That the Saint Ampoulle i. e. Holy Oyl was conveyed at his Baptism by a Celestial Dove That the Shield Semé with Flower-de-Luces and the Standard Royal de l'Oriflamme were by an Angel deposited in the hands of a good Hermit living in the solitudes of Joyenval near St. Germans en Laye That he had the Gift of Healing the Evil and made proof of it upon Lanicet his Favourite But God made him a more extraordinary and more excellent Present than all those when he bestowed upon him the Heavenly Knowledge of the Orthodox Faith there being amongst all the Princes upon Earth none but himself that did not live either in Error or Idolatry This Conversion did him no little Service towards keeping the Gauls who were all Christians in Obedience and to allure others who were Subjects to the Gothick and the Burgundian Princes whose Government was odious to them because they would compel them to follow the Opinion of Arrius The zeal of Christianity did not allay his Warlike heats Gondesigilus having promised if he would assist him in suppressing his Brother Gondebaud to share the spoil with him he fell with his Army upon the Burgundians Countrey Gondesigilus Year of our Lord 500 pretending he was mightily scared sent to pray his Brother to come to his assistance Gondebaud failed not but when it came to the Battle which was fought on the borders of the River L'Ouche near Dijon Gondesigilus went over to the French and began to Assault him Gondebaud finding it was a thing designed betwixt them fled to Avignon Clovis pursues and besieges him there The Sage Aredius Principal Counsellor to Gondebaud cunningly contrives to do his Master Service upon this occasion the Siege spinning out to some length he pretends to desert him and renders himself to Clovis with whom he manages Affairs so wisely as that King agrees to a Composition and Gondebaud becomes his Tributary Year of our Lord 500 and 501. When Clovis was out of that Countrey and perhaps employ'd in other business Gondebaud scorning to pay him the Tribute assembles his Forces together and besieges Gondesigilus in Vienne One Fontenier whom they had thrust out amongst the useless People discovered to him the mouth of an Aqueduct by which way he sent in some Men who surprized the City his Brother having sheltred himself in a Church belonging to the Arrians was there slain together with a Bishop of the same Belief Thus Gondebaud remained sole King of all Burgundy Year of our Lord Towards 502 or 503. It is my opinion during these years that the French as Procopius tells us not having been able to subdue the Armoricae betwixt the Seinè and the Loire did incorporate with them by a mutual Confederacy which of two made them bat one People The Roman Garrisons not being strong enough either to Retreat or to Defend themselves restored their Towns to them but did not quit the Countrey where they for a long time afterwards retained their Laws their Discipline and Habits The Citizens of Verdun being Revolted it is not said for what reason Clovit being ready to force them the Prayers of Euspice Arch-Deacon of that City a Man of a very Holy Life allayed his Wrath and obtained their Pardon I cannot tell precisely in what year hapned that which Procopius relates how Clovis and Theodoric King of the Ostrogoths having made an agreement together to conquer Burgundy and divide it upon condition that if either of the two Armies did not meet at a certain time appointed they should pay a certain Sum to the other the Visigoths made no great haste but left the French to bear all the brunt then coming when the hottest work was over and the Countrey subdued took their share of the Conquest paying the Sum as had been stipulated Year of our Lord 503 or 504. Neither the one nor the other held those Countreys long but restored them entire to Gondebaud who afterwards made a strict Alliance with Clovis against the Visigoths There is great likelyhood that it was in these peaceable days that Clovis laboured to reform the Salique Law which having been made by the French when Pagans might contain many things contrary to the manners and Laws of Christianity This Law was only for the French in his own Kingdom for those of Colen had another which we find to this day by the name of the Law of the Ripuarians conformable notwithstanding in many particulars to the Salique Law Year of our Lord 506. And the following Two Kings powerful and young as were Clovis and Alaric could not be long Neighbours and good Friends Divers petty differences set them at variance by the secret practises of the Bishops of Aquitain who being troubled they should obey Alaric an Arrian Prince pushed on Clovis to a Rupture The Two Kings had an Enterview and discoursed each other in the Island D'Or nigh Amboise between the City of Tours which belonged to the Visigoths and that of Orleance appertaining to the French This Meeting salved up their quarrel for a time and Theodoric King of the Ostrogoths Father-in-law to Alaric and Brother-in-law to Clovis undertook to make them agree but as great a Polititian as he was he could not restrain the Ardour of Clovis This Conquerour knowing the Visigoths were softned or effeminated by a long Peace and having made sure of Gondebaud by a League contracted betwixt them resolved to Attaque Alaric under the specious pretence of Religion the French followed him with great cheerfulness those of Aquitain invited Year of our Lord 507. 507 and him Heaven conducted him by visible Signs and Miracles Immediately the City of Tours surrenders to him Alaric who was getting his Forces together at Poitiers le ts him pass along to Vienne then imprudently resolves to give him Battle it was in the Plains of Vouglay Ten miles from Poitiers Clovis having exhorted his Soldiers Armed them with the Sign of the Cross and for the Word gave them the Name of the Lord. Alaric's Army was defeated and he slain in the Fight by Clovis's his own hand The vanquisher divided his Army in two Bodies with the one his Son Thierry makes himself Master of Albigeois of Rouergne of Quercy and of Auvergue and himself with the other of Poitou of Saintonge all Bourdelois and Burdeaux it self where he passed the Winter then in the Spring of Thoulouse wherein was the Treasure Year of our Lord 508 of the Visigoths At his return he took the City of Angoulesme the Walls whereof sell down before him in fine of all the Three Aquitains the Catholicks casting themselves into his Arms to be freed from the yoak of the Arrians At the same time Gondebaud pursuant to the Treaty made with Clovis Conquered the two Narbonnoises and the City of Narbona from whence he drove Gesali◠Year of our Lord 508 so was called the Bastard Son of Alaric who had seized on the Kingdom of the Visigoths because Almaric the Legitimate Son born of
Queen Batilda's and more able then any other to make head against him and to bring many more to joyn with him Year of our Lord 668 King Clotaire having been about three years in the hands of this wicked Minister dyed the 14th of his Reign An. 668. He had no Children but was capable of having some being 17 or 18 years old Some say he was buried at Chelles others at St. Denis Childeric II. King XIV POPES VITALIANUS some Months in this Reign ADEODAT Elected in April 669. S. Seven years eight Months and an half of which Four in this Reign Ebroin Mayre THIERRY King of Neustria and Burgundy aged 16 or 17 years and CHILDERIC of Austrasia aged 18 years Wlfoade Mayre AFter such an insolent Deportment Ebroin could not hope that the Grandees of Neustria and Burgundy whatever King they should Elect would confirm his Office of Mayre and therefore upon his own Head and without waiting for their Assembling or Consent which was necessary in this case he takes Thierry and sets him upon the Royal Throne according to custom Year of our Lord 668 that this young Prince might have no obligation but to himself alone Year of our Lord 669 This attempt gave them together both apprehension and indignation Fear might have had the upper hand and made them acquiese if he would at least but have suffer'd them to come and congratulate their new King and make their Court to him but having sent them a Command not to stir forth of their Houses their indignation prevail'd they communicated their Grievances and Discontents the Bishop of Autun got and kept them together and they sent a dispatch to Childeric to proffer him the Kingdom of Neustria Year of our Lord 669 Childeric comes greatly accompanied Ebroin is forsaken of all the World and found no Sanctuary but the Horns of the Altar The French touched with an imprudent Mercy content themselves with Shaving and Confining him to the Monastery de Luxeu to do Pennance His King Thierry is likewise Shaved and sent to the Monastery of St. Denis not to play the Monk but to be prisoner there He had Reigned almost a year in Neustria CHILDERIC alone WLFOADE Mayre Year of our Lord 670 FOr the Fifth time the whole Monarchy of France was re-united under one single King Wlfoad was Mayre of Austrasia and Leger if he did not bear the Title did at least bear the Office in Neustria and in Burgundy They had very much changed the Laws which the best Kings and the wisest Magistrates had made to deal Justice impartially honest people desired they might be restored or revived their Demand was granted and it was ordained amongst other things that the Judges Counts and Dukes should observe the antient Customs of the Countrey and that those Employments should not be perpetual lest they should become Tyrannical But some wicked persons having gotten the ascendent over the young King and plunging him into the Debauches of Wine and Women soon brought him to a breach of all these Ordinances and to do many unjust actions without the knowledge Year of our Lord 671 or against the opinion of Leger The Prelates enemies imputing all these faults to him he was obliged that he might justifie himself to speak somewhat freely to him even to the threatning him with the wrath of God The young Prince was at first touched with his Remonstrances or seemed to be Year of our Lord 671 so but when he was confirmed in his Vice he conceived a Mortal hatred against him and those Courtiers that had pretended to be Leger's best friends whilst he was in greatest Favour were those that threw most Oyl upon this Fire Childeric was gone to celebrate the Festival of Easter at Autun where one certain Hector Patrician of Marseille being arrived some days before they perswaded the King that those two Lords were met only to plot against him so that upon the Easter-Eve being troubled and having his Head full of the fumes of Choler and Wine he ran into the Baptistary to kill him The Holy Prelate and Hector perceiving his wrath endeavoured the following night to avoid it by flight but they were pursued Hector was killed on the way and the Bishop brought back to the King who with much ado gave him his Life and confined him to Luxeu There he found Ebroin who reconciled himself to him The Wolf and the Lamb dwelling together under the same roof for fear of a more terrible power and because they had nothing there to decide betwixt them In those days Flavius-Vamba was King of the Visigoths Three Lords of Septimania Year of our Lord 672 a Count a Bishop and an Abbot having revolted against him he sent the Duke Paul with an Army to chastise them But that General proving unfaithful to his Prince joyned with them taking advantage of their Rebellion and the assistance of the French and Gascons to get himself to be Elected and proclaimed King in Narbona His Ambition had a shameful end Vamba having retaken all the Cities he had seized upon besieged him in the Sands of Nismes and the unfortunate wretch surrendred to the Kings Mercy who led him in triumph thorough the Cities of Spain and caused his Eyes to be put out But he durst not break with France on the contrary he loaded all those French whom he had taken prisoners with Gyves though they had sided with that Rebel Childeric's Debauches and Excess easily led his ill nature to the highest Cruelties Year of our Lord 673 he sent two Dukes to Luxeu to drag out the good Bishop Leger and hurry him to Court to be sacrificed to his revenge and about the same time it hapned that he caused a Lord named Bodillon to be tied to a Post and whipped The Great ones of the Kingdom resented this Outrage as if themselves had felt the blows and wickedly conspired to Treat him as a Tyrant who Treated them like Slaves The business being agreed upon they wait for him at his return from Hunting in the Forest of Lochonia which is perhaps that of Lyhons Bodillon the most furious of all revenging himself with his own hand Massacres him and with him the Queen Bilechild who was great with Child and also a Son of theirs but very young The Mayre Wlfoad made his escape it is not known how from amidst the swords of these Furies and retired into Austrasia Bilechild is by some Authors said to be Sister of her Husbands Uncle but which they say nothing nor whether he left any Children unless we will believe a Chart or Manuscript wherein that Daniel Chilperic whom we shall mention hereafter is called his Son The time of his Reign is not agreed upon The most probable opinion is that it was Fifteen years in Austrasia and Three in Neustria and Burgundy which is about Eighteen years in all Some years since as they were repairing the Church of St. Germain des Prez they found two Stone Tombs side by side in
troublesome Master diverted him from all these laudable Exercises and Employments before he had persevered in them one Year and made him plunge anew in the delights of Fopperies and Women Year of our Lord 1492 The Marriage being made with the Dutchess of Bretagne they were to consider of sending back Marguerite of Austria Maximilian cruelly affended at this double Affront cried out Treachery and accused Charles of having forfaken his own Wife to ravish the Wife of his Father in Law Henry King of England jealous of the growth of the French Manarchy and perceiving too late the Fault he had committed in suffering Bretagne to be lost leagned himself with him and both agreed to joyn their Forces that they might fall upon Picardy Year of our Lord 1492 The English failed not to land at Calais at the Time prefixt and laid siege to Boulogne but finding his endeavors signified little that Maximilian came not to joyn his Forces as was promised and withal heard the Rumors of a dangerous Faction in England he found it safest to retire again and took an hundred and fifty thousand Crowns for the Charges of his Army and for some Monies he had lent to Francis II. Duke of Bretagne Father of the new Queen Maximilian in the mean time not having sufficient Forces made use of Craft he Surprized the Cities of Arras and Saint Omers by intelligence and by Night entred into Amiens from whence he was vigorously repulsed His Anger being a little evaporated he consented they should get a Truce of the King for a Twelve-month in the Name of his Son Philip but he would neither be comprised nor named in it The Kingdom of Granada after a War of eight Years successively was entirely conquer'd by the taking of her Capital City Boabdila the last of their Kings having sustained a Siege of eight Months surrendred it to Ferdinand and Isabella the second Year of our Lord 1492 Day of January of this Year 1492. Thus ended the Dominion of the Moors in Spain where it had lasted neer eight hundred Years but not their Nation nor their Mahometan impiety which the Severities of their Inquisition and their repeated Proscriptions could not wholly extirpate but with much difficulty Now as if every thing had contributed to Fill and Crown the House of Spain with Honor and Riches that they might transfer it to the House of Austria it hapned almost at the same time when they finisht this War thae Christopher Colombus discover'd the new World or that Hemisphear opposite to ours That great Sea-Captain a Year of our Lord 1492. And 1493. Genoese by Nation having found by a Relation in Manuscript of a certain Marriner and by Arguments drawn from the disposition of the World and roundness of the Globe composed of the Sea and Land that there were habitable Countries in those Parts opposite to these which we inhabit after he had in vain apply'd himself to divers Princes obtained with much ado three Vessels of Ferdinand and Isabella to go and seek out that which he did imagine might be found He loosed from Cadix in the Month of August of the Year 1492. And sailed so far that he discovered the Islands of Florida from whence he returned into Spain in the following March bringing back with him convincing Marks and Tokens of his discovery and the infinite Riches of those Countries The Spaniards were pleased to name them the West-Indies An hundred Years before this two Venetian Captains named Zeni had found out the Northern Estotiland Year of our Lord 1493 Two Months after his return into Spain Pope Alexander VI. who was by birth an Arrogonian gave to Ferdinand and Isabella and to all their Successors Kings of Castille all the Lands discover'd and to be discover'd beyond a Line that was to be drawn from the Arctick to be Antarctick Pole distant from the Azores about a hundred Leagues towards the West and by South upon condition he should send some honest and learned Men thither to instruct those People in the Christian Religion Saint Bennet's Order had the Honor of the first Mission One named Dom N. Bueil a Catalon was sent thither with twelve Priests and sowed the first Seeds of Faith there Year of our Lord 1492 That nothing might be wanting to the Happiness of Spain the young King Charles VIII did of his own good Will surrender the Counties of Rousillon and Cerdagne to Ferdinand without requiring the three hundred thousand Crowns for which Sum they were engaged but only a Promise that he should be a friend to France The World was amazed and scandalized at this suddain and unexpected Generosity Common Fame laid the blame of it upon a Cordelier Frier by Name Oliver Maillard a famous Preacher in those days and Confessor to the young King It was reported that being suborned by Ferdinand who sent him Barrels of Silver in stead of Wine and having associated himself with John Mauleon another Monk of the same Order to help carry on this Intrigue this last being Confessor to the Dutchess of Bourbon they publickly affirmed that King Lewis XI being on his Death-Bed had given Order for the restitution of these Counties and that his Soul would have no rest till it were performed That with this Theme and by these Suggestions the two honest Fathers some add a third Man Saint Francis de Paulo cast so much terrour into the Soul of that Lady and of Lewis d'Amboise Bishop of Alby who had been Tutor to the King that they perswaded and engaged him to make this fine Restitution Year of our Lord 1493 The German Princes and the Swisse becoming Mediators concerning the differences between France and the House of Austria a Conference was agreed upon to be held at Senlis where the Deputies from the Emperor Frederic from Maximilian his Son and the Arch Duke Philip his Grandson concluded with the King's Deputies to put an end to all Disputes That the King should send Year of our Lord 1493 Marguerit back to the Arch Duke her Brother that together with her he should render up the Counties of Artois and Burgundy but that he should retain the Castles belonging to the four Cities in Artois till four Years were expired and that then Philip being in majority should come and swear and ratify the Peace Ever since the Year 1492. there had been some discourse set on foot of the Rights and Title the King had to the Kingdom of Naples and Arguments used to enflame that young Prince with the Love and Desire of so fair a Conquest Year of our Lord 1492. 1493. And 1494. The Earl of Salerno and those Gentlemen that were banished from Naples having taken Sanctuary in France made the first propositions Afterwards Ludovic Sforza was the principal Agent and brought the King to a determinate resolution for this Enterprize which cost Italy it's liberty and a vast deal of Money Blood and Trouble to France The whole thrid of this design which he spun
Theodosius's in that of Honorius and in Valentinian's the III. The last day of the year 406. the Alains and the Vandals bringing along with them the Burgundians the Sueves and divers other barbarous People passed the Rhine and made an irruption in Gaul the most terrible that had been ever known Some conjecture it was at this time that they Massacred St. Ursula and her Glorious Train which have been called the Eleven thousand Virgins though in the Tombs said to belong to those Martyrs were found the Bones of Men and Children there are three or four different opinions on this Matter but neither of them without such difficulties attending as are not to be solved Year of our Lord 407 Those Barbarians having ravaged all Germania Prima and Belgica Secunda fell upon Aquitain In the year 409. some numbers of the Vandals and Sueves marched from thence into Spain Two years after the rest being affrighted upon the coming of Ataulphus King of the Visigoths out of Italy took the same course and follow'd them However there were some Alains still remaining in Dauphine and about the River Loire who had Kings amongst them for above Threescore years but in the end they submitted to the Dominion of the Visigoths and the Burgundians Year of our Lord 408 The Vandals and the Sueeves possessed Galicia the Silingi and Betica and the Alani part of Lusitania of Provence and Carthagenia Sixteen years afterwards the Vandals passed over into Africa but in the mean while Vallia King of the Visigoths who fought for the Romans utterly rooted out the Silingi and weakened the Alani so much that being unable to subsist alone they put themselves under Gunderic King of the Vandals The Suevi maintained themselves almost two Ages in Spain In fine their Kingdom was likewise extinguished by Leuvilgildus King of the Visigoths in the year 588. All these Barbarians were divided in several Parties or Bands and had each their Chief running about and scowring the Countreys without intermission so that at the same instant there were several of the same People in Places far distant from one another and of contrary Interests Year of our Lord 409 Ann. 408. Stilicon who was accused for bringing them in is Massacred by order of Honorius Alaric King of the Visigoths his good friend to revenge his Death besieged the City of Rome three times and the last time he takes it by Treachery the 20th day of August in the year 410. About the end of the same year he dyes in Calabria near Cosentia while he was making himself ready to go into Africa Ataulphus his Cousin succeeded him and Married Placid ia Sister to the Emperor Honorius whom he had taken in Rome Year of our Lord 412 Ann. 412. Ataulphus goes into Gallia Narbonnensis and takes Narbonna he remained there but Three years The Count and Patrician Constantius who was since Emperour and Married his Widdow Placidia compelled him tâ— go into Spain where he Year of our Lord 415 was kill'd by his own People in Barcelonna about the Month of September Ann. 415. They elected Sigeric in his stead and served him after the same manner within Seven days Vallia his Successor was recalled into Gaul by Constantius who gave him Aquitania Secunda with some Cities of the neighbouring Provinces amongst others Thoulouse where Year of our Lord 419 he fixed his Royal Seat Ann. 419. But he dyed in a few Months afterwards and Theodoric succeeded him Vnder this King and under Evaric or Euric the Visigoths made themselves Masters of all the Three Aquitani and the Two Narbonnensis Hitherto very few of the French had received the Light of the Gospel they yet Year of our Lord From the year 300 to the year 400. Adored Trees Fountains Serpents and Birds but the Gauls were most of them Christians unless it were such as dwelt in places less accessible as the Mountainous Woody and Boggy Countreys or in the Germanick or Belgick Territories which were perpetually infested by the incursions of the Barbarians The Faith had been Preached to them by some Disciples of the Apostles and even from the Second Age or Century divers Churches established amongst the Gauls at least in the Narbonnensis and Lugdunnensis Prima Under the Emperour Decius about the year 250. there were divers Holy Preachers sent from Rome who planted other Churches in several parts as Saturninus at Thoulouse Gatian at Tours Denis at Paris Austremonius at Clermont and Martial at Limoges The persecutions of the Heathen Emperours had sorely shaken them Constantine re-assured them afterwards the incursions of the Barbarians again destroys them especially those in Germania and Belgica and the Arian Heresie much troubled those in Aquitania Clowis restores them and endowed them plentifully In the fourth Age the Gallican Church produced a great number of Holy Bishops above all Hilary Bishop of Poitiers an invincible Defender of the Holy Trinity Maximin and Paulin de Treves who maintained the same Cause and at the same time with him the Great St. Martin of Tours parallel to the Apostles Liboire du Mans Severinus of Colen Victricius of Rouen all four contemporaries Servais de Tongres elder by some years and Exuperius de Tholouse who lived yet in 405. About the middle of the same Age many of those that had Devoted themselves to God came from towards Italy to inhabit in the Islands of Provence and the Viennensian Mountains as likewise a while afterwards great numbers flocked out from Ireland and took up their stations in the Forrests of the Lyonnoises and the Belgicks Their example and a Zeal to that Holy Profession drew many People either to come into their Monasteries or dwell in Solitude but still under the Conduct of the Bishops and the Discipline of the Canons Of these there were principally Four sorts such as lived in Community those were called Cenobites such as having formerly lived so retired into Solitude aspiring to a greater perfection these were the Hermits or Anchorits such as associated in small companies of three or four in a knot without any Superior or any certain Rule and such as wandred all about the Countrey on pretence of visiting Holy Places and finding out such Persons as were most advanced in Piety There were some also that strictly confined themselves to a Cell either within some City or in the Desert they were called Incluses or Recluses all lived by the labour of their Hands and most of them gave what they got to the Poor though in the greatest strictness they were not obliged to renounce their Wealth nor were they excluded from enjoying it in case they returned again to the World but such a return was indeed looked upon as a kind of a desertion Councils being extream necessary to preserve the Purity of the Faith and Ecclesiastical Discipline there were several held in Gaul An. 314. The Emperour Constantine caused one to be Assembled at Arles where there were Deputies from all the Western Provinces to determine
was in Campis Secalaunicis in Soulogne near Orleans Attila lost nigh 200000 Men. Theodoric King of the Visigoths was killed in the Fight and the next day his Son Thorismond elected King by the Visigoths Notwithstanding this infinite loss Attila had still Men enough left to Retreat to his own Countrey Aetius having discharged the Visigoths and the French lest he should be obliged to pursue and make an end of them The youngest of Clodions Sons had cast himself into the Arms of that Prince who adopted him for his Son and the other under the protection of Attila what their Fortune was we know not but for Attila upon his return from another irruption he made into Italy about the year 452. he died in his own Countrey while he was in Bed with a new Spouse Year of our Lord 452 This year 452. is commonly reckoned to be the time of the wonderful birth or beginning of the City of Venice in the Adriatick Gulph It is held that the terror of Attilas Forces after he had taken Aquilea making all the people of those Countreys flie from thence some numbers of them got into the Island Rialto and other Islands adjacent who fixed their Habitation there which was the first foundation of that noble State Year of our Lord 454 The Emperour Valentinian caused Aetius to be Massacred who alone upheld the Empire shaken and assaulted on all hands The following year he is slain himself by the Year of our Lord 455 friends of that great Captain and upon the solicitation of Petronius Maximus whose Wife he had violated Maximus seizes on the Empire and Eudoxia his Widdow whom he Married The peasure of his Revenge and his Reign lasted but three Months The People stoned him to death as soon as Genseric King of the Vandals whom Eudoxa had called over from Africa to revenge her was come to the Gates of Rome But that Barbarian sacked the City and took the Empress who was carried into Captivity with her two Daughters being at the same time both revenged and punished From thence followed the utter destruction of the Western Empire there being no one Head left powerful enough to repair or indeed prop the ruines of that vast Building but only divers petit Commanders who were but the sport of the Barbarians and who consumed the small Forces they had by pushing at one another So that Meroveus and afterwards Childeric his Son had the proper time to extend their limits Meroveus took on the one hand all the Germania Prima or territory of Mentz and on the other the Belgica Secunda which is named Picardy a good part of the Second Lyonnoise named Normandy and almost all the Isle of France He Reigned almost 11 years and dyed Anno 458. we know nothing either of Year of our Lord 458 his Age nor of his Wife nor his Children but only that Childeric his Successor was his Son Childeric King IV. Aged XX to XXV years POPES LEON I. Three years HILARY the 12th Nov. 461. S. Five years Ten Months SIMPLICUS the 20th Sept. 561. S. Twenty Five years Five Months Year of our Lord 458 THis Prince being yet Young much addicted to his Pleasures and having a Kingdom too peaceable gave himself the liberty to debauch Year of our Lord 459. Or 460. his Subjects Wives and Daughters The French who were not accustomed to such infamous dealings degraded him from his Throne either by Sedition only or by some kind of judicial proceedings and in his stead Elected Aegidius or Gillon Master of the Roman Militia who was a stranger but in high reputation for Wisdom and Probity Childerick knowing after this that they sought his Life also retired himself into Year of our Lord 460 Turingia to King Basin but left a faithful friend in France named Guyemans who promised to work his Restauration by turning the Hearts of the French against Gillon Guyemans being very subtil gained much upon the Good Will and Confidence of Gillon and encouraged him to charge them with Taxes or Imposts and when they made a great noise about it he counsel'd him to strike off the most stirring Heads who were the same that had degraded Childeric then do they come secretly to make complaints to Guyemans who perswades them to recall their natural King and when he observes them disposed so to do gives him notice of it and for a Year of our Lord 468 token sends him the half of a Gold Crown broken in two of which the King kept the other half The French go as far as Bar to meet him and re-establish him in his Royalty with formal Solemnity Year of our Lord From the year 468. To the year 481. After his return he made use of the heat of his Subjects against Gillon he pushed at him vigorously forced him to abandon Colen took Treves by Assault and Burnt it Conquer'd the Countrey now called Lorrain and afterwards crossing Champagnes which then remained firm to the Romans he made himself Master of Beauvais Paris and of many other Towns upon the Oise and the Seine the People giving themselves up to the French rather out of choice than by compulsion to free themselves from the horrible Tailles and cruel Concussions of the Roman Magistrates who had put them into so great dispair that they sought their own relief in the ruine of the State A little after Childeric came from Turingia Queen Basina charmed with his Virtues forsook her Husband to come to him he took her to Wife and within the year had a Son by her who was named Clovis Gillon as it should seem had called in some Auxiliaries of the Saxons Commanded by their King Odoacer which he employed to defend the Cities above the Loire as well against the Visigoths as the French When he was dead viz. in the year 464. the Count Pol took the Command and Odoacer on his side would secure the City of Angiers and fortified the Islands in the Loire to preserve his booty but Childeric vanquished the Count Pol near Orleans and after he had possess'd himself of that City pursued him to Angiers where he forced his way in and laid him dead on the Pavement This done he dislodged the Saxons from their Islands and after an agreement with them he set them at work to drive away the Germans who at that same time had made an irruption into Gaul Year of our Lord 476 Anno 476. Of the Christian Aera and the 1229. from the foundation of Rome the Roman Empire ended in the West there having been in the last Twenty years Nine or Ten Abortives of Emperours of which Romulus whom they called Augustulus was the last He was a young Child of about Ten or Twelve years old to whom the Patrician Orestes his Father had given the Title of Emperour to Govern in his Name Odoacer King of the Heruli having slain Orestes locked up this Child in a Castle and gave beginning to the First Kingdom in Italy Divers years
of the little River Arouane which glides betwixt that of Yonne and Loing and falls into the Loing close by Moret Clotaire lost the Battle and almost Thirty thousand Men and saved himself by speedy posting to Paris But he durst not stay there long for the Victors being advanced as far as Essonne he retired into the Forrest of Arelaune In fine he was constrained left he should lose all to yield up to them the greatest part of his Kingdom to Thierry all that was between the Loire and the Seine as far as the Sea and to Theoderet the Dutchy of Dentelen which was between the Oise and the Seine or perhaps between the Somme and the Oise Year of our Lord 600 601. During the controversie between the Cousins the Gascons took occasion to come and plant themselves in the Countrey of Oleron of Bearn and of Soule The two Brother Kings thought it to better purpose having vanquish'd them to make them become Tributaries then to drive them quite away and gave them a Duke to Govern them he was called Genialis But as they are a stirring People during the Civil Wars of the French they gained all Aquitania Tertia which because of them is named Gascongne Year of our Lord 601 Brunehaud had all the power in the Court of young King Thierry having made him taste the pleasure of Women and Love betimes to keep him from medling with business of State by charms of voluptuousness and out of fear leâ—t a lawful Wife if he should take one should induce him to retrench her Authority by gaining the Affections of her Grand-Son from her This year he had a Son by one of his Mistresses which they named Sigebert Though Brunehaud were a Great-Grand-Mother she was not exempted from Love nor from inspiring it in others by the opportunities she had of bestowing the greatest Favours but this she did most commonly at the expence of the richest whom she fleeced by her Calumnies and her assassinations The precedent year she Year of our Lord 602 had taken away the Life of Egila Patrician of Burgundy to enrich her self with his Year of our Lord 603 spoil She loved amongst others a young Lord named Protades of Roman extraction that is to say Gaulois and had already made him Duke des Transjurains this was not enough she must raise him to the Office of Mayer of the Palace But Bertoald who then executed it must first be put out of the way To this end she sent him to gather up the Imposts in Neustria newly taken from Clotair and as yet not well subjected Landry Mayer of the Palace soon chases him pursues him even to Orleans and Besieges him King Thierry being informed thereof Mounts on Horseback the Battle was fought at the passage over the River of Estampes most part of Landry's Men were cut off but Bertoald was slain there as Brunehaud had wished and she gave that Employment to her Protades Year of our Lord 603 At the same time King Theodebert had taken the Field to run upon Clotaire but the two Kings being there present Theodebert grants him a Peace desiring to preserve him for a time of need against his Brother Thierry who likewise and perhaps upon the same consideration did in a while after make his accommodation with Clotaire Year of our Lord 604 The Old One had not forgot the Outrage she had received by Theodebert or rather the Austrasian Lords she infinitely desired Thierry might make himself Master of that Kingdom that she might execute her Revenge She made him believe therefore that Theodebert was not his Brother but that he was the Son of a Gardiner Was it that she would have it meant he had been Supposed or Changed or that the Queen Faileube had committed Adultery with some person of that condition Upon all occasions she and her Favourite thundered it in the Ears of Thierry and laid hold of every little subject of Pique to exasperate the Spirit of that young ambitious and violent Prince Insomuch as that in fine he took up Arms to deprive his own Brother both of his Crown and Life One day as the two Armys were encamped near each other the Leudes or Vaslals of the Kings detesting this impious War endeavoured an accommodation Protades opposing it those that belonged to Thierry gathered together and notwithstanding the Intreaty and Commands of that Prince Year of our Lord 605 to the contrary went and â—lew him in his Tent where he was playing at Chess Year of our Lord 605 6. In time Brunehaud found means to sacrifice all those that had procured his Death to the Manes of her beloved Friend But notwithstanding instead of one Gallant she chose many and those the handsomest of her Court The scandal was so great that St. Didier Bishop of Lions was obliged by his Pastoral Office and Duty to make some publique Remonstrances of it to her They wrought no effect upon a Soul so plunged in the Mire of her Lust but they acquired the Crown of Martyrdom for this Holy Prelate This Second Jesabel having first caused him to be degraded and banished by an Assembly of Bishops devoted to her passion then two years after stoned to death by her Satellites Some remorse of Conscience having touched Thierry he would needs take a lawful Wife and caused Hermenberg the Daughter of Bertric King of the Visigoths to come out of Spain that he might Marry her But Brunehaud by her Witchcrafts as it was said hindred him from consummating the Nuptials and even perswaded him to send her back and most unjustly detain all that she had brought with her for him The disorders of this Court were at such a height that it was to ruine ones self not to approve of it Nevertheless the H. Abbot Colomban who feared nought but God alone spared not to conjure King Thierry to put an end to his Debauches Year of our Lord 608 by a legitimate Marriage and refused to give Blessing to his Bastards boldly assuring him that God would never suffer the Sons of Sin to Reign This Christian liberty thwarted too much the Interests and Pleasures of Brunehaud she ceased not from irritating the King her Son against the Saint till he had caused him to be plucked out of his Monastery with violence and turned out of his Kingdom At that time when she her self was driven from the Court of Austrasia she had left one of her Servants there bought with the price of Money named Bilechild a Virgin of much Wisdom and more Beauty Theodebert having Married her the kindness that Prince had for her begot the aversion of Brunehaud It hapned that this year she dyed by some ill beverage It was not known from what hand it was directed whether that old jealous Woman or her Husbands who was grown weary of her and would have another as indeed he Married Theodechild one of the same quality and condition But her death was imputed to Brunehaud as well as the War that
concerning Degrees prohibited were different according to the different Countries In the beginning in some Churches they hardly prohibited the Marrying with two Sisters or two Brothers But the Council of Agde the third of Orleance and other following Councils extended it to a Niece to the Aunt to the Brothers Widdow and the Uncles to the Wives Sister to Cousins and Cousin-Germans There were Sanctuaries in the most famous Churches which the Bishops made good to the utmost of their power Their intercession often times obtained Pardon for the greatest Criminals and whatever failings themselves did fall into they most commonly came off only with Degradation or Banishment their Brethren most times persuading the Kings to spare their Lives St. Augustin had began to persuade the Faithful to give the Tithe of their Goods for the relief and support of the Poor grounded upon this Principle That Christians were obliged to a greater Perfection then the Jews who had allowed it to the Levites The Prelates of the second Council of Tours exhorted the People to pay them to God according to the example of the Patriarch Abraham The second of Mascon ordained it as being a Right and Duty Established in the Old Testament and which they affirmed had been of a very long time observed by the Christians The Temporal Lords to whom they primarily belonged bestowed much upon the Monasteries little on the Bishops and Curats to whom notwithstanding in case they were of Divine Right they ought to belong There were â—ew Festivals observed as Holy in all Churches except Christmas Easter and Whitsuntide The noblest of the Diocess were obliged to keep them in the Episcopal City the Country Curates the same as likewise to meet as the Synod which was yearly held at a time certain The King solemnised these Holy-days in what City he pleased and the Bishops ambitiously courted and strove who should have that honour in his own Church Since that Method being altered and the Charms of the World being stronger to allure the Bishops to Court then the Duties of Christianity were to draw the Court to the Church the Kings celebrated those Festivals in their Palaces and the Bishops forsaking their Flocks went thither in greater Crowds then was desired New Cells or Hermitages were not suffered to be made nor new Congregations of Monks without the Bishops allowance An Abbot durst not run forth nor absent himself from his Monastery when he fell into any fault the Bishop might displace him and give him a Successor and if he were rebellious he was not admitted to the Communion Shame alone could not confine and keep those in their Monasteries who had Vowed and Dedicated themselves to God but the Church compell'd them to continue by all the Penalties that were in her power No Tribute or Tax was raised upon any thing belonging to the Church neither upon their Foundations their Goods nor their Persons and neither the Judges nor the Kings Receivers could exercise any Power or Jurisdiction on their Lands But those Bishops and Abbots who desired to obtain the King's or the Grandees favour and protection having begun to make them Euloges or Presents this Custom grew into a necessary Right and Duty which was afterwards exacted from them when they failed to do it voluntarily Dagobert I. King XI POPE HONORIUS I. Who S. nine years and an half during this Reign DAGOBERT I. Aged Twenty six years in Neustria Austrasia and Burgundy ARIBERT Aged Thirteen or fourteen years in part of Aquitain Year of our Lord 629 PRince Aribert being with King Clotaire when he died it might be thought that in the absence of his Brother Dagobert who was in Austrasia he might with his Fathers Treasure have raised Men and Friends enough to have seized on the Kingdom but as he was young and perhaps his Father had bequeathed him no part in the Kingdom by his last Testament it was in vain that Brunolph his Mothers Brother endeavoured to stir up the Neustrians in his behalf Dagobert used such diligence that he made himself secure of the Kingdoms of Neustria and Burgundy so that Aribert with his Uncle were constrained to go and meet him and to submit It was in the beginning of the Seventh year of his Reign in Austrasia Year of our Lord 629 Nevertheless as it were out of pity and according to the counsel of the French Lords he gave him Saintonge Perigord Agenois Thoulousam and all the third Aquitain Aribert setled his Royal Throne at Thoulouse As soon as he was acknowledged in Neustria he went to visit Burgundy which in many years had not beheld a King but was governed by Mayers neither had they had any Mayer since the death of Varnaquier Being at St. John de Laone he heard the complaints of his People rendred Justice to all his Subjects took a care to compose all their Disputes but it seems all these fair appearances were but to cover a Villanous Murther for which purpose perhaps he had undertaken this Journey For one Morning going into a Bath he commanded three Lords of the Court to kill Brunolph who had followed him though he were guilty of nothing unless being affectionate to the Interest of his Nephew Aribert they might apprehend he would be again stirring and acting something for him It seems the Neustrian and the Austrasian Lords did each of them struggle who should possess the King The first carried it from the others by taking him on the blind side and flattering him in his Passions The Queen Gomatrude was an Austrasian of Kin to Cunibert and Pepin who were present at her Wedding the Neustrians who knew the amorous inclination of their Prince persuaded him to repudiate her upon the pretence of Barrenness to Marry Nantilda one that served him By this means Ega Mayer of the Neustrian Palace got the highest place in the young Kings favour who presently dismissed Cumbert but retained Pepin still at Court not to make use any more of his Counsel but for fear he might cause the Kingdom of Austrasia to revolt his Office of Mayer of the Palace and his Vertues giving him too great a power Nantilda was soon deprived of the Affection of her Husband by another Woman Being gone into Austrasia and delighting to shew himself in his Royal Habit to those Provinces with great Pomp and a splendid Court he in her room took a very beautiful Virgin named Ragnetrude Sometime after he Married two more Women Wlfegunde and Bertechilde for Kings thought they had this Priviledge of having several and took as many Mistresses as the desire and gust of change could wish for which is infinite After he had thrown off his two prudent Governours who kept him within compass he let himself loose to all the heats of his Youth and the violence of his Soveraign Authority The first cast him into all sorts of Pleasures The second made him heap up Money and lay his griping Hand upon his Subjects Treasure as if all had been his own It
the one lay the Body of a Man and in the other a Womans with a little Child The Inscription bearing the Name of Childeric and some Regal Ornaments which were therein discovered that they were the Tombs of this King and his Queen An Inter-regnum of some Months THis Tragical Death was followed with an Inter-regnum and universal Confusion Year of our Lord 673 and 74. in all three Kingdoms The Dukes that had haled St. Leger out oâ— Luxeu asked him pardon and conducted him to his City of Autun where the Burghers and the Lords of Burgundy made a League to defend him in case they should attempt upon his Life during this Inter-regnum It is credible that amidst these Divisions all the Austrasians or at least part of them by the perswasion of Queen Imnichilda Widow of King Sigebert II. and who had had credit in the Court of King Childeric desiring to have a King that they might not fall under the power of the Neustrians recalled her Son Dagobert whom Grimoald had shaven and banished into Ireland and acknowledged him for King of Austrasia where he Reigned many years Year of our Lord 674 The Lords of Neustria and Burgundy that they might not fall into an Anarchy went and drew forth Thierry from the Monastery of St. Denis where he had time to let his Royal Locks grow again and set him on the Throne giving him for Mayre of the Palace Leudesia or Liuteria the Son of that Erchinoald who had that Office under Clovis II. Thierry I. King XV. POPES ADEODAT S. three years and an half in this Reign DONUS Elected in No. 676. S. one year three months AGATHON Elected in 678. S. three years eight months and half LEO II. Elected in August 683. S. eleven months BENEDICTUS II. Elected in 684. S. eighteen months and half JOHN V. Elected in 685. S. one year CONON Elected in 685. S. one year SERGIUS Elected in Decemb. 687. S. thirteen years eight months and half whereof three years and an half under this Reign LEUDESIA then Ebroin Mayres THIERRY in Neustria and Burgundy Aged 22 or 23 years and DAGOBERT in Austrasia Aged about 15 years EBroin having quitted the Monastery of Luxeu after he had wandred a while with a small Band of Men grew so Confident as to throw off his Clerical Habit which was in those times esteemed a most horrid thing though a Man had even been compelled to put it on His design was to seize upon the Government again to this end he got together all such as were banished and such as were Enemies to Leger whose opposition he most feared and made a League with Wlfoad Mayer of Austrasia who mortally hated the Holy Bishop With this Crew of Rascally Villains and Austrasians he takes the Field and in Year of our Lord 674 an instant falls into Neustria to surprize Thierry and Leudesia his Mayre The first was passing his time at Nogent in the Country of Laonnois and the other was in a Palace on this side the Oise His Enterprize having failed him because they got away with all speed he applies himself to fraud and having under colour of an Accommodation engaged Leudesia to come to a Conference he laid an Ambuscade for him by the way where he was Assassinated All this notwithstanding did not restore him to the Office of Mayre King Thierry Year of our Lord 675 and 76. hating him the more it was not likely he would admit him He bethinks himself therefore when he was returned to Austrasia as he was advised by two evil Bishops who had been Deposed Didon-Desiree of Chaalons and Robon of Valence to spread the Report abroad that Thierry was dead and to impose a false or pretended Clovis whom he said was Son to Clotaire III. This Statue being set up he forces the People to take an Oath of Fidelity to him and ruines all those Countries that refused so to do But principally he Assaults Leger in Autun by Vaimer Duke of Champagne who Year of our Lord 676 was accompanied by the two wicked Bishops He believed with much reason that this was the most stout Opposer of his Tyranny and that having vanquish'd him he should easily overcome all the others The City being besieged and in danger to be forced this good Prelat could not be persuaded to betray that Faith he owed the King and on the other side would not expose his Flock for whom a good Shepherd ought to expose his Life He therefore went voluntarily out of Autun after he had broken all his Silver Plate to give to the Poor and delivers himself to Vaimer That wicked Man caused his Eyes to be plucked out and shut him up in a Monastery In Recompence for so good a piece of Service Ebroin instals him in the Bishoprick of Troyes by fraud and violence and Didon invaded that of Autun but both the one and the other perished soon after by the same Tyranny of which they were the Ministers Immediately after this the Grandees of Neustria and Burgundy as if they had left their hearts by the imprisonment of Leger who indeed was the greatest Genius of that Court accepted Ebroin for Mayre of Thierry 's Palace and then he having no more need of his false Clovis took off his Vizard and returned him to a private Condition Being in this high Power his Tyranny had no bounds he sacrificed all that had opposed him to his Revenge and to his Covetousness those that possessed fair Estates or great Employments but all under the pretence of some imputed Crime which deprived them of their Honour before he robb'd them of their Lives The most wary saved themselves in time some in Aquitain others in the utmost skirts of Austrasia Year of our Lord 678 That he might have a specious Pretence to extend his Cruelty as far as he pleased he set himself upon a discovery of all those that had any hand in the Death of Childeric for which it was well known he rejoyced more than the Actors themselves He failed not to bring in and involve Leger and the Count Guerin his Brother These two Lords being brought before him he caused the latter to be Stoned to death at a Stake and the other to have the Soles of his Feet torn out and his Lips cut off then put him into the Custody of one of his Sattelites who kept him near two years in the Monastery of Fescamp The most part of the Bishops flattered him in his Injustice because they either dreaded him or had some interest in it Dadon himself otherwise Ouin Bishop of Rouen and one that has a Place in the Kalender of Saints was his Friend and one of his principal Counsellors This Man clapt St. Filibert Abbot of Jemieges in Prison for having made some Remonstrances to the Tyrant And afterwards perceiving that such Violence was too odious in the Eyes of honest People he banished him to Aquitain under colour of building a Monastery in the Isle of Herio Indeed he
the Emperor Constance nor the endeavours of Paul Bishop of Constantinople who had undertaken to obtain the Reception of that condemned Opinion and had joyned all those to his Party that adhered to the Doctrines of Severus of Eutyches and of Manes And indeed we find that in the year 649. he sent the Articles of the Council of Rome to Clovis II. and desired him and also King Childebert to depute some of their Bishops to Rome that they might accompany and countenance the Legation he intended to send to the Emperor upon that Subject Dagobert II. King XVIII POPES CONSTANTINE Three years in this Reign GREG. II. Elected March 714. S. sixteen years nine Months and an half of which one year in this Reign DAGOBERT II. Called the Young Aged Eleven or twelve years PEPIN Mayre in Neustria and Soveraign in Austrasia CHildebert being out of the World Pepin made choice of Dagobert his eldest Son to wear the Bauble and instaled him in the Royal Throne by the Counsel and Approbation of the Estates Where having caused him to preside after he had received the Gifts or Presents from the French after he had recommended the care of the Rights of the Church of Widdows and Pupils renewed the Decree against Rapine and give Command to the Army to Year of our Lord 711 hold themselves in readiness at a time appointed to March where Affairs required he sent him back to one of the Royal Houses to be Bred and Entertained with great Respect in outward appearance but without any Power or Function The first year of his Reign Pepin undertook a fourth Expedition against the Year of our Lord 712 Almans who were this time so battered that they could not stir again for many years After many Wars having not been able wholly to bring under him Ratbod Duke of the Frisons he not only came to an Agreement but likewise allied himself with him by Marrying his Son Grimoald to that Kings Daughter The Sarrazins who were Masters of Africa did not let slip the fair occasion that presented to invade Spain The Children of King Vitiza had been Excluded the Kingdom by Roderick whose Fathers Eyes Vitiza had caused to be put out and had retired themselves to Julian Governor of the Visigoths in the Province of Tingi who was himself likewise much offended for that this new King having Debauched his Daughter would own her but for his Concubine These three Lords having joyned their Resentments addressed themselves to Maza Lieutenant in Africa under Valit or Vlit Caliph or chief Soveraign of the Sarrazins He gave them some Forces over whom Roderick getting the better he again sent others commanded by Tarac this was he that gave the name to Gibal-Tar to the Mountain Calphe where he built a Fort whence likewise the Straights-mouth hath its denomination At length there hapned a great Battle betwixt him and Roderick where that King was overcome and slain with all the flower of the Visigoths Within two years all Spain was subjected to the Tyranny of the Sarrazins the remainders of the Visigoths fled part of them into the Mountains of Asturia and Galicia part into France from whence they by degrees came all to Prince Pelagus Son of Fafila and Grandson of King Chindasuint who yet preserved to himself a petty Principality amidst the Mountains of Asturia which in process of time and by assistance of the French increased so much that it consumed the Sarrazins in the end While Pepin was at Jupile he fell into a long and troublesome Distemper His Son Grimoald going to Visit him passing by Liege to make some Prayers for him on St. Lamberts Tomb this was in the Month of April he was Assassinated by a Rascal named Rangaire a Frison for which reason an Author hath pretended that it was Year of our Lord 713 714 April done by the command of Rotbod his Father-in-Law Pepin being Recovered severely revenged the Death of his Son upon all the Accomplices he could lay hold on This was the dearest to him of all his Sons he had likewise a great regard for his Bastard named Theodoald and obliged the Neustrian Lords to elect him for their Mayre Some months after he relapsed more grievously then before in so much as he died Year of our Lord 714. 714 in December of it the 16th of December having held the Government of all France from the Battle of Tertry which was in 687. even to his Death with great success and with much greater Vertue of which the most eminent and which gained him most the favour of Heaven was his Zeal for the propagation of the Faith not having spared any thing to plant it in Germania Secunda and beyond the Rhine where all the Inhabitants were at that time Idolaters Besides Drogon and Grimoald he had two more Sons Charles Martel and Childebrand It is unknown by what Woman he had the last but a very exact Historian hath proved that this Robert le Fort the Strong who was the Paternal Great great Grandfather of King Hugh Capet was descended from him by the Male Line Now be it that Pepin left the Mayrie of Austrasia to Arnold who was the Son of Drogon as that of Neustria to Theodoald or changing his mind a little before he died had bestowed it upon Charles for all the three Kingdoms or perhaps only the name of Prince of the French which seems to be above that of Mayre Plectrude his Widow seized upon the whole Government and got Charles by a wile into her hands keeping him Prisoner at Colen where she made her usual abode Year of our Lord 715 But the Neustrians already tired with the Domination of the Austrasians were yet more impatient of being ruled by a Woman They therefore Armed themselves and put their King Dagobert in the head of their Forces to prevent her from coming under the name of Theodoald a Child and a Bastard to usurp the Government of their Country The Army that brought Theodoald being near Compeigne the Neustrians went to meet them and put them to the rout All the Austrasians could do was to save Theodoald After this Victory they chose Ragenfroy or Rainfroy for their Mayre being one of the most considerable and most valiant Lords amongst them who to perplex the Austrasians the more made a League with Ratbod Duke of the Frisons and led King Dagobert to ransack Austrasia even to the Meuse Year of our Lord 715 It then hapned that the Austrasians being in a great consternation Charles happily made his escape out of Prison and having gotten his Friends together was received with incredible joy by all his People About the end of the same year died Dagobert King of Neustria after he had Year of our Lord 715 been a property to the Mayres for four or five years He left one Son named Thierry who was yet in his Cradle and who had afterwards the surname of Chelles because he was brought up there Immediately upon this
Usages practised in the time of the Carlovinian Race Year of our Lord 814 LOUIS I. CALLED Debonnaire or Pious King XXIV POPES LEO III. S. 2. Tears 4 Months under this Reign STEPHANUS V. Elect. in June 816. S. 7 Months PASCAL I. elect January 817. S. 7 Tears 3. Months and a half EUGENIUS II. Elect. in 824. S. 3. Tears 3 Months VALENTINE Eect in 827. S. 40 Dayes GREGORY IV. Elect. in September 827. S. 16 Tears whereof 13 under this Reign Lewis I. Called the Debonnaire Emperour and King of France Aged about 35 Years Bernard his Nephew King of Italy Aged 16 Years Year of our Lord 814 As the Court of that Prince whose Reign is at end is ever an Enemy to that which is to succeed it was to be feared there might be some Faction in that of Charlemain which would oppose the advancement of Lewis He particularly dreaded Walla an undertaking person who being a Prince of the Blood and one that had a great hand in the management of his Fathers Affairs might have aspired to the Succession or have called in Bernard King of Italy who was the Elder Brothers Son and he might likewise have been incited thereto by the Daughters and Mistresses of Charlemain who were confederated against Lewis because he would reform their disorders The Forces he brought from Aquitain and which he gathered up in his way dispersed the whole Faction if any such were Walla comes to him upon his Summons with an intire submission and all the French Nobility made haste to go and meet him He had a very great mind to purge the Court from Scandal and to that end had Commanded Count Garnier to seize upon two Lords Odille and Tulle who lived too familiarly with his Sisters The first of these had the impudence to find out Garnier and murther him but he was cut in pieces on the place and the Emperor inraged at his insolence caused the eyes of Tulle to be put out After he had celebrated the Funeral of his Father and divided the Goods with his Brothers and Sisters he thrust out of the Court all those Women who were there only upon pleasure and sent his Sisters to remain in those Abbeys which Charlemain had bestow'd upon them Year of our Lord 814 The Ambassadors which his Father had sent to Constantinople returned home in Company with some who came from the Emperor Leo and brought with them a Treaty of Peace betwixt the two Emperors He sent Lothaire the eldest of his Three Sons into Bavaria and Pepin into Aquitain but retained Pepin at Court with himself because he was as yet too young Year of our Lord 814 Grimoald Duke of Benevent surrendred his Dutchy into his hands that he might receive it again and hold it from him upon condition of a yearly Tribute of Seven Thousand Crowns of Gold Bernard King of Italy in obedience to his Command came to wait on him acknowledged himself his Vassal and gave him Oath of Fidelity He could not require this in quality of Emperor nor as the first of the Family It must be in my opinion that Charlemain had given it to Bernard upon condition that he should hold it of his Uncle Year of our Lord 814 The Sons of Godfrey who had sheltred themselves in Sweden being returned to Denmark with their Friends had given Battel to Heriold and Reginfâ—oy where the last was slain but the others obtained the Victory Heriold driven out of his Country came to Louis to implore his Assistance and became his Vassal The French Counts who Commanded in Saxony with the Abrodites had orders to restore him again They passed the River Egid with a potent Army The Sons of Godfrey raised one more numerous and withal a Fleet of Two Hundred Sail but keeping themselves at Sea near an Island about Three Leagues from the Shore the French could do no other mischief but only scowre and plunder the Country Year of our Lord 4 The same Year a Peace was made with Abulaz King of the Moors or Saracens in Spain but that Prince being dead and the Moors still pillaging the Coasts of Italy and its Islands the Deputies of Calara in Sardinia obliged the Emperor to break it Year of our Lord 815 The Romans having Conspired against Pope Leo he put some to death by his own Authority The Emperor took those proceedings very ill as being contrary to his natural Clemency and his Soveraignty over the City of Rome He ordered Bernard King of Italy to go thither and inform himself of the full truth and particulars which he did the Pope on his part sent his Legates into France to cleer himself there but the Romans were so dissatisfied at that cruelty that Leo being fallen sick they did not only seize upon those Lands he had Usurped from them but likewise ransack'd his Castles in the Country Bernard was forced to send Vinigise Duke of Spoleta with an Army to appease the Tumult He took some of the most active and leading Mutineers and sent them into France Year of our Lord 816 The Sorabes having rebelled were reduced after the taking their best Hold by an Army of Austrasian French and Saxons The Gascons a giddy People had also taken the Field because their Count named Seguin was taken from them who had shewed himself disobedient to the Emperor They were punished for their insolence by the loss of two Battels and compelled to renounce him whom they had Elected in the room of Seguin We must observe that Gasconâ—ne was divided into a County and a Dutchy and that the County held of the Dutchy and comprehended the Country from the Pyreneâ—ns to the River of Adour so that Dags was part of it Pope Leo being dead the 23 d of May Stephen the Deacon was put in his place by Election of the Clergy He waited not for the Emperors confirmation to be Installed to whom nevertheless he made the Romans swear fidelity and afterwards came himself to him at Reims to tender his Devoirs The Emperor gave order to his Nephew Bernard to accompany him as far as the Alpes where divers Lords attended to receive him on his behalf and when he was gotten farther into the Country he found his Arch-Chaplain and Two or Three Bishops The Emperor staid for him at Reims received him upon his allighting off his Horse accompany'd him to the Abbey Church of Saint Remy which when they entred he took him by the hand to help him The French Clergy sung the Te Deum and the Romans made loud acclamations in the Emperors praise The Pope and the Emperor eat and drank some consecrated Bread and Wine together then the Emperor retired to the City and left him to lodge in the Abbey They entertained each other with Feasting and gave mutual Presents the Emperor began and the Sunday following the Pope Crowned both him and the Empress Hermengarde having purposely brought with him two gold Crowns that for the Emperor was set all
a League with the Saracen King who gave him Powerful assistance with which help he so tormented the Governors of places that some quitted them and others went and joyned with him There was none but Bernard Earl of Barcelonna that persevered in the fidelity he owed the Emperor Year of our Lord 827 The next year Aizo got a very great re-inforcement of the Saracens and the Emperor on his part gave Pepin an Army to chastise him and to re-settle his affairs in those Countries But the Infidels ransacked the Counties of Gironna and Barcelonna at their pleasure before the French Forces were in condition The negligence of their Commanders was the cause of this delay which was most severely punished at the general Assembly of Aix with the loss of their imployment And whatever other favour they held of the Emperor This done to repair their fault he gave a great Army to his Son Lotaire who advanced as far as Lyons but having conferred with his Brother Pepin he went no farther because the Saracens had made no new attempt This was the last Trial the French made for those Marches For the following year there being a division bred in the Royal Family whereof Bernard Earl of Barcelonna was the pretence the Saracens and Spaniards too made great advantages of the same So that France could preserve only the Lower Marches to wit the Counties of Barcelonna Ampuries Roussillon Cerdagne Vrgel Paillars Ossonna and Ribagorce The People of the higher Marches seeing themselves abandoned by the Year of our Lord 828 French bethought themselves of making a King and chose Eneco or Inniguo Earl of Bigorre surnamed Arista by corruption from Ariscat a word which in that Country Language signifies the bold the resolute By whose valour and the eredit he had amongst the Gascons and the Inhabitants of the Pyreneans they promised themselves assistance sufficient enough to make Head against the Saracens As indeed he regained Pampelonna and some other Cities from those Infidels Year of our Lord 829 Or 830. 'T is here therefore we must assign the beginning Of the Kingdom of Navarre and not 70 years earlier by one Garcia Ximenes For all the Six Kings whom they place before this Inniguo Arista are fabulous as well as the pretended Kingdom of Sobrarue where they tell us they Reigned Now Sobrarue is a little Country between the Ancient Earldom of Arragon and that of Ribagorce which is within the precincts of the Kingdom of Arragon not of Navarre and hath but six Leagues of extent and some Burroughs in a Valley with the Abbey of Penna Inniguo Arista had for Son and Successor Ximene or Semenon d'Innigo and he had one Innigo de Semenon and Garcia both Kings D'Innigo II. was Son of Garcia II. who had two Sons which were Successively Kings viz. Fortunius Garcia and Sance Abarca the first of that name After him the Succession of their Kings of Navarre is clear and indisputable The Bulgarians ransacked Pannonia Superiora as they listed Balderic Duke of Friuli never stirring to repel them But his cowardly neglect was punished as it Year of our Lord 829 deserved He was devested of all his Honours and his Dutchy was divided into four Counties The Emperor desperately fond of his Wife and of his Son Charles bestowed Rhetia and part of the Kingdom of Burgundy upon that Child his other Brothers present But Trembling with jealosie and wrath Year of our Lord 829 Louis Emperor Lotaire Emperor and King of Italy Pepin King of Aquitaine Louis King of Bavaria Charles King of Rhetia aged 6 years Then all the reâ—t of the Party that had been for King Bernard the Relations Year of our Lord 829 and Friends oâ— those whom the Emperor had put to Death those whom he had Banished and sent away and afterwards recalled Leagued themselves together and taking this opportunity of the discontent of these young Princes Heated and Animated the People with divers rumours and reflections The Emperor fore-saw the Tempest well enough by the gathering of these clouds His Wife as well to have the Absolute Government of her Husbands weak Spirit as out of affection increased his Apprehensions and perswaded him to put an entire confidence in Bernard Earl of Barcelonna whom she loved with the Office of Chamberlain that she might ever have him near her Year of our Lord 830 Bernards Pride and his too great familiarity with the Empress bred envy and jealousy which caused several other Lords to joyn with the contrary Party All the discontented therefore address themselves to Pepin And in the ill humour he had conceived against his Mother-in-Law easily made him believe that Bernard was her Gallant and that she had bewitched her Husband and therefore it was a becoming Duty in the Son to revenge those injuries Practised against his Father and to restore him to his Honour and Witts again He believes them and takes the Field The Emperor being informed that he approached permits Bernard to retire sends his Wife to a Monastery at Laon and comes to Compeigne The Conspirators Seize the Empress she promises them to perswade her Husband to suffer himself to be shaved or deposed and upon this assurance they grant her the liberty to speak with him in Private They having conferred together made an agreement that the Empress should wear the Vail for a time but that he should demand some longer time to consider and resolve them Mean time his Son Lotaire arrives from Italy who confirmed all that had been done shutts up his Father in the Abbey of St. Mard at Soissons and appointed some Monks to instruct and advise him to put on the habit Some time after the Empress was brought to her Husband and upon the Peoples clamours confined to the Monastery of St. Radegonde of Poitiers Year of our Lord 830 In this Miserable condition the Debonnaire passed the Spring and Summer-season his Courage so sunk that he would have consented to turn Monk if the very Monks themselves who designed to take advantage of the opportunity and by some methods bring the Affairs of Court into their management by his means had not dissuaded him and found a way for his escape out of that Captivity One Gondeband amongst others stickled much in his service and went in his behalf to his two Sons Pepin and Lewis to entice them to embrace their Fathers Case to which they were already much inclined out of the jealousy of the growing power of their elder Brother and his undertaking to govern all things according to his own fancy The Power of these two Brothers serving as a Counter-poise to that of Lotaire there needed a general Assembly to settle the Government The contrary Faction would have it in Neustria where they were the stronger to degrade him or at least to dissolve his Marriage with Judith because she was of Kin to him But yet he had Friends or craft enough to have the meeting held at Nimiguen There making his
his Death Seulfe Arch-Bishop of Rheims having had some contest with the Kindred of Hetto his Predecessor for having taken some Fiefs from them which they held of the Church was joyned with Hebert's Party to gain their protection and had made him a promise never to assent to any Election whatsoever but whom he pleased Year of our Lord 925 During the Reign of Rodolph of Lewes Transmarine â—nd Lotaire III. there was almost a continual War betwixt the French and the Germans for the Kingdom of Lorrain We shall mention only the great events It is certain that Rodolph reduced a great part thereof to his obedience Year of our Lord 924 They were fain this year 924. to make a Collection for the Normans as Charles the Bald had done several times partly by voluntary contribution the rest by way of a Tax The Duke of Aquitain William I. of that name the Son of Ebles did not submit himself so much as he ought to Rodolph he was obliged to turn his Sword that way William knowing his resolution advanced to the River of Loire which made the bounds of his Dutchy where after some negociations he passed the same and alighting came to Rodolph who embraced and kissed him sitting on Horse-back and the next day granted him a Truce for eight Which being expired the Duke did him Hommage and in requital had the City of Bourges and Berry restored which Rodolph had taken from him Year of our Lord 924 The Italians grown weary of Berenger bestowed the Soveraignty upon Rodolph II. King of Burgundy Trans-jurane Berenger taking no other counsel but from revenge was so unhappy as to make a league with the Hungarians and drew them into Italy Those Barbarians having sacked Mantoua Brescia and Bergamo reduced the celebrated and rich City of Pavia Capital of the Kingdom of Lombardy to a heap of ashes Two hundred of the Citizens escaping the Fire and Captivity redeemed the Walls thereof from the hands of those destroyers for eight Bushels of Silver which they had raked together out of the Ashes and Rubbish of it's ruines This money being received the Bulgarians passed the Mountains and penetrated Year of our Lord 924 even into Languedoc The same Rodolph and Hugh Count of Vienne followed them and pressed so close upon them that those Barbarians partly cut off by the Sword and the rest perishing by the Flux or Dysentery and want of Food enriched greatly those Countries with their Spoil which they came to plunder Year of our Lord 925 The year following Berenger struggling to regain the Kingdom of Italy was slain by his own People at Veronna After his death the Title of Emperor in the West was not conferr'd upon any at least by the Pope or Italians till Otho I. An. 962. By his death the Kingdom remained entirely Rodolph's but the inconstancy of the Italians who were ever hunting out one Lord and Master by another made them resign themselves to Hugh Count of Arles the Son of Brethe to ridd themselves of Rodolph Who being informed that they had Treacherously killed Burchard Duke of Swevia his father in Law withdrew himself into his own Kingdom of Burgundy not daring to attempt any thing amongst such wickedly disposed people Rodolph King of France Henry of Germany Hugh of Italy Rodolph II. of Burgundy Every year almost the Normans made Incursions Besides those that were in Year of our Lord 926 Neustria there were others in Burgundy and towards Artois and at all times they were forced to be making head against them or be in pursuit of them but they had such sure friends amongst the Grandees who would not suffer the Kingdoms grievances to be scann'd that they ever got away scot-free This year Rodolph King of France having surrounded them in a Wood in the Country of Artois they made a Furious Salley unawares in which he was wouned and had been taken without the timely assistance Count Hebert gave him Those that held the Islands in the Loire having been a long time besieged by Hugh and Hebert defended themselves so stoutly that they gave them the City of Nants for their habitation Year of our Lord 927 Notwithstanding the strickt alliance which seemed to be between King Rodolph and Hebert the City of Laon became an occasion of discord between them Hebert would have it for Otho his Son and the King desired to keep it to himself Hebert not able to get it by friendship had thoughts of gaining it by force He therefore draws Charles the Simple out of Prison and carries him to parley with the Normans who suffer'd his confinement with great impatience because he had bestow'd upon them the richest Province of France This menace having effected nothing for as much as Emma the Wife of Rodolph was obstinately bent to preserve Laon and had put her self in there he conducts him to Reims as if designing to restablish him Then was the Queen forced to let go her hold and surrender up the place to Year of our Lord 927 Hebert who being by this means appeased returned Charles to the Castle of Peronne and made a new Oath to Rodolph Year of our Lord 928 In the year 928. Hugh King of Italy came into France we do not find for what reason King Rodolph went towards Lyonnois to receive him and conferr'd with him A crew of Normans gotten into Boulenois made a double Foss or Water-graft round about Guises Afterwards Arnold Earl of Flanders gave it in Fief to Sigebert Year of our Lord 929 Commander of that Fleet who some time after stole away his daughter Eltrude but finding he came to besiege him was in so much dread of his wrath that he hanged himself and left that Woman great with child of a Son named Adolph who was since Earl of Guisnes Year of our Lord 929 Sometimes Rodolph otherwhile Hebert gave hopes of setting the unfortunate Charles the Simple at Liberty and paid him all the respects due to a Soveraign Yet only death took him out of their custody putting a period to his Captivity and unhappiness in the City of Peronna the 7 th Day of October in the Year 929. He was Interred at St. Foursy's in the same City His Reign if we reckon from his Coronation day to that of his imprisonment was 37 years his life 50. He left but one Son named Louis by his Queen * Ogina Daughter of Edward King of England Rodolph King of France Henry of Germany Hugh of Italy Rodolph II. of Burgundy Whilst King Rodolph was gone into Aquitain he had news that the Normans of the Islands in the Loire had adventured to run as far as Limosin He went and Year of our Lord 930 set upon them in the place called Dextricios we cannot well tell where that was and so hemm'd them in that not one of them returned This seasonable victory gained him great esteem amongst the Aquitains and induced them to acknowledg him with a little more submission Year of our
Lord 930. 1. The Regal Authority was in an extreme low Ebbe and feeble condition the Lords made War upon one another for their under Vassals and such places as they usurped from each other and often times attaqued their Kings when they refused them certain Lands or Abby's Hebert could not agree with Rodolph because he was his Soveraign he held a correspondence with all his Enemies and sought all means to weaken him The pretence for this quarrel was that Hugh Brother in Law to the King had allured some of his Vassals from him amongst others Herluin Earl of Monstrueil Year of our Lord 931 There was a rude War betwixt them for five years together divers places taken and much Country laid wast Hebert made use of the assistance of the Lorrainers against him and had given his Oath to Henry King of Germany But Rodolph being helped by Hugh the Great took the City of Rheims which Hebert enjoy'd because he had caused them to Elect his Son Arch-Bishop though a Minor destituted Benon Bishop of Chaalons who had followed Hebert and besieged him in Laon himself which he gained upon composition Hebert's Insolence being a little abated Rodolph made a journey into Aquitain and Languedoc where he received hommage of Raymond and Ermengard Gothian Princes for so was named that part of Languedoc nearest to the Pyrennean Hills and of Loup Azenar Duke of Gascogny whom if we credit Flodoard was mounted upon a Horse one hundred years old and yet vigorous and lusty Year of our Lord 932 William Duke of Normandy did likewise pay him hommage and in retribution he gave him those Lands the Bretons held on the Sea-side I believe those were the Bessin and the Constentin In Italy King Hugh from the year 929. had obtained the Seignory of the City of Rome by wedding the lustful Merosia Widdow of Guy Marquiss of Tuscany who then Governed the City and the Holy Chair but he was soon driven thence by Alberic the Son of that Woman to whom he had given a Box on the Ear and retired into Lombardy Lambert who Succeeded in the Marquisat of Tuscany to Guy his Brother was likewise Brother by the Mothers-side to King Hugh for he was Son to Berte his Mother who in her widdow-hood married the second time to Adelbert Father of Guy and Lambert Hugh notwithstanding put him to death and bestowed Tuscany upon Boson his Brother both by Father and mother who proved as little faithful to him as Lambert Year of our Lord 931 The People were soon distasted with his Government and recalled King Rodolph These two Princes being ready to embroil all Italy their friends contrived an agreement between them which was such that Rodolph should renounce the Kingdom of Italy and also should assist Hugh with a certain number of men to preserve it on condition Hugh should give him la Bresse Viennois and all that he held in Provence ☜ with the Title of King of Arles which by this means was united to the Kingdom of Burgundy Trans-jurane The name of the Kingdom of Arles was not given it because those Kings that enjoy'd it did ever reside there nor were ever Crowned there but because that was so renowned a City as to deserve the Title having been in the Roman Emperors days the Capital of seven Provinces of the Gauls and her Metropolitans Vicars of the Holy Chair Notwithstanding this agreement the Italians persisting in their resolution to set aside Hugh invited Arnold Duke of Bavaria to come and take the Crown Year of our Lord 933 He made way as far as Verona and was well received but Hugh got good footing there and chased him back again into Bavaria After which to maintain his ground the better he associated his Son Lotaire to the Crown The Acts we find of Louis the Blind King of Provence makes it appear he was yet alive An. 933. So that there is no colour to mention his death till An. Year of our Lord 934 934. He was then 55 years of Age and had but one Son named Charles Constantine who not being at that time out of his Child-hood the Provensals who then stood in need of a King able to Govern Elected Hugh Son of Count Thibauld and Beâ—the who was Marquiss of Provence In the mean time the two most potent Lords in France Hugh le Blanc and Hebert Year of our Lord 933. 34. 35. 36. de Vermandois not being able to agree together made a rough War upon each other the King favouring Hugh whose Sister he had married Henry King of Germany having interposed to make up this Breach Saint Quintins was restored to Hebert and likewise Peronne by a Cessation which ended in a final Peace Anno 935. The three Kings of Germany France and Burgundy had an enterview near the Meuse to give joynt orders for repressing the cruel incursions of the Bulgarians who infested the Dominions of all these Princes This very year having ransacked Lombardy they were gotten into Burgundy but when they understood the King of France was marching that way they returned speedily into Italy In this march the same King besieged and took Dijon which Boson his own Brother had got in his possession Which I mention only to shew the universal disorders of those Reigns even amongst the nearest Kindred Year of our Lord 936 In the year 936 died Ebles Earl of Auvergne and Poictou and Duke of Aquitain the Son of Ranulfe and Successor to William leaving his Estates to William surnamed Teste d'estoupe or Flaxen-head his Son As likewise Rodolph the King of France left this World the 14 th of his Reign and the 15 th of January in the City of Auxerre where he fell sick in the former Autumn of a Phtiriasis His Monument is at St. Columbes of Sens. He was a Prince most Liberal Valiant Religious Just and worthy of better times His wife died a Twelvemonth before him and his Brother Boson about a quarter of a year both Child-less But they had another Brother called Hugh le Noir i. e. the Black who bare the Title of Duke of Burgundy and the surname of Capet Year of our Lord 936 The same year Henry the Bird-Catcher also ended his days and in his place the Germans set up Otho his eldest Son afterwards surnamed the Great Never Prince employ'd so much care and so much Time in regulating all that concerned the advantage and administration of the Church the Discipline of the Clergy and Christian manners as Louis the Debonnaire In all the Assemblies hardly any other thing was ever treated of He and the Grandees of his Kingdom were present in the Councils to approve and subscribe what was ordained which afterwards he confirmed by his Letters Patents At the Council of Aix-la-Chapelle in the year 816. were digested in writing the Form and Method of the Insticution of the Ecclesiasticks in CXLV Articles and those of Religious Orders in XXVIII both taken out of the Ancient Councils and
Italy and at her second to the Emperor Otho I. LOUIS in France Conrad in Burgundy Arles Otho in Germany Lorrain HUGH and Lotaire his Son in Italy Year of our Lord 937. 938. The second year of his Reign Lewis Transmarine took the Government in hand and sent for the Queen his Mother to come to Laon to have the Benefit of her Counsel To settle his Authority the better he first began with some petty Rebels by little and little then falls upon Hebert himself whom he thought the more easily to overcome because he was grown odious for his Treachery against Charles the Simple And indeed he gained some places very quickly But Hugh fearing they would set upon him likewise joyned with Hebert who was besides his Uncle by the Mother And because he judged there would be little security in a person that had broke his Faith he armed himself likewise with the Alliance of King Otho by Wedding his Daughter named Havida The King on his side fortified himself in a more strict Union with Arnold Earl Year of our Lord 938 of Flanders a Mortal Enemy to Hugh Artold Arch-Bishop of Reims Hugh le Noir Brother of the Defunct King Rodolph and some others but this year Giselbert Duke of Lorraine being come to the assistance of Hugh the Great his Brother in Law Arnold and the Noir negociated a Truce till the first day of January of the following year between the King and that Duke As soon as that was expired the War began afresh Whilst the King was in Burgundy to divide it with the Noir Hugh le Blanc Hebert William Duke of Normandy over-ran and Burnt the Territory's of Arnold The Bishops censures had not power enough to stop them but the Kings Return gave them more cause of dread and made them renew the Truce to the Month of June Henry the younger Brother of Otho fancied to himself that the Kingdom of Germany belonged to him he being Born when his Father was a King whereas Otho came into the World before he was so Giselbert very powerful in Lorraine and who had married Gerberge Sister to these two Princes instead of behaving himself as a Mediator between them takes part with the Younger These two Brothers in Law thus Leagued sent to King Louis to put themselves under his obedience After which Otho having beaten and forced them at a passage over the Rhine the dispair they were under made Giselbert and some other Lorrain Lords come even to Laon to do him Hommage Louis wanted but very little of having the whole Kingdom of Lorraine surrender to him he got into Alsace and was well received every where But when he came to treat those as a conquered people who had voluntarily submitted to him it soon alienated their affections Year of our Lord 939 Mean time Hugh the Great Hebert William Duke of Normandy and even Arnold of Flanders not thinking it expedient for themselves that King Lewis should make himself so potent re-allied themselves with Otho who having quitted thâ— Siege of Capremont which was Giselbert's impregnable Fortress and joyned with them easily drove Louis out of Alsatia then laid Siege before Brisac a place very considerable in those days and where they shewed notable Feats of Arms. Whilst Otho was at this Siege a party of his especially the Clergy abandoned him But Giselbert and Everard were defeated by his men at their passage over the Rhine near Andernac where the last remained dead on the spot and the other that had been the Fire-brand of all these Wars was drowned This unhoped for advantage having ruined Henry's Party he grew wise and timely yielded Year of our Lord 934 himself up to the discretion of his Brother who sent him away Prisoner for some time In the interim Brisac surrendred and all Lorrain was his the Government whereof he bestowed upon Henry himself and soon after upon Count Otho The year following King Lewis thinking to strengthen himself on that hand or perhaps gain Vassals and Friends amongst the Lorrainers married that Kings Sister Gerberge the Widdow of Giselbert by whomshe had two Children Regnier Lambert Year of our Lord 940 Count Hebert of Vermandois had by craft and force got his Son but ten years of Age to be nominated Arch-Bishop of Reims which being contrary to the Rules of the Church the Clergy placed one Artold in that Episcopal See who by consequence was an Enemy to Hebert and a great friend to the King The contest about this Arch-Bishoprick begot a War which lasted 18 or 20 years and greatly molested all Champagne Year of our Lord 940 This year after some other inconsiderable actions Hebert with Earl Hugh and Wlliam Duke of Normandy besieged Reims The Inhabitants being terrified forsook Artold and opened their Gates to them Artold thorough the like fear suffers himself to be persuaded to renounce the Arch-Bishoprick and accept of an Abbey whereof repenting again the King embraces his defence and the quarrel revived again From thence the Confederates went and planted the Siege before Laon but upon the noise of the Kings March who was returning from Burgundy they retired towards Otho and having led him as it were in Triumph to the Palace of Atigny they put themselves into his protection King Louis having refreshed Laon retires into Burgundy His strength lay that way because of Hugh le Noir who together with William Count of Poitiers accompanied him King Otho having a potent Army pursued him thither and struck Hugh le Noir with so much terror that he made Oath never to employ his Forces more against Hugh le Blanc nor against Hebert who were his new Vassals Year of our Lord 941 The next year Louis notwithstanding besieges Laon wherein was Count Hebert but it was to his own great dammage for being surprised in his Legements by his base Subjects he beheld above one half of his men slain with his own Eyes and could not save himself but by a shameful flight After which forsaken of all his Neustrian Subjects he took shelter under Charles Constantine Earl of Vienne his Cousin German being the Son of Louis the Year of our Lord 941 Blind King of Italy and Arles and a Sister of Queen Ogina's Thence he had recourse to the Pope the Lords of Aquitain and to William Duke of Normandy The Pope sent a Legat to exhort the Lords of Neustria to be faithful to him those of Aquitain came and tendred him Hommage at Vienne and profer'd their assistance And William quitting the Associates treated him magnificently in his City of Rouen and served him with his Forces as did likewise the Bretons With these Forces he sought all opportunities to fight his Enemies but they were retreated on this side the Oise and having broken down all the Bridges would not come to any Engagement Therefore a Truce was made between them Year of our Lord 942 and by the mediation of King Otho a Peace was concluded by
King Lewis Aged above 45 years went Year of our Lord 951 from Loan where her Son kept her as a Prisoner and married Hebert of Vermandois Count de Troyes Son of that Traytor Hebert who made her Husband die in Prison She thus satisfied her revenge to the prejudice of her honour or perhaps made that only a cover for her incontinence LOUIS Transmarine in France Otho in Germany Lorrain Conrad in Burgundy Arles Berenger II. and Adelbert his Son in Italy Year of our Lord 950 Adeleida the Widdow of Lotaire was Beautiful and Charming she had the City of Pavia in Dowre and besides great riches and possessions much credit and many Friends as well in that Country as on this side the Mountains being the Daughter of Rodolph II. and Sister to Conrad Kings of Burgundy For these reasons Berenger sought to gain her for his Son but she couragiously rejected the proposition Upon her obstinate refusal he besieges her in Pavia took her and sent her Prisoner to the strong Castle of Garda whence the Lake hath borrowed its name She notwithstanding made her escape by the help of a Priest reduced after she was got out to live upon such Alms as the Priest begg'd for her Then retired to the Marquiss Athon her Kinsman who undertook to protect her in his Fortress of Canossa Year of our Lord 950 Presently Berenger besieges it with all his Forces The second year of the siege and the end of their provisions drew near when that Queen sent to implore the aid of King Otho and to offer him with her self the Kingdom of Italy The Love of Honour more then Love to that Lady drew this Prince thither He Year of our Lord 951 delivered her Married her because he could not otherwise enjoy her and carried her into Germany leaving his Army with Conrad Duke of Lorrain to finish that War Year of our Lord 952 This Conrad prosecuted the War so briskly against Berenger and his Son that both of them laying down their Arms came to a Conference with him and thorough his persuasions went both of them into Germany to King Otho who having treated them magnificently and taken their Oaths and made them do hommage restored to them all that Kingdom excepting only Veronnois and Friuli which he bestow'd upon his Brother Henry Duke of Bavaria The contest about the Arch-Bishoprick of Reims and some other particular Lordships had brought King Lewis and Hugh le Blanc again to Daggers-drawing But Hugh in fine whatever motive prompted him desired to confer with Queen Gerberge his wives Sister who came to meet him And afterwards treating with the King personally in Soissons he made Peace about the end of March in this year 953. Year of our Lord 953 This re-union perhaps pleased King Otho but little but he found himself not in a condition to disturb it He was too much troubled with the Civil-War made against him by his own Son Luitolf incited by Conrad Duke of Lorrain who made him jealous of a Son as yet in the Cradle which his Father had by Adeleida his second wife Otho thrust Conrad out of his Dutchy and at length brought his Son to his duty not without much hazard fighting and labour Year of our Lord 954 But Conrad obstinately rebellious turned every stone to be revenged He made a League with Berenger King of Italy as ingrateful as perfidious against Otho and drew the Hungarians in twice first into Lorrain An. 954. whence they over-run even to Champagne and Burgundy and having done a world of mischief were beaten back into Italy the second into Bavaria where a most dreadful multitude got in Year of our Lord 955 together Yet Otho fought them and cut them all off after Conrad had been killed in the scuffle This was in Anno 595. Year of our Lord 954 During these troubles in the year 954. King Lewis died by a strange accident As he was going from Laon to Reims spurring to ride after a Wolfe which he met in his way his Horse stumbled and threw him so rudely on the ground that he was bruised all over These bruises turned into a kind of Leprosy which caused his death the 15 th of October in the City of Reims whither he would be carried and where he lies buried in the Church of St. Remy His Reignwas 18 years three Months and his Age 38 or 39 years Of five Sons which he had by Gerberge there were but two remaining Lotaire and Charles whereof Lotaire the eldest was about 14 or 15 years old and Charles but 15 or 16 Months The small Age of this last the poverty of the Kings who had scarce any other Towns in propriety but Reims and Laon and perhaps the interest of Hugh le Blanc were the reasons why he did not share the Kingdom with his elder as had been ever almost the Custom in the first and second Race or Line Since this time it was never equally divided amongst the Brothers the eldest alone hath had the Title of King and the cadets or younger have only had some Lands in appennage and under an entire Subjection And even of these the Kingly power being increased hath taken the Reversion for want of Heirs-males which hath not a little contributed to restore the Grandeur of the Monarchy LOTAIRE King XXXIII POPES AGAPET II. above a year in this Reign JOHN XII who was the first that changed his name introduced An. 955. S. 9 years within some Months is deposed BENEDICT V. put in by the Romans An. 964. S. some Months JOHN XIII nominated by the Empp. Otho in 964. S. almost 7 years DOMNUS Elect in 972. S. 3 Months BENEDICT VI. in 972. S. one year 3 Months BENEDICTUS VII in 974. S. 9 years and some Months JOHN XIV Elect. in July 849. S. one year one Month. Lotaire in France Otho in Germany Lorrain Conrad in Burgundy Arles Berenger and Adelbert his Son in Italy THE greatest part of the power being in the hands of Hugh he might have taken the Crown had he not feared the Forces of King Otho maternal Uncle to the Sons of the deceased King and the jealousy of the other French Lords For these reasons Queen Gerberge his wives Sister being come to him to take his Counsel he chose rather to preserve his Authority by protecting a Widdow and a Minor then by oppressing them Having therefore carried Lotaire to Reims he caused him to be Crowned the 12 th of November by the Arch-Bishop Artold Upon this occasion the young King gave the Dukedoms of Burgundy and Aquitain to Hugh le Blanc and to Hugh Capet his eldest Son who being satisfied and the Duke of Normandy likewise for their sakes it was not difficult to calm the other Lords who were less considerable These Dukes in my opinion were of two sorts in those times the one held the Cities and Lands and were become Hereditary the other were general commands over a whole Kingdom as well
958. not without suspition of poyson and thus left his Conquest imperfect Year of our Lord 958 Now the complaints of the Lords and Prelats and the earnest entreaty of the Pope pressing King Otho he resolved to go himself after he had Crowned his Son Otho II. at Aix la Chapelle though he were but seven years of Age. Upon his Arrival in Italy Berenger his Son and his Wife abandoned the Cities and Country and retired each of them into a strong Fort. Otho was there received with universal applause recovered Pavia was Crowned King of Lombardy at Milan by the Arch-Bishop and thence marched to Rome where he received the Imperial Crown upon Christmass-day by the hands of John XII who had been put into the Holy Chair by the Credit and Money of his Father Alberic before Year of our Lord 960. 961. 962. the Age of 18 years This Alberic was the Son of Marosia who had chaced King Hugh from Rome after which he had changed the Government there and made himself Consul that he might command in Chief with a Prefect and some Tribuns Year of our Lord 963 Now the young Pope who had earnestly desired Otho to come quickly changed his mind and recalled Berenger to Rome as soon as Otho was gone from thence to reduce the rest of those places which that Tyrant still held Otho being informed of this odd fantastical news did not give over his Conquests then when he thought it seasonable to return to Rome he led his Army thither The young Pope being fled with Berenger and the Treasure of the Church he caused his Process to be made not for his Intrusion but for Murther Sacriledge Adultery Incest Simony and other enormous crimes For this end he Assembled a Council John was cited before them in due form and not appearing they deposed him and in his place put Leo who was the VIII of that name Year of our Lord 963 This Pope to avoid the trouble the Cabals caused in Elections gave the Emperor Otho the power thenceforward to Elect the Popes and Bishops and to give him Investiture The Ecclesiastical History does likewise observe that this John XII was called Octavian before his Election and that he was the first Pope that changed his name Whilst Otho was passing the Christmass Holy-days at Rome with the new Pope having quartred his Army out of the City the Faction and money of John the deposed Pope made the Romans rise to Attaque him Treacherously he had notice of it time enough to prevent surprize put himself in the head of his Army Year of our Lord 965 and came boldly to them They were afraid and coming to a composition with him gave several Hostages He delivered them up again some few days after upon the entreaties of Leo but no sooner was he gone to besiege Camerin but they revolted drove out Leo and received John in their City where he exercised most revengeful cruelty upon Leo's Friends He had continued it to the end had he not been killed in the very act of enjoying a Woman After his death the Romans persisting in their Rebellion Elected the Arch Deacon Bennet Immediately Otho returns again reduces Rome to a Famine compels Bennet to ask pardon in the Synod of Bishops and causing him to be degraded of his Priest-hood sent him Prisoner into Germany where about a year after he died at Hamburgh Some months thence believing Italy might remain in Peace because he had taken Berenger and confined him to Bamberg in Germany he returned home and marched his Army with him After his departure some Lombard Counts revolted having Adelbert and Guy the Sons of Berenger at their head But Duke Burchard whom he sent back overthrew them in a great Battel which was fought on the Banks of the Po. Guy the most mischievous of them all was left dead upon the place and Adelbert escaped with much ado This last having gathered some Forces together hazards another Battel An. 968 ☞ which loosing he died with grief And thus with him ended the second Kingdom of Italy or if you will it passed over the German Princes who let it moulder away and come to nothing After Pope Leo VIII was dead and that John XIII had been set in the Chair with the consent of Otho on whom Leo had bestowed the power of Confirming the Election of Popes the Prefect Consuls Tribuns and other Magistrates of the City of Rome displeased that Otho had greatly limited their power which before led all Italy as they pleased they put this Pope in Prison then turned him out of Rome calling to their aid Rofroy Count of Campania The Pope retires to Pandolfus Prince of Capoua who restored him and John his Brother slew Rofroy In recompence the Pope erects an Arch-Bishoprick at Capoua Year of our Lord 966 and bestowed it on the murtherer of his Enemy But Otho desiring to remedy things once for all by suppressing these Rebellions returns to Italy where he setled his Authority by severe punishments by rewarding Year of our Lord 966. and 967. of friends by creating new Counts by good and wholesome Laws and in fine by the conquest of Calabria and Puglia which he wrested from the Grecian Empire who had kept them hitherto Year of our Lord 968 And to compleat all he Crowned his Son Otho at Milan by the hands of the Pope and joyned him in the Empire This young Prince three years after that is to say in An. 971. Married Teophania or Tifaine Daughter of the Emperor Nicephorus who was then dead Thus Otho but little inferior to Charlemaine raised the Western Empire the ☞ Title thereof ever since that time remaining as it were annexed to Germany with pretences much more great and extensive then their Forces We shall henceforth speak no more of the affairs of Italy and little of Germany unless where things do joyntly relate to the French Year of our Lord 962 During these Transactions in Italy divers quarrels were troublesome to France the two greatest were that about the Arch-Bishoprick of Reims and the hatred of the Counts Thibauld de Chartres and Arnold of Flanders against the Normans The first might have been ended by restoring Hugh of Vermandois to his Dignity in Reims Artold the Arch-Bishop being dead An. 962. if the Queen could have suffer'd it But far from giving her assent she so brought it about that the Council of Soissons refer'd it to the Pope who declared him Excommunicated Year of our Lord 963 The Brethren of this Hugh furiously Animated against Guibuin Bishop of Chaalons who in that Assembly had proved thechief obstacle against his restoration Burnt the City Year of our Lord 964. and 65. The Earl of Chartres was supported by the King against the Normans because he was joyned both by alliance and affection to the Interest of the Sons of Hugh the Great He lost a Battel in Normandy for which he received satisfaction by the conquest of Evreux which the King put
they held as what they produced how situated or some particularities of their Castles or such Office they bore Some there were that chose such things as preserved the memory of their brave Feats of Arms or some singular Adventure which had hapued to them or theirs and others in fine would have such as betokened their inclination not to mention those that would needs have their Coats out of a meer fantastical Humour and without any design These glorious Marks and Badges belonged otherwhile only to the Nobility and was not the least illustrious part of the Succession of their Noble Families Now at this time every one hath them the meanest villains are the most curious herein they have not only brought the ✚ Rebus's of the little Citizens Merchants Cyphers Shop-keepers Signs and Artists tools and implements into their Coats under the shadow of Crowns Helmets and Supporters but likewise by a confidence not to be endured they have made choice of the most illustrious things and given occasion to observe that there are no better Coats then the Arms of a Villain or Plebeian Year of our Lord 1096 97 98 and 99. From the first Croisade William Rufus King of England taking the opportunity of his Brothey Roberts absenc had seized on the Dutchy of Normandy Swoln with this increase of Power he promised himself to invade France because he saw the Excommunicated King languishing in the Arms of his Concubine who besides had but one lawful Son of 15 or 16 years of age and was destitute both of Money and Friends Nevertheless this young Prince surpassing his age did by his Courage and Virtue defend himself so well three years together that Rufus was forced to leave him in Peace and retired again into England In that Countrey letting himself loose to all sorts of infamous pleasures tiranny Year of our Lord 1100 and execrable wickedness both towards God and Man he perished in a tragical manner being as he was Hunting shot with an Arrow either designedly aimed at ☞ him or by chance which pierced his very Heart Henry his younger Brother got into the Throne during the absence of Duke Robert who was still in the Holy-Land Notwithstanding the Popes Excommunications the King had renewed society with Bertrade by the consent even of Foulk her Husband being so infinitely enchanted with that Woman that he was often seen at her Feet there to receive all her Year of our Lord 1098 99 and 1100. Commands as if he had been a Slave Some of the Belgick Bishops honour'd the Kings Adultery with the name of Marriage and on their great Feasts according to ancient custom placed the Crown upon her Head to shew or signifie they did not hold her to be Excommunicated but the Popes Legats denied to communicate with him and conven'd a Council at Poitiers in July where he was Excommunicated once more William Duke of Aquitain who feared the like Treatment having committed the like fault for he entertained a Concubine and had forsaken his lawful Wife affronted and abused the Prelats greatly and perhaps his Sorrow and Repentance for it afterwards prompted him to go to the Holy Land as we have observed The King constant in his Affections solicited the Popes Favour so earnestly that he sent some Legats to re-view the Cause Year of our Lord 1101 They assembled a Council at Baugency The King and Bertrade promised to abstain from each other till the Popes Dispensation and thus the Council broke up Year of our Lord 1102 without giving any Judgment The King continued with the recommendation of the Bishops to endeavour the obtaining a Dispensation in the Court of Rome in the end he had it he was Absolved in the City of Paris and his Marriage confirmed so officacious is constancy even in things not commendable The opposition of the Bishops served only to authorize the use of Dispensations from Rome which since have been very common in all matters and occasions Young Lewis whom they named the Prince of the Kingdom and was designed King by his Father it is not specified in what year took the Government of Affairs Year of our Lord 1102 3. and the following PHILIP LEWIS Surnamed the Gross designed King aged 19 or 20 years In those times the Rights of the French were such that they could not legally arrest the Lords nor punish them with death unless it were for Treason but only deprive them of their Lands I mean those they held of the King they called them Honours This was it that gave them Licence to arme to oppress the weaker to rob and plunder and above all usurp the Goods of the Church Year of our Lord 1100 Lewis had to do first with Bouchard Lord of Montmorency against whom he embraced the Cause of the Monks of St. Denis whose Lands that Lord had pillaged and having appeared according to an assignation in the Kings Court of Justice refused to obey the Sentence or Judgment given against him therein He forced him by destroying and burning all his Villages and his Castle it self to submit to Reason In like manner he chastifed Droco or Dreux de Mouchy and Lionnet de Meun who tyrannized this over the Churches of Orleans the other over those of Beauvais Also he humbled Matthew Count of Beaumont upon Oise Son-in-law to Hugh Earl of Clermont in Beauvoisis who having half of the Lands of Luzarches in Dowry had seized upon all and had devested the good Man his Father-in-law Year of our Lord 1103 He durst or would not intermeddle with the quarrel between the two Norman Brothers Robert and Henry The First upon his return from the Holy Land demanded the Kingdom of England of his younger Brother who had usurped it after the death of William Rufus The business after three years Negotiation and War was determined in this manner Robert An. 1107. having lost a Battle at Tinchâ—bray in Normandy was made prisoner by his cruel Brother who deprived him of Sight by placing a burning Bason of Brass before his Eyes whereof he dyed in Prison Thus the whole Succession of William the Conquerer remained in Henry the youngest of his three Sons Year of our Lord 1103 In the year 1103. Lewis passed into England to King Henry I cannot tell upon what design Bertrade his Mother-in-law who could willingly have sent him out of the World sollicited Henry to make him away and this Artifice failing she caused poison to be given him at his return into France which put him in great hazard of his Life Year of our Lord 1104 The King to rid himself of the trouble brought upon him by the Family of Montlehery agreed upon a Marriage with Guy Troussel betwixt Philip his Son and bertrade to whom he gave the Earldom of Mantes on condition that Guy should deliver him the Castle of Montlehery which he did Year of our Lord 1104 At the same time or a little after Guy Lord of Rochefort Uncle of Troussel entirely possessing the Kings
it governed almost all Europe both in Spirituals and Temporals We must not omit how Robert Native of the Village d'Arbresel in the Diocess of Rennes founded the Order of Fontevralt whose Monasteries are double of Men and Women living according to the Rule and wearing the Habit of St. Bennet This Robert was at first Archdeacon of Rennes then had a particular Mission from Pope Vrban II. to Preach to the People Finding he was every where followed by an infinite multitude of either Sex he built Cells for them in the Woods of Fontevrault three Leagues from Saumur on the Confines of Poitou and then shutting up the Women apart this was perhaps after the good Advice of Gefroy de Vendosme he made a large Monastery which produced many others in each of them the Abbess Commands and she of Fontevrault is the General of the whole Order About the year 1048. began a famous Dispute between the Benedictine Monks of St. Denis in France and those of St. Himmeran of Ratisbonne these having given out a report that they had the Body of St. Denis the Areopagite and that it was bestow'd upon them by King Arnold They held a famous Assembly at St. Denis upon it where the Contenders of either side having fasted and pray'd the Shrine of this Saint was opened and there his Corps was found intire excepting one Arm which Pope Stephanus III. had carried to Rome Those of Ratisbonne would not yield for all this but always maintained their Supposition The great Zeal People then had for Reliques prompted such as hold nothing so Sacred as Money to go for some to Jerusalem and the East to steal Reliques where-ever they could come at them and oftentimes likewise to suppose and bring Counterfeit ones to make Merchandize and the great Lords gave dear Prices for them not only out of Devotion but also to enrich their Towns and Castles by the affluence of those People that came to behold them Lewis the Gross King XXXIX POPES PASCAL II. Nine years six Months during this Reign GELASIUS II. Elected in January 1118. S. One year CALISTUS II. Elected in Feb. 1119. S. Ten years ten Months HONORIUS II. Elected in Decem. 1124. S. Five years one Month and an half INNOCENT II. Elected in Feb. 1130. S. Thirteen years seven Months whereof Seven years seven Months during this Reign LEWIS the GROSS King XXXIX Aged about Twenty seven years Year of our Lord 1108 THis Prince no less Massive of Body then his Father but brave active vigilant exposing himself boldly to all Labours and all Dangers had undertaken to suppress the Pilferings and Licentiousness of the Lords They had made several Leagues against him and at that time there was one whereof Guy Earl of Rochefort was the chief Promoter and this perhaps had hindred him from being Crowned in his Fathers life time The fear of this League obliged him to hasten his Coronation so that five days after the Death of Philip he was Anointed and Crowned at Orleans by Giselbert Archbishop of Sens assisted by all his Suffragants He would not have it performed at Reims because Rodolph who was chosen Archbishop by the Clergy and confirmed by the Pope had not his approbation for which reason he disturbed him in the enjoyment and Rodolph thereupon had put the City under an Interdiction Year of our Lord 1109 The War raised by Guy de Rochefort and his Friends lasted still The new King besieged Chevreuse and other little Castles which the other party defended well Mean time Guy died and Hugh surnamed de Crescy his second Son succeeded to the Animosity of his Father Hugh Lord Puiset in Beauce mighty famous for his Robberies was of the League Eudes Ea. I of Corbeil Grandson to Earl Bouchard having refused to joyn with the Male-contents Crescy though his Brother by the Mother made him Prisoner and shut him up in the Castle of la Ferte-Baudouin The King set him free soon after taking the place partly by Intelligence Year of our Lord 1109. 1110 c. At the same time the King had War with Henry King of England and Duke of Normandy The Subject was that that Prince did not keep the Promise he made upon his doing Hommage for Normandy to pull down the Castle of Gisors built on this side the Epte a River which served as a Boundary between the Territories of the French and the Normans The Difference put to Discussion between the Deputies of the one and other side and the Parties not able to agree the Fact King Lewis offer'd to prove it by Combat Body to Body Some idle Jesters said the two Kings had best fight upon the Bridge which shook and was ready to fall Henry having refused this Challenge they came to a Battle the English lost it and their broken Remains sled to Meulan Robert Earl of Flanders pursuing them too rashly was wounded to Death His Son Baldwin surnamed a la Hache succeeded him Under the favour of this War the Male-contents drew Philip the Kings Brother to their Party The power and greatness of Amaury de Montfort his Uncle by the Mother the credit of his Mother Queen Bertrade and of Foulk Earl of Anjou afterwards King of Jerusalem his Brother heightned his courage He had two strong Holds Mantes and Montlebery the King besieged Mantes and forced it to surrender For that of Montlehery the better to keep it they would have given it to Hugh de Crescy with a Daughter of Amaury's in Marriage but the King prevented it and restored it to Milon Vicount de Troyes who had some right to it He after this attaqu'd le Puiset in favour of Thibauld Earl of Chartres who was mightily molested by Hugh Lord of that Castle and took the place together with the Lord whom he kept under a good strong Guard in Castle-Landon This War begot another Thibauld would build a Fort on the limits of the Country of Puiset the King obstructing him he maintain'd he had promised him leave to do it and therefore did him wrong which he offer'd to prove by Combat proposing his Chamberlain for Champion in his own stead he being yet too young The King on his part appointed his Grand Seneschal Anseau de Garlande but the Champions could find no Court or Judge in the Kingdom who would secure them the field of Battle Perhaps the King might underhand obstruct it The Earl therefore declares War against the King with the Assistance of Henry King of England his Mothers Brother and the Duke of Bretagne for according to the Customs of those times the Lords thought they might do it when they apprehended there was a denial of Justice With him joyned the Lords Hugh de Crescy Guy de Rochefort returned from the Holy Land Lancelin de Dammartin Payen de Mont-Jeay Rodolph de Beaugency Milon Vicount de Troyes and Eudes Earl of Corbeil To tell it in gross the King received a great deal of trouble and made them suffer so much too that
others But the Popes durst not shock these Kings so rudely It was good Policy not to make so many Enemies at once to keep France in reserve as a Refuge against the Emperors and bring down the Germans first because they troubled them most The Peace between the two Kings Lewis and Henry was of no long duration The Friends of the late Duke Robert and William his Son declared for Lewis and the Earls of Anjou and of Flanders served him zealously as Thibald Earl of Champagne served Henry who was his Uncle Year of our Lord 1119 Baldwin Earl of Flanders being wounded upon an assault of the little Castle of Bures in Caux did so inflame his Wound with his Debauches that he died of it at Aumale Charles surnamed the Good Son of his Sister and Camut King of Denmark succeeded him in the Earldom of Flanders and maintain'd himself there courageously notwithstanding that Clemence of Burgundy Mother of Baldwin who was again Married to Godfrey Earl of Louvain endeavoured to make it fall into the hands of a Bastard of Flanders named William of Ypres who had Married her Neece After a world of Ravages Firings Sieges Surprizes and Plunderings of Places after two great Battles fought betwixt the two Kings one in the Plain of Bâ—eneville near Noyon on Andelle where the French had the worst the other near Breâ—euil where the success was doubtful Pope Calixtus as the common Father being come expressly Year of our Lord 1120 to Gisors brought them to agree by persuadin them to restore what places they had taken to each other Thus the Dutchy remained to Henry who gave it to his eldest Son William surnamed Adelin in wrong of William his Nephew This Peace did not put an end to his grief and troubles For a few weeks after he lost his three Sons and with them above Three hundred Gentlemen the flower of Year of our Lord 1120 his Nobility and his best Captains It was a strange misfortune They being Embarqued at Harfleur to go into England their Seamen who were drunk split the Ship as they were getting out of Harbor And at the same time his Nephew's Friends and Partisans stirred up new Disturbances in Normandy and re-engaged the King of France to uphold them Which renewed the Desolations of that Province In Anno 1119. died Alain surnamed Fergeant Duke of Bretagne Son of Hoel who departed this Life Anno 1084. His Son Conan surnamed the Gross or Ermengard succeeded him This Alain if we believe the Historian of Bretagne prescribed certain Forms and Rules for the doing Justice in his Country where before it was administred very confusedly For he Establisht a Seneschal at Renes to whom he would have all Persons to resort unless those of the County of Nantes who had one likewise and began to hold an Assembly or Parliament which judged of Appeals from the Seneschals of Rennes and Nantes for in Matters Criminal there lay no Appeal There were no certain and fixed Officers no more then any certain times for sitting They afterwards made a President in the absence of the Chancellor and a Master of Requests Year of our Lord 1123 The death of Hugh III. of that name Duke of Burgundy to whom succeeded Odon his eldest Son who Married Mary the Daughter of Thibauld Earl of Champagne Year of our Lord 1123 The War grew hotter in Normandy betwixt the French and King Henry and was ca ried on with various success But Henry found nothing more troublesome then his Domestick Officers and Servants who had framed a Conspiracy against his Life He could confide in no body he trembled at the approach of all that came near him he died a thousand times a day for fear they would Murther him and in the night shifted Beds five or six times and changed his Guards not thinking he was safe in any place believing there were none but Enemies about him Year of our Lord 1124 The Emperor reconciled himself with the Pope and laid down the Investitures But his Wrath still boiling in him would needs discharge it self upon France Year of our Lord 1124 He had Married Matilda Daughter of the English King for that reason as likewise for the Resentment he conceived because Lewis had protected Pope Calixtus he raised a very great Army to destroy and lay that City of Reims flat with the ground where Calixtus had held the Council against him Lewis on his side resolved to draw all the Forces of his whole Kingdom together even to the very Priests and Friers so that in a short time he had 200000 Men out of the Isle of France Champagne and Picardy only The Emperor having information of these prodigious Levics found it safer for him not to come into the Country of Messin but retire At his return Triumphant Lewis brings back the Martyrs Holy Standard called the Oriflamme and deposites it again in St. Denis whence he had taken it rendred Solemn Thanks to those Glorious Saints carried their Shrines upon his Shoulders which had been taken down and exposed on the high Altar during all the time of the War and made or confirmed several Grants to that Abby especially the Fair of Lendit out of the City for they had one already within Vpon this occasion we may observe the difference there was between the Forces of France and the Kings For when he made a War for himself he could have only the People of those Countries properly in his own possession and they served but unwillingly but when it was the Kingdoms Cause or Concern all the Forces of France were in action every Lord came in Person and brought all his Subjects along with him Year of our Lord 1125 The Emperor Henry being dead the Princes of Germany brought in Lotaire Duke of Saxony who likewise retaining the Kingdom of Burgundy as united to the Empire Renold Duke of Burgundy refused to acknowledge him For which he would have deprived him of his Earldom and have bestow'd it upon Bertold Duke of Zeringhen and this begot a bloody War between these two Houses who fought till the time of Frederick I. who Married Beatrix the Daughter of Renold This year 1126. the King received the Complaints made by the Bishop of Clermont Year of our Lord 1126 concerning the Usurpations and Tyrannies of Robert Earl d'Auvergne and going Year of our Lord 1126 thither in Person forced the Earl notwithstanding the Rocks and Castles of his High-Lands or Mountains to submit to Reason Five or six years after the repeated Violences of the same Earl engaged him to make a second Expedition and besiege Montferrand The Duke of Aquitain came to relieve his Vaslal but having from the height of a Mountain taken a view of the great Strength and Forces the King had with him he sent to offer him all Obedience and brought the Earl as far as Orleans to demand Pardon and submit to all that should be injoyned him Year of our Lord 1126 Death of
de Creme who named himself Paschal and was confirmed by Frederick But Alexander III. recalled by the Romans left France the year following and returned to Rome to put an end to that Schism Year of our Lord 1165 In the year 1165. Lewis had a Son born whom he believed Heaven had sent him in return of his Prayers For this reason he was surnamed Dieu-Donne i. e. Gift of God or God-Gift and after for his brave Acts the Conqueror which Paul Emilius has rendred by Interpretation Augustus and is followed in the same by all the Modern Historians Year of our Lord 1166 The Life of Conan the Little Duke of Bretagne which had been ever full of trouble ended Anno 1166. to make room for Gefroy of Normandy his Son-in-Law This Prince being yet but Fifteen years of Age remained together with his Datchy under the Guardianship of the King his father for some time after which being at liberty he begins a War against him because he would make him do Hommage for his Dukedom a Duty he required by vertue of a Treaty made by Charles the Simple with Rollo Duke of Normandy Year of our Lord 1168 Thierry of Alsatia Earl of Flanders dies at Gravelin Philip his Son governs after him Year of our Lord 1169 70. The Feud was renewed between the two Kings upon several occasions one was the Earl d'Auvergne whom Lewis as Soveraign Lord took into his protection and safeguard against Henry to whom the Earl was a Vassal holding of him in Aquitain the other the support he gave to Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury The War thereupon breaks forth and lasted for two years however it was carried on but slowly and so as the Respect either of them had for Pope Alexanders Mediation brought them to an Agreement for some time Year of our Lord 1170 These two Princes having Conferr'd together at Saint Germain en Laye concluded the Peace betwixt them and there the King of England's Sons rendred Hommage to Lewis for those Lands their Father assured to them by advance of Inheritance Henry of the Dutchy of Normandy the County of Anjou and the Office of Grand Seneschal joyned thereto from the time of Grisegonnelle as also the Earldoms du Maine and de Touraine and the second named Richard of the Dakedom of Aquitain as for the third which was Gefroy he had Bretagne by his Wife and ow'd Hommage to none but the Duke of Normandy The Kings Intercession obtained of Henry that Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury might return into England but he continuing to act with the same heat four Gentlemen of Henry's Court out of Complaisance as mean as detestable having plotted and contrived to deliver their King of him entred the Church at Canterbury where that Holy Prelat was reading Service it was on the Christmas Holy-days and Murther'd him at the foot of the Altar Year of our Lord 1171 Though the King disown'd this Murther and shewed an extream grief nevertheless Year of our Lord 1172 having given cause to commit it if perhaps he did not command it the Pope Year of our Lord 1173 made a mighty business of it from which he could not get clear without submitting to great Pennance and such Reparations and Satisfactions as was ordained by his Legats The Holy Archbishop revered as a Martyr was Canonized the following year and the frequent Miracles wrought on his Tomb attested his Holiness Year of our Lord 1173 Every year almost there was some Rupture then a Peace or Truce between the two Kings either concerning their own proper Interests or that of their Friends and Vassals Lewis had this advantage that being the Soveraign Lord he had a right of hearing the Complaints of Henry's Vassals and of making himself his Judge Year of our Lord 1173 He had stirred up many in Aquitain and Normandy but this year he Armed his own Children against him The eldest with Margaret his Wife being gone to Visit him and having staid some time in that Court had a fancy put into his Head that since he was Crowned he ought to Reign and to demand of his Father the enjoyment either of the Kingdom of England or the Dukedom of Normandy With this disposition and fretted for that his Father had taken some young People from about him who gave him such like ill Counsels he stole away one Night from him and came and cast himself into the Arms of the King Immediately all the young Nobility follows him Queen Alienor favours him his two Brothers Richard Duke of Aquitain and Gefroy of Brâ—tagne joyns with him and those whole Provinces follow their Motions The King of France takes them into his protection William King of Scotland declares for them and attaques England whither at the same time went some French Forces under the Command of Robert Earl of Leicester Year of our Lord 1174 It seemed therefore as if the unhappy Father must needs be overwhelm'd on a suddain but he overthrew all the Enemies Lewis having taken Verneuil au Perche durst not hold it and retreated before him The Earl of Leicester is defeated in England and all those that followed him either slain or taken then all the Kingdom reduced in less then Thirty days by old Henry who went thither presently after this defeat Year of our Lord 1175 The following year whilst he was doing Pennance at St. Thomas Becket's Tomb William King of Scotland his most capital Enemy loses a Battle against his Lieutenants and was taken Prisoner The Fleet of young Henry is dispersed and disabled by Tempest King Lewis who had carried Philip Earl of Flanders with him is rudely repulsed from Rouen so that finding Henry who was come over-Seas again to Relieve this City made ready to give him Battle he hearkens to a Truce for some Months Year of our Lord 1175 Whilst that lasted old Henry going into Poitou and subduing Richard the worst of his three Rebellious Sons who held that Country all the others returned to their Obedience and he enters upon a Treaty of Peace with Lewis who gave him Alix his Daughter for his Son Richard and put her into his hands to compleat the Marriage when she should be Age for it Year of our Lord 1177 The two Kings now grown old were weary of so many Wars and Disturbances Either of them had cause to fear the one the activity of his three most valiant Sons the other the weakness of his only Heir as yet too young so that they confirmed the Peace by new Oaths promised mutual friendship against all others and took up a resolution to go joyntly into Languedoc to extirpiate those Hereticks already mentioned by us But they thought it more convenient first to send the Popes Legat thither with three or four other Prelats to endeavour to reclaim them by Exhortations and Anathema's which converted and brought back a great many and kept the rest within bounds for some time These Hereticks were all called Albigensis because they propaged
Canons out of their Churches put the Curats from their Parishes and consiscated and plundred all their Goods Then against the Laity vexing and loading the Citizens with new Imposts and unheard of Exactions tiercing or thirding the Gentry that was taking away Thirds of their Revenues and of all their Goods which had never been heard of in France The Interdiction lasted Seven Months during this time Philip sollicited the Pope so earnestly that he gave order to his Legats to take it off upon condition he should take Isemburge again and in six Months six Weeks six Days and six Hours he would have the Case of her Divorce decided by his two Legats and the Prelats of the Year of our Lord 1200 Kingdom the Friends and Relations of that Princess being assigned to defend her The Assembly was held at Soissons by Isemburges choice King Canut sent the ablest people in his Kingdom to sollicite and plead her Cause After twelve days jugling and proceeding Philip had intimation that Judgment would be against him he goes one fair Morning to fetch Isemburge from her House and setting her up on Horse-back behind him carries her thence having order'd notice to be given to the Legat not to give himself so much trouble about examining whether the Divorce he had Decreed were good or not since he owned it and would have her for his Wife Nevertheless he used her but little better then before nor did shew any more kindness besides some little Civilities to her Year of our Lord 1200 Besore the years end Agnes her Rival died having been five years with the King She had two Children by him One Son and One Daughter whom Pope Innocent III. Legitimated Died likewise Thibauld Earl of Champagne who had then only One Daughter a Minor The King would have the Guardianship-Noble but soon after the death of Thibauld his Wife was brought to bed of a Post-humus Son who had his Fathers Name and the Surname of Great The Daughter lived not long after the birth of the Posthume In those times Usury and Uncleanness Reigned bare-faced in France God raised up two great and virtuous Men Fulk Curate of Neuilly in Brie and Peter de Roucy a Priest in the Diocess of Paris to Preach against these Vices with so much power and efficacy that they reclaimed a great many Souls from those Sins and Follies Now it hapned that a few Months before the death of Thibauld Fulk who had this gift of perswading People to what he approved by his earnest Exhortations knowing there was to be a great meeting of Princes Lords and Gentlemen at a Year of our Lord 1120 Turnament or Justs at the Castle d'Ecris between Braye and Corbie went thither and exhorted them so earnestly effectually to undertake the voyage to the Holy Land that the Earls Baldwin of Flanders Henry d'Anguien his Brother Thibauld de Champagne Lovis de Blois his Brother Simon de Montfort Gautier or Gualtier de Brienne Matthew de Montmorency Stephen du Perche and several other Lords Crossed themselves nevertheless they could not set forwards till two years afterwards The reconcilation between the two Kings seemed perfect and sincere This year they conferr'd at Andeley Nay Philip had the the King of England with him Year of our Lord 1201 to his City of Paris and Treated him with all the magnificence and all the demonstrations of friendship he could desire But John had begun to contrive his own unhappiness by casting off his Wife Avice or Avoise Daughter of the Earl of Glocestre to Marry Isabel only Daughter of Aymar Earl of Angoulesme and Alix of Courtenay whom he ravished from Hugh le Brun Earl de la Marche to whom she was affianced From that time the said Lord sought all manner of ways to revenge himself for that injury He began to hold private intelligence with Philip he endeavour'd to make an insurrection in Poitou and Rodolph his Brother Earl of Eu began to commit Hostilities on the skirts of Normandy John chastised them for their Rebellion bydepriving them of their Lands especially some Castles in the County d'Eu They make address to the King of France their Sovereign Lord and demand Justice of him Upon this difference the two Kings saw one another near Gaillon where Philip who had laid his design spake high and summon'd John to appear in his Court that right might be done not only upon the complaint of Hugh but likewise of Prince Arthur who demanded Maine Anjou and Touraine Year of our Lord 1201 The Earl of Flanders and the other Lords that had taken the Cross departed for the Holy Land and as in those times there were but few Vessels upon the coasts of Provence they had taken their way by Venice where they hop'd to find a great many well fitted and there Thomas I. Earl of Savoy and Boniface Marquis of Montferrat joyned them But the Venetians would not furnish them with Vessels till they had first employ'd their Arms to recover the Cities of Sclavonia especially that of Zara for the Republique from whom they had withdrawn themselves to own the King of Hungary which retarded them above a year in those parts Year of our Lord 1201 In the year 1195. Isaac Angelus Emperour of the East had been deprived of his Empire his Sight and his Liberty by his own Brother Alexis And the Son of that Isaac likewise named Alexis had made his escape into Germany flying to Philip of Snevia pretended Emperour who had Married his Sister This young Prince having notice that there was an Army of the Crossed at Venice went thither to implore their assistance Several difficulties hindred them from going into the Holy-Land besides the Venetians hoped to find it better for their purpose to make a War in Greece because the spoil and plunder promised more gain and seemed more certain to them and more-over all the Latine Christians were ravish'd to meet with this occasion and opportunity to revenge the Treachery and Outrages the Greeks had practised since the beginning of the Holy-War They concluded therefore to turn their Arms that way upon condition the young Alexis would defray the charges of their expedition allow them great rewards and submit the Greek Church to the Obedience of the Pope To provide for the expences of his War King Philip endeavour'd to accustom the Clergy to furnish him with Subsidies and they excused themselves upon their Liberties and for that it was not lawful to employ the Moneys belonging to the Poor in prosane uses they only promis'd to assist him with their Prayers to God Now it hapned that the Lords de Coucy de Retel de Rosey and several others went and pillag'd and invaded their Lands they fly to the King for protection who in their own coin assisted them with Prayers to those Lords but as they understood one another they proceeded to worse dealing Then the Prelats redoubled their intreaties and besought him to employ his Forces
way of appealing to the Councils and notwithstanding goes on and reduces Sussex and all the Southern parts excepting Windsor and Dover The Ambassadors pleaded his Cause earnestly at Rome they shewed that John was justly degraded for his Tyrannies and because he had been condemned to death for the Murther of his Nephew Arthur by the Pairs of France and made it out that the Kingdom since he was Excluded belonged to his Neece the Wife of Prince Lewis Whilst they disputed their Masters Rights he successfully employs his Sword in Conquering Essex Suffolk and Norfolk Having reduc'd them he returns to besiege Dover his Father reproaching him for having imprudently left that place behind him The Pope offended at his Progress confirmed the Sentence of Excommunication against him and although Philip protested he gave him neither Assistance nor Advice prosering even if the Church did so ordain to Confiscate his Lands nevertheless he commanded the Bishop of Sens to denounce him Excommunicate likewise and to put France under an Interdiction but the Prelats assembled at Melun declared they would not submit to that Sentence till they were more fully informed of the Popes Intentions Mean while King John who wandred about the Country hating all his Subjects hapned to dye by Poyson which as it was believ'd a Monk had given him He left three Sons very young Henry Richard and Edmond The hatred of the Englishmen towards him expired with his Life and their Affection for his Son Henry revived being their Natural Lord and one whose Innocence and Tender Age called for their Compassion so that the young Kings Affairs began to prosper and Lewis's to decline He perceiving the English forsook him one after another and his own People afrighted with the thundring Excommunications from Rome inclined to make a Truce with Henry for some Months Year of our Lord 1216 During this Suspension he returns into France to Consult with the King his Father but he fearing to exasperate the Pope refuses to see his Son and would not Confer with him but by the interposition of others Lewis upon his return into England found his Enemies Party were the stronger his Army was afterwards defeated near Lincoln and he besieged in London after that rout Wherefore to free himself from farther danger and retire with Bag and Baggage he was forc'd to Treat with Henry promising amongst other Conditions to surrender all the places he held in England to submit his Pretensions to the Judgment of the Church to use his utmost endeavour to oblige his Father to restore all what he had taken from King John in France and if he could not prevail to do it then himself when he came to the Crown Which was to promise more then he would or could perform Year of our Lord 1216 Henry Emperor of Constantinople and Brother to Baldwin who had been so likewise died Anno 1216. having Reigned Eleven years Peter de Courtenay Earl of Auxerre who Married his Sister Yolant went this year from France to take that Crown Passing thorough Italy he was Crowned at Rome with his Wife took Shipping eight days after and arriv'd in Greece but as he was crossing Thessalie having Pass-ports from Theodorus Comnenus he was made Prisoner by that perfidious Man who slew most part of those Lords that went with them and having detained him three or four years caused him cruelly to be Murthered Yolant a Heroick Woman govern'd the Empire two years after his death in which time the Lords sent to profer the Empire to Philip Earl of Nevers his eldest Son but he refused to accept it and yielded up willingly that perilous Honour to Robert his younger Brother Year of our Lord 1217 When young King Henry was fully setled in his Throne his Council sent Ambassadors into France to challenge Lewis of his Promise and re-demand the Dutchy of Normandy and other Countries taken from his Father They were answer'd with the Confiscation that had been ordered by the Judgment of his Pairs Year of our Lord 1217 18. Whilst the Eari of Montfort in vain besieged the City of Beaucaire Count Raimond brought some Forces from Arragon whither he was retir'd with which he regained several of his places and especially Toulouze which he presently fortifi'd with Intrenchments and Pallisado's Montfort went and laid Siege to it but after he had held it besieged seven whole Months he was slain in a Sally He had three Sons Year of our Lord 1218 Amaulry who succeeded him in the Rights of his Conquests Guy who was Married to Petronella Heiress to the Count of Bigorre as being Daughter of Estiennete the Daughter and Heiress of Count Centulle and Simon Earl of Leicester in England by the Grandmother Year of our Lord 1219 Amaulry was not strong enough to maintain his Conquests the King assisted him first with Six hundred Men then with Ten thousand Foot who not being yet enough to compass that business Prince Lewis upon the Popes earnest Request undertakes that Expedition the second time He happily succeeded in the taking of Marmanda on the Garonne and some other places in Angenois but not in the Siege of Toulouze because his Father recalled him fearing the Troubles that were begun in Bretagne might be created by the English on purpose to set France in a greater flame Year of our Lord 1218 19 and 20. The business was that the Earls Salomon and Conan whom Duke Peter had unjustly thrown out of their Estates being retir'd into the Forests ravaged and wasted his Country with some Bandits they had got together and at the same time the Barons revolted against him because he would arrogate to himself the Guardianship or Wardnoble of Gentlemens Orphan-Sons till they had attained to Twenty years of Age. They had Combined in a League and with Amaulry Lord de Craon very potent in Friends and Alliance who had declared War against him about a certain Castle that Duke had usurped from him This Quarrel complicated with several Interests lasted above two years and ended not but by a great Battle fought near Chastean-briand where the Duke much the weaker in numbers of Men gained the Year of our Lord 1220 Victory and made Amaulry Prisoner The Barons were not brought so low by this bloody loss but they continued the War for some Months but that was only to obtain the better Conditions Year of our Lord 1220 21 and 22. The Truce with the English being prolong'd France enjoy'd a Calm for three or four years during which Philip employ'd himself about the Walling Enlarging Fortifying building Bridges making Causeys and the like conveniencies in all the Cities that were of his Demeasns or belonging to the Crown which Expences though for the publick good was out of his own proper Fund not raised or exacted upon his Subjects but paying very justly for all those Grounds and Houses belonging to private Persons which were necessary for him to have towards carrying on these Publick Works Year of our Lord 1222
better to spoil and ruine the whole Countrey about Toulouze pull down the Houses root up the Vineyards and burn the Corn which so disheartned the Toulousains that both they and their Earl were forced to submit to what conditions he pleased Year of our Lord 1228 The Treaty was chalked out at Meaux and compleated at Paris the Earl and Deputies of Toulouze being present The Earl was deprived of all his Lands excepting some little fragments they for meer pity left him It was order'd they should all devolve to his Daughter Jane who should be Married to Alphonso the Kings Brother into whose custody she was put forthwith That the Earl should pay Seventeen thousand Marks of Silver part to the King some to the Monks de Cisteaux and the rest for a Foundation of Doctors in Divinity at Toulouze That the Walls of that City and of Thirty more should be demolish'd for performance whereof he should give Hostages and in the mean time remain prisoner That there should be an exact search after Heretiques at his charge and that for pennance he should go and make war five years against the Saracens These Articles Signed he and those of his company that had been Excommunicated were at Nostre-dames of Paris upon Good-Friday bare-footed in their Shirts to receive Absolution of the Popes Legat. That done the Earl returned prisoner to the Tower of the Louvre till he had given his Hostages About the Feast of Pentecost the King gave him the Order of Knighthood and sent him into his own Countrey The Legat went with him and setled the Inquisition which exercised great severities and was again the cause of many troubles and Massacres Year of our Lord 1228 The Male-contented could not disgest that the Government should be in the hands of two Strangers a Spanish Woman and an Italian Cardinal they therefore took up Arms again drew to their party Robert Earl of Dreux elder Brother to the Duke of Bretagne and Philip Earl of Boulogne the Kings paternal Uncle to whom they promised the Crown so that the King feared a second time to be involved by this conspiracy and had been surprized if the Earl of Champagne had not run seasonably to him with 300 * Horse-men to bring him off In Spring the Conspirators turned all their Force against the Earl of Champagne and Brie They demanded those Counties of him for Alix Queen of Cyprus Daughter of his Uncle Henry who died in the Levant and more then that called him Traytor and accused him of having poysonned the deceased King proffering to convict him by Duel a reproach that made him so black and loathsome amongst his Vassals that they joyned in League with his Enemies against him The Count finding so heavy a burthen on his Shoulders and his City of Troyes besieged implores the assistance of the Queen Regent who caused the King to march to his relief and commanded them if they had any thing to say against the Earl they should come and require justice upon him in her Court But they who would not acknowledge her Regency as if the Kingdom had been vacant elected in a private Assembly or Cabal the Lord de Coucy for King who was in great reputation for his Wisdom and Justice The Queen Regent having got intelligence gave immediate notice of it to Philip Earl of Boulogne whom they had made believe they would give the Crown to by this means she took him off from them then by divers politique contrivances made all their designs vanish but not their ill intentions Year of our Lord 1228 For a few days afterwards the Duke of Bretagne by their assistance and Councils took up Arms again and called the King of England to his aid who landed in Bretague with considerable Forces but when he saw the King conducted by the Queen Regent had taken the Castle de Belesme au Perche from the Duke which was held impregnable he Shipp'd himself again The Duke thus abandonned was constrained to betake himself to an agreement Year of our Lord 1229 The very next year he broke it but not without punishment the King having taken all his Holds and Places and gained all his Vassals and Friends shuts him up in his City of Nantes so that to get out of the Briars and make the best of a bad bargain he was forced to render him hommage of Allegiance for the Dutchy The Bretons who pretended they owed but ouly single Homage named him because of his so doing Mau-clerc as who should say Witless or wanting Judgment and Understanding Thibauld Earl of Champagne was ill rewarded for the good services he had done the Queen Regent She took in hand the cause of her Cousin Alix and condemned him to pay her Forty thousand Marks of Silver and sell to the King to raise that Money the Counties of Blois Chartres Sancerre and the Vicount of Chasteaudun Year of our Lord 1230 After all these disorders there was a calm and peace for four years which was only a little disturbed by some tumults caused by the remainders of the Albigensis and the hurly-burlies of the Scholars belonging to the University of Paris It was then the fairest Ornament of the Kingdom and the innumerable numbers of Scholars that flocked thither from all parts of Europe brought great riches to that City which in a manner made all the other Universities in Christendom submit to it Now some of them having been ill handled in some scuffle with the Citizens and not obtaining such satisfaction as they desired they all resolved to quit Paris not without having first published a great many Songs and Licentious Poems which fullied the reputation of the Queen Regent and Cardinal Romain the Popes Legat who swayed her The Duke of Bretagne and the King of England proffer'd to receive them into their Countries and to grant them great priviledges but the Kings Council fearing that capital City might be deprived of so great an advantage and benefit found means to allay their heats and keep them there Year of our Lord 1231. and the following The Inhabitants of Marseilles and the adjacent Countreys being revolted against Raimond Berenger Earl of Provence called in Raimond Earl of Toulouze to Command them because he was next Heir For we must know that Gilbert Earl of Provence and Nice had had two Daughters Faidide who Married Alphonso Great Great Great Grandfather of Raimond de Toulouze and Douce that had married Raimond Berenger Earl of Bacelonna from whom was descended the Earl of Provence now mentioned He therefore accepted of their Homage and acted as their Lord whence follow'd a War that lasted four years between those two Cousins This Earl of Provence having been harrass'd by divers Revolts and other misfortunes was at the end of his days made compleatly happy by the Marriage of four Daughters he had by his Wife Beatrix of Savoy a most Virtuous Princess For all four of them had the honour to be Married to Kings Margret who was
Daughter and Heiress of the Earl of Toulouze and also gave him the Counties of Poitou and Auvergne and all that had been conquer'd in Languedoc upon the Albigensis Year of our Lord 1241 These years the Tartars made cruel irruptions amongst others one in Hungary under the Command of Bath who was one of their Generals and one in Russia Poland and Silesia whither they were conducted by another of their Generals who was named Pera. These Barbarians were Scythians Originaries between the Caspian Sea and Mount Imaus Some make them descended from the Ten Tribes of the Hebrews who were transferr'd by the King of Assyria into those Countreys and derive their Name from the Hebrew Word which signifies Forsaken Others derive it from the River Tatar which ran thorough their Countrey and say it was given to the whole Nation of the Mogles composed of seven principal People of which they made one They were Tributaries and as we say Slaves to a Christian Nestorian Prince whose Kingdom was in the Indies he was called Prestor-John But Cingis or Tzingis-Cham set that Nation free about the end of the last age ruined the States of Prester-John and founded a very great Kingdom out of it from whence divers Colonies went forth and setled in other Countreys even in some parts of Europe The Earl of Toulouze sought out all means underhand to repair the shameful Treaty he had made with the King and therefore he consulted and contrived with James King of Arragon who was come to Montpellier and with the Earl of Provence though he were the Kings Father-in-law to Dissolve his Marriage with Sanchia Year of our Lord 1241 the Arragonians Aunt upon pretence of parentage that he might Marry the Daughter of the Earl of Provence and that his Daughter Jane whom he had perforce given to the Earl of Poitou might not be his Heiress An example that proves to any that might doubt that amongst Great ones Honour Parentage Alliance and ☞ Conscience does easily give way and stoop to their Interest and Humour Hugh Count de la Marche to his misfortune had Married Isabella the Widow of King John who had formerly ravished her from him This Womans pride would not suffer him to do Homage to Alphonso the new Earl of Poitou the King undertook to compel him and on a suddain took several of his Towns and demolish'd them amongst others Fontenay where his Brother Alphonso was wounded with an Arrow The King of Englands assistance in behalf of his Mother was too slow he and his Brother Richard landed in the River of Burdeaux The Earl de la Marche had assured them that all Poitou would rise and joyn with them upon their arrival but as his promise failed their courage failed too the King falls upon them at the Bridge of Taillebourg fighting desperately in person making them retreat as far as Xaintes and from thence to Blaye The Earl and his proud Dame being forced to forget she had been a Queen found no safety but at the Kings Feet They experimented his Goodness was as great as his Courage and although she had suborn'd Rascals to Murther him who had been discover'd and punished he pardon'd both her and her Husband keeping only two or three of their Places in his hands till he was better assured of their Obedience Year of our Lord 1243 Italy was horribly shatter'd by the Factions of the Guelphs and Gibelins The First held for the Pope the others for the Emperour Year of our Lord 1243 The jealousie betwixt the Franciscans and the Dominicans which had its Birth almost with their Orders encreased likewise proportionably with their growth Insomuch that the Pope who stood in need of them and the King St. Lewis who cherished them found it no little trouble to distribute their favours equally and hold the ballance so even that they should have no cause to take advantage of each other But both of them took much over all other Religions Orders whom they despised as more imperfect and not only set a value upon themselves for their Divinity wherein sometimes they were so meerly notional and over-subtil as it approached very near to error but likewise took upon them the functions of ordinary Pastors drawing the grists of Alms pious Legacies and Burials of rich people to their own Mills concerning themselves in the directing of Consciences and the administration of the Sacraments to the prejudice of the Hierarchy who from that time hath ever been contending with them to maintain her authority Year of our Lord 1244 The Holy See having been vacant near twenty Months Innocent IV. was elected He was thought to be a friend to Frederick but whether that Emperour had not used him well or what else it were he followed the steps of his Predecessors and began to quarrel with him upon the same score of differences The feud grew so hot that Frederic being the stronger in Italy Innocent went thence that he might with more safety let fly his Thunder against him and came into France where being arrived in December this year 1244. he called a Council at Lyons for the year following In the year 1228. the Emperour Frederic being constrained by the threats of Pope Gregory was gone into the Holy-Land where by his Reputation rather then his Sword he had so contrived it that the Sultan had given him up the City of Jerusalem but dismantled with part of the Holy-Land The Pope not satisfied with that agreement had afterwards procured other Adventurers to go who broke the Truce aforesaid to the great damage of the Christians who being mightily weakned it hapned Ann. 1244. that the Chorasmins a People drove out of Persia by the Year of our Lord 1244 Tartars others say of Arabia fell upon the Holy-Land laid it all waste ruined all the Holy places of Jerusalem and drowned them in the Blood of Christians This news was brought to St. Lewis whilst he was fallen sick at Pontoise towards the end of December All those that were about him despairing of his Life he made a vow to God if he restored him to health that he would go in person to make war against those Infidels and in truth being recover'd he took the Cross from the hands of the Legat but could not so soon accomplish his pious design Year of our Lord 1245 The Council of Lyons was open'd the Monday after St. John Baptists Feast in the Abbey de St. Just and from thence transferr'd to the Cathedral Church of St. Johns The Emperour Baldwin the Earl Raimond de Toulouze and Berenguier de Provence were present there these two solliciting for the dispensation that Raimond might Marry with Beatrix the youngest Daughter of Berenguier but the Kings of France and of England and Richard Earl of Cornwal who had Married the other three Sisters hindred the Grant of it Year of our Lord 1245 The Emperour Frederic having quitted his Affairs of Italy to come there and having in the mean time sent his
Ambassadors thither before received tidings when he was got to Turin that the Pope and the Fathers had Excommunicated him with Candles extinguished and degraded him for divers things imposed upon him amongst others That he detained the Church-Lands That he had intelligence with the Saracens That he erred in divers Articles of Faith Year of our Lord 1245 After this deposition all his Affairs crumbled to nothing in an instant The Milaneses beat him the other Christian Princes took an aversion for him as an impious person even the Germans that they may not reproach the French for contributing to ruine the Empire rejected him and for King of the Romans elected Henry VII Landgrave of Hesse and Turingia when as the King in an enterview he had with the Pope at Clugny endeavour'd to make up the breach by an agreement betwixt this unfortunate Emperour and the Roman Church by virtue of a Procuration he had from him Year of our Lord 1245 This year 1245. died Raimond Berenguier Earl of Provence having by his Testament constituted Beatrix his fourth Daughter his Heiress James King of Arragon caused some Forcesto march into Provence to secure so good a party for his Son But the King of France did not intend to let a stranger run away with such a prize He therefore drove the Arragonians out of that Countrey and by consent of the Daughter as well as her Mother and her Uncles the Earl of Savoy and the Arch-Bishop of Lyons he so order'd it that she was promised to her Brother Charles who was Earl of Anjou The Marriage was not consummated till the year following Year of our Lord 1245 The same year on the First of December died also Jane Countess of Flanders without having had any Children by her Second Husband Thomas Earl of Savoy no more then by her First who was Ferrand of Portugal her Sister Margaret succeeded her This Margret had had Children by two Husbands John and Baldwin by Bouchard d'Avesue her first Husband and William John and Guy by William de Dampierre her Second These pretended that the Sons of Bouchard ought not to inherit because it had been discover'd that he was in Holy Orders when he married their Mother and for that reason the Marriage was declared null Year of our Lord 1246 Those of the first Bed observing the Mother favoured the others had recourse to the King He sent both parties to a Parliament at Peronne and therein it was ordained that those of the first Bed should have Hainault and the others should have Flanders Year of our Lord 1246 The pretended King of the Romans Henry Landgrave of Hesse being dead in Battle or of sickness the Germans who persisted obstinately under the pretence of Biety to ruine the dignity of the Empire elected the year following William Earl of Holland potent in Friends and Alliances whilst Frederic was strugling with his misfortunes and his enemies in Italy Year of our Lord 1247 and 48. The Duke of Burgundy and some French Lords were Leagued with him to defend the Liberties of their Countreys against the usurpations of the Court of Rome being supported by this League he leaves Lombardy to come to Lyons whether to invest the Pope or to molâ—ifie him by his Prayers but he was recalled by a blow the Milanese had given his bastard Son Entius whom he had left in Parma These Affairs and the great preparations for War detained the King till the month of May of this year from accomplishing the Vow he had made three years before It cannot be written in Characters â—o great as it deserves how this pious King being perswaded that Sovereigns are responsable by Laws both Divine and Humane for all the miscarriages of their Officers caused it to be published thorow ✚ all his Kingdom that whoever had suffer'd any wrong or damage by any belonging to him should make it known and he would give them satisfaction out of his own I state which was performed punctually That done and having taken leave of the Holy Martyr and given the Regency to the Queen his Mother he quitted Paris being conducted out of the City by all the Orders in Procession He took his two Brothers Robert and Charles with him the Queen his Wife theirs and an infinite number of Princes Lords Prelats and Gentlemen He received the Popes Benediction in his passage thorough Lyons thence Year of our Lord 1248 he descended by the Rhosue and going on board at Aigues-mortes in Languedoc the 25th of August set sail two days after and landed happily in Cyprus the 25th of September where he past the Winter to wait for the rest of his Forces and Ammunitions In this Island he received at the beginning of December Letters from Ercalthay one of the chief Chams of the Tartars and soon after arrived Ambassadors from the King of Armenia Ercalthay sent him word how the Great Cham and a good number of his Captains had embraced Christianity and that he had sent him with a great Army to destroy the Sultan of Balduc or Bagdet the most potent of all the Mahometan Princes The Armenian Ambassadors assured him that this news was true and that their King had vanquished with the assistance of the Tartars the Sultan of Iconia or Cogny to whom they were tributary and cast off the yoke of those Infidels Year of our Lord 1249 The Saturday after the Ascension the Holy King having drawn all his Men togther from their Winter Quarters in the Island of Cyprus and received a new reinforcement brought him by Robert Duke of Burgundy came the fourth of June into the Road before Damiata in Egypt The Saracens expected him in good order upon the Shore he landed in despite of them and made them give way They being well beaten so great a fear seized upon them that the next day they forsook the Town after they had set fire to it in several places and carried off in Boats beyond the River Nilus all their Families and the richest of their Goods The overflowing of the Nile which infallibly begins some days before the Summer Solstice hindred the Army from going on at the same time to take the City of Grand-Cairo and kept them almost till the midst of Autumn in so much idleness as brought them into all manner of debauchery and dissoluteness Year of our Lord 1249 In the Month of September Alphonso the Kings Brother arrived with new Adventurers of the Cross Raimond his Father-in-law who had accompanied him as far as Aigues-Mortes where he took Shipping with his Wife died upon his way home in the Town of Millau in Rouergne giving all the demonstrations of a hearty Repentance He was the last of the Earls of Toulouze who had Ruled over the greatest part of Languedoc above 350 years His Daughter Jane being deceased without any Child by her Husband Alphonso his Lordships were re-united to the Crown in pursuance of the Treaty made in the year One thousand two hundred twenty eight The 20th of
he was upon the Birth-day of our Lady to publish a Bull by which he Excommunicated the King dispenced his Subjects of their Obedience to him and gave his Kingdom to the first occupier He had already offer'd it to the Emperour Albert and to engage him to it had confirmed his Election But the Eve before Nogaret who was in a Castle near at hand assisted by Sciarra Colonna whom Boniface had kept in the Galleys with some other Gentlemen of the Countrey enemies to Boniface and Two hundred Horse of those Troops as Charles de Valois had left in Tuscany enters into Anagnia gained the People and having forced his Palace seized on his Person which was not done without some sort of Outrage worthy an Italian revenge and by plundring his Treasures which were immense together with the Houses of three or four Cardinals Year of our Lord 1303 The fourth day the People of Anagnia repenting of their baseness drove the French and their Soldiers out of the Town The Pope being thus at liberty withdrew to Rome and there that haughty spirit was assaulted by a burning Fever of which he died upon the Twelfth day of October Nicholas Cardinal of Ostia of the Order of the Preaching Friers elected by the Cardinals the Two and twentieth of November he was called Benedict XI carried things with more sweetness received the Ambassadours sent by the King very honourably not admitting Nogaret however at their Audience who was one and sent three other Bulls which annull'd all those of Boniface and restored all things to the Year of our Lord 1303 same condition they were in formerly He also revok'd the Condemnations of the Colonna's excepting only that he did not restore those two again to the dignity of Cardinals who had been degraded but he proceeded severely against Nogaret and all such as had assisted at the Capture of Boniface and the robbery of the Churches Treasure He died the Eighth Month after his Election being the Seventh of July in the Year of our Lord 1304 year 1304. The two Factions of Cardinals whereof the one were French the other Italians and friends to the Pope were almost eleven Months in the Conclave at Perugia before they could come to an agreement in the end the Italians named a French man which was Bertrand Got Arch-Bishop of Bourdeaux whom they knew to be a great enemy to the King and besides a Subject to the English The French before they would consent to it gave speedy notice to the King who having sent privately for him and conferr'd with him near St. John d'Angely declared to him it was in his power to make him Pope provided he agreed to Six things which he required of him whereof he named five of them to him but reserved the sixth to time and place The Arch-Bishop a Gascon and Vain cast himself at his Feet and promised him all by this means he was elected being absent the fifth day of Year of our Lord 1305 the year 1305. Year of our Lord 1305 Instead of going into Italy as the Cardinals be ought him he sends for them to Lyons to assist at his Coronation which was performed the Fourteenth of November The King his Brother Charles a great number of Princes and Lords and infinite multitudes of People came to be present at this Ceremony The King having for some space held the Reins of the Popes Mule left that Office to be done by his Brother Charles and John Duke of Bretagne whilst he mounted on Horseback to march along beside the Holy Father As they were in their march an old Wall over-charged with People tumbled down and by its fall overwhelm'd the Duke of Bretagne and a Brother of the Popes hurt Charles most grievously the King somewhat lightly and beat the Tiara off from the Head of the Pope A presage of the misfortunes the translation of the Holy See into France was to bring to the Kingdom and to all Christendom nay to the Papacy it self which by this means did submit to the discretion of the secular Power Year of our Lord 1306. 1307. Departing from Lyons the Pope returned to Bourdeaux where he sojourn'd all the year 1306. went the following year to Poitiers then in Anno 1308. to exempt himself from the importunities of the Court of France removed his See to the City of Avignon which belonged to Charles King of Sicilia his Vassal The Residence of the Court of Rome in France hath introduced three grand disorders Simony the off-spring of Luxury and Impiety Litigious Law-suits the exercise of Scratch-papers and idle fellows such as were the swarms of puny-Clerks who follow'd that Court and another execrable irregularity to which nature cannot give any name Year of our Lord 1306 To make good his promises Clement continued the Absolution which Benedict had given the King restored the Colonna's to their Dignities of Cardinals made a promotion of Ten Cardinals more Nine of them being French and explicated or revoked all the Bulls which Boniface had made that prejudiced the Kings Authority Year of our Lord 1307 Nogaret and the other persons of the Kings Council by the dispair they were in of obtaining their Absolution persisted still in their accusation against Boniface and the King pressed Clement to condemn his Memory and cause his Body to be burnt not believing he could otherwise wash himself clean of those censures and reproaches he had bespatter'd him withal but Clement to elude that pursuit referr'd it to a general Council which was assigned to be three years after that at Vienne in Dauphine and in the mean time there were divers proceedings and instructions towards carrying on that business Year of our Lord 1308 The Jews were still the execration of Christians and especially of the common people because they grated and even flayed them by their cruel Usury and by the exactions of new Imposts of which they were the Farmers And truly in revenge or retaliation they were liable to all sorts of affronts in any sedition in their Crusado's they ever fall upon them and they were every day accused either of having committed some insolence against the Sacred Host or the having crucified some Children upon Good-Friday or for having affronted the Image of our Saviour and if they did get out of the Judges Hands they could hardly save themselves from the fury of the Populace The Princes after they had made use of those cursed Instruments made them disgorge again and often drove them out that they might have Money to recall them back This year they were seized upon thorough out all France the Two and twentieth day of July banished the Kingdom and their Goods confiscated Was this Zeal or Avarice Year of our Lord 1307 The King had Ministers obdurate pityless and resolved to squeeze to the last penny The chiefest and most in power was Enguerrand le Portier Lord of Marigny who in scraping and levying great sums of Money to bring to his Master did not forget to
1325. The Council of England found it necessary that Queen Isabella who was Sister to Charles the Fair should pass over into France with Edward his eldest Son to Negociate the Peace She managed the business with a great deal of Skill and finished the Treaty contriving it so that her Son Edward was invested in the Dutchy of Guyenne and the Earldom of Pontieu for which he did Homage to the King The King of England had too near him the two Hugh Spensers Father and Son the last having been bred with him in an unbecoming familiarity had an absolute empire over him and made him do what ever he desired The English Lords having made some Conspiracy and taken up Arms against this Favourite he drew them to a Parly where he caused them also to be seized against the Publick Faith and afterwards chopt off the Heads of Two and Twenty Barons amongst whom was Thomas Earl of Lancaster Son of Prince Edmond who when living was Brother to King Edward Pursuring his design he kept Queen Isabella and the Earl of Kent the Kings Brother at distance from the Court and likewise did privately seek to destroy them whether for that they had been in the Conspiracy with the Lords or that he apprehended their Credid or Interest and this was the chief ground for their coming into France Year of our Lord 1325 King Charles received his Sister with all the tenderness of a good Brother kept her a great while in his Court Treating and Honouring her according to her Quality and promised her assistance both of Money and Men as much as he well could without breaking with the English to Chastise that insolent favourite who continued to take off all those Heads that stood in the way which his Ambition led him to Unhappy Flanders was hardly ever without Troubles The Flemmings had but little affection to their Earl because he was too much French by inclination and resided but little in that Country He had a long and bloody Contest with the Citizens of Bruges Robert de Cassel supported them because he would have had him been kill'd They made John Earl of Namur his Uncle Prisoner and a while after they also did detain himself But when the Pope had laid an Interdict upon the Country when those Mutineers had been beaten by the Ghentois and they found the King was sending Forces to his relief they were forced to bend the Knee and humble themselves before him He Chastised them by great Fines the loss of their fairest Priviledges and by the banishment of a great number of the hottest Spirits Year of our Lord 1325 It was above a year that Charles Earl of Valois languished with a Distemper which was very odd and yet more painful Who knows whether it were not the effect of some cruel Poyson The Physicians not knowing either how to find out the true cause of the Malady nor any Remedies the poor Prince falls into an imagination that it was a Divine Punishment for the too eager and severe pusute he had made against Enguerrand de Marigny They have not forgot to mention his Penitence and to enumerate the satisfactions he offer'd to his Memory but perhaps these proceeded from a Mind as sick and as much out of tune as his Body After all if God so severely Chastised a Prince for persecuting a publick Robber and bringing him to Justice by unjust Methods and with an ill intent what did not that Robber deserve who for so long a time had tormented Millions of innocent Souls Year of our Lord 1325 and 26. The Spensers dreading the Storm which threatned them from the Coast of France obliged Edward earnestly to re-demand his Wife and they made use of so many Arts and scattered so much Money in King Charles his Court and even in the Popes to make him bestir himself for them that at length Charles won by their Presents or frighted with the fears of a Rupture not only retracted those Promises he had made his Sister but likewise upon pain of Banishment forbid all Knights to assist her and Commanded her to go out of his Countries Year of our Lord 1326 One Roger de Mortimer a Gentleman of Normandy was very much in the favour and good opinion of this fair Princess the Spensers had taken occasion to raise some Jealousie in the King her Husband and detain this Roger in the Tower of London but having sound means to escape he was come over into France and perhaps this was none of the least Arguments for which King Charles who was an Enemy to that unclean Folly would endure her no longer and so abandon'd her Year of our Lord 1326 At her leaving the Court of France she retired disconsolate into the County of of Pontien then into Hainault where she was so happy that John Brother of William the Earl declared himself her Knight-Errant caused her to be well and kindly received in his Brothers Court and having mustred Three hundred Knights more he carried her back into England No sooner was the news of her being landed known but Henry Earl of Lancaster the Brother of Thomas came to her the Earls Barons and Knights flock'd thither from all parts She besieged the King and both the Spensers in Bristol Spenser the Father and the Earl of Arundel Son-in-Law to the younger Spenser were taken in the City and beheaded The King and Spenser the Son who were retired into the Castle and from thence thought to make their escape in a Bark were taken at Sea The Favourite according to his Sentence given by the Barons was drawn on a Hurdle thorough the Streets of Hereford then led to the top of a Ladder where the Executioner cut off those parts that had transgress'd and plucked out his Heart then threw it into the Fire and quarter'd his Body Year of our Lord 1326 As for the King the Lords made his Process degraded him of his Royalty and condemned him to perpetual Imprisonment to put his Son Edward III. in his stead Afterwards the Friends to this unfortunate Prince by practising several means to save him compleated his ruine It was resolved to dispatch him out of the World and that after a most cruel manner They thrust a red hot Iron up into his Fundament through a Pipe of Horn fearing the burning should be discovered His Wife in her turn was punished by her own Son in the same horrible manner of revenge Year of our Lord 1326 In the mean time young King Edward Married Philippa the second of the four Daughters which the Earl of Hainault had by Jane Daughter of Charles Earl of Valois Divers Bands of Gascon Adventurers whom they called the Bastards perhaps because their Chiefs were such ravaged Guyenne They went into Saintonge where they seized upon the City of Xaintes but perceiving that the Captains whom King Charles had sent thither were resolved to give them Battle they withdrew in the night having set Fire to the City Year of our
the King in case he would surrender them which being denied they acknowledged Edward to be King of France and gave him their Oaths of Fidelity then did he begin to take that Title upon him in all publick Acts and to put the Flowers-de-Lys in his Coat of Arms and in his Seals However I find that the year before he had by a Declaration forbid any to call Philip by the name of King of France but only Earl of Valois Year of our Lord 1339 Having shortly after passed over into England to recruit himself with Money there was nothing done in all this year but sacking or plundering and some skirmishes that were not decisive In the mean time the King by his Craft and Money together had found means to take the Emperour off from the English Interest Insomuch as he repeated his Title of Vicar of the Empire which he had sold at so dear a rate to him Year of our Lord 1340 But whatever skill they did make trial of in tampering with the Flemmings they could not be brought over again and their Earl not daring to return into that Countrey nor put any trust in Artevelle kept himself within l'Isle The Pope upon the Kings request had put their Countrey under Interdict and all their Priests obey'd very exactly which did at first cause a great consternation but the King of England sent some that were less scrupulous amongst them who opened the Churches and officiated boldly Year of our Lord 1340 The Duke of Normandy this was John the eldest Son of Philip after he had made strange havock in Hainault laid Siege to the Castle of Thin-l'Evesque on the Sambre because it did much incommode the City of Cambray The French and Flemmish Armies were there once more near each other but the Flemmish now withdrew themselves without blows the besieged observing their retreat set fire to the place and made their escape As soon as the King of England had recruited himself with Money and Men he came and landed a Second time at Scluse and overthrew the French Fleet that lay Year of our Lord 1340 upon that coast in wait thinking to hinder his attempt The discord between their Admirals there were two of them was the main cause of their defeat Year of our Lord 1340 This advantage having abated the edge of their courage King Philip retired and distributed his Army in the several Garrisons The King of England sent to defie him in single combat one to one or else a hundred on either side or both Armies in a pitch'd battle He was answer'd That a Lord accepts of no challenge from his Vassal Some days after he besieges Tournay which was reduc'd to great distress but the long and vigorous defence of the besieged saved the place by the Truce that was then made Year of our Lord 1340 Mean time the Flemmings were cut in pieces before St. Omers Robert d'Artois who Commanded them was not only in danger of losing his Life there but afterwards being pursued by the Populace who cry'd out he had betray'd them was forced much wounded as he was to make his escape to the King of England Year of our Lord 1340 The French Garrisons were drawn together in a Body to relieve Tournay Philip had made divers attempts for that purpose had lost all hopes of succeeding in it when on the suddain Edward condescends to a Truce whether by the mediation of the Widdow Jane Countess of Hainault who was his Sister and Mother of the Queen of England at that time retired to the Convent of Fontenelles or as Villain tells it because of the desertion of the Duke of Brabant whom the King had gained by his Money and besides being unwilling that City should fall into the English hands went away from them with all his Forces It was to last from the Twentieth of September to the Five and twentieth of June following and was again prolonged at an Assembly which shortly after was held at Arras upon the earnest desires of the Popes Legats Year of our Lord 1341 John II. Duke of Bretagne dying this year 1341. upon his return from Flanders whither he had attended the King that War which he so much apprehended broke out in his Countrey and kept it in a flame for two and twenty years space For John Earl of Montfort being very liberal of those Treasures he had in Limoges secur'd himself of the best Soldiers and of the Cities of Brest Nantes Rennes Hennebond and Avray Then foreseeing his Antagonist would have recourse to the King of France his Uncle he goes over into England where he contracted a secret Alliance with Edward and also did homage to him Year of our Lord 1341 During this progress Charles de Blois comes unto the King as to his Sovereign Lord. The Dutchy was a Fief of the Crown of France ever since the Dukes Peter de Mauclere and John le Roux his Son had acknowledged it to be held of the Crown and moreover it was a Pairrie Philip the Fair having grac'd it with that Title in Anno 1277. in recompence for that John II. had brought him Ten thousand Men to the Siege of Courâ—ray Besides both of the contenders had presented their Petitions to the King to be admitted to do homage which no doubt but either of them would have performed in any manner required and for this reason the King Year of our Lord 1341 referr'd it to the judgment of the Pairs who caused both parties to be summon'd to make out their Right and Titles The Duke of Bretagne appeared but finding by the very first words the King spake to him that not only his Cause but likewise his Person was in danger he makes his escape one fair night into Bretagne with three more himself disguised like a Merchant â—aving left all his Officers at Paris who put a good face upon it as if their Master were not sled but kept his Bed for some indisposition The better to cover his evasion he left a procuration with one of his people to act and carry on this Cause before the King and Pairs and produce what Deeds and Papers were necessary to maintain his Right His adversary had done the same but either of them notwithstanding without power of concluding on any thing but only for debating and putting their Arguments and Titles into a method to instruct the Judges Year of our Lord 1341 Upon these imperfect proceedings the Pairs received Charles de Blois to homage and threw out Montfords Petition Immediately Charles and his friends were putting themselves into a posture to execute the Decree the Duke of Normandy entred into Bretagne with an Army and having forced Chantoceaux besieged Nantes where Montford had shut up himself The Nantois terrified at the misfortune of Two hundred of their Burghers taken in a Salley obliged Montford to surrender himself to the Duke who sent him to Paris where he was confined to the great Tower of the Lovre Thus one
all Acts were passed in his name without any mention of the Kings the little Seal du Chastelet which they used in his absence was laid aside and they had a great Seal made purposely for the Regency He would be no longer at the mercy of the Parisians nor the general Estates he found it better to hold with particular ones those of Champagne at Vertus and those of Picardy at Compiegne consented to some Contributions The Parisians offended that they were despised endeavoured to seize upon the Posts about their City not being able to effect it they proceeded to enclose it with Walls from that part where the Bastille is even to the Wooden Tower near the Louvre filled up all their Gates towards the University excepting that called St. James's and from that Gate to that de Nesle caused Ditches to be made before the Walls for till this time they had not any Year of our Lord 1358 During this Anarchy the Nobility and other Men of the Sword exercised all manner of violence upon the poor Countrey people Those unfortunate wretches beaten plundred hunted like savage Beasts having for the most part no other places of retreat but Woods Caves and Boggs did like those hunted Beasts who being at the last gasp fly at the Greyhounds throats they muster'd together in great companies and were resolv'd to destroy all the Gentry This fury was begun in Beauvoisis and for their chief Leader they took one named Caillet a Peasant They called it La Jacquerie because the Gentlemen when they pillaged the Peasant called him in raillery Jacques bon homme Had the Citis joyned with these Rustiques there had been an end of the Nobility and Monarchique Government as well as in Swisserland but not one of them open'd their Gates for fear of being ransack'd they attempted divers to no purpose destroyed all the little Castles in the Countrey amongst the rest that of Beaumont upon Oyse and made themselves masters of Senlis but besides all this they committed so many more then brutish cruelties that the Nobility of all parties French English and Navarrois rallied themselves unanimously against them The King of Navarre defeated Caillets crew who being taken was beheaded The Dauphin cut off more then Twenty thousand and so this insurrection was quashed on a suddain In the time the Dauphin was gone towards Senlis having left the Earl of Foix in that part of the City of Meaux named le Marche the Parisians who were much concerned to secure that Key of the Marne sent out some Forces under the command of a Grocer to seize upon it The Mayor of Meaux open'd the Gates to them but as they were attacquing the Market the Earl sallied out with Horse and Foot and cut them all off The Grocer was slain the City sacaged and burnt the Mayor and some of the Citizens beheaded Year of our Lord 1358 Against his promise made to the Dauphin the Navarrois drew near to Paris and having conferr'd with Marcel at St. Ouin entred the City and harangued the People who declared him their General but the Nobility affronted to see him caresse them less then he did the Citizens forsook him and in an Assembly which was held at Compiegne promised the Dauphin all their assistance for the besieging of Paris The Factious party having notice of it engaged the University to go and beg their pardon of that Prince offering such satisfaction as he pleased saving their Lives and Honours to which not condescending unless they would deliver up to him Twelve of the principal Mutineers they united themselves together again as firmly as ever they possibly could and stuck close to the King of Navarre Year of our Lord 1358 The Dauphins friends having gotten some credit amongst the People of Paris insinuated a jealousie into their minds for that the King of Navarre had brought some English thither they massacred a great many of those strangers Marcel to save the remainder clapt them all in prison then let them make their escapes they retired to St. Denis from whence teey cruelly revenged the deaths of their compagnons upon all those of Paris that they could light upon The People whatever the Navarrois could urge in his florid Speeches against it forced both him and Marcel to lead them thither that they might make a final end of them but whether by the treachery of those two Commanders or otherwise the English drew them into an Ambuscade and slew above Six hundred of them in the night as they were returning home all in disorder Year of our Lord 1358 This bloody check redoubled their suspicions and the Peoples out-cries Marcel and his associates fearing to be at length deliver'd up to the Dauphin conspired to deliver up the City rather to the Navarrois by letting him one night into the Bastille But as the Dauphins friends had their Eyes and Ears in every corner one John Maillard and one Pepin des Essards who were the Chiefs contrived their business so well that having got their friends together just at the nick of time as Marcel was to put his plot in execution they kill'd both him and all those that accompany'd him before he could get the Gates open Year of our Lord 1358 His Corps were dragg'd thorough the Streets and his death attended with the Massacre the execution and the banishment of many of his friends amongst others Ronsac the Sheriff Josserand the King of Navarre's Treasurer and Caillard who had delived up the Castle of the Louvre all which lost their Heads in the place of Execution called the Greeve After this the face of Affairs was wholly changed the party-colour'd Hoods were thrown into the Fire and the Dauphin returned to Paris the Twenty fourth day of August Year of our Lord 1358 But the Navarrois fretted beyond all patience for the death of his Friends and his Officers protested he would never have peace with the Princes of the House of Valois nor did he any longer own them for Sovereigns In this heat he got his Forces together from every quarter sent to desie the Dauphin block'd up Paris both by Land and Water and called to his assistance the Captal de Buch and Robert Knolles an English Captain This Man notwithstanding the Truce made horrible depredations every where particularly in Auxerrois and in Champagne Now having been forced away from before Troyes by the Count de Vaudemont he came and joyned with the Navarrois in hopes to plunder Paris It was at this time they burnt the City of Montmorency which was none of the least as may be guess'd by its ruines while in the mean time Philip de Navarre ran about Picardy and made several attempts upon many Cities which all miscarried Year of our Lord 1359 The Dauphin durst not stir out of Paris for fear they should recall the Navarrois who had yet good store of friends remaining amongst them In the mean time as he could settle nothing in order in no part
S. Thirteen years Three Months and a half Year of our Lord 1380. in September THe Reign of Charles the Wise was happy enough but too short this very long and exteramly unfortunate A Minor King and then alienated in his Understanding Sick-Brain'd a Queen an ill Wife and unnatural Mother Princes of the Blood Ambitious Covetous Squanderers and Cruel the Grandees by their example giving themselves upto all manner of Licentiousness Subjects mutinous and seditious tumbled France into an Abysse of all kinds of Miseries and under the dominion of Strangers From the very first day some jealousies about the Government divided the Kings Uncles The Duke of Anjou being seized of the Regency disposed of Commands and changed the Officers The Dukes of Burgundy and of Bourbon could not suffer it and would have the King Crowned he maintained on the contrary that he ought not to be so till he were Fourteen years of age according to the Declaration of the late King About this difference an Assembly of Notables was held where John des Marais Advocate-General of the Parliament maintained the Duke of Anjou's Cause and Peter d'Orgement the contrary This conference having only heated them the more the friends of either partyarm'd themselves Paris beheld her self surrounded with Soldiers who lived at Discretion The Lords of the Kings Council mediated an agreement and prevailed so far that the parties referred it to Arbitrators who concluded That the King should be Crowned without delay That afterwards he should have the administration of the Kingdom that is to say he should receive the Homages and Oaths and all Acts should be expedite in his Name and for this purpose the Regent had aged him that is to say Emancipated That the Duke of Anjou should continue Regent that the other Two should have the Guard of the Kings Person with the Revenues of Normandy and three or four Bailywicks for his entertainment They likewise agreed to chuse a Council of Twelve Persons necessarily resident at Paris where by a plurality of Votes they were to ordain all things concerning the Revenue and Offices belonging thereto and without whose Authority no part of the Demeasnes pertaining to the Crown should be alienated either for Life or Perpetuity and who should make an Inventory of the Revenues Plate Jewels and Furniture that was the Kings which the Duke of Anjou seized upon and never gave a good account of The Imposts having been very excessive in the last years of the Reign of Charles V. caused some Emotions in the Cities particularly of Paris and Compiegne but without any miscievous consequence or accidents The Cardinal d'Amions who had been principal contriver of those Subsdies was now paid part of the reward he so well deserved for the young King remembred he had checkt him with sawcy Language in his Fathers life-time and exprest his resentment in discourse to the Chamberlain Peter de Savoisy in these terms God be thanked we are now delivered from the Tyranny of that Chaplain The Cardinal having notice of it makes up his pack and retires to Douay and from thence to Avignon carrying away an immense Treasure which he had scraped together to the poor Peoples cost and by picking the pockets of the whole Nation Clisson had been confirmed in the Office of Constable he had the Commission to conduct the King to Rbeims with that Pomp and Magnificence as was usual on those Ceremonies The Duke of Anjou staying some days behind seized upon the Treasures which Charles V. had concealed in the Walls of the Castle at Melun having forced Savoisy with whom the King had entrusted the secret and guard of it to shew him the where it lay which prompted the courage of that Prince to undertake the unfortunate War of Italy where himself perished with the choice Flower of the French Nobility So true it is that those vast sums of Money collected by Sovereign Princes does for the most part bring only trouble to their Kingdoms in the end and that their Treasures are no where so secure as in the affections of the Subjects who are ever affectionate and kind when they are ☞ kindly Treated The Duke of Anjou having overtaken the King upon his way to Rheims the Coronation was performed the Fourth of November Of the Lay-Paris were none present but the Duke of Burgundy who being the first of all it was by judgment of the Council ordained That he should take place before the Duke of Anjou his elder Brother and Regent and when this last not submitting to that judgment had seated himself at the Feast made on that Ceremony next to the King the Burgundian boldly came thrust himself between and took the place above him The Princes and their Council of Twelve had no other aim but their particular Interests The Duke of Anjou was the most powerful the Duke of Burgundy made Head against him Bourbon's Duke sloated betwixt both the Duke of Berry made no considerable Figure At the Coronation there was proclaimed the relaxation of the Imposts pursuant to the last Will of Charles V. but the Duke of Anjou having taken all the Money of the Treasury and refusing to employ any of it towards payment of the Soldiery or the Kings Family in one Month after they were fain to settle new ones especially upon the City of Paris The Populace mutined a Cobler makes himself Head of them and compell'd the Prevost des Marchands to go to the Palace attended with a multitude of Mutineers to demand the Revocation of them nevertheless the Chancellour it was William de Dormans Bishop of Beauvais appeased that Commotion by fair words and with a promise that was made to grant them what they did desire The very next day another Troop of the Rabble pull'd down their Courts or Offices tore their Accounts and Registers and going thence fell upon the Jews Houses there were Forty in one Street plundred them all and burnt their Writings took their Children and haled them to Church to Baptize them and would have beat out the Brains of their Fathers had they not taken Sanctuary in the Prison of the Chastelet The King restored them to their Houses again and caused Proclamation that every one should give them back what they had forced from them In the Month of July the Earl of Buckingham with a potent Army was landed at Calais not in Guyenne as is told us in the History of this Reign written by a Monk of St. Denis which is not very true in many places He crossed Picardy Champagne passed near Troyes where the Duke of Burgundy had made the general Rende-vouz of his Army then by Gastinois la Beause Vendosinois and Mayne to go into Bretagne to the assistance of that Duke Year of our Lord 1381 The same day he passed the Sartre King Charles V. passed into the other World The news of his death allayed that hatred the Breton had conceived against the French Insomuch as the English having laid Siege before Nantes
kept the Field some time but being less crafty he fell into an Ambuscade near Alexandria and was wounded to death after which his whole Army was dispersed and dwindled to nothing Year of our Lord 1392 The great desire the two Kings Charles and Richard had to joyn their Forces against the Turks brought the Duke of Lancaster to a Conference with King Charles at Amiens but the Propositions were so high on the English side that the result at last was only a Truce for a year The more the authority of the Constable and his three dependants was confirmed the more grievous was their power to the People The King's Uncles fretted and grew enrag'd the Clergy betraid by some of the Chief of their own Body were on the brink of losing their immunities had not the University from whom they were also taking away all their Priviledges bestirr'd themselves and put a stop to all School-Exercises and Preaching When they observed that all Foreigners went away from Paris and that such an Interdiction made a great noise all over Europe even those that had undertaken the ruine of that Body would needs have the honour of procuring them an Audience of the King who did them justice upon their Complaints The Support and Priviledges the Kings ever since the time of Lewis the Gross had granted to this famous University the Mother of all the rest that are in Europe the infinite numbers of Students that came thither from the remotest Countreys the strict adherence of the whole Clergy to them to whom they were a Nursery and Seminary and the Authority their Faculty of Divinty had acquired to judge of Doctrine and Matters thereto relating had rendred them so considerable that in times of confusion they were called to consult in all Affairs of Importance if not they took upon them to make Remonstrances and knew how to oblige others to follow them Year of our Lord 1392 Peter de Craon was notoriously guilty of the loss of Lewis Duke of Anjou his Lord the Duke of Berry had threatned to have him hang'd for it yet he was no less regarded at Court where the splendor of Birth and Riches easily covers baseness and crimes It hapned that he fell into disgrace with the Duke of Orleans he fancied the Constable had done him that ill Office he resolved upon revenge and one Evening the Thirteenth of June as he was coming from the King Assassinates him in St. Catherines street being assisted by Twenty Russians whom he had gotten together in his House He alterwards easily escaped out of Paris the Gates having been always left open ever since the Constable had caused them to be taken down upon his return from Flanders These wounds did not prove the death of the Constable but they were the ruine of Craon Three of the Murtherers being discover'd and taken were beheaded his Goods confiscated and given to the Duke of Orleans his House turned into a Churchyard for St. John's in Greve and his stately Seats in the Countrey demolished He could save nothing but his Person by flying to the Duke of Bretagne who kept him carefully conceal'd Some years after the King granted his Pardon upon the request of the Duke of Orleans When the Constable began to recover of his wounds both those that were his friends and such as were no way concerned called earnestly upon the King to punish this attempt There was upon this Command sent to the Duke to deliver up the Assassin he denies him to be in that Countrey the Ministers exasperate the King and perswade him to march towards Bretagne to destroy the Duke In vain did his Unclâ—s urge that this was but a private quarrel which ought to be legally determined by the ordinary ways and methods of Justice and that it was against the common Rights of Mankind to fall upon the Duke of Bretagne before he was proved Guilty or Condemned they could not alter that Resolution Year of our Lord 1392 Marching in the Sun-shine and great heats of weather in August his Brain already much weakned with the debauchery of his youth was discomposed with black and noxious vapours Two unexpected but frightful objects heightned and hastned his phrensy One day as he was going out of Manse passing thorough a Wood there came forth a tall black fellow all weather-beaten and ragged who laid hold of his Horses Bridle bawling out Stop King Whither goest thou thou art betray'd then vanish'd Soon after a Page who carried a Lance sleeping on horseback let it fall upon a Helmet which another carried before him At this shrill noise and the sight of the posture of the Lance the Apparition or Fantasme and its threatnings came fresh into his mind his Fancy was disturbed he imagines they were going to deliver him up to his enemy and believed all those that were about him to be Traitors This puts him into a violent fit of Fury he runs strikes kills without Rime or Reason till he fell into a Swoon They carry him bound in a Chariot back to Manse Witchcrafts and Poysonings were so frequent in those days that it was believed his malady proceeded from some such Cause The third day he recover'd his Sences and by little and little his Strength which was attributed to the publick Prayers made for him but not the full vigor of his understanding In this disorder his Uncle resumed the Government conducted him back to Paris seized upon the three Citizen Favourites who having undergone three Months imprisonment with the continual fear of being led to execution as was threatned were set at liberty by the Kings Command who ordered the greatest part of their Goods to be restored but declared them for ever incapable of holding any Office-Royal The Constable was so fortunate as to make his escape to his own Countrey in Bretagne where he most bravely defended himself against the Duke by the assistance of the Duke of Orleans and the rest of his friends The Princes gave his Office to Philip of Artois Earl of Eu. All Offices being as then but Commissions which were revocable Year of our Lord 1390 Vrban the Pope of Rome died in the Month of October Anno 1389. Boniface IX succeeded him this Pope shewed himself to be very much inclined to re-unite the Church dispatched a Frier to Clement to consult of some method to bring it about Clement puts him in prison but the University exclaimed so that he released him Clament was therefore compell'd to feign that he had a desire to put an end to that Schism But when the University had declared it was impossible to be effected without the renunciation of both Competitors he and the Duke of Berry who took his part highly broke off the Proposition But they could never stop the mouth of that Mother of all Learning and Piety from crying out against that scandal which so afflicted the whole Church Year of our Lord 1393 The 29th of January at the Nuptials of a Lady
to be carried in Bennets Artifice and his Money had gained some of the Grandees who contrived this for him Year of our Lord 1398 The Earl of Perigord Archambauld Taleyrand tormenting the Countrey with the help of the English to whom he had ally'd himself and especially the City of Perigueux which belonged to the King was forced in his Castle of Montagnac brought to the Parliament and condemned to death The King gave him pardon for his life but bestowed his forfeited Estate upon the Duke of Orleans Archambauld de Grailly Captal de Buch having a Right to the Earldom of Foix as having married the Sister of Earl Matthew dead without Children got into possession of it by the Sword The King would not endure this because he was a Vassal Year of our Lord 1399 to the English and from Father to Son very affectionate to that party He therefore sent the Mareschal de Sancerre who pursued him so close that he was compell'd to desire a Cessation during which he came to the King and submitted himself to the judgment of the Parliament giving up in the mean time his two Sons in Hostage The Parliament declared in his favour conditionally he would relinquish the English and the King put him in possession This was in the year 1400. Year of our Lord 1399 Constantinople was invested by the Turks and in the greatest danger Pera which is as the Suburbs to it and from whence they fetched all their Provisions was very likely to be taken It belonged to the Seignory of Genoa the Mareschal de Boucicaut going thither with only Twelve hundred Men secured it and by consequence the City After he had disengaged all the parts round about and made the Turks retire whom he worsted in several Rencounters his Pay and Soldiers failing him he came into France to sollicite for a greater reinforcement bringing the Emperour along with him leaving the Lord de Chasteaumoran in Constantinople to defend it The discords in the Court of England caused by the ill Government of Richard and the ambition of his Uncles ended in a most Tragical Catastrophe Henry Earl of Derby became Duke of Lancaster by the death of his Father puts King Richard prisoner in the Tower of London Deposed him by the Authority and Consent of Parliament who degraded and condemned him to a perpetual imprisonment Then he took the Crown the Eighteenth day of October and was anointed with a Holy Oyl which some English say was brought by the Virgin Mary to St. Thomas of Canterbury whilst he took refuge in France This Ampoulle or Bottle that contains the Oyl is of Lapis and on the top stands a Golden Eagle enriched with Pearls and Diamonds Notwithstanding this Unction some while afterwards he gives way to the out-cries of the People who demanded that the unfortunate King might be strangled The London Citizens held Richard in execration because he had deliver'd up Brest and Cherbourg to the French The Duke of Bretagne who enjoy'd some repose after the many traverses which Year of our Lord 1399 had disturbed him from his Infancy died the First day of November in the Castle of Nantes He left his Children to the custody not of his Wife Jean of Navarre but of the Duke of Burgundy and Oliver de Clisson who alone were able to trouble them He had three John Arthur and Giles In the Month of November of this year 1399. a Comet was seen of an extraordinary brightness and darting its train towards the West It appeared only for one weeks time and was by Prognosticators held as a sign of those great Revolutions Year of our Lord 1399 that hapned all Chistendom over especially in the Kingdom of Naples and the Empire Lewis of Anjou had peaceably enough enjoy'd the better part of the Kingdom of Year of our Lord 1399 Sicilia when Thomas de Sanseverin Duke de Venousia offended for that he did not conclude upon the Marriage of his Brother Charles Earl of Mayne with his Daughter made him odious to the Neopolitans and introduced Lancelot and his Mother into the City where he was Crowned King and invested by the Pope of Rome So that Lewis having only some Castles left returned into France to crave assistance The Electors could no longer endure the Vices and brutish drunkenness of Year of our Lord 1400 Wenceslaus they degraded him and in his stead elected Henry Duke of Brunswic a generous Prince and great Captain and this Henry being basely assassinated upon his return from the Diet by the Count of Waldeck they substituted Robert Duke of Bavaria and Count Palatine who was of the Electoral Colledge The Duke of Milan fearing left he might dispossess him shout up all the passages and hindred him from going to take the Imperial Crown at Rome and Sigismund King of Bohemia having procured himself to be chosen Guardian to Wenceslaus his Brother under this Title made many of the German Princes of his party who adhered to the House of Luxemburgh or rather made this a colourable pretence to avoid the owning any Sovereign Year of our Lord 1400 This year 1400. the Court of France received Emanuel II. Emperour of Greece who came to give the King thanks for his assistance and to crave more help of him He met with all manner of good Entertainment but nothing else unless it were an annual Pension for his subsistence He remained almost two years in France at the and whereof news being brought of the defeat and taking of Bajazeth by Themir-Lanc the King lent him the Lord of Chasteaumorand with two hundred Men at Arms and gave him a sum of Moneyto re-conduct him to Constantinople There was not any thing of advantage presented it self which the Duke of Orleans did not embrace with passion he undertook the quarrel of degraded Wenceslaus Year of our Lord 1401 and raised a good force to restore him but being informed of the ruine of his whole party he came back again The desire to Rule and ambition for Government grew hotter every day betwixt him and the Duke of Burgundy Twice had they displaced each other from that advantageous Post and besides the Burgundian resented it highly that the Duke of Orleans would have the Duke of Bretagne to be thrust out of all who was his Wives Cousin-german and his own surest friend The frequent punctillo's between their Wives exasperated them more than their own true interests the Duke of Burgundy's being the elder Heiress of a vast Estate and sprung from very Noble Blood despising the other who in truth had been much beneath her had she not been considered as Wife of the Kings only Brother Year of our Lord 1401. and 2. The Duke of Orleans had then the upper hand and was seized of the management of Affairs the Burgundian could not quit his part both the one and the other got their friends together and Paris was surrounded with Soldiers The Orleannois had called in the Duke of Guelders with Five hundred
and give battle to the Ravens who in their Flocks had Rooks and Choughs the Storks gained the Victory In the Countrey of Liege in like manner some Crows or Ravens having insulted over a Faulcon breaking the Eggs in its Airy the next day were to be seen in that very place a vast quantity of Birds of both those kinds who fought most obstinately till the Crows betook themselves to flight after a very great slaughter of their Forces It was wisely Counsell'd whereby to lay asleep all discords to employ all the Forces of France in a War upon the English under that specious pretence of revenging the death of King Richard II. The Nobless went about it with much resolution but the envy which other Princes had against the greatness of the Burgundian who sate at the Helme broke off this design Year of our Lord 1410 At the end of August the Dukes of Berry and Bourbon having made a League at Gyen with the House of Orleans and with the Duke of Bretagne the Earls of Alenson Clermont and Armagnac who were all his friends or picqued against the Burgundian sent to make their demands of the King Every one armed himself the King might command them to lay down their Arms but it was in vain for they went on with their Levies The Burgundian having to little purpose proffer'd them Peace made use of the Kings Authority to summon the Arriere-ban puts Ten thousand Men into Paris The Duke of Berry and the Princes lodged themselves at the Castle of Wicestre and began to make the War The neighbouring parts round that City were eaten up by Two hundred thousand hungry Soldiers About the end of November when all the Provisions were consumed necessity compell'd both parties to come to an agreement It was Articled that the Duke of Burgundy should go out of Paris and that the Duke of Berry should not go in That those two Princes should name some Lords that should take care for them of the Government and the Dauphin's Person That the King sho u l d chu Council of Twelve Persons not suspected whose Names he should communicate to them That all the Princes should withdraw with their Forces and that none of them should return near the King unless he were commanded by Letters under the Great Seal and written in Council Year of our Lord 1411 The Burgundian obey'd with sincerity and retir'd forthwith but the Duke of Orleans with those of his party began immediately to make new Levies The Queen and the Duke of 〈◊〉 appeared as Neuters and offer'd to be Mediators The King spake 〈◊〉 Master and Commanded them to disarm the Burgundian lay quiet and remained in Obedience but the Orleannois with his Sword in hand demanded Justice for the death of his Father After many Letters and fruitless Negotiations he sent a very biting Cartel to the Burgundian who answered in the same stile Their Challenges were in the month of August Year of our Lord 1411 The King had ordained the Queen and the Duke of Berry who were at Melun to labour for a Peace and sent thither Persons that were Notables of the Clergy the Nobility the Parliament and the University the better to Authorize what they should conclude therein but their design was only to pillage Paris and deliver themselves to the Orleannois The Parisians having timely notice demanded the Count de St. Pol might be their Governour It was agreed to but instead of strengthening himself with good honest Citizens he furnishes himself with Rascals and raises a Company of Five hundred Butchers Commanded by the Goix the Kings Butchers who committing a thousand insolencies obliged a great many good Citizens to retire elsewhere France then divided her self in two Factions the one the Orleannois vulgarly named Armagnac's from the Count of Armagnac one of their principal Chiefs they carried a White Bend and a Cross with Right Angles and the other the Burgundians who bare the St. Andrew's Cross The best of the Citizens of Paris inclined towards the First the Populace towards the Second From thence proceeded so many Murthers plunderings and Proscriptions according as the success varied on either side Year of our Lord 1412 The Burgundian party was then the strongest having the King the Dauphin Duke of Guyenne and the City of Paris on that side so that they displaced the Prevost des Marchands and imprisoned and banished divers of the contrary party In the mean time the Forces under the Duke of Orleans plundered Picardy and he seized upon Montlehery Upon this they perswaded the Duke of Guyenne to oblige the King to recall the Burgundian to his assistance This Duke embraced the opportunity enters into Picardy with Sixty thousand Men besieged and forced Ham but he could go no further The contest about the plunder of that City begot a mortal dissention between the Picards and the Flemmings wherewith his Army was made up insomuch as the Duke of Orleans approaching with his the Picards forsook him the Flemmings withdrew and he though much against his Will with them The greediness with which the party Orleannois gaped for the plunder and spoil of Paris hindred them from pursuing and destroying the Burgundian They marched immediately to block up this great City made themselves Masters of St. Denis by a Siege of the Tower of St Cloud by the Treachery of him that Commanded it and fired the Houses of such Citizens as were not of their Faction In retribution the Company of Butchers went and burnt the Castle of Wicestre which belonged to the Duke of Berry Year of our Lord 1412 The Orleannois thought themselves so very sure of the taking of Paris that they had already agreed upon their shares in the spoil But now the Burgundian returns with a relief of English pierces thorough the midst of their Forces and the Thirtieth of October is received into the City as the deliverer of the Kingdom Then their party declines St. Cloud is forced out of their hands with the loss of above Nine hundred Gentlemen they raise their Blockade and having drawn all their Men together at St. Denis retreat in disorder over the Bridges they had laid upon the Seine Year of our Lord 1412 All the misfortunes that attend a routed party fell upon these The victorious Burgundian causes them to be excommunicate and proscribed gives them chace every where puts their Goods to sale by out-cry imprisons all their Friends and Servants displaces the Constable Albret John de Hangest Hugueville Grand Master of the Cross-Bow-Men and the Sire de Rieux Mareschal to give their places to the Count de St. Pol the Lord de Rambures and Lewis de Longny his partisans All the neighbouring Cities about Paris enter into the same interests Orleans alone remains of the side of her Princes The other places and of such as followed them are forced to abandon them even Guyenne and Languedoc submit and renounce the Government of the Duke of Berry Year of our
at one another the Burgundian breaks off the Treaty and thinks of nothing now but to accommodate Affairs with the Dauphin They conferred therefore in the open Field near Povilly le Fort within two Leagues of Melun between the two Armies each of them attended by half a score Horsemen and there they made a Treaty in which they sware to love and assist each other like Brothers submitting themselves in case of any failure to the Soveraign Judgment of the Holy See After which they agreed to meet upon the Bridge de Year of our Lord 1419 Montereau Faut-yonne the Eighteenth of August each accompanied with ten Men armed to determine all their disputes in a most amicable manner The Servants belonging to the deceased Lewis Duke of Orleans particularly Taneguy du Chastel and John Louvet President of Provence procured these Interviews for no other end but to find an opportunity to revenge the death of their late Master upon him that was the Author of it They durst not attempt it at Pouilly but they put things in better order at Montereau by the contrivance of certain Barriers which being made in appearance for the mutual safety of them both served as a snare or trap to that unfortunate Prince The day being come the Dauphin arrives at Montereau the Duke made him wait almost fifteen days His friends forewarning and advice his own pressentiment all humane prudence and reasonning forbid his going thither the power of his ill destiny dragg'd him along by the horrid treachery of a second Dalila I mean the Lady de Gyac his Mistress or perhaps it was the hand of Divine Justice for the Blood of his own Cousin and so many thousands of Men as had been spilt in that Quarrel To allure him the better they delivered up to him the Castle of Montereau but wholly unfurnish'd of Provisions or Artillery From thence he descended to the Bridge with his ten Men and placed a guard at the end While he was kneeling before the Dauphin Taneguy du Chastel and some others leaping over the Barriers Massacred him by several wounds his People making but a slight defence only Nouailles Brother of Captal de Buch who was kill'd with him We must believe this act was done without the Dauphins order for he was not above Seventeen years of age and Heaven would never have permitted a Prince designed to wear the Year of our Lord 1419 Crown of France should have perpetrated so horrible and base a piece of treachery However it were the event made it appear how much those wounds did blemish his Honour and not only proved hurtful to him but almost mortal to the whole Kingdom For Philip the only Son of the deceased although a very good Prince highly undertakes to revenge his Fathers death and wanted not for means to do it All that were friends to that House all those that were discontented came and tendred their service to him compassion and horror for this Murther renewed and heated the affections even of such as were grown coldest the Parisians sent to assure him of their Services and he to gain the love of the People obtained a Truce of the English to the exclusion of the Dauphins People who were come to Rouen to desire the same thing for which they made great profers From this time the French the English and the Burgundians began to mix and live together as if they had all been but one Nation but the difference of their humours and interests would suffer no long unity amongst them Year of our Lord 1419 On the other hand the Dauphin gathered up all his Friends in the Provinces of Poitou Orleannois Berry Auvergne Lyonnois Dauphine Provence and above all thought to secure himself of Languedoc He took away that Government from the Earl of Foix and gave it to Charles Count de Clermont eldest Son of the Duke of Bourbon From these Provinces it was that he drew his Succours that maintained him Besides the Kings of Castille and of Scotland with the Duke of Milan suppli'd him in his necessities with some of their Forces Year of our Lord 1420 According to what had been agreed upon the King of England and Philp Duke of Burgundy met at Troyes where the King and Queen were and there the Peace was Treated together with the Marriage of Catharine of France with King Henry Which was first sworn to by all the Lords there present and then by all the good Cities that were of their party The Marriage was compleated the Second day of June This Treaty amongst other things contained That King Charles named and owned Henry for his Heir to the Crown of France That however Henry should not take the Title of King of France during the life of Charles but that he should have the quality of Regent and the government of Affairs That the two Kingdoms of France and England should be united and held by the same hand viz. by Henry and his Heirs but that they should not depend upon one another and should be governed according to their Laws That all Priviledges and Rights should be preserved to all Estates and to every particular Person That no Treaty of Accommodation should be made with the Dauphin without the consent of both the Kings the Duke of Burgundy and the three Estates of both the Kingdoms The two Kings afterwards with the Burgundian having taken Sens and Montereau journyed towards Paris Melun made the King of England know how much all France might cost him he was four Months before it and not able to force it Famine only did what his Sword could not The Besieged surrendred upon composition but contrary to the faith given they were all detained Prisoners At their departure from thence the two Kings made their entrance into Paris the first Sunday of Advent and the next day the two Queens The Duke of Burgundy having tender'd his complaint before them and their Councils in the Hostel St. Pol the Dauphin was summon'd to the Table de Marbre with the usual formalities and afterwards as attainted and convict of Murther was declared unworthy of all Succession namely of that to the Crown of France and banished the Kingdom to perpetuity From this Sentence given by incompetent Judges against all Right and contrary to the Laws of the Kingdom he appealed to God and his Sword and transferr'd the Parliament and University to Poitiers at which place the most illustrious Members of those two Companies did not fail to appear Thus almost every thing was double in the Kingdom there were two Kings two Regents two Parliaments two Constables two Chancellors two Admirals and so of most of the great Officers not to mention the multitude of Mareschals of France whereof each Party made seven or eight Year of our Lord 1420 This year 1420. the Portugal Navigators defray'd and encouraged by Henry Duke of Visen Son of John King of Portugal sailing at large in the Ocean found in their midway between Lisbonne and
attempted at his Crown he sound a more dangerous Enemy in his House that attempted on his Life He might have been called Happy had he had another Father and another Son He was affable debonnaire liberal just He tenderly loved his People and spared them as much as it was possible rewarded those that served him very largely took particular care of the Justice and Policy of his Kingdom laboured greatly for the reformation of the Church and was so religious he would not charge it with any Tenths But being of somewhat too soft a temper he was governed and led away by his Favourites and Mistresses too much and in his latter days became apprehensive jealous and suspicious to the extreamest degree He had three Bastards by his Mistresses and eleven Legitimate Children by his Wife Mary Daughter of Lewis II. Duke of Anjou four Sons and seven Daughters Of his Sons two only survived him which were Lewis and Charles As for Daughters Radegonde died betroathed to Sigismond eldest Son of Frederic V. Arch-Duke of Austria Yoland was Wife of Ame VIII Duke of Savoy Catharine of Charles Duke of Burgundy Jean or Joan of John II. Duke of Bourbon and Magdelain of Gaston Prince of Viana and Earl of Foix another Jeane and Mary Twin-Sisters did not outlive the age of Infancy LEWIS XI King LIV. Aged XXXVIII Years POPES PIUS II. 3 years under this Reign PAUL II. Elected the 29th of August 1464. S. 7. years wanting one Month. SIXTUS IV. Elected the 9th of August 1471. S. 13 years whereof 12 under this Reign Year of our Lord 1461 THe conduct which the Prince had made appear in all his actions particularly towards his Father and towards his People of Daulphine made it plainly enough known what his Friends and Subjects were to expect from him He ever Governed without Counsel most commonly without Justice and without Reason He thought it the finest Policy to go out of the great and beaten Road of his Predecessors to change every thing were it from better to worse that he might be feared His judgment which was very clear but too subtil and refined was the greatest enemy to his own and his Kingdoms quiet having as it seems taken pleasure in putting things into disorder and throwing the most obedient into Rebellion He rather loved to follow the bent of his own irregular fancies then the wise Laws of the Land and made his Grandeur consist in the oppression of his People in the pulling down of the great ones and the raising up of others from the very dust and nothing This is what another calls putting their Kings hors de page i.e. out of their Minority he should have said putting them out of their Sence and their Reason The Creatures of the late King formed a Party in favour of Charles his second Son they named him the young Lord which perhaps tended to exclude the Eldest He therefore stood in need of diligence and power to prevent it The information given him by the Count du Mayne not so much out of affection as of hatred to the Count de Dammartin who had been his Rival in the favour of Charles caused him to mount on Horse-back the soonest he could And the Duke of Burgundy and his Son accompany'd him with four thousand Horse chosen out of ten Thousand He went directly to Reims where he was Crowned the 15 th of August by John Juvenal of the Vrsins Before he received the Sacred Unction he would be made a Knight by the Duke then distributed that honour to 117. Lords At the end of the Feast the Duke kneeling down beseeched him to forget the injuries which had been done to him upon occsion of the discontents that had been betwixt his Father and himself He granted him that request but he excepted against seven and under pretence of that number pardoned not any one He made his entrance into Paris the last day of August followed by thirteen or fourteen thousand Horse The feastings being ended the Duke returned into Flanders the Count went on Pilgrimage to St. Claude's in the Franche-Comte and the King to Amboise to see his Mother She died in a short time after to the great regret of the wisest who could have wished that the respect he had for her might for a longer time have been as a Bridle to the voilence of her Son He was much delighted at Plessis les Tours the Count found him there at his return to whom he gave the Government of Normandy and 12000 Crowns by Establishment But it was only a Paper-security and seeming marks of Friendship which were accepted for no other then they were given These two Princes resembled each other too little and knew one another too well to love on either side and indeed from that time the Count treated secretly with Romille Vice-Chancellor of Brittany and gave him his Commission Sealed Year of our Lord 1461. and 62. As soon as Lewis was entred into his Kingdom he Governed himself as in a conquered Country He destituted all the Officers of the Royal Family of War of Judicature and of the Treasury treated all the Creatures belonging to the King his Father very ill took delight in destroying all he had set up gave nothing but Berry to his Brother for his whole Apenage or Portion set the Duke of Alenson at liberty and put the Count de Dammartin into the Bastile restored the Count of Armagnac to his Lands loaded the people with Taxes strip'd the great ones and offended all the Clergy Year of our Lord 1461 Never had any private person laboured more to reduce the power of the Pope within the terms of the Canons then Aeneas Sylvins and never Pope did struggle more to enlarge it bounds of right and reason then the same when he was Pius II. The Pragmatique was a Curb very troublesome to his undertakings He made so many applications to the King that he allowed of a Declaration in November 1641. to abolish it The Court of Rome transported with an insolent joy did immediately cause that Constitution to be dragged along the Streets But it was not yet time for the oppositions of the University hindred the effect of the Declaration and the King never troubled himself to have it put in Execution because the Pope had failed of his word in many things John Gefrey Bishop of Arras had the Cardinals Cap as a recompence for having negociated this affair with the King Year of our Lord 1462 In the mean time the Pope maintained the Bastard Ferdinand in the Kingdom of Naples so that John de Calbria the Son of Rene of Anjou after various revolutions was utterly driven thence The Kings intreaties could obtain nothing from the Holy Father in favour of those Princes of his own Blood But Pius thinking to slatter him confirmed the Title of Most Christian to him which had been already derived to him with more honour from his Ancestors and exhorted him to a Croysade against the Turks presenting him
for that purpose He could not consent to the dismembring that fair Province but in the mean time having information that the Duke of Bourbon who made War in that Country having been by some intelligence introduced into the Castle of Rouen had made himself Master of that City and that all the Province inclined to the same resolution allured with the desire of having a Duke as Bretagne had who found themselves very well under him he was induced to grant them what they held already Year of our Lord 1465 The Treaty was concluded the 29 th of October The Count de Charolois had the Cities of the Somme redeemable only after his Decease for two hundred thousand Crowns and moreover the Counties of Guisnes of Boulogne and of Pontieu The Count de St. Pol who Governed him had the Constables Sword To the Count of Armagnac and to all the rest they restored their Lands and those Offices they were dispossessed of and withal they gave them Pensions and employments but in such a manner as sowed the Seeds of discord amongst them The Duke of Bretagne made them pay the charges of his Army and his Journey The Publick which served for a Stalking-Horse to this War and who had born all the expences gained no advantage save only that it was promised That there should be named Six and Thirty Notables or prime Men twelve of the Nobility twelve of the Clergy and twelve of the long Robe to consult of Methods to ease the People and redress the disorders of the State Year of our Lord 1465 The next day the King and the Confederate Princes met at the Castle de Vincennes which he had put into the hands of the Count and there Monsieur rendred Hommage for his Dukedom of Normandy Two days after the Count took his journey towards Flanders the King conducting him as far as Villers le Bel and at the same time the Duke of Bretagne went with Monsieur into Normandy to see him take the possession of it The good success of Francis Sforza's Counsel did soon appear the King gained the most valiant of their Commanders to be for him put some of them into jealousies and divisions sought occasions to strip others and in time lighted on fit opportunities which entangled them in great troubles and perplexities The Count de Charolois was gotten into one that was bad enough to wit a War with those of Liege he needed but to encourage them by blowing up the Flame and assisting those inveterate people in their furious hatred Year of our Lord 1465 Their Bishop was Brother to the Duke of Bourbon Nephew by his Mother to Duke Philip of Burgundy they had expelled him the Country because he did not live like a Prelate and the Burgundian had undertaken to restore him Those of Leige and those of Dinant sent to declare a War against the Charolois when he was on his March towards Paris For that time the Duke his Father with the assistance of the Dukes of Cleves and Guelders compelled them in a few days to buy a Peace But a while after upon the flying report that the Count was kill'd at Montlehery they reassumed their Arms with more fury relying upon the promise the King had made to give them assistance and that he would make no Peace without them Those of Diant a City Famous and enriched by their works in Copper burst out into a Thousand outrages against the Charolois even to the calling him Bastard and hanging him in Effigie Year of our Lord 1466 Their chastisement followed their outragious Insolence very close The Duke laid Siege to the Town his Son commanded the Army The place was taken by Storm and burnt eight Hundred of the Inhabitants drowned in the Meuse and the rest abandoned to extream misery The Liegois who came to their relief terrified with the smoak of this Fire desired a Truce for a year till the month of January the year following and gave up three hundred Hostages Year of our Lord 1465 The Duke of Bretagne would monopolize Monsieur to himself alone and enjoy all the favours he could confer in Normandy John Duke of Calabria and the old Servants of Charles the VII had their pretences too divisions grew amongst them one may guess whether Engines were then wanting to blow up the Sparks They made John Duke of Calabria believe that the Breton had plotted to convey away Monsieur into Bretagne Duke John gives notice hereof to the Normands the noise is spread all over the City the Foolish people take it for a truth run to the Mount St. Catharine where Monsieur was waiting till they had made all ready for his reception sets him upon a Horse and forces him to make his entrance Tumultously without Ceremony The Breton durst not appear and was constrained for his own safety and to avoid that fury to retire into the lower Normandy whose Cities were in his hands Year of our Lord 1465 Soon as the King knew this he took opportunity by the foretop He marched directly to him frighted him brought him to a Conference at Caen where the Duke consented that those places which he held should be put as in Sequestration into the hands of Oder Daydic-lescun since Count of Cominges Whilst the King was in this Country the same Duke of Bourbon who had put Normandy into the power of Monsieur laboured to get him out again and put it into the Kings possession In all his life the Duke of Burgundy felt not a more sensible displeasure then to find that Prince whom he had loved above all the Men in the World turn his back upon him so soon and ruine his own designs Year of our Lord 1466 Louviers and the Pont de Larche being surrendred to the King those of Rouen demanded composition the 10 th of January and their miserable Duke denuded of Friends Money Heart and Counsel escaped in pittiful equipage and thought himself happy in finding a shelter at the Bretons Thus Normandy kept her Duke but two Months The King could not pardon the passion they had shewn to have one It cost the lives of a great number of the most considerable in that Country The War with the Liegois detained Count de Charolois so that he could not prevent this revolution and old Age hindred Duke Philip his Father from stirring in it so early as he would have desired He held only a Correspondence with the Breton and strove to Animate King Edward whose Daughter he had demanded in marriage to make a descent in France During the noise which was spread every where of this irruption and the murmurings of infinite numbers of discontented persons the King amused the people with the hopes of easing them having Summoned an Assembly des Notables at Paris out of which were chosen 21 Commissaries who began to set themselves about it in the Palace the 16 th of July The Count de Dunois presided It was he alone who amongst so many Princes had followed it
to Establish a Council made up of the Princes of his own House together with the Lords of the Country for the Administration of his Affairs Landays having intelligence of this was possessed with such fury that he caused a Patent to be drawn in the Dukes name which declared all the Commanders of his Army which had entred into that capitulation with the Rebels Criminals de Lesae Majestatis and their Estates consiscate The Chancellor his name was Francis Christian refused to Seal it notwithstanding the Dukes reiterated order But on the contrary being Summoned by the Lords to bring Landays to Justice he took several informations upon which a Decree was made to take the Body of Landays Year of our Lord 1485 The Lords of the Dukes Council held private correspondence to ruin this Fellow One day therefore the People of Nantes excited by some Emissary's and their own hatred towards him got in throngs into the Castle crying out for Jusstice upon Landays and at the same time the Chancellor was compell'd by the Lords to wait upon the Duke and beseech him to give leave that he might be arrested and brought to his Trial. The Duke to avoid greater danger took the miserable wretch by the Hand who had secur'd himself in his Chamber and delivered him up to the Chancellor expresly commanding him they should not touch his Life for he granted him pardon for whatever Crime they might convict him of But as that Prince was weak they had no regard to his injunction They made quick dispatch with Landays the Gibbet was the last step his Ambitious Pride raised him to Being found guilty of Concussions Depredations Murthers and other Crimes he was Hanged at Nantes the 18 th Day of July Year of our Lord 1486 The following year Maximilian was Elected King of the Romans at Francfort the one and Twentieth of February and Crowned at Aix la Chapelle with Charlemains Crown the 12 th of April He had surprized the City of Terouenne for which cause the Mareschal D'Esquerdes made a rude War upon him He pressed him so hard that he was forced to write to all those Cities in the Kingdom as had obliged themselves for Guaranty of the Treaty he had made with the King complaining of this injustice done him by that Lord and the Dame de Beaujeu in the name of the King The Letter was brought by one of his Heralds whom the King being then at Beauvais caused to be Guarded in his Journey It was Read in the Town-Hall of Paris but he received no other answer then what it pleased those about the King to dictate He was as little successful in the Cavalcade he made thinking to surprize Guise which Garrison did infinitely molest the Country of Hainault Having furnished Terouenne with provisions he came into Cambresis But the Mareschals Desquerdes and Guy still pursuing him and Poverty pinching him yet more then his Enemies he durst not undertake any thing Every thing failing him his Germans Disbanded and he retired to Melines where he caused his Son to be kept and Educated Year of our Lord 1486 One cannot conceive a greater grief then what the Duke of Bretagne felt for the loss of his Landays nevertheless he was forced to contain himself and grant an Abolition or Indemnity to all the Lords for fear of intailing a Cruel and Bloody War upon his Country but all that precaution would not serve turn The time was come to put a Period to that Estate and I know not what fatallity hurried them to it by unavoidable accidents The Dame de Beaujeu being informed that the Duke of Orleans was forging some design against her made him to be commanded to come to Court he came upon the second Summons he received but the next Day being the 5 th of January he went into the Country upon pretence of Hawking and took his flight into Bretagne The good reception he met with from the Duke the power he gave him there and the strict knot of Friendship he tied with Guibe one of the Nephews of the Deceased Landays who commanded the greater part of the Dukes Gendarmerie gave both suspition and fear to the Breton Lords The Kings Council knowing their apprehensions offer'd them all assistance imaginable to help them drive out both the Duke of Orleans and the rest of the French from their Country of Bretagne The wisest amongst them were not for Engaging so great a power in their quarrel as would sooner or later swallow up all if called in But the rest imagining they could easily Limit and Curb them by Articles of Agreement This opinion carried it they made a League with the King upon these conditions That he should bring into the Country no more then four hundred Lances and four thousand Year of our Lord 1486 Foot That he should recall them as soon as ever the Duke of Orleans and his partisans should quit the Country That he should neither take nor Besiege any place without the consent of the Mareschal de Rieux nor should lay any claim or pretence to the Dutchy Whatever was in the Treaty expressed yet the Kings Council were persuaded that Bretagne appertained to him by vertue of a Cession which the Heirs of Pontieure had made to Lewis XI Nay even some Bretons who loved to swim in deep and large Waters and hoped to find fairer fortunes in the Court of France confirmed them in this opinion And it was for this design they led the King to the Borders of that Country Year of our Lord 1486 Whilst he was at Amboise he had private notice that the Count de Dunois was returned from Ast notwithstanding his commands to the contrary had got to Partenay in Poiton which he Fortified that being there he was making a League for the Duke of Orleans and that he had drawn in the Earl of Angoulesme the Duke of Lorrain the Lords de Ponts and de Albret He cajoled these two last with the hopes that they should marry the Duke of Bretagne's eldest Daughter and the Duke of Lorrain was tyred with the put off's they had so long used towards him concerning the Succession of the House of Anjou Year of our Lord 1487. in January Those friends the Duke of Orleans had left at Court plotted together to carry away the King who would have warranted them and as they said had intreated them to do it being quite wearied and distasted with the imperious Government of his Sister This would have ended the Quarrel to the Dukes advantage but the contrivance having taken Air by a Valet the Bishops of Periguex and Montauban these were Gefroy de Pampadour and George d'Amboise Comines and some others who had the management of it were Arrested Comines having been a Prisoner near three years of which time he was shut up eight whole Months in an Iron Cage was condemned by Sentence of the Court of Parliament to lose the fourth part of his Estate and to remain a Prisoner for ten years
Instrument of Oblivion or Abolition the Twentieth of June The Mareschal de Rieux declaring openly for him received some of his men into Ancenis and took upon him the command of the Army as for Rohan and Quintin his Brother they adhered to the Royalists The Lord de Laval was not suffered to remain Neuter as he would fain have done they forced him to deliver up Vitre to the King Dole was taken and sacked The Duke of Bretagne's affairs had a good aspect for those two or three Months that the King was at Paris Rieux regained Vannes d'Albret brought him a Thousand Horse and the King of England sent him some Foot In retaliation the Kings Army commanded by la Trimoville taking the Field in the Month of April took Chasteau-Briand and razed it gained Ancenis then Besieged Fougeres a Rich place and of great importance which surrendred and after that St Aubin du Cormier The French and Bretons Forces Leagued together joyned in one Body to go to the relief of Fougeres contrary to the wise Counsel of the Mareschal de Rieux Being on their March they were informed the place had Capitulated and Saint Aubin du Cormier likewise The Kings Army commanded by la Trimoville apprehending they would go and retake St. Aubin marched up to them The Battel was fought near the Burrough of Orange between Renes and St. Aubin the 28 th Year of our Lord 1488 of July La Trimoville obtained the Victory the Duke of Orleans and the Prince of Orange who alighted and fought for the Bretons were made Prisoners six Thousand of their Men being slain Year of our Lord 1488 The Dame de Beaujeu did soon after set the Prince of Orange at Liberty he having Married her Husbands Sister and made him Lieutenant for the King in Bretagne But she kept the Duke of Orleans with great care in the Castle of Lusignan and afterwards in the great Tower at Bourges Some days before this Battel there had been another fought in the Air Great Flocks of Jays and multitudes of Pies grappled so furiously with their Bekes and Claws against each other that a Vast deal of ground was quite coverd with their Dead Carcasses The fidelity of the Breton Lords was sorely shaken by this rude Shock The Vicount de Rohan encouraged to declare the pretensions he had to the Dutchy as being the Son of Mary Sister and as he alledged partly Heiress of Duke Francis I. caused Dinan and St. Malo's to fall into the Kings hands this last place was plundred But Renes very couragiously told the Herald that came to Summon them That they would sooner chuse to be nothing then to be unfaithful The Duke thus ill handled by the blind Baggage Fortune was advised to endeavour an accommodation with the King To effect this he sent the Count de Dunois and wrote to him with that submission not usual from the Dukes of Bretagne The King had great pretension to that Dutchy and demanded the Noble Guardianship of the Daughters they agreed upon Arbitrators to judge the right of it But in the mean while he consented to a Peace with the Duke upon condition he should not marry them without his leave that he should renounce all Foreign Leagues and Alliances and should let him keep those places he had Conquer'd in that Country The Treaty was agreed in the Castle of Vergy in Anjou where the King was at that time and Signed at Coiron by the Duke Soon after the Duke grown very old overwhelmed with Sorrow and hurt with a fall from his Horse died at Nantes the 9 th day of September having Reigned two and Thirty years By his Will he appointed the Mareschal de Rieux Guardian to his Daughters with whom he joyned Odet-Daydie Earl of Cominges his Gossip and Intimate Friend and allotted Frances de Dinan Dame of Chasteau-Briand to be their Governess They were two Anne and Isabeau the latter Died about two years after At this time they retired to the City named Guerrande Year of our Lord 1488 The Duke of Lorrain after the Death of the Breton reconciled himself to the Court upon hopes of obtaining some assistance towards recovery of the Kingdom of Naples Opportunity presented it self very fairly most of the Barons of that Country being revolted against King Ferdinand by reason of his Tyrannies and invited Rene to come and take possession of that Crown His Holyness Pope Innocent VIII did favour him whose Galleys with Julian de la Rovere Cardinal of St. Peters waited for him a long time in the Port of Genoa and the French Nobless shewed a great deal of eagerness to follow him But those that Governed the King thwarted this Prince as much as they possibly could as envying him the Glory of this Conquest So that making too long delay the Pope makes an agreement with Ferdinand and such as had faln off cast themselves upon his Mercy which did but ill Succeed with them for he made them all Prisoners and Alphonso his Son coming to the Crown commanded their Throats to be cut The Prince of Salerno wiser then the rest would not trust to it but retired to Venice resolving to seek out some abler Protector The Lorrianer withdrew into his own Country greatly confounded and ashamed and much sunk in his Reputation The Bretons being somewhat at their ease on the French-side were embroiled amongst themselves about the Marriage of their Dutchess Anne The Mareschal was obstinately bent to have her married to the Lord d'Albret to whom the Father had promised it in Writing But Montauban her Chancellor and the Earl de Cominges thought it too inconsiderable a Match and too weak to restore the Affairs of that Dutchy being ruined himself the King having Seized on all his Towns in Gascongny and besides the Princess had no manner of inclination for him So that as soon as ever she had attained the Age of puberty she made her protestations against that promise which were declared to him personally The Count de Dunois opposed it as much as they but for another end He aimed to have her Married to the Duke of Orleans whereas the rest designed her for the Arch-Duke Maximillian Their Disputes grew so high it had like to have come to blows The Dutchess got out of the Mareschals hands being assisted by her Chancellor and the Count de Dunois The Mareschal way-laid her thinking to stop the journey but his respect made him desist and leave her her presence having disarmed him Fearing to be Besieged in Redon by the French she would needs retire to Nantes the Lord d'Albret and the Mareschal refused to admit her but only with her Family-attendance upon this refusal she goes to Renes where the Inhabitants made her a Solemn reception Thus there were two Parties Cantonized the one at Renes with the Dutchess the other at Nantes with the Mareschal who was her Guardian and Authorized by the Orders of the defunct Duke During these Garboils the King seizes upon the
Earl of Valois had hitherto desired it The Swisse denied Francis their Intercession with the Electors the Pope pretended to favor him but he was not either for one or other Year of our Lord 1519 of these two Princes because they were too Potent and if he recommended Francis it was to get the Suffrages from Charles and by this Intrigue to turn their Eyes and Thoughts toward some other German Prince The Electors for the same reason were in suspence a good while at the beginning the Palatine Triers and Brandenburgh seemed to be for Francis and the latter promised to gain the Archbishop of Ments his Brother likewise But when he had singer'd his Money and it came to give their Votes Ments pleaded stoutly for Charles and Brandenburgh seconded him Triers kept his Word The reputation of his Victories in Italy spake advantageously for the King and the War the Turks threatned Germany withal ought to have made him more considerable then Charles who had as yet done nothing and promised but little more But he was not of the German Nation besides the more he seemed to merit the more they feared he would reduce the German Princes to a low condition as his Predecessors had reduced those of France and if there were apprehensions of oppression on either Hand it did not appear so visibly on Charles's side nor seem to be so neer in likelihood from him who was five years younger then the other and of no very promising Genius In fine upon all these considerations and with three hundred thousand Crowns brought even a year before into Germany and not distributed but to good purpose Charles carried it and was elected at Francfort the twentieth of June being at that instant in Spain whither he was gone almost two years before Though King Francis set a good face upon it yet this refusal went to his Heart and he could not but imagine that Charles being Master of so many great Estates would revenge the Injuries done to his Grand-father and those of the House of Burgundy For this reason he applied himself with more care to gain the friendship of the Pope and the King of England but the Pope followed Fortune and invested Charles with the Kingdom of Naples notwithstanding the constitution of his Predecessors which forbid that the said Kingdom and the Empire should be in the same Hand Year of our Lord 1520 The election of Charles of Austria hastned the enterview of the King and Henry of England This was done in the Month of June between Ardres and Guines The two Kings equally Pompous and Vain made their magnificence appear to the highest profusion Francis expended more there then the Emperor did at his Coronation and put his Nobless to great inconveniences who ever imitate their Princes but more readily in their Excess then in their Wisdom This enter-view was called the Camp of Cloath of Gold After they had saluted each other on Horse-back they went into a Pavilion erected expresly with two or three Ministers of State belonging to either King and there talked a few Moments about their Affairs That done they left the care thereof to them and spent ten or twelve days together in Feastings and Turnaments at Nights Francis returned to Ardres and Henry to Guines Before they parted they confirmed their Treaty by solemn Oath upon the the Holy Communion which they received together But soon after Francis who too credulous built already on the Amity of the English might plainly perceive what stress he was to lay upon so jealous and so inconstant a Foundation Charles V. coming from Spain by Sea to the Low-Countries that from thence he might go to Aix to take the Crown passed first over into England and saw Henry with less splendor and perhaps more Fruit then he For the King of England promis'd him that in case any Difference hapned between him and Francis he would be Arbitrator and declare himself Enemy to him that would not stand to his Award or Judgment His Intention was not to joyn with either the one or the other but to keep himself in the midst and be sought to by them both giving them to understand that he could make the Ballance sway to that side he turned to As he seemed to point out to King Francis at their late enter-view at Ardres where over his Tent Door he had caused the Figure of an Archer to be placed with these Words He that accompanies or joyns with him is Master This was the Method he used all his Life The two and twentieth of October Charles was crowned at Aix la Chapelle and assigned a Diet at Wormes for the Month of January following In the mean time not staying for the Judgment of of the Assembly being at Colen he condemned Year of our Lord 1520 Year of our Lord 1520 Luther's Books to the Fire as Heretical but this so hasty proceeding he made more Friends and Defenders then Enemies In revenge Luther without respect either for Pope or Emperor was so confident as to burn the Book of the Decretals which he asserted to be contrary to the Word of God in several Passages he had extracted from them Year of our Lord 1520. 21. The Spaniards grew angry that their King had left them to go into Germany andbesides they could not endure the Government of the Flemmish for after the Death of that memorable Cardinal Ximene he left the Administration of Affairs to the Lord de Chevres They complained that those Strangers heaped up all their fairest Pieces of Gold and that they took into their Hands or sold the greatest Offices and the richest Benefices amongst others the Archbishoprick of Toledo wherewith the Lord de Chevres had provided his Brother Some Grandees of that Country who thought to do their business in the absence of a Prince whom they esteemed of little Courage kindled the Fire and made a League which they called la Sancta Junta Toledo and the greatest Cities came into it and the Chief Officers that commanded their Forces were John de Padillia and Antonio d'Acugno Bishop of Zamora They had a Design of giving the Kingdom of Arragon to Ferdinand Son of that Frederic that died in France and to make him come in with some Colour would marry him to Jane the Frantick Mother of Charles V. whom they siezed upon but whether he doubted the event or stood upon the Honor of keeping his Faith he rejected the proposition and would not stir out of the Castle where Charles V. had left him In the mean while the Vice-Rois of Castille and Arragon with the rest of the King's Servants having armed themselves against the Rebels lopp'd off by little and little the Branches of that Party and then fell'd it almost quite down by the defeat of their united Forces and the deaths of Padillia and the Bishop both slain in that Battle Now whilst the Vice-Rois had drained the Garrisons of most of the Places in Navarre to defend
little while he stole away from his own People who followed Francis de Montagnac Tenzane thinking it had been their Master and made his escape attended only by one Esquire named Pomperan to the Franche-Compte From thence he passed into Germany then thorow the Valley of Trent to Mantua and from that place to Genoa to conferr about the Affairs of the War with Charles de Lanoy Vice-Roy of Naples who had the general Command of the Armies after the Death of Prosper Colomna which happened about the end of this year 1523. In France Conspiracies with Strangers against the State never do any mischief when once they are discovered this bred a great deal of astonishment but produced Year of our Lord 1523 no present evil This great Prince so Wealthy so greatly Allied and so much esteemed by the Sons of War was but a single banished man when out of France No body followed him excepting his domestick Servants and five or six of his particular Friends So that the Emperor who at his first Arrival had given him his choice either to stay there to command his Army or to go into Spain to compleat his Marriage when he perceived that his revolt effected nothing feared he should have only a proscribed Person for his Brother in Law and perswaded him it were better he should stay in Italy We need not doubt but he had formed divers designs in several Provinces of France but no Commotions appearing the King either out of Policy or good nature did not make strict inquiry who were his Accomplices There were not above seven or eight taken into Custody amongst others St. Vallier la Vauguyon and Emard de Prie. St. Vallier was Tried and Condemned to lose his Head but being in the Greve the place of Execution on the Scaffold instead of the mortal stroke he received his pardon It was said that the King sent it not to him till he had robb'd his Daughter Diana as then but Fourteen years of Age of the most precious Jewel she had a very easie exchange for those that value Honour less then Life or make it consist in the Sun-shine of a Favour rather envied then innocent It was now almost a year that the Lord de Lude had bravely defended Fontarabia against the Spaniards Assaults He was so distressed by Famine that it was time to throw in Provisions the Mareschal de Chastillon who was ordered to do it Died by the way La Palice happily performed it and having drawn out the Lord de Lude and the Garrison who had suffered great Fatigues he put in all Fresh-men and for Governor Frauget a Captain of Fifty men at Arms. About the end of the Spring an Army of twenty four thousand Spaniards came and fell into Guyenne by two or three several ways and afterwards joyned Year of our Lord 1523 all in one Body before Bayonne to besiege it The City being weak their fears were great however Lautrec getting in amongst them revived their Hearts and cheered them so that they drew off after three days battering it However they did not lose their labour for bending all their Force against Fontarabia Frauget tamely surrendred it upon their first Assault for punishment whereof he was degraded of his Nobility on a Scaffold in the City of Lyons Cowardize not being worthy of death but of Infamy Neither the Emperor nor the King of England did use that diligence they ought in so great a design as that of tearing all France in pieces The Emperor did not furnish Bourbon with those Forces he had promis'd to seize upon the Dutchy of Burgundy but only twelve thousand Foot who having no Horse were easily beaten off from the Frontiers of Champagne by the Earl of Guise who was Governour there The English did not land till the Month of September the Duke of Norfolk being their General Their Army and that of the Count de Bure made up together neer forty thousand men Lewis de la Tremouille to whom the King had committed the Guard of that Frontier having but few men could only Garrison the Towns They left Terouanne which they had design'd to attaque on the left hand and taking their March between that City and Monstrevil came before Hesdin Knowing the Valiant Pontdormy was got into it they went farther on pass'd the Somme at Bray took Roye and Montdidier and brought a terror even upon Paris which was again revived by the coming in of Charles Duke of Vendosme with some Horse After all they withdrew again upon the first frosty weather yet not all above one third of the English leaving their bones there to pay their Charges When they were entring Picardy Bonnivet pass'd the Mountains The Emperor the Pope and the Venetians had declar'd against the King as we have said nevertheless this great League having but few Forces Bonnivet soon Conquer'd all the Milanois to the Tesin Prosper Colomne did not imagin that the King having so many Irons in the Fire in France should have thoughts of sending an Army into Italy He was much amazed when they inform'd him that Bonnivet was come over the Hills He appeared at the River Tesin with those few men he had to obstruct his getting over But it being Foordable in many place by reason of the great Drowths he soon had notice that the French were on the other side and retreated with his handful of men It was said that if Bonnivet had used that diligence which was requisite he might have overtaken and cut them all in pieces Or at least if he had not amused himself three or four days at Pavia he had made himself Master of Milan This delay gave Prosper time to provide So that Bonnivet lost his time in Besieging it Winter came the Plague crept into his Army and that of the Confederates encreased He was therefore fain to give ground in his turn and retire to Biagras six Leagues on this side of Milan He chose that Post because he might safely wait there for a new re-inforcement having the whole Country behind at his own disposal During these Transactions Pope Adrian died the fourteenth of September and the Cardinal Julius de Medicis cousin German of Leo X. and Son of Julian but born out of Wedlock was elected by the contrivance and other devices and ways usual in the Conclaves He took the name of Clement VII This year began the Chastisement of those who professed the new Reformation Preathed by Luther The Protestants reckon for first Martyrs for so they call them one John le Clerc native of Meaux a Wool-comber and two Augustin Monks of the Country of Brabant le Clerc was Whipt and Brandmarkt on the Shoulder with a Flower de Luce at Meaux for having said that the Pope was Antichrist and was afterwards Burnt at Mets for having beaten down some Images The two Monks suffer'd the like death at Bruxels Luther Sung their Triumphs much gladder to be their Panegyrist than their fellow Sufferer Year of our
Party And the King spared the Lives of some who were so only out of Interest The Montmorencies Cossé and Biron were in the black List but Montmorency's absence he being at Chantilly secured the Lives of his Three Brothers the Prayers and Tears of the beautiful Chasteau-neuf Monsieurs Mistriss saved Cossé his Allie and Biron Great Master of the Ordnance having loaded and levell'd or appointed some Culverins at the Gate of the Arsenal stopt the impetuous Torrent of the Massacrers and let in some of his distressed Friends amongst others James second Son of the Lord de la Force who being then but Ten or Twelve years old had craftily hid himself between his Fathers and his Eldest Brothers Corps Murther'd in bed where they all three lay together When the Admiral was kill'd they threw his Body down into the Court the Duke of Guise who stood below wiped the Blood off which cover'd his Face to know if it were he After that an Italian cut off his Head and carried it to the Queen Mother who causing it to be Embalm'd sent it to the Pope as the Huguenots say The Populace fell upon the unhappy trunck of his Body They first cut off the Hands and Privities then left it on a Dunghil in the afternoon they return to it again dragg'd it three dayes about the Streets then to the River side yet did not throw it in and at last to Montfaucon where they hung it up by the Feet with an Iron Chain and made a Fire underneath which half consumed it This miserable Relick hung there till the Mareschal de Montmorency got some to steal it away in a very dark Night and laid it to rest in his Chappel at Chantilly About Noon on the Sunday the Massacre first began a white-thorn growing in the Church-Yard called Sainct Innocents half wither'd and stript of all its Leaves put forth great store of Blossomes This wonder much heightned the phrensie of the People the Fraternities Marched along with Drums beating and strove who should Massacre most Huguenots in a day the King himself would needs see that Prodigy Most People would have it to be a Miracle and those of either Religions interpreted it to their own advantage The less creduloâ—s attributed it to the nature of the Tree which does many times Blossom when ready to die We might say that the same cause which heated the Peoples Brains and excited them to so much violence and fury was that which heated this Tree likewise whether proceeding from Vapours out of the Earth or the Influence of the Stars and Planets from above It had been resolved in the King and Queens most private Council to charge the Guises with all the Malice and Odium of these Massacres and report that the Admirals Friends intending to revenge the hurt he had received it begot so furious a Sedition that the King could not allay or hinder it and to this effect they had agreed and appointed that they should retire to their own homes as soon as ever the Chiefs of the Huguenots were dispatched Upon this Foot the King had written to all the Governours of Provinces commanding them to assure the People he would not break thâ— Edict of Pacification and in one Letter he said expresly That he was joyned with the King of Navarre and the Prince of Condé to revenge the death of the Admiral his Cousin But the Guises apprehending as they had reason lest the Queen Mother should some time or other lay this Crime to their charge to ruine them insisted so resolutely upon it having the power in their own hands the Catholick Nobility the Duke of Montpensier and the Parisians to back them that they obliged him to change his Note and to send word every where That what had been done was by his Order to prevent the effects Year of our Lord 1572 of that detestable Conspiracy the Admiral and his Friends had plotted to destroy him and all the Royal Family as also the King of Navarre and the Prince of Condé Wherefore upon Tuesday the Third day of the Massacre after hearing of Mass to return solemn thanks to God for the precious Victory obtained over Heresie and commanded Medals should be Coyned to preserve the Memory thereof he went and sat on his Royal Seat of Justice in Parliament where he owned the whole Action Some dayes after he sent orders to that Assembly to employ all the Authority of the Law to justifie it and to that end to proceed immediately without delay to make Process against the Admiral and his accomplices month September and October For this a Chamber or Court was purposely set up during the Vacation by whose Sentence the Admiral was declared Attainted and Convict of the Crime de Lesae Majestatis Chief Head and principal Author of a Conspiracy against the King and his Kingdom ordained that his Body if it could be found if not his Effigies should be drawn upon a Hurdle and hanged upon a Gaâ—lows at the Greve from thence carried to the Gibbet at Mont-faucon all Pictures of him to be mangled and trampled under Foot by the Hang-man his Armes dragged at a Horses Tail about the Streets of Paris his Estate Confiscated his Children declared Plebean and Ignoble Intestable and unworthy to hold any Office Dignity or Estate in the Realm his House of Chastillon razed and an Inscription set up there graved on a Copper Plate containing this whole Sentence and Decree against him It was added that from thence forward upon the Four and Twentieth day of August should be yearly observed a general Procession to render thanks to God for the discovery of that Conspiracy Briquemaut an old Gentleman and Arnaud de Cavagnes a Master of Requests and Chancellour of the Cause being taken after the Butchery in a House where they a while concealed themselves were declared his accomplices and Condemned to the same punishment They were drawn upon a Sledge to the Greve and Executed together with his Fantosme made of Straw in the Mouth of which they did not forget to stick a Tooth-picker The King and Queen Mother stood at a Window in the Town-Hall and beheld the Execution through a Tiffany Vail Two dayes after the King had been in Parliament he put forth an Edict whereby he assured the Huguenots that what had been done was not in hatred to their Religion but to prevent the wicked designes of the Admiral and therefore that every one of them should keep quietly in his own abode and not make any publick Assemblies but at the same time he wrote to the Governors of the Provinces and Cities that they should take the very same Course and Treat them as they had been at Paris During two Months this horrible Tempest run over all France more or less Bloody according to the disposition of the Countries and their Governours It was not so violent in Burgundy and Bretagne because there were few Huguenots nor in Languedoc and Gascongne because they were strong
Man seemed to take no notice of her design but made her hope he would serve her in all things but as he loved himself better yet then the elder Branch of his own House he consulted his own proper advantage Now because he had no right or title of his own to intermedle in the Affairs of the Kingdom he thought it convenient to make use of the Cardinal Charles de Bourbon whom he possessed with the opinion that he was presumptive Heir to the Crown as being nearer by one degree then the King of Navarre his Nephew representation taking no place in a Transversal Line so that this good Man hated his Nephew as his Rival and hugged and look'd upon the Duke of Guise as a powerful Friend who helped him to make out his Right The King was well informed of all these practises by the King of Navarre and the more he found them desirous to keep that Prince at distance the more he thought it his Interest to draw him nearer but to remove and take away all manner of pretence they could have whereby to render him odious to the Catholicks he would willingly have brought him back into the bosom of the Church before he called him to Court. To that end he sent the Duke of Espernon to him who strove to persuade him by Arguments of Interest which ordinarily are most prevalent with Princes but his Ministers and the Consistorians deterr'd him from it and perhaps he apprehended the King did not proceed sincerely and that they only felt his pulse to try whether they could Year of our Lord 1584 divide him from his old Friends Wherefore Plessis Mornay to satisfie their Congregations whom this Conference had hugely allarmed caused it to be publish'd to the great displeasure of the King and the disadvantage even of his own Master For the Leagued began to report that Espernon was not gone thither to convert but to confirm him in his Heresie that he took a pride in continuing obstinate in his Errors and that the King chalking him out the way to oppress the Catholick Princes he would certainly if ever he attained the Crown overturn the ancient Religion They bawled much lowder yet when they were made acquainted that by his means the King was agreed with Montmorency at the very time he was raising Men to fall upon that Mareschal and that shortly after for his sake only had prolonged the time for restitution of those places which had been given to the Huguenots Their Emissaries made this found high amongst the People the Preachers thunder'd it in their Pulpits the Confessors whisper'd it in the Ears of their Penitents and their Libels insinuated the same to all their Readers To these supposed subjects of Declamation they cast in the Protection of Geneva the Order of the Garter sent by Queen Elizabeth to the King and a pretended League made by the Protestants at Magdeburgh for the defence of Gebard Truchses Then after they had stained the honour of the King by all the inventions they could think of they highly recommended the Piety Courage and goodness of the Lorrain Princes whom they termed Bucklers of their Faith and the Fathers of their Country and People month October c. Then having heated the Zealous stirr'd up the Factious and persuaded the Simple they began to rise to list Soldiers hold Assemblies elect private and nameless Chiefs upon whose summons by Ticket such as were enrolled were to meet at certain appointed places to renew the League first at Paris then in the Provinces The Duke of Nevers was he who laboured most to shape it into some form and regular method In a few months it grew formidable and in a condition to declare nothing was wanting to compleat their Authority but a confirmation from the Pope Father Claude Matthew a Jesuit carried the Platform and Memoirs of it to Rome the Cardinal Pelve presented it to his Holiness and the Spanish Cardinals did second it or hugg'd Year of our Lord 1584 it rather as we may say in their Arms. The Pope did not reject it at first but whether he were afraid of allarming the Protestant Princes and offend the King to such a degree as to make him enter into Confederation with them he would not countenance it by any publick Act but thought it enough to entertain them with hopes Besides the cause of Religion the extraordinary oppression of Impost favour'd it extreamly all other pretences and practises of the Grandees had been of little efficacy to move the People had they not been grievously molested The loads that lay upon them were insupportably heavy in comparison of those in former Kings Reigns the King had made Edicts for more then fifty Millions of which not so much as two ever came into his Coffers and the Gifts in this year 1584. amounted to five Millions of Gold Wherefore to satisfie the People upon their menacing Complaints he suppress'd sixty four Edicts which had been verified in Parliament abated seven hundred ☞ thousand Livers of the Tailles moderated his profusion in some measure and erected a Royal Chamber for inquiry into the Accounts of the Financiers Which would have afforded matter of great joy to all honest Men had not the event made it plainly appear that they pursued and inspected those Harpies rather to get some share in their Prey then to hinder the like Depredations for the future Observing how the Guises by their caresses had gained the favour of the People he affected during some Months to appear Popular he shewed himself in publick and with a smiling and gracious Countenance caressed the Deputies from the several Cities and the principal Bourgeois of Paris assisted at the Fraternities and solemn Masses but this borrowed Humour was soon spent and he shrowded himself within his Closet as before month December The Duke of Espernon with some of the Council had made a Party to seize upon the Duke of Guise he had notice of it and retired to his Government of Champagne carrying his Nephew along with him the Cardinal his Brother followed soon after The Spanish Agents took advantage of this juncture and never let them rest till they had made a secret Treaty with them It was negociated at Joinville and concluded the last day of December of this year 1584. It contained a Confederation and League Offensive and Defensive between King Philip and the Catholick Princes for them and for their Heirs to preserve the Catholick Religion as well in France as in the Low-Countries That when the Death of Henry III. should happen the Cardinal de Bourbon should be installed in the Throne and that all Heretical Princes relapsed should for ever be excluded That in such case the new King should renew the Treaty made at Cambray in 1558. should banish Year of our Lord 1584 all Hereticks by publick Edict cause the Decrees of the Council of Trent to be observed renounce both for himself and his Successors all Alliance with the Turk hinder the
Mother he relaxed so far as to gâ—ve Commission to that Princess to go to Espinay find out the Duke of Guise and Treat with him His Order was she should oblige him to lay down his Arms before she entred upon any Negociation on the contrary the Duke of Guises design was to gain time that he might draw his Forces together Which he craftily practised for ten or twelve days together then in short told her neither himself nor Friends would quit their Arms till they were satisfied in their demands and immediately took Horse to meet his Reisters who were then upon the Frontiers Scarce was he out of sight when Rubempre either for not being well paid or for being so by both sides labour'd to debauch the old Cardinal de Bourbon from him no sooner had he a hint of it but he returned in post-haste to prevent it In the mean while the King of Navarre puts forth Manifesto's to shew the justice of his Cause in one of which he offer'd the Duke of Guise to decide this Quarrel between them two Year of our Lord 1585 with such number of Seconds and in such place the Duke would make choice of either within or out of the Kingdom But the Duke was too wary a Man to be picqued with a bravado which would have reduced the general Cause to a particular one he protested he honour'd the Birth and Merits of the King of Navarre that he had no contest against him and that he only concerned and interested himself for defence of the Catholick Religion These Manifesto's however had a great effect upon the Spirits of such as were not then engaged to either Party and brought in great numbers and besides the Forces of the League were beaten and dispersed in divers Provinces the Duke of Montpensier cut off five hundred Men commanded by the Baron de Drou who lived at discretion in his Dutchy of Chastelleraud the Duke of Joyeuse beat along before him the Troops of the Duke d'Elbaeuf from Touraine even to Normandy where they were totally dispersed and Espernon getting on Horseback as soon as he was cured of an Imposthume above his Jaw on the left Cheek pursued four thousand Men who had their Rendezvous about Orleans so smartly that they could never form themselves into a Body The heat of those who had declared for that Party began to cool the Volunteers to retire to their own homes upon pretence of an approaching Peace the Kings Servants to draw many by secret practises and the Huguenots to raise Forces under-hand by the Kings tacite permission The Guises perceiving that such Negociations were ruinous to them and that it was for those very ends they spun out the Treaty to such length address'd a Petition to the King demanded an Edict against the Religionaries and protesting they were joyned together for no other purpose and thereupon rashly break off the Conference mount their Horses and put new warmth and spirit into their Party principally those who dwelt in great Cities and such as were of the Clergy who had most dependance upon Rome The King whom they had made believe that the whole Party was unhing'd and scatter'd fell from the greatest security into the greatest consternation He sends the Queen Mother Order to conclude with them upon any terms whatever For this a Conference was held at Nemours between her and the Duke of Guise Espernon would needs be present fearing lest his Head or his proscription should be one Article of the Treaty and this necessity of the times made that haughty Spirit stoop though contrary to his usual custom but the Duke would take no advantage unless it were to shew him more civility and more respect with design perhaps either to get him on his side or else render him suspected by the King Year of our Lord 1585 They did not only give the Heads of the League that Edict they demanded against the Religionaries this was in the Month of July and the full command of the Armies month July to execute the same but also the Cities of Chaalons St. Disier Reims Toul Verdun Soissons Dijon Beaune St. Esprit Rue in Picardy Dinan and Concarneau in Bretagne To the Cardinals of Bourbon and of Guise the Dukes of Guise of Mayenne and d'Elboeuf each of them a Company of Arquebusiers on Horseback for their Guards an hundred thousand Crowns to build a Citadel at Verdun and double that Sum to pay off the Men they had levied in Germany as likewise a discharge for what Moneys they had taken of the Kings Hitherto the King of Navarre and the Prince of Conde had lain quiet without stirring in appearance the publication of this Agreement gave them cause to League themselves anew with the Mareschal de Montmorency whose ruine must necessarily have followed theirs and to send also into Germany for the raising of Lansquenets and Reisters Now the King being just ready to be crushed betwixt two potent Parties who were going desperately to engage each other could think of no other expedient to avoid that destruction but to draw the King of Navarre to him to serve as a Bulwark against the League He therefore sent some Deputies to tempt him a second time but he could not be wrought upon neither to return to the Communion of the Church of Rome nor to suspend the Exercise of his own Religion for six Months much less to surrender the Cities he held for security He only promised to meet at a Conference with the Queen Mother when they could agree upon the place of Interview Though Orders were given out to prosecute the Huguenots in all parts of the Kingdom nevertheless in several Provinces the Governors knowing the Kings intentions did not much press the execution of the Edict Montmorency and Chastillon restrained Languedoc Matignon made no great haste to do any thing in Guyenne but only took care to prevent the King of Navarre from making any stirs The Huguenots had no other general word but Vive le Roy and white Scarfs with the Flower-de-Luce for their Liveries As to the rest they were weak enough every where unless it were in Daufine and Poitou In Daufine Lesdiguieres who had put all things in order in good time month September and October took Chorges Montelimar and Ambrun and in Poitou and Saintonge the Prince found himself in a capacity to besiege Brouage Whilst he lay before it news was brought him how three Captains had seized on the Year of our Lord 1585 Castle of Anger 's having by a base and cruel piece of treachery kill'd the Governor who was their Friend but they were immediately besieged by the Citizens then by Brissac and Joyeuse The Prince thought it would be a noble exploit to gain a place at that time so considerable he would needs go himself with the best part of his Forces but not willing to abandon the Siege of Brouage he left a small Naval Army there in the Canal and fifteen hundred Men in the
March The following Month of February Matignon besieged the Castle de Castels upon the Garonne at the request of the Parliament of Bourdeaux and sent word to the Duke of Mayenne it was high time to advance towards those parts The Duke after he had taken some small Castles which are not so much as mentioned in the Maps passed the Dordogne at Souillac with a design of besieging Montauban but when he understood it was too well sortified he fell upon certain pitiful beggerly places without name and without defence In the mean while the King of Navarre made them raise the Siege of Castels and the Prince being return'd from England with ten good Ships and fifty thousand Crowns lent him by Queen Elizabeth disengaged Rochel which was in a manner block'd up and surprised Royan which yielded him two hundred thousand Crowns contribution yearly Year of our Lord 1586. March The Sixth of March though amidst the greatest hurry of his Affairs he Married Charlota Daughter of Lewis de la Trimouille and by that means brought into his Party the Duke Claude his Wives Brother and all the Friends of that potent House The Duke of Mayenne lost near two Months time in waiting to surprise the King of Navarre when he should come on this side the Garonne or go to visit the Contess of Guiche with whom he was desperatly in Love and to that purpose had distributed his Horse in several Posts all along his way During this the Prince undertook to ruine the Harbour of Brouage and in effect he sunk so many Hulls of old Ships that he choak'd it and made it as it is yet to this day very difficult and dangerous to enter Matignon does a second time lay Siege before Castels When he was just upon the point of taking it the Duke of Mayenne runs thither to rob him of that honour which increased their enmity and feud The Mareschal pretended Sickness that he might not see the Duke who in the mean time making his approaches to Montsegur which hindred all commerce and passage into Limosin Perigord and Quercy fell realy sick and was carried to Bourdeaux leaving to him the command of his Army During his absence Montsegur surrendred the Fifteenth of May upon composition which was month May. but ill observed month June All along the Month of June the Army lay idle because Matignon jealous the Duke should be in Bourdeaux returned immediately and dismissed the Companies d'Ordonnance When the Duke was well again they joyntly besieged Castillon the Siege was long toilsom and difficult the Soldiers being dissatisfied abandonned the Trenches the Generals were fain to lie themselves there twenty days successively In the end the place was taken they made good their capitulation with the Soldiery but a certain number of the Inhabitants were sent away to the Parliament of Bourdeaux who condemned them to the Gallows The same year the Vicount de Turenne regained it one fair night forcing his way with a Petard which gave the Huguenots occasion to brag that they with two pounds of Powder and in one quarter of an hour did what the League could not but in two Months time and with twenty pieces of Cannon This was all the greatest Captain of the League could perform in nine Months Perhaps it was no fault of his He had no Money for the Clergy within three Months time were grown quite weary of furnishing them and the Pope contributed nothing but his Benedictions He wanted Equipage Artillery and Provisions Ammunition Year of our Lord 1586 and had against him all things that usually ruine the great designs and reputation of Princes for his Troops did often mutiny his Captains quarrel'd with each other his Colleague was jealous and suspicious and the secret or Cabinet Council from whence if we may so speak all those Animal Spirits ought to slow which keep life in an Army mortally envenomed against him He knew this but too well and therefore even trembling with rage he demanded to be dismiss'd and press'd it so home that he obtain'd it The Duke of Guise did in vain urge him by all imaginable Arguments to prevent it he could have wished he would have remained in those Countries either for the reputation of his Party or for fear he should gain the affections of the People of Paris and deprive him of the voluntary Empire he had acquired over that spacious City Whilst he was in Guyenne the Duke of Guise made use of the Army he had on the Frontiers of Champagne to seize the Cities of Raucour and Douzy upon the Duke of Bouillon On the other side the Duke d'Aumale having armed the Picards passionate Leaguers seized on the City of Dourlens and of Pontdormy which is a passage upon the Soan below Pequigny The Favourites jealous to see the whole power of the Sword in the hands of the Guises their Enemies desired the King he would likewise give them such Command which he granted the more willingly as intending to raise them and turn the affections of the Soldiery that way who do more chearfully follow plentiful Tables and favour ☞ the Mother of Rewards then the bravest Captains He had raised an Army that was to purge Auvergne Vezelay Givaudan and from these Countries pass into Daufine this Employment was designed for the Mareschal d'Aumont Joyeuse courted it so eagerly that the King could not deny it him month June He must also give the like to the Duke d'Espernon and withall a Government as well as to Joyeuse who had already that of Normandy The Government of Provence becoming vacant by the death of the Grand Prior he instantly provided him with it This Grand Prior had harbour'd a mortal resentment against a Gentleman named Altovity One day spying him at a Window of an Inn it was at Aix he goes directly up into his Chamber and runs his Sword quite thorough his Body Altovity feeling himself mortally wounded lost all Respect with his Life and plunged his Sword into the Priors Belly Year of our Lord 1586 So many Forces could not be maintained without a prodigious Expence there was Money enough raised to defray it but the Kings luxury and the greediness of the Favourites were such gulfs as swallowed up all Paris had furnished two hundred thousand Crowns for this War this lasted but eight days the alienation of fifty thousand Crowns Revenue belonging to the Clergy very little longer no more then forty thousand Crowns Rent of the Demeasn They would have raised more upon a creation of new Offices and they sent twenty seven Edicts at once to the Parliament which were the Lees and Refuse of such as had been invented by the Italian Brokers for twenty years past But these were all rejected and this attempt served only to discover the weakness and the injustice of the Government The Swiss and the King of Denmark in the first place then the other Protestant Princes of Germany sent to the King a solemn Embassy to desire him to grant
engage them to that unhappy necessity of fortifying themselves against an Authority that was to be employ'd to ruine them Year of our Lord 1587. January c. Notwithstanding the embarras of Factions and an open War the Court of France forbore not to pass the Winter-time merrily in Feasts and Ballets Their greatest grief was they could not compleat one Ballet of a great invention which the Queen Mother brought from Guyenne because they wanted Money The little Court of Year of our Lord 1587 the King of Navarre which was then at Rochel did likewise make a great effort and swell'd if we may so express it like the Frog in Esops Fable that they might not fall short of the Kings in those sumptuous Divertisements During these jollities came news of the Tragical Death of Mary Steward Queen of Scotland whom Queen Elizabeth her Cousin German caused to be beheaded by the common Executioner the Eighteenth of February after she had kept her Prisoner eighteen years The indiscretion of her Friends were no less the cause of her misfortune then the horrible wickedness of her Enemies for as the first sought with violent passion after some plausible pretence to ruine her the other furnished them with divers by contriving every hour some odd design and even conspiracies against Queen Elizabeth so that they made her perish by their over much care and endeavours to save her Sentence had been pronounced against her three Months before Execution During which time the King omitted neither to persuade nor to intreat Queen Elizabeth to forbear that fatal stroke no less prejudicial to all Crowned Heads then shameful to France whereof Mary was Queen Dowager The Leagued however forgot not to caluminate the King for this very business and to accuse him of connivance with Elizabeth and at the same time made use of the horror of that Act to animate their People the more against all the Religionaries month May c. At the return of Spring Joyeuse who was now become one of the hottest Heads of the League went and made War in Poitou He there surprised two Regiments of the Prince of Conde's in the Burrough de la Mothe Saint Herais and after they had surrendred at discretion cut them all off He then took St. Maixan and Tonnay-Charente and that done returned to Court that he might not wholly lose the remainder of his favour But ill-fortune followed him close at Heels Being in the Kings Closet relating his brave feats of War one of his Men came and told him the King of Navarre had defeated one part of his Army and pursued the other as far as la Haye in Touraine Some few days after Catharine the Wife of Henry Earl of Bouchage his Brother who was Sister to the Duke of Espernon sinking into the Grave under the burthen of her pious Austerities the Husband renounced the World and thrust himself into a Convent of Capucins The Duke was very sensibly affected with it but that which vexed him most was that the King redoubled the marks of his affection towards his Rival by Marrying him to Margaret de Foix who having some Alliance with all the Princes of Christendom had been sought for by many She was Daughter of that Lewis de Foix Count of Candale slain at the Siege of Sous-Mieres and Mary Daughter of the Constable de Montmorenâ—y Year of our Lord 1587 Now the Protestants having held a great Assembly at Luneburgh upon the offensive Answer the King returned to their Ambassadors were agreed to send a powerful supply to the Huguenots whose general Rendezvous was in Alsatia Never had they taken Arms with so much heat Mothers carried their own Sons to the Officers to be enroll'd the Sisters sold their very Rings to fit them out and the Country Peasants fill'd them with good cheer wherever they met them month July Upon the general review made nigh Strasburgh the Army was found to be twenty nine Cornets of Reisters making six thousand Horse five thousand Lanskneckts all Pikemen and sixteen thousand Swiss Four thousand were already gone into Daufine to reinforce Lesdiguieres who were all cut in pieces near Vizilles by la Valeta d'Ornane and Mesplez There were besides this two thousand Foot and four thousand French Horse raised by the Duke of Bouillon without counting two thousand Men more of the same Nation who joyned them soon after and eighteen hundred brought by Chastillon To this huge Body there wanted only a Head sufficiently authorised to conduct it Casimir retained the general Command that he might appoint as he found fit but not able to go in Person placed in his stead Fabian Baron de Dona a Gentleman born in Prussia and trusted the Conduct of the Lasquenets with one Doctor Scrogel The Duke of Bouillon was Lieutenant General amongst them for the King of Navarre Anthony de Vienne Clervaut Colonel of the Swiss Chastillon of the French Infantry and John de Chaumont Guitry Mareschal de Camp Dona had a great many good qualities but little credit with the Soldiery Scrogel had yet less the Duke of Bouillon not much more as being yet so very young the other Captains had eternal quarrels with each other nor did the Court omit to foment those seeds of Division and to cast in new ones which caused the destruction of that Body made up of such different pieces month August and September One can hardly express those troubles the King suffer'd in his mind upon the approach of this inundation of strangers After he had strove in vain to satisfy the Duke of Guise who came to him at Meaux he was forced in despite of his unwillingness to resolve upon the War It was named The War of the three Henries because he the King of Navarre and the Duke of Guise were all of that Name To this end he sent for all his Commpanies d'Ordonnance who were to the number of near an hundred and threescore Bands made Levies within his own Kingdom and without and divided his Forces into Three Bodies One he gave to the Duke of Montpensier another Year of our Lord 1987 to the Duke of Guise to guard the Frontiers of Champagne and reserved the other to go in Person and defend the passage over the Loire against the Germans The King of Navarre after the first defeat of Joyeuses's Forces was come to Montsoreau in Touraine to receive the Count de Soissons whom he had drawn to his side upon the hopes of Marrying his only Sister He had designed to have gone from thence to meet the Germans but his Council thought it much better he should go back into Guyenne to give order for the security of his Places and then return by the favour of those Provinces who were friends and so march as far as Burgundy to receive those succors The Confederate Army so were the Germans called having cleared their passage thorough the straits of the Mountains Vosge which the Duke of Lorrain had encumbred eesily entred into the
the frontiers of Lorrain to hinder the Germans from returning any more Espernon having had contest in the Council with Peter d'Espinac Arch-Bishop of Lyons and Villeroy Secretary of State even to the giving them outrageous Language made the King lose those two most important Servants who Declared when occasion offer'd The League was not a little strengthned by it as the Huguenots party was much weakned by the death of the Prince of Condé amongst whose Virtues one cannot tell whether it were Courage or Liberality Generosity or love to Justice or Courtesie month March and Affability that had the preheminence He died the Fifth of March at St. Jean d'Angeli his ordinary Residence being poysonn'd by his own Domestique Servants Year of our Lord 1588 The Judges of the place by an Act above their Power and against all forms of Law involved Charlota-Catherina de la Trimouille his Wife in this crime and made Process against her so far that she had lost her life had she not proved to be great with Child It was of a Son of whom she was happily deliver'd the First day of September six Months after the death of his Father She was afterwards still detained in the same place till King Henry IV. ordered her to appear before the Parliament of Paris who declared her innocent and caused all those proceedings to be burnt as being injurious and not to leave any footsteps for slander It was now above a year and half since the King resolved to make an exemplary punishment of the Heads of the League who had stirred up Seditions and contrived strange Designs even as he verily believed against his own Person They were called the Seize i. e. the Sixteen because they Abetted and Governed that Party month April in the Sixteen Divisions or Wards of the City of Paris The Duke of Guise had left Forty or Fifty Gentlemen with them in his behalf to give them Orders and take care for their defence and these had provided Arms and raised Money privately to be employ'd upon occasion These People informed of the Kings intentions sent to the Duke of Guise to implore he would come to their assistance He was then departed from Nancy and come into Picardy to justify his Cousin the Duke d'Aumale in that Government For having held it by provision in the life-time of the Prince of Condé he would not resign it after his death whilst the Duke of Espernon on whom the King had bestowed it endeavour'd to wrest it out of his hands While the Duke of Guise was at Soissons the King dispatched Believre to sound his intentions but some important Affair having called that Minister back to the King he went away without concluding any thing and promised he should hear news of him within three days and indeed he wrote twice but sent his Letters by the Post instead of an Express Courier so that the Duke might plausibly pretend he did not receive them During these transactions the Sixteen pressing the Duke earnestly to come to their aid because the danger was very nigh he parts from Soissons with only month May. Seven Gentlemen wisely avoids Philibert de la Guiche Grand Master of the Ordnance who went to seek him on behalf of the King and arrives at Paris on Monday the Ninth of May about Noon He alighted at the Filles Repenties where the Queen-Mother at that time was She leads him immediately to the Louvre amidst the croud and acclamations of the Year of our Lord 1588 People who flocked about him as their Protector The King informed of his coming deliberated whether he should put him to death and it was known he had resolved it but whether he had not time to give his positive Orders or whether the sight and presence of so formidable a Person who always kept his hand upon the hilt of his Sword and by his fiery and piercing looks did forewarn them that if they made the least attempt he would fall directly upon the Author of his death they offer'd not to touch his Person This visit was spent in accusations and reproaches on the Kings part and in justifications and most humble submissions on the Dukes part In the Afternoon they had again a long Conference in the Garden of the Tuilleries the Queen-Mother making the Third betwixt those two Paris was full of unknown Faces the Streets and Houses of knots of People buzzing and of confused murmurings and hollow whispers which betokened an approaching Tempest Things could not rest long in such a turbulent posture the Duke was not ignorant they bargained for his Head and the King was told the League designed no less then to make him a Monk and that the Dutchess of Montpensier shewed the very Cizers which were prepared to shave him This was because he had affronted that Widow by discovering some secret defects of hers in his Discourses An Outrage much more unpardonable in respect of Women then any thing beside that can be attempted or that can be done against their Honour The Tenth day of May the King therefore gave Command all strangers should depart the City of Paris and ordered the Houses should be searched against which the Parisians making some resistance he took occasion to send five or six thousand as well French as Swiss into the City by the Gate St. Honoré which was opened to them by two Eschevins The honest Bourgeois could have been glad the King might still be Master yet they did not approve that to seize upon Fifteen or Twenty guilty persons he should put the Capital of the Kingdom in danger of being plundered or turning Rebels and therefore they did not second this so well as they might else have done He posted City Companies and Companies of his Soldiers in divers places The first did him little service the others were beaten off or hemm'd in by the Leaguers who were well prepared for this Attaque The commotion began near the University thence got into the City where about three or fourscore Swiss were knock'd on the Head then Afternoon over all the whole Town the Barricado's being carried on from Street to Street till they had brought them as far as the Louvre and made the Sentinel retire Year of our Lord 1588 The King and Duke did yet dissemble their game though so apparent and felt each others Pulses by Envoyez who brought and carried several Propositions If the Duke of Guise had any other design but to defend himself and his friends it must be granted that he wanted either Courage or Conduct for after that part of Paris which is called the Ville had taken Wild-fire had he follow'd his blow he might have surrounded the Louvre and seized on the Kings Person But he did not press on that opportunity as he might On the contrary being picqued with generosity he went to disingage the Soldiery and sent them back disarmed to the Louvre then some hours afterwards returned their Arms again and entred upon Treaty with the Queen-Mother
side he seized about the end of September upon the City of Carmagnoles and invested the Castle The Lieutenant surrendred it in few days after Salusses Cental and all the other small month September and October places of the Marquisate made but very little or no defence excepting Ravel The Joss was very great to France as well because there was in Carmagnoles an inestimable Magazin of all sorts of Arms and four hundred pieces of Cannon as because that Country was the only passage the French had left them to get into Italy Now as in all misfortunes we still lay the blame on them we most hate the King failed not to accuse the Duke of Guise for this though he appeared to be altogether innocent for he was so far from corresponding with the Duke of Savoy at least at this very time that he was at great variance with him Therefore he profer'd to pass the Alpes and tear this Usurpation again out of his hands and engaged the Estates to declare a War against him Year of our Lord 1588 In the mean time the King tired with the difficulties and troubles that started up every day and which he believed were created by that Duke was often transported month November and December to passion and had thoughts of the extreamest revenge but when those fits were over fell into great astonishments and unexpressible thoughts of despair Nay sometimes he took so much disgust at the burthen of Government that he would needs ease himself and lay the whole weight thereof upon the Queen Mother and during these intervals or weakness of Spirit he seem'd to have an entire confidence in the Duke of Guise even so far as to seal the same with a solemn Oath upon the sacred Mistery of the Altar both having communicated as it was said at the same Table either of them taking one half of the same consecrated Wafer But immediately after the remembrance of things past the fear of what was to come and the never-ceasing reports of the Quarente-cinq who craftily intermixed calumnies with truths bad him repent his weakness gave him new fire to his indignation and made him once for all determine to put him to death Those of his Council and amongst his Servants who had any sence of honour and month December generosity were of opinion he should act King-like and rid his hands of him by ways that were both just and irreprochable The Mareschal d'Aumont would have him brought to Trial and forfeit his Head if he deserv'd it Grillon Mestre de Camp of the Regiment of Guards refused to assassinate him but offer'd to make him draw his Sword assuring the King he would kill him or forfeit his own Life The contrary advice notwithstanding took most with the King and this not so much for any strength of reason as the present disposition and humour he then was in which this exactly suited For we must know that during any great Frosts such as were at this very time and had lasted above three weeks he was hugely tormented with vapours from the Spleen which rendred him extream chagrin and severe Those that were well acquainted knew it very dangerous to offer to disturb him at such Seasons and it is held that Chiverny and Miron had often hinted to the Duke that if he plaid his Game with him whilst he was invaded with those black and pricking fumes he would certainly repent it This resolution could not be kept so private but it was known to many Persons the Duke had notice from above a hundred by word of Mouth and Writing they quoted even the very particular circumstances and all his Friends press'd him to retire the Archbishop of Lyons only was of a contrary sentiment and prevailed above all the rest He made him believe that all those reports and the notices given him came from the King to fright him away so to ruine his Reputation and afterwards make his Process in his absence This Prelat was since reproached that he had thus exposed the life of his Friend only out of fear lest if he left the Court the King would have hindred his promotion to the Cardinal-ship which he hoped would be done at Rome after St. Lucies-day Year of our Lord 1588 The Duke was so imprudent as to lodge within the Castle and thereby exposed month December himself to the mercy of his Enemies and was deprived of the assistance of above five hundred Gentlemen and a thousand other Persons who were his Friends that quarter'd about the Town The better to draw him in the King pretended he must dispatch several weighty Affairs before the Christmas Holidays and gave order all the Council should come thither early the next Morning being the Three and twentieth of December The Council sat in a Hall of the Castle near the Kings Chamber who had his Apartment in the second Story the Queen Mother making use of the first The King had caused little Cells to be built upon one side of his Chamber in those he placed his Quarente-Cinq about four hours after mid-night leading them thither himself with a small Wax light In the morning about Eight of the Clock the Duke being come to the Council-Hall with the Cardinal his Brother the Archbishop of Lyons and some others the King sends for him to come speak with him in his Chamber Nine of those Forty-five who were placed at the entrance of the passage fall upon him some catch him by the Collar others hold him by the Arms and Legs give him twelve or fifteen stabs with their Daggers he shakes them drags them along and used all the efforts of an invincible despair till being thrust into the Reins with a Sword he falls down at whole length with these words Ab thou Traytor Immediately the Mareschal d'Aumont seizes the Cardinal and the Archbishop in the Council Hall and shuts them up in a Garret others in divers places lay hold on the old Cardinal de Bourbon the Dutchess of Nemours the Prince de Joinville the Dukes of Nemours and Elboeuf de Hautefort St. Agnan Bois-Daufin Brissac la Bourdaisiere and Picard the Dukes Secretary At the same instant almost Richelieu Grand Prevost de l'Hostel enters the Council Hall bawling out they would have murther'd the King and lays hands on the President de Nully la Chappelle Morteau Prevost des Merchands two â—sehevins of Paris and Vincent le Roy Lieutenant Civil of the City of Amiens The rest ran forth in great confusion Some made a shift to get to Orleans such as could not make their escape because the Gates were strongly guarded were forced stay behind and cover their apprehensions with a seeming joy Those that had slain the Duke dreading lest the Cardinal should another day demand satisfaction for his Blood sollicited the King with so much vehemence that he consented likewise to his death Two things amongst the rest moved him to determine it the one was they reported he spit forth all the injurious
and a half of Diepe between the two little Hillocks that shut up the Valley where runs the River of Betune of whose Mouth the Sea makes the Port of that City The Duke Lodged on the Hill at the right hand and attaqued the Suburb du Polet whence being repulsed he lay still three days together without attempting any thing The fourth he made a great effort to gain the Kings Retrenchment but having lost five hundred Men he retired and rested quiet two days more after which having decamped and taken a march of seven or eight Leagues he returns of a sudden to Polet and began to batter it but it was at Year of our Lord 1589. September a distance only and very coldly The tenth day he raised the Siege for good and all and retreated a great way into Picardy Besides his slowness and uncertainty there were other clogs no less heavy that hindred him from moving with that force and promptitude requisite in such great Enterprises his Germans and Swiss refused to fight unless he would first pay their Musters and they were hourly ready to fall together by the Ears with the French upon such picques as are ordinary betwixt different Nations Besides all the Commanders of his Army taking the Kings surrender or flight to be unavoidable â—ell already into disputes about the sharing of the Kingdom The Marquiss du Pont believed the Crown was his due the Duke of Nemours the Duke and the Chevalier d'Aumale scoffed at his Pretensions and being possessed against each other with the like jealousies as against him did narrowly watch each others motions This was ☜ it that upon this very first occasion betray'd the weakness of the Duke of Mayenne and the League and gave the Royal Party so mean an opinion of them and so good a one of themselves that after this very day they made no difficulty not only of standing their ground in any place but of following and seeking them with unequal Forces Before we enter any further into this confusion of Troubles it will be sit to note the disposition of France both within and without in respect of the two Parties Pope Sixtus had declared for the League because the first news he had after the death of Henry III. reported they were absolute Masters of the whole Kingdom and he believed that depending upon him they would let him make such a King as should entirely submit the Crown to the Crosier The King of Spain would not determine this grand Quarrel which he might very easily have done had he at first commanded the Duke of Parma to enter France and to joyn with the Duke of Mayenne but his interest was to ruine the Kingdom by their own Contentions and then snatch up some fragments for himself Upon this prospect he never sent but slender assistance to the Duke but with sair promises joyned to a great deal of ostentation And indeed the Duke never had any sincere amity for or strict tie with him but knowing as he thoroughly did his intentions the Forces they lent did often give him more fear and embarass then they did him service The Seigneury of Venice and the Duke of Florence had an interest that there should be a King in France to balance the overgrown power of the Spaniard who too much Year of our Lord 1589. September over-topp'd them Wherefore the Seigneury owned Henry IV. at first dash notwithstanding the oppositions of the Popes Nuncio and the Spanish Ambassador and the Florentine profer'd to lend him three hundred thousand Crowns provided he would make a Match for Mary de Medicis with one of the Princes of his Blood The Duke of Lorrain pretended to the Crown for his Son the Marquiss du Pont but in an Assembly of some Deputies of the Cities in Champagne at Chaumont in Bassigny where he made his demand of it not one gave him their Vote and his Son whom he sent into France with some Forces acquired so little reputation and had moreover such ill fortune amongst the Women that he carried back nothing as 't is said but the Crown of Venus The Duke of Savoy had no less pretensions then the said Marquiss he derived his Title from his Mother Daughter of the great King Francis and that supported with the Alliance of Spain However knowing himself too weak to carry the whole Kingdom he would only have laid his hands upon Provence and Daufine and to that effect sent to the Parliament of Grenoble whom he thought pretty well disposed to favour him by the care of Charles de Simiane d'Albigny to make out his right to them and incline them to own him But he met with no great satisfaction the Parliament replying that his demand concerned the whole Kingdom that therefore he ought to make it to the Estates General in whose determination they would absolutely acquiesce As for the Provinces the Duke of Mercoeur was Master of the better part of Bretagne Normandy Picardy and Champagne were almost all Leaguers Burgundy was kept quiet under the commands of the Duke of Mayenne excepting that in the following year the Count de Tavanes a Royalist took some Castles there from whence he made War upon the Vicount his Brother a passionate friend to the Duke of Mayenne The greater part of Guyenne obey'd the Kings commands there being none but the Cities of Agen Villeneure and Marmande as also some Castles in Agenois and in Quercy who were of the opposite Party The Duke of Mayenne had no doubt drawn all that Province after him had he bestowed the Government upon Biron and not on the Marquiss de Villars his Wives Son who by her importunities made him commit that gross mistake As to the rest the Mareschal de Matignon had retained Bourdeaux Anne de Levis Count de la Voute Limoges some others Perigord and Quercy and the Duke of Espernon Angoulmoâ—s Poitiers on the contrary remained scot-free The Country along the Loire was much embroil'd Berry and Orleannois as also Year of our Lord 1589. September Mayne Perche and Beausse held for the League Touraine and Blesois for the King Montmorency had secured for him that part of Languedoc whereof he was Master having sent him a promise of the Constables Sword but he would not break that Truce he had made with Joyeuse who held the Cities of Narbonne Carcassonne d'Alby Rodes and even that of Toulonze which is capital of the Province with some other lesser places In Provence the Parliament and la Valete made War against each other more out of private animosities then affection to either Party The Duke of Savoy concern'd himself for his own Interest but this year he was employ'd against the Swiss and in the pursute of a design he had conceived of taking the City of Geneva The Duke of Nemours held Lyons and Vienne and d'Albigny Grenoble and some petty Towns for the League Lesdiguieres Head of the Huguenots and Alfonso Dornano Head of the Catholick Royalists being allied
Mareschals Staff to him The Duke who would needs get this prey to make his own Composition the better quarrel'd with him one day in the Streets of Rheims and ran his Sword into his Belly By his death he became Master of Rheims and having withall the Cities of Rocry St. Dizier and Ginville he procured a very advantageous Treaty For they gave him four hundred thousand Crowns in Silver the Government of those Places besides that of Provence The last not so much to gratisie him as to dispossess Espernon and perhaps that they might ruine one another thereby Burgundy which hitherto had remained almost entirely for the Duke of Mayenne began to give him the slip Auxerre Mascon and Avalon broke his Bonds Dijon and Beaulne were upon the point to do the same when he flew thither with his Light-Horse Now perceiving he could contain them no longer by fair he used foul means and severity caused in Dijon the Heads of James Vernes who was the Mayor to be â—ut off and Captain Gau's razed the Suburbs of Beaulnâ— doubled the Garison Year of our Lord 1594 and fill'd up all the Gates excepting one Moreover to preserve the rest of the month November Province he persuaded the Spaniards to make a sudden War on that side Meer necessity kept him yet in Confederacy with those dangerous Friends He knew the Duke of Feria and Diego d'Ibarra imputed all this decadency of Affairs to his treachery which could indeed be justly imputed to nothing but his slowness and irresolution He knew they hated him so mortally that when he went to the Arch-Duke Ernestus after the Siege of Laon they had deliberated to take off his Head as a Traytor and seeing the Arch-Dukes Council would not concur in that point they had essay'd to rid their hands of him by Poyson or by Poniard And indeed some imagin'd it was he who first to revenge himself for their unhandsom Treatments possess'd the Kings Council by such Friends as he had amongst them with the design of declaring War against them and that he had privately made his Treaty with the King However it were the Party was strong enough in Council to persuade him to a Rupture The Huguenots desired it out of that perfect hatred they still bear to the Spaniards The Catholicks to divert the Huguenots from their Contrivances by giving them this satisfaction and such Employments as would have been improper to entrust them withall upon any other Service The honest Frenchmen to unite all hearts together revive their affections for their Country and consound all the remainders of Factions and Cavils about Religion in the more zealous prosecution of this common Quarrel The Politicks in fine to make a strong Revulsion without of that Venom which caused so much mischief within and to employ the Enemies of the Kingdom in quenching a Fire at their own homes in stead of suffering them to blow the Coals continually in France It was therefore resolved in the Kings Council to carry the War into their Country and because Hainault and Artois were known to lie the most exposed to that ruine which must follow upon a Rupture between the two Crowns it was judg'd fit to write to the principal Cities of those Provinces that if they could not prevail with the King of Spain to withdraw his Forces out of the Territories of France and if they did not forbear to make War upon his Subjects and the Cambresians whom he had taken into his protection he was resolved quickly to make them feel the weight of his Arms. It is held that three Persons did more especially inspire the King with this design Gabrielle d'Estree his Mistress Balagny and the Mareschal de Bouillon Gabrielle that Year of our Lord 1594 he might Conquer the Franche-Compte for her Son Caesar Balagny that he might month November plunder Hainault and Artois the Mareschal for two ends the one to maintain himself in the Seigneury of Sedan the other to give an opportunity to Prince Maurice of Nassaw his Brother in Law to fix his Grandeur by securing the liberty of the United-Provinces For we must know that Charlote de le Mark the Mareschals Wife hapning to die some Months before without Children he retained that Principality by vertue said he of a Testamentary Donation she had made to him and the acquisition of the right of the Duke of Montpensier and had very lately betroathed Elizabeth the Sister of Prince Maurice He vaunted of having Correspondents ready to spring their Mines in the Country of Luxembourg Balagny promised to make a great breach in Artois and Sancy was positively confident of prevailing with the Swiss to Conquer the Franche-Compte The Duke of Lorrain too offer'd towards this Expedition four thousand Men commanded by Tremblecour and Aussonville In effect they did enter the Comte at the very beginning of the following year but it was against his interest and contrary to his intention Neither did they do any thing but make some incursions very ruinous to the poor People except it were their taking the little Towns of Vezou Luxeu and Jonville month December The King made his approaches to the Frontiers of Artois imagining to have had some good success there the severity of the Winter brought him back to Paris and almost to a tragical death For the same day he arrived which was the Seven and twentieth of December at six in the Evening while he was in his Mistresses Chamber at the Hostel du Bouchage and stepped forward to embrace Montigny he received a stroke with a Knife on the lower Lip which broke one of his Teeth Immediately they seized upon a young Fellow who was thrusting into the Crowd and by his scared Countenance they knew it must be he had made the attempt His name was John Chastel Son of a Woolen-Draper dwelling before the great Gate of the Palais aged about Nineteen years a melancholy Spirit who said in his Interrogatories That he was prompted to commit this Crime because finding himself laden with hainous and unpardonable Sins and imagining he could not avoid the Torments of Hell he had thought at least to diminish them by this attempt which he believed to be a Meritorious Act for that said he the King not being reconciled to the Church could be nought but a Tyrant He confessed likewise that he had made his Exercises in the Colledge of Clermont under the Jesuits and that Year of our Lord 1594 they had often led him into a Chamber of Meditations where Hell was represented month December with several most frightful Figures This disposition added to the injurious Libels against Henry III. and against the King now Reigning found in the Chamber of John Guignard one of the Fathers of the Society and whereof he was the Author and likewise the remembrance of the zeal which some amongst them had manifested for the interests of Spain and some Maxims their Preachers had published against Kings and against the ancient Laws of the
Beauvais and there together with the trouble for this loss he was forced to suffer the murmurings of his Soldiers who openly affirm'd it was occasioned by his neglect and delay whilst his Mistress for her private interest with-held him at Lyons His choler discharg'd it self upon the Duke of Nevers in a Council held to consider of what was to be done after this loss he said some very picquant things to him wherewith that Duke was so sensibly galled that this Disgrace together with the smart of his Wounds which burst open afresh by the satigues of the Campagne cast him upon his Bed in the Castle of Nesle and deprived him of life about the midst of October To repair this loss of Cambray the King employ'd the Forces he had got together month November to regain la Fere the only place remaining in the Spaniards hands on this side the River Somme and which they could not relieve but with great difficulty He believed it so little stored with Provisions that he reckoned to reduce it to famine before the Spaniards could recruit it or draw their Men together and therefore at first he only thought fit to block it up by two great Forts he built at the end of the Marsh Whilst these were raising he took a Journey to Monceaux to visit his Mistress and from thence returned to the Siege bringing with him the Duke of Mayenne and some Companies he had there Year of our Lord 1596 This Duke having held constant to the protestation so often reiterated by him month January not to make any Accommodation till the King were converted and reconciled to the Church by Authority of the Pope seemed very ready to acknowledge him upon the first certain news of his Absolution In the Kings Council many were of opinion since he had stood it out so very late not to admit him to any Treaty but the King desired at what price soever to put out the remainders of that dreadful Fire of Civil War which did yet smoke and smother in divers places of his Kingdom particularly in Provence and Bretagne and to repair those sad breaches the Spaniards had newly made in Picardy Besides there had otherwhile been some kindness and amity between him and the Duke and he consider'd that Personally he had never offended him That he had given up no one place to the Spaniards That if he Year of our Lord 1596 should run him into despair he would unite inseperately with them and what mischief month January would he not do to France with so many Braves as would follow him since Rosne almost singly had been the cause of such great losses These reflections obliged him not to reject the Duke and besides his Mistress by her intrigues had been above a year endeavouring by degrees to dispose the King to grant him good Conditions This Lady besides her generous inclination which prompted her to do kind offices sought every where to make Friends as well because aspiring to become the Kings lawful Spouse she stood in need of such to bring about the dissolution of Queen Margarets Marriage as because she desired to secure her self of some support in case the King should happen to fail her Now having no reason to hope for any favour from the Princes of the Blood the Huguenots nor the Politicks she endeavour'd to gain this Duke that he might devote himself entirely to her Service By this means he obtained the most honourable Conditions that ever Subject had of his Soveraign but which notwithstanding were very mean to those that had been offer'd him before his Party was scatter'd and when Treating for all those Members joyntly he might still have remained Head of them Year of our Lord 1596 In his Edict dated at Folembray of the Month of January the King spake of him in very favourable terms Acknowledged a Zeal for Religion had been the motive month January of his Actions Applauded and esteemed the affection he had manifested in preserving the Kingdom entire and amongst other Articles Granted him an Oblivion of all things past Acquitted and discharged him of all Moneys received and disposed of Restored him and his to all their Goods and Estates Declared there lay no accusation or charge against the Princes and Princesses of his House toaching the death of the deceased King Promised willingly to hear the demands of the Dukes of Mercoeur and Aumale and suspended the execution of the Judgment given against the last Left him Chalon upon the Soane Seurre and Soissons for Cities of security and the Government of Chalon separately for six years from that of Burgundy to his eldest Son undertook to acquit him of three hundred and fifty thousand Crowns for which he and his Friends were engaged as likewise all other the Debts he had contracted as well in his own name as by being Head of the Party with the Swiss Reisters Lorrainers and other Strangers and obliged himself to put them amongst those of the Crown and to annul all such Obligations as he had entred into for the said purposes Together with this Edict were likewise dispatched those for the Dukes of Joyeuse and the new Duke of Nemours The King granted them some particular Conditions Year of our Lord 1596 and to the former also the Staff of Mareschal of France Some time after month January the Duke of Mayenne going to attend the King at Monceaux was by him received in so obliging a manner as he protested that was the only time the King made an absolute conquest over him and vow'd his Soul should sooner betray his Body then he would forfeit his Faith or his Obedience to so good and so generous a Prince There now remained no more of the Heads of the Shipwrackt Faction but the Duke of Mercoeur the Duumvirs of Marseilles with some small Cities in Provence and the Duke of Espernon who being still obstinate to hold the Government of those Countries seemed as one ready to enter into the League when all the rest were going out of it I will not speak of the divers Exploits that had been done in Bretagne the foregoing year but only how the Royalists besieging the Castle de Comper near Renes the Mareschal d'Aumont their General was kill'd there He was a Person whose Valour had proved stanch in all trials and one of the most zealous and most faithful of the Kings Servants John de Beaumont Lavardin was honoured with his Office of Mareschal The dissipation of the whole Army follow'd the death of their General but the Duke of Mercoeur made no advantage of it because of those suspicions which held him perpetually embroiled with the Spaniards The Province afterwards received some comfort by the three Months Truces which were often prolonged but by the Estates whom St. Luc gave order to be month March and April held at Renes they were again loaden with a most heavy burthen Which was an Impost of Six Crowns per Tun upon all Wines brought thither from abroad
During the Truces the Marquiss de Belle-Isle being gotten into Mount St. Michel intending to surprize it was kill'd by a Captain of his own Party whose name was Ker-Martin He thought that by carrying the Keys of that place to the King he should in recompence have at the least a Mareschals Staff After the Kings intentions were made so manifest to the Provenceaux that they had no room left for doubt the Provisions for the Duke of Guise being registred in Parliament and sortified by a thundring Decree against Espernon and all his Adherents those that had follow'd him only as their Governor forsook him and such others as Year of our Lord 1596 were closest riveted to his interest much shaken Being diffident of every one he month January changed some Governors amongst others Anchot de Mesplez whom he put out of St. Tropez one of his best places In effect Mesplez was the Man for the King who had Orders not only to dispossess him of the Province but also underhand to hinder Lesdiguieres from taking root there Which he shewed plainly enough when Lesdiguieres having besieged Cisteron and being on the point of forcing it he treated with the Governor Ramefort and got into the place with three hundred Men to defend it against him Now although Lesdiguieres did very well know this cross Game was dealt him by a higher hand he omitted not to continue his Services which every where succeeded prosperously and took five or six places more from the Espernonists but when he observed his progress redoubled the jealousies of the Duke of Guise and the Provenceaux and that he could now make no further advantage either as to his own Affairs nor the Kings he returned into Daufine upon some pretence the juncture of those times offer'd him When the Duke of Guise was become Master of all the Forces of the Province he month January and February did alone what he would not have done with a Companion and soon quieted the Province labouring at the same time to drive out the Savoyards and the Duke of Espernon and to reduce the City of Marseilles The Savoyards held yet two places there Grace and Berre he recover'd the first by means of two Captains who kill'd the Commander of it and block'd up the other with two Forts However a while after one Captain Alexander Governor of the last making a great Sally slew all the Men that were in those Redoubts and razed them so that he preserved the place for the Duke till the Treaty of Vervins The Reduction of Marseilles was the more important work several designs which they made trial of for this purpose had all miscarried Famine and Misery had mightily wrought upon and disposed the meaner People to a change but the Duumvirs Lewis d'Aix and Charles de Casaux stood but the more upon their guard and having offended so many People by their violence and severity that they could hope for no security amongst a generation so inclined to Resentment they rather chose to treat with the King of Spain who promised to give them two Dutchies in the Kingdom of Naples then with their natural King They had therefore to this end dispatched three of their Confidents to Madrid and in the mean time had obtained of John Andrea Doria Prince of Malfy a succour of twelve hundred Men brought to them in four Galleys by his Son with hopes of a much greater number in a few days Year of our Lord 1596 This Re-inforcement could not prevent their ruine which proceeded from that month February cause whence they could least expect it that is to say from a Bourgeois named Peter Libertat who was one of the most intimate Friends to Casaux in so much as he had intrusted him with the Guard of the Port Royal. This Man originally a Corsican Valiant daring and one that desired to raise himself by some brave Action having long before prepared his Party treated with the Duke of Guise to receive him into the City provided they would give him the Office of Viguier a Patent of Nobility for him and his the Government of Nostre-Dame de la Garde and fifty thousand Crowns in Silver When he had gotten his Securities they appointed the Seventeenth of February for execution That day the Duke of Guise approached the City within half a League and much nearer yet placed in Ambuscado some Troops commanded by Alamanon In the Morning Lewis d'Aix going out of the Royal Gate as his custom was with some Arquebusiers to search round the Walls Libertat who was there upon the Guard with his People pulls up the Draw-bridge and shuts him out Casaux was within the Town and not knowing they had put this trick upon Lewis d'Aix came with some belonging to him towards the same Gate as usually Libertat goes to meet him charges him and kills him Lewis d'Aix in the interim gets over the Walls being Craned up by a Rope and a Basket draws together a good number of his Friends amongst others the two Sons of Casaux and with these he comes and attaques Libertat and regains the Port. But the Advocate Bernard whom the Duke of Mayenne after his Treaty had sent to the Duumvirs to persuade them to return to their Obedience goes forth into the Street with his Pike in Hand and a white Handkerchief in his Hat followed by five or six noted Citizens crying out Vive le Roy In a quarter of an hour he got near a Thousand Men together and at the same time Alamanon advances from without with three hundred Soldiers upon whose appearance Lewis d'Aix loses courage falls back and gets into the Fort St. Victor the two Sons of Casaux threw themselves into the Fort de la Garde the Spaniards leap into the Water to recover their Galleys and stand off to Sea In fine the Duke of Guise is received into the City and his presence so astonishes those that had Cantonized themselves in their Towers and Forts that they immediately surrendred at discretion Year of our Lord 1596 Thus this great City was brought to its Obedience in less then two hours time without effusion of any other Blood but that of Casaux and three more As to Lewis month February d'Aix and the Sons of Casaux the first escaping by night from his Fort fearing to be deliver'd up by his Soldiers and the others having been turned out of theirs by one of their best Friends who desired to deserve his pardon to their cost they all retired to Genoa where they ended their miserable lives in want and contempt Marseilles reduced the Duke of Guise bent all his Strength against the Duke of Espernon As he was coming to the relief of the Citadel of St. Tropes which Mesplez had besieged de Guise charged him so impetuously that he forced him to repass the River of Argence which he did with so much precipitation that the greater part of his Troops were drowned or knock'd at Head month March As vain were
trial at least three Months Duret was the only Man who maintain'd she was possess'd His great Reputation gave them the confidence to call in other Physicians These were of his opinion and thereupon they once more open the Scene The People ran thither in Multitudes and with Emotion great heats there were for and against it and it was to be feared lest this Oracle should give some Seditious Answers unless they made good haste to stop her Mouth The Parliament therefore put the Possessed into the hands and guard of Lugoli Lieutenant Criminel and the Kings Attorney in the Chastelet for twenty days together and in the mean time appointed eleven Physicians of the most famous of that Faculty to visit her These made their Report they could discover nothing which was above the power of Nature The Preachers notwithstanding cry'd aloud they undertook upon the Jurisdiction of the Church and stifled a miraculous Voice which God had sent amongst them to convince the Hereticks The Parliament was fain to use their Authority and impose Silence upon them and as for Martha they gave Order to Rapin Prevost de Robe Course to convey her back to Râ—morantin and there leave her in the custody of her Father with command she should not stir out of that Town without express leave from the Judge of the place upon pain of Corporal Punishment to either of them The Comedy did not end for all this Alexander de la Rochefoâ—caud Abbot de Sainct Martin and Brother of that Count de Randan who was slain at the Battle Year of our Lord 1599 of Issoire and of Francis Bishop of Clermont afterward a Cardinal stole away this month April wretched Creature by advice of the Bishop as was guessed and carried her to Avignon then to Rome fancying she would act better on that grand Theatre and that he should find more credulity in that place which is the Spring head of Belief But the Agents of France having already pre-possessed the Pope and all that Court with the fear of offending the King those Friends by whom he thought to be there supported failed him and he could meet with none that would believe a thing so contrary to their interest Therefore finding himself mistaken he was forced by Letters humbly to beg pardon of the King and soon after fell sick and died of Grief as it was said for having gone so far to be despised Martha and her Father forsaken of all the World had now no other refuge but an Hospital The Reader will not be displeased if I mention three very great Rarities which were observed in three several Persons this year The one was in Gaspard de Schomberg who had served the King very successfully in his Armies and in some Negociations He was from time to time troubled with sudden and great difficulty of breathing coming one day from Conflans to Paris being near St. Anthonies Gate he was in a moment seized with this difficulty and lost both his Respiration and Life The Chyrurgeon that open'd him to search the Cause found the left side of that Membrane called the Pericardium which encompasseth the Heart and serves as a Bellows to refresh it was turned into a Bony Substance so that it hindred Respiration The second was that in the Country of Mayne was seen a Peasant named Francis Trouillu aged Thirty five years who had a Horn growing upon his Head which began to appear when he was but Seven years old It was shaped almost like that of a Ram only the Wreathings were not spiral but strait and the end bowed inwards toward the Cranium The fore-part of his Head was bald his Beard red and in Tufts such as Painters bestow upon Satyrs He retired to the Woods to hide this monstrous deformity and wrought in the Cole-pits The Mareschal de Laverdin going one day a Hunting his Servants spying this Fellow who fled ran after him and he not uncovering himself to salute their Master they tore off his Cap and so discover'd his Horn. The Mareschal sent him to the King who bestow'd him upon some body that made Money by shewing him to the People This poor Fellow took it so much to Heart to be thus Bear-led about and his shame exposed to the Laughter and Censures of all the World that he soon after died The third Curiosity is the Daughter of a Country Smith of Conflants a Burrough upon the limits of Poitou and Limosin who was three whole years without eating or drinking which proceeded from a Relaxation of the Aesophage after a Year of our Lord 1599 great fit of Sickness in so much as this Maid could not swallow any thing but had a month April horrible aversion for all sorts of Meats and Drinks Neither did she void any Excrements her Belly was quite flat there was nothing but a kind of Parchment Skin covering her Sides she was very cold to the touch in every part of her Body excepting near her Heart but otherwise her Arms and Legs were pretty fleshy her Breast plumpish her Visage passable Hair long and thick walked to and fro without trouble and did all manner of work in the Family as well as any other Now after she had remained three years in this condition some Physicians going thither with Orders from the King to bring her to Paris and her Friends advising her that she might thereby avoid such trouble to endeavour to swallow something she forced down some Broath which having with difficulty for the two or three first times assayed she found good in it and by this means open'd the Conduits of Nourishment and by little and little brought her self to the eating of solid Viands The like had formerly hapned Anno 825. to a Girle under the Empire of Lotaire after she had been three years without swallowing any Food In these years a new and very odd kind of Distemper over-spread Potukia a Province of Poland bordering upon Hungary whence it extended thorough all those Countries It hath its seat in the Hair which it twists together in one or two Locks and at first causes no inconvenience but in some space suppurates and breeds an infinite of Vermine and if they cut them off that acid and fuliginous humour which so entangleth them flows back upon all the parts of the Body and begets cruel Pains Contortions Dislocations Ulcers Exostosae and all the strangest Accidents imaginable Physicians have given it the name of Plica because it hath such effect upon the Hair and that of Cirragra as being a kind of Gout which begins by that odd kind of weaving A Peace being made the Grandees of the Kingdom were but little consider'd in the Administration of Affairs the Council composed all of Men of the Quil desired to bring them lower that they might stand on equal ground Those that had been of the League were so well treated as to have no just cause of complaint but rather gave a jealousie to the others As for the Duke of Mayenne
his Eyes sunk inwards his Head little and no doubt ill furnished with Brains his extravagant Designs his giddy Conduct and the foolish Passion he had for gaming losing in one year above Five hundred thousand Crowns were infallible marks of it The King bestowed the Government of Burgundy on the Daufin and the Lieutenancy on Bellegarde during his Minority The Death of Biron put out all the remaining Sparkles of the Conspiracy if any were yet alive his Friends and Relations bemoaned his Death but durst not murmur his Confederates knowing he had said nothing against them and being certain they had not written any thing for amongst his Papers they found no Letters but his own reassured themselves and that more especially because the King made as if he had no knowledge of their Practises the King of Spain nor Duke of Savoy dared not make any attempt now whose Ambassadors were not the last that Congratulated the King for his having detected this Conspiracy He let them understand he very well knew their evil Disposition towards him but yet assured them he would not break the Peace but he denied to grant Passage by this Bridge de Gresin to their Milan Forces before he had thorowly inform'd himself of all this grand Affair Their Design as they gave out was to pass into Flanders nevertheless he suspected they were brought thither only to favour the Enterprize of the Mareschal de Biron and apprehended when he was first taken lest they should have exasperated his Confederates by despair Upon this consideration and to keep Burgundy in obedience he had sent thither the Mareschal de Lavardin with some Forces So that those who held the Castles of Dijon and Aussonne after they had used threatnings four or five days talked no more but of submitting when they perceived him in a condition to force them The Fidelity no less than the Courage of this Lord was well known to the King upon many Trials therefore for some time past he had taken delight in bestowing the Noblest employments upon him to eclipse the glory of Biron month July Edme de Malain Baron de Lux Lieutenant in the Government of this Province acquainted with the utmost Practises of the Conspiracy was so wise and fortunate as not to lose himself He trusted to the Mercy of the King came to him and disclosed all Wherefore he Pardon'd him without any reservation passed his Oblivion in the Parliament of Paris and in the Parliament of Burgundy and left him in his Command Year of our Lord 1602 The Baron de Fontenelles of the House of Beaumanoir and René de Marcc-Monibarot month August and Septemb. Governor of Renes were apprehended as Confederates with Biron The Grand Council having a Commission to try the first condemned him to be Drawn on a Hurdle to the Greve and there to be Broken alive upon the Wheel and sent two or three of his People to the Gallows The Cruelties this Gentleman had committed in Bretagne during the Leagne and the obstinacy he had shewed for that Party did not a little help to aggravate his Punishment On the contrary the Services which Montbarot had done the King in that same Province did much contribute towards his justification The Count d'Auvergne remained but Two Months in the Bastille after the Death of Biron the King set him at Liberty and also received him into his Favour He had a Powerful Intercessor month October in his Sister the Marchioness of Verneüil and moreover he owned all he knew The Mareschal de Bouillon thought it more safe to be at large and to justifie himself at distance He consider'd that Rosny jealous of the too great credit he had amongst the Huguenots did him ill offices at Court and he had reason had he been never so innocent to apprehend the Indignation of the King because at Poitiers that Prince having told him of his Practices he retorted again too confidently and in such a manner as is justly accounted Criminal towards a Soveraign Thus far from coming upon the King's Commands he went and presented himself at the Cambre my-Partie of Castres offering to justifie himself there for he pretended they were his Natural Judges because his Vicounty of Turenne is within the Jurisdiction of the Parliament of Toulouze whereof the Chamber of Castres is a Member How-ever it were he drew from them an Act of Comparition for which the King was very angry with them Passing by Montpellier he engaged the Reformed Churches of Languedoc to write in favour of him to the King then finding no place of Security in France he went to Geneva and from thence into Germany where having perswaded the Protestant month October Princes of his Innocency and craved the intercession of Queen Elizabeth he gave his Enemies more cause to animate the King against him Towards the end of this year the King discover'd how the Prince of Joinwille month December had suffer'd himself to be circumvented by the Spaniards and negociated some Contract or Colligation with them by means of Philip d'Anglure Guyonvelle a Lord Franc-Comtois He caused him therefore to be apprehended but when he found there was more of Puerility and Wantonness than Malice in his Transactions he would not put the young Prince in Prison he only put him into the Custody of the Duke of Guise his eldest Brother that he might teach him more Wit Amidst so many Inquietudes and Alarms the Court tasted some little joy at the reception they made for the Swiss and Grison Ambassadors who came to Paris to Swear their renewed Alliance with the Crown They were in number Forty two Sagner Advoyé of Berne was their Orator They arrived at Paris the Fourteenth of October and stay'd there Thirteen days The manner of their Reception their Lodging the Feasts that were made for them the Ceremonies they used at their Swearing the Alliance in the Church of Nostre-Dame which was performed the Two and twentieth of October the Presents which the King bestow'd on each of them were just the very same things as we have seen these latter years upon the like occasion and are withal more proper to fill up a Ceremonial than a History But it is remarkable that at the Treat was given them in the Archbishoprick after they had taken the Oaths the King who had dined apart came into the Hall where they were sitting accompanied by the Cardinals de Joyeuse and de Gondy and some other Lords and presenting himself at the end of the Table without sitting nor yet suffering any of them to rise drank to the health of his Comperes or Gossips and obliged the two Cardinals to do the like The Ambassadours received this Honor bare-headed and Pledged him in the same manner About four or five days afterwards they took leave of him having obtained Three things which they earnestly desired The First for the whole Body of the Cantons viz. A Confirmation of the Privileges that had been granted to them in France Of
of particulars without designing or indeed daring to fall upon the whole Body of them The Duke de la Trimouille was he who discovering himself with most Confidence rendred himself the most Criminal not so much by Actions as by his Discourses His Strength lay in Poitou where he had his Estate and Friends The King to destroy his Credit and his Intelligences thought fit to give the Government to Rosny And to this effect knowing that Malicorne and the Mareschal de Laverdin who had the Reversion the one after the other were content month Novemb. to part with it and that they even offer'd it him for some of his Children he gave them Twenty thousand Crowns reward that he might bestow it on his Super-Intendant A little while before about the beginning of October the Huguenots had held a month October Synod at Gap in Daufiné where they made several Reiglements for their Ecclesiastical Discipline Amongst others That the Word of God should be the sole foundation of their Theology and their Sermons That those Scholastick Disputes wont to be used in their Synods should be sent back to their Schools That they should have no Effigies upon their Tombs nor Coats of Arms or Escutions in their Temples They likewise ordained many things for the maintenance and good order of their Colleges and Academies and for the instituting of Seminaries and Libraries in each Province One of their main ends was to conciliate the Lutherans with the Zuinglians and Calvinists for the first were a more bitter Enemy to these than to the Catholicks themselves they invited therefore some Doctors of the Palatinat who were Calvinists and some others from divers Parts of Germany who were Lutherans month Novemb. to come thither After they had heard them all they thought there could be no better way to suppress and silence the Discords between them than by turning the Heat and Hatred of both Parties against the Pope whom they knew to be their common Foe With this Prospect the more Factious caused it to be decreed that from thenceforward it should be one Article of Faith amongst them That the Pope was the Anti-Christ and in that quality should be inserted in their Confession which should be sent and recommended to all the Protestant Churches in Christendom The Minister Ferrier possessed with an impious and turbulent Ambition was chief Promoter of it The more Prudent amongst them even the great Scaliger condemned this Decree as the monstrous Product of a violent Cabal and acknowledged that the Name of Anti-Christ could no way be suteable or appropriate to Clement VIII who was very moderate towards those of their Religion The Pope's Nuncio and the whole Clergy of France were moved and provoked at it as became them and carried their Complaints to the King who thought himself more concerned and affronted yet than they as by consequence reproaching him that he worshipped the Beast and which was more cut him out very dangerous work at Rome He therefore made use of all his Authority and all the interest he had in those of greatest Credit amongst the Huguenot Party to get them to abolish the said Decree But not being able to persuade them to annul it he did however so order things that it remained unexecuted and only in the Heads of those that forged it Four years after viz. in Anno 1607. the Factious brought it again above-board and got it confirmed in their Assembly at Rochell And for the second time also he hindred the effect of it After his Voyage of Mets the Jesuits earnestly sollicited to be recalled they had grand intrigues at Court they had very potent friends there who urged that none but they were capable to instruct youth and to convert the Huguenots Year of our Lord 1603 Father Cotton who never forsook the Court but preached there with great applause summon'd the King day by day to make good his promise the Nuncio press'd him on behalf of his Holiness Villeroy and Sillery joyned their good Offices but their most prevalent Sollicitor was William Fouquet la Varenne Comptroller General of the Post-Office who from the meanest imployments of the Kings House had raised himself to the Cabinet or Closet by those complaisances and Ministeries which are the most agreeable to the great ones This dextrous Courtier had a huge fancy to enrich and illustrate la Flesche the place of his Nativity and whereof the King had given him the Government he had already set up a Presidial an Election and a Salt-work all of a new Creation the Crown of his desires was now to see a Colledge of Jesuits Established there to this end the King had given him his Palace had assigned eleven thousand Crowns of Revenue and vast Sums of ready Money to build and to maintain it and gave order that his heart and that of his Queen and of all his Successors should be buried in their Church there When his intentions on this Subject were made known there was not one in all the Council that durst open his lips against it He therefore gave them an Edict for their re-establishment Which confirmed them in those Houses from whence they had not been expell'd restored them to those of Lyons and Dijon and to all that belonged to them yet not without several conditions very necessary but which time or favour have easily abolished month September October and November This Edict being not brought to the Parliament till some few dayes before the vacations which begin on the eighth of September the Company put off the business till after Sainct Martins day that it might be considered at more leisure The Chambers Assembled ordered to make most humble remonstrances to the King to let him know the justice and necessity of that Decree or Act by which they had banished the Society The Month of December being pass'd whilst they were drawing it up André Huraud de Maisse who had a Vote in Parliament month Decemb. went thither from the King to hasten them and to let them understand he would have them to do it by word of Mouth and not in Writing contrary to what he had desired of them in the Money-business Upon Christmas Eve the Deputies being admitted into the Kings Closet Achilles de Harlay first President spake for them The weight of his reasons supported by the dignity of so grave a Magistrate and with the force of his Eloquence were enough to have convinced the King had he not been absolutely fixed in his resolution but as he gave Audience to those Gentlemen only to make the Restoration of the Society the more authentique he was not at all moved After his giving thanks to the Members of Parliament with his accustomed benignity for the care they shewed of the common good and for the security of his person he replied that he had well foreseen and considered all those objections and inconveniencies which they laid before him but that they must trust him with the care of providing against those