastille hauing intelligence of this desseine preuented the Constable and entred into S. Denis with a notable troupe of soldiers Richmont notwithstanding approcheth neere to S. Denis the sentinell hauing giuen warning of his approch Beaumont issues forth to the bridge vpon the little riuer which is towards Pierre-file where he met with the fore-runners who hauing drawne him forth ingage him in the battaile the which was led by the Constable marching from the valley of Montmorency This English troupe was easily vanquished most of them were cut in peeces The English vanquished S. ãâã and the rest taken hardly any one of them escapes to carry newes to Paris Thomas of Beaumont is slaine among the rest vpon the place The Constable makes vse of this good successe he presently marcheth with his victorious forces to Paris which stood amazed at this nere power wanting a Regent who was lately deceased and such as were left to command were more fit to handle an Oare then to gouerne the helme Now waâ the time for good Frenchmen to shew themselues whereof there were many in the Citty The Bourguignon faction being now become the Kings seruants imbrace this occasion and hauing consulted together they resolue to shake off the English yoake the which they ãâã too long endured The Duke of Bourgongne was then at Bruges but he had leât the Lord of Lislâ-Adam to ãâã with his partisans at Paris It is the same whom he had formerly imployed against Câârles and his father Iohn in the murther of the King seruants He had great credit ãâã the Parisiens of whom Miâhael Laillier was the chiefe Tribune Hee discouers by him the peoples affections being resolute to submit themselues to the King of whom they crââe onely a generall absolution of what was past This gentle demande beeing brought to Pontoise to the Constable and easily granted all prepare for the effects That quarter nere the Halles gaue the first signe of the French libertie at Paris by the meanes
takes her Coach and comes amazed to intreat the Duke to pacifie this tumult Bellieure followes to the same ende But the Duke answered These are wild bulls broke loose whom I cannot stay So great a desseine was not attempted to faint in the midest thereof It was no longer time nowe to dissemble the maske vncouered and the ford sounded they must go on and seize vpon his person without whose ruine their victory should be imperfect for the effecting whereof ten or twelue thousand men were readie to enter by night at the newe gate to beset the Louure and to shut vp all the passages Foure gentlemen familiar with the Duke aduertise the King hereof yet canne hee hardly beleeue it but that the people will alwayes willingly yeeld to the Kings clemency Yet his Councell desired to be out of Paris They lay open before his Maiestie the generall reuolt in the which Philip the faire was forced to saue himselfe among the Temples The partie-coloured hoode of redde and skie coloure wherewith Charles Duke of Normandie and afterwards King of France the fift of that name and surnamed the wise was hooded to saue himselfe from the peoples insolencie during the captiuity of King Iohn his father in England The reuolt of the Mailotins The mutinie of the Caboches the crosses of S. Andrew the deposition of Salcedo the aduertisments of the King of Nauarre and the conspiracies of the last yeare which now hath broken the bankes and ouerflowed all Hâs feare increaseth yet he settles his countenance It is reason saith he to prouiâe for these disorders to assemble the Councell and to giue all men contentment And the better to disguise his intent he sends back the Qâeene Mother vnto the Duke to perâwade him to come vnto the Louure and to assure him that he shall returne with such satisâaction as hee can desire She intreates him in this vrgent necessitie to make kâowne vnto the King that he hath more will to preserue then to ruine his Crowne and to settle the Estate which this mutinie hath wonderfully shaken To intreate an enemy is to shew that he feares him The Duke seemes colde he layes the motiues of these tumults vpon the people to whose assistance he is drawne more by the violence of necessitie then by his owne desire It were a great indiscretion sayd he for me to cast my selfe naked into a suspected place at the mercy of my enemies The Kâng vnderstanding by his Mother the Dukes obstinacie in his desseigne The King râtires from Paris resolues for the safety of his person He goes from the Louure with a small traine with a shew to walke in the Tuilleries and from thence hee goes to lodge at Trapes I giue thee my curse said he turning at Chaliot towards Paris disloyall and ingratefull Cittie a Cittie wâich I haue alwayes honoured with my continuall aboad a Cittie which I haue more inriched then any of my predecessors I will neuer enter within the compasse of thy walles but bâ the ruine of a great and memorable breach Cursed likewise bee you all for whose content I haue purchased the hatred of so many O Duke thou hast drawne thy sword against thy Soueraigne but God hath stayed thine arme from striking It is a folly onely to terrifie him who may finde meanes of reuenge Many of his faction blame him to haue erred in the maine point wherein consisted the perfection of his victory By this attempt he hath blemished his reputation with all Princes All Kings are bretheren one royall bloud summons an other they haue an interrest in this cause they affect troublers of anothers Estate but they cannot endure them in their owne Without doubt the prouidence of God had prepared a strange Catastrophe for the Duke for the King and for his realme who at this time by his singular loue to this Crowne did diuert the successe which they expected of this shamfull and reprochfull mutinie O Paris King Charles the eight had in former times made the 12. day of May famous by the absolute conquest of the realme of Naples and now thou deuisest to hâue this twelfth day noted with red letters and hereafter to bee celebrated for that in the same day thou hast presented vpon the Theater of thy rebellions a King dispossessed of the capitall Citty of his realme Nay rather what coale can sufficiently note to our posteritie this mournefull and vnfortunate daye What lawe of forgetfulnesse may wipe out the remembrance of thy shame ingratitude and treacherie what lotion can wash away the spottes of thy pollution filthinesse and villanies what fire shall euer consume the memory of the rebellions tyrannies and seditions of this fatall and abhominable League O Barricadoes you are the spring of those flouds which shall for a time drowne this Estate and the instrument wherewith that inscrutable wisedome would chastise both the King and the realme The sixteene did presently qualifie this cursed conspiracie with the title of a iust defence against the King They aduertised other Townes that God had preserued that holy religious Cittie from a great massacre and a fearfull spoile That the Duke of âuise had subuerted the Councell of the Politikes namely of the Duke of Espernon by whose counsell the King had resolued the ruine of the chiefe and most Cathoââke families in Paris as if the peoples suppression were the chiefe meanes to keepe thâm in obedience And the Duke of Guise at the beginning of this bold and insolent attempt writes âreâently to his most trusty friends to repaire speedily vnto him with armes and horses but no baggage I haue ouerthrowne the Suisses âaid he to Entrâguâs Goâernoâ ãâã leans cut in peeces some part of the Kings gards and hold the Louure so straitly beset ãâ¦ã giue a good account of what is within it This victory is so great as it will bee ãâã for euer But oh Duke is it prâsumption that bandies thee against the rules of reaâââ ãâã weakenesse which abates thy courage and resolution in suffering him to escape ãâã within fewe moneths shall heape this thy victory vpon thy head and by tây vtter âââfusion shall make it memorable for euer Both the one and the other ãâ¦ã ââdaine repentance vnto man and makes him wise too late Thou seekest oh ãâ¦ã touch the heauens with thy forehead and hell with thy foote but learne that out ââstories are full of the violent deaths of those proud spirits who seeke their glory ãâã profit with the ruine of their Country the preiudice of States and the subuersiââ of common peace That great God which reuengeth the iniuries of Kings and people laâes publike ruines vpon them that doe them The slaughter at Vassy kindled ãâã fire of the first ciuill warres So thy Father died soone after the newe troubles which followed Euen so the like storme threatens thy ruine in the middest ãâã tây violent passions Entragues had assembled the Nobility of the League at Baugency but the 14. of the moneth he
the stemme foundation of the third royall race which raigne at this day Robert Philip the âiâst Lâwis 7. called the Long. Lâwiâ the eight Philip 3. called the bardy Lewis 10. called Huâin Henry Lewis 6. called the grosse Philip 2. called Augustus Lewis 9. called S. Lewis Philip 4. called the faire Philip 2. surnamed the long Charles the 4. called the Faire the last of this fiâst branch Robert the 37. King of France THe raigne of Robert long happy fol 129 He preferres Henry his younger sonne to the Crowne before the elder ibid. His disposition ibid. Wise Kings and of long life are happie for an Estate fol. 130 He giues Burgundie to Robert his eldest sonne ibid. Robert makes an agreement with the emperor for Lorraine ibid. He reconciles the Duke of Normandie and the Earle of Chartres ibid. Henry 1. the 38. King of France HIs raigne fol. 131 Contention betwixt the brethren ibid. Odo earle of Campaigne seekes to seize vpon Burgundie fol. 132 Robert Duke of Normandie preferres his bastard before his lawfull children fol. 133 Happie succâsse of the Normans in Italy ibid. Henry dies ibid. Philip 1. the 39. King of France BAldwin Regent in Philips minoritie fol. 134 He punisheth the rebels of Gascoine ibid. He dies much lamented fol. 135 The disposition of Philip. ibid. Philip forsakes Baldwins children ibid. William bastard of Normandie aduanced to the Crowne of England Philip discontented at his aduancement ibid. The Leuaine of dissention betwixt France and England fol. 136 The English enter Guienne ibid. Confusions in Italy betwixt the Emperour and Popes ibid. The Pope incenseth the sonne against the father and takes both Empire and life from him fol. 137. The beginning of the states of Daulphine Sauoy Prouence and Franche Countie ibid. A voyage to the Holy land and the motiue of this enterprise ibid. The names of such as went to the Holy land fol. 138. The number of the Army ibid. The Mahometans command fol. 139 The Christian troupes twice defeated by the Turkes ibid. Godfrey conquers the greatest part of Asia ibid. He is chosen King of Ierusalem ibid. The sonnes of William King of England fol. 140 Philip dies his disposition ibid. Lewis 6. called the Grosse the 40. King THe estate of this raigne fol. 141 Rebels suppressed and punished fol. 142 The Emperour grieued for the ill vsage of his father comes to Rome and forceth the Pope to take an oath ibid. The Emperour degraded by the Popes decree ibid. The Emperor and King of England ioine against France ibid. The French King and the Emperour reconciled fol. 143. Great troubles in Flanders ibid. Crueltie in the citie of Bruges ibid. Lewis King of France punish the rebels fol. 104 Pretendants for the Earledome of Flanders ibid. William of Normandie made Earle of Flanders ibid. The Flemmings chuse them a new Earle and Thierry the new Earle of Flanders defeated ibid. William of Normandie slaine in Flanders ibid. Troubles in Bourbonois fol. 145 The stocke of the house of Bourbon ibid. Philip eldest sonne to Lewis died by a strange accident ibid. Lewis the yong marries the heire of Guienne ibid. Lewis the 6. dies fol. 146 Lewis 7. called the yong the 41. King of France THe estate of his raigne fol. 146 The Christianâ affaires in the East ibid. Godâfrây of Bouillon dies and the Christians loose all in the East fol. 147 The Emperor and King of France resolue to succour the Christians ibid. A horrible massacre coÌmitted by the souldiers of Lewis and by his consent fol. 147 The Emperour and Lewis goe into the East ibid. The Emperor of Greece deales trecherously with the Emperour and the King ibid. The Emperor and King of France make a shamefull returne from the East fol. 149 Queene Elenor vnchast ibid. Lewis pretends a cause to be diuorced from Elenor and restores her Guienne ibid. Elenor marries with Henry King of England ibid. The first Warre betwixt France and England for the Earldome of Tholouse ibid. Great troubles in England betwixt the Father and the Sonne fol. 150. Prince Henry âealous of his owne Father ibid. The Sonnes make Warre against the Father and Lewis supports his Sonne against him fol. 151. Henry King of England reconciled to his Sonnes ibid. Frâderike the Emperor ruines Milan takes Rome and creates a newe Pope ibid The Emperor subiects himselfe basely vnto the Pope fol. 152. Lewis dies ibid. Complaints against the abuses of the Church ibid. Phillip the 2. called Augustus the 42. King of France An excellent King and an excellent raigne fol. 153. His disposition The Iewes banished out of France ibid. Competitors for the gouernment of the State fol. 154. Troubles in Flanders for the Earldome of Vermandois ibid. Henry Prince of England dies before his Father ibid. Phiâlip of France and Richard of England make a Peace ibid. The miserable Estate of the Christians in Asia ibi The Christians in Asia at Ciuill warre fol. 155. The Emperor of Greece murthered by his Tutor ibid. King Philip and Richard King of England make a voiage to the Holy Land ibid. Richard exploits in Asia ibid. Philip stirs vp Iohn against his Brother Richard King of England fol. 156. Richard makes a truce with âelâdin ibid. Hee is kept prisoner by the Emperor and put to ransome ibid. An vnknowne Aduocate pleads against the King for his wife Gâlbârge ibid. Philipâ warre against the King of England and the Earle of Flanders fol. 157. Richârd King of England dies fol. 158. Iohn succeeds Richard and makes a Peace with Philip. ibid. Warre betwixt Iohn King of England and Arthur his Nephew ibid. ãâã murthers his Nephew ãâã ibid. Iohn declared guilty of murther and felony by Philiâ ibiâ Philip takes Normandy and Poitou from Iohn ibiâ Great enemies against Philip and a dangerous League against him ibid. His Victory at Bouines against the Empeâor fol. 159. The Emperor dies for griefe of his disgrace ibid. Iohn makes the Realme of England tributary to the Pope âol 160 He doth homage to the Popes Legat. ãâã Iohns oppression of his subiects is tâe cause of his ruine ãâã The English reiect Iohn and offer the Realme to Philip. ãâã Lewis of France receiued by the English ãâã King Iohn dies for griefe ââl 161. The English change their opinion They ââceâue Henry the Sonne of Iohn and dismisse ãâã of France ãâã Philips Actions Testament and his Lands vnited to the Crowne fol. 162. His death and his conditions ãâã The Estate of the Empire ãâã The Pope opposeth against the Emperor ãâã The Emperor muâthered by Otho who succâeded him ibid. The faction of Guelphes and Gibelius fâl 163. The Popes seekes to haue soueraigne authority ouer Christendome ãâã Orders of Relligious men ibid. Lewis the eight Father to Saint Lewis 43. King of France HIS raigne and death fol. 164. His manners ibiâ Languedoc returnes to the Crowne ibid. Diuers opinions of the Albigeois and their opinions as some write ibid. The Earle of Tholouse
Lothaire dyes detâsted of all men and Lewis his sonne for a finall conclusion of his race as an outcast of great Charlemagne LEWIS the 5. the 35. King and the last of this second race LEWES .5 KING OF FRANCE XXXV HE raigned one yeare onely and dyed without heire 964. without friends and without memorie The last King of the race of Charlemagne leauing his place voyde at time of need in troubles of State and confusion of times horribly corrupted He was likewise called idle hauing done nothing worthy of memory but in leauing the place to a better Prince and more worthy then himselfe whom God the protector of the Crowne of France had reserued for this estate in so great necessitie God the disposer of Kingdomes and states for as God had decreed that out of the house of Hugues the great should issue a great King which should repaire the errors of this bastard race of Charlemagne so likewise hee had prepared the meanes both for the father to lay the foundation and for his sonne Hugh Capet appointed for this dignity to finish this goodly building as it appeares in the following discourse THE THIRD RACE OF THE KINGS OF FRANCE Called Capets or Capeuingiens of the name of Hugh Capet Father to the Kings which raigne happily to this day I haue made the earth with a stretched out arme and dispose of the estates of men at my pleasure By me Kings doe raigne A particular Chronologie of the third Race Yeares of grace Kings From the yeare 988. vnto the yeare 1598. 988. 36. Hugues or Hugh Capet The first of that race who setled the Estate of the French Monarchie much shaken by the confusion of ciuill warres and the multiplicity of masters He reckons twentie and eight Kings issued from him successiuely from father to sonne or from branch to branch according to the order of the fundamentall Law of the State of France Hauing raigned nine yeares he leaues 996. 37. Robert his sonne alone of that name a peaceable King who raigns 32. yeares and to him succeeds 1028. 38. Henry the first of that name his sonne who raigns 33. yeares and to him 1061. 39. Philip the 1. his sonne who raigned 49. yeares and to him 1109. 40. Lewis the 6. called the grosse his sonne who raignes 29. yeares and to him 1137. 41. Lewis the 7. called the yong who raigned 44. yeares and to him succeeded 1181. 42. Phillip the 2. surnamed Augustus or giuen of God his sonne who raigned 44. yeares and to him succeeded his sonne 1223. 43. Lewis the 8. called the father of Saint Lewis who raigned 3. yeares and to him 1227. 44. Lewis the 9. called Saint Lewis a great and famous Prince he reigns 44 yeares and to him his sonne 1271. 45. Philip the 3. surnamed the hardie who raigned 15. yeares and to him his sonne 1286. 46. Philip the 4. called the faire who raigned 29. yeares and to him his sonne 1315. 47. Lewis the 10. surnamed Hutin hauing raigned 2. yeares hee leaues the Crowne to his brother 1317. 48. Philip the 5. called the long who raigned 6. yeares and leaues the scepter to his brother 1322. 49. Charles the 4. called the faire who raigned 6. yeares And by the law of State for want of sonnes or brother the Estates of France notwithstanding the pretentions of Edward King of England 1328. 50. the sonne of the onely daughter of Philip the faire placed in the royall throne 1350. 51. Philip of Valois the 5. sonne of Charles Earle of Valois and second sonne to Philip the 3. and by consequence the neerest kinsman to the three former Kings Heraignes 23. yeares and to him succeeds his sonne Iohn alone of that name   Vnder him began a confusion in the Realme the which continued neere a hundred yeares with much miserie that is from this Iohn vntill the warre of the common weale vnder Lewis the XI So wee reckon 5. very troublesome raignes vnder Iohn Charles 5. Charles 6.  Charles the 7. and Lewis the XI who setled and augmented the Estate of the realme being greatly decayed by the continuance of ciuil wars Iohn hauing raigned 14. yeares leaues the realme to 1364 52. Charles the 5. his sonne called the wise who raigned 18. yeares and to him succeeded 1382. 53. Charles the 6. his sonne who raigned with much paine 42. yeares and to him 1424. 54. Charles the 7. his sonne   Who expelled the English out of France and setled the Crowne seized on by the King of England who was Crowned and proclaimed King in Paris hauing raigned 39. yeares He leaues the royall scepter to 1463. 55. Lewis the XI his sonne   Who vnited Bourgongne and Prouence to the Crowne and thereby tooke away all occasions of trouble leauing the royall scepter to his sonne 1483. 56. Charles the 8. with peace   The which continued without any disturbance a boute a hundred yeares from the yeare 1462. vnto the yeare 1562. vnder the raigns of Lewis 12. Francis 1. and Henry 2. Charles the 8. hauing raigned 14. yeares dying without Children the realme was transported to 1498. 57. Lewis the 12. Duke of Orleans who raigned 18. yeares and for want of heires male remits the Crowne to 1515. 58. Francis the 1. of that name Duke of Angoulesme who raigned 32. yeares   An excellent Prince who after the long ignorance of obscure ages caused the knowledge of learning to flourish hauing beautified his vniuersity of Paris with excellent learned men in the tongues and sciences the which were dispersed ouer all Europe and to him succeeded his sonne 1547. 59. Henry the 2. of that name who raigned 12. yeares and to him succeeded 1559. 60. Francis the 2. his sonne who dying without Children there succeeded him his brother  61. Charles the 9. who dying without Children left the Crowne to  62. Henry the 3. his brother the last of the royall race of Valois who beeing slaine by a Iacobin and dying without Children there succeeded in the lawfull masculine line  63. Henry the 4. before King of Nauarre and the first King of the royall line of Bourbon who now raignes and long may he rule happily and holyly beloued obeyed and respected The Genealogy of King Henry the 4. now raigning according to the order of succession is at the ende of the royall branch of Valois HVGVES or Hugh Capet the 36. King and the first of the third race the which raignes at this daye vnder Henry the fourth HVGH CAPET KING OF FRANCE XXXVI THE royall throne of France remayning voide 987. by the death of Lewis the 5. did visibly call Charles Duke of Lorraine to the Crowne of whome we haue before made mention as the first Prince of the bloud royall to whome I say the fundamentall Lawe did adiudge the Crowne for want of heires males Charles Duke of Lorraine hâire presumptiue reiected from the Crowne and. Hugh Capet chosen King of
flies to Philip who comes himselfe with a very great army and enters Flanders The vncle supplaâââ his Nephew for the County of Flanders His meaning was to make a benefit of their common quarrell But it fell out otherwise by his prouidence who doth pull downe one raise vp an other alwaies iustly although the causes be vnknowne vnto vs. Robert defeates the King and his Nephews After this victory hee is receiued Earle of Flanders without any discontent of the King for the distressed pupills who relying no more on him fled for succor to Thierry Bishop of Liege who makes an accord That Robert the Frison should haue the Earledom of Flanders giue his Nephews some recompence After this peaceable possession of the Earledome of Flanders Philip fârsâks Baldwins Children at their neede In England Philip became a deere friend to Robert forgetting the good offices hee had receiued from his tutor measuring friendship by proffiâ Such was tâeÌ the state of Flanders England had a greater change we haue sayd that Robert Duke of Normandy had instituted William his bastard sonne his heire and that hee had gotten possession of the Dâchie but behold a greater happinesse attends him Edward King of England hauing receiued much kindnesse from him and knowing him fit for the gouernment of the realme names him his heire by his testament by vertue whereof notwithstanding all the policy and force that Herould brother to the Queene could vse William is receiued King of England and crowned in a soâlemne assemble of the English homage is done vnto him as to their lawfull Lord this great dignity continued in his posterity Philip sees this new power impatiently Philip discontented at VVilliams aduancement to the crowne of England yet can he not preuent it but God hath prepared it as a rod to correct this realme by the three sonnes which William left to succeed in his Estates Robert William and Henry Ambition is the Leuaine of these warres it shewed it selfe soone after the birth of this new power growen to the Dukes of Normandy whose first breeding we haue seene in the second race by the increase of the realme of England Robert and Henry the sonnes of William come to the King at Constans vpon Oise As they play at Chesse with Lewis the sonne of King Philip there fell some contention among these yong Princes and from iniurious words they fell to blowes Lewis called Henry the sonne of a Bastard Henry struck at him with the Chesse-board and had slaine him if Robert had not staied him This blow being giuen Robert and Henry made all hast to saue themselues in Normandy The Leuaine of distention betwixt France and England where they incensed both heauen and earth with their complaints From this light beginning grew all the troubles which disquieted these two Estates during 400. yeares vpon diuers occasions Robert Henry being escaped the fathers so imbrace the quarrell for their children as they fall to armes Philip goes to field and takes Vernon depending of Normandie Robert goes out of Normandie and doth seize vpon Beauuois King William parts from England and lands in France with a great and mighty power The English enter into Guienne and inuades Xaintonge and Poitoâ Behold the first check of a dangerous game Philip moued with these losses enters into Normandie with a great and mighty armie but he cures not one wound in making of another William on the other side runnes and spoiles all the Country euen vnto the gates of Paris where hee entred not then but his posteritie did after him Hee dies soone after but the quarrell suruiued in his children who augmented this hereditarie hatred in many sorts While they began to weaue this web Italy was in no better estate being full of horrible combustions and the cause was so much the more lamentable for that the mischiefe came from them Conââââons in Italy betwixt the Emperour and Popes from whom all good was to be expected We haue formerly spoken of the deuisions growne betwixt the Emperours and the Popes of Rome for their preheminences In all ancient times the Popes were subiect to be summoned before the Emperour who had authority to create them to depose them that were vnworthy of their charges to call Synods and to confirme all things which concerned the outward gouernment of the Church The Pope on the other side maintaines that all this authority was his The Popes vsurpation as vniuersall Bishop hauing power to bind and loose to iudge of all men and all causes as the soueraigne Iudge of the Church not to bee iudged by any man and so to dispose absolutely of all matters as well Ecclesiasticall as Ciuill as Monarch in the Church not only armed with power of excommunication to damne rebels and authority to remit sinnes but hauing also the temporall sword with soueraigne authority ouer Emperours Kings and Princes of the earth to place and diâplace and to dispoâe of their estates Hereafter we shall find in euery raigne some memorable example of this soueraigne authority This raigne giues a very notable one After the death of the Emperour Conrade called Salique Henry the 3. of that name hauing happily gouerned the Empire left it to his sonne Henry the 4 yet very yong so as the Popes during this weakenesse of the Empire had meanes to fortifie themselues and so imbracing this occasion Gregory the 7. called Hildebrand did prohibite the Emperour all authority ouer the Clergie and forbad vpon paine of excommunication to haue any recourse vnto him for the collation of benefices or for any thing else that depended on the Church Henry moued with so great an affâont Sârange confuâoâs betwixt the Emperoâr and the âope lets Gregory vnderstand that this his decree was contrarie to the ancient orders the vse of the Catholike Church Vpon this refusall he lets him know that hee will maintaine the rights of the Empire and complaines to the Clergie of Rome in an open assembly Gregorie calls an other wherein hee doth excommunicate Henry and all his adherents and sends forth his Bull into all parts wherby hee declares him excommunicate and degraded of the Empire and in his place causeth Rodolph Duke of Sueuia to be chosen Emperour Thus there growes two factions in Italy and in Germanie one for the Emperour and the other for the Pope behold two armies leuied of these factions ready to shed Christians bloud nine battailes were giuen vpon the quarrell of these preheminences In the end Rodolphe the new Emperour is taken and slaine by Godefroy of Bouillon who followed the Emperour Henry the fourth who after this victorie assembled a great Councell at Bresse where as Gregorie the seuenth is excommunicated and Clement Bishop of Râuenna appointed to succeed him they conduct him to Rome with an armie take the Citty after a long siege whereas the new Pope is sollemnlie installed and Henry the 4. Emperour restored
of gold pretious stones dedicated to his Crowne by a Holy humility and a religious acknowledgement of the victory which the Son of God hath gotten by his bloud to giue vs in Heauen the Crowne of immortall life This famous act chanced in the yeare 1099. in the moneth of March. Hauing put Godefroy and the Christians in possession of the Holy Land let vs returne into France to our Philip not without griefe to see the dissention betwixt the Emperour and Pope who were nothing reconciled by the voiage to the holy Land The increase of this newe power purchased in England to the Sonnes of William the Conquerour gaue him no small occasion to looke to his affaires and the rather for that this newe King of England had begonne to make a breach in his Estate taking Xaintonge and Poitou Countries very important being members of one of the principall Prouinces of his realme The sonnes of VVilliam King of England foreseeing also that Normandy would bandy it selfe against France without all respect William had leât three sonnes of great hope William surnamed Rufus King of England Robert Duke of Normandie whome wee haue left in the holy Land and Henry Earle of Maine withall his treasure Philip therefore to secure his Estate following the example of his Ancestors caused Lewis his sonne whome hee had by Berthe daughter to Baldwin Earle oâ Flanders to bee Crowned King Philip dies There was a scandalous breach in this marriage for Philip falling in loue with Bertrade the wife of Foâques Earle of Aniou puts away Berthe and afterwards hauing reiected Bertrade hee receiued Berthe againe His disposition being mother to King Lewis to whome hauing resigned the crowne at Orleans hee died at Melun in the yeare of grace 1109. of his age 57. and of his raigne 49. hauing raigned long to settle his Estate but not without a leuaine of much trouble to come hauing degenerated from the vertues of his grand-fathers and father He was disloyall couetous louing nothing but his owne profit pittilesse ingrate and one who sowed dangerous seeds of much mischiefe which began to bud in the raigne ensuing LEWIS the 6. called the grose the 40. King LEWES .6 KING OF FRANCE XXXX AS wee foresee a storme by the clouds that rise 1110. by the darke mists of the thicke ayre The estate of this raigne pierced through with sparkles like the shining of a close fire and by the motiues of the water driuen with a violent and sudden wind euen so there be simtomes fits in an estate which foretell the alterations which shall insue the which fall not all at one instant but the subiect being gathered togither in processe of time breakes forth when it can no longer hold There is this difference betwixt naturall things and those which belong to man for that men can well discerne what the wether will be but he is blind in that which concerns himselfe and neuer beleeues vntil he feeles the blow falling into the danger which he flies by his owne fault neuer wise but after danger France had inioyed peace aboue a hundred yeares vnder these forepassed raignes shee now growes wearie This raigne is a preamble to a mornfull song which shal make them to weepe that reioyced in the fruition of so long rest The name of royall authoritie held all those great men backe which had any interest therein the wisedome of Capet Robert Henry and Philip had so bridled them as they willingly obeyed Now they are of an other humor The Duke of Normandie who since Capet had beene obedient and affectionate to the Crowne The French begin to fall from their obedience seeing himselfe strengthened with the Realme of England hee frames all his practises to ouerthrow this order by rebellions and tumults Lewis had scarce performed his fathers funeralls before the fire of rebellion kindled in diuers parts of the realme and as if the Kings youth had beene a blemish to his dignitie euery one will play the pettie King The places neere vnto Paris began these first reuolts by reason of the many great horses thereabouts Corbeil had an Earle 1109 Chartres an other Piseaux in Beause had one Crecy had his Lord Marle his Pompone his and so diuers other Seigneuries had euery one their particular Lord. But as a disease stirres vp all the humors in a weake bodie so all that were discontented with Lewis gather togither into one head to afflict him vnder the countenance of the King of England They were for a time suppressed yet this was but to open a vaine and not to cure the feuer Guy of Crecy the Lord Piseaux ãâã Earle of Dammartin Thibaud Earle of Champagne and Brye Pean of Louure in Parisi Milon of Montlehâry and Philippe the bastard of King Philippe all ioyntly play the mutines and rise against their King At the same instant Henry King of England goes to field his priuate quarrell was for the Towne of Gisors seated vpon the riuer of Epre on the confines of Normandie Rebels suppressed and punished But this small processe was soone ended for Lewis hauing defeated the English neere vnto Gisors hee forced Henry to retyre and afterwards punished all these rebells increasing his reuenues by their confiscations But the quarâell betwixt the Emperour and the Pope did hatch a more dangerous proces for France We haue sayd that Henry the 5. banded against his father Henry the 4. who had associated him to the Empire and had cast him into prison by the Popes Councell where this poore man died for greefe Henry the 5. wonderfully troubled in consciânce and vexed with daily approches that hee had violated the Imperiall rights resolued to haue his reuenge of Pope Pascall the author of this cruell and vnkind Councell To conclude he aâmes and that with so great a resolution as in few dayes The Emperour ãâã for his ãâ¦ã hee assembles threescore thousand foote and thirtie thousand horle with this army hee goes into Itâlie and hauing taken and spoyled Noâarre Pontremolo and Arezzo hee comes a Conqueror to the gates of Rome the which were opened without any resistance Being entred the Cittie and causing the Pope and Colledge to assemble he makes knowne vnto them the rights of the Empire as Pope Leo the eight had acknowledged them to Otho the second Emperour The Emperour comâs to Româ and ãâã the âoâe to take an oth and before him Adrian to Charlemagne according to the decâee of the Councell at Rome conteined in the sixtie third distinction and to conclude he forced him to take the oath of fidelity as to the true and lawfull Emperour and then returnes with his army Pope Pascal extremely moued with this ãâã calls a Councell wherein he protests to haue beene forced by ãâã so by consequence pronounceth that whatsoeuer he had promised was of no force and after all these toyles he died Gelisais succeeded him both in place and hatred against the Emperour
these butchers attending their misery Lewis King of France punisheth the rebells shut themselues into the great Tower of S. Donas Lewis doth first bury the body of this good Earle honourably the which had lien without sepulchre and then doth punish the murtherers and their complices rigourously But this is not all He must prouide for the Earledome remayning without a Lord by the death of Count Charles deceassed without children Pretendants for the Earledome of Flanders There wanted no pretendants William of Ypre sonne to Philip of Flanders the second sonne of Robert the Frison King Henry of England who desired greatly to ioyne this goodly Country with his Normandy Stephen of Blois Earle of Montreuill and Bologne Baldwin Earle of Hainault and William the sonne of Robert called Court-house brother to the King of England but his sworne enemy hauing vsed his father ill and kept him prisoner Lewis was soueraigne Iudge of this controuersy Flanders depending on the crowne of France He assigned all the pretendants of the Citty of Arras signifiyng that his intent was to do him iustice but in effect he inclined to fauour adiudging the Earledome of Flanders to the last that is to William of Normandy to binde him with more strict bounds against his âânsman On the other side the Flemings assemble at Ypre and chose William of Loâ Lord of Ypre The King aduanceth with his forces to Ypre to preuent this popular election where he enters the stonger and forceth William to renownce it VVilliam of Normandy made Earle of Flanders From thence he goes to all other good Citties where by his authority he causeth William of Normandy to be receiued for lawfull Earle and puts him in solemne possession by a publike act But his fauour had ill bestowed this goodly inheritance of an vnworthy man whose fury depriued him presently Lewis hauing installed him He oppresseth his newe subiects returnes into France William insteed of winning his newe subiects by equity and mildnesse begins to oppresse them after a rigorous and imperious manner by infringing of their preuileges ostentations of his authority taxes subsidies newe impositions and by all other meanes which Princes that seeke to loose their Estates hold to torment their subiects He had so far exceeded as the Citties without any wauering resolue to prouide a better Earle and to this intent they seeke a head The memorie of their good Earle makes them to cast their eyes vpon him that hath most right to this inheritance as the neerest kinsman which is Thierri son to the Duke of Alsatia and of Gertrude daughter to Robert the Frison The Flemings intreat him to come into their country The Flemings chooâe them a new Earle promising him all assistance to conquer the State He comes and is receiued with an extraordinary ioy by all the people All the Citties assemble to acknowledge him by order and dismisse William of Normandy who seeing a flat repulse by this people thus freed repayres to Lewis for succour in this extremity Lewis fayles him not his army marcheth with great speed hee himselfe comes in person and is receiued into Arras from thence he adiornes Thierry to come and answer before him as his soueraigne by what warrant hee carries himselfe for Earle this sommons is made vnto him at Ypre whether he had retired himselfe Hauing condemned him by default Thierrithe new Earle of Flanders defeated he approcheth his army to Ypre to vexe the inhibâbitants Thierri sallies forth with a notable troupe of men they ioyne the fight is fierce but the check falles vpon Thierries forces who with much a doe saues himselfe in Alost William pursues him and approcheth the towne sommoning the Inhabitants to obey and to deliuer vp Thierri as an Vsurper VVilliam of Normandy stâââe in Flanders But he was not aduised that one with a Crossebow shot an arrow at him and pierced him through the arme Behold hee is wounded and within two dayes he dies Thierri and the Flemings send presently to Lewis to beseech him to receiue them into fauour whereby he may be assured of theyr faithfull seruice Lewis consents and confirmes him and hauing caused him to take the oath of fidelity and receiued his homage after the manner of his Ancestors 1121. he returnes into France But Flanders continued not long in quiet as we shall see hereafter To these stirres of Flanders were added some garboyles in Bourbonois and Auuergne Archibauld Earle of Bourbon was deceassed leauing one sonne of the same name Troubles in Bourbonois but a young man and a brother called Haman who abusing the time in the weake minoritie of his Nephew would make himselfe Maister of Bourbonois pretending the Earledome to appertaine vnto him by the death of his elder brother to whom hee must succeed in order as the yongest of the house The mother and friends of Archibauld opposed against Hamon the right of representation inuiolable in France in great houses which is that the sonne of the eldest brother represeâts the Father and without doubt succeeds in all his rights to enioy them as if he himselfe liued for that the Father reuiues in the Sonne Hamon building his chiefe interest vpon force would not admit any reason that made for his Nephew so as the matter was brought before the King who by the aduise of his Councell declares Archibauld the lawfull heire and puts Haman from his pretensions commanding him to leaue the possession of Bourbonois free to his Nephew 1123. This Archibauld did afterwards marrie his daughter Beatrix to Robert Earle of Clermont in Beauuoisis sonne to the King S. Lewis The stââke of the house of Bourbon and of this marriage by the royall stemme is discended the most famous race of Bourbon the which at this day doth happily enioy the Crowne and realme of France But Haman who held some places in Burbonois would not leaue the possession refusing to obey the Kings commandement relying vpon the fauour of Eustache Earle of Auuergne who sought to free himselfe There was a priuate subiect of complaint against him hauing displaced the Bishop of Clermont against the Kings will These occasions drew the King into Bourbonois where hauing besieged Haman he ended this controuersie in fauour of Archibauld The affaires of Auuergne were more difficult by reason of William Duke of Guienne who imbraced the cause for the Earle of Auuergne pretending that he was his vassall This quarrell seemed to take a long course but it was pacified by this meanes Lewis had six sonnes Philip Lewis Henry another Philip Peter Robert and one Daughter Constance He had crowned his eldest sonne Philip who dyed by a strange accident going to take the aire on horseback Philip eldest sonne to Lewis died by a strange accident a Hog passed vnder the bellie of his horse the which being feared did shake this young King so violently as he threw him downe and so brused him as within few dayes after hee
her impudencie did so faâre exceed as shee would dishonourablie haue stayed in Antioche and left her husband presuming to cloake her shame with a shew of Religion saying without blushing that she could be no more the wife of Lewis to whom shee was Cousin in the fourth degree preferring the loue of a Iester named Saladin of the Sarrazin race Queene Elenoâ vnchast before the greatnesse of a King of France her lawfull husband Lewis being much disquieted perswades this woman to returne a heauier burthen to his minde then to his ship being returned to his house hee frees himselfe with all the speed he can And whereas hee should haue cast this insatiate woman into the Riuer being no more his wife and retained her Dowrie iustly gotten she playing bankerout of her honour Lewis pretends a cause to be diuorsed from Elenor and restores her Guienne hee calles a Councell at Baugency to haue her diuorsed the which was granted vnder colour of this farre fetcht consangunitie But his desire was to bee freed from her So retaining two Daughters borne vnder the vale of their marriage hee restores vnto Elenor all her Countrie of Guienne that is he puts into the hands of his furious enemie a Torche to set his whole Realme on fire for so soone as shee sees her selfe freed from the subiection and feare of a husband shee stayed not long to acquaint her selfe with Henry King of England and Duâe of Normandie Elenor marries with Henry King of England the greatest and most capitall enemie that Lewis had So hee obtained Guienne by the voluntary cession which Lewis made to haue the better meanes to annoy him and his whole realme Moreouer Lewis payde deerely for so great a discomoditie for the Pope would not giue him a dispence to marrie againe without a great summe of money to be imployed in the warres of the Holy Land and to finish this worke hee tooke to Wife Constance the Daughter of Alphonso King of Galicia being a weake friend Lewis marries againe and farre off This marriage was not greatly conuenient neither for his owne quiet not the peace of his subiects This subiect of deadly rancor encreasing the hatred of these two neighbour Monaâkes of France and England burst forth soone by dangerous effects The benefit of the new purchase of Guienne was the cause of that perrilous warre the which had so long and so lamentable a continuance William Duke of Guienne Grand-father by the Father to Queene Elenor had marryed the onely Daughter of the first Raimond Earle of Tholouse who had ingaged the sayd Countie to Raimond Earle of Saint Gilles who since also called himselfe Earle of Tholouse being seized of the sayd Countie and enioyed it quietly vnder the Kings obedience Henry King of England offers the money to Raimond to redeeme it The first war betwixt France and England for the Earledome of Tholouse and demands the Earledome as his Wiues right Vpon his refusall he armes enters into Quercy takes Cahors spoiles the Countrie and besiegeth Tholouse Lewis intreated by Raimond runnes to quenche this fire Beeing arriued and the two Armies readie to ioyne a peace was made betwixt the two Kings by the marriage of Marguerite the Daughter of Lewis with Henry the eldest Sonne of Henry King of England The two kings reconciled by a marriage But for that shee was very young and not yet mariageable shee was deliuered into Henry the Fathers hands vntill shee were of fitte age to marry Lewis had now buryed his wife Constance who left him but two Daughters without any heyres male so as being desirous to haue a successor hee made no delay to matry and tooke to his third Wife Alix the Daughter of Thibaud Earle of Champagne his vassall 1151. and newly reconciled but not greatly affected vnto him vntill that time Hee had a Sonne presently by her whom hee called Dieu Donné or giuen of God as an acknowledgement that God had sent him at his and his subiects praiers This is hee that shall succeed him I should begin to describe his raigne but order commands me to relate what happened during the raigne of Lewis in the neighbour nations of England and Italy wherein Lewis had great crosses Henry King of England had two sonnes by Elenor Richard and Geoffrây and by his first wife hee had Henry who was made sure to Marguerit of France of whom wee haue spoken The Father caused him to be crowned to settle him in his life time and tyed the English vnto him by homage A young Prince ambitious audatious ill aduised and rash who cannot long conteine himselfe with the taste of this new authoritie Notable troubles in England betwâââ the father and the sonne but will play the King with his Father And although his Fathers admonitions restrained him for awhile yet this ambitious humour still burst forth So as the Father from milde admonitions came to threats the insolencie of this young Prince increasing dayly Some yeares passed whilest this fire lay smothered very long for young Henry to whom the Fathers life seemed too tedious and the children of the second wife grew by the care of Elenor their Mother Henry the Father discontented with his Sonne and fearing that in consumating the mariage betwixt him and the Daughter of France the young Prince would grow proud augmenting his traine and State and through the fauour of King Lewis his Father in Lawe attempt something preiudiciall to his authoritie Hee delayed the accomplishment of this marriage although the Virgin werâ of more then sufficient yeares to marrie To this mischiefe was added an other more shamefull for that Henry the Father caused this Princesse to bee carefully kept the which should bee his Daughter in Lawe fearing least his Sonne should violently take her away Prince Henry iealous of his owne father and marry her Elenor falles into iealousie as if Henry had abused her And it was easie to settle this conceit in her sonne in Lawe Henryes head who had the chiefe interest in this delay And to publish this scandolous report vnto the people to make the old man more odious vnto the whole world A malitious and importune woman borne for a great plague to both these Estates As men doe commonly adore the Sunne rising so there wanted no Sicophants in Court to flatteâ the cares of this young King and likewise to incense the two Kings one against the other in flattering their passions Thus Henry transported by these occasions complaines to Lewis of the double wrong his Father did him both in the delay of his marriage and deniall of his authoritie And as Lewis at his request had giuen some admonitions vnto Henry in the end this passionate young Prince came to Paris where beeing well receiued hee enters League with Lewis to make warre against his Father and to disquiet him in diuers parts William King of Scotland is an associate vpon condition that Henry shall giue him
the Countrie of Northuââââand adioyning vnto Scotland for his charges in the warres Henry the father aduertised of all these preparations moues not hoping that reason should reclaime his Sonne and to this end hee sends an honourable Ambassage to Lewis and to his Sonne being in France the which made them more resolute an vsuall thing in such as are sought vnto Elenor addes more to this dissention great enough of it selfe The sonnes make warre against the Father to crosse the affaires of her old husband with whom shee stood in very bad termes Shee doth bandie her two Sonnes Richard and Geoffrey against the Father causing them to ioyne with their Brother Henry who is puft vp wonderfully here-with hauing his bretheren for companions of his furie The warre breakes forth amongst them the Kings Armie enters into Normandie the which obeyed the Father Henry the Sonne takes some places and ingageth some men of warre with great promises and by great assurances of good the which was not in his power to performe Henry the Father hauing prouided for England against William King of Scottes passeth into Normandie where laye all the burthen of the warre and Armes with great speede The coldnesse of his age was chased by the liuely apprehension of so many indignities The greatest part of his subiects detested the presumption of this Sonne neither could they allowe of Lewis his proceedings 1155. who had done better in casting Water then Oyle into this home-bred fire Lewis supports the sonnes against the father Lewis besiegeth Vernueil and fearing to be forced to raise the siege vnder colour of a parley with Henry he takes the Towne and sends forces from other parts into England to cause new broyles Richard Duke of Guienne by his Mothers right makes warre there but all these vnlawfull attempts haue no successe The French that passed into England are beaten Richard preuailes not against his Father to whom most of the Citties yeeld daily leaue the Sonne Richard drawne to his duty by the respects of Nature But they preuaile not which cannot be denied forced by necessitie desires to parley with his Father He is receiued into grace and deales with his brother Henry for the like reconciliation Lewis finding Henryes disposition allowes of it They send Ambassadors of either side This vnciuill vnlawfull warre was ended by this accord Henry King of England reconciled to his sonnes That the Father should reâaine alone in the Royall authoritie acknowledged and obeyed of all his sonnes that he should giue honorable allowances to eyther of them according to their degrees That the marriage of Henrie with Marguerite the eldest Daughter of King Lewis should be consumated and that Alix his other Daughter should be giuen in marriage to Richard the other Sonne of Henry to make an absolute accord Thus this Tragedie seemed to end with a Comedie But there shall be change of subiects vpon another Scaffold As these things passed in England Italy was nothing quieter by the dissentions that were reuiued betwixt the Emperours and Pope After the death of Conrad Frederick surnamed Barberousse is created Emperour of whom Histories yeeld an honourable testimonie of his wisdome and valour Hauing pacified Germanie he came into Italie to repaire the confusions bred both by long absence and the death of Conrad The Emperour hauing punished the Veronois and the Milanois New dissencion betwixâ the Emperor and Pope had incensed Pope Adrian who supported them the factions of Guelphes and Gibelins beeing confusedly spred throughout all the Citties so as hee was ready to excommunicate him when as death stayed this storme leauing it ready to his successors The Schisme which grewe in the Sea of Rome by these factions stayed the blowe some hauing called Victor as most affectionate to the Emperours partieâ others Alexander as his sworne enemie To remedie this deuision Frederick calles a Councell at Pauia and sends to both the Popes to come thether Victor comes and offers to performe what should be decreed Alexander on the other side makes the old answer these be the words of the Historie That the Pope was not to bee iudged by any man liuing and that hee neyther ought nor would appeare The Councell being thus dissolued without any good conclusion the Emperour for the making of an accorde intreates Lewis King of France Henry King of England and the Kings of Scotland and Bohemia to meete in some conuenient place for a parley Dijon was appointed as bordering vpon the Empire They meete but their conference did aggrauate the quarrell Lewis was wholy for Alexander who had likewise gained the Venetians and the greatest part of Italy The issue of this paâley was open force the which Frederick imployed against the Milanois being the principall cause of this dissention Frederick the Emperor ruines Milan whome hee did punish seuerelie hauing taken spoiled and sackt their Cittie ruined it vtterly causing Salt to bee sowen there punishing the authors of this rebellion capitally Alexander not able to resist Frederick retires himselfe into France from whence he planted his battery against the Emperour The Milanois sauing what they could in this shipwrack begin to build their Citty vnder the fauour of Pope Alexander to make new desseignes against Frederick who returns into Italy makes himselfe maister of Genoa He takes Româ and creates a new Pope from whence their means came defeats the Romaines in a pitched field takes Rome causeth another Pope called Calixtus to be created in the place of Alexander the 3. Alexander saues himselfe at Venice Otho The sonne of Frederick folows after to take him with 75. galleis Otho the Emperors sonne caâen by the Veneâians But the chance turned for he himselfe was taken by Cian Generall of the Venetians and carried prisoner to Venice TheÌ Frederick grew more mild accepted of such conditions of peace as Alexander had prescribed That he should craue absolutions on his knees and himselfe should lead his armie into Asia So as Frederick comes to Venice and being prostrate at the Popes feet in a sollemne assemblie 1171. he asketh pardon The Pope sets his foote vpon his neck and cries with a lowd voyce Super aspidem et basiliscum ambulabis The Emperour moued with this disgrace The Emperor subiects himselfe basely to the Pope answers Non tibi sed Petro. The Pope replies Et mihi Petro. This brauado of Alexander seemed so strange to some of his traine as Theodore Marquis of Misnia trembling and gâashing his teeth with choller was held back by the reines of respect yet hee runnes to the Emperour and takes him vp The Pope fearing least these Germaines should offer him some violence beeing amazed casts himselfe about Fredericks neck whome euen now hee held vnder his feete beseeching him to preserue him from his traine The Emperour giues him his word for hee was the stronger both within the Cittie and without hauing humbled himselfe for
at this Assembly Philip lets him vnderstand That touching the Clergy of the Realme it was necessary that out of their aboundance they should helpe to beare the charge for their common preseruation the which hee would discharge when as the necessity ceassed And hauing thus sent backe the Popes Noncio he pursues Iohn so as in fewe dayes he becomes master of all Normandy the which had beene deuided from the Crowne since the yeare 88â as we haue said Normandy beeing thus reduced to obedience with an admirable celerity Philip takes Normandy Poitou from Iohn Poitou doth likewise yeeld vnto him Iohn vppon this Alarum comes to Rochelle and from thence passeth into Aniou but in vaine He takes and vnpeoples Anger 's and seekes to seize vpon Brittaine being well garded through the care of their Duke Guy so as hee knowes not which way to turne him when as sodainly behold new occasions in Flanders the which he feedes all he can to kindle newe troubles whereby he hopes to finde some rest but his death shall seale all these toyles as due punishments for his blind couetousnesse and horrible paricide He seekes all meanes possible to trouble Philip with the ruine of France Flanders ministers matter by this meanes We haue formerly spoken of Baldwin Earle of Flanders after he had done his homage to Philip he resolues to passe into Asia to succor the afflicted Christians Hee had two Daughters Ioane and Marguerit the which hee left in the gard of Philip Earle of Namour their Vncle with the Kings good lyking who required the eldest to giue her in marriage to Ferrand of Portugall to the dislike of the Flemings and in the end he tooke her himselfe when as he hoped for profit Iohn imploying all his meanes he first vseth this instrument to oppose him against Philip in his ayde Great enemies against Philip. Otho the Emperor his Nephewe ioynes with him in such sort as France was in great danger of ruine by so great forces in so resolute an Enterprise Philip takes counsell for his passage into England finding so good successe in his affayres Ferrand hauing openly in Counsell disswaded this attempt shewing it to bee both vniust and impossible he made many of the cheefe to wauer ouer whom Philip commanded with great respect and among the rest Reginold Earle of Bullen of whom he had great neede for his descent into England Holding him in suspect he sought to make triall of his faith offering him a French Garrison the which he refused whereupon Philip comes to Bullen where the people giue him entry and Count Regnauld descouering himselfe retires into Flanders to Ferrand The league was great against Philip being incountred by two so great enemies neighbours and vnited A dangerous league against Philip. but Otho the Emperor swaid most hauing promised to assist Iohn his Vncle with all his meanes in this warre But the issue of this great League was not answerable to their desseigne Philip foresees this storme and resolues to preuent it Hee goes to field seizeth vpon Cassal Ypre and Lisle and takes assurance of the Citties of Gand and Bruges imploying his sonne Lewis in these exploits hauing meanes thereby to be in sundry places by so faithfull a Lieutenant On the other side Count Ferrand falls vpon Tournaisis and hauing taken Tournay he crosseth Philips disseignes Iohn hauing sent an Army to Sea-defeats the Kings Fleete at Dan and hauing passed into France he recouers Poitou In the meane time the Emperor Otho comes downe with a great and mighty army in the which they number a hundred and fifty thousand foote and a notable troupe of horse not specified There were great Captaines on eyther side Against the King were Ferrand and Regâold resolute men who had fury and hope to incourage them Otho the Emperour brought his honour with the Imperiall Eagle in the view of all Europe Iohn hauing intelligence of some stirres in England returnes with speede leauing his army to his Confederats 1215. and prouiding to send vnto them vpon all occasions On Philips side his greatest aduantage was in his owne person which did shine like the Sunne Lewis likewise was there Odo Duke of Bourgongne and the Earle of S. Paâl held the first rankes The common souldiars were nothing inferiour to their enemies in courage Yet the surmoânted them in nomber and expectation of victory for who would doubt but the greatest number should vanquish But the soueraigne Iudge of victories had otherwiâe decreed whom Philip had called on in this extreame danger He sought to incounter his enemies a part but God had prepared him a greater triumphe in a greater Combate The Armies were betwixt Lisle and Tournay where there was a Riuer to be passed by a bridge Philip takes it and whilest the Army passed in their rankes he sleepes being awaked they giue him intelligence that the Emperor had pasâed the Riuer at a Foard meaning to charge him behinde Philip when he had prayed vnto God a circumstance very profitablie obserued in the history meaning to preuent him he causeth those troupes to turne head which had passed the Riuer and that with such celerity as they came vpon their enemies backes The Combate was furious on eyther side vnder the most famous Ensignes of the world On the one side was the Eagle holding a Dragon in his Talents on the otherside the Auriflaine or standard of France The Germaines Dutch and English shot at the King the French at the Emperor the King was in extreame danger ouerthrowne vnder his horse Philip in danger oâ his life in the battell the which was slaine and rescued by Hugh of Marueil The fame of which fact is more honourable to his posterity then the Lordship of Ville-bois which was giuen him by the King in recompence of so worthy a seruice The Emperor Otho hauing fought valiantly was in great danger and had fallen into the Kings hands as the Earles Ferrand and Reginald did hauing performed as much as Great and Valiant Captaines might do Philipâ victory at Bâââuenâ against the Emperor But God would punish both in the Emperour and in them the rashnesse of an vnnecessary war The slaughter was great on either side bloud vniustây spilt through ambition and couetousnes were reprochfull causes of a voluntary losse The signes of an absolute victory remayne to our Augustus The Field Ensignes yea and the Imperiall Eagle the which was torne insteed of tearing the chiefe commanders the Campe and the dead bodies Philip added Clemency to this victory of his valour dismissing all the baser prisoners and honouring the Nobility with good vsage Ferrand and Râgnalâ prisoners led in triumpâ and their liberty He retained Ferrand and Regnald prisoners whom he accused of ingratitude and rashnes to haue rebelled without cause against their Lord and benefactor he led them in tâiumphe to Paris where he made a stately entry drawing them chayned in Litters and condemned them to perpetual prison Regnald to
Pironne and Ferrand to the Lovure at Paris All France made Bonfires for this happy successe and Philip built a Temple in honor of the holy Virgen which de called Victory nere vnto Senlis By a decree of the Parlament at Paris the Earledome of Flanders was adiudged vnto the King as forfeited who gaue it againe to Iane the heyre of the sayd Earledome being not guilty of her husbands trechery This memorable victory called the battel of Bovuens chanced in the yeare 1215. the 25. of Iuly To make his triumph absolute Philip gaue free passage to the Germaines and Otho the Emperor being returned to his house willingly resigned the Empire died of a pining griefe The Emperor diâs for grâeâe of his loââe diâgrace which neuer left him after that shamefull flight hauing willingly sought his owne misery in supporting wrong against right and serching danger to perish in danger A notable example which shewes That victories come from the Eternall that mortall man dies before his time by his owne rashnes and that no vniust warre can bee succesâefull But what shall become of Iohn the onely motiue of this warre while the Emperor and the Earles of Flanders and Bullen great Princes whom he had imbarked be at warre hee remaines at home free from blowes attending the euent Seeing his Confederates thus defeated hee feares the whole storme will fall vppon him what doth hee hee playes at Double or Quit and flies to Innocent the fourth as to his Sanctuary And being forced to saue his Estate in this extremity he resolues to giue him a good part The Popes hatred with the power of France was the last end of his downe fall The Pope had excommunicated him not onely for the parricide of his Nephew Arthur but for the ill vsage of his Clergie To purchase so difficult an absolution there needed a great satisfaction He therefore sends confident men in all hast to Innocent 4. humbly beseeching him to pitty him in his calamity Iohn makes the realme of England tributarie to the Pope That if it would please him to receiue him into fauour and protect him against the King of France he would bind the realme of England and Seigneurie of Ireland to hold of him and his successors and in signe of obedience to pay him a yearely tribute of a thousand markes of siluer This franke offer caused Iohns Ambassadors to be well entertained Innocent âends his Legat presently to absolue him to passe the contract and to receyue the homages of fealtie as well of himselfe as of his subiecâ Iohn is absolued hauing laid his Crowne Scepter Cloake Sword and King the royal enseigns of a King at the Legats feet Iohn doth homage to the Popes Legate he doth him homage for his realme of England kissing his feete as his tributarie and binds the English to the like duty by a sollemne oth He was also willing to discharge that which he had taken from his Clergie This shal be the means to make him loose both his estate and life This hapned in the yeare 1215. These things performed in England the Legate returnes into France and denonceth vnto Philip in the Popes name That hee should suffer Iohn to enioyne his realme of England in peace and freely to possesse the lands which he held by homage of the Crowne of France Moreouer that he should satisfie the great complaints which the Clergie of his realme had made against him restoring that which he had exacted from them during the warres vpon paine of excommunication if hee did not presently obey Philip promiseth to submit himselfe and before the Legates departure hee frees the Clergie of his realme of the tenths which he had exacted for the charge of the warres according to the decree of a Nationall Councell held at Soissons Iohn liues at peace in England for that which concerned Philip but see hee is the instrument of his owne miserie Being exhaust of meanes through the long and chargeable warres wherewith England had beene afflicted hee had bound himselfe to the Pope to restore vnto the Clergie all such summes of money as he had extorted from them during his troubles and for want of paiment he sees an excommunication readie the which was reuoked but vpon condition of obedience Iohns oppression oâ his subiects the cause of his ruine Thus freeing the Clergie he sur-chargeth the people and pressed by the Pope to satisfie his command hee oppresseth his subiects by extraordinarie impositions and tyrannicall exactions adding force to his commands So as it fell out that as hee could not helpe the one without hurting of the other and that the people hate him commonly that wrongs them behold the English make strange complaints in Parliament against Iohn who doth incense them the more by his rigorous answers The English seeing themselues reiected by their King flie to extraordinarie remedies and being denyed iustice by him that should giue it they seeke it else where chosing a King in the place of a Tyrant France was their onely refuge in these extremities The English reiect âohn anâ offer the realme to Philip. and therefore they send the chiefe Noblemen of the realme to Philip to offer him the Crowne of England promising to obey him as their lawfull King Philip who desired nothing more makes shewe to refuse it pretending both the truce made with Iohn and his worde passed to the Pope but vnder hand he sends them his sonne Lewis his faithfull Lieutenant giuing him a traine fitt for his person in so great an exploite Lewis hauing taken hostages of the English for assurance of their faith Lewis of France receiued by the English hee passeth into England being receiued of them all with great ioy as the Prince from whom they attended their health and quiet Hee makes his entrie into London which was the Rendezvous of his most confident friends and by their example many Ciâties come and offer him obedience In the meane time complaints come to Philip from Pope Innocent as if hee had broken his faith and threats if hee did not repaire it Philip denies any breach of faith The Poâe sends to Philip âor Iohn They bee sayd he the discontents of the English against Iohn whom they accuse to haue slaine Arthur their lawfull King and hauing free libertie to make a new election they repaired to his Sonne who was of age to gouerne himselfe for whose errors hee was not answerable But attending the end of this sute let vs returne to England 1217. Iohn held strong places Winchester whether hee had retired himselfe Windolisor or Windsor The Pope âends to Philip for Iohn Norwiche and Douer hee had likewise factions in other Citties Lewis hauing receiued homage from many of them commandeth his Armie to marche to reduce the Citties to obedience who for the most part receiued him willingly Norwiche yeeldes without any dispute from thence hee goes to Douer hauing attempted the Captaine
by meanes of his brother whom hee held prâsoner hee resolues to take it by force and in the meane time hee beseegeth Windsor by some Noblemen of his partie Iohn sleepes not hee makes a vertue of necessitie imploying all his meanes to leuie men and to keepe what remained But behold an accident which ends both his sute and his life One of his Captaines brings him certaine troupes to releeue Winchester where hee attended the siege but they were charged by Lewis his men Iohn seeing his people to perish some by the Sword and the rest drowned flying to saue themselues oppressed in his conscience not able to endure the reuenging furies of his Nephews bloud vniustly spilt hee falles to a despairing griefe King Iohn dies for griefe and shortlye after dyes suffering the punishment of his iniustice and crueltie Leauing a notable example and president to all men neuer to hope for good by doing euill although the offender growe obdurate by the delaye of punishment This was after eighteene yeares patience during the which Iohn raigned with much trouble a slaue to his furious passions the which is a cruell and insupportable commander The English chânge their opinion Thus the decree of Gods iust iudgement against Iohn the parricide was put in execution in the yeare 1217. But this death of Iohn did not settle Lewis in his new royaltie as it was expected The discontent of the English dyes with Iohn and the loue of their lawfull Prince reuiues in his Sonne Henry God limits the bounds of States which mans striuing cannot exceede The Sea is a large Ditche to deuide England from France the Pyrenei Spaine and the Alpes Italy if audatious Ambition and Couetousnesse would not attempt to force Nature The English pleased with his death that made them to languish cast their eye vpon their lawfull King The Pope interposeth his authoritie for Henry against Lewis Who desirous to preserue what hee had gotten prepares his forces when as the losse of his Fleete comming from France to England makes him to change his resolution yeelding to reason and time restoring another man his right and estate to keepe his owne at home the surer and safer The Englâsh receiue Henry the sonne of Iohn and dismisâe Lewis of France Thus Henry the third the Sonne of Iohn was receiued King of England and Lewis returned into France but Iohns posteritie shall bee reuenged of the Children of Lewis with more and greater blowes then hee had giuen Lewis being returned into France findes worke at home to imploye him in Warre which hee sought beyond the Seas The occasion was to make head against the Albâgeios of whome wee will discourse in his life and not interrupt the course of this raigne It is now time to finish this tedious relation of Philips actions and to shew the conclusion of his life Avuergne vnitâd to the Crowne Hee did confiscate the Earledome of Avuergne and vnited it vnto the Crowne taking it from Guy being found guiltie of Rebellion this was his last acte All the remainder of his dayes were consecrated to make good lawes for the well gouerning of the Realme At Paris hee did institute the Prouost of Marchants and the Sheriffes for the politike gouernement thereof hee caused the Cittie to bee Paued Philips actions being before verye noysome by reason of the durt and mire Hee built the Halles and the Lovure beeing beautified since by Henry the second with a goodly Pauilion and the rest of the new Lodging Wherevnto King Henry the fourth that now raâgnes doth adde a Gallerie of admirable beautie if the necessitie of his affaires suffer him to Crowne the restauration of his Estate by the finishing of this great building Hee walled in Bois de Vincennes and replenished it with Deare and with diuers other sortes of wilde Beasts hee finished that admirable and sumptuous building of our Ladyes Church whereof the foundation was onely layde vnknowne by whome Hee made lawes against Vsurie Players Iuglers and Dycing houses 1219. An enemie to publicke disolutions and a friend to good order and iustice Hee releeued the people ouer-charged by reason of the Warres Hee restored vnto the Clergie all the reuenues hee had taken from them during his greatest affaires And thus hee imployed this last acte of his life to gouerne the Realme Landes vniteâ to the Crown to the which hee had vnited a good parte of that which was alienated by Hughe Capet That is all Normandie a good part of Guienne the Earldomes of Aniou Touraine Maine Vermandois Cambresis Vallois Clermont Beaumont Avuergne Pontheiu Alancon Limosin Vandosme Damartin Mortaigne and Aumale Wee shall hereafter see how the rest of the Crowne landes returned according to the diuers meanes which GOD gaue by the good gouerment of our Kings Philip imployd his peaceable olde age in this sort when as God did summon him to leaue his Realme to take possession of a better Hee was verye sicke of a quartaine Ague which kept him long languishing in his bed giuing him meanes to meditate vpon his death and to prouide for the Estate of his Reaâme leauing a good guide whom hee had leasure and meanes to fashion yet could hee not make him the perfect heire of his Vertues and Happinesse Although Lewis his Sonne were not vicious yet had hee nothing excellent to make him apparent among other Kings He would not Crowne him in his life time beeing taught by the late and neighbour example of the ill gouernment of England betwixt the Father and the Sonne finding his forrces to faile him by the continuance of this Feauer hee made his Will Philips testâment In the which hee delt bountifully with his Seruants according to their deserts hee gaue great Legacies towards the Christians Warre in the East and to the Templets who were then held in great reputation to bee verie necessarie for the garde of Christendome Hee gaue new rents to Hospitalls and to very many Churches And so hee died in peace the yeare 1223. the first of Iulie Hâs death in the age of fiftie and nine yeares beloued and lamented of his subiects Hee was fifteene yeares old when hee began to raigne and gouerned forty and foure yeares hee left two Sonnes His condâtions Lewis and Philip and one Daughter called Marguerite Vnhappie in his house and verye happy in his raigne· His minoritie was reasonable good but his age was verie reuerend Crowned with all the contents a mortall man could desire in this mortall life hauing left many testimonies of his Vertues to make his memorie deere and respected of his posteritie His estate peaceable his heire knowne and beloued of his subiects and of age and experience to gouerne himselfe and to force obedience A Prince rightly called Augustus whom wee may number among the greatest Hee was most Religious Wise Moderate Valiant Discreete and Happy a louer of Iustice of order and of pollicie friend to the people enemie to Disorders Dissolutions
of K. Alphonso attending meanâ to repaire his affaires in better season In the meane time Simon doth promise himselfe the property of all Raymonds estates the which he had gotten with his Sword but for that it was apparent that the King of France would hardly grant so goodly a Prouince taken from his kinsman to one of his subiects Simon therefore flies vnto the Pope by whose authority this war was chiefely ingaged from whom he attended his chiefe recompence hauing laboured for him Innocent the 3. finding that Philip who would not desist in his pursute against Iohn King of England notwithstanding his interdictioÌâ would not be moued now by his simple authority to leaue so important a peece he assembles a great Councell meaning to force the King to yeeld vnto his will âhe Patriarkes of Ierusalem and Constantinople were there in person The Councell of Latran and those of Antioche and Alexandria sent their deputies there were 70. Archbishops 400. Bishops and 1000. Abbots Priors The Emperors of the East West the Kings of France England Spaine Ierusalem Cipres and other Kings Princes and great estates had their Ambassadors By a decree of this notable assembly Count Raymond was excommunicated with all his associats The Earldome of Tholouse giuen to Simon of Montfort by the Pope his lands adiuged to Simon of Montfort for his seruice done and to do to the Catholike Church Philip could not gain-say this decree confirmed in a maner by the consent of the whole world He therfore receiued SimoÌ to homage for the Prouince of Languedoc whereof he tooke peaceable possession but he did not long enioy it âor seeing himselfe inuested he began to oppresse his new subiects An Eâle is lost with ouer griping The people of Languedoc finding themselues oppressed with this insupportable burthen of Simon they resolue to call home their Count Raymond who was retired into Spaine to seeke some meanes to recouer the possession of his estate His case was not desperate for hee enioyed the Earldomes of Viuareâz Venaissan and the Citty of Auignon places kept by his subiects during these occurrents whether Simons forces were not yet come Raymond being called by his subiects returnes into Languedoc accompanied with a notable troupe of Arragonois being discontented for the death of their King Alphonso The whole Countrey baâdied against Simon hating him as an vsurper Simon hated by his subiects of Languâdoc for hâs oppression âyâânie and detesting him as a tyrant for doubtlesse vniust violent things cannot continue Whilest that Simon seekes to bridle the Citties of his new conquests leaping from place to place with an infinite toile behold Raymond is receiued into Tholousâ by intelligence with great ioy of the inhabitants Simon abandons all the rest and flies thether but he finds a stop for comming to the gates of the Citty as he approched neere the walles to parley he was hurt in the head with a stone wherof he died The example of Tholouse made the greatest part of the subdued Citties to reuolt Simon of Montfort left two sonnes Simon of Montfort slaân before Tholouse Guy and Amaulry vpon the reuolt of Tholouse the one seizeth vpon Carcassone the other of Narbonne but Guy was slaine in Carcassone by the Inhabitants who were the stronger Amaulry hauing fortified Narbonne repaires to Philip Augustus beseeching him to succor him in his necessity Philip had the Wolfe by the eare for as on the one side he desired this goodly Prouince for himselfe rather then for the children of Simon of Montfort so was he also restâained by the authority of the Pope and Councell He theâfore sends his sonne Lewis into Languedoc to reduce the Country to his obedience But he had scarce taken any one Castell when as his fathers death calls him home Count Raymond receiued againe in Languedock So as Count Raymond his subiects of Languedoc had time to reuiue their spirits recouer many places gotteÌ by Simon The king of England would neither assist nor send to the coronatioÌ of Lewis although he were held as Duke of Guienne 1223. This occasion moued Lewis to warre against him Warre in Guienne against the English whereby he got Niort and Rochel and Sauary of Mauleon Gouernour for the English retired to his seruice This losse made the warre more violent Richard Earle of Cornwaile brother to Henry King of England passed into France with a goodly armie and hauing taken S. Macaire Langon and Reolle Townes seated vpon the Riuer of Garonne and defeated some French troupes he made way for a truce which was fauourable for both parties But especially for Lewis being desirous to settle matters in Languedoc the which troubled him for the daily proceedings of the Albigeois yet was hee loth to labour for another For this reason he treats with Amaulry Earle of Montfort touching the right he had to that Countrie with whom hee preuailed the more easily for that hauing lost the greatest part of the Prouince he was not able to hold the rest with the Kings dislike to whom hee resigned it by order of a decree made by the Pope in the Councell of Latran and in recompence hee made him Constable of France with the consent of Pope Honorius Lewis compounds for Languâdoc with the âoân of Simon Montfort Hauing compounded with the Children of Simon Montfort hee resolued to winne Count Raymond to his deuotion and to perswade him to lay aside armes whereof hee did see the euents to be very doubtfull His intent was to vnite this rich Prouince of Languedoc to the Crowne But reason which saith that no man thinkes his owne too much the respect which great men do vsually beare one to another and the alliance which the house of France had with the Countie of Tholouse were great restraints for the couetousnesse of Lewis But how soeuer he determined to make himselfe the stronger to prescribe them a law To this end he leuied a great Armie fortified with his Edicts by the which hee thunders against these poore Albigeois as Heretikes and Rebels These Edicts were of force whereas his authoritie was respected Count Raymond considering with himselfe the cruell beginning of this warre and the continuance of the like miserie in these second armes fearing to imbarke himselfe the third time with a people against his King is easily perswaded by Lewis to reconcile himselfe to Pope Honorius Thus Raimond leauing to oppose himselfe Count Raymond submits himselfe vnâo the Pope yeelds to Lewis and perswades the âarle of Cominges the chiefe agent of his desseignes to the like obedience Thus both of them abandon the people go to Rome they make their peace with the Pope and leaue the Albigeois to the mercie of Lewis who seeing them without a head imbraceth this occasion to their ruine High and base Languedoc was wholy in his power by Raymonds departure Auignon remained with many other places in the Countie of
they feared Of this great army there hardly escaped three hundred all are pact together great smal Not one CoÌmander escaped very few Noblemen Robert Earle of Artois cosin to the King of France General of the army Arnoul Lord of Neele Constable of France Iames of Chastilion A wonderfull defeate of the French Gouernor of FlaÌdârs Iohn King of Maiorica Godfroy of BrabaÌt his Son the Lord of Viezon the Earls of Eu la Marche Damartin Aumale Auge Tancaruille many other great personages which were the offerings of these cowardly spirits They number 12000. Gentlemen slaine in this battell by this inraged multitude A notable president not to contemne an enemy which teacheth what a furious people well led may do An enemy is not to be contemned howâ weake soeuer and especially that victories come froÌ heauen for here the lesser number vanquished the greater the weakethe strong This victory called of Courtray or Groeminghe was followed with an absolute reuolt of all Flanders against the French It happened in the yeare 1302. the 11. of Iuly Iohn of Namour remaining their gouernour in the absence of their imprisoned Earle Philip receiued a great check in this battell but he had more botoms to vntwist Aââ the târeats of Edward King of England of the Emperor Adolphe vanished only Pope Boniface the 8. shewed himselfe obstinate in his hatred against Philip. A discourse worthy to be carefully described In the hottest of these Flemish affayres Pope Boniface did excoÌmunicate Philip curse his Realme vpon this occasion A notable affront done by Pope Boniface to Philip. The Christians estate was lamentable in the East the Tartarians encreased dayly Cassan King of Tartars allyed with the King of Armenia a Christian made a great professioÌ of loue to the Christians and for that the Mamelus held Iudea Ierusalem he desired to drawe the Kings and Princes of Christendome to their ayde To this end he sends an Ambassage to Pope Boniface the 8. and to Philip King of France to intreat them both to imploy their authorities and meanes in so good a worke Boniface failes not to imbrace this occasioÌ he not onely exhorts Philip to succor the Tartar but also commands him proudly and imperiously vpon paine of excommunication This Bull was giuen to a sufficient man named Stephen an Arragonois whom he had made Bishop of Apaâters a Cittie in the Countie of Foix which they commonly call Pamiers and had erected this new Bishoprick in the Archbishoprick of Tholouse without the Kings priuity or consent who acquitted himselfe of his charge so stoutly that when as Philip represented vnto him the greatnesse of his affaires so as he could not obey the Popes command he answered with a bold face That if the King would not obey the Pope hee would depriue him of his Realme The subiect the manner and the person aduanced thus against his will did so moue Philip grieued with this late losse as if the Pope would insult ouer him for this bad successe that hee imprisoned this Bishop Boniface transported with choller sends to him againe one Peter a Romane borne Archbishop of Narbonne with sharper Buls to summon him to vndertake this voyage of the East to command him not to touch the reuenues of the Clergie to reprehend him sharpely for that hee had presumed to lay hands vpon the Bishop whom he had sent to inioyne him to send him presently back in full libertie His charge extended to no other censures in case he disobeyed not in the principall The Archbishop executed his charge boldly Philip shewed him with great modestie the impossibilitie of this voyage the reasons which had moued him to leuie this tenth of the Clergie and so to intreate the Bishop hauing spoken vnto him without any respect Arrogancie of the Popes Nuncio The Archbishop replied with more arrogancie That he was ignorant of the Popes authoritie who was not onely the Father of Christian soules but also Soueraigne Lord and Prince in temporall things And therefore by that authoritie he did excommunicate him declaring him vnworthy to raigne and his realme forfaited to the Church of Rome to inuest whom he pleased Moreouer he brought another Bull directed to the Prelats and Noblemen of France by the which he did acquire and dispence all Frenchmen from their oth of obedience to Philip. And a third by the which he did cite all the Prelats and Diuines of the French Church to appeare before him at Rome disanulling all indulgences and priuiledges granted to the French by any Popes his predecessors The Earle of Artois disdaining this affront takes the Bull and casts it into fire saying That no such dishonor should euer befall the King to submit himselfe to any such conditions Philip amazed at these bold affronts referres the whole matter to his Councell who conclude to send back the Popes two Nuncios to Rome and to forbid the Prelats of France to goe or to send any money to Rome beseeching Philip to proceed in the affaires of his Realme and not to stay in so goodly a course This done Philip raiseth new great forces to returne into Flanders At his entry the Flemings were defeated at Arques neere to S. Omer in a straight passage Guy of Namur beseeging Xiriâxé was ouerthrowne by the Kings Nauie assisted by 16. Galleys of Genoa vnder the command of Renier Grimaldi and being taken is carried to the King being in his armie betwixt Lisle and Douay After this fortunate beginning Philip subdâes the Flemings many Cittie 's yeelded to the French the rest fearing the euent stood amazed the sume of their victorie being evaporated so as the first heat being colde they intreate the Earle of Sauoy to be a mediator to Philip for a truce whereby they might obtaine a peace after so many miseries Philip of Flanders Iohn of Namur brethren were great persâaders thereof for the naturall desire they had to free their poore father so long time a prisoner But Philip thirsting after reuenge for his losse at Courtray refuseth it He aduanceth and defeats the Flemings at Aire and at Tournay There chanced in the end that notable incounter at Mons in Penelle where they were wonderfully beaten to make them loose the âast of the battaile of Courtray yet Philip was in danger of his life and bought this victory dearly and the Flemings like men in dispaire assembled together from all parts although vnder-hand they did sue to Philip for peace the which in the end they obtained Philip makes peace with the Flemings at the instance of Iohn Duke of Brabant vpon these conditions That the Soueraignty remaining to the King and the Flemings enioying their liberties the Earle Guy all other prisoners should be set at libertie without ransome and the Flemings should pay eighty thousand pound sterling for the charges of the war the Castels of Lisle Douay Cassell Courtray should be deliuered into the Kings
found out very fit to accompanie him Boniface had ill intreated the Colonois one of them named Sciarra flying the Popes furie and seeking some rest had beene taken by Pirats and redeemed by a friend of his at Marseilles and so brought into France The pride of man is to bee abated saith Platina They could not choose a more fit instrument to tame his arrogancie who presumed to controul Kings and to depriue them of their Estates as Platina saith The pretext of Nogarets voyage to Rome was apparent to signifie Philips appeale from the Pope vnto a Councel to find the means to leuie meÌ vnder hand for at that time the Realme of Naples obeyed the French whither Philip had conueyed 60. thousand Crownes by the banke of the Petrucri Marchants of Florence to furnish this leuie The Pope was retired from Rome to Anagnia a Towne of Abruzzo where he was borne by reason of the troubles at Rome whereas the Gibilin faction was growne the stronger There were likewise in Anagnia many corrupted by the siluer of France by such meanes as Sciarra gaue vnto Nogaret so as hauing drawne in 300. Frenchmen well armed and woone many of the Cittizens vnto him the Castell whereas Pope Boniface was lodged was seazed on and at the same instant the Cittie gates with that terror which doth vsually amaze men surprised Anagnia seated on and taken by the French Then the French crie the Cittie is wonne No man dares appeare In this confusion the Castell gates being seized on by French souldiars Felix of Nogaret being armed accompanied with Sciarra Colonois and many others enters the Pallace-hall with their naked swords Boniface is not much amazed but hastely attyres himselfe in his Pontificall roabs and presents himselfe vnto his enemies Nogaret begins to say vnto him The good and noble King of France hath sent me hither to tell thee that hee appeales from thee to the Councell But the Pope hauing not the patience to attend the end Thy Grandfather sayd hee condemned for the heresie of the Albigeois was iustly punished by fire a worthy reward for his wickednes before God and man I doe not therefore wondâr if I bee thus traterously surprised by thee an heretike but I willingly beare what happened to that good Pope Siluerius Nogaret replyes I will lead thee then to Lions where a Councel shal iudge of thy abuses But as Boniface would haue replied Sciarra more hardy then Nogaret gaue him a great blow with his gantelet on the face which made him to bleed much The Pope cried and he stroke againe so as Nogaret hauing no commission to proceed so farre drew him out of the Colonoises pawes 1394. and hauing retired him into his Chamber howling and blaspheming like a desperate man he led him to Rome But Boniface through this accident entred into so cruell a frenzie Boniface dyes like a madde man as hee gnawed and eate his owne hands and so died pitiously the 35. day after to whom the common report registred in Histories made this Epitaph He entred his Popedome like a Fox he raigned like a Lion and dyed like a Dog Platina addes this Commentarie Thus dyed Boniface The dâspoââion of ãâã Boniface who laboured to keepe the consciences of Emperours Kings Princes and generally of all men in awe more by terror then by religion who sought to giue and take away Kingdomes to expell and restore Princes at his pleasure most greedie to gather gold by what meanes soeuer Let Princes therefore both spirituall and temporall learne to gouerne their Clergie and subiects not arrogantly with insolencie and outrage as this of whom we speake but holily and modestly as Christ our King his Disciples and followers who desired to be loued not feared whence iustly proceeds the ruine of tyrants Hee writes also of him That hee nourished deuisions among the âtalians and especially betwixt the Geneuois and the Venetians Behold the testimonie of Platina and the Catastrophe of the Tragedie which Pope Boniface the eight had plotted to ruine the King and his Realme Philip aduertâsed of the heauie end of him who had practised to ruine both him and his estate presently sendes his Ambassadors to the Colledge of Cardinals being much amazed with this accident protesting that hee gaue no such commission to Felix of Nogaret to whom notwithstanding he gaue in recompence the Baronie of Caluisson in Vaunage neere vnto Nismes but onely to intimate to Pope Boniface his appeale from him vnto the Councell desiring them to expect all friendship and succour from him The Cardinals reuiued from their great amazement by this kinde message from Philip stood yet long irresolute in the election of a new Pope fearing to do any thing vnpleasing vnto the King In the end they choose one Nicholas a Cardinall who had assisted Philips Cosins in the voyage of Hungarie famous among the Popes by the name of Benedict the 11. He reuoakes the excommunication giuen ouâ by Boniface against Philip and his people The Colledge of Cardinals aâply themselues wholy to please Phiââp and restores the priuiledges of the Vniuersitie of Paris whereof hee had depriued them in disdaine of Philip but hee liued not long and the Cardinals desire was to accomodate themselues wholy to the Kings will they therefore by a generall consent choose Clement borne at Bazadois in Gasconie of the house of the Vicounts of Tartas and Lord of Vseste where hee built a goodly Castell called Villandrant as the Lord of Haillan doth testifie an vnreproueable witnesse being of that Countrie This Clement was the first of seuen French Popes which held the Sea one after another vnto Vrbain the 6. vnder whom the Italians recouered it againe with much trouble These seuen Popes were Clement the fift a Goscon Iohn 23 of Cohors in Quercy Benedict the 12. a Tholousan Clement the 6. Innocent the 6. Vrbain the 5. Gregorie the 11. all foure Limosins one after another Such power had this proceeding of our Philip. Clement the 5. being chosen Pope he came into France and the King receiued him at Lions The Pope Crowned at Lions accompanied with the Kings of England and Arragon in great pompe The Pope was on Horseback and the King with his two brethren on foote holding the reynes of his horse Hee was Crowned in the Temple of Saint Iust where they had built a great Theater for so goodly a spectacle but the presse of people was so great as the scaffold brake and the multitude fell one vpon another The Pope Kings Princes and Noblemen were all on a heape and the Scaffold fastened to an old wall pulled it downe so as the King was hurt in the head the Pope in the foote and the Duke of Britaine slaine with a great number of Noblemen and coÌmon people that were smothered vnder these ruines The Popes Crowne fell from his head into the presse 1305. where he lost an Carboncle valued at sixe thousand Florins of gold
King Iohn who had already granted his pardon vpon good assurance Iohn grants his request yet could he not command his heart to leaue this malitious iealousie the which made him to seeke new occasions daylie to crosse his father in Lawes actions He then offers his seruice to the King of England who failes not to imbrace this occasion hauing the heart and hand of a Prince of the bloud whose power was great in the State Vpon this assurance he sends Edward his eldest sonne Prince of Wales into Guienne with a goodly armie a yong man of an exceeding hope And giues him for councell Iohn Shandos Robert Knowles Fraâcis Hali and Iohn of Arondel great men in their times and which shal be famous in those actions which shall follow New warre by the King of Nanâs practises He attended the end of truce the which being expired he enters Guienne and passeth into Langnedoc to Thâlouse Narbonne ouer al he spoiles sacks kils and finds no resistance and returnes wiâhout difficulty to Bourdeaux being loaden with spoiles At the same instant another cloud of English men breakes out of Calis and spoiles the Country of Picardy but Ioân by these skirmishes foresees the tempest of a greater warre measuring the forces of England by the will of King Edward his assured and tryed enemie He therefore seekes a remedie by an ordinarie course he calls a generall Parliament to take Councell and comfort from them in these newe occurrents Charlâs of Nauaâre assists but with an intent to crosse the Kings procedings by indirect practiâes and to withdrawe the subiects affections from assisting the King with their meanes in this necessitie Open force of the ãâã against the King but it was in vaine for in regard of Iohns promise to better the coyne they granted him a reasonable aide to raise and intertaine a great armie This faithful resolution of the French did for that time suppresse the violence of the English but not the furious malice of the Nauarrois for hauing labored in vaine to disswade the people from their promised succours and hauing raised by these practises seditions in diuers parts of the realme he lands at Cheâebourg with two thousanâ men robs and spoiles the countây and takes âhe Castel of Coâches in Normandie from the King An intollerable presumption of a subiect against his Prince after the muâther of a Constable But Iohn disâembles this assiont and by the mediation of his sonne Charles Daulphin of Viennois he remâts this second fault and receiues the King of Nauarre his son in Law againe into fauour but in effect he doth it to frustrate his purposes and to punish such as had assisted him Iohn did then giue the Duchie of Normandie to the Daulphin for his portion so as hee must take posâession thereof An apparent cause to drawe him thether but in effect Iohns intention was to drawe the Nauarrois into a place of easie surprise to make him and ãâã adherents to giue an accompt of their wicked actions and to preuent them hereafter The new Duke of Normandie arriues at Roan whether all the good Townes of the Countrie runne to do him homage The King of Nauarre who held Eureux and many great Lordships in the Country with one of the greatest dignities in the realme comes to do him honouâ well acompanied but better receiued by Charles his brother in law The King aduertised that the Nauarrois was at Roan with his sonne goes speedilie from Paris accompanied with his Brother Philip Duke of Orleans Lewis his second sonne Duke of Aniou the Earle of Tancaruille and Arnoul of Endreghan Marshall of France and ranne to Roan with this great traine 1352. Arriuing about dinner time he presently goes to his sonnes lodging where he findes him at table accompanied with the King of Nauarre and the most of them which had assisted him at the Constables murther where without any more deliberation or delay he causeth them all to be apprehended And then not pausing longer he made choise of fower out of this number the two Brethren of Harcourt the Lord of Maubue and Colinet Doublet chieâe actors in the foresaied murther and without any other forme of proceeding as a matter long before determyned he causeth their heads to be cut off Charles of Nauarre taken pâisoner by the King Fower of his complices beheaded setting theÌ vpon stakes and drawing their carcases to the gibet The next day he made choise of prâsoners and sends the Nauarrois with Friquet and Bontabu his domesticke and most trustie seruanâs to Arras vnder sauegards and presently dismisseth all the rest to their houses enioyning them expresly vnto fidelitie and loyaltie to his seruice bynding them by a new oath This vnexpected execution amazed the whole Countrie like to a cracke of thunder but it roused vp the Nauarrois faction especially Philip of Nauarre brother to Charles and Geoffroy of Haâcourt Vncle to the two Bretheren beheaded Occasion of newe warre the which opened the gates to a strange confusion which shal cast Iohn into miserable captiuitie and drawe the Nauarrois out of prison with a flaming torch in his hand to fier the whole realme Behold Philip and the house of Haâcourt presently in England crying out against murther They intââate Edward to stretch âorth his hand to bee reuenged of so notable an iniustice and disloyaltie They offer him their hearts persons goods Townes and hauens to land in Nârmandie without any difficultie and there to make warre comodiously against so trecherous and cruell a Prince Edward a wise and vigilant Prince who had his eyes open to all occasions that might annoy his enemy imbraceth this offer hee asâembâes his troupes to send them speedâly into No mandie And to do nothing by halues hee imploies all hee can to leuie a great army the which he sends into Guienne to make worke for Iohn in diuers places and not to suffer this first heat of the discontended french to coole hee then without anie delay sends the Duke of Glocester into Normandie with .4000 choise men who lands easily Warre in Normandy and ioynes with Philip of Nauarre and so they ouerrune and spoile the Champion Countrie The terror of these newe forces spâeads presently ouer all The Towns of Lizieux Orbes B cheloin and Ponteau on the sea yeeld presently And not staying to beseege any great Citties he goes to Bretueil and Tuillieres and from thence to Vernueil in Perche the which he takes easilie giuing it out in all places that it was to reuenge the wrong done to the King of Nauarre and his seruants a dutie of humanitie which Kings ought not to refuse one to another in their greatest necessity King Iohn hasteth thither with his armie and recouers Bretueil and Tuillieres and had easily repossessed all the rest if a new occasion had not drawen him else where and the secret decree of God to his owne ruine Edward Prince of Wales the eldest sonne of Edward King of England
then our own experience Open warrâ Thus harme growes both froÌ the enimy which assailes the friend that desends so as we may truely say that in ciuil wars the cure is often times more hurtful then the disease The Nauarrois finding himselfe too weake alone calls in the English to the sack of France without a head and almost without a soule Edward aduertised from the Nauarrois by sundry messengers of the Estate of Frante Regents happy successe condemned himselfe as hauing failed his owne good fortune taking the King of Nauarrs complaint in no better part who saied Edward repents an opportunity neglected that he had not bin assisted as the cause required applying all his wit to the ruine of his Country holding it againe to take from his owne bloud so blind are passionate Councells He âuâon Edward sends new forces to the Nauarrois who fortefied with these succors and with his goodly promises begins the war more fiercely then beforce He takes the Castel of Melun with halfe the Citty by the meanes of Queene Blancke whilest that the Kings soldiars fight for the rest he burnes the Abbie of Lis al other places alongest the forest of ãâã and Gastenois Then crossing the Isle of France to anoy the Parisiens and to strike a terror by his forces he taks S. Germaine in Laie Creil vpon Oise Poissy and many other places with great booties many prisoners runing daily to the gâts of Paris The exploits of the Nauarrois Hauing stayed some daies at Mont he goes to meete with the succors from England taking Castres vnder Montlhery as they passe the which he spoiles sacks and burnes led by Captal de ãâã in Medoc a Country in Bourdelois a great and a mighty Lord who resignes them to his brother Philip of Nauarre With these forces he takes Clermont in Beauuoisin On the other side Rebert Knowles a valiant English Captaine with a troupe of theeues rather then souldiers runs vp the riuer of Loire into the country of Auxerre spoyling sacking burning and carrying away both men and beasts into his forts bringing the country to a miserable desolation This was rather a robbing then a warre as commonly ciuill warres be the which with more reasoÌ they may call vnciuill The desolate estate of France The cattel taken houses burnt men being dead or beggered the land remained desolate vntilled and vnsowne So as there fell so great a famine as halfe the people died for hunger lamentable troups of poore families wandred vp and downe creeping into townes like desperate folkes to beg bread of them which had it not The Parisiens seeing that this alteration did nothing repaire their estates grew mad as the common sort values no friendship but for their profit The Parisiens mutiny againe they abated much of the loue and respect which in the beginning of their reduction they did beare vnto the Regent who was not onely troubled to incounter armed men in field but also with mens humors growne bitter by affliction especially in Paris a sea subiect to the ebbing and flowing of mens sundry humors and affections The Nauarrois who was still watchfull to imbrace all occasions to annoy the Regent seekes meanes to nourish the seedes of his ancient credit with the Parisiens by some of his faction The Nauarrois makes new practises in Paris giuing them to vnderstand by diuers writings spred abroad that he lamented to see France vndermined with this desolation whereof the Regent was the original cause He sounded forth the vaine name of liberty and reformation of State vexing the Regent more by his practises theÌ by open force although he were supported by the succours of England The Regent was thus perplexed with many difficulties finding himselfe as it were besieged not only within the walls but also within the humours of this great citty being ignorant howe to counterbalance force with mildnesse in the perplexity of so many miseries and the diuersity of such contrary humors wherein he sees himselfe ingaged Amidst all these difficulties the wisedome and courage of this Prince is very considerable for he seemed to the people of a resolute countenance and in the managing of affaires he had alwaies a care to their reliefe so as they could not but loue him for his amiable sweet behauiour yet for the maintenance of his authority being come within the citty he caused some notable executions to be done The Daulphin executes some within Paris of certaine desperate seditious men and committed others to prison This was done with the peoples liking incensed against the Nauarrois but seeing themselues to fallout of one mischiefe into another the Parisiens began to returne to their old waywardnesse The Regent hauing worke for both hands incounters his enemie in field by force and in the Citty by eloquence He pacifies the Parisiens being discontented causing the people to assemble at the Creue sitting vpon that crosse which we see at this day his tongue preuailed more then his souldiers armes wherof we obserue no great successe but his eloquence was so happy as the people regarded it as an Oracle giuing him the title of wise hauing ioyned a wise carriage to his admirable eloquence as appeares in those goodly discourses Three yeares passed thus during the imprisonment of our King Iohn whom it is now time to visit in England Edward had caused Iohn to be conducted from London to the Castle of Windsore with his sonne Philip. Conditions for the Kings deliuery not granted There he propounded vnto him new conditions of peace not so rigorous as the former but yet so hard as beeing deliuered to the Regent and by him to the Estates then assembled at Paris all the Kings good subiects though very desirous to redeeme him did not allowe thereof for that they did import the honour of the King and realme too much making too preiudiciall a breach in the soueraignty The extremityes were notable in the Kings languishing being a prisoner and the present war The resolution of the Parliament but least they should suffer al to run to ruine in so great a suspence of affaires the Estates resolue to comfort the King by aduice to attend an other time for his liberty and to labour by all meanes to maintaine the warres The Prouinces did their best endeauours to furnish money for this necessity and euen Paris promised to maintaine 600. Lances 400. Archers and a thousand Corselets that is 1000. foote armed with Brigandines a kind of armour then much vsed Preparation to defend the Realme The Nobilitye notwithstanding their priuileges offered to contribute towards the charges and restored the orders for martial affaires in a manner forgotten through the indulgency of our kings 1359. The clergie shewed a notable zeale and all those officers which had managed the publike treasor made a great extraordinary summe of mony by meanes whereof they were discharged froÌ further accoÌpts and the realme
a strong garde and is conducted to Calis attending the money ãâã the first pawne of his libertie The Regent his sonne labours earnestly the ãâã of Paris did contribute willingly a hundred thousand Royals and after their example all other citties paied their portions Of such power is our head cittie both to ãâã good and euill so by this ende they made amends for all former errors The money is brought to S. Omer whether the Regent comes to see the deliuerie Edward returnes to Calis he is wonderfull kinde to Iohn The two Kings sweare a mutuâll league of friendship and they sweare a league of friendship and comprehended Charles King of ãâã being absent in this peace his brother Philip vndertaking for him to the end that all quarrels might be troden vnder foote and all men liue in peace vnitie and concord So Iohn being set at libertie after a languishing imprisonment foure yeares take his ãâã of Edward with all the shewes of loue that might be betwixt brethren and ãâã friends Being parted f om Calis he findes his sonne Charles comming to meete him with a great and stately traine I cannot well expresse the ioy of this first encounter this good King imbracing his sonne as his redeemer with ioy mixt with teares and full of fatherly affection with the content of his sweete recouered libertie seeing himselfe in his ãâã armes who had giuen him so many testimonies of his faithfull loue in his necessitie ãâã in the middest of his subiects with his first authoritie depending no more vpon anothers will King Iohn receiued by his sonne with great ioy And contrariwise what ioy was it for this wise sonne to enjoy his father so precious a gage of the authoritie order and obedience of a State and a great discharge for him of this painfull burthen Thus discoursing of what had bin done during his imprisonment and of what was to be done they arriue at Heâin whether not onely the whole countrie repaires ãâ¦ã the Deputies of Paris and of all the prouinces of the Realme to congratulate their good Kings deliuerie where he disposeth of the gouernment of his house The King of Nauarre meetes him at Compiegne hauing fiâst sent back his hostages to shew that he relyed onely on his word put himselfe into his power Thus passeth the world after a storme comes a calme 1361. King Iohn made his entrie into Paris with this goodly traine being receiued with an incredible ioy of all his subiects The Kings reception into Paris The Parisiens going to kisse his hands offer him their hearts with a goodly cubberd of Plate worth a thousand markes for homage of their fidelitie and obedience The Parliament had surceased aboue a whole yeare Iohn for the first fruits of his recouered authoritie would honour the opening of the court with his presence being set in the seat of Iustice in the midst of all his officers to the incredible content of all men who beheld the cheerefull countenance of this Prince like the Sunne beames after a troubled skie Such was the returne of King Iohn into his realme after his imprisonment as the catastrophe of a Comedie in the which after mourning they reioyce This happened in the beginning of the yeare 1361. Some moneths were spent in these publike ioyes but they must seeke to get againe his hostages in the effecting whereof they found many difficulties for neither the priuate Lords whose homage he had bound to the King of England nor the countries whose Soueraignties he had yeelded by this accord would obey They argue with the King in councell and demand an acte shewing Difficulties in the performance of the conditions of peace that the King cannot dispose of the soueraigntie of his realme nor alienate the reuenues of the crowne Iohn on the other side fearing least Edward should reproche this vnto him as a practise betwixt him and his subiects made them sundry commandements to obey He went to Auignon to visit Pope Innocent who dyed at this time and Vrban the sixt succeeded in his place both Limosins To hansell Iohns recouered libertie and to ease his minde afflicted with long imprisonment Vrban exhorts him to vndertake the voyage of the holy land as generall of the action Iohn promiseth the Pope to goe with an armie Iohn not remembring the examples of Kings his Predecessors Lewis the 7. 9. nor apprehending the present burthen of his great affaires nor the danger of so mighty and watchfull an enemie who had so long and with so great paine kept him prisoner accepts the charge and makes a solemne promisse and to hasten the execution thereof he returnes into England Some saye the loue of the Countesse of Salisbury whose husband had the garde of the King being a prisoner was the principall motiue of his returne The which I cannot beleeue vpon the report of the English being vnlikely that his age his aflictions his great affaires and the voyage wherevnto he prepared should suffer this Prince to follow so vnseasonable a vanitie But whatsoeuer moued him therevnto he dyed there leauing his life in England where he had so long languished as a presage of his death Thus Iohn died in England in the yeare 1364. the 8. of Aprill Iohn dies in England His dispositioÌ leauing Charles his eldest sonne heire to the Crowne of France A good man he was but an vnfortunate Prince wise in ordinarie things but ill aduised in great affaires iust to all men but not warie how or whom he trusted in matters of consequence temperate in priuate but too violent in publick To conclude a good Prince but not considerate more fit to obey then to command Truely these heroicke vertues are the proper Iewels of Crownes and wisdome is a companion to the most excellent vertues especially in Princes who are aduanced vpon the Theater of manslife to gouerne the rest We haue noted that Bourgogne had beene giuen to Robert the grand-child of Hugh Capet for his portion A little before the deceasse of King Iohn Bourgogne annexed vnto the Crowne it was vnited to the Crowne of France by the death of Duke Philip a young man of the age of fifteene yeare sonne to that Iohn which dyed in the battaile of Poitiers He was betrothed to the heire of Flanders but both the Duchie and the Daughter were for another Philip the sonne of Iohn to whom the father gaue this new succession in recompence of the faithfull seruice he had done him the day of his taking and had continued it in prison CHARLES the 5. called the Wise the 52. King of France CHARLES THE V. KINGE OF FRANCE .52 THis Charles during the life of his father Iohn had giuen so many testimonies of his sufficiencie to gouerne well 1364. that he was held for King before he tooke the crowne Charles his raigne the which he receiued at Rheine
the 19. of May 1364. hauing before his coronation prouided honorablie for his fathers funeralles He raigned sixteene yeares being called and knowne by the name of Wise. In his youth he did taste the bitter rootes and in his age the sweet fruites of vertue His manners beloued honoured feared and respected both of his owne subiects and of strangers A deuout Prince wise temperate chast vigilant louing Iustice order and the people indued with as great authoritie as any Prince that euer raigned ouer this Monarchie accompanied with other vertues fit for those tâmes to preserue a state the which had more need of councell then of force too venturously hazarded by his grand father and father He was well assisted by the Princes of his bloud and the officers of the crowne very wished worthy aduantages for a King who being the head of an estate ought to be well serued by the principall members to guide and gouerne the whole body We haue said that he had three brethren Lewis Duke of Aniou Iohn Duke of Berry Philip Earle of Tourraine to whom according to his fathers testament he resigned the Duchie of Bourgongne with a mariage of great aduancement He gaue to Lewis the Duchie of Orleans Charles augments his bretherens portions and to Iohn he gaue Auuergne Poitou and Xaintonge besides Berry for his portion and Languedoc for his gouernment He was likewise well serued for Militarie causes by Bertrand of Gueselin a Britton an excellent Captaine whom he honoured with the dignitie of Constable in the place of Maurel de Fiennes hauing deposed him for sundrie crimes and for affaires of state he had Iohn Dormans Bishop of Beauuais and Chancellor of France in the end Cardinall whom his brother succeeded in the same charge With these helpes of councell and force he soone restored the realme being dismembred by the strange confusions of the forepassed raignes In his youth during these former broâes he was poisoned by the practises of the Nauarrois of whom we haue so often spoken This was preuented by counterpoysons yet left it a great infirmitie in his bodie the which forced him to a quiet life more profitable both for himselfe and his whole Realme then if he had beene a man of action 1364. for he dispatched affaires in his Closset without danger and incountred his enemies with a happie successe In the beginning of his raigne Charles his marriage and his children he married with Ioane the daughter of Charles Duke of Bourbon a Princesse of excellent beautie the which he preferred before the great wealth of the heire of Flanders and the benefit of his owne realme he had three sonnes and one daughter In the former raigne there was nothing but warre desolation teares cryes lamentations despaire and generally the mournfull image of death After these long and insupportable calamities the wisdom of Charles reducing things to their first beginning by his happy dexteritie gaue France a new forme like vnto a man who hauing a long dangerous sicknesse recouers himselfe by carefull keeping But there remained an infinit number of men accustomed to liue dissolutely through the licentiousnesse of the warre the which if he had sought to reforme by any good order it had bred some tumult in the State according to the violent and head-strong or restlesse humour of the French who must be doing at home if they be not imployed abroad The Eâglish prouided worke for these warriers in Brittaine in Flanders in the heart of France and in Castille but the wisdome of Charles preuented all I will note what happened rather according to the subiect then the order of times for that the matters are so confused as I cannot represent the dates distinctly without repetition and tediousnesse Brittaine was the first list to trie our men of warre there might they make warre without breach of tâuce and the quarrell betwixt Charles of Blois and Iohn of Montfort continued more violent then before for that Iohn of Montfort had married the daughter of the King of England and Lewis Duke of Aniou the daughter of Charles of Blois who imbraced and inkindled their pâiuate quarrels by these new occasions Bertrand of Gueselin a Gentleman of Brittanie of whom we haue before made mention had done the King good seruice during the warre with the Nauarrois Warre in Brittaine Charles relying vpon his fidelitie and valour giues him the charge of the warre to assist Charles of Blois being old and broken who was pressed by the enemie being supported with forces from England Gueselin being arriued the Nobilitie of Brittanie which were of Charles his faction repaire vnto him to the number of 1500. lances The Historie names the houses Rohân Lâual Leon Dinan Rieux Chasâeau-Briand Tourne-mire Raiz Malestroit Quintin Auaâgour Loheâc Ancenis Pont and many others This notable occasion was ministred to imploy these forces seeing that Ioane the heire the Dutchesse of Brittanie would not end this controuersie by composition as her husband Charles of Blois desired Iohn of Montfort beâieged the Castell of Aulroy well defended by the contrary faction Iohn Chandos an Englishman a wise and well experienced Captaine commanded the English troupes He had an aduersarie in front no lesse valiant then himselfe Gueselin who âought for his countrie and the despaire of Charles of Blois much grieued with the t0ediousnesse of so painfull a processe The French English fight in Brittanie was a new spurre to animate him to fight They ioyne with their troupes the encounter is furious well charged well defended The two commanders made great proofe of their valours Gueselin Clisson are noted to haue omitted nothing of their duties but God who holds victories in his hand gaue it to Iohn of Montfort and the English armie The ouerthrow was great The French army defeated for Charles of Blois the head of the armie with Iohn his bastard brother the Lords of Dinan Auaugour Loheac Malestroit Pont Quergourlay and many others were slaine the Lords of Rohan Leon Raiz Mauny Tonerre Rouille Frainuille Reneuall and Rochfort were taken prisoners and so were Iohn and Guy the sonnes of Charles of Blois with Bertrand of Gueselin the which did greatly preiudice our Kings reputation The place of battaile the ensignes and the dead bodies remained in the power of Iohn of Montfort who sent the body of Charles of Blois with an honorable conuoy to his widow The Castel of Aulroy the cause of this battaile yeeld to the conquerour This hapned the 29. day of September .1364 This great defeat tâoubled Charles as a thing beyond his expectation Iohn of Montfort sends his ambassadors beseeching him as his Soueraigne to receiue homage of him and his ãâã the Duchie of Brittanie wonne by rightfull armes by the defeat of his enemie as God adiudging vnto him this right and possession 1365. Charles imbraceth this occasion he assignes him a day for the performance thereof and to do right and iustice to both
parties being hard the widow of Charles of Blois being called King Charles reconciles the pâeâendants for Britâaine and the matter debated he reconciles them vpon these conditions That for the interest which Ioane pretended for her and hers to the Duchie of Brittaine she should haue the Earldome of âonthieure the Seigneuries of Auaugour Guello Gincamp Rochedorie Lauuton Chaââeaulin in Cornwaille Dualt Vhelgost and Rospreden to the value of twentie thousand Eures or franks of rent 2000 pound starling and if Iohn of Montfort died without lawfull heires the Duchie of Brittaine it should returne to Ioane and her issue male or female This accord drew Iohn of Montfort to Paris where hauing done his fealtie and homage as well for the Duchiâ Brittain as the Earldome of Montfort and other Lands hee had in France the widow of Charles of Blois ratified it by vertue of the decree Oliuer of Clisson at the same treatie was restored to the possession of all his Lands forfaited when his father was beheaded as we haue saied He shal be Constable and shall giue vs good cause to speake of his life This accord was made in the Towne of Guerande in the yeare .1365 but it continued not long for Lewis of Aniou the Kings brother sonne in lawe to the Duchesse of Brittain was not pleased with this agreement whereby he saied he was greatly wronged Iohn of Montfort distrusting King Charles had his recourse to the King of England to whome he went in person to require ayde against the forces which he pretended would come against him The warre reuiued in Brittanie leauing Robert Knowles an Englishman in Brittaine who not attendâng Iohns returne began to make warre vpon the French with all violence Charles being pressed both by the Duches Ioane and by Lewis of Aniou his brother declares Iohn guiltie of high Treason for that he had broken the accord would noâ appeare vpon sundry summons dayly made vnto him So the warre began againe the successe whereof we wil note heere after Thus there passed six or seauen yeares with varietie of accidents in Brittaine In Fâanders Whilest that Brittaine was thus shaken with sundrie stormes Flanders was not without trouble by the accustomed practises of the English Lewis Earle of Flanders sonne to that Lewis which was slaine at the Battaile of Crecy had one only daughter named Marguerite who remayning heire of this great and rich estate was the Lâuaine of the antient iealousie betwixt the two Kings Charles and Edward striuing who should haue her The Citties of Flanders of greatest power in this purâute held stoutly for the Engliââ Conâe Lewis father to the maide was in suspence feaâing both the English and the Freâch for diuers respects and yet hee loued the first and feared the last But in the end by the meanes of Marguerite of Arthois mother to the Earle a marriage was concluded in fauour of Philip the hardy brother to Charles King of France to Edwards great griefe both father and son who in disdaine of this refusal sought al meanes to breed new troubles in France The treatie of Bretigny ministred a newe subiect and apparent cause of discontent to the King of England who complayned that hee had beene deceiued by Charles vnder a shewe of faithfulnesse hauing restored vnto him all his hostages receyuing onely the sommes promised for the ransome leauying vpon his simple word the reuenues of those Seigneuries granted him by the treatie The cause of new warre ãâ¦ã and ânââand Charles had retyred all his hostages in good time paying readie money and making knowne vnto Edward the sundrie charges he had giuen to the Countries and places comprehended in the treatie to yeeld them selues whollie into his power he likewise signified vnto him his subiects answers who in the beginning excused themselues ciuilly by honest delayes but in the ende the generall Estats giue Charles to vnderstand That the question being for the generall interest of the States they were not to bee forced to yeeld to an vnlawfull action directly contrarie to the fundamentall lawe of the realme which suffers not the King to preiudice the Crowne nor to alienate the reuenues thereof which were not to be alienated That tâis accord made in prison for the Kings redemption was forced and so by consequence vneiuill and not to be allowed by the Lawe of nations The effects followed this resolution with such an obstinacie of the Countries Citties Noble men which were charged by this treatie to yeeld as they protest freely to Chârles that they wil willingly spend goods liues rather then fal into the king of Englands hands coÌtrariwise wold imploy al their meanes to liue vnder the subiectioÌ of the king of Fraâce This faithâull constancie of the interessed subiects must needs be pleasing vnto Charles 1366. but to that he himselfe had made this treatie his honouâ was greatly ingaged the which he must ãâã by good and auaylable reasons and make it ânowne vnto all Europe who haâ tâeir eyes fixed vpon these two Princes playing their parts vpon so famous a Theater ãâã complaines by a sollemne Ambassage to the Emperour Charles the fourth ãâ¦ã the paines to come into France The Emperor seâkes to reconcile theiâ two Kings with an intent to imploy his authoritie and ãâã to reconcile these two Princes but it was in vaine The cause of this fruitlesse ãâã pâoceeded from Edward being resolute to haue his part tryed by armes being ãâ¦ã by his victorious successe in the former raignes Chârles âad alwayes protested to obserue the treatie of âretigny inuiolable But hauing ãâã the geneâall resolution of the States and of the countries and Noblemen ãâã bâ the said treatie he resolues to protect them and hauing excused himselfe both to the Emperour and forraine Princes by a publike declaration he sends a Gentleâââ ãâã Bââussâ called Chapponeau to the Prince of Wales being at Bourdeaux summoning ãâã to appeare before him at Paris Câarlâs proclaimes waââe against the Kinâ of Eâââlând at the instance of the Nobilitie and commons of ãâã complaining of him He also sent a Herald to the King of England to proclaime wârrâ against him The Earle of Armagnac the Lord of Albret who had newly maried ãâ¦ã Boârbon and by this alliance was become French the Earles of Perigort Cominââ and Carmaâ the Lords of Barde Condon Pincornet Pardaillan and Agenois began ãâ¦ã against the King of England followed by all those Prouinces protesting ãâã the crowne of France At ãâã example all the Townes of the Countie of Ponthieure yeelded to Guy Earle of ãâã and to ãâã of Chastillon Maister of the Crosbowes Then the Kings armies marche ãâã parts vnder the commands of the Dukes of Aniou and Berry the Constable ãâã to whose wisedome especially to the Chancellor Dourmans The successe oâ the Frânââ armie in Gââânne they attribââe the obedience of the people of Guienne discreetly practised by them Limoges and
vertue Philip of Arteuille their leader was slaine he was found breathing among the dead carcases whom the King commanded to be hanged and so he had the reward of his imagined Empire This double euent may serue as a lesson both for great and small for great men in the Earles person for small in that of this Tribun For the first to command well for the others to obey well and forall not to passe the bounds of their duties God punishing the great for their tiranny and crueltie and the lesser for their disobedience dangerous plagues of mankinde the which cannoâ stand but by order and authoritie well gouerned and well applied They calâthâs ouerthrow the battaile of Rosebecqâe which chanced in the yeare 1582. in December it was the more remarkable for that the vanquished had soone their reuenge Charles thus victorious could not manage his victorie for in steed of surprising the Gantois in this amazement he lingers too long at Courtray to seeke out the remainder of those miserable mutynous which remayned in this defeate whereas in pardoning the vanquished the victor getts a double victoây This place also being infamous by a great ouerthrowe which chanced in the yeare 1312. mooued him to choler for that this ill aduised people to noaâe the memory of that day did ceâebrate a âollemne feast yearely An vnworthy reuenge taken by King Charles and had reserued fiue hundred paâer of gilt spures which they had taken from the French in that battaile Charles was so transported with the memorie of this audacious indignitie as he caused this poore Towne to be burnt An vnworthie reuenge of so great a monarke who should hold it the greatest reuenge vpon his enemies to pardon when he may reuenge The Duke of Bourgongne in all this confusâon did not forget to seeke for goodly mouables whereof there was abundance He carried away that goodly clock and that exquisite tapistry which is now at Dyion in the Kings house The Gantois seeing their ruine flie to Richard King of England The Gantois flie to England for succore they choose Francis Artremân one of their Cittizens for their head and renue the league of white caps more obstinatly then before being resolued to die rather then to trust their Earle to whome they imputed the cause of all their miseries the which had continued fiue yeares and deuoured two hundred thousand men So fatall are ciuill dissentions betwixt the Lord and his subiects Lewis their Earle hauing labored to settle his affaires both by the French and English against the Gantois fealing daylie the inconueniences of this rebellious people as thornes in his sides fell into such a melancholie as hee died Leauing his whole estate much troubled to his sonne-in-lawe Philip Duke of Bourgongne who beeing faâre ingaged in his Father-in-Lawes quarrell was nothing pleasing to this his people The warâe was reuiued both by practises of the English and by meanes of Artreman the head of that faction who hauing tasted the sweete of popular commaund desired nothing more then to maintayne this diuision but there fell out a sodaine accident which pacified all this great trouble as a little raine doth a great winde Two Cittizens of Gand whose names deserued well to be registred in this historie discoursing one day of their common miseries A strange meane to pacifie Gand. and noating the true causes of these calamities within their Cittie as feeling the wound they sought the meanes to cure it the which had continued so long and cost their miserable Countrie so deere The Kings pleasure and the Duke of Bourgongnes must be knowne they were not ignorant of the peoples humour being verie weaâie of so many miseries Their enterprise was not without exceeding danger by the absolute authoritie of three or fower who had most credit with the people being susceptible of any mischiefe when they are thrust forward with a shewe of good It was requisite in the managing of so important a busines to vse wisdome and silence vntill the foundation were well layed and for the execution thereof there needed one which had both credit and authoritie with both parties The God of peace presented one vnto them which gouerned this action discreetly Iohn Delle a gentleman of Gand but bred vp in the Court of France He that seekes peace finds it This Delle goes to the King and Duke of Bourgongne hee layes open his dessâine and is well entertayned He returnes with a good answer both by letters of credit and priuate instructions to the Gantois At his returne the matter is so well furthered by those two Cittizens who were in great reputation with the people as without the priuitie of Artreman or the English Negotiators the banner of Flanders the signall of their popular power is sollemnly planted in the great market place Al the people flocke thether where hauing signified vnto the chiefe Magistrats that they would haue peace and obey the Duke of Bourgongne their Prince Deputies are appointed with power to negotiate conclude a peace with him This was effected after a long confusion to the content both of the Earle and Flemings Of a light beginning God performes a great worke when it pleaseth him Thus the Duke of Bourgongne pacified Flanders in the yeare .1384 when as he feared greatest tumults by meanes of some seditious persons to whose great griefe a peace was proclaymed throughout al the Estaâs of Flanders ãâã in Flanââââ which gaue an incredible content to all the people after so manie miseries Nowe King Charles grewe great and although he were but sixteene yeares of age yet was he desiroâs to marry The Duke of Aniou his Vncle according to the aduice which King Charles the wise had gâuen on his death bed thought good to seeke him out a marriage in Germanie in the house of Bauiere to counterballance the credit of the Emperour Wânceslaus no friend to the house of France what shewe soeuer he made He therefore marrieth with Isabel the daughter of Stephen Duke of Bauiere a Princesse from whom they expected much good but shee brought infinit troubles to France as we shal see hereafter Thus mans wisdome is deceyued when as hee hopes for best that God might bee knowen for the author of al good both in the family and State This imperious Proserpina verâfied the prouerbe That a woman raiseth or ruines a house She had almost ouerthrowne the State But shortly there shal an Italian woman be ioyned to this Germain to augment the confusions of this raigne reasonable good in the beginning but verie miserable in the ende This yeare likewise concluded a peace in Brittain after many troubles Iohn of Montfort hauing renued his homage to the King and sworne fealtie which shall not long continue to the great preiudice of the King and his realme The truce was continued in shewe betwixt France and England but with no more loue of the two Kings then betwixt capitall enimies who sought to annoye
the bridge to be fortified with three turnepikes to stoppe their free entrance into the Towne whether the Bourguignon must come by dutie vnto the Daulphin This succeeded according to his desseine but it carried the shewe of an enemie The Bourguignon sends three gentlemen of his houshold to the Daulphin Thoulongâââ Ernoy and Soubretier to aduertise him of his comming They giue him notice of the two barricadoes made vpon the Bridge and wish him not to aduenture Hauing referred it to his Counsell all beeing on horsebacke he resolues in the ende to passe onâ he lights at the Castle where his lodging was assigned and setts his gardes at the entry of the gate towards the Towne Hereupon Tanneguy of Chastell come vnto him who after a due reuerence saluted him from the Daulphin saying that he attended him at the bridge foote at the towne gate Then Iohn of Bourgongne hauing chosen out ten of his most trusty followers Charles of Bourbon the Lords of Nouaille Fribourg S. George Montagu Vergy ãâã Pontauillier Lens Giaâ and his Secretarie Seguinat hee approcheth to the first barre where he inco unters with som from our Charles who intreat him to enter vpon their maisters word and assure him by oath Before he enters as if his heart had foretold his harme he stayes sodainely and askes aduice of his company who incouâaging him to passe on he enters the second barre the which was presently lockt and then he caused some to go before him and some behind he remaining in the midest Tanneguy of Chastell comes to receiue him and the Duke laying his hand vppon ãâã shoulder very familiarly This is he saies the Duke in whom I trust I will conclude this bloudy Catastrophe with the very words of the Originall And so he approched ãâã vnto the Daulphin who stood all armed with his sword by his side leaning on a barre Before whom he kneeled with one knee on the ground to do him honour and reuerence saluting âim most humbly Whereat the Daulphin answered nothing making him no shewe of loue ãâã charged him with breach of his promise The Daulphin causeth Iohn of Bourgongne to be slaine for that he had not caused the war to cease nor drawn his men out off garrison as he had promised Then Robert de Loire tooke him by the right armâ and said Rise you are but too honourable The Duke hauing one knee on the ground and his sword about him which hong not to his minde somewhat too farre backe kneeling downe he laid his hand on his sword to pull it forward for his ease Robert said vnto him doe you lay your hand vppon your sword before my Lord the Daulphin At which ãâã Tanneguy of Chastell drew neere vnto him on the other side who making a signe saiâ It is time striking the Duke with a little axe so violently on the face as he cut oâf his chinne and so he fell on his knees The Duke feeling himselfe thus wounded layde his hand on his sword to draw it thinking to rise and defend himselfe but hee was presently charged by Tanneguy and others and beaten dead to the ground And sodainely one named Oliuer Layet with the helpe of Peter Fortier thrusts a sword into his belly vnder his coate of Maile Whilest this was doing the Lord of Nouailles drewe his sword halfe out thinking to defend the Duke but the Vicont of Narbonne held a dagger thinking to striâe him Nouailles leaping forceably to the Vicount wrested the dagger from him being so sore hurt in the hinder part of the head as he fell downe dead Whilest this was acting the Daulphin leaning on the barr beholding this strange sight retyred backe as one amazed and was presently conducted to his lodging by Iohn Louuet and other his councellers All the rest were taken except Montagu who leaped ouer the turnepike and gaue the Alarum There were ãâ¦ã vpon the place but Iohn Duke of Bourgongne and Nouailles S. George and a Aâcre were hurt The Dukes men charged home vnto the turnepike but they were eâsily repulsed His troupes retyring to Bray are pursued by the Daulphinois with losse and in the ende the castle is abandoned by him that had it in gaâd The Dukes body stript off al but his Doublet and Bootes is drawne into a Mill and the next daye buried This happened the tenth of September in the yeare 1419. Behold the ende of Iohn Duke of Bourgongne Seeing then this murther troubled the Daulphin who had caused it to be committed what stonie heart would not be amazed thereat Truly the breach of faith is vnexcusable howsoeuer it be disguised for as faith is the ground of humane society so doth it extend euen vnto enimies with whom it must be inuiolably kept This blowe shall be deere to Charles Through this hole the enimye shall enter so farre into the Realme as he shall put him in danger and in the ende he shall be forced to confesse his fault not able to excuse himselfe without accusing of his councellours But from vniust man let vs ascend to the wisedome of that great Iudge of the world who is alwaies iust The Oracle cries He that strikes with the sword shall perish with the sword and The disloyall to the disloyall They loued misery and misery found them out And wise antiquity saies God punisheth great wickednes with great paines euen in this life And Hardly can tyrants descend into the graue with a dry death that is without blood or murther Oh iustice of God alwaies iust alwaies wise and alwaies good Thy iudgements are righteous O Lord. I condemne the errour of men yet I held my peace Bloud punished with bloud because thou dâdest it Draw the curten Iohn of Bourgongne hath played his part vpon this Theater He had slaine the the Duke of Orleans traitorously and now he wallowes in his owne goare being treacherously slaine by the Daulphin Charles Now let vs see the care his son Philip Earle of Charolois had to be reuenged of Charles for this cruell murther but all is not yet ended The Catastrophe of this miserable raigne Philip sonne to Iohn Duke of Bourgongne stirres vp great troubles against Charles the Daulphin in reuenge of his fathers death BY whose meanes Isabell an vnkinde mother makes warre against Charles her sonne and peace with Henry the fift King of England then a capitall enemy to the state She giues him her daughter Katherine in marriage and procures King Charles the 6. her husband to declare Henry his lawfull heire and to dis-inherit his only sonne Charles the 7. from the realme of France 1420. During these occurrents Henry the 5. and Charles the 6. die leauing the Crowne of France in question betwixt Charles the 7. and Henry the 6. proclaimed King of France at the funeralles of Charles the 6. From the yeare 1419. to the yeare 1422. AFter this tragicall and strange murther of Iohn of Bourgongne Philip his sonne Duke of Bourgongne by his decease seekes
restore this estate was not amazed nor daunted but hauing commonly in his mouth this Oracle We must haue God and reason on our side He hath recourse vnto God and falles couragiously to worke Hee flies to Rocheâl to assure it vnder his obedience Beeing in the Towne there happens a notable accident as he was in councell a part of the chamber sunke and Iames of Bourbon with diuer others were slaine in this ruine The King was but hurt From this danger he passeth on to the chiefe of his affaires He sends into Scotland Milan and Castile to summon his friends to succour him who speedily will send him notable aides He prouides for all the passages vnder his obedience He assures himselfe of Languedoc from whence hedrew his chiefe helpes by the Earle of Clermont from Daulphné by the Lord of Gaucourt from Lions Lyonnois Forrest Beauieâlois and Mâsconois by Imbert of ãâã Seneshall of Lions from Gascogne and other countries of high Guienne where he was acknowledged by the Vicont of Narbonne and the maister of Oruall He sendeâ Iames of Harcourt into Picardy accompanied with Pothon of Xintrailles or S. Treille Stephen Vignoles called la Hire the flower of his captaines And likewise the Bourguignon sent thither the greatest part of his forces Ambrose de Lore goes into Maine âârcâe Pregene of Coitiuy into Champagne The Earle of Dunois a bastard of the house of Oâleâns â keepes Orleans The townes lying vpon the riuer of Loire aboue beneath Orleans âere vnder the obedience of the French La Charité Gyan Iargeau Meung Baugency ãâã Amboâsâ Tours Samour diuerse small townes in Beausse La Ferâé of âaules Ianuille Esâernây Pluuiers And in the countries of Gastenois Vrepois Montargis Chastillon Millâ Neerer vnto Paris Mont-lehery Orsay Marcoussy very strong places then but now desolate kept Paris in alarme Thus the Cardes were shufled but the English had the better part keeping the great citties and the Kings purse and as the stronger he begins the game which had this issue for the remainder of that yeare The English besiege and take Bazas and the French ãâã in Meulan vpoÌ Seine with great slaughter of the English but the Duke of Bedford loth to indure suce a thorne in the sides of Paris doth presently besiege it Charles sends theÌ succors vnder the command of the Earle of Aumale the Constable Boucqham Tanneguv of Chastel Too many coÌmanders to do any great exploit Iealousie of command bred âuch a confusion as all these troupes marched in disorder no man acknowledging but his priuate coÌmander Herevpon the English army arriues who had an eâsie coÌquest of these disordered troupes then Meulan yeelds to the Duke of Bedford The sharpnes of winter could not temper the heat of these warriours as the fortune of the warre is variable one wins another looseth Ambrose de Lore Iohn of Bâlây thinking to take Fresnoy le Conte lost a notable troupe of their men The Lord of Fontaines hath his reuenge vpon the English defeates eight hundred of them at Neaâuille and Iohn of Luxembourg a Bourguignon defeates the Lords of Camâsches and Amaulry with their troupes The Earle of Salisbury takes the Townes of Vertus and Espeânay and the strong places of Montaguillon and Osny neere vnto Paris The composition is strange the souldiers yeelding at the Regents discretion are brought to Paris bare-headed halters about their necks and swords at their breasts This miserable troupe thus tyed and ledde in triumph passeth through S. Iames street to go to the Tournelles where the Regent was lodged and from thence to bee drawne to the place of execution if the Duchesse of Bedford moued with the pitty of a French woman at so pittifull a spectacle had not begged the liues of these poore condemned men of hir husband Thus that yeare passed wherein Charles the 6. and Henry the 5 died but God to restore our Monarchie beganne in the same yeare to lay a leuaine against the attempts of Strangers The cause of diuision betwixt the Dukes of Bedford and Bourgongne who sought to ruine it Iaqueline of Bauiere Countesse of Hainault and Holland the onely heire of those two states had married with Iohn Duke of Brabant who by a blind and ambitious auarice gaue her selfe to Humfry Duke of Glocester vncle to the King of England and married with him reiecting her lawfull husband Her excuse was that the Brabantin was her cousin germaine but this shal be a meanes to dissolue the alliance so cunningly conioined by the dukes of Bedford Bourgongne Charles hath diuers losses who shall breake vpon this occasion The yeare begins while that losses came by heaps vpon Charles as the current of an vnauoidable ruine whatsoeuer he vndertooke succeeded not Iames of Harcourt was Gouernour of Picardy placed there ouer some remainders of the ship wrack of that country In Picardie he surpriseth Dommart in Ponthieu from the Bourguignon and spoiles the neighbour Abbaies and the country Hauing ruined these poore disarmed men he is charged by Ralfe Butler an English Captaine looseth all his conquest and escapes hardly with his life sees Crotoy taken before his face the chiefe dungeon of his desseines Rue S. Valery and in the ende the goodly Cittie of Abbeuille sufficient to sâay the English forces if it had bin garded by good men After these shamfull losses he comes to Charles to excuse himselfe hee pardons him but GOD made him soone paye the interest of his thefts beeing the cause of his owne ruine Hauing no place of aboad he retires to Parthenay to his vncle who entertained him courteously but Harcourt not content with this kind vsage would be maister of the Castle his practise fell vppon his owne head beeing slaine by the gardes suffring the punishment of his treachery as he had done of his couetousnesse cowardise A lesson for bad seruants to their Princes detestable either for their robberies or for their treacherous cowardises whom God payes in due season In Maine The entrance of this yeare was also infamous in two shamefull losses happened to two great Captaines To Ambrose of Lore who looseth the Castle of Tennuye in the country of Maine and to Oliuer of Magny beaten by the English at the Bishops parke nere Auranches but from small accidents we must come to great actions Champagne was in no better case then Mayne In Champagne The Earle of Salisbury made warre with all violence against Pregent of Coytiuy who defended the Kings party the best he could but not able to beare so great a burthen he flies to Charles who sends him his Constable with forces Bourgongne the which were imployed both in an other cause and with other successe then hee had desseined for behold the towne of Creuant in Bourgongne situated vppon the riuer of Yonne vpon the frontiers of Champagne is surprised by the bastard of Baume for the King The Constable flies thither
violent death of Gyac of whome wee haue spoken hee had fauored Tremouille to plant him in the Kings good fauour But as Ambition hath neyther faith nor honestie Tremouille finding himselfe inward with the King retaynes all fauour for himselfe Newe troubles in Court by the Constable little esteeming both the Constable and the Princes Hee did onely associate vnto him in credit Prie and la Borde men of small accompt to vse them at his pleasure Iealousie mounts againe vpon the Stage the Princes Constable and cheefe officers of the Crowne in steede of taking counsell to pursue the good successe of Montargis they combine togither to worke their wills vpon Tremouille and his partisans as they had done vpon Gyac The plot was orderly layed 1427. Iames of Bourbon Earle of Clermont and Charâes of Bourbon Earle of Marche Princes of the Bloud become heads of this league against Tremouille and his companions The league is thus plotted Forasmuch as the King is gouerned by base people to the contempt of the Princes and officers of the Crowne and to the great oppression of the poore people the confederates meane to punish these Flaterers abusing the Kings name and authority and to approach neere vnto his maiestie to gouerne the affaires for the good of his seruice and the âase of France The execution must beginne with the seizure of Tremouille and continue with Prie and la Borde The Constable should take Tremouille and the Princes were to seize on the Citty of Bourges where Prie and la Borde were in the great Towre and so to punish them But this enterprise came to naught for Tremouille hauing intelligence of this desseine The King discontented with the Constable and the the Princes not only preserued himself but hauing perswaded the King that this complot was made against his owne person and authority it so troubled Charles as he came in person to Bourges and preuented the Princes entry and without any more disguising he was strangely incensed against the Constable as the author of these troubles and confusions forbidding the citties to receiue him The Constable notwithstanding smothered this disgrace and to shew the deuotion he had to the Kings seruice he goes to field gathers together a goodly troupe of Brittons and puts himselfe into Pontorson a Towne abandoned he fortifies it and mans it with a good garrison vnder the command of Monsieur de Rostrenan and Beaufort This doone he dismisseth his Brettons Pontorâon yeelds to the English The Earle of Warwicke watched all occasions to surprise the Towne when as behold these two gouernours minister a fit meanes for making a roade towarps Auranches they are both taken Warwicke marcheth presently to the walles of Pontorson with his army The Constable sends Bertrand of Dinan Marshall of Brittany speedily with great succours Yet the siege continues obstinately New supplies are sent them by the Duke of Brittaine the which were cut in peeces Pontorson beeing painefully parleed with in the ende yeelds to the English the besieged departing with bag and baggage But this was not the ende of this victory They threaten to enter iâto Brittaine the English armye increased both in number and courage by this happy successe and threatens Brittaine with fire and sword They prepare to enter Iohn Duke of Brittaine wearied with so many losses and fearing worse making no accompt of the succours of France to whom he was coldly affected takes part with the Duke of Bedford renounceth all other alliances promiseth to acknowledge the King of England for King of France The Britton leaues the allâânce of France and to take the oath of obedience such as his predecessors were accustomed to doe to the Kings of France Behold the great good which Brittaine brought to our country in her extremest afflictions after so many hopes and imbracings This yeare is painefull shamefull and confused but the forerunner of a worthy deliuerance Take courage then my countrimen in the remainders of this tempest We haue said that after that miserable battaile of Vernueil the towne of Mans yeelded to the English The inhabitants not able to beare the imperious command of the English resolue in the end to shake off that yoake For the effecting whereof they seize vpon a gate giuing intelligence thereof to the Lord of Oruall Mans surprised and the English cut in peeces brother to the Lord of Albret who happily arriues takes the Cittie and cuttes the English in peeces The Earle of Suffolke was within the Castell Talbot that renowmed Captaine was at Alençon he aduertiseth him of this surprise Talbot prepares his succours with such silence and flies thether with such speed as he arriues at Mans the third day after the surprize Our Frenchmen transported with ioy for so noble 2 conquest and fearing no enemy among so many enemies Man 's lost againe by the French Both politick and discontented slept securely in their beds after the French manner without feare or gard When as Talbot hauing entred the Citty by scaling surpriseth them in their beddes and killes them without resistance 1428. A notable example both to imitate and to flie to flie that through carelesnesse we suffer not our selues to be surprized like Swine It is the very terme wherewith the Historie doth blemish this brutish sloath To imitate not to hold any thing impossible when as resolution doth accompany him that hath any notable attempt in hand But this victorie stayes not at Mans the Earle of Suffolke with his braue Talbot goes to field they marche to Laual a Towne of importance vpon the confines of Aniou and Bretanie they take it easily by the onely terror of their victorious armes incountring no enemie to withstand them Domesticall confusions The whole Court was in confusion the Princes of the bloud and our Constable studie not to make warre against the English but against the Mignons It was their proiect as if the whole state depended vpon the Kings fauour who lost daily to the generall discontent of all the French So this yeare had nothing memorable but that our warriours had lost both iudgement courage and force that through their defects God might raise vp some extraordinarie meanes for the deliuerie of this Monarchie almost ruined Our Captaines then did some exploits taking Rochefort Bertan-court Ianuill Chasteau newf Puiset Toury Mompipeau Nogent le Retrou and Lude but what toyes were these in regarde of the stately triumphes of the English That which was most admirable this yeare amidst all these domesticall discontents Tournay yeelds to the French and all these ruines and desolations of the State which might well haue quailed the best affected those of the City of Tournay after long contentions in the end abandon both English and Bourguignon protesting sollemnly not to acknowledge any other King then Charles the 7. sonne to Charles the sixt as the true and lawfull King of Francâ and by consequence their lawfull Lord yet they made a truce
countenance who at his first approche winnes the bridge vpon the riuer The English are amazed especially when they see Matago who was somewhat retired from the body of their armie to succour at all euents take the way to Bayeux The Constable makes his profit of this flight who without pursuing them chargeth their dismayed Armie The victorie of Fourmigny against the English Thomas Tirell puts himselfe in defence with the fauour of the riuer the Orchards Gardens but the Constable commands some of his horsemen to leaue their horses The Earle of Clermont inuirons the enemie on the other side the English being charged of all sides feeling the waight of their blowes giue way leaue their armes and suffer themselues to be slaine and taken to mercy The courtesie of the French spaâed many in this ouerthrow The number of the dead there were more taken prisoners then wâre slaine They buried in three pits 3774. carcases by the report of the Heralds priests and good men that were there This losse did likewise bury all the conquests which the English had made in Normandy The commanders of the armie were prisoners Tirell Noâbery ârient Kirqueby Warberton Arpel Alengour Vaquier Calleuile and a great number of English Nobilitie armed with coates of armes all are lead to Charles with their Ensignes An honorable spoile to his triumph but a perpetuall ignominie both to the runners away that saued themselues and to the cowards that were taken prisoners This absolute victorie cost France but eight men to the end they might doe homage to the great God of armes and victories who by this memorable ouerthrow made the way for the restauration I read with ioy the warrant of the Originall And therefore wise men do say that the grace of God was the cause of the Frenchmens victorie and so by his diuine power the English were ouercome This victory was giuen vs from heauen the 19. of Aprill in the yeare 1450. and thankes were giuen vnto God throughout the realme A solemne procession was made at Paris of foureteene thousand young children from the age of seuen to ten yeares carefully chosen ouâ to the great content of the people going from S. Innocents to our Ladies Church All Normandie yeeldes to Câarles This notable victorie of Fourmigny did soone after cause the rest of Normandie to yeeld Vire yeelds by composition the which was granted to 400. Lances who might well haue contended for their liues Auranches stood the longer vpon termes through the resolution of fiue hundred voluntaries but in the end they departed with their liues onely and a whâte wand in their hands The strong Castell of Tombelaine garded by a hundred English yeelded two daies after Bayeux resolues to fight it out all prepare to armes After the ordinance had made a great breach and the mine ready to play Charles fearing the sacke of his subiects as well as of his enemies would not suffer his men to attempt so dangerous a matter and the souldiers on the other side crie out to be led vnto the breach But ân the end they march without command and are twise repulsed yet Matago being amazed at the furie of these desperate men demands a parle the which âs granted by Charles but he obtained life onely and a white wande for euery Souldier to some gentlemen of marke a horse and to poore families some carts to carry them A pitous spectacle to see foure hundred women carrying their children eyther in their armes or in their cradels leauing al their goods and mouables behind them and hardly carrying a poore clout for their greatest neede So Misery comes to him that spoiles for he shal be spoiled that makes an other weâpe for heeshall haue time to weepe Yet Charles caused this troupe of 900. men being disarmed to be safely conducted with the rest to Cââââbouâg a place which they had demanded for their retreate Bayeux being thus yeeââed the Kings army marcheth to Saint Sauueur le Viconte the which yeelds without batterie They had a good composition for the number of men of waâre that were ãâã being fiue or six hundred they grant them their liues and goods retyring to Cheâeâouâg Charles was loath to looose his men vnconstrayned âor that there remained yet ââme pââces of strength Caân a goodly and populous Citty was beseeged with great preparation The composition at Caân but to what ende should I consume time in the priuate report of assaults seeing we hast to the viââory A great peece of the wall being beaten downe and our men burning with desire to ãâã to this hnorable breach Robert de Vere being gouernor demands a parle he hâld the Castell being one of the goodlyest peeces in France with foure thousand soldiârs So by the commandement of Charles the Earle of Dunois yeelded them ãâã honorable composition to depart with bag and baggage and their armes except the artiâleââe the prisoners were set at libertie and all that the Cittizens might owe vnto the English âas discharged to the benefit of the debtâr All depart the fift of Iuly and are conducted in safety according to the accord and the King makes his entry two dayes after Falaize is beseeged in the meane time and yeelds the one and twentith of the same moneth Fifteene hundred English of their best soldiars obtayned a good composition to depart with bag and baggage Domfront garded by fiueteene hundred franke archers yeelds vpon the like composition the second of August following Cherebourg one of the strongest places of Europe in those dayes was the conclusion of that account and the crowning of this happie worke It was garded by .2000 desperat aduenturers who wonderfully greeued with so many misfortunes would be buried in the ashes of this last losse but Thomas Gomel gouernor of the place preuailed more tâân their obstinate resolution shewing that they had discharged their duties to their ãâã in being the last to fight But nature swayed most with Gomel for hauing his some prisoner with the King he would not loose himselfe with his sonne The accord was made absolute for his soldiars and his sonne and vpon this accord he leaues the ãâã and retires last into England to admonish Henry to prouide for Guienne âhere the whole burthen of the warre would fall So the 12 of August in the yeare .1450 Normandie one of the goodlyest and ãâã Prouinces belonging to this Crowne was reduced to the Kings obedience in a yeare and six dayes hauing remayned in the possession of the English thirty yeares and ãâã kept by them as it is a miraculous worke of God they were âo easily dispossessed ãâ¦ã Normandie let vs come to Guienne to finish the restoring of this Estate Guienne returnes to the Crowne of France GVienne had begon her last seats of armes by the taking of Cognac and Saint Maâgrin as we haue sayed whereas the wane continued coldly during that of Normandie But Charles after the happie conquest of this Prouince The
Bourgongne and intreats the King to forbeare in the excution of this charge Behold a sharpe touch which might easily open the Dukes eares to harken to these malcontents yet would he not enter but suffers the Earle his sonne to vse all his meanes for this effect beeing discontented for the gouernment of Normandie taken from him and his pension not payed for the redeeming the Townes vpon Somme and the aduancement of Croy in France Lewis discouers the League And although the passing and repassing of the Agents and factors of these Princes were very secretly performed by men disguised like religious men pilgrims beggars yet could they not worke so secretly but the King had intelligence that the Britton had sent to practise the loue and association of the King of England that by Iohn of Rommilli vice-chancellor of Briâtanie he had made a strict allyance with the Earle of Charolois a violent valiant Prince Thus the King sends the bastard of Rubempré a sea Captaine to surprise such as hee should finde passing out of Brittanie into England or from the Bourguignon to the Britton This bastand lands at La Haye in Holland hee enters the Towne with three in his company where then the Earle was resident Being examined of his quality and of the cause of his landing he makes some difficultie to discouer himselfe He is put in prison as a pirate sent saied they by Lewis to surprise the Earle trecherously and so to preuaile more easily with the Duke his father This brute was dispersed through the Countrie and made the King odious At the first report of these newes Philip being at Hedin dislodgeth without taking his leaue although he had promised not to depart without speaking againe to the King Lewis aduertised of the bastards detention sends the Earle of Eu the Chancellor Moruilliers and the Archbishop of Narbonne to Philip beeing at Lisle Ambassadors from Lewis to Philip. they accuse his son of treachery and infidelitie for that he had made a League with the Duke of Brittanie a friend and confederate with the English he complaines of the restraint of Rubempré his seruant and demands amends for words blowen giuen out against the Kings honour that the prisoner should be inlarged and for expiation of the crime that the authors of this slander should be deliuered into the Kings hands especiallie Oliuer de la Marche one of the chiefe in the Dukes Court to bee exemplarily punished The Chancellor who deliuered the speech being but a blunt man made it as bitter as he could and omitted nothing that might make the fact odious and criminall for the which he shall in time and place bee disauowed by the King and loose his office adding moreouer that he could not conceyue the cause of the Earles discontent if it were not for the pension and gouernment which the King had giuen him and since taken away Philip answers that Rubempré being charged with many crimes was iustly taken and in a Countrie where Lewis had no right If the informations did acquit him Philip answers to the Ambassadors he would send him to the King That la Marche was of the Country therfore the King not to be his coÌpetent Iudge yet if he had done or sayed any thing against the honor of his maiestie he would punish him to his liking Moruillier insists vrging that Philip should not deny the King and that he should command his sonne not to entertaine any bad conceite of his Maiestie nor beleeue the sclanders imposed vpon Rubempré The Duke replies That till then hee had neuer denyed the King anie thing and contrariwise the King had failed of his promise 1465. in that contrary to their transaction he had fortified the Townes redeemed with great garrisons the which he should haue inioyed during his life taking an oathe of the Nobility to carrie armes indiffereâtly against all he should command That if his sonne were iealous and distrustfull hee tooke it of his mother who had often suspected him to go to other Ladies not from him who suspected no man The Earle of Charolois toucht with the Chancellers speech would haue taken the defence of his honor and the Duke of Brittaines but Philip fearing least choller should transport him beyond reason commands him to prepare for the next day The night brings Counsel The Earle hauing considered well of his plea answers very respectiuely yet he maintaynes that the proces of Rubempre would shew that his imprisonment was both iust and duly made That hee had made an allyance and strict league with the Duke of Brittain being brothers in armes but their association did nothing preiudice the Kings seruice nor the good of his realme but rather their common forces should be alwaies ready for the preseruation of his crowne and the publicke good As for the losse of his gouernment and pension whereof he had neuer receyued but one quarter hee was nothing displeased that as for any welth and honours the fauour of the Duke his Lord and father did suffice him Thus the Ambassadors returne nothing to Lewis but threats from the Earle who charged the Archebishop of Narbânne particularly with this speech That within one yeare he would make the King repent the iniurious words he had caused his Chaunceller to giue him in the presence of the Duke his father And hauing spedily assembled a great armie out of Artois Henault Boullen Flanders Holland and Brabant consisting of foure thousand men at armes The warres of the Common weale and eight or nine thousand archers vnder the enseignes of Lewis of Luxembourg Earle of Saint Paul and afterwards Constable of France the Lord of Rauestin brother to the Duke of Cleues Anthonte bastard of Bourgongne Haut-bourdin bastard brother to the Earle of Saint Pol Contai and Lalain valiant and wise knights with many other Noblemen and gentlemen and great store of artillery and carriages hee enters into Picardie as Lieutenant generall to the Duke of Berry taking armes to releeue sayes he the people surcharged with taxes and subsidies The Earle of Câarolois enters Picardie and to recouer their ancient freedomes and liberties to restore the Nobilitie to their honors and ancient dignities and to gâue vnto the Clergie their rights and preheminences In truth these were goodly shewes able to perswade the credulous and to supplant the affections of the simple For the first fruits of his forces he takes Nesle a little Castell neere vnto Noyon in the which there was a garrison Roie He takes Nesle Roie and Mondâdâer Montdidâer Beaulieu and Pont Saint Maxence then hauing passed the riuers of Somme Oise he comes with little spoile of the Country to S. Denis where all the confederats should meete but they failed of their appointâenâ Hauing presented himselfe before Paris and skirmished at the gates with some losse to the Inhabitants supported onely by the companies of men at armes of Charles of Melun Baylife of Sens
confusion of the Duke of Bourgongne Let vs generally confesse that it is not now alone that God doth shew his singular grace and fauour to this Monarchie The Britton was watchfull and ioyntly with the Bourguignon they practised crosses of dangerous consequence The English from a generall demand of the Crowne of France restraine himselfe to the Duchie of Normandie oâ Guienne But a franke demander requires a bold denier Lewis protests that hee would doo any thing to send the King of England out of this realme but to yeeld him the possession of any lands hee will rather put all to hazard Hee had a goodly and mighty army which they esteemed saith the Originall a hundred thousand fighting men and in shew might doo much the English being in bad termes with the Bourguignon But the quietest course is the best and both being willing to agree an accorde is soone made In the end the King graunts the English three-score and twelue thousand Crownes present paiment Paris lent the money vpon promises of restâtution by the feast of All Saints next following Articles of agreemeÌt with the English the marâiage of Charles with the eldest daughter of King Edward both being yet very young neither shall it take effect and for the estate of her house the Duchie of Guienne or fiftie thousand Crownes yearely payable in the Tower of London for nine yeares following at the end whereof hee and his wife quietly to enioy the reuenues of the sayd Duchie and the King should remaine discharged of the payment of 50000 Crownes to King Edward Moreouer the King promised sixteene thousand Crownes pension to some of Edwards fauorites who had much assisted in this reconciliation to Hastings two thousand to Howard to Iohn Chene Maister of the Horse to Sellenger Montgommeri and some others the remainder and besides there was great store of Siluer and Plate distributed among King Edwards seruants so euery Saint had his candle These conditions performed Edward should repasse the Sea and leaue Howard and the Maister of his Horse in hostage vntill he had recouered England yet not without an enterview of both Kings This peace should continue nine yeares comprehending the the Dukes of Bourgongne and Brittanie if they pleased The Bourguignon hearing these newes hastes his returne to the English followed onely with sixteene hundred Horse The Duke of ãâã come to king Edward At his âirst arriuall hee discouers his inward passions by his outward countenance But hee came too late to preuent it Edward tells him that hee hath made a truce for nine yeares and exhorts him to enter according to the reseruation he had made He reprocheth King Eâwaâd for making a truce Charles replies by fitts and after a reprochfull manner That Edwards Predecessors Kiâgs of England had performed many high exploits in France and with much sweare and toyle had woâne great reputation He checketh him that hee did not procure the English to passe for any neede he had but onely to giue them occasion to recouer their ancient inheritance And to make it manifest that hee had no neede of their comming hee would not accept of any truce with the King vntill that Edward had beeâe three monethes in his owne Country And hauing thus sayd heereturnes towards Luxembourg from whence hee came A brauadoe of ill digestion to the English and his Counsell but plausible to all the friendes of confusion But what is become of our Constable is there no speech of him during this treatie The Constaâââ perplexed Nowe is hee more incombred with feare then euer Hee knowes well that he hath displeased the King the English and the Bourguignon all alike and still hee apprehends the conclusion at Bouuines In the meane time hee seekes to please all and setts a good face on it Edward had freely made offer to the French Ambassadors to name some Noblemen that were Traitors sayd hee to the King and his Crowne and to proue it by their hand-writings The King holds a Counsell vpon this matter some maintayne Edward discouers the constables disseins that this accusation is fraudulent and that the English would make his demandes the greater with the wracke of an others honour as hauing good intelligence in France But Lewis his iudgement was more sharpe hee knewe the Bourguignons courses he considered the season that the English had not any one place in their hands and that the Bourguignon had deceyued them Moreouer he knewe well that the Constable would not giue them any entry and least he should bee farther imbarked in the league the King entertayned him with many letters and kept him in good humour and the Constable likewise sent often to the King yet alwayes swimmyng betwixt two streames vnderstanding that the treaty betwixt the two Kings grewe to some perfection he seemed well satisfied and sends Lewis of Creuille a gentleman of his house and Iohn Richer his Secretary aduising the King that to auoyde this threatning forraine tempest hee should procure a truce to satisfie the English it were good to graunt them one or two smal Townes to winter in Hee supposed in doing this the English should be beholding to him and to rest fully satisfied for the affront at Saint Quentin Note alwaies that Lewis was a wonderfull instrument of diuision when he pleased Lewis subtill industry Contây a prisoner at the defeate of Arras went and came vpon his faith to the Duke of Bourgongne to treat a peace Hee was by chance in Court at the comming of these two persons The King hides him in his Chamber behinde the hangings to heare and report to his master the speeches the Constable and his people held of him Creuille by the Kings commandement with a loud voice sayd that the Constable had sent theÌ to the Duke of Bourgongne with many instructioÌs to diuide him from the English and that they had found the sayd Duke so farre incensed as by their perswasions he was not onely readie to abandon them but to charge them in their retreat Creuille in speaking this did counterfet the gesture of a passionate Prince stamping and sweaâing S. George the oath of Charles of Bourgongne saying that he called the King of England Blanâborgne and the sonne of an Archer whose name he carried words accompained with all the indignities that might bee spoken This mooued laughter in the King who taking pleasure at the repetition thereof and seeming somewhat deaffe made him to straine his voice in the report Contay no lesse amazed then the King was pleased would neuer haue beleeued it if he had not heard it And although it grieued the King much to dissemble the Constables counsell to giue some places to the English yet would hee not discouer his discontent to these deputies but answered them gratiously I wil send to my Brother the Queene the Constables wife were Sisters and let him vnderstand my minde hauing cunningly drawen a promise from his Secretary to reueale
ãâã in the King if he heard thereof he caused them to be trussed vp in packes of silke with cotton These armes passing vpon moyles through Aâuergne The Duke of ãâã armes ãâã Doyac Gouerâor âf the Country had some intelligence and aduertiseth the King thereof who dâclâreâ them forfeited to the benefit of Doyac This buying of armes made Lewis to gâpe more then euer after Brittain but he defâr the execution to practise the Gouernors of Gand by the Lord of Cordes and treats tâe mârrâage of the Daulphin his son with Marguerit the daughteâ of Maximilian and ãâã lately deceased The late suâprise of Aire by de Cordes amazed the Flemings and ãâã made theÌ willing to seeke an agrement with the King To this end Maximiââân they togither send a great Ambassage to Arras managed for the Arche-duke bâ the Lords of Bârgues and Launoye âiâh some Secretarâes and for the Comonalties bâ the Abbots of S. Bârtin and Saint Peter of Gand. âhe King appoints his Lieutenant generâll in Picardie to heare theÌ with la Vacquârie lately created first President of the ãâã of Paris and other graue peâsonâges A peace is concluded by meanes of ãâ¦ã marriage in fauor whereof they giue as a portion to the sayd Marguerit the ãâã of Arthois Bourgongne the Lands and Seigneuries of Mâsconois Auxerrois Chârolois Salins Bar Sens and Noyon to enioye them for euer A peace betwixt the King and Maximilian And in case that young ãâã Earle of Flanders should die Marguerite should succeed him in all the Lordships that belonged to her deceased mother the souerainty of Flanders remayning to the King By meanes hereof the Artesiâns that haâ beene confined returned to Arras and the Citty recouered her ancient name Thus Marguerite was conducted into France by the Lady of Rauastein the bastard dââghter of âhilip Duke of Bourgongne and receiued by the Duke Duchesse of Bourbon who lâd her to Amboise the place of the Daulphins abâade where the marriage âas solâemnly celebrated Eâward King of England was wonderfully inceâsed at this maâriage seing himâelfe depriued of hââ peâsion The Dâulphins mârriage with Maâguerite and fearing least this disgrace should bâeed him great contempt yea a rebellioÌ of his subiects seing the effects of that which he would not beleeue Moreouer he did finde the King had newly planted strong defences betwixt them two and his conquests did stretch very neere vnto him He concâââed so great a griefe vpon all these considerations as soone after he died partly for ãâã and partly of an Apoplexie Soonâ after the death of Edward Lewis recâââes letters frâm the Duke of Glocester Edward of England dies who by the murther of his two Nephewes tâe sonnes of Edward his brother had vsuâped the Crowne of England and was called Richard This Richard sought the Kings friendship but Lewis abhoring so barbarous a câuelâie would not vouchsaâe to answere his letters nor to heare his message But he enioyed not long this tirannous vsurpation Troubles it England Richard murthers his two Nephews vsurpes the Crowne God raised vp that Earle of Ricâemont whome we haue seene so long prisoner in Brittain who with some little money froÌ the King and 3. thousand men leuied in the Duchie of Normandy passed into Walles ioyned with his father in law the Lord Stanley with 26. thousand English with which forces he encouÌtred Richard fought with him and slewe him in the field then waâ câowned King of England At the same time William of Marche brother to him whom tâey commonly caâled the Boare of Ardenne to install his sonne in the Bishoprike of Lâege leaues a great number of foote and horse and beseegeth Lewis brother to the Duke of Bourbon being Bishop there The Bishop craues succors froÌ the Arche-duke of Austria and the Prince of Orange his brother in lawe who not able to come in time anâââest by some secret partisans of la Marche he goes forth in armes to fight with his enemy was slaine whereby la Marche entred into Leige but soone after he was surprised by the Lord of Montaigni aided with some troupes froÌ the Archduke sodenly beheaded 1483. Our Lewis is now well satisfied touching the affaires of Flanders there remained nothing but a reuenge of Brittaine The last act of Lewis his life But oh how doth suspition feare distrust and finally death breake off his great desseins He is now at Plessis neere Tours priuate solitarie and shewing himselfe to few He feares a decay of his estate and yet is become vnable to gouerne a great Estate The opening of a doore feares him his owne shadow amazeth him death terrifies him but the worst is his conscience troubles him Hee puts his most trustie seruants from him hee doubts his neerest kinsmen hee abhors them he suspects them suspects al the world Those whom he doubts most hee dismisseth His disposition in his declining age with a couple of his gard to guide them pensiue sad dreaming froward peeuish and cholerick euery thing displeaseth him all is vnseasonable all offends him he knowes not what is fittest for him either life or death and yet would he liue raigne He knowes that he hath many enemies and hath offended many that the greatest of the Princes loue him not that the meaner sort murmured and that the people hated him for he hath ouercharged them yea more then any of his Predecessors and hath not meanes to ease them and although he hath a will yet it is now too late Oh what a greeuous testimonie is the conscience of our misdeeds fewe enter at Plessis Consciencia mille âââtes but his houshold seruants and the Archers of his gard whereof there are fouâe hundred daily in gard at the gate No Nobleman lodgeth there none come there but his sonne in law Peter afterwards Duke of Bourbon by the death of Iohn his brother and few of his followers and yet he thinkes still that some one enters in to offer vâolence to his person or that by loue or force they will pull his scepter from him He causeth his sonne to bee straitly garded and will not suffer many to see him least hee should be made the head of a faction His daughter hath no accâsse to him His son in law no credit His sonne in Law returnes from the Daulphins marriage Lewis with a deuise makes the Captaine of his gard to search such as are entred with the Duke to see if they were not secretly armed He commands him to hold the Counsell then he dissolues it for in his abseÌce they would make Monopoles Who did euer see a mind more distract more vnquiet and fuller of cares Hee distrusts his sonne his daughter his sonne in law and generally all those that may commaund The Castle gate is safely garded but they may leape ouer the walls they must bee planted with gadds of iron with many points and so thicke as no man might
thousand Ducats to enter Bourgongne at the same instant with three thousand horse and eight thousand and foote Germaines and Suissâs promising the Suisses a certaine summe of money to ioyne their forces with Maximilian being content they should reteâne a part of Bourgongne vntill they were fully satisfied According to this agreement the English enters the marches of Picardie camps before Therouenne with fiue thousand horse of combate and aboue fortie thousand foote But the English forces did not molest France at land only the Admirall of England ran along the coasts of Normandie and Brittanie And the King to resist their incursions caused foure Gallies to passe the straight of Gibralâar vnder the charge of Captaine Pregent At the first incounter the Admirall chased Pregent into Brest Here Pregent turnes his force fights with the Admirall and hurts him whereof he died within few daies after After that foure score English ships and twenty Normands and Brittons ships fought with equall forces ours hauing the winde But in the end Primauguet a Britton Captaine of the Nunne which Queene Anne had caused to be built beset by ten or twelue English ships and resolute to sell his death dearly grapled with the Regent the chiefe ship of the enemies fleete and fiering it burnt both the one and the other with all that was in them Therouenne was defânded by two hundred and fiftie Lances and two thousand foot whilest the King prepared two thousand fiue hundred Launces ten thousand Lansquenets led by the Duke of Gueldres sixe thousand others Thârouâââe beâeeged which the Duke of Norfolke brought being fled long before out of England and tenne thousand French to succour the beseeged who in the meane time molested the enemie day and night with their artillerie with the which the great Chamberlaine of England was slaine and Talbot Captaine of Calis lost a legge The troupes assembled the King sent them to Aire vnder the comand of Lewis of Longueuille Marquis of Rotelin Captaine of the hundred gentlemen of his houshold Victuals grew scant in Therouenne when as the Lord of Pieâes gouernour of Picardie and the French Captaines chose out the most resolute of all their troupes and gaue them charge to carrie victuals to the Towne And for that their enterprise had happily succeeded retyring too confidently and reproching the enemie of couardise hauing no intelligence of their intent the English hauing sent their horse and fifteâne thousand foote to cut off our mens passage who did ride on their nagges disarmed they charge them vnawares being readie to wade through a riuer that passeth at Huchin they kill about three hundred and take many prisoners amongst others the Marquis of Rotelin Bayard la Payete Clermont of Aniou and Bussy of Amboise all the rest casting away their Launces and trusting to their heeles and horses saued themselues by flight And therfore they call it the battaile of spurres which caused the yeelding of Therouenne the which was dismantled The incounââ of ãâã to take away all cause of discord betwixt the Archduke Charles who by ancient right pretended it and the English who challenged it as conquered from the enemie by the sword From Therouenne Henry went to campe before Tournay following in this resolution not so much the actions of a good Commander in the warre seeing the taking of this place lying within the low Countries brought him small profit as the perswasions of Maximilian hoping that this Towne pulled from the French might in time returne to the obedience of his grandchild Charles to whome they pretended it appertained Tournay taken Tournay vnfurnished of men of warre and dispayring of succours for that the King not being maister of the field nor of sufficient force to incounter the English could not succour it saued her selfe from spoyle paying a hundred thousand Crownes To crosse the English at home The Scots defeated the King had stirred vp Iames King of Scotland an ancient allie to this Crowne but the chaunce of armes was nothing fortunate for him neither at land nor at sea for ioyning with the English armie where Queene Catherine was present he was vanquished vpon Til and slaine with aboue twelue thousand Scots After these victories the end of October approching Henry left a great garrison in Tournai The English retire dismissed his strangers and toke his way towards England carrying no other recompence for so great and sumptuous a preparation for warre but the Cittie of Tournay But some desseins vpon Scotland fallen into a pupils hands hastned him home An other storme threatned France The Suisses armed according to the former conuentions the King sends Tremouille vnto them to disperse them vnder whome many of the Colonels had receiued the Kings pay But neither by presents not promises preuailed he any thing onely he had a secret intelligence giuen him from some Captains to prouide for the defence of his gouernment of Bourgongne whether the Pope the Emperour Sforee did thrust them And behold foureteene or fifteene thousand Suisses with the troupes of the French Countie a thousand horse The ãâã enter into Boââgoâne and the artillerie which the Emperour gaue them vnder the conduct of Vlric Duke of Wirtemberg camped before Dijon Tremouille was returned with a thousand Launces and six thousand foot who by his practises had greatly altered the Colonels when as the multitude doubting the faith of their Captaines takes the artillerie and batters the wall Tremouille not able to resist the force of this nation which increased daily flies to the last remedy and without expecting any authoritie from his Maiestie agrees with them That the King should renounce the rights he had to the Duchy of Milan should pay them 400000 crownes within a time prefixt which they preteÌded was due for their seruices in the former wars and for assurance therof he gaue for hostages his nephew of Mezieres Bailife of Dijon and foure bourgesses of the said towne who sauing themselues awhile after in Germanie escaped the threats of this people to cut off their heads if the King did not ratifie it Doubtlesse these were wise men to saue their heads from the Suisses choler A very preiudiciall accord for the King if he had beene constrayned to ratifie it But was it not better to lull the Suisses asleepe then to loose Dijon Our Lewis is now freed off two incombrances the English and the Suisses But the exemption of present dangers freed him not from a relaps for the English departing threatned to returne in the spring and prepared alreadie being loth to stay any more so long at the warre The Emperour had the like intent to annoy him The Catholike King deuised as was discouered by a letter written to his Ambassadour resident with Maximilian the meanes to draw this Duchie of Milan to Ferdinand their comon granchild yonger brother to Charles the Archduke shewing that by that meanes all the other estates of Italie should bee forced to take their law
in the second royall branch called of Valois from Philip of Valois to Henry the third The names of the 13. kings of the second royall branch of Capets called of Valois Philip. Iohn Charles the 5. Charles the 6. Charles the 7. Lewis the 11. Charles the 8. Lewis the 12. Frances the 1. Henry the 2. Frances the 2. Charles the 9. Henry the 3. and last of this royall branch Philip of Valois the 50. king of France fol. 1 His controuersie with Edward the king of England ibid. Preferred to the Crowne and installed king ibid. Setles his affaires in France fâl 2. Suppresseth the Flemmings ibid. A notable sute of the Parliament against the Clergie ibid. Takes homage of Edward king of England for Guienne ibid. King Edwards oth to Philip. ibid. He resolues to go to the holy land fol. 3 The Pope discontented with Philip. ibid. Edward king of England makes warre with Philip ibid. Robert of Artois the firebrand of warre fâl 3 He flies into England fol. 4 Warre in Guienne and Scotland ibid. Iames of Artevill ring-leader to the seditious Flemmings ibid. Edwards practises in Flanders and Germanie ibid. Battell of Scluse in fauour of the English fol. 5 The English and French Army retire without fighting Edward takes on him the title of King of France fol. 6 Ione Queene of Naples kils her husband and the kingdome is taken by Lewis King of Hungary fol. 7 Arteuil slaine by the Flemmings fâl 8 The French defeated at Blanquetaque ibid. The battell of Crery with many particuler accidents that happened in it fol. 10.11 King Edward besieges and takes Calice fol 12.13 Dolphin incorporate to the crowne fol. 14 Monpelier purchased to the crowne ibid. Queene Ione of France dies ibid. Philips death and disposition fol. 15 Estate of the Empire and Church ibid. Iohn the 1. and 51. king of France COnsiderable obseruations in his raigne fol. 16 His children and most remarkable personages in his raigne fol. 17 Charles of Nauars humors and discontents ibid. Charles of Spaine Constable of Fâance slaine in his bed by the king of Nauarre ibid. Nauars practises and force against the king fol. 18 Nauarre taken prisoner by the king and foure of his complices beheaded fol. 19 Warre in Normandie and Guienne betweene Iohn and the Prince of Wales sonne to Edward the 3. fol. 19. and 20 The battell of Poytiers where the French were ouerthrowne by the English and king Iohn taken Prisoner with the number slaine and taken fol. 21. and 22 Assembly of the Estates for Iohns deliuery with the insolencies of the people during his imprisonment fol. 23 The Kâng of Nauarr set at libertie comes to Paris and the Dolphin yeelds to him fol. 24 Iohns generous answere to King Edward fo 25 The Parisians comes into the Dolphins lodging solicite the Cities to rebell but they refused them fol. 26 The Dolphin leaues Paris fol. 27 The Nauarrois seekes to ruine him ibid. A Parliament Compiegne and the Dolphin declared Regent fo 28. Two French armies one against another fol. 29. The Parisians mutiny with the English that had serued them who beate them backe in sight of the Nauarrois fol. â0 The Regent is receiued into Paris with the Nauarrois attemps against him fol. 31 Edward repents an opportunitie neglected ibid. The desolate estate of France fol. 32 The Dolphin executes the Parisians and pacifies the rest ibid. Conditions for the Kings deliuery and preparation to defend the Realme ibid. Edward enters France with an Armie besiegeth Paris but in vaine fol. 33 Edward amazed with a thunder concludes a peace with Iohn at Bretigny ibid. The two Kings swear a mutuall league of friendship fol. 34 King Iohn brought to Calis and after receiued by his sonne with great ioy ibid. Iohn receiued into Paris fol. 35 Difficulties in the performance of the conditions of peace ibid. Iohns death in England the 8. of April 1â64 with his disposition ibid. Charles the 5. called the wise the 52. king of France HIs raigne and manners with the augmentation of his brethrens portions fol. 36 His Marriage and children fol. 37 Warre in Brytany where the French are defeated by the English ibid. He reconciles the pretendants for Britany fol. 38 Wars receiued in Britany Flanders and between France and England ibid. The Emperor seekes to reconcile them fol. 39 Charles proclaimes war against the King of England ibid. The successe of the French army in Guienne with the exploits of the Prince of Wales called the Blacke Prince ibid. Peter king of Castile murthers his own wife fol. 40 Charles sends an army against him as a muâtherer and a Tirant ibid. The king of England restores Peter and defeats the French ibid. Peter forsaken by the English taken prisoner and beheaded fol. 41 The English second passage through France vnder the Duke of Clarence ibid. Troubles in Flanders pacified by Philip. fol. 42 Sedition at Monpelier punished by the Duke of Berry with the sentence against them but moderated fol. 43 Charles his death disposition with some obseruations worthy to be obserued by Princes f. 44 The state of the Empire and Church with the originall of the Canto in Swisserland fol. 45 Diuision at Rome for the election of a new Pope And an Antipope chosen fol. 46 Charles the sixt 53. King of France NEcessarie obseruations for the vnderstanding of this raigne fol. 47 The minoritie of K. Charles the sixt Strange euents in the beginning of his Raigne fol. 48. Lâwis of Aniow Regent and Oliuer Clisson Constable fol. 49 Controuersie betweene his vncles at his coronation for precedence ibid. Tumults in France ibid. And in Flanders between the Earle and the Gantois fol. 50.51 King Charles succours the Earle of âlanders against the aduice of the Regent and his counsell fol. 52 He ouerthrowes the Flemmings and kils threescore thousand of them fol. 53 The Gantois appeased and a peace in Flanders fol. 54. Charles marrieth Isabell of Bauiere and concludes a peace in Brittany ibid. He sends men and munition into Scotland and resolues to make warre vpon England which the Regent dislikes of fol. 55 Preparation in France and England for war fol. 56 The Regent opposeth against this warre âol 57 The enterprise broken oâ and Naples offered to the Regent fol. 58 The seditious and cruell insolencies of the Parisians but they faint and âue to the King for pardon fol. 59 Lewis of Aniow crowned King of Naples fol 60 A schisme in the Church fol. 61 Queene Ioan ãâã Naples taken and smoothered and Lewis Duke of Aniow and adopted King of Naples dies ibid. The English enter Picardie and Charles makes a truce with them fol. 62 The King hauing consulted what course to take with the mutinous Parisians enters the city with an army executes many they cry for mercie and he pardons them fol. 63.64.65 Charles out of his vncles gouernement who grew discontented fol. 66 HE giues the Dutchy of Orleans to his brother Lewis and visits
Burgundy fol. 67 The maiâiâiâ of K. Charles the sâxt Complaints against the Duke of Berry and Bâtzac his Treasurer burnt fol. 68 THe tragicall end of Charles King of Nauarre ibid. âemaâkeablâ fâr âis health fââm tââ yeares 1â88 vnto 1â9â Peter of Craon being disgraced in court is perswaded by the Duke of Britainâ to murther the Constable whom he assaults but kils not fol. 71 He is condemned for his attempt foâ 72 Charles being distempered with choller his Vncles and Phisitions dissuade him from the war in Brittaine yet hee marcheth on against the Duke ibid. The duke labors to pacifie the king who parting from Mans a strange accident befell him fol. 73 CHarles fals into a phrensie the court in a pitiful case with a generall censure of this accident fol. 74. The second season remarkable fâr his sicknesse from the yere 1393 vnto 1422. The second causes of his phrensie his army dissolued and care taken of his person fol. 75 An order taken for the gouernment of the realm fol. 76 The disposition âf Philip Duke of Burgondy ibid. FActions and alterations in Court fol. 77 Philip Duke of Burgogne aduanced to the gouernment of the realme by a decree of the Estates The kings Minnions ill intreated ibid. The Constable flyes from Paris and is condemned beeing absent ibid. Charles fals into a relapse by a strange accident fol. 79 Richard king of England marrieth with Isabell of France fol. 80 Is put from his gouernment fol. 81 The French succour the Hungarians and are defeated ibid. Charles his children during his infirmitie fol. 82 Hatred betweene the house of Orleans and Burgundie fol. 83 The Duke of Brittaine and the Constable reconciled ibid. DIscentions between the Dukes of Burgundie and Orleans The beginning of the ciuile warre fol. 85.86.87.88 The duke of Orleans murthered by the Burguignon fol. 89 The sequele of this trecherous murther fol. 90.91.92 The faction of Burgundy and Orleans after some ciuile warre appeased by the Daulphin who dispossesseth the Burguignon and restores them of Orleans from the yeare 1409. to 1413. fol. 93 94.95.96.97.98 Iohn of Burgundy crost by the Daulphin and the house of Orleans stirs vp new troubles from 1412. to 1417. when as the Daulphin died but troubles ceased not The estate of the Court vnder Lewis the Daulphin fol. 100 The Daulphin takes vpon him the name of Regent fol. 101 The Duke of Burgundie disgraced and banished not admitted into Paris proclaimed guiltie of high treason the King marcheth against him and he sues for peace fol. 102.103 Henry the 5. King of England enters France with an army demands Katherine the Kings daughter and marcheth into Picardie fol. 103 The King of England forced to fight and gets the victorie at the battell at Agencourt fol. 104 The Emperour Sigismund comes into France fol. 105. The Daulphin Iohn fauours the Burguignon and his death ibid. Iohn of Burgundy ioines with Isabell the Queene who takes vpon her the regencie and makes warre against her sonne Charles the Daulphin seizeth vpon Paris kils the Constable of Armagnac Henry of Marle Chancelor of France but is slaine in the end by the Daulphin from the yeare 1415. to 1419. fol. 106 A strange confusion the Mother against the Son fol. 106. The Burguignon armes and drawes in the English fol. 107 The Daulphin encountred by three great enemies The Burguignon the English and his mother ibid. The King dislikes of the Queen and the Burguignon ioynes with her fol. 109 The Queene declares her selfe Regent of France erects new courts and officers fol. 110 Paris surprised the King taken and the Daulphin saues himselfe fol. 111 The Daulphin seekes to recouer Paris fol. 112 A horrible massacre at Paris with the number murthered and a plague ensues it fol. 113 Roan besieged and taken and all Normandie yeelds vnto the English fol. 114 The Burguignon and the Queene seeke to reconcile themselues to the Daulphin fol. 115 The Duke of Brittaine leaues the English and ioynes with the Daulphin fol. 116 The Parisians mutinie and kill the Burguignons seruants fol. 117 A peace betweene the Daulphin and Iohn of Burgundie ibid. The Daulphins proceedings reasons and resolution to kill the Duke of Burgundy fol. 118.119 The Daulphin causeth the Duke of Burgundy to be slaine fol. 120 Blood punished with blood with the Catastrophe of this miserable raigne fol. 121 During these occurrents Henry the 5. Charles the 6. dies leauing the Crowne in question betweene Charles the 7. and Henry the 6. proclaimed King of France at the funerals of Charles the 6. from the yeare 1419. to 1422. fol. 122. The exploits of the Daulphin and of Philip of Burgogne after this murther fol. 122 Queene Isabell hates her sonne deadly ibid. Henry the 5. proclaimed heire of France with his proceeding in his new royaltie fol. 123 The English defeated and the Duke of Clarence slaine fol. 124 The great exploits of Henry the 5. ibid. His sicknesse and death fol. 125 Charles the 6. dies ibid. Henry the 6. proclaimed King ibid. Charles the 7. the 54. King of France NOtable particularities of this raigne fol. 127 Charles his raigne his children manners and disposition fol. 128 The miserable estate of this Realme vnto the Coronation of Charles the 7. during 7. yeares  England Burgundy Sauoy Brittany enemies vnto Charles fol. 129 Charles aduanceth Scottishmen and makes a gard of them for his person ibid. The Dukes of Bedford and Burgogne conclude a great league against Charles fol. 130 Warre against Charles in diuers places defeated by the English and Meulan taken fol. 131 The cause of the diuision betweene the Dukes of Bedford and Burgundy fâl 132. The notable battell of Creuant where the French and Scottish were ouerthrowne by the Duke of Bedford ââl 133. ãâã 11. the eldest Son of Charlââ borne ãâã 134 New supplies âome out off Scotlâd the French growing weary of the Englâsh coÌplot agâiâst thâm ãâã 135 The Duke oâ Bedford sends a challenge to the Fâench Army who are in diuisâon ãâã 136. The French defeated at the battell of Veânuill f l. 137. The number taken prisonââs and slaine fol. 138. Câarlââ hiâ miseraâle âstate discântentes fol. 139. Bedforâ and Richmont brothers in law at variance f l. 140. Câarlââ sends an ambassage to Philip of Burgundy ãâã 141 The Duke of Bâittaiâe comes to Charles and ãâ¦ã English âol 142 Thââââttons dâfââted by their error fâl 14â The Kingâ mâgnoâs slââne by his Councâl 144. ãâã Duke of âurgondy made heyre of ãâã  Hamault Hollând ând Zelând ãâã 145. The Duke of âedford brings newe forces out of England ãâã Montargis beseeged by the English releeued by the French and the English defeated fâl 146 Pontarson taken by the English fâl 147. The famous sââge of Orlâans from ãâã 148. ãâã 156. THE Coronation of Chârlâs the 7. at Rheims 156. The desseigne of the âurguignon and Sauoyard against Daulphine and Languedoc fol. 1â7 All Champagne yeelds to
of grace 920. the Empire being then very weake After Conrad was chosen Henry the âouler Duke of Saxony and after him his sonne Otho Princes adorned with great singular vertues fit for the time to preserue the West for the East did runne headlong to her ruine so as since Nicephorus who liued in the time of Charlemagne they did not esteeme them but held them as abiects in regard of those great Emperours which had liued before them namely Michel Curopalates Leo Armenien Michel the stamering Conâusion in the East the two Theophiles father son Basiâe the Macedonien Leo the Philosopher Alexander Constantine a Romaine all which had nothing of the Romaine but the name Thus this poore sicke bodie languished being torne in peeces by the infamies of these men either of no valour or altogither wicked attending the last blow by the hand of the Mahomeâans whose power they fortified by their vitious liues vntill they had lodged them vpon their owne heads A notable spectacle of Gods iust iudgement who dishonours them that dishonour him In the Church and expells them from their houses that banish him from their hearts In these confusions of State the Pope of Romes power increased daily by the ruines of the Empire who thrust himselfe into credit among Christians by many occurrents Their desseins was to build a Monarchie in the Church by authoritie power Seigneuries ciuil Iurisdictions armes reuenues and treasor being growne to that greatnes as afterwards they sought to prescribe lawes to Emperours and Kings who refusing it and disputing vpon this primacie many dissentions grew among them and so were dispersed among the people This is the summe of all that shall be discoursed in the future ages in Christendome wherein we shall view the the sea of Rome the Empire and the kingdome I treat but of matters of State 929. wherevnto the subiect and the order of our desseine doth tie me to report by degrees so long and so obscure a discourse of those ages plonged in darkenesse Plantina the Popes Secretary reports a very notable accident happened at Rome in those times a yong maide loued by a learned man these are his words came with him to Athenes attyred like a boy In vita Ioannis octaus and there profited so well in knowledge and learning as being come to Rome there were fewe equall vnto her in the Scriptures neyther did any one exceede her in knowledge so as she had gotten so great reputation as after the death of Pope Leo she was created Pope by a generall consent was called Iohn the eight But it chanced that hauing crept too neere to one of her gromes shee grewe with child the which she did carefully conceale But as she went to the Basilique of S. Iohn de Lateran betwixt the Colises and S. Clement she fell in labour Pope Ioan deliuered of a Child in the open streete and was deliuered of this stolne birth in a sollemne procession in view of all the people And in detestation of so fowle a fact a piller was erected where this profane person died So without flattering the truth not the Empire alone went to wrack but also the realme and the Church being in those daies full of confusions in which they fell from one mischiefe to an other by the barbarous ignorance of all good things both in the State and Church as the wise and vnpassionate reader may obserue in the continuance of the history plainly described But let vs returne from the Empire and sea of Rome to France Wee haue sayd that when Charles the simple was first imprisoned the Queene Ogina his wife had carried her sonne Lewis into England to Aldestan the King her brother She had patiently suffred all during the furious raigne of Raoul the vsurper while the experience of diuers masters did ripen the French-mens discontents to make them wish for their lawfull Lord. After the death of Raoul Aldestan King of England hauing drawne vnto him Willam Duke of Normandie the sonne of Rhou sends a very honorable Ambassage to the States of France intreating them to restore his Nephewe Lewis to his lawfull and hereditary dignity The French wish it so as without any difficulty Lewis the sonne of Charles was called home by the Estates of France whether he was accompanied with a great troupe of English-men and Normans as the shewe of a goodly army which might seeme to force them to that which they willingly yeelded vnto LEWIS the 4. surnamed from beyond the seas 33. kâng LEWES .4 KING OF FRANCE XXXIII 935. LEWIS returnes into France hauing remayned nine yeares or thereaboutes in England surnamed D'outremer or from beyond the seas by reason of his stay there He beganne to raigne in the yeare 935. and raigned 27. yeares A disloyall and vnfortunate Prince hauing made no vse of his afflictions ãâ¦ã disloyaââârince vnworthy the bloud of Charlemagne And thus their ruine aduanced by the default of men the which God held back by his patience He fouÌd the Estate of his realme like vnto one that returnes to his houâe after a long and dangerous nauigation He was receiued with great ioye of all men Those which had beene most opposite vnto him made greatest shewes of faithfull and affectionate seruice to insinuate into his fauour Amongest the rest William Duke of Normandy but especially Hugâes the great Maior of the Pallace whome wee haue already noted as the sonne of Robert the chiefe of the said League Hee had imployed all his meanes for the calling home of Lewis into France and at his returne he spared nothing to confirme his authority This was the meanes to âay the foundation of a greater authority for his successors They must begin the newe gouernment of this Prince with a wife to haue lawfull issue The Emperours allyance was very needefull Otâo heâd the âmperiall dignity being the sonne of Henry the fowler Duke of Saxony âewis marrieth one of the Emperors sisters ãâã âather to Hâgh Caâet marriâth an other He had two sisters Heâbergue and Auoye King Lewis marrieth the eldest and in signe of brotherly loue he motioned the marriage of the youngest with Hugues the great Lewis had two sonnes by Herbergue Lothaire who succeeded him to the Crowne of France and Charles who shal be Duke of Lorraine and contend for the Crowne but shall loose it Hugues the great was more happy then Lewis for of the yongest hee had Hugh Capet who shall take their place and ascend the royall throne to settle the French Monarchie 937. shaken much in the confusions of these Kings vnworthy to raigne or beare any rule And of the same marriage Hugues had Otho and Henry both Dukes of Bourgongne one after another Behold now vpon the Stage two great and wise personages the King and his Maior whom we may call a second King they striue to circumuent each other the which their actions will discouer but man cannot preuent that on earth
Henry but being too weake of himselfe neither hauing any such friend as the King of France according to the triall so often made time out of minde he comes into France but he died at Cluny and in his place Calixtus son to the Earle of Bourgongne was chosen Pope The reputation of the place from whence he was descended was great so as he being a Frenchman easily called a Councell in France to the great satisfaction of the French The Emperor degraded by the Popes decree in a Councell at ãâã It was held at Rheims where by an ecclesiasticall decree he declared Henry an enemy to the Church and degraded of the Imperiall dignity As this ignominious decree did moue the Emperor so did it minister matter to the King of England his brother in lawe to imbrace all occasions to annoy Lewis his capitall enemie for seeing this Councell had bin held in France and consisted chiefly of the French Church it was very apparant that the Kings fauour was very preiudiciall to the Emperours affaires The English fayles not to harpe vpon this string to the Emperour The Emperor and âing oâ England ioyne against France being already incensed by the thing it selfe promising him all his meanes incouraging him to enter France on the one side whilest that he came on the other with all the forces of Normandy and England The party was not small neither had Lewis small cause to feare being incountred by two such enemies But God shewed him the rod and reserued the punishment for an other season for as the Emperour was going to field the Germaine Princes foreseeing the misery of a warre vndertaken lightly vpon despight and weighing the importance of neighbourhood gaue him to vnderstand that he ought not to attempt warre against the King of France without declaring vnto him the causes of his discontent Hee therefore sends his Ambassadors to this end 1112. Lewis doth wisely answer him that hee is exceedinglie sorrie to see the two great Pillers of the Church so shaken by these dissentions and that it was to bee feared the whole building would bee ruined So as being a friend to both hee desired greatly to be a mediator of concord and not to carrie coales to increase the fire too much kindled alreadie the which ought to be quenched for the good and quiet of all Christendome This Ambassage was pleasing and preuailed so much as the Emperour disarmes The French King and the Emperour reconciled and was content to make Lewis a mediator for an accord betwixt him and the Pope to the great griefe of the King of England who expected a long continuance of this iaââe The composition was made at Wormes very beneficiall for the Pope in the yeare 1122. whereby Henry grants him the installing of Bishops and other benefices This did ease the sore but not cure it as the sequell of the Historie will shew While that Princes haue leisure to contend the poore people dye for hunger in many places of Europe This famine was exceeding great in Flanders Notable troubles in Flanders who then had for their Earle Charles surnamed the good for his good disposition and great charitie to the poore He sought by all meanes to releeue them But as barrenesse was one of the causes of this famine so the cruell couetousnesse of the rich was a great hinderance to the commoditie of victuals whereby there grew as remarkable an act as the successe was strange the particular report whereof the reader must pardon in the breefenesse of our stile There were three brethren at Bruges of the chiefe of the Countrie the which had gathered together a great quantitie of graine and would not sell it expecting a greater dearth which might cause a greater price that is Bertholphe Wendestrate Pouost of S. Donas and Chancellor of Flanders Lambert and Boussard Wendestrate brethren and an other rich Bourges called Lambert one of the chiefe of the Cittie This dignity of Prouostand Chancellor was so great as hee supplied the Princes place in his absence Vpon the peoples complaint the Earle decrees that all the graniers of these great houses should be opened and the Corne sold to the people at a reasonable rate The Comission was giuen to Thamard Almoner of the Earles house as a thing befitting his charge he causeth the graniers of these rich Bourgesses to be opened the corne is sold to the people and the money deliuered to the owners The people being releeued by the couragious care of Thamard commend him The Wendestrates and Lambert greatly discontented with this sale wherein they held themselues interessed cause many indignities to be done vnto him Lambert is directly accused by informations being a very audatious young man and the Wendestrates were touched therewith The Earle offended with these audatious attempts repaired them by Iustice threatning Lambert that if he continued he would seuerely punish him There was also an other complaint made by an old Abbot against the Prouost Treacherie against the good Earle of Flanders to whom the Earle spake roughly commanding him to restore vnto the Abbot what he ought him These free admonitions of the good Earle Charles did so alter the proud trecherous minds of these Cittizens as they resolue to kill him his milde facilitie giuing these wicked spirits both courage to attempt and boldnesse to execute And the end is answerable to their wicked desseine As the good Earle Charles went ill accompanied in the morning to his deuotion to the Church of S. Donas on Ash wednesday behold a troope of yong mad men led by this Lambert comes vnto him being vnarmed on his knees in a Chappell the Priest attired in his ornaments at the Altar the Earle holding forth his arme to giue his almes to a poore woman without any warning they beat him downe with their swords kill him and so forcing all to giue way The Earle of Flanders and his Almonet murthered they seeke for Thamard whom they find massacre with so great a furie as they leaue him vpon the place hewed into many peeces Their troope increaseth and they flie to the Pallace where all are amazed and finding it without gard without keyes without any gate shut they enter it with horrible cryes they kill sack and spoile and running from thence into the Cittie Crueltie in the Citty of Bruges they commit the like in those houses which they knew best affected to the good Earle Charles This furious crueltie was accompanied with an ouerweening indiscretion as if they had made some goodly conquest they braue it 1117. and play the maisters without feare of any punishment The people exceedingly grieued to see these barbarous cruelties against their good Prince whom they loued as a father durst not speake a word during this furye whereas this troupe of murtherers commaunded absolutely But the wisest Cittizens fled to Lewis as to their soueraigne Lord. Lewis comes to Bruges with great speede
Christians affaires in Asia declined still The Pope perswaded the Kings of France and England with many reasons The Christians âstâââ in Asiâ very miserable and the zeale of the common interest of Christendome made them resolue They became good friends with an intent to make a voyage together to the Holy Land to the incredible content of all their subâects But whilest they prepare for this voyage let vs passe into Asia to visit the afflicted Christians After the fruitlesse returne of the Emperor Conrad and of Lewis King of France things went from bad to worse hauing caused the Christian forces to loose their reputation with the Turkes being growne proud with this vaine shew of Armes Baldwin dyes after the fruitlesse attempts of these great Princes Amaulry his Brother succeeds him who toyled himselfe in Egipt against Sultan Sarracon and Saladin his successor Hee was releeued by the comming of Fredericke Barbarousse who failed not to performe what he had promised to Pope Alexander But the Christians found small comfort in his comming The forces of the Empire which were great being dispersed by the death of the Emperour Amaulry likewise dyes who leaues one Sonne named Baldwin both yong and a Lepar so as hauing voluntarily resigned the charge finding himselfe vnfit he did inuest his Nephew Baldwin the sonne of William Long-sword Marquis of Monâerrat and of Sibell his Sister and considering the weaknesse of his age he appoints Raimond Earle of Tripoli for his Tutor 1121. Hence sprung a horrible dissention among the Christians for Sibille by whom the right came to Baldwin her sonne after the death of Marquis William was married to Guy of Lusignan who was seized of the yong Infant Hee is now his Tutor by force the child dyes and Guy of a Tutor becomes a King The Christians in Asia at Ciuill warres not without great suspition of treacherie against the Infant and in the end they fall to warre Euery one doth strengthen himselfe for this goodly realme and they are incensed with greater fury then when they ioyntly made warre against the Infidels Guy seekes for succour of Saladin Sultan of Egipt who embraceth this occasion and runnes with a great Armie to besiege Tiberiades The Christians assemble and are defeated in a set battaile The Crosse is taken by Saladin and carried in triumph Then was Tripoly deliuered into his hands The Infidels make their profit by their dissentions and the Earle Raymond found dead in his bedd when as hee should haue raigned to teach all men how to trust Infidels Saladin passeth on he beeseegeth takes and sacks Ierusalem and in this amazement Ptolomais Azot Baruth and Ascalon yeeld vnto him These victorious conquests of Saladin were accompanied with great mildnesse to the people whome he had subdued that by this wise course the Miscreant might incounter the Christians disorders by a notable example of vertue Moreouer there happened another tragicall confusion Alexis a young man of fifteene yeares The Emperor of Greecâ murthered by his Tutor sonne to Emanuell the Emperour issued from that Alexis of whom wee haue spoken in the beginning of this Easterne warre was cruelly slaine by his Tutor Andronicus and he himselfe afterward by Isaac and the people of Constantinople who had called him to the Empire Such was the sick estate of the East when as our Kings were solicited to go and visit it in the yeare 1190. Philip calles a Parliament at Paris to settle his estate they disswade him from the voyage but zeale transported him and made him fight with impossibilities So great efficacie this resolution had to go to this warre which seemed to be the gaine of their soules health as the Historie saith King Philip Ricâaâd King of England made a voâage to the East great charges were imposed vpon such as went not the voyage to pay the tenth of all their reuenues both spirituall and temporall called for this occasion the Saladins Tenths Richard King of England came with manie Dukes Marquises Earles Barons great Lords and an infinite number of young Gentlemen The Kings sweare a brotherly and inuiolable League The great ãâ¦ã among Kings breeds contempt and hatred but the continuall and priuate entercourse by the way bred a familiaritie and this familiarity engendred a contempt and contempt hatred as the course of the History will shew A notable lesson for Kings and Princes to teach them how farre they should conuerse familiarlie Hauing crossed the Seas with some difficulties in the end they come into Syria The losse of the Crosse made them to besiege Acon the which they take very valiantlie after great losse of their men but the Crosse would not bee found As the Originall saieth The plague fell among their troupes euery one talkes of returning Philip speakes ãâ¦ã indisposition Richard made some difficultie least that Philip in his âbâence should attempt some thing in his territories of France Philip hauing assured him by othe returnes and passing by Rome comes safe into France Hauing left the greatest part of his forces in the East vnder the command of Odo Duke of Bourgongne Richard remaining alone was better obeyed of the Armie and atchiued great and memorable exploits against Saladin being already amazed by the taking of Acon Richard King of Englandhis exploits in Asia ãâ¦ã Gaza and Iaffa hauing repeopled them with Christian Colonies and vainquished Saladin in battaâle From thence he resolued to besiege Ierusalem but as hee was kept from this enterprise by reason of the Winter so was hee forced to leaue Asia vppon this occasion and returne into England During his voyage and Philips there had passed some vnkinde speeches by reason of Alix Sister to Philip and the wife of Richard who in great disdaine said That he had neuer toucht her that she should neuer come neere him blaming her as if shee had beene prodigall of her honour by a monstrous Incest with his Father Notwithstanding all shewes at their parting yet this did sticke in Philippes stomake 1061. who at his returne found his Sister Alix at Saint Germaine in Laie whether she was retired expecting his returne who failed not to seeke all means of reuenge Richard had left his brother Iohn in England to gouerne the State in his absence Philippe solicitts him and promiseth him all his meanes with his Sister Alix being vnworthely reiected for a gage of his loue Philippe stârs vp Iohn against his brother Richard King of ângland But Elenor the mother of these Princes kept Iohn in awe from ioyning openly with Philip against his absent brother yet could she not restraine Iohn from giuing his word to Phillip who failes not to seaze couertly seing his faith plighted and the reuerence of the cause which held Richard from his house would not suffer him to worke openly So he takes Gisors by intelligence and all the other Townes of Vexin which were in controuersie These newes gaue Richard iust cause to resolue vpon
his returne but it cost him deere for Saladin whom he had kept in awe sence the taking of Acon Richard makâ a truce with Saladin vpon vnreasonable conditions well informed of his necessity resolution makes him to buy a truce for fiue yeares at a deere rate yeelding him vp all that had beene taken sence the comming of the two kings into Asia and so the Bloud Time and Cost spent in this conquest were lost in an hower by the ill gouernment of our Kings Richard hauing left the absolute comande of the affaires of Asia to Henry Earle of Campegne takes his way for England but as he came to Vienna in Austria he was knowne and staied Richard King oâ England staiâd by the Emperour mâde to pay a raââome first by Leopold Duke of Austria and then by Henry the Emperor for some discontent he had against him Thus Richard was retained 22. monethes and not deliuered but for a ransome of an houndred thousand pounds sterling which was then a great and notable summe This was the successe of that long and dangerous Easterne voiage crossed with so many toyles takings and yeeldings vp and with such troublesome consequences for both Kings and both Realmes for the quarrell ended not vpon King Richards release out of prison as we shall see Richard being returned into England Strange marriages of Pâilip he sought all meanes of reuenge for the Wrongs he supposed to haue receyued vnworthely of Philip in his absence and calamitie But let vs returne to Philip he had put a way Isabel taken Alix the daughter of the King of Hungary who liued not long with him She being dead he tooke Gelberge sister to the King of Denmarke whom likewise he put away and in her place married Marie the daughter of the Duke of Morauia After a long and bitter controuersie vpon the repudiation of Gelberge the king remaning obstinate in his resolution yet in end he receiued her againe beyond al hope and ended his daies with her sending backe Marie with honorable meanes to liue in this kind of sollitary life in manner of a widow But our Inuentary may not excuse it selfe vpon the breuitie of the stile without reporting the manner which Philip held in receyuing Gelberge after so long and obstinat a sute The King of Denmarke pursued vehemently in the Court of Rome for the honor and quiet of his sister reiected Philip not able to auoyd the decision of the cause And yet resolute not to receiue Gelberge prepares his Aduocates to shew the reasons which had moued him to put her away The cause was to bee pleaded before the Popes Legate in the great Hall of the Bishops Pallace at Paris thether they runne of all sides In this great and sollemne assembly Philipps Aduocates pleaded wonderfullie well for him against his wife but no man appeared for her As the Cryer had demanded three times if there were any one to speake for Gelberge and that silence should be held for a consent behould a yong man vnknowne steppes forth of the presse and demands audience An Aduocate vnknowne pleads against the King for his wife Gelberge It was granted him with great attention King Philip assisting euery mans ears were open to heare this Aduocate but especially Philipps who was toucht and rauished with the free and plaine discourse of truth which he heard from the mouth of this newe Aduocate so as they might perceiue him to change his countenance After this young man had ended his discourse hee returnes into the presse againe and was neuer seene more neither could they learne what he was who had sent him nor whence he came The Iudges were amazed and the cause was remitted to the Councell Pâilip relents ând takes Gelberge againe Philip without any stay in Court goes to Horse and rides presently to Bois de Vincennes whether he had confined Gelberge hauing imbraced her hee receiues her into fauour and passed the rest of his dayes with her in nuptiall loue 1193 By Isabel he had Lewis the 8 of that name whome during his life he imployed in affaires and left him the Crowne But the peace of his house was blemished by these crooked changes whereby we may obserue by the disquieted mind of this worthy Prince that there is nothing absolutly perfect in humain affaires He which could surmount the insolencies of his enimies could not vanquish his owne passions He that could get else where could not preserue that which was most pretious that is the peace of his howse and of his bed and which is more of his soule who could not liue quietly a midest these contynual debates bred and norished in his bosome This was the banket which was prepared for him at his returne after so many broâles passed in the voiage of the âast Flanders and England ministred him matter of troubles all his life time ãâã had âoudry wârres ãâ¦ã King of England and ãâã Earle of Fâandârs and he requited his enemies with the like ouer whome he had victorious aduantages Balâwine Sonne to Baldwin Earle of Hainault and Namur called the fourth and of Marguerit of Alsatia the Heire of Flaunders by the decease of her brother Philip dead of late in the East was then seased of these goodly Seigneuries wherevnto he had added Vermandois the which he pretended to belong vnto him by a certaine agreement but in effect it was by the right of conueniencie the which he had seazed on in Philips absence who at his returne recouered it from him by force with the countrey of Artois the which he gaue to his Sonne Lewis being now growne great who tooke possession and receyued homage from them of the Country Moreouer Philip caused Bauldwin to doe homage as his vassal for Flanders and other Lands of the Low countries noted by that name at Paris according to the sollemnities required from thence he marcheth into Normandie takes Gisors and the Country of Vexin giuing it for a dourie to his sister Alix being put away by Richard whome he had married againe to the Earle of Ponthieu But sodenly there are complaints from England That Phlilip did breake his promise He replies That seing his sister was nothing to Richard there was noâ reason he should enioye her doury But this quarrell must proceed farther Richard receiues his brother Iohn into fauour and pardons what is past so as he will serue him faithfully against Philip and be no more seduced by his practises It chanced moreouer that Otho of Saxony the Son of Richards sister was choseÌ Emperour in his absence being then in England froÌ whence he presently departs assisted with his Vncles meanes the which hereafter shall import him much Richard seing how much Tholouse did import him for his countries of Guienne enters into a strict League of friendship with Raymond Earle of Tholouse theÌ a widower by the death of Constance Aunte to Philip giuing him Ioane his sister in marriage the widowe of
them to his wise and irreuocable decree the which neuer failes to execute things in their due season Philip had the like desire to fight although his counsel were otherwise affected The like aduertisements were giuen from all parts and reason it selfe did wish him not to expose his new Crowne to the hazard of a generall and doubtfull battaile So the armies stand some daies at the gaze In the end Edward to draw him to fight besieged Tournay Some skirmishes were made in the which the English were beaten The place is victualled by Philip but the English army stands firme in the same quarter watching a fit oportunity for their desseine All Europe stood gazing at this great and dangerous spectacle The friends of both parts were greatly perplexed with so doubtfull an euent the which brought the estate of two realmes into question But God who reserued the victory and scourge to an other season dispersed this storme being in shew ready to fal by this occasion Iane of Valois sister to Philip widowe to William Duke of Hainault and mother to Marguerite the wife of Edward a Princesse of excellent vertues hauing since her widowhood willingly giuen ouer al affaires of State had professed her selfe a Nun at Fontenelles to attend her deuotion and fasting 1337. She resolues to imploy all her credit as a Sister and Mother in lawe with Philip and Edward to keepe them from so dangerous abattaile She runnes to the one and to the other Iaâe of Valois labor to stay them froÌ shedding of bloud but finds them both so resolute in their desseins as shee is often reiected Yet is she nothing daunted In the end she incounters their violent passions with such patience and dexteritie as she obtaynes a day and place for a parle although Ieames of Arteuille a dangerous flie in a State tickled Edwards eares to crosse so comendable a resolution An example of a woman worthy of eternall praise euen in this iron age whereas women haue beene miserable instruments of ciuil dissentions Nota. and hellish fier brands to consume France with the fier of conâusion and miserie The great armies of France and England ãâã without fighting Edward takes on him the tittle of King of France A parle being concluded deputies were chosen on either side to treat and by them a truce was made Tournay is deliuered and the armies dismissed and so the storme prâuented for this time the which threatned both realmes All good men reioyced none but Ieames of Arteuille his faction were greeued So as not able to auoide it yet to feed Edwards humour he aduiseth him to take vpoÌ him the name of King of France by the which both he and his complices should auoide the infamie of rebellion and the punishement of high Treason as hauing done nothing but by the comaundement of their soueraigne The date of this title of France was in the yeare .1337 The which England holds to this day and our Kings the realme in effect Edward left his wife at Gaâd to keepe the flemings at his deuotion being a wise and a vigââant Princesse he himselfe returned into England extremely greeued for being vnable to satisfie his Germains for want of money who expected a great bootie by this warre from the which they scarce returned with their pay The Germaineâ leaue Edward and ioyne with Phiââââpe There spâong vp a newe combustion from this discontent the fier being onely smothered in the embers but not quenched Philip makes his profit of the Germains discontent and by the meanes of Iane the wife of Lewis of Bauiere Emperour being his neâcâ he wins them to leaue Edwards part and to imbrace that of France Edward in like sort striues to haue his reuenge on Philip. But to what ende serues all this but to disquiet their estates the which they ought to maintaine in peace Thus the passions of Princes are bad councellers for the good of their subiects This was the occasion of this newe breach betwixt the two Kings Arthur Duke of Briâtaine sonne to that Iohn 2. Duke of Brittâine who as we haue saied had beene slaine at Lions at the coronation of Pope Clement 5. had two wiues A newe quarâel for the Duchie of Bâittaâie and by either of them children of the first named Bâatrix vicontesâe of Limosin he had two sons Iohn and âuy of his second wife Yoland countesse of Montfort ãâã he had Iohn of Montfort who contended for the duchie of Brittaine Iohn 3. the sonne of Arthur dying without issue hee made his niece Iane the daughâer of his brother Guy who died before him his heire in the succession of the sayd duchie In regard of this prerogatiue giuen to Iane Charles of Blois nephewe to King Philip married her vpon condition That those children which should be borne of this marriage should bee lawfull heires to the duchie of Brittaine whereof Charles was inuesied after the consummation of the marriage all homages done vnto him and hee was puââ ãâã reall and full possession of âhe said Countrie in the life of Iohn After whose decease behold Iohn of Montfort halfe brother to Iane as we haue saâeââ pretending to the said duchie surpriseth Nantes then Rennes Vânnes Brest the Castel of Aulroy with many other places hauing receiued the homages of the Brittons he comes to Paris to do his soueraigne homage to the King for the saâd duchie and to be ãâã therein Charles of Blois opposeth in the right of his wife and hereupon they are both âent by the King to the Court of Parlement of Paris to do them iustice Adiudged to ãâã of Bââiâ against ãâã of Montfort The Court with the Kings authority sitting in his seat of Iustice and in the presence of many Princes decrees that Charles of Blois in the name of Iane his wife the lawfull hââââ of the duchie of Bâittanie as succeeding the second son of the first bed should be receiued by the King to fealty and homage for the Countrie of Brittaine and Iohn of Montfort the third son of Arthur of the second bed should be acknowledged in his degree to enioy his right when it should fall vnto him Iohn of Montfort disdaining this order 1341. resolues to win that by force which he could not recouer by reason and in this humor he goes into England crauing aide from Edward who receiues him very gratiously but from thence he returnes into Brittaine Philip aduertised of these practises pursueth Iohn of Montfort with such successe as hauing taken him prisoner with the Castell of Nantes whether hee was retired he confined him to the Louure While these difficulties fall out in Brittain Troubles at Naples there growes a newe trouble by a strange accident at Naples in the familie of our Princes of France of whome we haue spoken Wee haue saied that Charles the Lame had manie sonnes Charles Robert Lewis and Philip Robert after this losse of Sicilie had for his
He demands them to this end aâcording to the conuentions This charge being deliuered in the Towne house where thâse miserable Bourgeses were assembled by his permission to giue their Countây their last farewell they gaze one on an other terrified with so pittilesse a condition As they al stood mute in this common calamity one of the troupe breaking this mournfull silence Sâeââg âaith he I haue so often imployed my life for my Countriâs good should I nowe feare to ãâã it for my last oblation A notable farewell of the Calisââs O my Countrimen I doe cheerfully offer my head to the King of Englands ãâã and will liue no longer in my Countries myserie This hee spake without teares and with so resolute a countenance and a browe so manly big as hee mooued the whole company so as all with one generall voice ãâã Let vs go to the death it is the last duty we can performe to our poore Countrie Immediatly there was pressing among this great multitude who should be of the six to carry their heads to Edwards triâmphe They were chosen out drawen bound and led to execution The Queene hauing notice thereof desired to see them who were brought bound in the executioners hands The Queene ãâ¦ã This spectacle mooued her to weepe and compassion caused her to beg a pardon of the King beseeching him to giue life to these men worthy to liue after so constant a loyaltie She obtayne her request and leaue for them to remayne still in Calais esteemed to continue faithfull to their deliuereâ who had shewed themselues so constant in the faithfull loue of their lost countrie The history did owe this digression to so commendable an act The same Some brought Edward a wisshed successe in Brittaine Troubleâ in Bâiââain touching the quarrell for the Duchie Philip had taken Iohn of Montfort and Edward in exchange tooke Charles of Blois whome he led into England and still weakeneth Philips authoritie in Britain and settles his owne Thus passe the affaires of this world euery one hath his turne Vertuous Princeââes in their husbands miseries The two Duchesses of Britain Ioane the wife of Iohn of Montfort and Ioane the wife of Charles of Blois did wonders in keeping those places they had in their possessâons during the imprisonments of their husbands without entring farther into the discourse of the female wars of these Amazons worthy yet of eternall memory hauing so couragiously releeued the afflictions of their imprisoned husbands and neuer yeelded to necessity Newe troubles in Flanders Flanders likewise grewe mutinous by Edwards practises being then greatly respected for the successe of his victorious armes The Flemings receiued their Earle Lewis of Malle without any opposition beeing sonne to that Lewis which was slaine at Cressy but the Kings of France and Eâgland contended who should winne him Lewis was in heart a Frenchmân The Citties were generally affected to England The marriage of this young Prince was great Edward desired him for his daughter but especially the oportunitie of this rich County for his affaires He comes himselfe to Gand to compasse his desire but the euent was not answerable The Earle of ãâ¦ã into France for although the Earle made shewe to imbrace this alliance at the great instance of his subiects yet his heart was otherwise affected who vnder colour to go flie at the Heron goes out of Gand with a smal traine flies to Paris to Philip who hauing receiued him gratiously perswades him to espouse Marguerit the second Daughter of the Duke of Brabant thereby to cut off all hope of marying with England Thus the hatred of these two Princes continued which in the ende must breake forth into hostâle effects Pacardy was the stage of their lamentable tragedies from thence the miserie was dispersed ouer the whole Realme 1348. Philip giues the gouernement to Geoffry Earle of Charny the Lieutenancy to Anthony of Montmorency They fortifie the Towns and bridle Calais beeing assisted by a great number of voluntary Nobility louing the coÌmand of these two great captaines as a schoole of military discipline to shewe that the French did not faint in their afflictions These losses were then repaired by the gaine of the country of Daulphiné one of the noblest and goodliest Prouinces of this Realme And this was the occasion Imbert or Vmbert Daulphin of Viennois hauing lost his eldest sonne in the battell of Cressy as I haue said and his yongest being two or three yeares old by a strange accident they say that he himselfe let him fall out of his armes as he plaide with him at a window thinking to feare him moreouer hauing Amé the 6. Earle of Sauoy an irreconciliable spightfull enemy beeing too weake to resist him nor able to make choise of a kinsman to repaire his estate being wearie of the world and decayed in iudgement he resolues to cast himselfe into the King of France his protection to oppose him against his enemy and to put this goodly inheritance into his hands thereby to preuent the Earles greedy desire Forthwith hauing aduertised Philip of his intention and being graciously intertayned by him he giues all the Countrie of Daulphiné to him and his successors Kings of Francâ vpon condition that the first son of the house of France should carry the name of Daulphin of Viennois the armes of the country of Daulphiné should be quartered with the armes of France that the Nobility whole country shold be receiued with their priuileges Amé Earle of Sauoy otherwise a deare friend to Philip sends his Embassadors to make his benefit of this exchange but it was not for him all that he could obtaine was to exchange some land with that which laie intermixt within his territories adioyning Daulphin incorporate to the crowne the better to liue in quiet afterwards Daulphiné was thus incorporated to the Crowne of France For we cannot with any reason doubt but in old time it was a meÌber of this our Monarchy as likewise Sauoy was but in these diuersities of portions vnder the children of Lewis the gentle as we haue noted before the Realme and Empire swallowing vp both the effect the name of the Realme of Arles in the which these Estates were comprehended haue maintayned themselues by a remarkable distinction and so vnder the authority of the Empire they haue since held their soueraignty not acknowledging any Emperour but their Princes Daulphiné is returned to his first originall and Sauoy maintaines it selfe vnder the obedience of his soueraigne Prince vnto this day As for the name of Daulphin giuen to the first sonne of France the execution of Prince Imberts will was not put in practise before Charles the fift sonne to Iohn then Duke of Normandy in the life of his father Philip and not giuen to Iohn in the yeare 1348. The towne of Montpâllier purchased to the crowne The yeare following the Citty of Montpellier one of
him to his ouerthrow This great squadron forceth into the Vines and enters fight with the English foote but the issue of Iohns new stratagem was contrary to his expectation for in âhâs first charge they finde resistance The Archers planted in the Vines with aduantage galled them in the first rankes with their arrowes whilest that others lying vnseene in the rowes adioyning aime at them at their pleasures shooting forth a dangerous storme of arrowes and vpon their flanke riseth another showre which passeth through these horsemen whereas neither Lance nor Battleaxe could preuaile Hauing made this first charge with so great losâe they seeke to retire and to charge the enemie in some other place Battaile of Poitiers but they fall into a greater perplexitie for the horses sinck in this mirie ground and are intangled among the sâubbes stakes and trees some fall some rise againe all are in confusion they lie plunging in the ditches and trenches and the English arrowes flie from all sides This troupe hauing drawne downe the rest by degrees like to a current of water which disperseth it selfe by a chanell the more men the more disorder Our Frenchmen grow amazed at this repulse The English seeing them giue back in confusion crie victorie The French defeaâed by the Enâââsh and follow their aduantage striking on all sides as they lay wallowing one vpon another King Iohn runnes to repaire this disorder He performes the dutie both of a good Captaine in gathering together his dispersed men and of a valiant Souldiour in fighting couragiously but the blow was already giuen all was lost The Duke of Athenes Constable and Ihon of Clermont Marshall were slaine at the first charge The Standard royall appeares no more by the fall of the Earle of Charnie who carryed it in this dayes fight The greatest part of the commanders and of this braue Nobilitie who sought to be in the front are vnhorsed This rampart ouerthrowne and the rest shaken broken in peeces the Prince of Wales preuailes the more easily King Iohn is farre ingaged in the conflict The English crie to the King to the King Being charged on all sides he defends himselfe admirablie and his sonne Philip being neere him surmounted the ordinary courage of the most resolute Souldiers in shielding his father from blowes This generous valour did first purchase him the name of Hardy and the course of his life did confirme it in diuers worthy actions but in the end they are both prisoners There was some controuersie not without extreame danger to his person for hauing yeelded vnto Denis of Morbec his owne subiect borne in the countrie of Arthois banished for some fact he was halled by other souldiers who pretended an interest in this prize But the Prince of Wales vnderstanding therof sent him an honorable gard of some of his most trusty seruants whilest that he made the victory absolute The head being taken all are surprized with feare all are dispersed and the slaughter is generall without resistance Edward content to haue the head sounds a retreate and forbids them to pursue the victorie Many saue themselues in Poitiers which stands vpon her garde least the enemy should ânterwith them that fled The victorious Prince remayning vpon the place of battell sendes a troupe of Noble men Gascons King Iohn taken prisoner Prince Edwaââ recâiues him with great âespect to receiue the King prisoner and to conduct him to his pauilion the which they do with great respect Edward seeing him approch meetes him with great reuerence honours him comforts him entertaines him with a louing discourse and promiseth him all the good vsage a great King could expect in his aduersity A young Prince twise a conquerour hauing vanquished his enemie both by valour and courtesie leauing an honourable trophe of his humanity and wisedome to posterity Iohn setling his countenance shewed a couragious minde in his misfortune A notable example for Princes to shewe an inuincible constancie against the most dangerous losses amongst which the losâe of liberty holds the most mournefull rancke and is of the biâterest digestion Our losse was then very great and the sâquele very pernitions They number seuenteene hundred Gentlemen slaine in this battell The number oâ the dead amongst the which there were fifty two Lords The chiefest of marke were Peter of Bourbon the Duke of Athenes Constable of France Iohn of Clermont Marshall of France George of Chââny great Chamberlaine Renauld of Chameil Bishop of Chalons the Lords of Pont and Fayette and of the common sort fiue or six thousand A hundred ensignes were brought away in triumph the spoyle carried away the place of battell free the dead bodies at the conquerours mercie The King was taken the cheefest part of the victory with him was led into the same prison Philip his fourth sonne afterwards Duke of Burgogne Iames of Bourbon Earle of Ponthieu The prisoners âaken in the battell Iohn of Arthois Earle of Eu Charles of Arthois his brother Earle of Longucuille Charles Earle of Tancaruille Iohn of Melun and his sonne Archbishop of Sens the Earles of Vendosme Salbruch Nassaw Dampmartin la Roche and many other men of accompt This ouerthrow happened in the yeare 1356. the 19. day of September continued with many confusions whereof I tremble to discourse But let vs continue the order of our history Iohn falling into his enemies hands is brought to Bourdeaux and froÌ thence safely conducted into England to Edward who shewed himselfe as curteous to his capitall enemie being his captiue as glad of his Sonnes victory Some say he commended him more to haue receiued Iohn with humanity then to haue conquered him by his valour A lesson for great Princes A lesson for great Princes to learne that vertue doth equall valour and that he is rightly a conqueror that can vanquish himselfe He doth lodge him honourablie in the Citty of London in the Duke of Lancasters house with his son Philip vnder a sure gard The other prisoners are dispersed into diuers places according to their qualities to drawe a reasonable ransome from them the which as they payed he sent them free to their houses with much honour and at that instant he gaue liberty vpon the kings word being captiue to all such as he would answer for In this great calamity God looked vpon France with his eye of pitty willing to chastice it but not to ruine it For he reserued during the Kings captiuity royall heads to saue this estate from shipwracke being almost ruined both by the great afflictions passed as also by the imprisonment of their soueraigne head and the death of many great personages necessary instruments for the preseruation greatnesse of the State As Charles eldest son to Iohn The admirable prouideÌce of God in the preseruation of this estate Daulphin and Duke of Normandy Lewis Duke of Aniou and Iohn Duke of Berry escaped in this defeat Charles was of so wise and temperate a
nineteene moneths a prisoner This young Prince inuironed with all these difficulties had yet one which exceeded the rest The King of Nââaââe set at liberty comes to Paâââ The Bishop of Laon the chiefe of his councel betraied him bâing a priuate and passionate partaker of the Nauarrois Charles King of Nauarre is deliuered meaning to come to Paris and therefore he demands a safeâconduct from the Daulphin who grants it will he or no that is he puts a sword into the hands of his most malicious and âurious enemie and lodgeth him in his owne house These were bitter pilles but he must digest them euen the Daulphin and all good men that did assist him But many of them lothe to allow of these confusions by their free conâents retire themselues to their houses The Nauarrois hauing his pasport from the Daulphin not onely as a gage of the publike faithfulnesse but as a sentence against king Iohn being prisoner goes to Paris with a stateâââ traine where they all prepare for his entertainment The Bishop of Laon and the Prouost of Marchants with a great troupe of his Partisans meet him who went to lodge in the Abby of S. Germaine He lets the people vnderstand that he desires to speake publikly vnto them A scaffold is built the people throng in great troupes bringing both hearts and eares The Nauarrois a subtill and an eloquent man represents vnto them the wrong of his imprisonment and his interest to the Crowne he desires iustice might be done him according to his deââât and qualitie but aboue all he spares not to touch that string which should aduance him to the royaltie The people applaud him and giue charge to the Pâouost of Marchants to make the Daulphin acquainted therewith The Bishop of Laon a traâtor to his maiestie the which he perfoâmes with a brauado The Bishop of Laon a treacheâous seruant to his Maisteâ answeâs for him being silent in this necessitie That the Daulphin should shew grace and fauour to the King of Nauarre as one good brother ought to another He makes the Daulphin so humble as he preuents the Nauarrois who kept his lodging but to preach to this seditious multitude and doth vâsit him first whom he doth scaâse meete at the doore with a colde welcome He requires audience of his demands They are read in councell which consisted for the most part of men corrupted Wheâe it was decreed That all which the King of Nauarre and his complices had done against the King and his realme should be forgotten as neuer done The ãâã yeelds to the ãâã his goods seized and in the Kings hands should be restored both to him and his with their honours which had beene beheaded by the commandement of King âhon their bones should be gathered together and honourablie interred all acts of condemnation dâsânulled and an actâ of their iustiââcation autentically drawne to free them and theirs hereafter from all ãâã The demand of the King of Nauarres pretended title was remitted to another time But the Nauarrois brings in the king of England of whom the Daulphin demaÌded a truâe the which he grants vpon condition New causes of warre That he might succour the King of Nauar Iohn of Montfort duke of Brittaine in their pretensions Thus the seeds of warre were sowen during the confused calamitie of this poore realme by the meanes of Charles of Nauarre At the same instant Edward makes rigorous demands of his prisoner Iohn on whom for all his good couÌtenance he meant to make a benefit by his captiuity He required homage of him for the realme of France as holding it of the realme of England and vpon this condition he would set him at libertie K. Iohn being of a couragious spirit though a prisoneâ in his person answers him freely That he must not speake to him of that which he neither ought nor would do to alienate a right inalienable That he was resolued at what price soeuer The generous answer of King Iohn to Edwards demands to leaue it to his children as hee had receiued it from his Ancestors That affliction might well ingage his person but not the inuiolable right of the Crowne where he had the honour to be borne ouer the ãâ¦ã prison nor death had any power especially in him who should alwaies hold his life well imployed sacrifiâing it for the immortall preseruation of France This generous magnanimitie of King Iohn gaue as great occasion to pittie his calamity as the strange conditions of the English being victor ministred matter of griefe and ãâã to all true hearted Frenchmen but all this could neitheâ temper the malice of the Nauarrois not the furious impudencie of this inchanted people Hââevpân the Daulphin intreats the Parisiens to take pittie of his poore father who not able to auâid the ineuitable crosses of fortune common to all degrees The Parâsienâ in ãâã to their King could well shewe ãâã in greatest afflictions But these brutish mindes will not be mooued by any ãâ¦ã reasons so as after this poore Prince had vsed all the submissions necessity could ãâã to win the people in the end after the losse of his paines he sought to the other Citâââ ãâã France Hauing left Lewis Duke of Aniou his brother at Paris to supply his place ãâã maintaine some shewe of authority The Daulphin âolieâs the other Citties for the Kings liberty the effect wherof crept hourely into the Nauarrois power he went from Cittie to Cittie crauing aide of the French for the deliuerie of his father and the restoring of his Estate The hâstory doth much honor the Prouince of Languedoc to haue made greate showes of ãâã to their King being prisoner for it obserues That the three Estatâ of the Country assembled in one body at Tholouse vnder the authority of the Earle of Armagnac their gouernor did freely grant a great aide to the King for the performance whereof The loue and duty of them of Languedoâ to their Kingâ and of Champagne they would not only imploy their reuenewes but their most precious mouables yea their wiues iewells And to testifie their generall heauines they abandoned all sumptuous apparell and bankets especially all dances maskes plaies and other pleasures during the captiuity of their King Champagne followed this commendable example But examples did no more mooue the Parisââns hearts then reason had done who answere the Daulphin âoughly when hee intreats them most humbly that hee should call an other Parliament where they would aduise what was to be done Their intent was to take all authority from the Daulphin and to vâuâpe it themselues to dispose of the tresor of honors and dignities of peace and war and of the life and death of the Kings subiects at their pleasures Horrible ââsolenciâs of the Parisiens against their Prince To this end they made this young Prince coÌtemptible odious assembling together both without his priuity against his will in
he would not accept of this gouernment without the good liking of the Duke of Berry so as all the punishment fell vpon Betizac his chiefe Treasurer who ãâã burnt at Beziers Betizac the Dukes treasurer burnt purging in the fire the extorsions he had committed vnder his maisterâ authoritie At that time Charles King of Nauarre died so often blemished in the truth of this historie we haue noted how he had retired himselfe from Court into his realme of Nauarre As this retreat was vnto him a reprochfull banishment so this shamefull solitarinesse was a ciuill death But the Catastrophe of his tragicall life was a famous proofe that God doth often reuenge notable sinnes by notable punishments euen in this life He was much broken by the excesse of venery and all sorts of dissolutions the which he had exceedinglie vsed with his wonderfull tyrannie and crueltie As they did anoint him with medicines fit to warme and comfort his benummed members some say they had chafed him with Aqua-vitae The tragicall ãâã of the Nauarroâ and wrapt him in a sheete but behold fire takes hold of this sheete with such violence as being vnable to quench it he was consumed by degrees liuing some daies as suruiuing his paine and that which encreased the horror of Gods iudgement his death made both great and small to reioyce and was receiued in France with as great content as the winning of a great and famous battaile Great robbing during the truce There was a generall truce betwixt the French and English so as the garrisons lying stâll the Souldiars bred vp and nourished in armes fighting no more by order vnder their eâsâgnes sought now their prey by disorder vpon the labourer and marchant The countries of Rouergue Perigort Limosin Auuergne and La Marche had English garrisons who spoiled these countries and did runne vp into the neerest parts of Languedoc Velai Geuaudan Viuarez and Suenes where the villages are for the most part walled in to preuent these sodaine incursions There were many theeues amongst them Teste noire or Black-pate in the Castell of Ventador Amerigor Marcel at Roâh-Vandais who breaking the truce sought to be supported by the King of England but in the end they all fell into the hang-mans hands or perished miserably by some strange death an Image of our late confusions Libertie had bred vp these warriours with so great aboundance as the English passed the sea to make Turneys and to fight at Barriers as they vse at great Triumphes There was a Tilt set vp betwixt Calais and Saint Iaquelvuert where the Nobilitie made triall of their valour as in a Schoole of Fence To take away this troublesome aboundance they tooke occasions to make long voyages into Castille and Italie but in the end there was a very famous one offred against the miscreaâts of Barbarie at the Geneuois request who suffred many discommodites in their traffick by these barbarous Affricans Charles granted them succours willingly and gaue the charge of this warre to Peter duke of Burbon assisted with the Earles of Auuergne and Foix the Lords of Coucy Guy of Tremouille A voyage into Affâââke by âhe Frenâh English together Iohn of Vienne Admirall of France Philip of Arthois Earle of Eu Philip of Bar Harcourt Antoing Linge Pyquiny and many other great men from all parts of the Realme which ranne to so famous an action vnder so worthy a commander and at so great leysure more painfull then the toyle of warre to men that desired nothing but imployment Richard King of England to imitate Charles granted succours to the Geneuois vnder the command of the Earle of Salisburie accompanied with many Noble men and Engââsh Gentlemen moued with desire like vnto the French in the enterprise of this pleasing paine The Deputies of the Kings of France and England assembled to treate of a generall peace but not able to effect it they continue a truce for foure yeares with goodly pâouisions against robberies for the safetie and quiet of their Estates Charles gaue free passage to the English by the Countries of Langâedââ and Daulphiné to passe the Alpes safelie All come to Genes to the great ioy of the Geneuois Being shipt they land within fewe dayes in Barbarie Presently they beseege the Citty of Affricke So our histore termes it as bearing the name of all the vast and barbarous counâry They call the Afâricanic commanders Agadinquor of Oliferne and Brahadist of Thunes But our Argonautes found them which stayed their fuây The Barbarians defended themselues with an obstinate resolution But their foâce did them lesse harme then the ayre and diet beeing very contrary to theiâ complexions so as our armie decreased dayly especially of men of accompt This siege conâinued six weekes with much losse no hope to preuaile The ãâã noated alwaâes to be âaithlâsse The Geneuois hauing conceiued a hope of a sodaine victorie began to grow cold and slacke in furnishing of the armie The Duke of Bourbon foreseeing the difficulties which might grow in continuing obstinaâe at this siege fearing the winter and not trusting the Geneuois who are famous for that they haue no faith remembring the example of the King S. Lewis resolued to returne wiâhout any greater losse He trusseth vp his baggage bringes backe his troupes into France coÌtinuing the example to al such as are capable of reasoÌ how difficult it is for Christâans to performe these strange attempts after the experience of many ages The ârench and the English hauing liued louingly together in this voyage returned to their houses without doing of any memorable act but to haue endeauored to doe sometâing worthy of memory to auoide idlenesse during so peacefull a time âritâaine did then conceiue and afterwards bring forth more preiudiciall effects then Bârbary iâ selââ and the way was made by light occasions to horrible and monstrous efâects to the great preiudicâ both of the King and Realme for a notable tesâimonie to posterity what Councellors Enuye and ambition be in a state we like wretches seeke for peace and when God gâues it we flie from it we maligne an other mans good and depââue our selues of our owne But alas it were a small matter for a great personage to hurâ himselfe by his owne passions if this poison did not spred abroad to the preiudice of âhe common weale We haue said that Iohn of Montfort remained peaceably Duke of Brittaine by the death of Charles of Blois and the agreement he made with his widow Hatred betwixt the duke of Briâââine the Constable Clisson whose eldest sonne Iohn of Brittâine Earle of Ponthieure was redeemed from prison out of England by the constable Clisson who gaue him his daughter in marriage payed his âansome The constable was a Briâton and so a subiect to Iohn of Montfort Duke of Brittaine his ancient and capitall ânimy and yet by this newe succession was become his Lord. Doubtlesse in this quality Clisson could not
forbidden vpon paâne of death and the English come to the succor of the associat Princes to bee satisââed out of the Kings tâeasor Without the Cittie of Auxerre neeâe to the Abbie of Saint Mâriââ a stately scaffold was made where the King sitting in his seat of Iustice enuironed with his Princes the officers of his Crowne and the chiefe deputies of the Parliament the peace was proclaymed with as great ioy as the warre had beene tedious and mournfull To confirme this peace with Iohn of Bourgongne Philip Earle of Vertus married his daughter but all this could not reconcile him to the house of Orleans The Daulphin reioyced much at this peace and made all shewes of loue to his Cousins lately reconciled being greeued to haue bin so long dissentioÌ betweene them desirous âo repaire what was past aboue all to maintaine an inviolable peace wâthin the Realme The good sicke King present at all yeelding his consent and authority somtimes inclyned to good sometimes to ill Queene Isabel held with the strongest but all these good motions were crossed by the Bourguignon so as all the confusions of this raigne are not yet ended Iohn of Bourgongne seeing himselfe crost by Lewis the Daulphin and the house of Orleans restored to grace stirres vp newe troubles from the yeare 1412. Vnto 17. when as the Daulphin died but the troubles ceassed not FRance began to hope for better by the meanes of Lewis the eldest Sonne to King Charles hauing a desire to make a peace against the Bourguignons will But this was not all they expected of the Daulphins first resolution yet the weakenesse of the sicke King The Boââguignons ãâã in Court and the inconstancie of his yong Lieuâenant gaue the subtill braine of Iohn of Bourgongne too great an aduantage to suffer the French to enioy the fruiâs of peace so much desired who neuer yeelded to baâe threats but grewe more resolute And notwithstanding this alteration of the Daulphin his sonne in lawe yet he left not the Court being alwayes neere the King keeping the Councel in breaâh who were for the most part all on his side and although they worshiped the Sunne rising yet seeing the spirit âf this yong Prince to be weake and inconstant and the Bourguignons fiâ me resolutâon they stood vpon their gard doing nothing that might openly offend eyther the one or the other but vnder hand they sought to please the most polâââke and redoubted maister who else mâght proue a most cruell and dangerours enemie Thus were affaires handled in the Kings councell And as not only the Court but the whole world is an ebbing and flowing of diuers humors the which doe change according to occasions and the scaffold whereon dissembling trechery and treason play their parts diuersly so at that time the Bourguignon a principall artisan of these goodly shewes found an ample subiect wherein to imploie his filthy trade But although he seemed to haue gained all whatsoeuer he desired that should come to passe and to haue attayned the full of his desires yet all his enterprises came to nothing and in the end he paied with the price of his bloud the great debt of his horrible wickednesse But this acte shall haue manie Scenes In the first our History shall set downe the new gouerment of Lewis the Daulphin The estate of the Court vnder Lewis the Daulphin This yong Prince was not capable of so great a charge hauing an idle braine being carelesse and voluptuous giuen to his owne will obstinate taking no aduice from any but of himselfe or from yong men of his owne humour loth to yeeld to any that vnderstood more then himselfe and especially to his vncles whose graue haires he disdained neither could he loue his father in lawe being resolued to gouerne the realme alone The Queene seeing her Sonnes humour inclyned to loue the house of Orleans made shew to fauour them but in effect she was indifferent being wholy giuen to flatter which her husband and to gouerne him according to the time The Bourguignon dissembling his sonne in Lawes wayward humours was alwayes neer the King giuing him such goodly reasons as the good Prince could not gainsaie him The subiect of his sutes was pleasing to the Parisiens whose good liking he entertained carefully but alwayes with an intent to bee reuenged of his enemies vnder this goodly name of the common wealth as the soueraigne ende of all his desseins but in effect he held still one of the cheefest places not yeelding in any thing to gouerne them which seemed to rule and to keepe backe such as might crosse his authoritie By the peace of Bourges the Constable of Albret should bee restored to his dignitie and Arnold of Corbie to his Chancellourship They delaie them from daye to day but in the ende they are restored with much difficultie The meanest haue many delaies more troublesome then a flat repulse being more willing to leaue al then to make these frutlesse poursuites Arnold of Corbie being honorably restored to his place resigned it into the Kings hands to auoide the danger of so confused a time more wisely then Henry of Marle that suceded him being slaine at the massacre at Paris with the Constable of Armagnae But the Bourguignons flew a higher pitche then to preiudice the house of Orleans in their goods and honors or to crosse their affaires and their followers The Bourguignons resolution He found no better expedient then to do as he had doone with Lewis their father for a dead Lion doth no harme To this ende he assembles some of his most trustye followers at Paris to finde meanes to murther the Dukes of Orleans Berry and Bourbon But Peter of Essars one of his most violent partisans discouered this practise for the which hee soone after smarted By the treatie of Bourges the Englishe which came to the Duke of Orleans succour must be satisfied They presse for paiement one part being discharged to the Duke of Orleans great hindrance he was forced to leaue his brother Iohn Earle of Angoulesme in in hostage for the rest Being carried into England he was in the end redeemed after much trouble and many dâlaies In this article the Bourguignon made shew of his good husbandrie solliciting the English vnder hand on the one side for to presse Charles his principall debtor and on the other side he cried out against the disorder of the Kings treasor so âll gouerned as there was not sufficient to furnish the ordinarie expences of his house pretending all these great summes to be wasted either by the Tresorers in gifts or in superflous expences This complaint was very plausible but it was a pitfall to catch his enemies to muâine this discontented people by reason of their great oppression 1413. being easie to be mooued at the name of the common weaâe He soone obtayned from the King a generall conuocation of the chiefe Citties to reforme the abuses of the Realme and
but we sought our owne decay The Constable Albret comanded âhe foreward that day and with him were the Dukes of Orleans Bourbon the Earles of Eu and of Richemont the Lord of Bouciquault Marshal of France the Lord of Dampierre Admiral The Battaile was led by the Duke of Bar and the Earles of Alenson Vaudemont Neuers Blamon Salines Grandpre and Roussy The Reerward by the Earles of Marle Dampmartin and Fouquembergue The King of England forced âo fight Henry being denied pasâage by the Constable resolues to fight puâting his trust in God and in his owne valour determining to vanquish or to die He made choise of a place of hard accesse and the better to fortifie his archers euery one had a sharpe stake planted before him The French ordered as before attended their enemies either looking who should begin the game Impatiencye forceth the weaker like desperate men the English Archers being in fight with such a furie as the French foreward cannot endure the violent fal of this furious storme the CoÌstable Albret was slaine fighting in the foremost ranke The Duke Anthony of Brabant brother to Iohn Duke of Bourgongne seeing this disorder leaues his troupe to redresse it but he was also slaine by the English bowe men And gets the victorie with his bâother Philip Earle of Neuers The battaile was likewise foâced after a great fight The reerward fled and saued them selues in the neerest places of retreate So as the losse was not so great as the shame and ouerthrow They number ten thousand men slaine but their rashenes was inexcusable The head smarâed for it and the Bourguignons brethreÌ had there an honorable tombe Charles Duke of Orleans Lewis of Bourbon the Eaâls of Eu Richemont Vendosâe the strongest pillers of the Orlean faction with many Noblemen and Gentlemen were taken and led into England This deâeat chancâd the 20. of Ocâober in the yeare The Battaile of Agincourt 1415. called the euill Battaile of Agincourt And as one mischief comes neuer alone the bodies at this defeat were scarce buried before Lewis the Daulphin dies This Lewis eldest Sonne to our Charles Sonne in Law Lewis the Daulpâin dies and a terror to the Bourguignon was little lamented of the people and lesse oâ his father in Law who hated him to the death A Prince of little valour and much toâle more busied with himselfe then with the affaires he managed the which he made troublesome by his insufficiencie presumptioÌ to know much His disposition vnwilling to learne fâom others what he vnderstood not for the good of the State and his owne duty Iohn Duke of Touraine his brother succeded him in the first degree of the Prince of the bloud The Duke of Berry dies and the Earle of Armagnaâ was made Constable in the place of Charles of Albret who shall minister good occasion to speake both of his life and death Iohn Duke of Berry brother to our Charles the 5. augmented these losses A wise Prince and louing Learning coÌmendable in al things but for his couetousnes the which made his vertues of lesse fame A blemish very il beeseming a generous and heroicke spirit These great losses should haue made the Bourguignon humble but he became more insolent making new practises to raise him selfe hauing no competitor Imbracing this ocasion he gatheâs togither what troupes he can with an intent to go to Paris The Queene and Constable of Armagnac vnwilling he shoud come armed comand him in the Kings name not to aproch The Parisiens were not then so well conceited of the Bourguignon being restrained by the court vnâuersitie but especially by the Kings authoâity being present who spake whatsoeuer his wife the Constable would haue him being then alone in authority in the Kings Councell The Bourguignons troupes kept the field 1416. committing all kinde of insolencies and spoyles against whom the King made Edicts as against common theeues The Bourguignon renewes the warre giuing the people liberty to kill them But this did nothing mollify the heart of this reuengefull Prince borne for his Countries misery hauing no other intent but to afflict it wâth new calamityes To this ende as in the Kings sicknesse the Daulphin had the name and authority of the State he sought to winne the fauour of Iohn succeeding in the right of his brother deceased This occasion was offered but the issue was contrary to his desseine The misery of our France was such as the common duty of humanity moued forraine nations to pitty foreseeing our ruine if the warre betwixt France and England continued In this common desire The Emperor Sigismond comes into Francâ the Emperour Sigismond by the consent of the Germans came into France His traine and the good worke he vndertooke deseâued an imperiall Maiestie but the ende will shew hâs intent to be other then he protested Being arâiued in France to the great content of all the French he findes our Charles at his deuoâion who receiued him with all the pompe he could giue to so great a Monarch making shewe of the great desire hee had to make a peace betwixt the French and the English for the generall good of both estates But this accord was but halfe made The Emperour hauing remained some time with Charles goes into England where he findes Henry of an other humour puft vp with the happy successe of his affaires the weakenesse of ours and in trueth the measure of our miseries was not yet full So Sigismond hauing perswaded Henry in vaine returnes into France Charles to honour him sends his sonne Iohn Duke of Touraine and Daulphin of Viennois into Picardie to meete him hauing married the daughter of the Earle of Hainault as great a friend to the Bourguignon as ill affected to the French The Emperour seeing his labour lost in seeking this reconciliation takes his shortest course into Germany leauing a reasonable subiect to the cleare-sighted The Daulphin Iohn fauours the Bourguignon to iudge that he had an other intent then to settle a peace in France by countenancing of the Bourguignon the instrument of her miseries for after this yong pâânce had spoken with the Emperour he is wholy changed in fauour of the Duke of Bourgongne and resolues to âandy with him against the Duke of Orleans This foundation beeing laid by the Emperours pollicy it was fortified by the Earle of Hainault father-in-law to Iohn the Daulphin Nowe he imbraceth the greatest and most dangerous enemie of all true Frenchmen with a wonderfull affection But the subtill is taken in his own snate the end doth often bewray the intent As all things tended to a manifest change by meanes of this yong Prince inchaunted by his charmes hauing a spirit like vnto waxe apt to receiue any impressions from so subtill an artisan as the Bourguignon behold death cuts off all these hopes The Daulphin Iohn dies cast in the mould of
men and gentlmen which had assisted these murtherers died of the plague except Lisle-Adam who was reseâued to receiue his punishment from King Henry of England although vpon an other occasion as you shall see here after And was not this God who reuenged this crueltie But let vs returne to our discourse for seeiâg the punishment was so sodaine we might not well remit the rehersall to any otherplace Charles lookes but coldly vpon his wife whome he loued not neither in health or sickenesse Hee welcomes the Duke of Bourgongne with a cheerefull countenance who had wonne his heart by framing himselfe to his weakenesse with mild speeches shewes of honour and apparant humility Impressions of common sense whereof phrensie for the most part doth not depriue mad men The Bourguiguon alters all at Paris The Kings councell assembled presently many things were propounded the first day they began with Officers the Constables place was confirmed to the Duke of Lorraine and the Channcellors hip to Eustache of Lastre Lislle Adam and Chastelus are made Marshalls of France for their well deseruing at the masaker at Paris Our Bourguignon creates Charles of Lens Admirall of France being Captaine of Paris and Phillip of Moruilliers the Queenes Aduocate first President of the Court of Parliament The English take all Normandie During this confusion Henry King of England makes other worke He was in Normandy taking Townes and Castles without any resistance Touques a Câstell held impregnable was forced by him during the passions of our mad-men as the first fruites of his conquestâ Louuiers Pont larche Caen Cherebourg Falaisse Argenton Alencon Constance S. Lo and other places followed to make the way open to Rouen without any great difficulty Rouen is besieged in a manner the very day of the massaker at Paris Henry doth assault it with all the force and policie he can as the Dongeon and chiefe strength of all Normandy Rouen besieged taken The cittizens giue a testimony of good and faithfull subiects by their valour and constancie They demand sucâours from the King with a protestâtâon of the euent The Court makes shew to stirre and to prouide for their defence but what remedy can the dead giue vnto the sicke In the ende after all their resistââce seeking to maintaine themselues vnder the obedience of France Rouen yeelds to Henry King of England vppon hard conditions All yeeldâ vnto King Henry To paye him three hundred sixty fiue thousand Crownes of gold and three Cittizens at his choise to doe his pleasure And so he suffered them to inioy their priuileges Of the three which he had chosen to punish he pardoned two and caused Alain âlanchart Captaine of the commons to bee beheaded worthy to be eternized in our history dying for the seruice of his Kââg and countrye in a time so famous for so desperate a confusion The sequile waâ great for not onely all the Townes of Normandy yeeld vnto him but also the Iââe of France was so amazed as all obey hiâ euen to the gates of Paris where the fuââe of our miserable dissentions prepared a Throne for the sworne enemye of ãâã Realme I am weary to report our shamefull losses as reuiuing our old soares Henry migât haue grauen in his triumph I came I sawe and oâcrââme onely Mont S. Michel in Normandy was maintained vnder the obedience of our crowne through the vallour ãâã some Gentlemen Normans whose names the history owes to posterity Iohn ãâã Montfort Duke of Britanie seeing this happie sucsesse makes composition wâtâ tâe English shrowding him selfe vnder his protection but he shall soone leaue him ãâã a more happie season shall make him turne to the Daulphin In this shipwracke the Queene and the Bourguignon had meanes to glut their ambition and furie at Paris beholinge the ruine of France hoping that in all extremities they should make their peace with the King of Ingland at their Countries cost hauing a daughter for a paââe and confirmation of this accord They send Ambassadors to Henry King of England being a Conquerour and âor a baite they carry the portrait of Katherine of France the Kings daughter a Princesse of excellent beauty who must likewise bee the Leuiân of our miserie But Henry finding this figure to be faire The Bourguignon treates with the English but in vaine desires to see the essentiall substance so as the Queeâe and the Borguignon gouerning the spirit of this poore sicke King conducts ãâã person with his daughter to their enimy neere to Meulan to aduise of a meanes for a generall peace but they departed without any conclusion by reason of the great demaunds which Henry made puft vp with this victorious successe seeking to sell âis friendship at too high a rate Yet the image of Katherine had made an impression in his heaât beeing much discontented that they had refused her with these conditions The Bourguignon likewise found lesse kindnesse then he expected and returned maleconânt for that Henry puft vp with these fortunate incounters and carried away with hope of future victorye spake more proudly then the Bourguignons humour could well digest which was the cause of his destemperature He growes discontented and seekes to reconcile himselfe to the Daulphin for Hânry said in his choler That he would haue both daughter and Bealme whosoeuer said nay and that there was no sufficient security for what they promised seeing the Daulphin did âot consent theâeunto A pill which the Bourguignon could not easily swallow So he chawed vpon this speech of the English which drewe him to his ruine for euen then he beganne to study by what meanes he might reconcile himselfe vnto the Daulphin hoping to fiâde a better composition with a yong Prince his kinsman and weary of the warres then with the English growne insolent by his victories Charles was not quâet in minde fearing least in these treaties they should conclude something to his preiudice So as they both inclined to an accord but vppon diuers causes to oppose against their common enimie with a common force But before we shewe the effect of this common desire we must see both the estate of our Daulphin since hee retired himselfe from Paris and of the Bourguignon since hee became Tribune of the people Although this terrible storme might haue shaken the young yeares of the Daulpâin Charles vnacquainted with the affaires of the world and his disposition inclining to pleasure seemed vnfit to indure much paine and toyle The Daulphinâ estate yet the effects at need shewed his constant resolution against all difficulties They attribute this consâancie and resolution to the faithfull councell of his seruants yet was it much for him to follow it Tannegay of Chastell Iohn Louuet president of Prouence the Vicont of Narbone and Robert Masson were those which serued him most for Councell in the beginning but God soone after did raise him vp strong hands to mannage armes couragiously and valiantly La Hire Pothon
to be reuenged vpon Charles the Daulphin and Charles to defend himselfe The exploites of the Daulphin and of Philip of Boârgâogue after this murther Philip was then in Flanders The Parisiens passionate partisans of the Bourguignon who had seene the Duke of Orleans murthered without mouing and they themselues had massacred the chiefe Officers of the Crowne and had shed the bloud of many good men for his pleasure and passion hauing repayed the bloud so treacherously slaine by him in the same coyne they nowe growe into a greater mutinie then if the King himselfe had beene slaine They send their deputies to Philip and promise not onely to bee faithfull but to assist him with all their meanes to reuenge the murther committed on the person of his father And at the same instant Montagu being escaped from the Turn-picke writes to all the Citties vnder the Bourguignons obedience of this accident the which he could report as an eye witnesse Charles on the other side writes to all the good Citties of the realme yeelding a reason of this murther and imputing the fault to the Bourguignons bad dealing who would haue slaine him at a parle exhorting the people not to mourne for the iust execution of a man borne for the ruine of France who had willingly thrust himselfe into this mischiefe offring all his meanes to settle the realme in peace according to the authoritie whereunto God had called him But in talking hee seekes countries Stephen of Vignoles called la Hire and Poton of Xaintrailles winne Crespy in Laonois and Caradoz of Quesne with Charles of Flauye take Roye places very important to trouble the Citties of Picardie where the Bourguignon was chiefely obeyed The strong Caâtell of Muin opposite to Crespye and Roye is surprised by the industry of his seruants keepes all Vermandois and Laonois in alarume This beginning caused Philip to seeke al speedie meanes to crosse Charles his proceedings being resolute to continue what he had begunne yet the Parisiens feared pressing Philip againe not to abandon the seruants of his house the which made him more prompt in the execution Philip being assured of his Flemings obtaines a suspension of armes from Henry the 5. King of England and a day and place appointed to treat a general peace betwixt the two realmes Then marching with his army through Picardie hee recouers Crespy Roye and Muin to the great content of his partisans and so he arriues at Troyes in Champagne the appointed place for this treatie Isabel Queene of France a cruell Medea and and vnnaturall mother continued her tragike choller against her Son who hauing defaced the common feeling of nature did soone forget the honor she had receiued to be married into the house of France Being thus wedded to the Bourguignons passions Queene Isabel hates the Daulphin hir sonne deadly she tormented her poore husbands spirâts being exceeding weake perswading him that his best course was to disinherit this wicked son to declare his daughter heire and in marrying her to the greatest King vpon the earth to giue her likewise the realme after his decease to her issue as descended from the bloud of France Philip comming to the King found newe worke for presently Henry the 5. King of England concludes a peace with King Charles the 6. weddes Katherine his daughter and doth obtayne by letters pattents That establiââing a firme and free peace in both the Realmes of France and England in regard ãâ¦ã marriage of Catherine of France he is declared Regent of the realme during the life of King Charles to whom the title of King remaynes and to âsabel his wife the title of Queene during their lââes But presently after the Kings decease The lawfull heire reiected and Henry the 5. declared heire of France the Crowne realme of France with al their rights and dignities should remayne vnto him whome King Charles the 6. calles by his letters patents his most deere and welbeloued sonne and to his heires in chiefe They cause this poore sicke King to sweare vpon the holy Bible to promise this for him and his withall exemptions and necessary clauses in so great and important a businesse This goodly act the finite of the furious passions of ciuill warre was made aâ Troye the 21. of may in the yeare 1420. This done the French and English forces ioyning and marching vnder the same colours acknowledge one Comander and for their first exploit they win Monstreau-faut-Yonâe where they take vp and bury Iohn of Bourgongne againe and so marching on as against Rebells they take Melun Meaux and Morst and beseege Compiegne But least matters should growe cold Henry of England whome they call Regent returnes to Troye and with a goodly traine conducts the King Queene and his newe wife Catherine to Paris being better followed and serued then the King himselfe The Parisiens folly did wonderfully imbâace the comming of this newe royaltie promising vnto themselues a newe heauen but this humor lasted not long hauing tried the power of forraine Princes and the commande of their Kings by very contrary effects The Regent held a Councell presently in great state in the Pallace of Saint Pol Henryes proceeding in his new royaltie of France being the Kings lodging Two throanes were erected for the two Kings and a seate vnderneath for Philip of Bourgongne The Kings councell being fewe in number is supplied by the Court of Parliament and the vniuersity Philip demandes Iustice of the muâther committed on the person of Iohn of Bourgongne his father His Aduocate Rolâin made this instance The Kings Aduocate and the vniuersitie assisted him in the ãâã King Charles promiseth Iustice against his Sonne the Daulphin and to dâal good âffâces for King Henry his newe Sonne This was the first act of the newe Regencie against the onely Sonne of his house And moreouer they decreed that heereafter all the treasure should be gouerned by the Regents authoritie and commande Henry resolues presently to call a Parliament for the necessity of his returne into England whether he ment to conduct his new Spouse The Bourguignon craues iustice against the Daulphin A Parliament was held according to this decree but all were amazed at this sodaine alteration euen the very report of my Historie hath some fealing thereof for what canst thou see herein gentle reader but frosen ice in the remembrance of these confusions renewed by the fealing of our owne Thus the Regent caused Charles Duke of Touraine and Daulphin of Viennois to be called to the marble table All sollemnities obserued and he not appearing by a decree of the Councell and of the Court of Parliament he was banished the realme The Daulphin banished the realme by a decree and he appeales and iudged vnworthy to succeede in any of the Seigneuries as well present as to come The Daulphin appeales from this sentence To God and his sword who in the ende doing him iustice shall blesse his sword and
stranged sease Henry the â sicke which the vulgar sort terme ãâ¦ã and Phisitians ãâã which is a Gowâe with a Craâpe Enguerand ãâã that the chiefe disease whereof he dyed was Saint Anthonies fire but it is more credibly reported that he dyed of a Plurisie a disease in those dayes so rare and vnknowne that Physitions being not therewith acquainted nor with the cause whence it proceeded could not prefer be not apply any remedy therefore Henry hauing his minde fixed vppon this voyage and his supposed victory partes from Senlis hauing taken leaue of the King Queene and wife whom he shall see no more he caused himselfe to be carried to Melun in a ââtter but feeling himselfe prest by his infirmitie he returned to Boâs-de-Vincennes where hauing taken his bed he sent his army into Bourgongne vnder the commande of the Duke of Bedford his brother and the Earle of Warwicke commandâng them to pârsue the Daulphin At the ãâã of this great armie the Daulphin Charles leaues Cosné and retires to Bourges and ãâ¦ã was freed Henry was not so freed from his sicknesse the which increasing daily made him to thinke of his ende disposing as he pleased touching his sonne Henry the 6. of that name whom he had by Katherine the daughter of France and the Duke of Exeter his Vnâle to be Regent of England commanding them expressely to liue in concord with Philip Duke of Bourgongne and ãâã to make any peace with Charles of Valois for so he called him vnlesse they might haue Normandy in soueraignty neither to release the Dukes of Orleans and Bourbon vntill his sonne were of a competent age And thus Henry the 5. dies beeing neare about forty yeares old Henrâ the â dies in the vigor of his age and spirit borne and aspiring to great matters hauing already giuen proofe of what he might haue done if he had liued longer But God would punish France by an Englishman yet would he not suffer France to haue any other ââng then a Frenchman This vnexpected death in the great course of Henry the fifts victories hapened the last day of August in the yeare .1422 followed soone after by one no lesse memorable Charles the 6. dies For Charles the 6. our good King but subiect to the miserablest raigne that France had euer seene to that day âell sicke dyed the 22. of October in the same yeare 50. daies after the decease of Henry of England A sicknesse death remarkable in so great a King for after that he had languished in so long infamous an infirmity he died in a manner alone They name but the Chauncellour the first Chamberlaine his Aâmoner with some groomes of his chamber which were present at his end After his death he was visited by such as had caused him to die liuing and by his miserable life had made all the realme to Languish At the funeralls of this poore Prince ãâ¦ã proclaimââ King after the herald had proclaimed The King is dead an other cried God saue the King God send a long hâppy life to Henry the 6. by the grace of GOD King of France and England our soueraigne Lord. To the end that passion might triumph ouer the infiââitie of our King 1422. euen in his graue This Henry shal be crowned King at Paris soone after But where is that Isabel or rather Iezabel who had so much tormented her poore husband I seeke her in all the corners of this history yet cannot finde her She whâ caused so great diuisions dies without any memory but to haue liued too long for France and her children Oh the vanity of this world which doth inâerre the most busie in the forgetfullnesse of the graue when as they thinke themseues raised to the toppe of their desseines Thus Charles the 6. raigned thus he liued and thus he died miserable in his raigne miserable in his life but most happie in his death as well to free himselfe from paine and by his occasion his whole realme from confusion as also by death to change his tumultuous and miserable life into a quiet rest and eternall happinesse for what else can we say of him whose misery gaue him the title of welbeloued hauing nothing reprochefull in his life but his afflictions This is all I can speake touching the iudgement of this raigne after the repetition of so many miseries so as measuring others by mine owne apprehension I thinke to ease them in not reuiuing so tedious a subiect noting that this raigne was alwaies miserable both in the minority and maiority of our King His manners his race his raigne and his age do appeere by that which wee haue written He liued 54. yeares and raigned 42. He had many sonnes and daughters Katherine is famous hauing bââ the mournfull gage of many miseries Of three Sonnes which came all to the age of men Charles onely remayned successor of his Crowne but not of his fortunes for hee shall settle the realme redeming it out of Strangers hands as shall appeere in the following discours CHARLES the seuenth the 54. King of France CHARLES THE .7 KING OF FRANCE .54 · AFter the long and painefull Carriere of the fore-passed raignes 1422. were it not time now to breath Since the vnfortunate battaile of Cressy we haue felt nothing but thornes tempests forces and shewes of ruines And if wee shall abate that little happinesse which Charles the 5. brought vnto our Ancestors there are not lesse then seuenty yeares of confusion But all is not yet ended we must passe thirty yeares more before the conclusion And as if we felt the crosses of our fore-runners we must shut our eyes recouer new forces grow resolute against all stoâmes and ende couragiously with them The remainder of this painefull course in the troublesome discourse which we shall finde in the beginning of this raigne Notable particularities of this raigne to see in the ende a happy Catastrophe in the restoring of this Estate and the vnion of the Church diuided by a long and dangerous schisme which disquieted Christendome during the troubles of this raigne Here our Frenchmen may reade with admiration and profit that as it is not now alone that France hath beene afflicted so God doth not now beginne to watch ouer it deliuering it by miraculous meanes when as it seemed neerest to ruine Here Charles the 7. the least and last of his Brethren shall deface the ignominie of France and triumph ouer the victories of a stranger who had in a manner dispossessed him of his Realme of a truth God ment to punish vs by meanes of the English but not to ruine ãâã The French cannot be commanded but by a Frenchman The Ocean is a strong bar to diuide these two Estates content with their owne rights This raigne abounding in miraculous accidents is the more considerable being the perfect Idea of the raigne of Henry the 4. vnder whom we liue But to represent so variable a subiect
with the Burguignon being their neighbour with the Kings good liking In the meane time the Duke of Bedford leuies what men and money he can both in France and England for some great attempt Charles hath intelligence from diuers parts but what could he doe in so deepe dispaire of his affaires and in so visible an impossibilitie The famous Siege of Orleance ALL the Citties of this side Loire from the Ocean Sea were lost with the whole countries of Normandie Picardie the ãâã of France Brie and Champaigne He had nothing left but the Townes lying vpon the riuer of Loire from âyen to Anger 's for La Charité held for the Bourguignon The chiefe was Orleance this being wonne what could hold out long for the French Bourges could make small resistance if the English had forced Orleans The enemies of our State who called Charles King of Bourges threatned to take from him this small and languishing royaltie Orleans then was the marke whereat the Duke of Bedford aimed who hauing wonne the Britton it greatly fortified the English affaires in France As for the Bourguignon he had in a manner recouered the Estates of Holland Hainault Zeland and Namur And although ambition and couetousnesse may neuer be bridled yet these Princes nothing friendly among themselues but as coÌmon enemies to this Câowne agreed well in this to make their priuate profit by the ruine of our state But man purposeth and God disposeth we shall soone see how much he scornes their vanities In this lamentable time mans reason could not discerne by what means Charles should resist so mighty enemies But in the weakenesse of this Prince I read with ioy the words of the Original which saith During the time that the English held their siege before the noble Citty of Orleans King Charles was very weake beeing abandoned by the greatest part of his Princes and other Noble men seeing that all things were opposite vnto him yet had he still a good trust and confidence in God He was not deceiued in this hope as the sequele will shew The charge of this siege at Orleans was giuen to the Earle of Salisbury a wise valiant Captaine hauing giuen good testimonies of his sufficiency for the well managing of this siege he resolued to take in all the forts neere vnto Orleans that obeyed the French beginning with the weakest parting from Paris taking his way through the Countrie of Chartâes he seizeth vpon all the smal Townes wherein our Captaines had so much toyled but a fewe monethes before Nogent le Retrou Puiset Rochefort Pertrancourt Ianuille Toury Mompipeau the Castell of Pluâeâs and la Ferte of Gaules The Earle of Salisbury sets downe before Orleans and approching neere the Cittie both aboue and beneath Meung Baugency and Iargeau In the ende he plants himselfe before Orleans the 6. of October in the yeare 1428. A day to be obserued for that the 12. of May the yeare following was the last fit of our disease which changed the estate of our miserable country like vnto a pleasant spring after a long and sharpe winter when as a goodly summer crownes all our labours with aboundance of peace and plenty So this siege continued iust 7. moneths The bruit of this great preparation did wonderfully disquiet both court and country vnder the French obedience in the weakenesse and confusions of the state The King after the taking of la Charité was commonly resident at Poitiers he now retires to Chinon to bee neerer to Orleans The townes willingây contrâbute men money Charles his diligenâe to relieue Orleans and victualls Many great personages flie to this siege to defend the chiefe strength of our King and Kingdome Lewis of Bourbon the sonne of Charles Earle of Clermont the Earle of Duâois bastard of Orleans the Lords of Boussaâ and Fayette Marshalls of France Iohn Steward Constable of Scotland William of Albret Lord of Orâall the Lords of Thouars Chauigny Grauille Chabannes The Captaines la âire Xaintrailles Theolde of Valpergue Iohn of Lessego Lombards with many other gâeât personages There were not any of the Prouinces of Daulphiné and Languedoc for that the Dukes of Bourgongne and Sauoy at the same instant prepared a great army by the meanes of Lewis of Chaalons Prince of Orange to invade those Countries being wholly in the Kings obedience The Orleanois resolues to defend himselfe He presently beates downe all that might accommodate the enemy suburbs howses of pleasure wine presses yea and the temples themselues Salisburie doth likewise vse great dexterity and diligence to plant his siege The Earle of Salisbury builds up sorts towards Beausse and the port Banniere he builds a great Bastille which he calles Paris Another at the port Renard which he names Rouen Towards S. Laurence another to the which he gaue the name of Windsore At the port of Bourgongne he fortified a ruined Temple called S. Loup and neere vnto it an other named S. Iohn the white At the Portereân hee built a great fort vppon the ruines of the Augustines Church calling it London from the which hee wonne the Towre vppon the bridge and all with âonderfull speede All the cittye is inuironed hauing neyther issue ãâã but with sore fighting And in these toyles they spend the rest of the yeare The first day of the new yeare the English for a new yeares gift to the citty bring their scaling ladders couragiously to the Bulwarke at the port Renard but they were valiantly repulsed by the defendants the next day the Admirall of Cullant hauing passed the riuer of Loire at a foord winter being very drie this yeare visits them of the cittie brings theÌ diuers necessaries vpon his returne he incounters some English troupes which came stragling from forrage 1429. He chargeth them cuts them in peeces and so retires without danger Thus the moneth of Ianuarie passeth without any other memorable exploite The battaile of Herings vnfortunate for the French But there happened a strange accident the 20. of Februarie following The Duke of Bedford sent Lenten prouision to the Earle of Salisburie with some munition of warre vnder the conduct of Iohn Fastall and Simon Bowyer with 1700. men for their garde The Duke of Bourbon brought a goodly succour of foure thousand men to the besieged He resolues to charge this English troupe hauing well viewed their numbers It was likely the stronger should haue the victorie but the issue was contrary to the desseigne For it chanced as his men marched confidently as it were to an assured victory without any iudgement the English seeing them in doubt how they should fight either on foote or horseback and irresolute in the end they resolue to charge the French it falling out many times in this exercise that he which begins winnes To conclude without any farther aduise the English imbracing this occasion charge our troupes who were so surprised with this vnexpected impression as they presently giue way to
growes very hote Our men greatly incouraged by this Virgin runne headlong to the Bastion and force a point thereof Then fire and stones raigne so violently as the English being amazed forsake their defences Some are slaine vpon the place some throw themselues downe headlong and flie to the Towre vpon the bridge In the end this braue Glacidas abandons this quarter and retires into the base Court vpon the bridge Many English drowned at Orleans the bridge breaking and after him a great troupe of his Souldiars The bridge greatly shaken with Artillerie tried by fire and ouer-charged with the weight of this multitude sinkes into the water with a fearefull crie carrying all this multitude with ât Thus the riuer of Loire was the Sepulchre of Glacidas and of his troupe alwayes accustomed to vanquish but when they were vanquished An example of mans vanitie who drunke with their victories cannot conceiue that the rodde of the Iudge of this world may touch them The English lost in these three dayes skirmishes aboue eight thousand men and we scarse a hundred the which was Gods handie worke If the ioy of Orleans were great Orleans freed from the English and the Virgins honour proclaimed in this happy successe being proofes of her true foretellings If her triumph were double when as passing through the Citty hauing her arme honourablie hurt she was inuironed by the Earle of Dunois Pothon Xaintrailles and all the most famous Captaines the perplexitie of Suffolke Talbot and Sâales was not lesse foreseeing the vnauoidable proceeding of their misfortune if they should obstinately defend the other fortes that were towards Beausse although a good part of their armie remained there So they take councell from danger to abandon all these Fortes to retire into some place of safetie and to aduertise the Duke of Bedford of their misfortunes The same night they gather together with great silence about nine thousand men and take the way to Baugency The Orleanois are watchfull obseruing their departure The English retire with their forces prepare to charge the enemie but the Virgin would not consent therevnto And in truth this remainder was appointed for other victories The inhabitants thus freed issue early in the morning out of the Cittie they come to the Bastions where hauing gathered together great store of armes victualles and baggage they cast these great monuments of the English labours vnto the ground They giue sollemne thankes vnto God the author of so miraculous a deliuerie and to the end this singular benefit might be celebrated yearely they erect a monument for this memorable successe King Charles the seuenth armed and Ioane the Virgin likewise armed both kneeling vpon their knees Truely thanksgiuing for so excellent a good is due to God onely and this memory ought to bee religiously consecrated to posteritie as the first fruites of the restoring of this Estate then halfe dead through the force and might of Strangers To confirme this goodly victorie the Virgin parts well accompanied from Orleans and goes to the Kâng to Chinon to yeeld him an accoâmpt of her Commission It cannot be spoken with what ioy this Prince beheld her and what credit she purchased by this miraculous successe But My Liege saith she This is but a beginning we must finish the God of heauens worke causing you to be crowned at Rheims and chasing your enemies out of your state This is the commandement I haue receiued And so by her aduice Charles assembles all his forces The Constable of Richemont The Constable of Riâhemont reconciled to thâ King who neuer durst shew himselfe after the quarrell with Tremouille is now reconciled by the Virgins intercession and hereafter shall doe very good seruice to this Crowne Charles of Bourbon Earle of Clermont is now wonderfully discontented to haue retired himselfe from the battaile of Herings hauing not honourably assisted in these exploits in the which he had held the first ranke But Iohn of Bourbon Duke of Alençon arriued happily out of prison from England he had beene taken at the battaile of Vernuâil to be commander of these goodly troupes which go resolutely to take possession of the Citties of Champagne being all then in the possession of the English Men post from all parts to this banket Their hearts being reuiued their countenances change and their affaires take a new forme They then plot saying But whilest the King prepares for his Coronation at Gyen and to be neere his chiefest affaires let vs suppresse these English which remaine after that great defeat of Orleans The English defeated at Iaâgeau the Earle of Sufâolâe taken his ârethren slaine and let vs take from them those Townes which are neere about The Earle of Suffolke was at Iargeau the Towne is besieged and taken all the English are either slaine or taken prisoners one of the Earles bretheren was slaine in the fight another of them drowned and he himselfe was taken vpon the Bridge as he was flying away Meung was taken by Guy of Lauall and seuen or eight hundred English-men slaine Baugency yeeldes by composition The Duke of Bedford gathers together what forces he can to preserue the rest of the Townes from shipwrack sending a troupe of foure thousand men to fortifie them Talbot with Thomas Rameston haue the charge This troupe was presently subiect to our victorie and when as they finde that neither men nor Townes can hold out for them they seeke to retire themselues but they are incountred at Patay a small village in Beausse The English defeated at Patay where all are slaine or taken yet our mens furie being past many are spared both in the fight and in prison that the English might haue a testimonie of our mildenesse The great Talbot is taken and brought to Charles who vseth him with great respect Iohn Fastoll flies shamefully and is therefore degraded by the Duke of Bedford This chanced the 20. of May. Wee had all the tokens of an absolute victorie The Commanders slaine or taken the field wonne A hundred and ten Ensignes brought to our Temples Their Canons Artillerie and all other habillements of warre are seized on and moreouer the hearts of the King and the French were resolued to end the matter Behold the first fruites the haruest shall be gathered in time as the Historie will shew by degrees But let vs go to Rheims to Crowne Charles according to the Virgins appointment THE CORONATION OF CHARLES the seuenth BY this happie successe the way was made to Rheims although the Kings Councell framed many difficulties to hinder this voyage King Charles crowned at Rheims as superfluous and almost impossible for why say they should Charles be crowned The lawe of State made him to bee borne a King and he was Crowned at Poitiers But if to please the people it must of force be so where is the meanes to effect this decree Rheims and all the Townes of Champagne bee in other mens possessions Thus did
In the end by the Dukes meanes yeelding him his libertie this quarrell was ended marrying the eldest sonne of René with the daughter of the Earle of Vaudemont But let vs reserue the rest to the following raigne About the end of this yeare a solemnitie was done in Paris which carried more shew then substance We haue said before how that Henry the 6. King of England Henry King of England crowned at Paris had beene crowned King of France when as our Charles was crowned at Poitiers after the decease of his father Henry was but two yeares old and came not out of England vntill that Charles had bin sollemnly crowned at Rheims to the great ioy of all the French but when as the Duke of Bedford found how much this autentike publication aduanced the affaires of Charles he caused Henry to be brought into France and to be crowned at Paris with an extraordinarie Maiestie to out-countenance Charles his Coronation by a greater shew of pompe But the bloud of France cannot dissemble no man was moued thereat no more then to see a Tragedie acted vpon the Stage This yeare is very barren of all memorable exploits but that this silence noted an entrance to an accoâd both parties being weary of pleading yet with great slacknesse as we see in diseases which come sodenly and passe away slowly we must therefore crosse this rough way before we come to Paris Montargis taken by the English as we haue said Montarâis taken and lost againe was noâ recouered by the French but after a diuers maner for the English lost the Toâne by the Castell and the French the Castell by the Towne yet were they three moneths in winning of the Castell Hauing taken all they lost all by the same meanes tâat made them so much to gape after the Castell which was the want of money This shamfull losse greeued many of the greatest in Court and bred a new trouble by this occasion Tremouille was yet in great credit with the King Tremouille taken and deliuered againe hauing by this meanes a great hand in the State they accused him to haue heaped vp great treasure to the preiudice of such as daily imployed their liues for the Kings seruice The greater men reâolue to take Tremouille prisoner and to punish him like vnto Giac and others before mentioned The King was at his Castell at Chinon Tremouille followes him as his ãâã but it chanced as he was in his chamber the Lords of Brueil Coytiuy and Fetard ãâ¦ã with 40. armed men enter and take him not one of a hundred of that sort could escape But six thousand Crownes saued his life hoping to returne againe into credât The Constable of Richmont growes into greater fauour then before Thus misfârtune is good for some thing Bedford puft vp with the successe of Montargis takes Mâlly in Gasâenois but hauing besieged Lagny in Brie he was repulsed· and at the same time Iohn of Luxembourg of the Bourguignon faction is dispossessed of Ligny in Barrots by the Gentleman of Comeâcy A disgrace which shall draw the Bourguignon to a ââmposition so much desired togither with the happy successe of the French in the Câuntry of Arthois the taking of S. Valery in Ponthieu The confusion of the warre and the generall wauering of ãâã câiefe Citties in Picardy tired with these confusions being so great as no man was ãâã of his person of what partie soeuer if he were the weaker The Cardes were so shuffled 1432. as an English man would become French to take a Bourguignon and a Frenchman become English or a Bourguignon to take a Frenchman These vnkinde treacheries were vsuall especially at Amiens Abbeuille and throughout all Picardie where the warres had been most licentious Which outrage hath been reuiued in ouâ miserable age through the crueltie of these wretched warres which causeth men to make shipwracke both of faith and honour This yeare had a plausible beginning but without any great effect The Councell of Pisa being assembled as we haue said to redresse the confusion of Antipopes and to reduce the Church diuided by this Schisme vnto vnion sends the Cardinall of Auxerre vnto the Kings of France and England to exhort them vnto peace Charles protested that he desired nothing more the English said the like They assemble to this end at Auxerre in great troupes but at their first meeting all this treatie was broken off for both the one the other stood vpoÌ the qualitie of King of France being the fundameÌtall point of all their quarrell The Duke of Bedford spake more proudly then Charles himselfe A treatie betwâxt the French and English as if the law of State which maintained this Monarchie had beene made in England an Iland become firme land and France changed to the Isle of Albion or of Brittanie of such force is error euen in matters of State when as passion ouer-rules the light of reason So as they all depart without any effect They onely conclude a truce for the great want of the poore people who could suffer no more But this truce was a pit-fall for many trusting the countenance of this courteous warre which making profession to meane nothing so is more to be feared when she smiles then when she frownes Ioân Duke of Bourbon dies in England Wee haue saied that Iohn Duke of Bourbon was taken prisoner in the battaile of Azincourt whom they could neuer redeeme at any rate This yeare he dyed in England and his sonne Charles succeeds him He had to wife the sister of the Duke of Bourgongne but they fall to words for their rights and so to warre Charles takes from Philip A quarrell betwixt the Dukes of Bourbon and Bourgongne Grancy Aualon Perepertuis Mucy-l'Euesque Chaumont and other places The Bourguignon had his reuenge and besiegeth Belleuille in Beauieulois belonging vnto Charles Mary Duchesse of Berry labours to reconcile these Princes and drawes them to a peace the which shall soone be a meanes of a generall accord betwixt the Bourguignon and France by the mediation of the Duke of Bourbon a profitable instrument of so good a worke This occasion not preuented was seconded by an other for the Duke of Bedford Bedford marrieth againe after the death of his wife being sister to the Duke of Bourgongne marries with Iaquelin the daughter of Peter of Luxembourg Earle of S. Pol who was no friend to the Bourguignon and moreouer the youth and beautie of this new spouse had so bewitched Bedford as he was easily drawne from Philip whose loue he entertained with great difficultie The Duke of Bedford and Bourgongne in dislike yet in respect of the generall cause they made a good shew and had met at S. Omer to that effect but this enterview encreased their discontents In the meane time the truce being ill obserued on either side is conuerted into a languishing warre Bedford makes warre in the Countrie of Maine by Scales and
excuses of his long delay and to crosse the Duke of Bourgongne hee giues his Cousin of Orleans towards the payement of his ransome a hundred and fiftie thousand frankes a very great some in those dayes the which was not giuen for nothing in so great a necessity of the Kings affaires Lewis of Luxembourg and the widowe of Iohn of Luxembourg partisans to the Bourguignon do homage to Charles and yeeld the Towne of Marle vnto him these be fruits no doubt of the victorie at Pontoise In the meane time the Princes assemble at Neuers the Dukes of Bourgongne Bourbon and Alençon with the Earle of Vendosme The Duke of Brittain sent his Ambassador not able to come himselfe for that he was not yet in the Kings good fauour There were for the most part priuate discontents The Princes admonitions to the King and their demands tending to euery mans priuate interest As not to be maintayned in their degrees to be called to Councelles respected in their aduises honored in their charges payed their pensions and eased in their lands But the zeale of the publike good shadowed all with a shewe of Iustice peace order and releefe of the people That it was fit the King should proceede more speedily in the treaty of peace with the English the which had beene too coldly followed That he should supplie his Parliaments with good and sufficient men and thereby prouide for the offices and not for the persons that by their faithfull diligence suites might be shortned and speedie âustice administred without delay or respect of eyther of the parties That he should prouide for the ease of the subiect ouercharged rule the soldiars preuent robberies ransomings and extortions the which were daylie committed vnder too apparent an excuse that the soldiar was not payed That he should giue honors without respect of forepassed diuisions and declare alâ his subiects capable of Offices and dignities indifferently not remembring what was past That he should haue a competent number of graue men in his great Councell worthy of that charge not to coÌmit the gouernment of the affaires of the Realme to two or three as had beene done in former times These are the chiefe points of their demands drawen word by word out of the Originall Charles was nothing pleased with these Assemblies made both in his absence and without his priuitie whereby many inconueniences must ensue all being done without his authority But being taught by his owne experience he digested this kinde of affront quietly being loath to alter any thing at such a season when as he had no neede of newe enemies and hauing eyther excused what had beene done or contented euery priuate person he proceeded to the principall which was the establishment of the affaires of the Realme The disorders of men of warre were insupportable the which must be reformed but that which troubled the King was the seege of Tartas remarkable by this circumstance Tartas is a Towne in Gasconie belonging to the house of Albret This Towne was beseeged by Captall de Buch a great Nobleman of that Countrie and of the English faction It was concluded for the extreame necessitie of the Country that there should be a surceasse of armes and lâbertie of free trafficke in that Prouince vntill midsomer following vpon condition that if the King did not succour the Towne by that day it should yeeld to the English or else the French should remayne in free possession without any controuersie And for assurance of this treaty the eldest sonne of the Lord of Albret should remayne in hostage The matter was of great waight being not onely a question of the losse of a place of great importance but of the Kings reputation who leauing his subiects was in danger to be abandoned by them so to loose all Gascoââe where the English had gotten many paâtisans Charles prouiding carefully for his affaires giues two blowes with one stone wherewith he strooke both the theeues and the English He armed with exceeding speede hauing drawen togither foure thousand horse eâght thousand archers and eight thousand other foote An infinit numbeâ of great personages and voluntarie Noblemen posted to this iourney as to a solemne assignation whereon depended the quiet and honour of France The Daulphin did accompany him in this voiage Charles of Aniou Earâe of Maine the Constable of Richmont the Earles of Marche Eu Castres Foix Lomaigne the eldest son of the Lord of Aâmaignac the Lords of Albert Gaure Cominge Estrac Tartas Tancaruille and Montgascon the eldest son to the Earle of Boulongne Auuergne Philip of Culant Admiâaâ of France with an infinit number of gallant Nobility Thus Charles parting from Parââ comes first to Saumur whither Iohn Duke of Brittaine sent his Ambassadors to offer him homage and men Shame to haue so often lest him in al his extremities would not suffer him to see the King although the Constable were a good mediator for him He restored to the King the forts of âssars Palluau which annoyed al the CouÌtry of Poââtou and Charles gaue them in gard to the Constable from thence he passed into Poiâtou and prouids that Marueil and Saint Hermine should no more trouble the people he then comes into Xaintonge which had beene much tormented by the Lord of Pons who humbled himselfe vnto the King promising to liue in peace Taillebourg was taken by force and the theeues punished Bretueil was taken and razed Thus Charles spent this yeare against theeues who had surprised some Townes The next yeare was haâpilie imployed against the English our open enemies making a great breach in Gasâânie and there abouts where the English had gotten deepest footing by the ancient and lawfull possession of his Ancestors In the ende by this breach the whole Prouince remained his but the prouidence of God imparts his blessings by degrees 1442. Hauing thus pacified Poitou and Xaintonge he comes to Limoges and so to Tholouse which was the Rendez-uous of all his troupes Being arriued hee giues notice to them of Tartâs that they should continue firme and that they should be releeued by the prefixed day but as he labors on the one side to settle his affaires so the English on the other side seeke to ouerthrowe them Behold Talbot comes out of England into Normandie with two thousand men and the Duke of Yorke hauing leuied men in the Countrie it selfe and places of their obedience goes to field with foure thousand men With these forces he thinks to take all that Charles held in that Prouince where he had left the Earle of Dunois and the Vidame of Chartres for the gard of those places but this enterprise had small successe Talbot beseegeth Couches and at the same instant the Earle of Dunois Galardon a place holding for the English to cause a diuersion Talbot hauing taken Couches the Earle leaues Galardon hauing no reason to hazard his small troupe against so great forces and putts them into garrison
prisoners and artillerie deliuer vp Arques Caudebecq Tancaruille Lisle-bonne Hânnefleu and Monstreuille The Conditions granâed to the English at Rouen they should pay fiftie thousand Crownes presently and discharge their priuate debts in the Cittie before they departed for assurance whereof they should leaue Talbot the flower of all their men with fiue other hostages such as the King should demande So Talbot remaynes for a pledge After ten dayes all articles agreed vpon beâng performed except Honnefleu all the hostages haue leaue to depart except Talbot who stayes vntill Honnefleu is deliuered But Talbot must haue more time to tast the bountie clemencie of our King and the fruits of French couâtesie Thus Charles enters Rouen with great pompe Câarles enâers Rouen but the peoples ioye exceeded the statelinesâe of his traine Their showtes drowne the Trumpets and Clarons all crie God saue the King 1450. This poore people greedie to see their Prince after so long and cruell a seruitude weepe for ioy men and women young and olde all runne many bonfiers are made but the fire of publike deuotion burnt more cleare This was the tenth of Nouember in the yeare 1449. a notable date for so singular a deliuerance There yet remained some Townes in Normandie to conquer Charles loth to loose any opportunitie or to giue the enemie any leisure to bethinke himselfe would scarse allow of any time for the publike ioy and content of his good subiects but goes presently to field with his armie Honnefâeu would not obey the Duke of Somerset the which he must deliuer vp according to the treatie there were fifteene hundred English resolute to defend the place but after fifteene dayes siege they yeelded vpon honourable termes King Charles deales honourablie with Talbot their goods and liues being saued Charles for an increase of the good cheere he had made vnto Talbot during his imprisonment giues him his libertie without ransome with meanes to retire himselfe into England with great gifts but he shall make him no due requitall of this good and honourable entertainment Fougeres the subiect of this last warre and the chiefe cause of this good successe returnes to the obedience of the Crowne through the valour of the Duke of Brittanie and Belesme with the Castell of Fresâââ by that of the Duke of Alançon As all things succeeded happily for our Charles so all went crosse in England The Earle of Suffolke gouerned King Henry the 6. quietly being a young man and of a weake spirit As all the affaires of England depended vpon this Earle The estate of England so did the reproches The Duke of Somerset a Prince of the English bloud very iealous of his credit and reputation and ashamed to be blemished with these losses in France layes the chiefe fault vpon Suffolke and others that had the gouernment and so incensed the people of London against them The Londoners mutinie and kill the Lord Keeper as the Londoners transported with choller for so great a losse meaning to punish the offenders fall vpon the Bishop of Chichester Lord Keeper of the priuie Seale and kill him in a mutinie they intend the like to Suffolke ââ by the fauour of some of his friends he had not beene put into the Tower of London to yeeld an accoumpt of his actions Henry who loued him deerely takes him forth The English Chronicle reports quite contrary and sent him into France for his better safetie But it chanced that Suffolke seeking to auoide one danger fell into another where he made his last shipwrack for being met by Somersets people being his capitall enemie he was taken and beheaded his head body were sent to London those cruell spoiles set vp to publike view in places most frequented In the meane time all England troubled for the losse of Rouen and the greatest part of the Prouince resolues to hazard all to saue the rest of their conquests in France They had yet in Normandy the Townes of Caen Vire Auranches S. Sauueur leVicont Falaize Damfront Cherebourg with the strong places of Tombelaine Briquebec New forces sent out of England into France and a great part of Guienne With this remainder the English imagin to recouer the possession of what they had lost So Henry sends speedily 4000. men vnder the command of Thomas Tiâel one of his most renowmed Captaines Being landed at Cherebourg without any losse of of time he besiegeth Valonges a strong place and of importance At the brute of these forces all the English garrisons assemble to augment his armie and to fortifie the siege so as being together they make about 8000. men Our armie was lodged in diuers places to refresh themselues since the siege of Honnefleu the season being wonderfull moist in the thawe of the spring when as newes came to Charles of the landing of the English and the imminent danger of the besieged the losse whereof were a foule blemish to his victorie To preuent this he presently sends the Earle of Clermont with sixteene hundred Lances whereof the Earle of Castres the Admirall of Raiz the Seneshall of Poitou and the Lords of Montgascon Couuran and Rouhault were the commanders The English armie was lodged at Fourmigny a village betwixt Carentan and Bayeux in a place of aduantage to keepe themselues free from such forces as they might doubt should be sent from the King being then in the country Matago an old English Captaine came vnto him with a thousand Archers The English being thus fortified set their backes to a Riuer being flanked with diuers Orchards and Gardines before them they make trenches to stoppe their approche and in this sort they attend the enemie The neerenesse of Charles made them to imagine our French to be more in number then they were for this troupe did not exceed sixe hundred fighting men whereof a hundred onely commanded by Geoffray of Couuran and Ioachim of Rouault charged the English vantgard hauing slaine three or foure hundred put the rest of their armie in disorder yet the Earle of Clermont seeing the danger he was in with his troupe if the enemie had discouered his aduantage hauing so great an army against his small troupe sends presently to Charles for speedy succours By good hap as the messenger came vnto the King the Constable of Richmont arriues from Brittaine who marcheth presentlie not giuing his souldiers any leisure to breath exhorting them to go couragiously to an assured victorie His comming strack the stroake and swayâd the victory He had 240. Lances and 800. Archers and with him Iames of Luxembourg the Cont of Laâall and the Lord of Loheac Marshall of France with the good fortune of Charles He aâriues euen when as the Earle of Clermont was farre ingaged in the fight the English had taken two Culuerins from him and in despight had passed S. Clements-forde preparing to discharge these Culuerins when as behold the Constable comes with his troupe with a victorious
their Cittie with exceding ioy the first day of August to the great greefe of the English who see themseues expelled out of the whole realme but they shall yet make a new attempt The oathe of fealtie was autentically made to Charles the All Guâenne swear vnto King ãâã 7. both by the Cittizens of Burdeaux and by all the Estates of Burdelois to their naturall King and lawfull Prince renowncing the English The Nobilitie held vp their hands first in this oath namely the Lords of Esparre Montferrand Duras Rosan Pugeols Lansac Lisle Anglade amongest the which how many proued treachers The Archebishop also did take the same oth of homage and fealtie to the King with Gaston de Foix only Captall de Buch would not take the oath for his person but he submitted all his Lands to the obedience of the Crowne an error which shal be preiudiciall to the whole Prouince Thus all Guienne was made subiect to the Kings obedience except Bayonne for the reduction of which Towne being needlesse to keepe togither so great an armie euery Nobleman was commanded to returne to his howse and that the Earle of Dunois should contynue there to imploie the forces of the Country at this seege So the Princes of the bloud depart accompanied with twenty thousand men whom they dismisse euery one into his Countrie The Earle of Foix ioyned with the earle of Dunois they beseege Bayonne the seege was long painefull and dangerous Bayone yeelds vpon hard conditions the which might haue bene more easie and spedie by means of the armie which was redie But in truth the nigard spends more then the bountifull man in euery degree yet in the end Bayonne submits to the obedience of the Crowne vpon these conditions That the tounesmen of Bayonne should deliuer Iohn of Beaumont their Captaine into the Kings hands with their own persons and their goods to be at the Kings wil discretion and to repaire their disobedience to purchase the Kings fauour they should pay fortie thousand Crownes whereto they are referred by the earle of Foix generall of the army This accord was coÌfirmed by the entrie of the said Earle into the Towne who tooke a sollemne othe in the Kings name Charles forgiues the inhabitants halfe their fine and confirmes halfe their priuiledges The three Estates of the Country of Burdelois send their deputies vnto the King who was then at Taâllebourg 1453. to confirme their othes and homages already taken by his Chancellor and the Kâng lâkewise doth ratifie their priuileges and receyues them into fauour so as Guienne âeemed to be reduced to the Kings obedience All Guienne reduced to obedience to the incredible content of the whole realme and so this yeare ended with an vniuersall ioy But seuen or eight moneths were scarse spent in this publike ioy such as the French might haue in euery corner of their country enioying peace the which they had not tasted these hundred yeares and which in outward appearance there was no hope to recouer the English and Bourguignons hauing taken such firme footing in all parâs when as behold a great surge which seemed to expose France to the mercie of a more horrible and dangerous storme For Talbot comes to the gates of Bourdeaux with goodly âroupes of English Talbot enters ãâã with new Englâsh troupes where he was receiued and tooke the Seneshall of Guienne prisoner being gouernour of the Towne and Iohn de Foux deputie Maior of Bourdeaux and in a maneâ the same day the Nobilitie which had giuen their faâth vnto the King noted befoâe by their speciall names deliuered all the chiefe places of the countrie to the English Fronsac Coloeuures Casâillon Chasteauneuf in Damedoc Cadillac Langen S. Macaire Libârne and Saint Millâon Many townes yeeld to the English And after Talbot who came but to discouer there arriued the next day in safetie foure thousand fighting men from England with foure score ships laden with Meale and Salt meates to victuall the Towne The amazement of this losâe was as great as the ioy had beene of gaine Charles was then at Tours the Earle of Clermont sonne to Charles Duke of Bourbon was gouernour of Guienne He commands him to haue a care to the preseruation of the rest of Guienne and presently he sends six hundred men at armes vnder the command of three Marshals of France and the Lords of Orual and Rouhault who were then neere the King and sends for the rest of his forces with all speed The motiues oâ the reuolt in Guiânne But whilest that all prepare to repaire this losse may we not examine the motiue of this great and sodaine change Some new writers accuse the ill vsage of the French to this people newly conquered which made them to wish for the English being more milde and temperate Lords others blamed the negligence of our French vnfit to keepe that which they had so valiantly gotten But who is he that can finde this first cause truly noted hearing the whole History speake and representing the discontent of the French nation against the gouerment of the English And why did the King dismisse his armie but to ease his people euen with the preiudice of his owne affaires As for our negligence in keeping of that which we haue gotten with much paine it is too well knowne by memorable examples but seeing the affâction of the people of Bourdelois had bin confirmed by many proofes in this voluntary obedience to what end had it serued to put them in fetters as a people vanquished by armes and force them to obedience But to find out the causes we must examine the effects L'Esparre Montâerrand Duras Anglade Rosans and others specified in the register of the oath will bee found straight waies reuolted in these places Captal de Buche protested openly that he was not the Kings seruant so as he might without reproch carrie armes against him for the King of England his maister He might remaine peaceablie within the country inioying his houses being vnder the Kings protection and so make his traffick for the English at his pleasure Iohn King of Nauarre an Arragonois both by birth and humour was an enemy to Charâes for two respects as hauing maried the heiâe of Nauarre and with that mariage the quarrels hatred of that Charles which was Grandfather to his wife The King of Nauarre an enemie to K. Câarles who had so much troubled the raignes of Iohn and Charles the â and as an Arragonois by reason of the quarrels of Naples against the house of Aniou These were two instruments to moue many mens mindes It could not otherwise be but the authoâitie and command of two hundred yeares had purchased England many seruants and such as had alwayes held the English party against France and were not reclaimed to the Kings obedience but by force could not beleeue that they had any such part in the Kings fauour hauing brought
in doing well How farre better and more honourable had it beene for Charles to haue beene beloued and respected by his sonne Lewis who bâing growne great and hauing giuen many testimonies of his iudgement and valour might well haue eased him in his greatest affaires as Robert did Hugh Capet being associate in the same raigne to be honoured and serued by the Princes of his bloud especially of this his trustie friend who had giuen him so many proofes of his loyaltie in his greatest affaires and receiued likewise from him such firme gages of his loue and to âcape the fruites of this so much desired peace with his subiects the which he had ãâã for all his subiects But if âe afflicts others he hath a good share himselfe He makes hâs Sonne to flie and to beg his bread in a strange countrie he causeth a poore Pâiâce of hâs bloud to languish in prison and he himselfe feeles in his soule a continuall torment of greefe a fier of choller and a torture of iealousie trusting no man but liuing in continuall feare and was this man at rest A strange torment he hath brought peace to all men and cannot inioy it himselfe he hath bread and cannot eate it But what read I in the Originall of the manners of our Charles This King Charles saieth Monstrelet after his reconcilement with Philip Duke of Bourgongne His loues was of a good life and deuoute but when he had recouered his realme he changed his manners and polluted his life in maintaining dishonest women in his Court leauing the companie of a good and loyall wife suffring more honour and reuerence to be done to those women by the greatest of his Court then to the Queene they being more richly attired then the Queene her selfe the which was an ill president in such a person yet he gouerned his realme very nobly and wisely was indued with goodly vertues maintaining iustice throughout his whole realme Monstreleâ and the historie of S. Denis excuse the loue of faire Agnes and here they accuse Charles My duâie is to coate euery part faithfully in this my Inuentorie in the which there is nothing of mine owne but the bare report whereby it appeares that vertues are mixt with vices and that it is more easie to beare aduersitie then prosperitie Let the example of Dauid be confronted with this Wine causeth drunkennesse and water tempers Sometimes age is more weake and imperfect then youth to the end the whole honour of any good that is in man may be ascribed to God who is the Author thereof âoy and griefe iealousie and loue be they not contrary affections and yet behold they are both in one subiect distracting him diuersly Inconstant nature of man who is a slaue to sinne by the meanes of sinne which receiues the motions of diuers windes from North South East and West both soure and sweete It will be now time after all this to shew the end of our Charles but we may not omit some notable things which chanced in this season during the ebbing and flowing of these seuen variable yeares Lewis the Daulphin was resident at Geneppe in Brabant and married with the daughter of Sauoy by whom he had a sonne The Duke of Sauoy with his wife who was daughter to the King of Cypres came to visit Charles and to pacifiâ him with hope that he should soone see his sonne with this new gage of loue but all this did but ease and not cure Charles his infirmitie We haue said before Troubles in England that Henry the sixt King of England was put in prison by the Duke of Yorke who pretended the Crowne to appertaine vnto him by a iuster title then vnto Henry He makes an accord with the Duke of Yorke to free himselfe from this captiuitie That Henry should inioy the Crowne during his life but after his decease it should come to the Duke of Yorke and to his heires after him and so the Prince of Wales sonne to King Henry should be excluded from the succession of England By this accord Henry was released but Yoland his wife daughter to King René of Sicile shewes her selfe more resolute then her husband who hauing prouided for her affaires disauowes this accord as preiudiciall to her sonne and against the lawes which allow of no forced contract made by a prisoner and so she armes to maintaine her sonne the lawfull heire of the Crowne The Duke of Yorke likewise leuies an army to frustrate the Queenes desseines At that time the Queene did winne both the victorie and the heads of the Duke of Yorke of his second soone and of the Earle of Salisburie his chiefe partisan whom she tooke prisoners in the battaile and caused to be beheaded but she shall haue her turne In the meane time these troubles ministâed an occasion vnto Charles to attempt against the English although transported with these home-bred discontents he had a troublesome enemie within himselfe without seeking one beyond the seas This was done by the councell and aduice of the Constable of Richmont who fearing the Kings humour and loth to deale in thâse discontents laboured to diuert him giuing him a better subiect to exercise his spirit It was also happy for the Constable that he was faâre off being likely that iealousie would haue brought him first in question whom Charles loued not much for the crosses he had receiued by him in the beginning The cause which had drawâe Richmont from Court was honourable for him for by âhe dââth of Peteâ Duke of Brittanie his Nephew he was called to the Duchie Being Duke he would not leaue the office of Constable notwithstanding all the intreaties of his subiects being desirous to honour that charge in his age the which had honoured him in his youth although he inioyed the Dukedome but three yeaâes dying with the goâd opinion of all France hauing assisted it much both with his councell and valour This aduise to attempt against England giuen by the Constable Enterprise against England was executed by the Normans vnder the command of Peter of Brezay Seneshall of Normandie accompanied with a good number of the Nobilitie of Normandie and foure thousand fighting men these might do some great exploit in a countrie diuided and troubled but God hath appointed the limits of Kingdomes and that great ditch of the sea is sufficient to distinguish these two Monarchies who haue inough to content them without attempting against their neighbour To conclude this armie lands in England and takes Sandwich the which they presently spoile leaue and so returne to Honnefleu from whence they imbarked carrying away store of prisoners and spoile Their speedie returne was chieflie to saue their liues and goods which had beene in great danger if they had ingaged themselues farther for any rich spoile Charles was intreated by Ladislaus King of Hongarie sonne to that great Iohn Huniades one of the strongest Champions against the Turke âo graunt him Magdalâine his
not personally performed to preuent the miseries that growe by warre Maximilian was farre of vnacquainted with these practises no man sought to preuent it and these perswasions did ring dayly in the eares of Anne so as in the ende shee yeelds to follow the resolution of her states They were wonderfully toyled and wearied with the warre the people turmoyled the Nobility impouerished the Clergy oppressed some Townes taken and some waâering and moreouer they did see a great Prince demand their allyance with force and the chiefe Noblemen inclyned to the French faction These reasons made it seeme more conuenient and to be preferred before the slowe succors of Maximilian A finall peace in Brittaine by a treaty of marriage Thus was Anne Duchesse of Brittain perswaded and a peace concluded and ratified by a happy and agreable treaty of marriage by the which to maintayne the subiects of the Country in peace that were armed for eyther side it was sayd That all exploits and offences committed and done vpon assurance or otherwise during the warres on eyther side should be forgotten and remayne without reproch to any as remitted abolished and recompenced euery man should returne to his home and all soldiars depart the Countrie A wise aduice to mainetaine these two Countries in loue and concord The Cittie of Rennes yeelds at this happie composition where the King entred in Nouember vpon the assurance and conduct of the Duke of Orleans with his simple traine and without any men at armes for so it was agreed to see the Duchesse and to ratifie the treaty making the Prince of Orange for that he had beene a chiefe instrument in this busines his Lieutenant generall in Brittaine then he tooke the way to Langeais in Touraine whether Anne was conducted by the Chancellor Montaubon Coetquen Lord Steward and by the Lord of Chasteaubriant and the marriage was consumated the 16. day of December The articles of the contract are to be seene in the Originalls The marriage to Chaâls with Anne If this marriage were pleasing to God or not let vs leaue it to the iudicious reader so it is that of three sonnes they could not bring vp one Soone after Francis of Orleans Earle of Dunois died the chiefe fierbrand of this warre and likewise the principall motiue of ãâã peace From him are issued the Dukes of Longueuille and a littile before Iohn the second Duke of Bourbon was deceased without Children to whome succeeded Peter Earle of Beauieu who hereafter shal be Duke of Bourbon the eleuenth of that name This yeare was borne Gaston of Foixe Duke of Nemours sonne to Iohn of Foix The practises of the English vpon Brittain Vicont oâ Narbone and of Mary of Orleans one of the greatest Captaines of his age who shaâl giue ample testymonie of himselfe in the warres of Italie which nowe approch There died also at Rome Peter of Foix Cardinall brother to the sayd Iohn and Vncle to Queene Katherin of Nauarre Henry of England wonderfully incensed at this marriage sought by all secret practises to surprize some of the chiefe places of the Prouince and at the first retreate of his army out of Brittaine hee caused it to make an offer at Port-blans and some other ports but they were still repulsed by the faithfull care of the Noblemen of the Country namely by the Chancellor of Montauban of Bertrand d'Acigâé and other sea Captaines Thus the Englishmen seeing their attempts like to take none effect bent their course to go towards Calais in the company of their King who was making warre in the Countie of Guines whilest that Maximilian should enter the Realme with forces on the other side then they beseeged Boullen by sea 1492. beeing kept from landing by the Lord of Cordes and the bastard of Cardonne Captaine of Arras with such small forces as they could sodenly oppose But oh Bastard whilest thou repellest this common enemie how preiudiciall shall they absence be from Arras Arras betrayed to Maximilian Foure young gallants saieth the history make false keyes to the gates and giue Maximilian intelligence bringing him by night into the Towne vnknowne to Carqueleuant Lieutenant to Cardonne Some write that one of those in whome he trusted for the opening of the gates made this Stratagem But howsoeuer he was taken in his bed sleeping at his ease and for a second token of base cowardise he yeelded vp the Castell without attending the succors that came vnto him The Towne was spoiled without sparing of the Churches or the traitors houses A worthy reward of their treachery Thus can we preserue our Conquests A while after they attempted Amiens A shame to soldiars that a woman should heare the first report that by her aduertisement to the watch in ringing the great bel of Beffroy should put the Towne in armes And as the first aduice came from a woman so are they honorablie qualified in the history To haue borne weapons and armes with their husbands who by the care and command of Rubempré and of Anthonie Clabault Maire of the Towne did their duties so well euery one repayring to the quarter which had beene formerly assigned him as the enemie returned amazed A duty which made them as famous as their descendants infamous by the notable trechery they committed in our dayes Henry loued peace and was imbarked more at the instance of his subiects least they should thinke him more gratious to the French then the ancient quarrells of both nations required then for any desire he had to haue the King his enâmy to whom he had a great and strict bond as we haue heard The chiefe cause of his grudge was a great sum of money Peace with Henry which he sayd he had lent to the deceased Duke of Brittaine The King hauing discouered it coÌmands the Lord of Cordes to treat with him and payes him the money and so sends him home satisfied into England This peace made Maximilian willing to bee reconciled Moreouer the Princes of Germanie laboured in this pacification and the affaires of the Empire in the which his father had associated him since the yeare 1486. began to call him The Suisses laboured it And with Maximilian and the people especially those of the Lowe Countryey as well through the French warres as by their owne priuate diuisions were so toiled as they detested the warres In the end a peace was concluded for foure yeares onely by the meanes of the Dâke of Bourbon the Prince of Orange and the Lord of Cordes So he receiued his daughter Marguerit againe with the Counties of Artois and Bourgongne receiuing the reuenues and homages and the King keeping the Castles to place garrisons in them vntill the end of foure yeares Behold this estate doth now enioy a happy rest by the vnion of this goodly and great Duchie to the Crowne of France and by a peace confirmed with Henry and Maximilian But as Charles had inlarged his Diadem with
maââresse King Charles dyed such as they could finde out by chance And before his eyes were shut vp with this last sleepe euery one forgets the course which this declining sunne had runne to follow the hope of the Easterne starre which came to lighten this realme Thus Charles the eight liued and thus he dyed an humble Prince liberall religious courteous His disposition familiar and of easie accesse of a good and tractable disposition small of statute but of an inuincible courage louing Iustice and his people capable of counsell commended for his great attempts hauing in his youth purchased so much glory and giuen so great hope both within and without Christendome that if God had granted him a longer life without doubt he had equalled the same of the most excellent and rarest Princes In him failed the direct line of the Kings of France descended from Philip of Valois and the crowne fell to the collaterall line of the which the neerest and most capable of the succession was Lewis Duke of Orleans and Valois LEWIS the twelfth the 57. King of France LEWES THE .12 KING OF FRANCE .57 · NOWE behold our France hauing 1498. vnder Charles the eight happily breathed after the troubles and confusions which had so long afflicted the state during the raignes of his Predecessors takes her rest vnder the protection of a Prince excellent in bounty of nature in sweetenesse of manners in temperance and moderation of minde and affection finally in the happines and felicity of his raigne Who hauing extended his Empire beyond the lymits of Gaule subdued vnder his obedâeââe two of the noblest and mightiest Citties of the world Milan with Lombardie and Genes with her two riuers East and West togither with the Ilands of Corseque ãâã reconquered and diuided the Realme of Naples with the Castillian but in the end lost it by his treachery and disloyalty vanquished the Venetians in that memorable ãâã the 15. of May 1509. suppressed the Popes insolency defeated the Venetians Againe before Bresse made a peace with the Spaniard and Venetian consequently allied âââselfe with the King of England He shall haue this honor and content to see âis âubiects in so great prosperity that by the conference of things passed before his ãâã the Realme was neuer so mighty in armes and men The happines of his raigne neuer so plentifull in all ãâã of commodities neuer so fortified with such strong places and which imports ãâã neuer so blessed in concord neuer so voide of diuisions neuer so able to ãâã a great charge and to produce noble attempts A Godly King chast vpright courteous good to his seruants gratious to his eneââes mercifull to all men a friend to Iustice and sincerity an enemy to flatery libeârall but without oppression of any loyall respected in all parts of the world who in regard of learning shall open a way which his thrice worthy successor should bring to a most happy perfection But to crowne him with titles of honour hee was called The father of his people A King commanding a nation most willing to obey A people multiplying by millions in Nobilitie Marchants tradesmen and the common sort A people replenishing the Townes before halfe desert To conclude a people testiâyâââ the excellencie and greatnesse of their Soueraigne For the greatnesse of a King sayeth Salomon is in the multitude of people but when his subiects decrease it is the fall of his Soueraigntie But let vs see by the relation of the Historie the course of this admirable prosperitie and first of all his rights of Succession as well to this Crowne and that of Naples being King of France as also to the estate of Milan by reason of Valentine his grand mother King Charles the 5. had two sonnes The eldest Charles the 6. his successor who was father to Charles the 7. of whom was borne Lewis the xi father to Charles the 8. who dyed without children The genealogie of Lewis the 12. The yongest Lewis Duke of Orleans who married Valentine daughter to Iohn Galeas Earle of Vertus first Duke of Milan by whom he had three sonnes Charles his successor Duke of Orleans Iohn Earle of Angoulesme Philip Earle of Vertus The said Charles freed from his long imprisonment in England had by Mary of Cleues his wife our Lewis the 12. heire for want of heires male in the direct line of this realme and of the dependencies thereof and so was annointed at Rhâims the 27. of May 149â assisted at this sollemnitie by Iohn Duke of Alanson seruing as a Peere in the place of the Duke of Bourgongne Peter Duke of Bourbon for the Duke of Normandie Anthonie Duke of âorraine for the Duke of Guienne Philip Earle of Ranasâein in place of the Earle of Flanders Gilbert of Cleues for the Earle of Champagne Gaston of âoix for the Earle of âholouse and for the Peeres of the Clergie the Bishops that were then resident Afâââwards he receiued the royall Crowne in the Abby of Saint Denis in France the first of Iuly following and the day following made his triumphant entâie into Paris We iudge of the inward beautie of a Pallace by the entrie thereof Who would not then by these happy first fruites of this raigne conceiue a constant hope of a heauenly blessing Lewis after he had worthily performed the funeralls of his Predecessor hee first purchased the loue of the Noblemen of his Court mainteining euery man in his dignitie and state and the Magistrates in their offices He applyed his minde to order and to cut off the tediousnesse of suites freed his subiects of the third part of the Subsidies which oppressed them yea euen the rights which they are accustomed to pay to their new King for the charges of his funerall that is deceased and for his coronation and for a second benefit to the countrie he put the men at armes into their garrisons reducing them to the ancient discipline of warre which the disordered liberty of troubles past had much corrupted This done by the aiding of his best States men he made many goodly lawes vpon the abusâue charges in the pursute of Iustice neither did he euer publish an Edict before it was confirmed by the iudgement of Soueraigne courts His decrees conteined some limitâtion of the pâiuileges granted in old time to Vniuersities the which they abused to the oppââssâon of the people The Vniuersitie of Paris opposeth against the publication thereof and were ready to make a sedition many publishing infamous libels both against the King and against the Chancellor of Rochefort The Schollers troupe together and âesolue to abandon both study and the exercise of learning Iohn Caue being Recâor The Vniuersitie at Paris ãâã forbids the Regents to read any more and the Preachers to preach vntill the Vniuersitie had recouered her ancient priuileges The King aduertised of these mutinies drawes many men at armes into Paris and sitting in Parliament confirmes the
continuing his desseââe he arriued at Bresse nine daies after his departure besieged it takes it by force and sacks it Doubtlesse this braue Prince did hazard his owne ruine if he had not with gâeat iudgement and order commanded that no man should looke to any spoile Bresse recouered by the ãâã before the towne were fully at his command And he dââ so well put it in practise as the first that made shew to abandon his ranke was slaine by his companions But who doth vse such discipline at this day when as being greedy of bootie they loose so goodly occasions Our French lost some men at armes and many foote but the enemy lost about eight thousand some inhabitants armed some Venetians who were fiue hundred men aâ a ãâã eight hundred light hoâse two hundred stâadâors and eight thousand foote ãâã Contaâin Comissary of the Stradiots was slaine Andrew Gritti Anthoâie Iusâiniân Iohn Paul Maâfron and his sonne the Cheualier Volpe Balthazar of Sâipion one of ãâã soââes of Anthonie of Pié Count Lewis Aâogare his two sonnes and Dominique ãâã Captaine of the Stradiots were prisoners Count Lewis and his children the chiefe ãâã of this rebellion were afterwards beheaded A reuolt deeâelâ bought by this ãâã which yeelded not to any other in Lombardie in Nobilitie and dignity and in wealth nâxt vnto Milan it exceeded all the rest This chasââsement made âergame and the other reuolted Townes to call backe the French whom they had lately expelled These prises and reprises conquests and happy successe prolonged the stay of the French in Italy and yet they did nothing settle their ãâã seeing what they enioyed was rather a charge and expence to them then any profiâ Buâ behold strange crosses both by land and sea do hereafteâ bandie against the happinesse of our men They giue the King intelâigence from Rome A new league against the King that Henry the 8. King of England notwithstanding his promise was ioyned in league with the Pope it was coâfirmed by writing that a Galeasse laden with wines corne and other prouision arriuâng in England from the Pope had exceedingly altered Henry with the ãâã Clergie and commons of England That he should with his armie at sea inuade the coasts of Normandie and Briâtanie and send 8000. foote into Spaine to begin warre in Cuâenne ioyntly with the Arragonois And they made already great preparations of men and shipping in England and likewise of ships in Spaine to passe into England Moreouer the Emperour was altered and changed in his affection complaining that the King contrary to the capituâation of Cambrai did hinder the aduancement of the Empire in Italy Hee required that Renee the Kings yongest daughter should be promised to Charles his grand-child giuing him Bourgongne in dowâie and that the Maide should then bee presently deliuered into his hands and custodie That the controuersies for Ferrare Bologne and the Councell should be referred to him And moreouer hauing made a truce with the Venetians for eight monethes he protested not to suffer the King to increase his estate in Italie But these were but bare shifts to couer his bad intent Besides the Cantons of the Suisses were so incensed against this Crowne that although the King sought to winne their loues with store of gold yet the perswasions of the Cardinall of Sion whereby wee may see that Cardinalles haue beene alwayes dealers in matters of state had newly made them graunt to the confederats a leuie of six thousand men And the Pope to straine all his strings against our Lewis fearing least his extreeme rigour should induce the Florentins to followe the Kings fortune to the preiudice of his desseins he reuokes without any sute the Censures wherevnto he had bound them To quench this fire before it flamed farther the King commanded his Nephew to march with speede against the confederats army of whome he promised himselfe the victory being amazed and yet the weaker and then to assaile Rome and the Pope with all violence desirous that this warre to seeme the lesse odious should be made in the name of the Councell called first at Pisa and that a Legat deputed by the Counsell should receiue the conquered Townes in the name thereof The Cardinall of Saint Seuerin was appointed Legat of Bologne in the army So the Duke of Nemours furnishing all places with men necessary for defence gathers togither all the forces the King had in Italie âe makes a company of sixteene hundred Lances fiue thousand Lansquenets fiue thousand Gascons and eight thousand French and Italians to whom the Duke of Ferrare added a hundred men at armes two hundred light horse The French army in Italy and a great quantitie of good artillery Gaston hauing left his at Finall by reason of the bad way The enemies army was 1400. men at armes a thousand light horse seauen thousand Spaniards three thousand Italians newly leuyed Gaston thrust forward aswell by the Kings commande as by his owne valour and desire of Glory was desirous to see if the enemy would willingly trie the hazard of a battaile They on the other side temporised attending their Suisses and that the English and Spaniards beginning warre in France should force the King to call backe all or the greatest parts of his troupes and yet coasted alongest the French army least the Townes of Romagnia should bee left in prey and the way layed open to go to Rome lodging alwayes in strong places neere to some strong towne which might serue them for a retreate at neede So the Duke of Nemours not able to cut off their viâtualls through the commodity they had of the Tâwnes of Romagnia nor force them to fight without great disaduantage goes and inâamps before Rauenna hoping they would not be so base minded as to suffer such a Citty to bee lââst before their eyes and by this meanes an occasion should be offered to fight with them in an equall place The enemy discouering this purpose sends Marc Anâhonie Colonne to Rauenne with threescore men at armes of his company âeter of Castâe with a hundred light horse âalezar and ãâã âith six hundred Spaniards The âowne is seated betwixt two riuerâ Ronâne and Monâone which descending from the Appenin hills straighten themselues neere vnto Rauenna with so small a distance that on eyther side they passe close to the walles Sauenna beseeged by the Duke of Nemâurs ãâã ioyning togither they runne into the sea three miles from thence Gaston incamps himâelfe betwixt the two riuers plants his artillery some against the toâer of ãâã betwixt âort Adrian and Ronque and some on the other side of the ãâã of Montâne whether almost halfe his troupes were passed to batter in diuers places and tâ hold the riuer at his will Hee batters the wall makes a breach of thirty fadome choseth ten out of euery companie of men at armes to couer the foote diuides his army into three squadrons giues a furious