of Eugenius They did alwaies obiect vnto his Nuncios that it was a shame to gainesay himselfe to ouerthrow the worke of his owne hands and that Dignities had changed the Maximes of conscience Wherefore in the end of Aprill 1463. he made a declaration containing a great repentance of that which hee had done in the Councell of Basill against the Pope i This Bull was directed to the vniuersitie of Collin to the which he wrot many things against Engenius ending with these wordes Haec est nostra sententia filii haec credimus profiteâ—ur haec iam senes et in Apostolatus aeque constituti pro veritate asserimus si qua vel nobis vel aliis conscripsimus aliquando quae huic doctrinae repugnent illa tanquam erronea â—uueneli animo parum pensata iudicia reuocamus atque omnino respuâ—mus and directed it to the Vniuersitie of Collin He excused himselfe by his youth comming but newly from the Schooles the force of the perswasions of so many great prelates whom hee saw banded against Eugenius the example which had seduced him and ignorance which should excuse him thinking not to erre after so many great Doctors and especially of the Schoole of Paris whose reputation was then very famous and of the vniuersities of Germany k Nos homines vt homines errauimus neque imus inficias multa quae diximus scripsimus egimus damnari posse verum non vt Arrius â—â—thyces Macedonius aut Nestorins alia blasphemorum turba ex animo damnatum viam eligimâ—s seducti peccauimus vt Paulus ignoranter persecuti fuimus Ecclesiam Dei Romanam primamque sedem propter quod prostrati ante oculos diuinae pietatis supplices oranâ—us Delicta inuentutis meâ— ignorantias ne memineris pudet erroris paeniteut fecisse vt male dictorum scriptorumque vehe menter poenitet plus scripto quam facto nocuim us Who declared Eugenius vnworthy of Peters chayre for that he had broken and hindered the course of the counsell which he himselfe had called and refused to approue and effect their decrees But that now knowing this Error he coniured all the world to note the distinction betwixt Aeneas Stluius and Pius the second betwixt a priuate man and the great Vicar of Iesus Christ betwixt the errors of a youth without experience and the thoughts of an age touched with the Spirit of God Then hauing made a great repentance of his opinions he published his beliefe of the Popes Authoritie Words of S. Bernard and said of the person of Eugenius the fourth that which S. Bernard had said of Eugenius l Tu es sacer dos magnus summus pontifex tu princeps EpiscoruÌ„ tu haeres Apostolorum tu primatu Abel gilbernatu Noe Patriarchatu AbrahaÌ„ erdine Melchisedech dignitate Aaron auctoritate Moyâ—es iudicata Samuel potetestate Pâ—tâ—us Vnctione Christus Tu es cui claues traditae cui oues creditae sunt Sunt alijquideÌ„ coeli ianitores gregum pastores sed tu tanto dignius quanto differentius vtrumque prae illis nomeÌ„ haereditasti Habentilli signatos sibi greges singuli singulos tibi vniuersi crediti vni sumus Nec modo â—uium sed et pastoruÌ„ tu vnus omniuÌ„ pastor Haec Bernardus ad Eugenium 3. scribit cui supremaÌ„ omnimodam in ecclesia potestatem concedit quod ille in tertio testatur Eugenio hoc nos de quarto omnibus aliis Romanis Pontificibus profitemur the third Thou art the great Priest the Soueraigne pastor the prince of Bishops the Heyre of the Apostles thou art Abel in primacie Noah in gouernment Abraham in the Patriarchat Melchisedech in Order Aaron in Dignitie Moses in Authoritie Samuel in Iustice Peter in Power and Christ in vnction Notwithstanding all these goodly words and the great reasons wherewith the Nucios were armed to let the King know the great wrongs he did vnto himselfe The â—talians called the Council of Basill a conuenticle to breake with the Pope in fauouring the Decrees of a Councell which Rome held to be but a Conuenticle a monopole and Schisme They found not any one in his Councell which thought it fit to breake such holsome Decrees and the King who had been with King Charles his Father at the assembly at Bourges remembred how carefully they had beene examined solemnely published and profitably obserued fiue and twenty whole yeeres The Pragmatick Sanction was a law also for all the accidents of the policie of the Church a soueraigne balme for all the vlcers The summe of the Pragmaticke Sanction which auarice dissolution and ignorance might cause in her members m Frustra iâ—hiberetur inferioribus â—â—ipse qui aluÌ„s debet esse omnium bonerum virtutum exemplar non abstineret Vt enim ille sanctissimus doctissimus Leo Papa inquit totius familia domini status or do nutabit si quod inquiritur in corpore non inuenitur in capite Integritas enim praesidentium salus dignoscitur esse inferiorum Pragm Sanct. tit de collatib ¶ frustr And for that they labour in vaine to keepe the body in health if the head bee sicke it did somewhat restraine the Popes authoritie binding him to hold a Councell euery ten yeares and to obserue the Decrees which should be made yea that which the councell of Basill had made touching the Elections Reseruations and Collations of benefices It did forbid expectatiue graces and citations to the Court of Rome but in certaine great causes and as for Appellations they did no more passe the mountaines the Pope did appoint Iudges vpon the places for Appellants which depended immediately vpon the sea of Rome and as for others they might appeale to the next superiour It tooke from the Pope a great part of the profits of his Chancerie forbidding the payments of vacances and Anuates and reseruing onely the iust fees for expedition of Buls Pope Eugenius considering the consequence of this Decree sent his Nuncios to the Councell of Basill to haue it suspended but the fathers intreated him not to suffer such an abuse any longer then declaring such as should pay them Simoniacall it added that if the Pope did scandalize the Church in contemning the obseruation it should be referred to a Councell n Etsi quod absit Romanus Pontifex qui prae caeteris vniuersalium conciliorum exequi custodire debet canones aduertus hanc sanctionem aliquid facien do ecclesiam scandalizet vt generali concilio deferatur Caeteri vero pro modo culpa iuxta canonicas sancti â—nes per suas superiores digna vltione puniantur Prag Sanct. tit de Annat ¶ Non fiant It would not allow the Pope to make Cardinals after his owne phantasie but with aduise of the other Cardinals that there should not be aboue foure and twenty chosen out of all the churches of Christendome to the end the number should not abase the
the one had beene depriued of his benifice the other two saw their Sisters dishonoured by the voluptuousnes of this Prince y Galeas Duke of Milan defloured the Sister of Charls Viscount master of his ward robe and then gaue her to one of his Mignons to abuse Paul Iou. The conspiracie being resolued and they furnished with courage and armes for the execution they go to him being at the doore of St. Stephens Church in Milan approching neere him He is slaine at the Church doore making shew to salute him Iohn Andrew Lampognano strook him in the windpipe z They write that Lampognano to accustome and incourage himselfe to this execution did euery day stabbe the Dukes picture with a dagger and after his cruell meditations executed his desseigne Ierosme Olgiato in the throat and stomacke and Charles Viscount wounded him in the belly It was impossible to escape presently the Dukes Seruants seazed of them The first being content to die seeing that Galeas was dead cried out as they cut him in peeces After this manner I desire to die Ierosme was taken aliue and being condemned to be fleied and quartered vpon a scaffold aliue he saied making no other repentance for this crime that of so cruell a death the reputation would be perpetuall a Ierosme Olgiati beeing strecht out vpon the scaffold to be quartered said Mors acerba fama perpetua stabit vetus memoria facti Burt. Lib. 5. Hist. Florent A bitter death but a perpetual fame the memory of the fact shall remaine old The King was not so much greeued for the death of Galeas as he had beene for that of Francis Sforce Lewis xi a friend to Francis Sforce the best of his good friendes froÌ„ whom he receiued 500. men at armes and 3000. foot led by Galeas against the league of the Commonweale and to whom he was resolued to retire if he might not haue entred into Paris When as the King saw himselfe freed of one enemy Lewis sends an Ambassador into Scotland he studied what he should do to be reuenged of another and remembring that K. Edward had past the seas for the D. of Bourgundies passions hee desired to cry quittance with him and therfore he sent Robert of Ireland a Scottishman and a Sorbonist with two French Gentlemen to perswade Iames 3. King of Scotland to make warre against England but the Estate of Scotland was so full of bad humours as they could not stir this bodie without danger of an incurable disease b Whilist that a body is found it feeles not the putrified and corrupted humors which are disperced into diuers mebeâ—s but as soone as one part is grieued all gather together run thither It is euen so of states whilst they are in peace but vpon the first trouble any thing that is wicked seditious and rebellious discouers it selfe The King was but seauen yeares old when he succeded to his Father ContentioÌ„ in Scotland for the Regency and the diuision was great to know who should haue the Regencie and Gouernment of the Realme Some were for Queene Marie his Mother Others were for Iames Kenneth and George Douglas Earle of Anguse The Queene caused her selfe to be declared that which she would be they that were for her saied that if they regarded Proximitie there was not any neerer vnto the Sonne then the mother If they did consider the good of the childe not any one could haue more care then she If they could not contend with her in the degree of Proximitie it were indiscretion to call her affection and fidelitie in doubt hauing therein nature for her Caution If they respect the common good the condition of her birth was considerable for that being a stranger no way possest with loue nor passion they should not finde that she would support the one to the preiudice of the other as they might doe which had Alliances Kinsmen and Intelligences within the Realme who carried their dessignes beyond the Kinges life and might builde vpon his toombe As for her the death of her Son could bring her no other fruits but a perpetuall sorrow and therefore she was bound to desire his health and preseruation Kenneth seeing this ScottishmeÌ„ hate the commaund of women stirs vp the people to apprehend the iniurie which was done vnto the Lawes of a Realme which had alwaies detested the rule of Women as contrary to that of nature c Gynecoratis or the gouernment of women is directly against the laws of nature which hath giuen vnto men seâ—ce wisedom arms and commaundment and hath taken it from womeÌ„ and the law of God hath wisely decreed that the woman should bee subiect vnto the man not onely in the gouernment of realms and Empires but also in euery mans priuate family Bodin Lib. 6 cap. 5. and which had seen the raigne of an hundred Kings and not any one of their Daughters that succeeded Shall wee not finde saied hee among so many thousands of men one man that is capaple to commaund men must a Nation which hath no other experience but armes beforced to subiect their swords to the lawes of a distaffe and suffer themselues to be gouerned at the discretion of a woman and of a strange woman d The first woman which opened the waie for the rule of women in Scotland was Mary Stuard and Mary the Daughter of Henry the 8. in England To pacifie this discord they resolued to leaue all matters as they were for a moneth during the which the passions of both parties were but the more enflamed Many within the Realme desired rather to obey the Queene then any other that should be of an equall condition or superior vnto them But as in such occasions a man of credit and authority workes wonders drawing the hearts and opinions of men as he pleaseth Iames Kenneth Archbishop of St. Andrew giuing the Parlament to vnderstand e Cato desirous to let the Romans vnderstand that the commandemeÌ„t of women was shameful spake these wordes vnto them All men coÌ„mand women wee coÌ„mand men and women command vs. Plut. that to giue the authority to the Queene was to contradict the auncient Lawes of the Realme to expose Scotland to dangers and Scottishmen to the scorn of a shamefull gouernment and who should iustifie the reproach which might be made vnto them to commaund men and to be commaunded by women That Scotland neuer knew what the gouernment of women was they found no names in their language to expresse it they had neuer seene woman preside in their Councels nor Parliaments nor to dispose of Iustice nor of the Treasure and that which other Nations call Queene Scotland cals the Kings Wife f The history of ScotlaÌ„d reports the wordes of Iames Kenneth Mairoes nostri adeo erant a cura publica muliaeribus mandanda alieni vt si omnia reruÌ„ vocabula excutias ne mulâ—ebus quidem imperii nomen opud eas
vnto fire but they haue neither the vertue nor the hardnes They found not any spirit well setled that would follow them but euery man stopt his eares at the first brute as if they had been inchantments All were amased i An vniust rash enterprise strikes horror into good men who foresee the miserable euents at the ignorant vulgar holds them fauorable they must stop their cares to their first prâ—positions for if they enter into the soule 〈…〉 it with confusion Claudendae sunt aures malis voelbus et quidem p. imis Nam cum initium fecerunt admissaeque sunt pâ—us audent Sen. at their boldnes and euery man said that fury would draw these wilde Bores into the toyle that the Foxes craft would not free them from the snare The Nobility of Auuergne giue them to vnderstand that if the Kinge came into the Country The declaration of the nobâ—lity of Auuergâ—e they could doe no lesse then to open their gates This name of Kinge and such a King against whâ— they could not arme but the reliques of his victories who had made so great proofes of his valor and courage made the most mutinous to tremble k A Prince whose great actions purchased the name of valiant and wise is alwaies feared and respected This authority disperseth all kind of factions and conspiracies when as carelesnes and contempt giues them life It was an Anuill which would weare all hammers Euery man said vnto the Dauphin I am yours without exception reseruing my duty to the Kings seruice The King could not yet dispatch his affaires with the English The Kinge of England had failed of the assignation made on the first day of May at S. Omer The King armes against the Dauphin to consider of a peace and made himselfe be sought vnto This trouble could not be but to the profit of the enemies of France He resolued to goe himselfe against this conspiracy before that time and the Innouation the auncient Idol m Caesar blamed the Gaules for a curious deâ—iâ—e of Inouations They are said he very inconstant in their opinions most commonly desire change of the French had giuen it more force Hauing fortified the frontiers against the English he aduertised his sonne of his duty but good wordes serue but as oyle to feede the lampe of this yong Princes desires He must vse sharper tearmes to force obedience n Good wordes are of no force to haue a difficult commandement â—bserued He that wil be obeyed in rigorous things must vse seueritie and authoritie So saies Machâ—auel in the third of his Discourses an vnpleasing commaund requires not milde speches He came to Poietiers he sent to the Duke of Bourbon to deliuer him his sonne and to the Duke of Alençon to yeeld him his Townes of Niort and St. Maixant and to both of them to yeeld an account of those combustions to come vnto him and to call their fidellity vnto them They were farre of this storme could not hurt them They were no Children to be afraid of this thunder The Duke of Bourbon would not obey at the first summons without caution for his obedience He had rather haue his absence o To flie iudgement is to confesse the fault but oftentimes the innocâ—nt teach no defence against the persecution of one more mightie but absence a witnesse against him then repent him for his presence He had a good pawne in his possession he had Townes and Subiectes which had sworne to follow his fortune thinking that the war being betwixt the Father and the Sonne all that were actors in it should gaine by it at the least they should be free from danger for the Fathers bounty would refuse nothing to his Sons humility and that oftentimes fidelity was worse rewarded then p There haue beene ages seene so full of confusion as they must haue done ill to reap good If vertue â—ere not of it selfe a great recoÌ„pence to good men they migâ—t haue some reason to repent themselues of doing well when as their condâ—tion is infeâ—iour to that of the wicked rebellion The Duke of Alençon thought he should alwaies haue Niort and St. Maixant to make his peace He had sent la Roche to defend the Castell of St. Maixant S. Maixan taken by the King but the Towne intrencht it selfe and put it selfe in armes against him It was presently assisted with the kinges forces who sent the Admirall Coitiui and la Varenne Seneâ—hall of Poictou thither The Castell being forced la Roche escaped making a shewe to goe for succors and the Captaines which he left within it were hanged The Kinges forces attempted not any Towne but they took it q A Prince that hath to deale with his subiects performes great matters in time how diffâ—cult soeuer Some endured the Cannon and were spoiled Rion and Aigues perces opened their gates at the first summons Clermont and Mont-Ferrand who had neuer giuen eare to the perswasion of the Princes of the league receiued the King The Estates of the Country assemble at Clermont to order this diuision Estates assembled at Clermont which separating the sonne from the father diuided one heart into two The King thinking it fit that a busines of that importance which concerned the safety of them all should be consulted of by many r Although that a soueraigne Prince may resolue of any thing of his own motion yet it is fit hee should commun cate it So Augustus made a pleasing sweet medlâ—y as Dion saitâ— of a Monarchie and a popular state hee appointed this assembly There they represented freely the ruines which threatned the Realme and that the English had occasion to mocke at the boldnes of the Princes of the bloud which had attempted against the head of their house and banded the Sonne against the Father That it was fit euery man should returne to his dutie the King by the way of his bounty and clemencie to them that had offended him by that of iustice to his estate to serue s To raign is to serue Tiberius comprhendâ—d the dutie of a Prince in three words and three kinds of subiects A good Prince who is ordained for the safety of his subiects must serue the Senat serue his subiects in generall and serue euery priuate man To serue the Senate is to follow their Councell to serue all is to procure the publike good and to serue euery man is to do him iustice that demands it the which hee was ordained of God as well as to command and the Princes by that of obedience and repentance with amendment for their faults that although the iustest cause to arme against the Prince were vniust yet the King should consider that a great Prince should apprehend nothing more then to see his subiects ill satisfied t A priuate man is pleased in satisfying himselfe but the condition of a Prince is bound to content his subiects and to saâ—isfiâ—
such as are malecontâ—nt of his actions These reasons pierst the harts of the most distracted The Princes fearing to be abandoned Euery one desires grace of the King their partie growing weake and decreasing dayly they sued for grace vnto the King Hee offered it them by the Earle of Eu who did negotiate their accord and did perswade them to goe to Clermont to receiue his commandement wherevnto they yeelded so as they might bee assured The King was so good as he gloried to be vndeseruedly offended by men who reduced to their duties very profitable hee gaue a pasport for the Duke of Bourbon and Alençon but not for Tremouille Chaumont nor Prye whom hee held to bee the Authors of this trouble and of the assembly at Noion u An assembly at Noion of the Duke of Alencon Anthony of Chabanâ—s Earle of Dampmartin Peter of Amâ—oise Lord of Chaumont Iohn de la Roche Seneshall of Poictou and of the Lord of Tremâ—uille They complaine that they are abandoned and inflame the bloud of this yong Prince in such sort as seeing the Dukes of Bourbon and Alençon returne to conduct him to Clermont hee swore that hee would not goe x A Prince must haue care of them that haue followed him Monstrelet vppon this occasion writes those words When the Daupâ—in vnderstood it hee said vnto the Duke of Bourbon My faire Gossip you haue no thankes to tell how the matter was concluded that the King had not pardoned them of my houshold but would seeke to doe worse When the King saw that he came not that the prefixed day was past and that the English who besieged Harfleu called him into Normandie hee would temporise no longer but suffered his Armie to spoile the Duke of Bourbons Countrie His foreward did besiege and take Vichy Cusset and Varennes yeelded The whole countrie of Rouanna obayed Clermont and Mont-Ferrant persisted in their fidelitie from the which no Towne may in any sort separate y He cannot be held faithfull that for any respect wâ—atsosoeueâ— hath ceased to bee so Senec. it selfe but it presently looseth the glorious title of faithfull The wilfulnes of this Prince ruined the countrey euery man found his desseigne vniust and the affection he bare vnto his seruants vniust the consideration of whom should bee of more force then that of the publicke good for the which they might sometimes straine Iustice it selfe z To obserue Iustice in great maâ—teâ—s they must sometimes leau it in lesser Wherefore the Duke of Bourbon and Alençcon perswaded him to submit this affection to the Kings will and the interest of his seruants to his discretion intreating the Earle of Eu to bee a meanes that the king would be pleased that might bee done at Cusset which was not performed at Clermont The King grants it The Daâ—phin restored to fauour They come and present themselues vnto him bending their knees thrice vnto the ground before they approch beseeching him to pardon them This humilitie a Humilitie only pleades for great peâ—sons Monstrelet speakes in this sort of this pardon Being come into the chamber where the King was they kneeled thrice before they came vnto him and at the third they intreated him with great humilitie to pardon them his indignation did wipe out of the kings heart the feeling of such sensible offences Hee imbraced them and said vnto the Dauphin Lewis you are welcome you haue stayed long goe and rest you we will talke to morrow with you But hee protracted no time to reprehend the Duke of Bourbon Reprehâ—nsion of the D. of Bourbon drawing him a part b Great men will be praised in publike and reprehended in secret he put him in minde of his faults hee notes him the place and the number being fiue hee reprocheth vnto him the iniustice and indiscretion of a designe which sought to put the father vnder the sonnes gouernment adding that if that loue and respect of some did not withhold him hee would make him feele his displeasure What could hee answere The very feeling of his fault did presse him The offender must yeeld to the iustice and the Innocent to the force of the stronger He renues all the vowes of his obedience and affection and submits his will vnto the kings hee commends his bountie so apparant by the number of his offences and so necessarie for them that had offended whose preseruation did serue as an increase to his glorie and a trophee to his clemencie c They to whome the Prince giues life liue not but to the glorie of his clemencie The next day the Dauphin presents himselfe vnto the king who did not entreat him as nurses doe children which flatter them when they fall Hee did let him vnderstand that his fall had carried him to the ineuitable ruine of his honour and fortune if the bountie of a father had not as much will to retire him as the iustice of a king had reason to punish him In a word he said he would cease to be a good father vnto him if hee did not begin to be a better sonne d Hee that is good must striue to be betteâ— for when hee doth not begin to gâ—ow betâ—er theâ— he ends to be good and that he desired not to be held good for not punishing the bad The Dauphin assuring himselfe of his fathers bountie and clemencie speakes no more but for his seruants The Dauphin will not leaue his seruants to whom safe conducts had beene refused The king declared that they had made themselues vnworthy of his grace that they had deserued to bee made an example to others as the authors of this rebellion which had made the wicked impudent and brought good men to despaire Yet there must bee a distinction e A Citizen of Sparta 〈◊〉 Châ—rilaus highly coÌ„mended for 〈◊〉 bounty And how sâ—id hee can hee bee good seeing hee is not seuere vnto the wicked It is as great crueltie to pardon all the world as not to pardon any Senec made betwixt the effects of clemencie and bountie that for their punishment he was contented not to see them and that they should retire themselues vnto their houses The Dauphin held firme against these torrents of his fathers choller lets him know that if there be no grace for his seruants he desires not any for himselfe From this opinion f Opinion is the falling sicknes of the minde that is the Caue which coÌ„taines the windâ— fâ—om whence the tempests of the minde come that is to say disordinate passions which is they Caue from whence the windes issue which torment his soule or rather from the impression which his seruants had giuen him that in being resolute he should haue whatsoeuer hee desired Opinion causeth terrible motions in the soule he drew this yong and rash speech I must then my Lord returne for so I haue promised To whom the King answered coldly Lewis goe if you
He assembled all the Princes The King rewards his serâ—ants Noblemen and Captaines he commended them that had done well z After a victory a Prince must take knowledge of such as haue done him good seruice honor recompence valor blame cowardize Luce orta saith Liui. in his 6. Booke vocatis clafico ad concilium mili tibus Manlius primam ob virtutem Jaudatus donatusque and thanked theÌ„ for the fidelity and proofes which they had showne he made many knightes and gaue to the Lord of Iâ—longe the place of marshall of France and a pension to him that entred first into Pontoise by the breach If the History knew his name she would giue him a murall Crowne and would doe him the like honor as the Parthians did to him that mounted first vpon the walls of Seleucia a The names of such as go to apparant dangers for the publicke safety should not be forgotten in a history and yet they remaine vnknowne 〈◊〉 they be not noted by some other quality then a simple soldier Plutarch remembers the name of Surena who first sealed the wall of the great Citty Seleucia the reason is for that hee was the second among the Parthians next the King The King led the Dauphin to Tartas being assieged by the English and then to Limoges teaching him stil that wisdome and temporising surmount all difficulties The Dauphin besiegeth Tartas and that it is a more excellent thing to settle his estate in peace then to spoile and wast his enemies contry With the instructions and maximes of his father who had giuen him in his infancy good gouernours and in his youth good councellors b Great Princes hauing had good maisters beeing little wise Counsellors being great haue effected great matters he made him capable of the actions of a Prince to command well and to cary the commandements of the King his father into Languedoc to frustrate the practise of the Earle of Armagnac Bastard of Armagnac fauord by Lewis the eleuenth The Bastard c This Bastard was made Admirall of France by Lewis the eleuenth who gaue him the Earledome of Comminge and the gouerment of Guienne whereof bee disposest Iohn Duke of Bourbon his Brother in law of this house aduertised him that the Earle of Armagnack treated of some alliance with the English Ielousie vpon such aduertisements are alwayes excusable and there is nothing that doth so much bind the wisedome of Princes as to foresee that great houses doe not ally themselues against their liking and transport vnto strangers the goods which should remaine in their estates which cannot be carried away without preiudice vnto them Such practises are more easily preuented then broken when they are made The house of Armaignac is ancient ritch and mighty in Guienne and her beginning is found in that of the Crowne of d D. Sancho surnamed the great King of Naturre hauing conquered some land in Gascogne on this side the Pyrenees gaue it vnto Garsias his sonne Earle of Armagnâ—c in the yeare 1013. he made his second sonne Arnold Garcias â—arfe of Estarac whose dissent is entred into the house of Foix and a branch of Candalle Nauarre Iohn 4. Earle of Amagnac Constable of France had bought of Iohn Duke of Bourbon the Earledome of Lisle Iourdain in the yeare 1421. for 38000. crownes of gold of 64. to the marke He had married Isabell of Nauarre The greatnes of his house and that of his alliance made him presume during the troubles of France when as euery man cast his eyes vppon the peeces of her shipwrack to qualifie himselfe Prince by the grace of God and to seeke the allyance of the English by the marriage of his daughter The King who made no difference betwixt treason and such allyances sent Commissioners to make the Earles processe as guilty of high treason hauing offended against the Lawes of France e Marriages treated with strangers without the Kings permission haue been dangerous for them that treates it Valeran of Luxembourg Constable of France was disgract by King Charles the fifth and King Charles the sixth dislikâ— the treaty of the Duke of Berries daughter with the Duke of Lancaster Philistus for this reason was banished out of the estates of Denis King of Sicile which forbids any Nobleman to make any marriage with strangers without the Princes consent The King sent the Dauphin thither who besieged Lisle Iordain and tooke the Earle of Armagnac Earle of Armagnac a prisoner at Lisle Iourdain His sonne fled into Spaine Iohn de Meaux second President of the Parlament of Toulouse had heard the Earle of Armagnac vpon his practise and had drawne from his owne mouth the truth of the principall points He thought that he should be quit for this confession f Natures wel bred are â—asily bound by fauors they would haue corâ—upted Lewis King Charles his father giues him part of the gouernment of the estate and of his affaires by which meanes he was drawne from thoughtes contrary to his duty and the peace of the estate and that the President hauing no other force then that of Iustice could do him no great harme but when hee saw himselfe a prisoner in the Dauphins power hee said that whatsoeuer hee had confest was against his owne conscience and the truth hauing onely spoken it with a desire to recouer his goods which the King had seazed on After hee had expiated this offence in prison the King restored him his liberty giuing the Earledome of Foix for a caution The Dauphin at his returne from this voiage was sent into Normandy with the title of Lieftenant Generall But we must obserue that he was twenty yeares old before he had any gouernment and that the King gaue it him only to disappoint the deseignes of such as would haue drawne him elce-where and did busie themselues more then he himselfe did in the estate wherein he was He chased the English from Deepe The Dauphin takeâ— Deepe and this victory did presently carry the generosity of his courage and the happines of his conduct throughout all the Prouinces of France whereas nothing did diminish the greatnes of this growing reputation but this reason that being sonne to so braue a father it was not strange to see him so valiant The French said that the father had need of such a sonne and the sonne had need of such a father The King glories to haue made him with his owne hand and to see his instructions so well followed he augments his authority and praiseth his command and sends him into Languedoc The Dauphin goes into Languedoc with a thousand Lances whereas his sword made his way He staid not his courage at small g A Prince must flye vanity and seeke the effâ—ct â—f a soâ—lid and true glory nam vt â—â—uitatis est in mem aucupart rumorem omnes vmbras etiam falsae gloriae consectari sic ieiuni est
to submit himselfe to the mildest yoake seeing that hee could not remaine free o The miseries of ciuill diuision reduced Rome to that estate as hauing no hope euer to recouer her liberty she sought for nothing but for the mildest serâ—itude Hee left vnto Henry the name of King onely for all the authoritie was in his hands he gaue to the Earle of Salisbury the Office of Lord Chancellor of England and to Richard Neuell his Sonne the gouernment of Callis He disposed of publike charges as he pleased still giuing them vnto those of his faction In the end the king discouers the Duke of Yorkes designe Queene Margaret his wife who had been aduertised thereof le ts him vnderstand that he did temporise but vntill the partie were made to ceaze both of the king and Realme and among his partisans the king was held but for a Tyrant As if his Raigne had been by vsurpation or constraint p Among many differences betwixt a King and a Tyrant they put this that a King raigns with the loue anâ— consent of the people and a Tyrant rules by constraint The king imparted this to his principall seruants D. of Yorke retires from the Court of England who were of aduise to restraine this great authoritie which the Duke of Yorke had within the Realme The Duke beeing suddenly aduertised thereof retired secretly to Wigmore in Wales Richard Neuell to his Castle of Midleham in the North Countie and Richard Earle of Warwicke to Callis so as the cruell seditions in England grew more violent then before during the which the French spoiled the coasts of Kent and Iames king of Scotland inuited by the same occasion entred by Roxborge The same cause which made this warre ended it q The shaâ—pest Ciuill wars are pacified when as strangers meddle to gaine by them The two parties agree against the third and although the Prince be offended yet it is better to remit the punishment The king of England let the Duke of Yorke vnderstand that the ciuill discord and the bad intelligence which was betwixt them had opened a gate to the enemies to inuade England that the common danger did binde them to vnite their forces to defend it and that hee was contented to forget all matters past vpon hope of a better conduct hereafter English cease their ciuill discords to war against the French excusing himselfe that matters had not alwaies gone directly being impossible for a Prince to obserue all the kinds of Iustice and equitie r Many things vniust of themselues are made iust when they are countenanced by necessitie or profit wherfore Plutark obserues That if there were question to accomplish al the kindes of iustice Iupiter himself might not in that case bee a Prince The Kings intention was allowed by all men the Duke of Yorke being loth to be the author of the ruines of the Realme declared that all his affections tended to his greatnes and quiet and to take away all occasions of doubt He came vnto the King to London with the chiefe of his faction The feare of a forraine warre quenched the ciuill s There is no such indiscretion as to hazard ones own to get another mans and to draw forth the bloud which is needfull for the life of the bodie It is more glorie for a Prince to maintaine himselfe them to grow great Preseruation safety is the essence of an estate profit it but an accessary Mens mindes altered with things past grew milder and all their wills were vnited in one accord for the defence of the Realme detesting the discord which had drawne them into a warre which was not necessarie nor could bee happie and made them a prey and triumph to their auncient enemie But as the fire of sedition is neuer so well quenched but there remaines some sparks in the ashes Troubles renewed in England which kindle again if they be a little blowne that there be alwaies some which delights in troubles for that it is their rest t Seditions commonly are fed supported by three sorts of men First the heads of factions Secondly they that cannot liue in safety in the time of peace Thirdly they which are out of the presse find themselues free from dangers and in danger for that they come not neere them being like vnto those riuers which enter into the sea and doe not mingle their streames the Duke of Yorke and the Earle of Salisburie being retired to their houses after this accord were presently forced to leaue them to reuenge an affront done to the Earle of Warwick at VVestminster where he had been set vpon by the kings guard and forced to saue himselfe by the Riuer of Thames with the hazard of his life They said that Queene Margret was the author thereof being very desirous to ruine the Nobility of England and to ouerthrow the cheefe howses u A King should maintaine great families neither can hee suffer theÌ„ to be wâ—onged but hee shal weaken the greatnes of his maiesty wherof the Nobility is the cheese piller In all estates the Nobles haue beene respected and distinguished from others euen amongst the Thracians the genlâ—emen went only vppon horseback and at Rome Noblemens wiues went in Littors who were the pillers of the Realme The warre began as soone as it was declared The three Richards are in field King Henry hauing leuied great forces comes to York Andrew Trollop who was come from Calleis with the Earle of Warwick thinking to serue the King when as he saw their armes turned against him left the Earle of Warwick to follow the King who in moment scattered his enemies and forced the Duke of York to passe into Holland there to attend vntill his Partisans had raised the ruines of that party Battaile before London whereas K. Henry was defeated Presently after the three heads of the faction returne into England with an intent to vanquish or to dye they present themselues at the gates of London they giue and winne a great Battell whereas the Victors saw tenne thousand men slaine and as many prisoners King Henry who seemed to haue beene raised vp to show the inconstancy of Fortune and the misery and vanity of man remained at the Victors discretion The English remembring that his grandfather had caused King Richard to dye in prison began to acknowledge the iudgements of Gods iustice who punisheth the Children for the offences of their fathers x Henry Earle of Harford and Duke of Lancastre tooke armes against Richard the 2. seazed on him puts him into the Tower of London and caused himselfe to bee crowned King and after that he had forced him to resigne the Crowne hee sent him to Langleâ— where hee was murthered In this great prosperity the make falls from the Dukes face He speakes plainely Duke of York declared Regent that whatsoeuer he had done was grounded vppon the rightes of the house of Yorke the
which belonged vnto him The Parlament did then consider the iustice not the fortune and respected the Maiesty of the King though hee were a prisoner intreating the King to rest satisfyed with the Regency of the Realm and to assure the succession to his house after the death of Henry He accepted the declaration of the Parlament but considering that Queene Margaret had a great Army on foot to set her husband at liberty Battell at Wakefield he resolued to fight with her He gaue her battell at Wakefield against the aduise of his Councell who intreated him to stay vntill the troupes which his sonne Edward Earle of March brought him were arriued Presumption troubleth his spirits with a motion contrary to that of Reason which should haue diswaded him from fighting y The violence of courage is dangerous vppon the point of a battell for it darkens the clearenes of Iudgement doth easily change it to the trouble of reason and to that perturbation which the Philosoph call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â— Some haue written that the Queene caused the head of the Duke of York to bee cut off carrying a Crowne of paper others say it was the Lord Cliffords deed for their forces were not equall although in the courage of the Commanders there was no other difference but that of sexe No no it shall not be said that the Duke of York who had so often fought in France without any other trench or defence then his owne armes is shut vp that he attends a woman and doth not go forth to fight with her He spake this and went forth with 5000. men and met her The Combate in the beginning was terrible and furious The Queen cuts off the Earle of Salisburies head The Queene shewed her selfe among the troupes exhorting the Souldiers to honour glory Richard Duke of York was slaine Richard Earle of Salisbury whose head soon after the Commons who hated him cut off the which with many others of the same faction was set vpon the walles of York to bee a terror and an example to other Rebells After this victory the Queene whose courage was eleuated vppon the apprehension of all sorts of dangers 2. Battell at St. Albons and who held them lesse then the captiuity of her husband resolues to loose her life or to restore him to liberty She goes directly to London and comming to S. Albons she encounters the Earle of Warwick who aduanced to succour his generall with the same courage that she had defeated the Duke of Yorke shee chargeth the Earle of Warwick puts him to rout and frees the King a The excellency of courage shewes it selfe when as the soule is carried beyond all showes and apprehensions of dangers fortitudo contemptrix est timendorum Senec. Epi. 89. Edward Earle of March being aduertised of the death of the Duke of York his father refused not to tread in his steppes and to imbrace the toile Edward Earle of March succeeds the Duke of York his father in his authority from whence he expected his greatnes and glory He staid in the Prouince of Wales and expelled Iasper Earle of Pembrooke The Earle of Warwick ioyned with him and with all their forces he came to London where he was receiued with incredible ioy and acclamations He was one of the goodliest Princes of his time and in great reputation his bounty courage and liberality were powerfull charmes to winne mens hearts the English thinking that hauing him they had all and that their felicity was tyed to the long continuance of his Raigne b A Prince can desire no greater proofes of the affection of his people then when hee beleeues that nothing can saile him so as hee faile not them From thence are come these goodly acclamations Augusto Constantine Dâ—te nobis seruent vestra salus nostra salus â—od Theod lib. 7. tit 20. In te omnia per te omnia Antonine habemus A El. Lamprid Dion reports an excellent one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we haue all in hauing you He is proclaimed King and for that hee would haue no companion in his royalty hee resolues to fight with King Henry and marched directly to York lodging in a little village called Touton Henry being prepared to receiue him would not shew himselfe for that it was Palme sunday desiring to spend that day in the seruice of God but the souldiers seeing themselues so neere would not referre the partie vntill the next day They come to hands the combat continued tenne howers and the victory hauing beene long doubtfull and in ballance betwixt both Armies sodainely inclined to Edward The King and Queene seeing all their troopes put to flight they saued themselues in Scotland with their seruants c The Regent of Scotland led K. Iames the third to meet with King Henry the 6. and Q. Margaret The good reception with the succor which he receiued caused him to restore Barwick to the Realm of Scotland and from thence Margaret passed into France to her father to demand succors Henry the 6. flies into Scotland Edward returned triumphing to London and caused himselfe to be crowned King at Westminster the 28. of Iune 1461. he called a Parlement where all that had bene decreed by King Henry the sixt was reuoked After that Henry had gathered together some forces in Scotland he returnes into England being followed by a great number of his ould seruants The Iustice of his cause gaue him good hope d Hee that hath reason on his side is alwaies accompanied with good hope hee pursues his quarrell with more courage and assurance be exposeth himselfe to all dangers and his subiects serue and succour him more willingly and in all accidents the iustice of his cause doth comfort him but he was repulsed with great dishonor by Iohn Marques of Mountague King Edward beeing aduertised of the practises of Margaret both in France Scotland and England to restore her husband to his crowne he sets guards vpon the Ports and passages of Scotland to stop her entrie but as there is no miserie more insupportable then the remembrance of what we haue been King Henry bare this change of condition so impatiently as not apprehending the danger neither of his life nor of his first captiuitie and not considering that fortune had neuer done him so much good but might doe him more harme e Miseries doe but begin when as they seeme to end There is not any man but may haue more harme then hee hath had good Neminem eo Fortuna pronexit vt non tantum illi minaretur quantum permiserat Sen. Epi. 4. he returned into England in a disguised habite where hee was discouered taken and presented to Edward Hen. the sixt put into the Tower of London who lodged him in the Tower of London If he had thought that he had gone forth as hee did to get the crowne hee would haue giuen him one of copper made fast
the reproch of flying desertioÌ„ horses the honor to remaine in the fight when as they stale away The Earle had none but horsemen he wanted footmen slings f For the inhabitants of the Islands Baleaâ—res called now Maiorca and Minorca had been held most cunning with slings Hee sola gentiâ—rmâ— sunt et vnum ab Infantia studium cibum puer am tre non accipit nisi quem ipsa monstrante percussit Flo. lib. 3. cap. 8. or bowmen to dislodge the French from the hedge and ditch The King retires to Câ—rbeil A hundred men had beene able to force them He had whole troupes remaining neither were the Kinges all broken If hee had Eagles remaining so had hee not to doe with pies g We must alwaies consider in comparing of forces with whom we haue to deale and not regard the number Nonius after the Battell of Pharsalia said vnto Pompey We haue yet seuen Eagles that were good said Pompey If wee were to fight with Parrats or Popingaies but the night made them take another resolution The King was conducted by the Scottish men to Montlehery there to refresh himselfe for hee had past the day without meat or drinke as hee had done some nights before without rest Hee went to Corbeil to his bed the Earle thought that hee would remaine vppon the field and this beleefe was confirmed by the light of fiers which hee saw there long after for the fire falling into a barrell of poulder had burnt some Cartes along the hedge The disorder was great of either side as it happens alwaies in these incounters Inequality of Recompences after the Battell sooner seene then foreseene What victories were gotten and what battells wonne in those dayes without disorder h None but the Romans could brag that they neuer committed error is warre Absit inâ—â—dia verbo et Ciuilia Bell a sileant nunquam ab equite hoste numquaÌ„ a pedite nunquaÌ„ aperta Acie nunquam equis vrique locis laboraâ—imus Tit. Liâ— lib. 9. The king Lost of his horsemen and the Earle footmen and the number of the dead were 3000. Goodmen were honored cowards blamed and runawaies punished But as Princes are men as well in the distribution of Cowards as in the distinction of punishments i In the recompence of merits as well as in punishing of faults Princes doe not alwaies obserue such Iustice and equalitie but they make it knowne that they are men and no Angels some lost their offices for flying who saw others rewarded which fled twenty miles farther There was a man of quality noted in the kings Army who fled to Lusignan and neuer rested and a Bourgundian as farre as Quesnon The field was couered with 3600. men slaine Repast of the Earle of Charolois among the dead bodies They were faine to remoue foure or fiue bodies to set the Earle downe vpon two bottells of straw and to giue him meat It was a Princely table and a millitary feast which he should desire that will iustly and gloriously carry the title of Generall of an Army k Sobriety is one of the parts necessaâ—y to the peâ—fection of a great Captaine The frugality of Iulian the Emperour is much commended in the History Mamertinus in his Panegyric saith that be tooke delight to eat of the prouisions of the Army to bee sâ—ruca by the fiâ—st that came and to drinke of any cup Gaudebat Castrensi cibo ministro obuio et poculo fortuito Amian Marcelinus saith that hee did sometimes eat such things as would haue dist fled a Pioner Et â—mperatori non eâ— pediae ciborsi ex â—egio more sed sub columellis tabernacuâ—is cenaturo pultis pottio pâ—rabat exâ—goâ— etiam munifici fastidienda Gregatio Hee that is called victorious hath nothing about him but bodies dead or dying among which there are some that call for drink What good cheere could he make in a place all couered with horror in an vnseasonable time and in so generall an amazement To them that said hee had the field and that he held it all night He had reason answered the King to lye vppon the field seeing he had neither Towne nor Castell for retreat A word spoken wittily and to purpose did shew wisedome necessary in the Generall of an Army to disguise the aduantages which the ennemy may haue ouer him to make them lesse and to turne them to another sence then they are commonly taken l It is an Argumâ—nt of a settled iudgement to haue wâ—rds able to disguise accidents which happe in such sort as the amazement which may grow may bee turned into resolution The earth trembles an armie is amazed See you not said Sempronius Gracchus how our enemies are amazed the earth shaâ—â—es vnder their feet At the battell of Cerignoles fire fell among the munition The great Captaine taking it for a good presage said Noi habbiamâ— vinto Idâ—io eâ— annuncia manifestamente la victoria dandoci segno che non ci bisogna piu doperare laâ—tilleria Guic. lib. 5. Many thinges obserued in this Incounter shew that executions are not answerable to Councells Obseruations of this Battell and that there is a great difference to fight by discourse and to command in field The order of the battell was changed m The Conduct of warre how discreet and indicioâ— soeuer it bee cannot command accidents But they must haue a care neuer to change the order of the Armie Philippe of Valois lost the battell of Crâ—cy for that he changed the order the Earle of Alencon tooke it ill that the footemen of Genoua were put in the formost rankes It was said they should take breath on the way and the Earle made them to march speedly through the Corne which was high and strong so as his men were so wearied as they had more need to lye downe then to stand And although the Princes had disputed the victory vnto the last point of valour yet knew they not to whom the trophee did belong and they might say that the Earle of Charolois had lost the Battell but the King had not wonne it Night increased the Bourgondians amazement seeing themselues to haue no defences nor trenches Counsells in perplexity but dead carcasses They were in a great perplexity what they should doe euery man found difficulties and o Feare is a Christall glasse which represents all things to be greater more doubtful and difficult and holesome counsels are not well executed by men that are troubled and fearefull Adde this reason of Guiccâ—ard Nelle coâ—e auerâ—e diuenta ogni di maiore ill timore et le diâ—ficulta di chi estato vnâ—o In aduerse fortune the feare grows alwaies greater the difficulties of him that is vanquished feare made them greater then they were They held a Councell along the hedge vppon a peece of timber The Lords of Crequy and Hautbourdin spake of Duke Phillips the Earles father first carying armes at
next day Hee came where also were the Dukes of Berry and Brittanie and the Earle of Charolois the ports were well garded and the approches fortified and the King was in the like feare in the Castle as the Earle of Charolois had beene in the Bulwarke Euery man thought that the Publike weale Treatie of peace concluded at Bois de Vincennes which had beene so much exalted in this league should be preferred before all other conditions of the Treatie But it is a folly to thinke that what is desired of many can succeed when it depends of the affections of few men r Matters done hardly succeede but according to the intent of the first mouers Priuat interests and designes bande against publike intentions and seldom is it seene what all desire is executed by few which haue diuers designes They talked thereof when as all was done The Earle of Charolois had the Townes of either side the riuer of Somme Amiens St. Quentin Corbie Abbeuille the countie of Ponthieu Dourlans St. Requier Creuecaeur Arleux Monstreuil Croton and Mortaigne to bee redeemed for two hundred thousand crownes after the death of the Earle of Charolois The King to retire these Townes had nine monethes before paied foure hundred thousand crownes Monsieur did homage vnto the King for the Duchie of Normandy s Election of thirty six Dâ—â—uties to consult of the remedies of the common-weale and the ease of the people the King promising to coÌ„firme all that should be done by them The Duke of Brittaine held some places in Normandy which he kept still for he said he had contributed more for the charges of the warre then all the rest The Conuocation of the estates was resolued and in the meane time it was held fit to chuse 36. persons Reformation of the disorders of the realme of all the orders of France to prouide with the Earle of Dunois for the disorder of Iustice and the reformation of the estate The King made no difficulty to grant all they demanded reseruing vnto himselfe the liberty to hinder it His intent was to diuide the forces of the league and then to turne ouer his bookes of the sword and dagger t The Emperor Caligula had two secret bookes the one was called the sword and the other the dagger wherein they were noted that should be put to death with those kind of Armes Suet. cap. 49. where were written in red letters their names which had offended him during his retreat into Flanders and his fathers raigne which had followed his brother and the Princes of the league and especially they that had receiued him so easily into Normandy u King Lewis the eleuenth held Normandie the most important Prouince of his Realme he gaue it to his Brother but to delay him it was to faire a peece to giue for a portion Philip de Commines saith he had seene raised in Normandie fourescore and fifteene thousand pound sterling for he would not for any thing haue consented to giue him that Prouince if he had not beene assured of their constancy that held the chiefe places But the Normans who did alwaies thinke that their Country did well deserue a Duke consented to this change for the desire they had to haue a Prince which should remaine within the Prouince There were but three which desired rather to leaue their houses then to change their maister Iustice had greater power in their soules then wisedome The Seneshall of Normandy the Balyfe of Rouen and one named Picard who was afterwards Generall of Normandy The History owes them this testimony of honor x To doe well among men of honor is easie and ordinary but not to suffer himselfe to be transported with the coruptions of the time nor to follow the violent passions of a multitude but to desire the good to dare vndertake it and to effect it in a bad season in the which vice is honored with the recompence of vertue it is an infallible argument of a spirit wonderfully disposed by nature to all good and commendable thinges the which is the more considerable for that there is some difficulties to retire ones selfe out of a presse that runs headlong and that the imitation and example of ill presents it selfe alwaies with much heat At their departure from Bois de Vincennes Departure of the Earle of Charolois euery one to tooke his course the Dukes of Normandy and Brittaine went to Rouen the King did accompany the Earle of Charolois to Villiers the faire They lodged together for a proofe of the confidence they had one of another The King was the weaker hauing but a small troupe but there was order that 200. men at armes should come to accompany him to Paris An act of wisedome as commendable as those of precedent conferences and trusts had beene dangerous for in such occasions there is nothing more safe then not to giue any aduantage to his aduerse party to wrong him y All assurances of friendship faith and promises which may be drawne from an enemy are good and profitable but by reason of the inconstancy of men and time there is none better then so to fit himselfe as he may haue noe meanes to hurt him The Earle of Charolois hearing thereof was troubled and caused his men to arme and stand vpon their gardes z Vppon the suspitioÌ„ which the Earle of Charolois had of this ' troupe Phil. de Com. speaketh thus It is almost impossible that â— great Noblemen can agree together for the reports and iealousies which they haue continually And two great Princes that will entertaine friendship should neuer see one another but send honest and discreet men who shall entertaine them and repaire their errors Morning being come the King bad the Earle farewell and returning with them that came to fetch him he freed him from al subiect to distrust his intentions He entred gloriously into Paris The Kings returne to Paris to haue so happily calmed the storme which threatened him and two daies after his arriuall hee caused them to feast him at supper in the Townehouse The greatest personages were inuited with their wiues hee thanked the Parisiens for their fidelity and constancy in so important an occasion he commended them that had done him good seruice a It is a great content for good men to see how the Prince esteemes their courage and fidelity and among others Robert of Estouteuille to whom he restored the Prouostship of Paris which he had taken away he hauing held it during the raigne of King Charles his father He displaced the first President of Nanterre b When as Lewis II. came vnto the Crowne he made Helias of Tourette first President who dyed soone after and this place was giuen to the President of Nanterre at the suit of Iohn of Bureau a Knight Segneur of Mâ—nglat and gaue that charge to Iohn Dauuet first President of Tholousa he tooke the seales from Moruillier
His bad conduct vnsortunate end well in France ill in Flanders and as the cloudes turne alwayes either into wind or to raine his enterprises ended alwayes in teares or sighes In a word he made a trade of the profession of armes and did not take them to haue peace but to make the warre continue m Whilst that Rome was well gouerned which was vntill the time of the Gracchi there was neuer Captaine nor Souldier which made a trade of war when it was ended euery man returned to his first exercise Aâ—tilliâ—s Regulus being Generall of the Army in the last war against Carthage demanded leaue of the Senate to returne vnto his houses to manure his grounds which his farmors had left wast When as he saw that Councells are not esteemed by Princes but according to the euents He kindles the firebrands of warre hee desired to make his to be allowed by some fauorable occasion He sees the Duke of Bourgondy busie in war against them of Liege he knowes how much the King is offended at the practises and Intelligences which the Dukes of Normandy and Brittaine had with his enemie hee therefore Counsells him to make warre against them to make worke in their owne estates and to kindle a fire in their owne houses to the end they should not haue leisure to cast it against their Neighbours These two Princes in the beginning were great friends n Of great friends are made the greatest ennemies hatred folowes and accompanies friendship Chilon could him that vanted he had no enemies That he should also haue noe friends Plut. but as great hatred growes from great friendship they did so iarre in the diuision of the fruites of the peace as they continued not long together The Duke of Normandies seruants who had serued King Charles the seauenth could not indure the Brittons for companions The Duke of Brittaine would bee respected as the instrument of their good fortune Seeing these two Princes could not remaine Neighbours they would neuer haue beene associated in the Empire o An admirable and sole example of trufriendship Dioclesian and Maxim Emperors entred the Empire together commanded together and lefâ— it with one accord The Duke of Normandy was aduertised that the Duke of Brittanie had a designe not to leaue him and that the Earle of Dammartin vndertooke to lead him into Brittaine Hee was then at Mont St. Catherines attending vntill the preparation which they made for his entry were finished but when hee had sent notice thereof to them of Rouen they would not deferre his entry a minute They set him on horseback without a foot-cloth and led him to the Cathedrall Church in a black veluet gowne where they sware obedience vnto him the Brittons were out of countenance to see their designes made frustrate The King made his profit of this bad intelligence He came into Normandy Normandy yeelded to the King and within few daies forced his brother to depart The Earle of Charrolois was much greeued that this diuision had lost Normandy p Ruines caused by diuision are reparied by coÌ„cord The Dukes of Normandie and Brittanie câ—sidering that they had lost Normandie by their had intâ—lligence reconcile themselues It is impâ—ssible saith Phil. de Com. by this diuisiâ—n that many Noblemen can long liue together if theâ—e be not one head aboue them A Prince hauing command ouer 10000. men and meanes to entertaine thÌ„ is more to bâ—e feared then ten allâ—es confederaâ—s hauing euery one six thousand for that they haue so many things to accord betwixt them as halfe the time iâ— spent before they conclude any thing for hee beleeued that that Prouince being out of the Kings handes hee was weakned a third part Monsieur had no other refuge then Brittaine being poore naked and dispossest which mooued them to pitty that were too weak to releeue him and support him against a Brother who was so great and mighty The Earle of Charrolois was not long in suspence whether the King would hold all that he had promised for hauing sent Imbercourt and Carondolet vnto him to put him in minde of the promise of marriage of his daughter they found that shee was promised to Peter of Bourbon Lord of Beaujeu The King told them that hee would marrie her better cheape then the Earle of Charolois would take her and that Champagne and Brie were too good to bee dismembred from the Crowne If men could iudge as truely as sodainly of all things What should remaine for the prouidence of God to decide Euery man thought that France would neuer escape this Apoplexie which if it did not bring death would at the least end with a Palsey but her destinies were otherwise set downe in the eternall tables of the great God the father of time the true Saturne q The Romans held Sat-rne to bâ—e the God and father of truth and did sacrifice bare-headed vnto him to shew that there is not any thing hidden froÌ„ him which must bee worshipped bare-headed and knowes onely the periods and ends of Estates After the glorie which belongs wholly to his bounty We must commend the Kings wisedome and iudgement who remained so staied in occasions where as the coldest spirits would haue been inflamed to runne vpon their enemies He plaied Sertorius against Metellus r Metellus sought onely to fight Sertorius refusing the Battel cut of his victuals tooke his water froÌ„ him kept him from forrage When he thought to march he staied him when he was lodged he annoyed him in such sort as he forced him to dislodge if he layed siege to any place hee found himselfe besieged through want of victuals France neuer saw so many men assembled to ruine her but she shewed that her foundations were good The forces that were before Paris were so great and so many as they might well be admired both of friends and enemies for it was an apparent demonstration what this Crowne can doe against the conspiracie of all others Yet Paris did feele of this storme long after and was so vnpeopled by this warre and by a plague which happened in August 1467. as the king to repeople it drew strangers thither with great priuiledges as such as had been condemned by iustice Vnpeopling of Paris by the assurance of impunitie and all as the Chronicle saith according to the priuiledge giuen to all banished men remaining in the Townes of S t. Malo and Valenciennes The fidelitie of Paris saued the Estate for if shee had refused entrie vnto the king he was resolued to retire into Suisser-land or to the Duke of Milan It is true that as it happens alwaies in Ciuill warres s In ciuill wars there are but to many occasions offred to be iealous of them of whose loyalty they shâ—ld least doubt Kinsmen grow faithlesse Your seruant may be of that party which you feare M. de M. whereas distrusts and iealousies grow without sowing the religion of secrecie
King by him q It was neuer a wâ—se and aduised resolution to hazard all his fortune and not all his forces and being in danger to loose all if he had been too weake distrust was auailable The Duke commanded the Marshall of Bourgondy who led the foreward Siege of Liege to lodge with in the Citty either with their wills or by force The Pope had a Nuncio within the Citty to end the Controuersies which were in a manner perpetuall betwixt the Bishop and the people who changing his power and forgetting his duty vppon a designe to haue this Bishoprick exhorted the inhabitants to defend themselues and caused them to make a sally with such fury as they that were without had no hope to enter but victors Clearchus made a sally put all his 〈◊〉 in battell then he commanded the gates to be shut and the keyes to be cast ouer the wall to take all hope of entry from the Soldiers vntill they had lost or wenne This Sally was so vnfortunate as he repented him of his Councell and apprehending the danger gets out of the towne and flies away but he was stayed by the Dukes men who promised to them that had taken him to make their profit vsing no speech to him But whilst they contended for their shares in his ransome they came vnto the Duke being at Table who blamed that in publique which he had commended in secret Popes Non cio set at liberty declaring the prize not good and causing the Bishop to come vnto him â—he honored him and caused all his goods to be restored leauing repentance vnto the rest who had not done that without brute which they should haue done s There are some things to be done before they aske if they shall doe them It is the answer which Pompey supping with Anthony in a ship made vnto an officer who told him that he had a good opportunity to be reuenged of them and that if hee would ther should not one remaine before they asked leaue The marshall of Bourgondy and Iâ—bercourt winne the suburbs and march directly to the Towne-gate which stayed not vntill that necessity should force the Inhabitants to demand a peace in mourning gownes t Although the Athenians had no reputation of great courage yet they neuer demanded any accord but in mourning robes prest with extreame necessity vpon their first approch the Deputies present themselues to Parle The beseeged demand a Parle but hope and desire of spoile would not giue them hearing Night surprised the assailants before they were lodged and doth so disorder them as they know not whether to goe but calling one another in confusion they gaue courage to the besieged to make a Salley u Hee that chargeth first by night hath the aduantage for it is alwaiesâ— presumed that he is the strongerâ— flight doth coÌ„monly follow amazement The night hath no shame They arme some for feare others without feare Sallie made by them of Liege and issue out vppon them by diuers places for their walles being razed the yeare before gaue them passage where they slew seauen or eight hundred Foure Canâ—ons discharged against the gate along the great street crye quittance and keep them from comming forth who through fauour of this first Sally had a great desire Yet for all this they that were come forth would not retire into the Towne but barricadoed themselues or as Phillip de Commines saith insconsed themselues with wagons which they had wonne and remained there vntill day Iohn de vilette x In sallies the Commander should alwaies stand firme to maintaine the besieged in their duties by his presence and to fauour their retreat hauing a care that being repulst the enemy doth not enter pel mel with them When as they of Liege had lost their head in the first sally their defence was desperate the sole Commander of the people was hurt and slaine The suburb was kept by the Marshall of Bourgondy who had committed a grosse error hauing giuen no better order for his lodging y The first duty of a good Captaine is to know how to lodge his men For this only respect Hanibal in the iudgement of Phirrhus was the first Captaine of Greece next to Alexander a principall part of the duty of a good Captaine The Prince of Orange was hurt there and in this action the History giues him the glorious surname of a man of vertue as it commends the valour of the Lordes of Lau and Vrfe and reprocheth the contempt of honor to aboue two thousand men who vnder fauour of this night had sacrifized their safeties and honors to flight This first defeat aflicted the Duke and hee would not that the King should haue knowne it if he could haue concealed it amidst so many passions and diuers Interests The Dukes troupes ill intreated in the suburbs Beleeuing that the brute was greater then the losse he went himselfe to tell it him The King was very glad but this ioy was more grounded vppon discretion then iustice for if the Dukes designes had not prospered the King had had cause to repent him and therefore he did apply his spirit to the motions of the Dukes approuing that it is a hard seruitude for a great man to force himselfe to the humors of his inferiour He was aduised to goe and refresh his foreward plunged in the mire besieged with hunger and benummed with cold The Duke sent 300. horse with some victualls to refresh them that were ready to faint z A famished soldier hath neither courage nor force to fight It was a great negligence in the Dukes Captaines to haue ingaged the soldiers so neere the enemy and not prouide to make them eat Asdruball lost his men against Scipio by this defect Vliffes blames Achilles for that hee would lead his men to the warre before they had eaten hauing not eaten of two dayes Hee came also and lodlodged in the midst of the suburbe and the King in a farme halfe a mile off This first night about midnight there was a hot alarme although it were in the heart of a very sharp winter The King shewed himselfe vnto the Towne as soone as the Duke Alarum giuen and the King goes to horse and they were amazed at his diligence the name of King and his presence put the Duke out of countenance a The Duke saith Phil. de Commines held not soe good a countenance as many men wisht for that the King was present tooke the word and authority of Command The Adamant hath no vertue neer vnto the Diamond the King would not seeme other then a King he takes the word and commands what should be done b It is an act of a great Captaine in accidents not forescene to reduce things speedily into order No other but he in so sodaine an accident could haue assured the amazed and that with such iudgement courage and maiesty as
this indisposition hee assembled his Captaines and recommended his sonne vnto them Sicknes death of Scanderbeg whom hee would haue conducted into Pouillia vntill he came to age leauing him vnder the Venetians gouernment And for his last wordes he said vnto him That if he were good he gaue him a Realme most firme and stable if otherwise very weake and feeble yeelding vp his last groanes the 17. of Ianuary 1467. he gaue an amazement to his enemies This Prince with small forces defeated great Armies who beside the good qualities of the mind for Iudgement Conduct and Councell f The Turkes came running about Croy some horsemen went out of the towne by ScaÌ„derbegs commandemeÌ„t the enemy thinking he had been there in person grew amazed and fledde through the mountaines although they were 15000. horse and left the booty they had taken froÌ„ the Scutariens had an admirable strength of body comparable only to that of the ancient Champions Force and dexterity oâ— Scanderbeg Biton g Biton carried a great Bull vppon his shoulders Pauâ—anias Fusius Saluius went lustily vp a ladder with 200. pounds waight in his hands 200. at his feet and as much vpon his shoulders Plinie Seruilius did sight 23. times body to body and was alwaies Victor Plut. Fusius Saluius Seruilius Talking with Ieams Picenin Generall of the Duke of Calabrias Army he did lift him aboue his head like a child of sixe yeares old He had a Cimiterre with the which he had done miraculous deedes as cutting of the head of a Boare at a blow and of a wild Bul which was famous for the ruines it had done in the Country hauing hurt and slaine many that assayled it This dexterity force and agility of body continued all his life and exercise h Exercise doth continue the dexterity and disposition of the body long Philopemen of whom Plutarch speakes was nimble in his age by great exercise made it in the beginning of his age in a manner equall to that it had beene in the prime of his youth After the siege of Croy they presented vnto him in chaines Iouyma and Hedert the Brother and Nephew of Baillaban this representing vnto him the cruelties which they had committed vppon his subiects put him into such choller as hauing not the patience to attend any other hand he cut them both asunder by the wast at one blow He punished them with the like paine that their Prince did punish Christians i Mahomet made one man die as it were of two deathes he made them to be cut off by the wast at a blow of tentimes it happened that hee dyed of two deathes for Chalcondile saith you might see either part liue long after the blow During the Truce he had with Mahomet he sent him this Cymeterre for that he desired to see it hauing heard say that with it he cut any armes asunder The strongest armes of his Country would trye if it were true and finding not the vertue which was ascribed vnto it he sent it back againe disdainefully thanking him for a thing which he held to haue beene better Scanderbeg answered The vertue of my sword depends of mine owne arme which I cannot send him for that I reserue it against mine enemies It was an increase of glory and reputation to the common weale of Venice to see Kings and Realmes vnder their charge But at that time they did an act of prouidence k Prouidence is one of the most apparant effect of wisdome Prudents postumus dicere prouidentes which shewes that wisedome hath long held the helme of that Estate They did adopt for daughter of the common-weale the heyre of Marc Cornare and married her to the King of Cypres after whose death and of the after-birth his sonne she was acknowledged for Queene and made present of her Crowne vnto the Venetians her fathers by adoption From this action followed two diuers effects the one of great ioy to the Venetians the other of extreame afliction to Charlotte of Sauoy the French Queene who by this act saw her Brother as it were exiled from Cipres and seperated from the Queene his wife The History is long and tragicall but thus in breefe By the like accidents that other realmes haue beene made desolate the Crowne of Cipres fell from the house of Lusignan l Iames of Lusignam King of Cypres put Peter his brother to death and being told him that the Genouois were entred into his Pallace with armes had some designe vpon his person hee put many innocent Marchants to death a cruelty which made the Signory of Genoua to arme against him Bolius writes the History at large in the which it had long remained A Fratricide was the cause for Iames of Lusignan hauing put his brother to death to raigne alone added other violences to this cruelty which made him odious to the people and forced the Genouois to arme against him Cruelty makes the Princes of Lusignan odious to reuenge an iniury done vnto certaine Marchants of their Common-weale Hee was dispossest of the Crowne his brothers Children restored to the Realme and he himselfe carried prisoner to Genoua where he had one sonne who was King of Cipres m King Iames of Lusignan had one sonne named Iohn or Iames who was K. of Cypres and Anne married to Lewis Duke of Sauoy sonne to Amidee Iohn had one daughter named Charlotte who was first married to Iohn King of Portugall and after his death to Lewis of Sauoy and this sonne one daughter whom he left sole heire to the Crowne She was married to Lewis of Sauoy sonne to Lewis Duke of Sauoy and to Anne of Cypres Sister to King Iohn Lewis imbarked at Venice to passe into Cipres to take possession of his wife and Realme Iames base sonne to King Iohn Bishop of Nicosia past into Egipt to haue succours from the Soldan of Egipt who made him to be proclaimed King of Cypres Letters of the SouldaÌ„ to the King of Cipres prepared a great Fleet at Sea to goe into Cypres and wrote in these termes to King Lewis Thou art come out of the Westerne parts to possesse another mans Realme in the East and to spoile the heire of his iust inheritance whâ—ch is in thee a foolish enterprise The Iland of Cypres is tributary vnto me and it belongs to me to dispose assure thy selfe if thou dost not dislodge presently thou shalt dye by the sword of Egipt If thou hast a desire to carry away thy wife I am content vpon condition that thou dost not attend a second Summons This barbarous letter deserued no other answer but by the sword n Perswasions are vnprofitable when as Iustice is inferiour to force but Iustice being forced to yeeld vnto tirrany King Lewis by the meanes of the great maister of Rhodes let him vnderstand that by the Christian lawes the Realme did be long vnto the lawful daughter that
facile puellas oculis adiiceret easque deperiret the Earle of Warwick being wounded in so sensible and tender a part began to distaste the seruice which he did him and repenting him of that which he had formerly done hee retired from Court into his Earldome of Warwicke The Earle of Warwick reuolts whereas his hard fortune made him know the difference of his friends b In the disgrace and crosses of fortune friends are knowne Namertes answered him that required a rule to know them by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut. and where he shews that a great courage had rather die reuenged then liue with the reproch of a wrong or an affront The Duke of Clarence the Kings Brother the Archbishop of Yorke and the Marquis of Montague came vnto him Euery one brought his complaint with him and the vlcer he had in his heart against Edward The Earle of Warwick represented vnto them the miserable estate they ranne into if they did not labour to restore King Henry to his Fathers throne and themselues to libertie To binde the Duke of Clarence to this designe hee giues him his Daughter He makes a league with the Duâ— of Clarence Proximitie of bloud did sufficiently binde the other two being his Brethren whose friendship he might account among the sweet fruits of his felicitie c It is a part of the sweetnes felicitie of life to see Telemachus recounting his miseries amoÌ„g which he reports that he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without a broâ—â—er Plut. The partie was made and the resolution taken vpon the consideration of things present to come was that he should goe to Calice and in his absence they should make some stirres in the Prouince of Yorke to the end hee might haue a subiect to come thither and to arme The pretext of rising was for the deniall of some Corne which they of the Earle of Warwicks faction refused to pay for the entertainment of St Leonards Hospitall in Yorke and there were others which did murmure giuing it out that what should serue the poore was spent by great men d Sedition can haue no iust causes but the most apparant are wheâ— as priuate men make their profit of that which belongs to the publike In a word it is inequalitie and Iniustice This refusall did so incense the people Commotion in Yorkshire as in a short time there were fifteene thousand men in armes which marched directly to Yorke to haue reason of them which refused to pay what they ought vnto the Hospitall But when as they found themselues too weake An Armie at the gaâ—es of London being a multitude of seditious and mutenous fellowes who are naturally cowards and hauing no Canon to force an entrie they past to London to demand Iustice of the King with torches of rebellion in their fists e Seâ—ition is alwaies saint and cowardly and cowards are euer most seditioâ—s QuantuÌ„â—abes ad â—ustinendum laboreÌ„ miles tanto ad discordias proÌ„ptior Tac. Hist. Lib. 2. The Earle of Warwick was no sooner aduertised of these broiles but he parted from Calice with the Duke of Clarence and came and ioined with this multitude who wanted not any thing but a head King Henries presence and the Earles did countenance the faction and increase it with a greater number with the which he resolued to giue Battell to recompence the errors ruines and occasion past f Hee that knowes how to giue a Battell recouers â—is reputation if it were blemished it restores him if he be ruined excuseth all errors which he hath coÌ„mitted in warre for a Battell won defaceth all misfortunes reproch of other precedent actions The Earle of Pembroke whom the King of England had sent not to fight but to punish those rebels was put to route and they had the victory Richard Lord Riuers father to Queene Elizabeth and his sonne Iohn Wooduille with some other Gentlemen lost their heads The King sought to make some accord with the Earle of Warwicke and vpon the assurance which he gaue him neglected to keep good gard in his Campe the which should not bee omitted euen among friends Loue goes naked by day and armed by night g Crates said that loue went al day naked but at night hee caried a Cuirasse that a prince which trusts in the loue of his subiects may by day goe in safety and without feare but by night he should haue his gard The Earle of Warwicke hauing obserued this carelesse guard by his spies he vndertooke to charge him by night â—dward defeated and taken prisoner with so great aduantage as killing all he found in the trenches hee came without any resistance to the place where the King was whom he tooke prisoner and led away But for that they could not make good vse of this fortune they ruined themselues and vndid King Henry for whom they had taken Armes God who hath a speciall care of Kings depriued them of Iudgement for although they knew well that it was impossible to settle King Henry peaceably in the Realme during Edwards life yet could they not keep him so well but hee escaped hauing corrupted his gards with hopes and goodly promises whereof great men are no nigards when they haue need of their inferiors Edward being at libertie recouers Yorke where he was receiued with ioy which was as great as it was vnexpected From thence he went to London to confirme their wils whom his captiuitie had made to wauer and considering that victory doth alwaies fauour them which haue the aduantage both of Councell and force h A prince hath a great aduantage ouer his enemie when he exceeds him in Armes and that hee hath the CouÌ„cels executions sooner readie then he he raised a might Armie and went to seeke out the Earle of Warwicke Earle of Warwick defeated whom he put to rout and returned triumphantly the victorie was made famous by the death of ten thousand men Queene Margaret Prince Edward her Sonne the Duke of Clarence and his wife the Earle of Warwick with their children and friends were forced to flye They came to Calice but the Earle of Warwicks Lieutenant would not receiue them nor scarce suffer them to carrie two bottels of Wine for the Duchesse of Clarence who was deliuered of a Sonne whilest the ship rode at an Anchor This rudenes and indiscretion did so please King Edward and the Duke of Bourgundy as the one sent him authoritie to command as Gouernor of Calais and the other a good pension to increase his entertainement The Earle of Warwicke who was much esteemed in France and in great credit with the King for his worthy deeds which had made his reputation great and not easie to bee shaken i ReputatioÌ„ is a Colosse which is hardly raised by reason of its waight buy wheÌ„ it is vp it staÌ„ds firme and supports it selfe by his owne heauines It is hard to lay the
a desire to recouer them as in regard thereof hee granted whatsoeuer they would The hearts of men lie on the left side they are full of deceit y Sincerity and freedom is raâ—e in mens intentions They haue reason to say that their wils goe not right Their harts lye on the left side Aristotle in his first book of the history of beasts saith that man onely hath his hart on the left side and all beasts haue it in the middest of their brests Truth freedome and loyalty are rare vnknowne and exiled qualities It were basenesse not to dare to be lie his promises nor to accommodate his words to profit rather then to Iustice These two Princes sought to deceiue one another z It is simplicity to speak all but it is meere wickednesse not to speake what we thinke It is a basnesse of the heart when aâ— the word belies the thought the King had no will to restore any thing promising vnto himselfe that an infallible accident would preserue him that which a peace tooke from him The duke of Bourgondy wrote vnder-hand to the dukes of Guienne and Brittanie that the abandoning of their protection and friendship which he had promised was but fayned that his affection was alwaies pure and firme to maintaine them Neither of them held himself bound to keepe his word but to effect his businesse and in this bargaine they spake not all they thought Simon of Quingey who had commandement to goe vnto the Duke of Brittaine to renew the hopes and protestations as soone as the peace should be effected prest the king much to sweare it Temporising of the King profitable The king who had made profit of the time deferred it from day to day he lick't and fashon'd this little beare at leasure Quingey who knew his Maisters mind durst not importune him The king went slowly hee tooke not halfe the winde hee might haue taken to arriue at a prefixed time at the port of his desseigns thinking the winning of time very necessary for him that will effect his businesse that it cannot be bought to deere nor too long attended a When as the Barbarians demanded mony of Sertorius going into Spâ—ine for his passage through their country such as were with him grew into choller saying that is was too great a shame and indignity that a Proconsull of the people of Rome shâ—ld pay a tribute vnto those wicked Barbarians but Sertorius regarded not the shame which they pretended but answered That hee bought time which whosoeuer aspired to great matters should hold most deere so contented the Barbarians with mony after which he made such speed as he seazed vpon Spaine Plu. Hee temporized so cunningly as he at tayned to what he desired And behold a post which brings newes that the Duke of Guienne is dead a death which changed the face of affaires and depriued the Duke of all that he promised vnto himselfe It happened the twelfe of May 1471. and the manner so violent as his members turning contrary to their propper motion by strange convulsions Death of the duke of Guienne wholy disfigured his body his teeth haire and nayles fell off before his death It was thought to bee by poyson Being on a sommers day at Saint Seuere with the Lady of Montsoreau the Abbot of Saint Iohn d' Angely who was one of the Dukes fauorites at his after-noones drinking presented a goodly Peache vnto his Lady she tooke the one halfe and steeped it in wine and gaue the other to Monsieur Shee dyed soone after but the Duke contynued longer yet so sicke as his death was bruted the very day that he had taken this deadly morcell If the King were pleased with this death we may gather by the words which he spake a little before when as newes was brought him of the King of Castilles brothers death He is but too happy to haue lost his brother It was Alâ—onso b D. Alfonso second sonne to Iohn second K. of Castille and brother to Henry dyed of the plague at Cardegnosa a Bourrough neere to Aâ—ila the fift of Iuly 1468. he was sixteene yeares old and had bin declared King three yeares before his death was not without suspition of poyson who had beene chosen King by the Castillans and by the League made against king Henry This word of Brother was vnto him as a goodly name to signifie a bad thing if he wept they were teares of ioy and if they were not fayned they were presently dryed vp The little care hee seemed to haue to punish such as were accused to haue poysoned him confirmed an opinion that he was content and made many beleeue that this death came by his commandement to assure the quiet of many by the death of one alone c It is a great misery for a Prince when he sees him-selfe forced to bee cruell vnto his owne bloud to assure the quiet of his estate Hee commanded the Bishop of Anger 's Secretary to bringe him the proceedings taken before his Maister and Lewis of Amboise vpon this death Claude of Seysel in that which hee hath written of the History of Lewis the twelfth saies vpon this occasion Many there are which said but yet I dare not affirme it that he caused his said brother to die of poison but it is most certaine that he neuer had any confidence in him whilest he liued and was not greeued at his death The course of his life was so short as fortune had not time to poursue him long Obseruations of the Duke of Guyennes life shee followed him betimes and neuer ceased vntill he was daunted and deiected finding that misery is the proper portion of a mans life yea of the greatest d There is nothing but misery in man hee is borne vnto it They write that the wives of Mâ—xico when they are brought in bed assuâ—r their children of their misery in thâ—se three words Infant thou art come into the world to endure suffer endure hold thy peace They sing â—his to 〈…〉 a sleep Hee had noe constant spirit to defend him-selfe from these affronts he was as tractable to all perswations as the King his brother was cunning and stayed The History of Brittaine saith that for a truth he had noe courrage and that inconstancy did properly belong vnto him He did dictate soudenly what he had receiued and allowed e Constancy is the sâ—ale of Actions It is of spirits as of bodies neither the one in reiecting councell nor the other in casting vp meate câ—n be nourishâ—d and entertained He was not like to his Father in fortune nor to his Grand-father in courrage nor to his Brother in wisdome It is a wonder to see how children degenerate how nature delights in these contrary productions making cowards ignorant men wicked proceed from the bloud of Princes which are valiant wise good So vineger comes from wine f A good tree brings not forth
much but he more that takes her but in the end he is taken and he that takes him is craftier then the fox The King knowing that he was out of his burrow and in the Duke of Bourgundies Cuntrie caused 800. horse to aduance with speede towards S. Quentine to the end hee might take that place from him and with that all hope to recouer the Duke of Bourgondies frendship so as beeing aduertised that the King was in it and that he could not haue it from any other hand then from his The King seazeth on S. Quentin he did not remember the Constable but to remember the reuenge of the wrongs hee had done him The King who would not vse that power vnto the Constable which heauen hath not giuen to any but to Kings had no care but to be ridd of the Constable t The power to saue men from death is so excellent a guist saith Seneca as the Gods haue imparted it to none but Princes he caused the Duke to be summoned to mainetayne effect that which had bene concluded betwixt them vppon that subiect seeing that he was retired into the Cuntries of his obedience This promise bound the Duke to doe Iustice of the Constable within eight dayes or to deliuer him vnto the King who desired to haue him rather aliue then dead to vse him at his discretion and to make him loose his life as hee pleased or to leaue it him for his glory u Euery man that owes his life liues to his glory that hath giuen it him The Duke who desyred to haue S t. Quentin Han and Bohain and could not haue them but by the performance of this promise commanded the figneour of Emery to giue the Constable a gard and to command him to keepe his lodging This was not enough the King who would not loose the Constable to haue the Duke to win him x It is not the meanes to bee rid of a bad seruant to chase him away and to disgrace him giuing him means to remaine with his enemie but he must be assured of him If Iugurth had done so he had escaped the treason of Bomâ—lcar Salust sent the Lord of Bouchages to presse him eyther no dispatch him or to deliuer him vnto him Hee had an Army ready in Champagne ready to suecor the Duke of Louraine if he discontented him by the breach of promise Although the Duke were wholie bent to ruine the Constable yet did hee not thinke it reasonable to deliuer him into the Kings hands who had put himselfe vnder his protection and therfore he delayed long the accomplishment of this promise And on the other side the Constable who saw nothing before his eyes but fearfull apparitions so as his imagination was continnually troubled with the imagination of the Kings reuenge and his Conscience finding no satisfaction y When the Conscience is not satisfied all that seemeth good is bad It is the priuiledge of a good man to liue in tranqâ—ility of Conscience in his fact he besought the Duke to remember the faith which he had giuen him to the which he had cast himselfe as into a hauen of safety against the long storme of his fortune But the Duke who measured his religion by the ell of his profit desiring infinitly to recouer S t. Quentin The Constable deliuered to the King after some delayes he commanded Hugones his Chancellor and Imbercourt to deliuer him These men on the other side being wronged by the Constable executed this commandement dilligently It was a very sensible griefe z In misâ—ries the afliction is doubled when 〈◊〉 he represents vnto himselfe the contentmeÌ„t which his 〈◊〉 shall receiue Caesar bâ—ing surprised by Pyrats in Asia detained prisoner by them be cryed out aloud O what pleasure wilt thou haue Câ—assus when thou shalt heare of mine imprisonment Plut. in the liâ—e of Crassuâ— to see his life fortune at the discretion and scorne of his enemies who led him to Peronne and consigned him to the bastard of Bourbon Admiral of France and to the Signeour of S t. Pierre who conducted him to Paris They did not long enioy the content of this reuenge of their enemy for the Gantois shall soone after kill them in view of the Dutchesse of Bourgundy who shall haue noe power to saue them The vnfortunate Constable Prisoner in the Baâ—â—le clad in a black chamlet cloake lyned with veluet mounted vppon a little nag goes complayning of the breach of publike faith as he accused his owne indiscretion a A man of courage should do anything to free himselfe froÌ„ being made an example the Infamy of publike Iustice. For this respect Eumenes coniured his soldiers to kill him and spake these braue wordes vnto them You haue no reason to feare that Antigonus will bee discontented for he demands Euâ—enes dead and not aliue Or if you will not vse your hands to do this office vnbind but one of 〈◊〉 it shall suffice for that effect and if happily you feare to put a sword into my hand cast me bound hand foot vnto wild beasts and condemned himselfe alreadie by the feeling of his Conscience so his seruants accused him of want of courage for that he had not attempted some other way rather then that of the Greue Thereuppon they made him passe by S. Anthonies gate to enter into the Bastile with his hat pulled downe in his eyes to hide his face being full of palenesse and shame of so tragicall a condition Three howers after that the Dukes men had deliuered him they receiued letters of countermand forbidding them to deliuer him but this defence came too late The eyes of man cannot behold the Sunne firmely yet they see it in a bason It is impossible to comprehend the iudgments of the Sunne of Iustice we must consider them in the life and variety of the Constable which past like an arrow in the water as soone as euer he was prisoner it was sayed that he would neuer come forth and he himselfe thought that in losing his liberty he could not saue his life that he was a dead man and that it was a folly to desire life b He that will not do any thing wherby it may be knowne dying that hee hath liued should not desire life The Troglodytes said that such a desire of life for one that had done nothing worthy to liue was an extreame misery Dio. lib. 3. c. 3. seeing that in liuing he could not doe any thing to reuiue his reputation When he was come into the Bastile he found the Chancellor there with the first President and some councellors of the court prepared to reuenge the publike iniurie and to make knowne what the body feeles when the head is hurt c Areius capito said that it did much import the Common weale to punish them rigorously who had in any sort attempted against the Prince vnlesse they will say that the
victory was but of bare wals for their hearts remained firme to the house of Bourgundy e There were a good number of Cittizens found in Arras who suffred thēselues rather to be hanged then they would say God saue the King The king also thinking it impossible to make this people obedient and to imprint the Flower de luce in their hearts caused most of the Inhabitants to depart f To people a Towne with ancient subiects to expell the naturall Inhabitants is a means to assure it but very inhumane It was a pittifull spectacle to see poore men ladē with their infants vpon their shoulders passe out of the Coast Townes where they were borne by the commadement of Phillip king of Macedo to go into Emathia quitting their houses and inheritances to the Thracians Tit. Liu. lib. 10. Decad. 4. planted naturall Frenchmen commanding the Town should be Francis-towne that with her first name she should loose the ancient hatred she bare vnto France This people had no sooner yeelded but they made it known how much they were grieued to see themselues reduced vnder the command of a new Maister for the King hauing sent the Cardinall of Bourbon the Chancellor of Oriole Des Cordes Gouernor of the Towne and Guyot Pot Bayliffe of Vermandois to receiue the oath of fidelity they saw themselues assayled in the Monastery of S. Vast where they dined with a furious mutiny of the people crying kill kill The kings seruants were onely made afraid but these mad-men repented it for many of them were stript and slaine and the City fined at three-score thousand Crownes The Princesse remained at Gand Gantois ready to reuolt against their Princesse with much trouble to keepe the Gantois in obedience She knew well their sedition but she dissembled the nūber of the seditious h It is not good to hold all them to be wicked in open shew which are so in effect In old time they did not thinke it necessary to marke all their slaues to the end they should not know their owne strength In seeking out all the seditious they know one another learne how many they are seeming to make account of their fidelities whose reuolt and treachery she held to be certaine They would haue againe the priuileges which her father grand-father had taken from them they vndertake the conduct and absolute direction of affaires not being able to endure them who for their wisedome and experience had deserued the first places in the Princesse Councell she had not any person capable to make head against this Mutiny the which doth neuer fortefie it self but through the weakenesse and cowardise of them that may suppresse it i A people which is fearefull is alwaies humble and tractable when as Mutines see the powerfull sword of Iustice before their eyes they distrust one another Being all together they are Lyons and diuided Goats They made an Assembly in forme of Estates and resolued that from thence-forth she should be gouerned by the aduice of the Estates who should send vnto the King to acquaint him with this resolution and to beseech him to allow thereof and in this consideration to cease all Acts of Hostility against her Countries These Embassadours come vnto the King thinking to bring him a subiect of great content assuring him that their Princesse desired nothing but the honour of his friend-ship and protection being resolued not to do any thing but by the aduice of the three Estates of her Countries The King who knew well the humour of the Gantois the confusion of this Princesses affaires and had a desire to make his profite in this trouble Embassadours contradicted confoūded k In many things but especially in this Lewis did imitate the most politick of Romane Emperours who held it for one of the best maximes of State to haue peace at home war far off Princes which haue followed this course haue atained to a perfect prosperity of their affaires others haue gone astray said vnto them My Maisters I know not what to thinke of the cause that drawes you hether knowing wel that it is not conformable to that which you say vnto me that your mistresse will not aduow that she hath giuen you charge to tell me that that she would be gouerned by the aduice of the Estates of the Country for she hath giuen me to vnderstand the contrary And as these men protested of the truth of their instructions and seemed resolute the King heares them coldly showes them a letter written by the Princesse and brought by Hugonet her Chancellor Himbercourt At the sight of this letter The King deliuers the Princesses letters to the Embassadours which made mention that the Princesse was resolued to referre her affaires to the discretion of foure persons not of the Estates they end their Embassage and attend no other answere being satisfied to see themselues deceiued and the King suffers them to go ful of choller reuenge They present thēselues vnto the Princesse to giue an account of their Embassage complaining bitterly and indiscreetly that she had made them to carry a message vnto the king contrary to that which she had resolued that she had reserued truth in the heart and put falshood in their mouths to ruin them When as the Princesse sought to iustefie the truth of her intentions l When as the Deputies of Gād presented themselues vnto the Princesse Councell saying That the King had let them see the contrary of their Embassage the Princesse sought to maintain that she had done nothing contrary to their instructiōs Then said Philip de Comines the Pentioner of Gand drew out of his bosom the said letter before al the world gaue it her He shewed that he was a bad man and of smal respect to do that affront to a yong Gentlewomā to whō so villanous a scorne should not bee done for if shee had committed any error she shold not haue been reprehended publikely It is not to bee demanded if she were ashamed for she had told euery one the contrary Phil de Com. assuring them that what she gaue them by instruction was what she thought they present vnto her the letter which the King had giuen them She held this for a great affront and contempt and the bloud which appeared in her face discouered the trouble of her mind The Gantois hauing no means to discharge their choller vpon her vpon her mother in Law nor vpon Rauesteen they vomite it out vpon Hugonet and Imbercourt the chiefe of the Princesses Councell They were instantly ceased on imprisoned and accused to haue caused the Citty of Arras to bee yeelded m Oliuer of la March saith that the Chancellour Hugonet confest that he had concealed the Duke of Bourgundies letters written at Nancy the which did much import the safety of his person and Army and to haue taken mony of a priuate man of
paine his basenesse was the cause of it and that death might giue him a free passage he changed his patience into dispaire so as on the Thursday after Saint Martins day in yeare one thousand foure hundred foure score and foure hee was found strangled with the cord of his bed This execrable kind of death was kept secret vntill that they vnderstood the Popes minde after which the executioner of Iustice entred into the prison put the body into a pipe and cast it into the Riuer of Rhine c To kill himselfe hath beene held an act of courageâ— Plato forbids it in his Lawes The Thebians detested it and the Athenians did cut off his hand that had slaine himselfe did cast it on the common dunghill The Popes Deputies returned to Basill and the Excommunication hauing beene obserued three daies was taken away and the Towne deliuered from the Popes censures Yet for all this they did not cease to wish that the Pope would earnestly embrace the reformation of the disorders of the Church Desires of this kind are iust but wee may not presse them with heate of passion and indiscretion of zeale An example shewing that it is not reasonable in such sufferings and perplexities of the Church that the pride of any priuate person should presume to reforme it Wee must leaue those thoughts to Princes and Magistrates The simple multitude must attend with patience at the foote of the Mountaine vntil that Moses descend to let them vnderstand the will of God The Ship wherein that holy Family is included which hath neither sight nor day but towards heauen shall in the end appeare most glorious ouer the waues of the deluge and shall come vnto the Mountaine of a happy tranquillity * ⎠* ⸪ The end of the ninth Booke THE CONTENTS OF the tenth Booke 1 VVEakning and alteration of the Kings health in the beginning of the yeare 1480. 2 An Apoplexy seazeth on him His actions to maintaine his authority and to keepe himselfe from contempt 3 Liberty of Cardinall Balue and his pollicy to obtaine it 4 Generosity of the Cardinall of Estouteville to maintaine his dignity and that of the Clergy His death 5 Oppressions of the people 6 Desire of the King to reforme Iustice and tedious Sutes 7 Relapse of his sickenesse at Tours he goes to Saint Claude in his returne passeth by Salins and there setteth a Parliament for the Franche County 8 Death of Mary Dutchesse of Bourgundy wife to Maximilian the Emperour 9 Admonition made by the King to the Dauphin at Amboise 10 Estate of the Low Countries at the discretion of the Gantoies 11 Treatie of peace and marriage betwixt the Dauphin and Margaret Princesse of Austria 12 Death of the King of England and troubles for his succession 13 Earle of Richmond prisoner to the Duke of Brittaine comes to the Crowne of England by the Kings assistance 14 Death of Francis Phoebus King of Nauarre suite for the succession 15 Death of Alphonso King of Portugall 16 Lewis fals into new apprehensions of death and shuts himselfe into his Pallace at Plessis 17 Zizimi son to Mahomet reuolts against Bajazeth flyes to Rhodes and is conducted into France 18 Commendation of Mathias Coruinus King of Hungary 19 Impairing of the Kings health 20 Hee sends for Francis Paulo a Calabrois strange distemperatures of his sickenesse 21 His aistrust of Iohn Duke of Bourbon 22 Publication of the peace betwixt the King and Maximilian of Austria Marriage of Charles the Dauphin with the Princesse Margaret Magnificence at their entrance into Paris 23 The third and last relapse of the Kings Infirmity his last actions His perfect sence euen vnto the last gaspe His death ⧠THE HISTORY Of LEWIS the eleuenth THE TENTH BOOKE IN the beginning of the yeare 1480. 1480. Lewis beganne to dye and to feare death the which comes neuer so fitly but it brings with it terrour and amazement a Life must bee considered by the end If it bee good and glorious all the rest is proportionable Quomodo fabula sic vita non quandiu sed quam bene acta sit refert Nil ad rem pertinet quo loâ—o desinas quocunque voles desine tantum bonam clausulam imponas Life is like vnto a fable It imports not how long but how well it be acted It skils not where thou leauest leaue where thou wilt so thy conclusion be good Sen. His forces grew weake but his courage was fortefied strong vpon an apprehensioÌ„ which he had that they would make designes vpon his graue and that they would not stay vntill hee came to the end of his Carriere Hee desired to end it with the Authority Maiesty and Reputation that he had begonne and would not that they should know him dying nor that they should hold him mortall Hee workes so as in the West of his life the shadow of his reputation and respect is as great as at the Noone-day of his raigne Yet he finds that his iudgement hath not the force and vigour which it formerly had that the remainder of his life is become sower Age is alwaies accompanied that age comes not alone b When as wine and life grow low they become sowre Antiphanes hauing brought him diuers discommodities an incorrigible melancholy agitations of the minde a slow Feuer and the paines of the Emerauds He hath more prouision then he hath way to go he gathers and laies vp when hee should abandon and let go c Age becomes couetous when it hath not any need of goods it feares the earth should faile it One demanded of Symonides why he was so sparing in the extremity of his age for that said he I had rather leaue my goods after my death to my enemies then in my life time to haue neede of my friends His designes are great and spacious and his desires grow yong hee cannot free himselfe from new hopes his soule is as it were hung betwixt the feare of death and the hope of life his vnderstanding is a Milstone which the continuall course of affaires doth turne day and night And although his life passeth away in languishing and griefe yet had he rather endure the paine then not to be desiring rather to be freed from it then from life the which how painefull soeuer it be hath some houre of ease d There iâ— no life so languishing and full of paine but it is supported by some hope freed from the feares of death When aâ— Antisthenes the Philosopher was in extreame paine hee cryed out Who shall deliuer me froÌ„ these miseries Diogenes presenting a knife vnto him said This if thou wilt and that soone I do not say of my life replyed the Philosopher but of my paine For if paines be violent they are short and if they be short they giue no leasure to complaine Going to heare Masse at a little Parish neere to the Forges of Saint Chinon The King suddenly and
disorder which this Prelates ambition caused in publicke charges besought the King to suffer him to go and hold a chapter in the Cathedrall Church at Eureux If contrary aspects and shadowes raise and grace things opposite Generosity of Cardinall Estouteuille the great and excellent vertues of William of Estouteuille Cardinall of Rouan will shew themselues heere gloriously Hee was the ornament of the Cardinals of his age and neither feare of danger nor apprehension of ill did m To do good where there is no danger is a vulgar thing but to do good where there is perill is the proper office of a good man to do euill is too easy and too base hinder him from doing good Rome cast her eyes vpon him as Athens did sometimes on Aristides He was wonderfull iealous of the dignity of his Robe and considering that the world was but a Theater on the which euery man was bound to play the part which his vertue or fortune had giuen him hee would alwaies performe his with constancy and honour King Charles the seuenth commanded him to go to Rome with the Embassadours which hee sent to Pope Calixtus the third to yeeld him obedience but hee excused himselfe not for feare to expose his sufficiency n Ignorance weaknesse feare any encounter for that they thinke being coÌ„pared one with another their imperfections will presently appeare to the encounter of a greater but not to offend the honour of his Cardinals place which did not allow him to accept of any Legation but from the Popes authority With the same courage that he maintained the honour of his Hat hee defended that of the Church and of France The Barrisell or Prouost of Rome finding a man in committing a flagrant delict or heynous crime and hauing no hangman to execute him presently forced a poore Priest whom hee found begging in the streete to doe this office Hee laboured in vaine to tell him that he was a Priest and a Frenchman and that he had neuer done an act vnworthy the one or the other Cruelty of the Prouost of Rome The Prouost who had abandoned the Helme of reason to the storme of choller o A iudgement transported with choller is like vnto a Shippe without Pilate and without helme or a lodging out of the which the maister is expelled by the fire and smoake which is in it The end of all that is done in choller is the beginning of re-repentance the which had fild his spirit with fumes felt himselfe so transported with passion to punish the crime as hee would not hearken vnto the innocent but threatned to make him play the part of the offendor if he would not do that of the Hang-man The feare of death which had forced greater men to doe worse made him resolue to this infamous excution after which he retired himselfe holding downe his head for shame into the house of Cardinall Estouteville where hee complained of this wrong and demanded iustice The Cardinall considering that by the iniury of this poore man the dignity of the Church and the honour of the Nation was interressed sent for the Prouost and hauing let him know his fault commanded his Muletier to hang him at the barre in his Hall with one of his Mules halters At the sight of this Prouost hanging at the window the Popes Officers made great complaints and the Cardinall Estouteuille was ready to retire into France but Pope Nicholas being aduertised thereof blamed the cruelty and iniustice of the said Prouost who had so affected the punishment of another p It is the ordinary course of iniustice to plunge it selfe into the mischiefe wherhinto she would draw others Dat poenas dum exigit They bee ruines which breake vpon that whereon they fall as hee had not considered into what danger hee engaged himselfe Hee commended the Cardinals iustice and entreated him not to leaue Rome He remained 28. yeares there and dyed the same yeare when as King Lewis the eleuenth left this life Hee was made Chamberlaine to Sixtus the fourth Bishop of Ostia and Deane of the Colledge Hee caused Saint Augustines Church to be built and did much inrich that of Saint Mary the Great The Chanons of this Church and the Monkes of the other did not yeeld that respect vnto his memory which they ought For being ready to interre him they fell to quarrell for his Roabes with so great a disorder as the rings were taken from his fingers and hee had like to haue beene stript naked by the indiscretion of those whom he had cloathed This first sickenesse of the Kings continued some 15. daies q During this sickenesse all â—ffaires were dispatcht by the Bishop of Alby by his brother the gouernour â—f Bourgundy by the Marshall of Gâ—e and the Lord of Lude who were lodged in two little chambers vnder his at the end whereof he went to see the Campe of his new disciplined souldiers which hee had erected and caused them to bee put in battell in a Valley neere to Pontdelarche in Normandy hauing caused a great number of Tents and Pauillions to be made to lodge them in field and Carts to enclose them and to serue as a Trench For the entertainement whereof hee must make new leuies for money and excessiue taxes for it did amount yearely to a hundred and fifty thousand pounds Sterling They that were about him when this sickenesse tooke him OppressioÌ„ of the people considering how much the people were opprest and thinking that hee would neuer recouer it made diuers decrees for the suppression of this Taxe Many thought that this sickenesse had toucht his heart and made him more sencible of the miseries and calamities of his subiects for the remonstrances so often made vpon this subiect had not preuailed any thing and they expected no ease but what should come from his owne motion r Hee had much opprest his people saith Phil. de Comines and more then euer any King did Authority and perswasions could not moue him to ease them It must come froÌ„ himselfe as theÌ„ he would haue done if God had preserued him from sicknesse therefore it is good to doe well whilst we haue leasure that God giues health and vnderstanding to men He propounded to reforme all the disorders of his Realme If hee might not haue the honour to haue reigned well he desires to make his reigne better at his death then in his life thinking nothing makes a Prince to be more lamented then when he dies in some great action for the good of his Realme He meant to begin this Reformation by Iustice The Kings desire to reforme Iustice. and Phillip de Commines saith that he loued not the Court of Parliament of Paris for that he disliked many things He had so much contemned to giue great Offices to the recommendation of merite and sufficiency and therein to consider the honour and condition of persons as ignorance had the reputation
his owne bloud z Churches are Sanctuaries but they giue no safety but to Innocents and to them that are wrongfully 〈◊〉 The Temples of the Ancient were a Sanctuary to three sorts of men to Offendours to Slaues and to Debtors God did raise vp the Earle of Richmond Earle of Richmond prisoner to the Duke of Brittany who was prisoner to the Duke of Brittaine all good men desired it to reuenge the innocent bloud and this Tyrant fore-seeing that there was nothing to bee feared but from that part sent Thomas Hutton to the Duke of Brittany to deale with him that hee might not bee set at liberty a Ambition of raigne is not restrained neither by the respect of piety nor the motions of Nature Cupido regni fratre fillia potior The desire of raigne is deerer then brother or daughter Tacit. Annal. lib. 12. seeking the friendship of King Lewis who would not make any answeres vnto his Letters nor heare his Embassadours calling him most inhumane cruell and wicked for the most horrible and execrable murther of his Nephewes The King assisted the Earle of Richmond who being set at liberty by the Duke of Brittany past into England with three thousand Normanes the scumme as Phillip de Commines saith of the whole Prouince and was presently fortified by all them that were offended for the death of their lawfull Prince Earle of Richmond King of England giuing him battell within few daies after his arriuall in the which this Tyrant was slaine and the Earle of Richmond acknowledged for King In all these great reuolutions wee must confesse a Diuine Iustice which doth earely or late reuenge iniquities pursuing them euen in the generations of children who are punished for their fore-fathers offences Henry the fourth caused Richard the second to dye in prison Henry the sixth his Grand-child dyed a prisoner to King Edward the fourth Richard Duke of Glocester murthers Edwards children and Richard is slaine by Henry Earle of Richmond the seuenth of that name Who can deny but there is an Eternall Iustice in all this b When 〈◊〉 ◠wicked man commits any villany hee is presently a prisoner to GODS Iustice and like a fish hee is taken with the baite of pleasure and delight which hee hath taken in doing it which doth punish the wicked by themselues and makes vse of them to scourge others and it deferres publicke punishment for a time the secret doth neuer abandon the crime and is a perpetuall thorne in the offenders soule Francis Phoebus sonne to Gaston Earle of Foix dyed also hauing succeeded to Elenor of Arragon his grand-mother Death of Francis Phoebus King of Nauarre hee being but twelue yeares old and raigned vnder the gouernement of his mother c The Ladie Magdaline of France during her sonnes minority carried this Title Magdaline Daughter and Sister to the Kings of France Princesse of Viana Gouernesse to our most deere and wel-beloued sonne Francis Phoebus by the Grac◠of GOD King of Nauarre The Realme of Nauarre was so diuided as it had neede of a Prince of more greate respect and farre better experience and yet for that hee was neere allied to the Kings of France and Castile the most factious were quiet and tooke the oath of Alleageance when as hee entred with incredible applause into the Towne of Pampelone the tenth of December in the yeare one thousand foure hundred foure score and two Presently after his Coronation Ferdinand King of Castile offered him Ioane his second daughter in marriage The Queene his mother did still protest that her will did wholly depend vpon King Lewis the eleuenth her brother The History of Spaine saith that he had a desire to marry her to D. Ioane a Nun at Coimbra to the end hee might renue the pretensions which shee had to the Realme of Castile as daughter to Henry the fourth and by this meanes hee did alwaies assure himselfe of the County of Rousillon But when as his mother had brought him backe into Bearne hee was poisoned at Pau playing on a Flute Hee dyed with this griefe that his life nor death did not profite any man d As no man should desire to liue to himselfe alone so that death is honourable which is imployed for the publicke Turpe est sibi soli vivere mori Plut. there being nothing that doth more trouble a great spirit then when he liues and dyes not for himselfe Dying hee spake these holy words which the mouth of the Sonne of God pronounced a little before his death My Kingdome is not of this world If hee had liued he was borne to be a great Prince but the world to speake truely is so small a matter as the Phylosopher had reason to mocke at Alexander who had carried the Title of Great e Alexander would be instructed in Geometry to learne the greatnesse of the earth Hee found that the Title of Great which he carried was false cōsidering Quā pusilla terra esset ex qua minimum occupauerat Quis enim esse magnus in pusillo potest How little the earth was wherof hee held the least part who can be great in a small thing Sen. The Lady Catherine his sister succeded him Katherine of Foix Queene of Nauarre and was married to Iohn of Albret Iohn of Foix Vicount of Narbona her Vncle did quarrell with her for the Earledomes of Foix and Bearn saying that these lands lying within the Realme of France whereas women did not succeede Queene Katherine could not pretend any thing and did by force seaze vpon Maseres and Monthaut and besieged Pamiers but could not take it Queene Katherine aduertised King Lewis the eleuenth with this inuasion f France doth furnish many examples against the Vicount of Foix to shew that the daughters being neerest of bloud did exclude the Males that were farther off who sent Commissioners into the Country to forbid the Vicount of Narbona to proceed by way of fact vpon paine of loosing his right This controuersy was of such importance as he himselfe would be iudge thereof Controuersy for the lands of Foix Bern and Bigorre and after him Charles the eighth was Arbitrator In the end they must passe by the censure of the Court Parliament of Paris Iohn of Foix Vicount of Narbona and after his decease the Kings Atturney Generall as Tutor and Gardien to Gaston of Foix his sonne said against Katherine of Foix that daughters being vncapable of dignites by reason of their sexe might not succeed in the Realme g King Charles the eighth sought to make an agreement betwixt the parties and therefore committed it to the Cardinall of Foix and Monsieur D'Alby but seeing they could not agree hee sent them to the Court Parliament All which proceedings in writing were imparted vnto me by Maister Galland one of the most famous Aduocates of the Parliament Dutchies or Counties but onely the Males and that they might not
most famous actions As there are iniuries which are repaired by the quality only of them that doe them y The basenesse of him that doth a wrong defaceth the fearing of the iniurie Crates hauing receiued a blow on the face by Nicodromus a Man of base condition was contented for revenge to set these words vpon his wound Nicodromus faciebat so we see writings of so poore a fashion as it is indiffrent whether they be inserted or not But how comes it to passe that so diligent so exact and so iuditious a Writer had neuer cast his eyes vpon this house which had held all them of France in admiration and had not spoken of the actions of Iohn the second Earle of Vendosme which were no workes of ambition but of vertue and had not glory for their simple obiect but the contentment of his owne conscience desiring rather they should be grauen in the memory of good men then vpon the front of publicke workes An Historian that doth surpasse honour wrongs the publicke and as a sacriledge doth rauish the recompence of vertue z The sweetest fruit of a great and heroicke action is to haue done it they are deceiued which thinke to giue any other glory vnto vertue then it selfe She cannot finde out of her selfe any recompence worthy of her selfe and doth enuy the fruit that may grow thereby For although that men may be borne generous and full of heate for the loue of vertue yet it is needfull that the precepts and Images be often represented vnto them and that the statues which 〈◊〉 set vp in the Temple of memory grauen with the sciffers of eternity should bee shewed them yet it is not sufficient to shew them adorned with the Palmes and Crownes of their Triumphes they would haue them represented in such sort as they may seeme to breath speake and say vnto them a Mens mindes are excited to the loue of vertue by the examples of glory honor which adornes the memory of men whom she hath made famous werefore Polybius saith that they did represent to the youth of Rome their Images as liuing breathing to encourage them to that desire of honour which doth accompany good men Poly. lib. 6. You shall be as we are if you will liue as we did This labour may haue great defects they are found in the most perfect A History should be free from loue or hatred but they shall rather seeme to come from want of Iudgement then of will the which I finde free in this kinde of writing from hatred and loue furious passions which disguise both truth and false-hood They shall rather reproch me with ignorance then with lying and my writings shall alwayes haue more salt then spleene with what face shall they appeare in this age so much bound vnto the Kings glorious actions if they were dishonored as the rest with so iniurious a forgetfulnesse of his Predecessors Iohn Earle of Vendosme great great Grand-father to Henry the fourth King of France and Nauarre was sonne to Lewis Lord Steward of France and Gouernour of Picardy sonne to Lewis Earle of vendosme sonne to Iohn Earle of Marche sonne to Iames Constable of France the yonger sonne of Lewis of Clermont Duke of Bourbon eldest sonne to Robert of France second sonne to S. Lewis His Grand-mother was Katherine heire to the house of Vendosme his mother Ioane of Lauall daughter to Guy of Lavall surnamed dé Gaure b The Signiory of Laual was erected to an Earldome by K. Charles the seuenth at the instance of Lewis of Burbon Earle of Vandosme was the first act of Soueraignety which he did after his Coronation His father dyed in the yeare of our Lord 1447. and this death happened in a time so full of troubles as hee was forced to gird his sword vnto him more for the necessity of common defence then by reason of his quality or for seemelinesse Hee past his first Apprentiship in Armes vnder the braue Achilles of France Iohn of Orleans Earle of Dunois and was at the siege of Rouen Bourdeaux and Fronsac with Iohn Earle of Clermont sonne of Charles Duke of Bourbon and Carles of Bourgondy Duke of Neuers He serued King Charles the seuenth in all occasions that were offered to restore France and to free it from the oppressions of her enemies and did merit the Title of Most faithfull seruant of his Kings will and an inuincible companion of his dangers These two qualities which should haue purchased him loue with his successor Loialty of the Earle of Vandosme were the cause of his disgrace wherein hee did comfort himselfe by the knowledge he had of this Princes humor who did not loue any of his bloud nor them whom his Father had loued This was not able to withdraw him from his duty for hee still preserued the reputation of the ancient fidelity of them of his house vnto the Crowne c This branch of Vandosme hath that of glorious that it hath neuer left their kings in a maner all the Princes of France were of the league of the Common-weale yet Iohn Earle of Vandosme would not hearken to it When as the Duke of Orleans tooke Armes against the Lady Anne of France he drew vnto his party Charles Earle of Angoulesme the chiefe Noblemen of France onely the house of Vendosme remained with the Kings Gouernesse And although that Iohn the second Duke of Bourbon had declared himselfe of the league of the Common-weale for that the King had dispossest him of the gouernment of Guienne from whence he had expelled the English and had reduced it vnder the obedience of the Crowne yet would he not imbark himselfe in the same ship and for that he would not looke vpon this storme from a safe shore he was present at the battell at Montlehery with Francis and Lewis his children one of which was prisoner to the Earle of Charolois As the example of the head of his house did not make him reuolt so the feeling of his owne interest did not make him discontented His father had carried the Staffe of Lord Steward and his great grand-father the sword of Constable of France King Lewis the eleuenth disposed of the one and the other in fauour of men as farre inferiour in comparison of his merites as in qualities of his birth yet he did not murmure nor seeme discōtented considering that it is no more lawful for the greatest Prince of the bloud then for the least Officer of the Crowne to prescribe a law to the Soueraignes will to make it yeeld vnto his passions and that the elections of Kings in the distributions of honors are not subiect to the rules of distributiue Iustice which obserues a proportion betwixt recompence and merit d The King of France holding his Crowne of God only the ancient Law of the Realme distributes honors as he pleaseth It is a great violence to force a a minde full of courage to hate
Peter Lord of Beaujeu Lewis Bishop of Liege and Iames who dyed at Bruges and to the Lady Ioane of Bourbon married to the Lord of Arlay Prince of Orange and Margaret of Bourbon wife to Phillip Earle of Bresse and from that time resigned his aboade at Court vnto his brethren After the Duke of Bourgundies death hee would not bee an actor in the warre which the King beganne against his daughter and with a discourse free from all flattery a vice vnworthy of a great courage q A great courage speakes frâ—ely but without btterner or slander Fattery is the marke of seruitude and slaunder deth falsely vsâ—rpe that of liberty Adulationiâ—oedum crimen seruitutis malignitati falsa specieâ— libertatis in est Tacit. Hist. Lib. 1. hee did not dissemble his opinion saying that the King should haue giuen it a better and a more reasonable Title then a simple desire to ioyne the Low Countries to his Crowne this so free and true a iudgement did much offend the King who from that time resolued to let the Duke of Bourbon know that this last offence had renewed the feeling of the first He caused secret informations to be made against him yet doubting his courage reputation he would not haue the rigor of his iustice aime directly at him Hee beganne with his Officers and gaue commission to Iohn Auin Councellour in the Court of Parliament and to Iohn Doyac to enforme against him thinking that to free themselues from trouble they should bee forced to engage their Lord r Claude of Seyssiell saith that King Lewis the eleuenth sent vnto â—he Duke of Bourbon some of his ministers men of base condition to doe him some intollerable wrongs vnder colour of Iustice thinking for the great spirit which hee knew to be in him to prouoke him to offer some violence or to make resistance but the Duke knowing to what end all was done endured it with patience and escaped by sufferance dissembling they decreed a personall adiournement against his Chancellour his Atturny the Captaine of his Guard and many others who appeared with more confidence to defend themselues then slander had assurance to accuse them vpon their answere the Commissioners knew not what to say and the Court of Parliamen which knew well that it was a practise to trouble the Duke of Bourbon whose probity and integrity two rare qualities in that age had purchased him the surname of Good and the affections of all the people enlarged them The Chronicle saith that this proceeding was against God and Reason It was a very sencible griefe vnto him to see his loyalty called in question and his seruices contemned But hee considered all these occurrents with an open eye and a resolute brow with the a â—uantages which a good conscience gaue him and did iudge thereof with a setled spirit lamenting the bad counsell which entertained the King in his great rigours in an age which was not fit for it s Seuertty is not good in a Prince whose age is declining It is needefull to purchase loue Galba knew it well Some other would not haue forborne teares for so peircing a griefe he would haue lost his sleepe and his body should haue found no other rest but that which disquietnesse brings by the agition of the mind but afflictions which assaile good men do them no other harme but burne the bonds which hinder them to lift their hands with their hearts vp to heauen They blesse the name of God in the midst of flames Imprisonment doth not depriue him which suffreth for iustice of the sweetnesse of a profound sleepe His rest is so sound as the Angell of the Lord which comes to deliuer him must awake him It is now time that Lewis go the way which these great Kings haue traced vnto him There wants nothing but this peece to the triumphant Charriot of death and hee could not desire better company then of these three Kings his neere kinsmen who were there already t Hauing passed through all the charges of life we must not refuse that of death Seneca said to him that was loath to leaue the charges and offices wich he had exercised in his life time Quid tu nescis vâ—um esse ex vitae officijs mori Dost thou not know that to die is also one of the duties of life Sen. Epist. 77. he had passed by all the offices of life there remained nothing but the last but it is the most difficult and would bee lesse if he had thought on it in time if going by the way of life he had thought of the lodging of death those feares which hold him in worse estate then death it selfe should be dispersed Accidents foreseene a farre off considered without amazement and attended with resolution do not trouble the minde like vnto those which surprise it His thoughts were ingaged in so many mortall and perishable things as he had small care of Immortall and yet these went before him and attended on him and the others followed after him and abandoned him He hath busyed himselfe to gather vp Attlantas Apples and hath so much the more hindred the fruite and prise of his course In the way of health he that staies retires and hee that retires looseth himselfe and goes astray There are three sorts of men whom God loues not they that stay they that turne backe and they that wander Wee must giue courage to the first call on the second and direct the others Lewis found himselfe to be in so difficult a passage as he had need to be encouraged Lewis fals into new apprehensions of death supported and directed u It is a sweete consolation to a Princes minde among the trances and feares which are found in the passage of life and death when hee hath not to doe with any but himselfe that all his enterprises are ended and that he may say I die content hee could not but murmurre against the Law of Nature which did not suffer him to glut himselfe with the pleasures of life But to haue content of the rest at the point of death hee must make prouision thereof throughout the whole course of his life That word I dye content is not alwaies found in the mouth nor proceeds not from the heart of Princes who haue had so much paine to content theÌ„selues in whose liues as in those of other men we finde Vanity weakenesse inconstancy and misery The great oppositions which Lewis makes against the decree of death shew that he is not yet content with the fruits of life He complaines that he hath discouered the Port and desires to thrust himselfe againe into the violent waues of the world He thought that a little more life would haue made him reape the fruites of so many designes which hee had sowne in diuers places and did grieue that death would not suffer him to see that ended which he had begunne Yet it is a very remarkeable thing
vnfold the whole part of the Table Behold by the grace of God wee are come to the banke It is sufficient to haue written the Fathers History leauing the Sonnes to some other But before wee end wee must repasse vnto the Iudgements of the actions of this Prince That done wee will enter into the great Carriere of the toyles and glory the Combates and victories the Vertue and Fortune of the greatest Prince that euer was before or after Lewis the 11 th The end of the tenth Booke THE CONTENTS OF the eleuenth Booke 1 LIberty of Iudgements vpon the life of Lewis the eleuenth 2 A particular examination of his actions his piety his deuotions pilgrimages his good deeds to Churches his behauiour toward the Pope 3 What he was towards King Charles the seuenth his father towards his sonne his wife and the Princes of his bloud 4 Maiesty The care hee had to preserue the respect hee did not affect pompe who were the chiefe officers of his Crowne hee is very wary to confer titles of honor and dignity he contemnes the mark of maiesty 5. Magnificence The order and expences of his house he receiues the Embassadors of forraigne Princes with great state His buldings 6 Clemency He leaues no offence vnpunished his Prisons and Cages of Iron a rigorous vsage of the Dukes of Alençon and Nemours Hee reuengeth old offences which he had receiued before he was King and forgets not them of the league Seuerity in the end makes him fearefull and distrustfull 7 Iustice He institutes the Parliaments of Bourdeaux and Dijon hee loues not the Parliament of Paris a free and couragious admonition made by the President La Vacquerie how chiefe Ministers should carry themselues to Princes Of the Kings Audiences 8 Wisedome He was alwayes accompanied with feare he let slip the occasion to do his businesse in England and Flanders he can choose men and draw forraigne Princes to his deuotion as the Archduke of Austria Cosmo di Medicis and others he drew vnto his seruice the Lord of Lescun and Creuecoeur and Philip de Commines His tongue offends his wisedome 9 Liberality He is neither couetous nor liberall he hath formes to giue which bind much hee entertaines many Pentioners his liberality passeth to excesse empties his Coffers driues him to necessity and to lay rigorous Impositions vpon the people 10 Valour Proofe of the greatnesse of his courage in diuers encounters what care he had of warre His policie and military discipline 11 Knowledge He had more knowledge of learning the sâ—yences then other kings his predecessors The pittifull estate of the profession of learning vnder his reigne his Apothegmes and Answeres 12 Temperance Hee had two base daughters his priuate kind of life his domesticke pleasures his exercises and his confident seruants Diuers other obseruations vpon his life and Historie ¶ THE HISTORY Of LEWIS the eleuenth THE ELEVENTH BOOKE MEN iudge freely of the liues of Princes after their deaths IudgmeÌ„ts are free after death the glistering of their Purple-Robes doth no more dazle their eyes a Themistâ—us 〈◊〉 that the court of the Emperour Iovinian was full of flatterers said that then adored the pâ—rple more then the person and that the Court was an Euripus whose waues did fâ—ow and eâ—be in an instaÌ„t Nicep Cal. l. 10. c. 42. and the Iudgements which are made are purged from flattery which doth alwayes augment the good and diminish the ill which they do That King doth greatly binde him which speakes of his life when he giues him no occasion to lye in commending him For Princes are neuer so perfect but Truth may finde great exceptions in the goodliest qualities of their praises and before that the Statue be made perfect there must much Marble bee taken away and the forme exactly sought in the substance Philip de Commines saying that hee had seene the greatest Princes of his time and in them all there was both good and euill for that they were men he addes for truth freed from all flattery That God had created Lewis the eleuenth more wise more liberall and more vertuous then all they and that in him there were more things belonging to the office of a King and Prince then in any of the other I haue in a manner saith he seene them all and knowne what they could doe wherefore I deuine not This great authority which hee preserued vnto the last gaspe Liberty of iudgment vpon the life of Lewis 11. and carried into death was supported by three mighty pillars which his owne wisedome had raised Seuerity Constancy and Reputation b Maiesty is the inuincible fâ—â—t of a Prince it is better preserued by sâ—uerity then by too great 〈…〉 But for that these good soules are like vnto the Mill-dew of the starres which looseth much of her purenesse passing by the Regions of the aire and by the entrailes of Bees which forme it and that the gold of Princes vertues cannot bee drawne absolutely pure from their liues being alwayes mixt with diuers strange matters we must consider if the piety which was in him hath retained nothing of superstition or hypocrisie his elemency of feare Iustice of cruelty wisedome of subtilty liberality of prodigality and his other goodly qualities of Art and dissimulation Euery man may now speake his opinion without feare of displeasing or blame of flattery c Praises which are not necessary are best Neminem magis laudare Imperatoâ—em decet quam queÌ„ minus necesse est praise may passe on freely and boldly without any other necessity or bond then the respect which euery man should haue to preserue the memory of Princes against the outrages of slander Posterity which vnderstands not things but by the voice of such whom benefites or offences haue bound to remember them doth alwayes receiue flatteries and lies for truth d Flattery or hatred do most coÌ„monly turne an History out of the right way of truth therefore Tacitus protests that they of whom he speakes are not known vnto him neither by offences done nor by benefits receiued Mihi Galba Otho Vitellius nec beneficio nec iniuria cogniti It is fitting in painting to represent Hanniball and Antigonus halfe-faced to hide the eye which they wanted but a History must shew the whole face to the end that Princes may find their owne vices in the portrait of others This hath noted them to shew that there is nothing perfect in this world and if the Tapestry of this Princes life bee faire and pleasing viewing it on the right side you shall finde the backe very much disfigured with knots and seames We must not seeke his Elogies in the Histories of strangers e Buchanan saith that Lewis 11. Tyrannidem exercebat practised tyranny and that there was nothing more common Quam ex vsu suis coÌ„modis sine discrimine â—idem fall re quibuscunque sed precipue agnatis Principibus then of custome and for his owne
Kings owne mouth Clemency Clemency This goodly Pearle is not seene in his Crowne b The vertue which rayseth Kings to heauen is Clemency Consulere patriae pâ—rcere afflictis fera Caede abstinere tempus arque ira dare Orbi quietem saeculo pacem suo Haec summa virtus petitur hac coelum via Sen. in Octau this great and royall vertue which pardons the afflicted rayseth vp them that are deiected Lewis the 11. knew not how to pardon and breakes the current of choller was vnknowne vnto him Yet neuer Prince found more occasion to winne himselfe honour but that deceitfull Maxime that a Princes iustice may alwaies and in all cases dissemble c A Prince may mingle prudence with Iustice he may bee a Doue and a Serpent with these three conditions that it be for the necessary apparant and important good of the State that it be with measure and discretion and that it be for an offence and not to offend and sow the Foxes skinne vnto the Lyons fil'd his raigne with tragicall examples of seuerity and gaue him in dying that contentment not to haue left any offence vnpunished Phillip de Commines being to liue vnder the sonnes raigne hath not written all he knew and could haue spoken vpon the fathers and yet he saies but too much to shew his rigour Hee was these are his words suspitious as all Princes bee which haue many enemies and which haue offended many as he had done Hee was not beloued of great men nor of many of the meaner sort and had charged his Subiects more then euer King had done If Commines would haue painted out a cruell Prince hee could not haue imployed other coulours then those wherewith hee sets forth his rigorous prisons his Cages of Iron and his fetters d Cardinall Balue inuentor of these Cages of Iron was lodged there with the first and continued 14. yeares Lacum fodit aperuit eum incidit in foueaÌ„ quam fecit He digged a pit and opened it and fell into the Ditch whicâ— hee had made Hee saith That they were of wood couered with plates of Iron that he had caused Germanes to make most heauy and terrible fetters for mens feete Rigorous prisons of Lewis the eleuenth and there was a ring to put vpon the legge very hard to open like vnto a choller the chaine was great and waighty with a great bullet of Iron at the end much more weighty then was fit and they were called the Kings Snares Although that punishments be the effects of Iustice and very necessary for that hee hurts the good which pardons the wicked yet it caries some shew of cruelty when as the Prince himselfe seemes more carefull thereof then he ought and that hee doth employ them as well against innocents as those that are guilty e The more rare executions bee the more profitable is the example Remedies which curemildly are to be preferred before theÌ„ which burâ—ne mutulate To affect new punishment and against accustomed manners of the Country are markes of cruelty I haue seene saith Phillip de Commines good men prisoners with fetters on their feete who afterwards came forth with great honour and receiued great fauours from him amongst others a sonne to the Lord of Gruture of Flanders taken in battell whom the King married and made his Chamberlaine and Seneschall of Anjou and gaue him a hundred Lances Also the Lord of Pieâ—â—es a prisoner in the warre and the Lord of Vergy For hee found in the end that vigour doth but distract mens minds the violent gust of the Northen wind cannot make a passenger to abandon his Cloake whereas the Sunne casting his beames by little and little doth heate him in such sort as hee will bee ready to strip himselfe into his shirit Generous horses obey the shaddow of a small Wand whereas Asses tell their paces by the number of their blowes The raigne of this Prince was wonderfull stormy they could not say of him as of Antonyn that hee had shedde no bloud f The raigne of the Emperour Antonyn was so good as Herodian called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say without bloud Tristan his great Prouost who for his barbarous and seuere behauiour did as iustly as Maximin deserue the name of Sowre was so ready in the execution of his rigorous commandements as hee hath sometimes caused the innocent to bee ruined for the offendor Hee alwaies disposed this Prince rather to vse a sword to punish faults then a Bridle to keepe them from falling A more temperate Spirit would haue staid him and Princes in these stormes doe but what pleaseth them which guide the effects of their Wils A Prince is no lesse dishonoured by the multitude of executions g A multitude of executions saith Seneca breeds as bad a reputation to the Prince as a multitude of Burials to a Physitian too great rigours makes the paines contemptible augments the number of offendours and makes them to become wicked through despight then a Physitian receiues blame by the death of his Patient Claud of Seyssell could not say any thing more bitter to the memory of this Prince then that which hee writes That there were seene about the places of his abode many men hanged vpon Trees and the prisons and other houses neere full of prisoners who were often heard day and night crying out for the torments which they endured besides others which were cast into the Riuer Many great Princes haue felt the seuerity of his humours Iohn Duke of Alençon had in the end as much cause to murmurre against his iustice as hee had to commend his Clemency in the beginning of his Raigne Hee had beene condâ—mned to loose his head vnder Charles the seuenth The King restored him to his liberty and honour to make him some yeares after vndergoe the like censure h The Duke of Alençon being prisoner in the Casile of Loches was led to Paris the sixt of Iune 1473. by the Lord of Gaucort Chaletiere Steward of the Kings house with 24. Gentlemen and 50. Archers Hee caused him to bee apprehended and carried to the Towre at the Louure His Processe was made in the yeare one thousand foure hundred three score and foureteene and a Sentence pronounc't the eightenth of Iuly in these termes Sentence against the Duke of Alençon The Court hauing seene the Charges Informations and Confrontations of witnesses against Iohn of Alenâ—con his voluntary confessions the Processe and other things which were to bee seene touching the great and heynous crimes committed by him by the conspiracies practises and treaties which hee hath many and sundry times had and made with the English the ancient enemies and aduersaries of this Realme and other Rebels disobedient to the King and to the great preiudice of the King and subuersion of the publique good of the Realme forgetting through ingratitude the great grace that the King had done
him i The King going into Touraine about the end of the first yeare of his raigne found Iohn Duke of Alençon prisoner at Loches and set him at liberty infringing the conditions for the which the King had pardoned him and likewise the quality of other crimes which hee had committed Hauing also seene and considered all that was to bee seene in this party with mature deliberation It hath beene said that the Court declares the said Iohn of Alençon guilty of High Treason Crimes wherewith the Duke of Aleniçon was accused and Murther and to haue caused counterfeit Money to bee quâ—ined with the Kings stampe and Armes k Coyning of money is one of the rights of Soueraignety It is treason to make any be it good or bad Many NoblemeÌ„ in France had the priuiledge to coine but they were reuoked by an Edict made by King Francis the first and as such a one the said Court hath condemned him to receiue death and to bee executed by Iustice and with all hath declared all and euery his goods forfeited to the King the execution notwithstanding of the said Iohn of Alençon reserued vnto the Kings good pleasure The King freed him from the paine but hee left him one more tedious then that of death Ignominy and Imprisonment Hee did not also suffer René King of Sicile his Vnkle by the mothers side to liue in peace Hee commanded his Court of Parliament to make his Processe But it made him answere that hee could not bee iudged of Treason but in the Kings presence l Bodin in the fourth booke of his Common-weale the sixt Chapter saith that the Court of Parliament made this answere the twenty sixth of April one thousand foure hundred three score and fifteene It had done the like in the Duke of Alençons Processe in the time of King Charles the seuenth In the yeare 1458. Hee had the courage to withstand this brunt and as wee haue seene attended vntill that time had cured the vlcer of the Kings hatred against him The Duke of Nemours could not escape the seuerity of his Iustice the which hee had contemned by great relapses into the same faults If the Duke of Bourgundy had returned a Conquerour from the Suisses and Lorraines the King would haue beene no lesse troubled to put him to death then to set him at liberty m Captiuity is a meanes to free the soule from the tyranny of the body It is an act of çenerosity to contemne death more then to hate life Fortium virorum est magis mortem contemnere quam odisse vitam Q. Cur. lib. 5. The tediousnesse of his prison had disposed his soule to leaue that of the body without griefe to contemne death and to hate life Princes finde the offences of them they haue bound vnto them more sencible and lesse pardonable The King had erected the County of Nemours into a Dutchy Relapses of the Duke of Nemours he had pardoned him his felony of the League of the Common-weale and yet forgetting the effects of such a bond and his oath of fealty presently after the Duke of Guienne was retired into Brittany hee sent a man vnto him disguised like a Frier to offer him both his body and goods protesting to serue as hee did against the King his Soueraigne Lord. The Duke of Guiennes death forced the Duke of Nemours to flye the second time to the Kings mercy for a second pardon which the King granted him vpon an oath which hee tooke neuer to conspire against his Prince n The extract of the Processe sent to the Prouines and Parliaments shewes that this oath was taken in the presence of sixe Apostolike Notaries and sixe Royall Notaries and vpon the Crosse end Crowne of our Sauiour soone after hee assisted the Earle of Armagnac and renewed the practises and intelligences which he had with the Duke of Bourgundy All these inconstant actions weere degenerated into so many crimes which might not remaine vnpunished and which did assure him that death could not surprise him His soule was bound to resolue the same day that hee entred into resolutions which could not be otherwise expiated o Innocency may bee surprized crimes cannot for the offence and the punishment are Twinnes it is also a kinde of content to foresee which way wee must passe Iulian dying did thanke the Gods for that they had not kild him by surprize The King caused him to bee taken at Carlat and sent him prisoner to the Castle of Pierrescise which was then without the walles of Lyon A while after hee caused him to bee conducted to Paris where his Processe was made by the Court of Parliament p By an accord made betwixt King Lewis the eleuenth and Iames of Armagnac Duke of Nemours the 17. of Ianuary in the yeare 1469. the said Duke did renounce his place of Peere being content to be tryed as a priuate person if hee did faile in his obedience to the said King who did not shew that rigour but did furnish his Court with Peeres for his iudgement made at Noion the fourth of August 1477. Du Tiller The Lord of Beaujeu Earle of Clermont was President by the Kings Commission Hee confest all that hath beene formerly spoken and moreouer that hee had had intelligence with the Constable of Saint Paul to seaze vpon the King and Dauphin Confessions of the Duke of Nemours That the Duke of Bourgundy had sent him word if hee could take them hee should haue the Citty of Paris and the I le of France for his part That the Dauphin should be deliuered into the hands of Monsi r de Bresse and the King transported out of the Realme of France q The Duke of Nemours confessed more that hee had consulted and giuen credit to a Frier a Doctor of Diuinity whose bookes had beene burnt in the Bishops Hall at Paris Vpon these occasions he was condemned to loose his head at the Hales in Paris the fourth of August one thousand foure hundred three score and seuenteene Hee was a Peere of France but this quallity was omitted in his Sentence for that by an accord made the seuenteenth of Ianuary in the yeare one thousand foure hundred three score and nine hee had renounced his place of Peere and was content to bee tryed as a priuate-person in case of relapse The sentence of death was pronounced vnto him by Peter of Oriole Chancellour of France r A Prince shold alwaies keepe his word inuiolably and hold faith the foundation of Iustice. It is a great glory for a Prince when his tongue and heart agrees Mira est in principe nostromeÌ„tis linguaeque concordia noÌ„ modò humilis pâ—â—ui animi sed seruile vitium scit esse mendacium The vnion of mindle tongue is admirable in our Prince hee knowes that lying is not onely the signe of a base and abiect mind but that it is a seruile vice Hee had no refuge to his
that his wife had beene much altered and distempered with his imprisonment Lewis fears the reueÌ„ge of women and that the weakest are strong enough to doe mischiefe hee said vnto him Hearken Captaine Claude women are bad when they will do a mischiefe behold a paire of perfumed gloues which thou shalt carry to thy wife from me with fiue hundred Crownes which are in them I know that she was much afraid when as my Gossip Tristan went to take thee bid her that shee should not wish mee ill and come againe to mee three Moneths hence with thy Companie I giue thee one of my best Mules to carry thee more easily This was the first French Company there hauing beene none before but that of Scottishmen a The first guard of the body was Scottishmen therefore the Captaine of the Scottish guard carries the Title of the first Captaine of the Guardes of the Kings person he begins the yeare and serues the first quarter and it is called at this day The ancient French Guard Claude of la Chastre who was the first Captaine dyed at the age of 81 years vnder the reigne of Lewis the twelfth After his death fiue of his successors and heires of the same Armes commanded successiuely in this charge It is at this day commanded by Monsieur de Pralins Offences grew not old in his memory and the secret wounds which his Conscience b A Conscience toucht with remorse for his cruelties and inhumanities suffereth terrible torments without dying Such was that of Herod and of Catullus who were terrified euery night with the fights of such as they had put to death had daily their complaints sighes in their eares gaue him in reproach of so many men which had beene beaten and ruined by the lightning of his Iustice Hee pursues old offences made him not more tractable to pardon Hee did neuer forget the displeasure which he receiued during the wrath and indignation of King Charles his Father Three great personages of the Parliament of Grenoble Iohn Bayle the Kings Atturney thâ—â— a Councellor and afterwards a President Guy Pape a Councellor in the same Parliament and held by the soueraigne Courts and Vniuersities of all Europe the Oracle of the Law and René of Tomassin a Councellor also felt in their Age the rough blowes of this Princes remembrance They had all three declared themselues for the Father against the sonne and not willing in this diuision to wauer betwixt Iustice and Discretion resisted his designes and diuerted all those which strayed from their duety to follow this Prince As soone as Lewis came to the Crowne hee remembred all this c A Prince which pardons offences giues a great peace vnto his conscience The Panegerick of Constantine hath this goodly passage Sibi imputet quisquis vti noluit beneficio tuo nec se dignum vita iudicauit quum per te liceret vt viueret tu quod sufficit conscientiae tuae etiam non merentibus pepercisâ—i Sed ignosce dicto non omnia potes dij te vindicant inuitant Let him impute it to himselfe that would not make vse of thy bounty neither did he thinke himselfe worthy of life when he might haue liued by it thou to satisfie thine owne conscience hast spared euen them that deserued it not But pardon me thou canst not doe all the Gods reuenge thee and inuite thee not to make vse of it to the glory of Clemency and to the content of a good Conscience which takes delight to pardon euen them which deserue it not and remits the reuenge to God but to giue new punishments to old offences and as his nature was more prompt to reuenge an offence then to reward a good seruice and more easie to hate then to loue d They are very naturall passions to be sensible of iniuries It is a dulnesse and basenesse to haue no feeling of an iniury and it is folly to hold that for an iniury which is not Irasci in quibus non oporter insipiens est non irasci in quibus oporter insipientis est Arist. in 3. Eth. hee caused a Commission to bee dispatched the two and twentieth day of Aprill in the yeare 1462. and sent it to the President of the Chamber of Accounts and to one of the Stewards of his house to make the Processe for these three good seruants to king Charles the seuenth The chiefe points of the Accusation were That they had assisted and seconded King Charles in the detention of Dauphinè for so they spake from the Dauphin Lewis the true and onely Lord of that Prouince That they had crost the designes of their Soueraigne Lord and that the generall Estate of the Prouince assembled at Grenoble did not grant him a summe of money to supply his wants when as hee was in Flanders That Baylé had imprisoned all his seruants which came about his affaires and depended wholly of king Charles from whom hee had obtained for one of his sonnes the Archbishoppricke of Ambrun and for another the place of Atturney Generall The accused were heard and the Innocency which they felt in their Soules did put such generous words into their mouthes as the Iudges hearing them did not distinguish good men but by the hatred of their Prince and their hard Fortunes holding them more worthy of the Recompence of Prytaneus e The Iudges consulted after what manner they should put Socrates to death Cicero saith that vpon the diuersity of their opinions hee spake after this manner Ego ob ea quae feci dignuÌ„ me censeo qui publicitus alar in Prytaneo then of the Seuerity of Areopage Yet they were forced vpon these Accusations to pronounce a sentence the second of Iune following by the which they were declared conuicted of Felonie Ingratitude and Treason committed against the Dauphin A sentence very rigorous depriued of their Offices Charges and Dignities and condemned to restore the Fees receiued by them since the Dauphins departure into Flanders their Fees Landes Signiories Iurisdictions and other goods depending of the Dauphin confiscate and themselues banished for euer out of Dauphiné with defence neuer to returne againe vpon paine of death They ended the remainder of their dayes vnder the rigour of this Iudgment and and left nothing to their Children but the hope of a milder Reigne hauing not tasted any vnder this Prince f Those which had beene Donotaries of these goods would not leaue them and opposed to the Letters of CHARLES the eighth that of LEVVIS the eleuenth by a Sentence solemnly giuen by the Commissioners in the presence of the Kings Lieutenant dated the eight and twentith day of Iune in the yeare 1484. It was said Priorem sententiam minus debité fuisse latam nec talemeos pati debuisse sed poâ—ius absoluendos The first sentence was not duly had neither should they haue suffered it but were rather to bee absolued M. de Franc
question treated by Bodin in the second booke fourth chapter of his Common-weale but very superfluous for there is not any one but knowes therein what he should doe the President la Vacquery whom hee had drawne from the seruice of the Princesse of Flanders came vnto him with a good number of other Presidents and Councellors in their scarlet roabes The King being amazed to see this red procession demanded wherefore they came Sir answered la Vacquerie we come to resigne vp our places into your hands and to endure whatsoeuer it shall please you rather then to wrong our consciences in verifying the Edicts which you haue sent vs. Hee was very sensible of these words of Conscience and did not willingly like of any thing that was spoken to charge it he presently called them backe and promised neuer to doe any thing but what should bee iust and reasonable yet this course was not commended by them who compare a Magistrate leauing his charge for that he cannot allow of the Princes will to a Marriner which abandons the Helme during a Tempest A Magistratâ— should not quit his charge for any respect or to a Physitian who iudging the Disease incurable doth not vovchsafe to apply Remedies to asswage the paine when as hee sees those that may cure it are in vaine In these occasions the examples of good men whom wee must imitate and the aduice of wise men whom wee must honour should carry a light before iudgement Hee who first in France had the keeping of the sacred Seales of two Crownes seeing himselfe sometimes forced to haue the constancy of his duety striue with the absolute commandements of the King shewes how others ouer whom the dignity of his Office his vertues experience and merits giue preheminence should compose and gouerne their Actions When as the King to free himselfe from the Importunity of some Spirites which are hard to content and who abusing discretion in demanding grow discontented when they vse liberty in refusing commandes him to passe the Seale for things which exceede the ordinary formes of Iustice and are both without President and Reason o Example is a cleere light in doubtful things for those which are not grounded vpon example cannot bee maintained by reason Quod exemplo fit id etiam iure fieri putant That which is done ly example that they thinke lawfully done Cic. ad Sulpitium Hee hath beene heard to say that hee should hold himselfe inexcusable vnworthy of his charge and to carry the Title of the first Minister of the Kings Soueraigne Iustice if hee did represent vnto him the wrongs which it receiued in commaunding him things forbidden by the lawes and which should bee odious to his owne iudgement if importunity had not rather wrested then obtained them from his bounty Iustice is the felicity of Empires they haue seene how discreetly to his Admonitions hee added most humble prayers not to wrong the most sacred thing which the wisedome of God hath left to Princes for the felicity of their estates And when these Admonitions haue not preuailed that his Maiestie hath had other motions and that the effects which seemed contrary to Iustice haue made him see causes which Time the Men and the Affaires haue made lawfull and necessary hee hath alwayes conuerted his Reason into Obedience contenting himselfe to haue shewed the integrity of his minde without opposition against the will of his Prince which is aboue the Lawes and doth declare all that iust which doth accomodate his Affaires for there is no Lawe which commaundes a Magistrate to ruine himselfe in maintaining Iustice against the power of his Prince and Wisedome which carries a light before all other vertues will that a man faile in any thing rather then himselfe p Among the Precepts which Polybius sent to Demetrius to draw him out of the danger into which youth and indiscretion had ingaged him this is remarkable Quit all rather then thy selfe When as the Princes will strayes from reason it must bee reclaimed mildly by discretion wee must thinke that hee can doe nothing without the aduice of his Parliaments q Kings haue alwayes had a Councell a part to consult resolue vpon the great affaires of their estate The peeres of France did not enter into the Kings Councel their quality did not priuiledge them if they did not please the King It is also obserued in the Ordonances for the gouernment of the realme and for the Regency in the absence and minority of Kings they doe not in any sort speake of the Peeres of France The King should bee no King if there were in his Realme an Authority aboue his Great resolutions which concerne the safety of the State are not treated of in great Assemblies where as the secret which is as the soule cannot bee long kept in but doth euaporate r Matters are neuer kept secret in great Assemblies whatsoeuer was done in the Senat of Rome was blowne abroad the Senators Children told newes to their Mothers and Titus Liuius wonders that the Embassadors of Greece and Asia had discouered nothing of the speech which King Eumenes had vsed in open Senat against King Perseus Monarkes haue alwayes had a Councell separated from the Senate which is otherwise busied enough with the flowing and ebbing of Sutes and they haue not onely reserued great affaires to their Councell but they would haue chosen persons confifidently to impart vnto them their most important affaires This is not without President for the greatest and most happy Founders of the Roman Empire had besides the Senate a Priuie Councell of few persons s Iulius Caesar had for his priuy Councellors Q. Paedius and Corn. Balbus Augustus had Maecenas and Agrippa with whom hee treated his greatest and most important Affaires The Parliaments haue the care of the execution of the Kings Edicts they publish them and cause them to bee obserued they keepe the Registers that at neede they may haue recourse to them It is true that Princes haue sometimes shewed themselues so absolute in their willes as the wise men of their Councell not beeing able to restraine or moderate them haue often allowed the oppositions which the Parliaments haue made to their Edicts and fauoured them for that they were conformable to reason and agreeing with the publicke good For although the Soueraigne bee aboue the Lawes and that hee may derogate from Right and Law wherein Soueraignty doth properly consist yet it is necessary that the absolute power bee restrained by the Ciuill and that he consider that in destroying the Law and offending Iustice he is like vnto the Iuy which puls downe the wall that beares it vp I leaue it vnto the wise to consider if they did well to put into the mouth of King Charles the ninth Words of K. Charles to the parliament the thirteenth yeare of his Age and the second of his Reigne these wordes t These wordes are
reported by Bodin in the 3 d book of his Common weale the first chapter and hee addes that the Parliament made other admonitions for that there was a diuision vpon the publication of his Letters which gaue occasion of the Decree of the Priuy Councell the 24 of September following by the which the diuision was declared void the Parliament forbidden to put into deliberation the Ordonances proceeding from the King concerning affaires of State the which was also done by letter patents in the yeare 1528. I will not that you deale with any other thing but to doe good and speedy Iustice for the Kings my Predecessors haue not set you in the place where you are but to that effect and not to make you my Tutors nor protectors of the Realme nor preseruers of my Citty of Paris And when I shall commaund you any thing if you finde any difficulty I shall bee content you acquaint me with it which done without any further reply I will bee obeyed But when the State is gouerned by a wise Prince whose reputation is grounded vpon great and eminent vertues they haue no other part in the Estate The Authority of the king is an Ocean but the Honour and the Obedience u The duety of a soueraine Magistrate is to obey the Prince to bend vnder his obedience to coÌ„mand his subiects to defend the warlicke to resist the mighty and to do Iustice to all A Regall power is an Ocean into the which all others like vnto Riuers loose their name They bee as Starres which borrow their light from the Sunne and haue none in his presence It is sometimes necessary that they resist those commandements which haue beene rather extorted by importunity then obtained by reason from the Princes motion and the admonitions which they make in such occasions should bee alwayes considered But if the Prince haue other Reasons and other respects and that his thoughts go not the common way it is not for them to shew themselues difficult neither must they attend a third command and it were better to dissemble and support some things extraordinary to the Princes will then to incense him It is well knowne that the obstinacy and resistance of PAPINIAN to the will of CARACALLA made him more cruell and violent x Caracalla hauing put his brother Geta to death he commended Papinian to make his excuse vnto the Senat. Papinian answered suddenly That he would not do it and that it was not so easie to excuse as to commit a particide Caracalla incensed with this answere put him to death and continued his cruelties which a more discreet proceeding had restrained Spartiat Wise men thinke one thing but they do not vtter it They alwayes wayes goe one way but they goe not still the same pace If a storme hinders them from comming into the hauen it is wisedome to obey the Winde and not to bandy against the Tempest y The Office of a Wise man is comprehended by Cicero in these words Vt in nauigando tempestati obsequi artiâ— est sic omnibus nobis in administranda Repub. propositâ—m esse debet Non idem semper dicere sed idem semper spectare As in sailing it is Art to obey the Tempest so should all wee doe in the gouernment of the Common-weale Not alwayes to speake the same thing but to look to the same end Lewis the eleuenth strained his absolute power vnto the height His Prouost went and tooke prisoners out of the Consergerie of the Pallace and caused them to bee drowned right against the Mercers Grange Towardes the end of his dayes hee found his Conscience much opprest with the contempt of Iustice hee would haue repaired it but he was come to the Sabaoth of the weeke when it was no longer lawfull to labour In Aprill 1482. hee sent vnto the Court of Parliament an Act of the Oath which hee tooke at his Coronation z The King in his Oath at his Coronation doth promise to defend his subiects from all violence wrong and that in all iudgements hee will commaund equity and mercy to the end that God who is mercifull may grant it to him and his subiects to exhort them to doe good Iustice and to free him from that bond It is that wherein the condition of Princes is to bee lamented They are laden with the very weight of their Consciences and with the excesse which hath beene committed throught all the Orders of the Realme for that they haue neglected the remedies What peace can a soule haue which labours to fight against his owne faults and other mens a It is a troublesome enterprise to correct his owne vices and to striue against other mens Neque enim multum prodest vitia sua projecisse si cum alienis rix â—ndum est Neither hath hee profited much that hath cast away his owne faults if hee must contend with other mens SENEC Hee that shall consider how easily hee did communicate with all sorts of persons and how willingly hee did heare them he will thinke that if hee had not a care of Iustice in generall hee had done it to all men in particular But hee erred as well in this as in any other thing But it is equally bad to giue eare to all the World and not to any man and hee made it knowne that in matters which are held perfect among men there is alwayes some thing to bee taken away or added and that is onely perfect where there is nothing wanting nor any thing that exceeds it b There is nothing perfect in the vertues of men Nothing can come from man that is in euery degree perfect Nunquam è mortali semine nascetur qui sit omnibus bonitatis numeris absolutus Hee shall neuer bee borne of mortall seede that shall bee absolute in all goodnesse DIONYS HALIC lib. 8. PHILIP DE COMMINES hath obserued in two places of his History that his eare was open to euery man In the first hee saith Neuer any man did lend so much eare to men nor did enquire of so many things as hee did nor that desired to knowe so many men In the second Hee medled with many meane things of his Realme which hee might well haue forborne but his humour was such and so hee liued And his memory was so great as hee remembred all things and knew all the world both in all Countries and about him It is the office of a King to heare the complaints of his subiects with mildenesse and gentlenesse which doth not blemish Maiesty God who hath constituted them Iudges ouer their Subiects will require reason of the Iustice which hath bene demanded and not done c Kings should giue an account of the administration of Iustice ouer their people Wisd. 6. Audite Reges terrae intelligite discite iudices finium terrae praebete aures vos qui continetis multitudines placetis vobis in turbis nationuÌ„ quoniam data
est à Domino potestas vobis virtus ab Altissimo qui interrogabit opera vestra cogitationes quoniam cum effetis Ministri regni illius nō recte iudicastis nec custodistis legem Iustitiae◠neque secum dū voluntatē Dei ambulastis Heare ◠yee Iudges of the earth vnderstand c. To demaund Iustice of a King is to do him a kind of homage which doth not belong to any other and to confesse that he holds the ranke ouer men that God doth ouer Kings But for that they cannot participate with euery thing see all heare all not bee euery where Princes relye vpō their Ministers they relye vpon the dilligence and fidelity of their seruants whereof some assist them with their wits counsell and tongues and others with their hands swords and fortune France hath alwaies beene seconded by men of this quality it brings more forth daily and is not weary of so many Childe-birthes Princes are like worke-men their Officers are the Iustruments with the which they may cut and fashion as they please And although all charges bee distinguished and haue their bounds that the Trowell may not do the office of the Hammer yet they tend all to one end the seruice of the Prince whereon depends the publick safety which is the perfection of the worke The Princes eare is like vnto the Temple of the Goddesse Horta which was alwaies open but the prayers must be short and guided by reuerence and humility for Iupiter of Crete hath eares at his feete Those which are vniust are dead towards the King and mortall towards God for him that makes them Wee must speake vnto the King as if God vnderstood it and none must speake vnto God as if we were vnderstood by men There are some which demand things of Kings which they would not giue to them that aske them and others that would blush if the prayers which they make vnto God were knowne Wherefore a Prince sends such petitions to whom hee pleaseth to see if they bee iust and ciuill It were impossible for him to heare them and determine them without doing wrong to those affaires which require no delay to resolue on The greatnesse of his Maiesty is wronged when as they make him discend into the care of base things d It is importunity to a Prince to giue him an account of base things When as Pliny wrote to Traian De seruis damnatis quise Ministerijs publicis immiscuerunt Of slaues condemned who had wrought in the publike workes Hee addes this Preface to his Letter Salua magnitudine tua Domine descendas oportet ad meas curas cùm ius mihi dederis referendi ad te de quibus dubito My Lord sauing your Greatnesse you must descend vnto my cares hauing giuen me leaue to impart my doubts vnto you Wisedome which is the light of his actions and the Serpent which shadowes his fore-head e Bochoris King of Egipt being by nature rough sowre and violent the Goddesse Isis sent him a Serpent which wrething about his head did make a shadow to the end his iudgement should bee seasoned with Prudence and Iustice. forbids them to trouble their heads for all sorts of affaires the which are often represented by men which neither see farre off nor much behind them who confounds their discourses in the beginning and speaking without reason would be heard with patience Wee must beautify this discourse with the same authority which gaue lustre vnto the precedent The discourses which are held at the Table of the Chancellours of France are alwaies vpon some goodly Subiect pleasing to learne and profitable and necessary to vnderstand and wee may say that delicacy of wits findes that there which excesse did furnish to the appetite of men for foure monthes to deliuer into his hands the foure chiefe Townes of Brabant Brussels Antwerpe Macklin and Louan and to leaue him the Country of Flanders in Soueraignety without homage if he could conquer it These offers proceeding rather from the necessity of affaires then from the Kings intention who desired nothing but to aduance his affaires in Bourgundy and Artois and to diuide and weaken his enemies forces were well and wisely weyed by the King of England y The lesse which is profitable and certaine is to be preferred before the more which is vnprofitable and vncertaine The King of England desires rather the Countries of Bullen in effect then Brabant Flāders in hope neither could the English consent vnto a warre which did interrupt their Trafficke with the Low Countries who answered that if the King were so well minded to make him a sharer of his conquest he had rather haue some of those which were already conquered in Picardy and that in deliuering him Bulloine hee would declare himselfe for him against the Princesse of Bourgundy The King then hauing contemned the way of mildenesse and reason to follow that of force and fortune neglected also the occasion which this first amazement of the Princesse and her people put into his hands and leauing her the liberty to marry her selfe and to carry those goodly Prouinces to a strange house all things became impossible Maximilian hauing married the Princesse raysed with great solemnity the order of the Golden Fleece z Oliuer dela-March reports the ceremony which was made at the raising of this Order and saith that they wondered the King had not preuented the Arch-Duke to shew that he would also restore the affaires of that house Yet for all this they do not leaue to giue him the honour of the wisest of his age Partes of wisedome He made his wisedome appeare in that he could consult and deliberate well he could iudge and resolue well and he could leade and execute wel This wisedome was wholy his and depended not of the motion or discourse of any other Wherefore when as he demanded of Brezay Seneschall of Normandy the reason why he said that his horse was great and strong being but little and of a weake stature For that answered Brezay hee carries you and all your Counsell It is a very singular grace of heauen when as the actions of Princes vnfurnished of Councell succeede happily For as a Prince hath need of a soule to liue by so is it necessary for him to haue counsell to raigne a Euery Prince hath two Councels one interior and the other exterior The interior is that which growes in his head from his owne knowledge and vnderstanding The exterior is of those that assist him in the managing of affaires It is weake councell which consists onely of yong heads Yong men may well haue some good points but they are like vnto those of the eares of corne The force of councell consists in wisedome which is not gotten but by experience and experience comes not but with time A man may be borne capable of wisedome but onely time makes the wise Yong Vines carry Grapes aboundantly but the
Priuiledges of the Parisians and the profit which it feeles by the ordinary presence of their Maiesties he gaue leaue to euery Burgesse to take yearely a certaine measure of salt for their prouision paying the Marchants right onely and to be freed of the forraigne imposition paying six deniers vpon the Liuer in Paris and twelue vpon the furthest parts of the Realme not being bound to giue caution for the sale of it That they should not bee forced by any harbinger to lodge the kings Officers nor any Souldiers but at their owne pleasures f These priuiledges were amplâ—fied and confirmed during the warre of the Common-weale and for that the people did apprehend that they might bee reuoked when it did cease the Chronicle saith that he declared in a great Assembly that hee desired rather to augment them then to cut off any thing Not to be bound to plead any where but in Paris for what cause soeuer To be freed from all duties and seruices for the fees they held yet vpon condition to haue sufficient and defencible Armes according to the value of their fees for the guard and defence of the Citty In like manner the Citty of Lyon that mighty Bulwarke of the State is bound vnto him for the establishment of the Faires Commerce is a great meanes to drawe forraigne commodities into a State but it may cause a dangerous transport of gold and siluer if it bee not entertained by the exchange of Wares And as it should not bee lawfull to transport those that bee necessary and whereof the Subiects may haue need g One of the iustest and most ancient meanes to augment a kings tributes is vpon the entry going forth and passage of Merchandise It is the forraigne Imposition an ancient right to Soueraignes and it is called Portorium quod mercium quae importantur exportanâ—urve nomine penditur neither those which are vn-wrought so the permission should be easie and free for those which are needfull for strangers that the subiects may thereby gaine the profit of their hands This Prince being giuen to vnderstand that the Faires at Geneua did draw a great quantitie of Money out of France he erected foure Faires at Lyon h The Estates of Tours after the death of King Lewis the eleuenth required to haue these Faires â—ept but twice a yeare at Easter and at the Feast of All-Saints and in some other Towne then Lyon for that it was too 〈…〉 â—â—â—thest bounds of the Realme and gaue them his letters patents at Saint Michael vpon Loire the 20 th of October 1462. Trafficke cannot receiue a more sencible iniury then by the calling downe or raising of Money which wrongs the Law of Nations If there bee any thing in an estate which should bee immutable it is the certainty of their valour Wisedome is not commended but for the constancy of that which she resolues i A Prince who is the warrant of publicke Iustice subiect to the law of Nations should not suffer the course of Money to bee variable vncertaine to the preiudice of his subiects strangers which treat traffick with them Wherfore the Kings of Arragon comming to the Crowne tooke an Oath not to alter the Coines which were allowed she learnes fit accidents which are mutable and immutable to reason which is constant and one and not reason to accidents When as the course of Money is disordered and vncertaine all is in confusion Lewis the eleuenth changed the course of coins in the yeare 1473. hee ordained that the great Blankes should goe currant for eleuen Deniers Turnois which before were worth but ten he reduced another coine called Targes Orders for Coins to eleuen Deniers which past for twelue The Crowne at thirty Souls three Deniers Turnois and after this proportion all other peeces Then considering that one of the causes of the weakning of Coines grew for that the Officers tooke their Fees and entertainements from the rights of the Mint which should bee vnknowne in great Estates k The Ancients knew not what the right of Minting meant and the Coines were not imparted for the fees of officers which were taken froÌ„ other kindes of mony to the end that the coyning of money should be free from all suspition of deceit it was done in publicke places as at Rome in Iuno's Temple and Charlemain did forbid any to bee coined but in his Palace and are not seemely but in petty ones where they draw profite from euery thing and augment their Reuenues by the coining of money In the yeare 1475. he displaced the Generals and Maisters of the Mint and set foure Commissioners in their places Germaine de Merle Nicholas Potier Denis the Britton and Simon Ausorran and ordained that the Kings crownes of Gold which before had course for foure and twenty Souls Parisis and three Turnois should goe for fiue and thirty peeces of eleuen being worth fiue and twenty Souls eight Deniers Parisis and they should make other Crowns which should haue a Halfe-moone in stead of a Crowne which was on the rest and should be worth thirty six peeces of eleuen of the value of twenty six Souls six Deniers and new Dozains at 12 Turnois a peece Liberality Wee should lye in calling this Prince couetous as well as in saying he was liberall Liberality he neuer knew what it was to spare no not in his age when as couetousnesse doth most trouble the mind when it hath least need of it l Couetousnesse which comes in the end of mans life is inexcusable What auails it to prouide so many things for so smal a iourny Auaritia senilis maxime est vituperanda Potest enim quicquaÌ„ esse absurdius quam quo minus viae restat eo plus viatici quaerere Couetousnesse in age is much to be blamed Can there bee any thing more obsurd then when there is least way to go to make most prouision Cat. Mâ—i One thinking that there was nothing so honest as to demand and receiue demanded of King Archelaus being at supper a cup of gold wherein he dranke The King commanded his Page to go and giue it to Euripides who was at the table and turning towards him that had beg'd it â—e said As for thee thou art worthy to demand and to be refused for that thou dost begge but Euripides is worthy to be rewarded although he demands not he knew not what it was to giue with reason and discretion to whom how much and when Hee gaue not with a refusing countenance but cheerefully and freely No man holds himselfe bound for that which is giuen by importunity and which is rather wrested away then receiued Slow graces are as troublesome as the swift are sweete Bounty should preuent demands sometimes hopes and neuer merit Shee doth not consider who receiues how farre the greatnesse of his courage and fortune goes that giues and doth fore-warne him that there are some that deserue to bee refused when
Disposition of Charles the 8 th 117 Dispute of the Authority of the Pope and Councell 61 Dissimulation of the Duke of Brittanie 9 E Edict to reforme Souldiers 185 Edward the fourth his death 81 Embassadours of France make Ouerture for a peace 5 Embassages ambitiously affected neuer succed happily 185. Error of learned men not to communicate 194 Estate of Lorraine 49 Estate of the Low-countries at the discretion of the Gantois 75 Estates that are popular haue alwayes some one priuat man more eminent then all the rest 2 Estates vnhappy which are forced to seeke strange Maisters 30 Example is a cleare light in doubtfull things 154 Examples of diuers disorders 114 Excesse esteems nothing but what is rare and chargeable 158 Expences ruled by occasions 176 F Fauours of Princes last not 148 Ferdinando base son to Alphonso of Arragon crowned King of Naples by Pope Pius the 2 d. 52. is ouerthrowne by Iohn Duke of Calabria Ibid. and restored by Scanderbeg 53 Flatterers pleasing to Princes 106 Florence in one hundred yeares changed estate seuen times 3 Formes of warre changed 43 France cannot bee disarmed of foot-men 40. it sends Spaine to the Indies 177 Francisco de Paulo an Hermit of admirable holinesse 105 G Garniers Oke 178 Generosity of a yong Boy of Sparta 47 God the Iudge of hearts 122 Grauity ridiculous 133 Griefe of Pope Sixtus for the peace betweene the Venetians and Ferrarois 57 H Henry the fourth the last French King his worthy commendations 143 Heralds creation 137 History should be free from loue or hatred 89 Hugonet and Imbercourt condemned to dye 15 I Iames of Luxemburg his generous answer to the King 172 Ignorance and Weaknesse feare any encounter 67 Impiety ouertaken by Iustice. 10 Ingratitude and Impiety of Adolph of Guelders 16 Inhumanity of Mahomet 45 Intelligences of the Duke of Brittanie discouered 8 Inuentions are not perfect in the beginning 44 Iudgement transported with choler is like a shippe without a Pilot. 67 Iudgements are free after death 120 Iudgement vpon the recompence of seruices 187 Iustice is the felicity of Empires 154 K Katherine of Foix Queene of Nauarre 84 Kings haue long hands and many snares to entrap their enemies 51 L Lewis counselled to make his profit of the diuision in Italy 1. He declares himselfe for the Florentines 3. Hee seeketh a peace of Maximilian 38. His designes vpon Lorraine and Prouence 48 Hetakes possession of Prouēce 54 He neglects the calling of a councell 57. His waywardnesse and melancholy 69. his visitation of his son at Ambois 70. he fals into new apprehēsions of death 95. his distrust 104. his deuotion 107. his curiosity 108. his last actions 109. he could not indure to heare of death 111. his superstition Ibid. his death 112. his children 115. his pilgrimages 122. the Latine which he would haue his sonne to learne 130. his custome at Ceremonies 134. his contempt of the markes of Maiesty 136. hee knew not how to pardon 144. his rigorus prisons 145. his feare of the reuenge of women 150. he was neither liberall nor couetous 171. his meane borrowings 175. his proper Science 185. his letters pattents wherby he gaue Armes to his base daughter 193. his great popularity 196. his delight in hunting 197. his fauorites and Contemporaries Ibid. c. Lightnesse Choler and Facility do not well become a Prince 37 Loyalty of the Earle of Vandosme 89 Loue of God and contempt of the world 106 M Magistrates should not quit their charge for any respect 153 Magnificence of the house of Burgondy 137 Magnificence of Lewis 11 th 140 Magnificence how far it extends 141. Religious Magnificence 142 Mahomet dies for griefe after the losse at Belgrade 48 Maiesty compared to Moses rod. 133 Mariages of France Sauoy 164 Mathias Coruinus his resolute answere to the Turkes Embassadors 28. his commendation 98. is chosen king of Hungary 100. his valor and conduct with other worthy acts 101. his war against the Emperour 103. his death Ib. Maxime of Machiuel 122 Miscounting in the History 74 Misery of the Duke of Brittanie 11 N Necessity of Horse-men 41 Neighbour-estates haue alwayes some disputes 38 New discipline for Souldiers Ib. Nobility of Hungary discontented 102 O Oath of the gouernment of Florence 3. an Oath should haue three conditions Truth Iudgement and Iustice. 32 Obedience is the Science of Princes 130 Obseruations of the aduantages of foot-men ouer horse-men 39 Offers of Bajazet to the King 95 Office of Heralds at Armes 137 Offices that are great should not be hereditary 138 Offices are to bee maintained if they be good 139 Oppression of the people 68 P Philip Earle of Bresse his marriages and children 165 Policie to bring an enemy into suspition of his owne people 2 Policie in England for the Titles of families 135 Popes bound to the Crowne of France 125 Pouerty of France in the time of King Iohn 176 Practise against the life of an enemy by any other meanes then by Armes is vnworthy of of a Prince 35 Predictions vpon the Life of Lewis the eleuenth 189 Presumption of Oliuer le Daine 12 Pride troden vnder foot 47 Princes rely vpon their Ministers 157 Priuiledges of the Parisians 170 R Relapse of the Kings sicknesse at Tours 69 René of Anjou his commmendation 53 Reputation grounded vpon great and eminent vertues 155 Reuenge taken by a woman 46 Rhodes besieged by Mahomet 25 S Sacke and desolation of Dole 166 Science of Treasure 179 Sentence against the Duke of Alençon 146 Sentence very rigorous 150 Sermons of sedition 126 Silence the soule of great actions 163 Simplicity of the eloquence in old time 129 Sleping for a Benefice 173 Stablishment of Posts 169 Sterrility of Suisserland 180 Suspension of Armes not alwayes necessary to make a peace 7 T Temperance wherein it consists 193. the fruits thereof 195 Treaty of peace and marriage between France Bourgondy 75 Tributes by which the meanes to make war are maintained may not be touched 42 Tristan his barbarous behauiour 145 V Valour is naturall to the French Kings 183 Vanity of iuditiary Astrology 189 Venetians contempt of the Popes fulminations 4. their Accord with the great Turke 6. They proclaime warre against the Duke of Ferrara and soone after conclude a peace with him 56 Vertue enuied for the lustre thereof 10 Vision miraculous 27 W Wisedome of the Lord Hastings 167 Witnesses of our faults and imperfections wee seldome desire to see 65. Workes of vanity and ostentation Z Zizimi reuolts against Bajazet 95. his letter to Bajazet 96. he repaireth to Rhodes and is conducted into France 97 FINIS