Session of this Parliament the Ulcer which had been long gathering in the Minds of the people broke out For the Parliament in lieu of assisting the King against the Scots enter'd into a Confederacy with them promising a monthly Subsidy towards the maintaining of the Scottish Army which was to be ready at the English Parliament's command Then they began to reform the States to clip the King's Authority to punish his Ministers and Servants and to take away the Bishops Liturgy and fall upon Papists The better to obtain their aim they forced the King to consent that he would not dissolve the Parliament till all such as were criminal were punished and the State were entirely reformed In a word that they should have the liberty to sit as long as they pleased Which in effect put an end to the Royal Authority To try the King's Patience and their own Strength they brought the Earl of Strafford Lord Deputy of Ireland to his Tryal who notwithstanding he made a good Defence and the King did his utmost to preserve his beloved and faithfull Minister yet the Rabble of London then encouraged by the House of Commons making an Insurrection he received Sentence of Death in the House of Lords And the King refusing to sign the Warrant for his Execution was obliged thereunto partly by the importunity of the Parliament partly by the Insurrection of the Rabble of the City of London and partly by a Letter from the Earl desiring him to do it Then the rest of the King's Ministers went to rack some of them saving themselves by flight some being imprisoned The Bishops were excluded from the House of Lords The Star-chamber the Authority of the Privy Council and the High Commission were suppressed the Customs and power over the Fleet were taken away from the King Some of these and some other things which proved very prejudicial to him the King was forced to grant them in hopes thereby to heal the ulcerated Minds of the people He went also in person into Scotland where he granted them all what they could desire About the same time a horrid Conspiracy broke out among the Irish Papists who pretended to maintain the Popish Religion and to redress some Grievances by force of Arms which occasioned afterwards a most cruel slaughter At last it came to an open Rebellion For the Parliament not ceasing to encroach daily more and more upon the Royal Authority the King resolved to assert his Authority wherefore he summoned five Members of Parliament whom he accused as Traitors and authors of all the Differences And the House of Commons taking their part the King went into the House accompanied with some Officers and spoke to them with a due resentment of their Behaviour which however they made but little account of being not ignorant of his want of Power of which he seem'd to betray himself when he immediately afterwards condescended and came nearer their Expectations The House of Commons thereupon stirr'd up the neighbouring Counties and especially the London Apprentices who made such an Insurrection that the King not thinking himself safe in London retir'd into the Country And the Parliament order'd all the Governours of the Sea-ports not to obey the King's Commands It was certainly a great errour in the King that in such troublesome times he had not taken care to secure to himself the Sea-ports by which means he might have hoped for some assistance from abroad For when the King intended to possess himself of the Fort and Harbour of Hull he was not admitted so that there was nothing left but that the Parliament had not as yet taken from the King the disposal of Offices But for the rest it was evident that their Intention was to abolish totally the Royal Power and to introduce a Democracy And after the King had once given his Assent to the exclusion of the Bishops from the House of Lords where they had six and twenty votes and the rest of the King's Friends had once absented themselves from both Houses it was easie for the remainder quite to abolish the Authority of the House of Lords Thus after there had been long contests by Words and Writings betwixt both parties the King now as well as the Parliament began to Arm themselves And the King having at several times at first beat the Parliament Forces the Parliament stirr'd up the Scots entring with them into a Confederacy Whereupon the Scots came with a considerable Force to the assistance of the Parliament which turned the Scale the King's Forces being routed near York and he obliged for want of Men and Money to give himself up to the protection of the Scots who nevertheless did surrender him to the English for the Summ of 400000 l. under condition that he should not be abused by them The King was afterwards carried a Prisoner from place to place for a considerable time § 28. By these means the Puritans or Presbyterians had under the pretext of Religion overthrown the Royal Power But that they could not long enjoy their usurped power was occasioned by a certain Sect that called themselves Independent because they would not depend on any certain from of Faith or Spiritual or Temporal Constitutions nor acknowledge any of the same whereby they opened a door for all sorts of Fanaticks to come under their Protection These under pretence of a particular holy Zeal had not only got a great sway in the Parliament and had been against any peaceable accommodation propos'd by others but also by their cunning insinuating way crept into the chief Civil and Military Employments For in the place of the Earl of Essex Thomas Fairfax was made General and Oliver Cromwell Lieutenant General over the Army the last of which was the Head of the Independents a sly and cunning Fox And out of this party all vacant places were supply'd in Parliament The Presbyterians therefore perceiving that the Independents began to be very strong in the House and that most Military Employments were in their Hands proposed in the House That one part of the Army should be sent into Ireland that some Forces only should be kept in England and the rest be disbanded Cromwell made use of this to stirr up the Souldiers telling them that they were likely to be disbanded without pay or else to be starv'd in Ireland Thereupon the Souldiers enter'd into an Association among themselves taking upon them not only the Military but also all the Civil Power they took the King from the Parliament into their own custody pretending they would give him his liberty but made themselves Masters of the City of London and acted in every thing at discretion For they quickly after broke off the Treaty with the King and a great many of the Subjects who were not able to bear their Tyranny taking up Arms were dispers'd by Cromwell who also beat the Scots that were come into England to the assistance of the King making
and turn'd to the great advantage of those Cities But this King perceiving that his own Subjects might as well make the same benefit of it he set up the Woollen Manufactury in his Kingdom which increased prodigiously afterwards when at the time of the Troubles in the Netherlands a great many of these Weavers did settle themselves in England The Riches of England also are as it seems not a little increased because it is not permitted there to any Body to carry any Gold or Silver of their own Coin out of the Land except it be perhaps to the value of ten pound Sterling for a Traveller But Scotland does not come near England neither in Fertility nor Riches having not any Commodities fit for Exportation except Salt-fish Salt Lead and Coals The Western and Orkney Islands also produce nothing but Fish Ireland abounds in Cattel and especially in Sheep tho' the Irish Wooll is not so fine as the English but for the rest it is a fertile and plentifull Country In America belong to the English Crown the Islands of Bermudos Virginia and New England and some of the Caribby Islands whither the English have sent their Colonies and have also begun to settle themselves on the Continent of Guiana The Product of these Countries is chiefly Tobacco Sugar Ginger Indigo and Cotton They have also a Colony in the Island of Jamaica from whence the English Buckaneers and Privateers do great mischief to the Spanish West Indies For it is a custom with the English That tho' they are at Peace with the Spaniards in Europe they do them nevertheless all the Mischief they can in the West Indies Tangier King Charles II. got as a Dowry with the Infanta of Portugal Lastly The English also are possess'd of some places in the Banda Islands and thereabouts in the East Indies which are of no small consequence to them § 35. The Constitution of the Government in England is chiefly remarkable for this that the King cannot act at pleasure but in some Matters is to take the Advice of the Parliament By this Name is to be understood the Assembly of the Estates of England which is divided into the Higher and the Lower House In the first sit the Bishops and the Lords in the latter the Deputies of the Cities and of the 52 Counties or Shires into which the whole Kingdom of England is divided The first origin of the Parliament as 't is related was this That the former Kings of England did grant great Privileges to the Lords by whose assistance they had conquer'd the Country and kept the common people in obedience But these in conjunction with the Bishops growing too head-strong proved very troublesome especially to King John and Henry III. wherefore to suppress their Insolence Edward I. took part with the Commons And whereas formerly out of each County or Shire two Knights and two Citizens only were call'd to represent their Grievances which having been debated by the King and the House of Lords they used to receive an answer and to be sent home again This King Edward call'd together the Commons and consulted with them concerning the publick Affairs tho' there are some who will have their origin to be much more ancient This House after it was once establish'd did extreamly weaken the Authority of the Lords and in process of time did not a little diminish the Regal Power for ever since that time the Rights of the People were maintained with a high hand the House of Commons imagining that the Sovereignty was lodg'd among them and if the Kings refused to gratify them in their Requests they used to grumble at their proceedings And because the Power of the Parliament is not so much establish'd by any ancient Laws as Precedents and Customs this is the reason why it is always very jealous of its Privileges and always ready to make out of one single Precedent a right belonging to it ever after This Parliament the King is obliged to call together as often as any extraordinary Taxes are to be levy'd for the Parliament did assign this King at first for his ordinary Revenue 1200000 l. per annum which has been considerably augmented since or any old Laws are to be abrogated or new ones to be made or any alteration to be made in Religion For concerning these matters the King cannot decree any thing without consent of the Parliament The Parliament also used to take into consideration the state of the Kingdom and to present their Opinion to the King yet is the same of no force till approved of by the King It often also calls into question the Ministers of State concerning the Administration of publick Affairs and inflicts Punishment upon them with the King's approbation And it is a common rule in England that whatever is committed against the Constitutions of the Realm is done by the Ministers and Officers for the King they say does never amiss but his ill Counsellours which is not altogether contrary to Truth But if the Parliament should pretend to transgress its bounds the King has power to dissolve it yet ought the King also to be cautious in this lest he should by an unseasonable Dissolution of the Parliament exasperate the People § 36. If we duely consider the Condition and Power of England we shall find it to be a powerfull and considerable Kingdom which is able to keep up the Balance betwixt the Christian Princes in Europe and which depending on its own Strength is powerfull enough to defend it self For because it is surrounded every where by the Sea none can make any attempt upon it unless he be so powerfull at Sea as to be able entirely to ruine the Naval Forces of England And if it should happen that the English Fleet were quite defeated yet would it prove a very hard task to transport thither such an Army as could be suppos'd to be superiour to so powerfull a Force as the English Nation is able to raise at home But England ought to take especial care that it fall not into civil Dissentions since it has often felt the effects of the same and the Seeds of them are remaining yet in that Nation which chiefly arises from the difference in Religion and the fierce Inclinations of this Nation which makes it very fond of Alterations Nevertheless a Wise and Courageous King may easily prevent this evil if he does not act against the general Inclination of the People maintains a good Correspondency with the Parliament and for the rest is very watchfull and as soon as any Commotions happen takes off immediately the Ringleaders Lastly England and Scotland being comprehended in one Island whose chiefest Strength lies in a good Fleet it is evident that this King need not make any great account of such States as either are remote from the Sea or else are not very powerfull in Shipping Wherefore as the King of England takes no great notice of Germany except as far as
V. the present King of Denmark 327 He maketh War upon Sweden p. 327 Makes a Peace with Sweden 328 The Christian Religion is proper for all the World 370 Is not contrary to civil Government 371 No other Religion or Philosophy comparable to it 372 Concerning the outward Government of Religion 372 The consideration of this Question according to the Nature of Religion in general and of the Christian Religion in particular 374 375 First Propagation of the Christian Religion and by what methods it was established 376 Persecution of the first Church and the Câ—lumnies raised against the Primitive Christians 378 The first Church Government 379 Constantine the first Christian Emperour 382 Could not quite alter the former State of the Church 382 Of presiding in Councels 383 Abuses in Councels 384 Riches of the Church 394 Croisado's by what Politicks carried on 395 How the Church was freed from all power over it 399 General Councels to bridle the Popes power 409 Cardinal Cajetan and his ill Conduct 418 Calvin and Zwinglius 421 The Conclave 431 The College of Cardinals 433 Cardinal Patroon 434 Celibacy of the Clergy 435 Their Number 436 Ceremonies 439 Half Communion 440 Vnion made at Cilmar betwixt Sweden Denmark and Norway 478 Christopher Duke of Bavaria made King of Sweden Denmark and Norway 482 Church Lands reduced in Sweden 494 Christina Queen of Sweden 525 Continues the War in Germany 526 Makes an Alliance with France 528 Is engaged in a War with the Elector of Saxony 527 And afterwards with Denmark 530 Charles Gustave King of Sweden 533 Siege of Copenhagen 534 Charles IX the present King of Sweden 534 His Forces routed by the Elector of 〈…〉 534 D. THE Dutch sail to the East-Indies 92 The Danes first come into England 102 Dauphine united with France 192 Denmark a very ancient Kingdom 316 The Genius of the Danish Naâ—ion 328 Neigbours of Denmark 330 Disputes in England about the investiture of Bishops 403 E. THE first Sea Voyage into the East-Indies under Emanuel King of Portugal 89 Ancient State of England 99 England conquered by the Romans 99 Edward the Confessor King of England 103 Edward I. King of England 114 His Wars with Scotland 115 His Wars with France 116 Edward II. King of England 116 Edward III. King of England 117 His Pretensions to the French Crown 117 His expedition into France 118 The English decline in France 201 1â—5 The English driven out of France 202 127 Edward IV. of the House of York King of England 128 Edward V. King of England 130 Edward VI. King of England 139 Elizabeth Queen of England 141 She assists the Huguenots 144 Refuses the Soveraignty over the Netherlands twice offered to her 145 The Constitution of the English Nation 164 The English form of Government 169 The Power and Strength of England 171 The East-India Company in Holland 283 270 England and France declare War against the Dutch 279 Evangelical Vnion in Germany 301 Erick declared King of Sweden Denmark and Norway 477 321 Of Episcopal Jurisdiction 384 Concerning Excommunication 385 Encrease of the Ecclesiastical Soveraignty 391 What contributed to it 391 Disputes in England about the Investiture of Bishops 403 Erasmus favours Luther 416 Excommunication and Inquisition 445 Erick XIV King of Sweden introduces the Titles of Earls and Barons in that Kingdom 498 F. FErdinand the Catholick and Isabella 42 France and its ancient State 174 The Franks came out of Germany 175 France is divided 177 French Pretensions upon the Kingdom of Naples 187 French Pretensions upon Milan 196 Francis I. King of France 210 He aspires to the Empire 210 His Italian Wars 211 212 His defeat at the Battle of Paviae where he is taken Prisoner and set at liberty upon very hard terms 212 Francis II. King of France 218 The Nature and Constitution of the French 247 The Government of France 250 Strength of France in regard to England and the other Neighbouring Princes 251 252 Frederick Henry I. Prince of Orange 274 Frederick Elector Palatine's ill Success 302 Ferdinand I. Emperour of Germany his Proclamation concerning Church-lands 302 Frederick I. King of Denmark 324 Frederick III. King of Denmark his Wars with Sweden 326 Is declared absolute and the Crown hereditary 327 Battle fought in the Island of Fuhnen 534 G. GReece p. 6 Gothick Empire and its downfall in Spain 29 Granada taken 43 Gaul subdued by the Romans 174 by the Barbarian Nations 174 Germany divided from France 180 The Gabel first introduced into France by Philip of Valois their King 192 The Treaty of Ghent betwixt the Prince of Orange and the Netherlanders 264 Germany and its ancient condition 282 The Gvelfs and Gibellin Factions in Italy 291 German Wars and their Origin under Matthias 300 Gustavus Adolphus King of Sweden his death 303 The Genius of the Germans 306 Form of Government in Germany 307 Its Commodities 307 Its Strength and Weakness 308 Its Neighbours 312 Gregory Pope of Rome excommunicates the Emperour Henry IV. 402 Endeavour to subject the Emperour 403 The German Princes dissatisfied with the Pope 417 The Gothick Nation and its first Founders 461 The Goths and Swedes united in one Kingdom 461 Gustavus I. King of Sweden 489 Gustavus Adolphus King of Sweden 511 Makes Peace with the Muscovites 512 Carries on the War against the Poles in Ponâ—ria 513 Engages in the German War 515 Lands his Forces in Germany and makes an Alliance with France 517 Is killed 525 H. HEnry III. King of England 113 The War with the Barons 114 Henry IV. of the House of Lancaster invades England 121 After great difficulties surmounted becomes King of England 122 Henry V. King of England 122 He invades France to prosecute his claim to that Crown 123 The Battle betwixt him and the French fought near Agincourt 123 Henry VI. King of England 124 Is proclaimed King of France 125 Is crowned in Paris 125 Henry VII Earl of Richmond invades England 131 Is made King and unites the White and Red Roses 132 Henry VIII King of England 133 His divorce with Queen Catharine 135 He abrogates the Popes Supremacy 136 Marries Anna Bullen 136 Demolishes the Monasteries 137 Causes Anna Bullen to be beheaded 138 His other Wives 138 Hugh Capel the Founder of the present Royal Family in France 182 Henry II. King of France 215 His Expedition into Germany 216 His Project to unite Scotland with France miscarried 217 Huguenot Wars in France under Charles IX the first second third fourth and fifth 221 222 223 224 Henry III. King of France 224 The Holy League under his Reign 225 Huguenot Wars in France the sixth seventh and eighth 225 226 227 Henry III. forced from Paris by the League 227 He makes use of the Huguenots against the League 228 Henry IV. King of Navarre comes to the Crown of France 228 His difficulties an Account of his Religion 228 Is excommunicated by the Pope 230 Changes his Religion 231 Is assaulted and wounded by a Russian 231
Administration of the whole Society was committed to him who appeared most Considerable for his Wisdom and Valour It is also very Probable that such as by Common Consent sought out new Habitations chose a Leader who both in their Journey and in the Country which they possessed themselves of had the chief Direction of Affairs And this office of a Judge Head or Leader by degrees degenerated into that sort of Government which Aristotle calls Heroical which is nothing else but a Democracy under the Authority of one of the Citizens who has a Power rather to Advise than to Command the rest And this seems to be the most ancient Form of Republicks for the Fathers and Rulers of their Families could not so soon forget their Liberty as not to Reserve to themselves a share in the Government by which their Consent was required to be given unto all Matters which were to be decreed in the Name of the whole Society § 3. But at what time precisely these Societies were first Instituted and which of them is to be esteemed the most Ancient is not easie to be determined for though commonly the Assyrian Empire is taken for the first Monarchy yet it is not from hence to be concluded that the same was the first civil Society since it is evident that this Empire acquired its Greatness by swallowing up Lesser States And those Wars which the Assyrian Kings waged against other States do abundantly testifie that besides the Assyrian there were also other Civil Societies even at that time in the World And here is to be observed that as all human Affairs do not come immediately to Perfection so were the first Institutions of Civil Society very simple and imperfect till by degrees the Supreme Civil Power together with such Laws and Constitutions as were requisite for the maintaining of a Civil Society were instituted The first Common-wealths also were very small and their Territories of a very little extent so that it was easie for the Citizens to assemble either to Consult or to Defend themselves against a Foreign Power It is evident out of History that the deeper you search into the most ancient Times the more Separate small Common-wealths you will meet withal out of the Union of which great Empires in Process of time did arise some of those Uniting themselves by common Consent others being Subdued by the more Powerfull § 4. Among these great Empires the Assyrian is commonly reckoned the most Ancient the reason of which may probably be That those Parts were Sooner and More Inhabited than other places which being later possessed had Fewer Inhabitants Wherefore the Assyrians might without much difficulty overcome one small Common-wealth after another and by Subduing some make way for an Entire Conquest over the rest that had not then learned the advantage of a joint Power and Confederacy The vast Armies with which Ninus and Semiramis the first Founders of this Monarchy did over-power far distant Nations make the common Chronologies very doubtfull But to settle this is not to our present purpose But by what means the Kings of this vast Empire did bridle the Conquered Nations ought to be remembred Two of them being most remarkable The First was That they intending to imprint an Extraordinary Character of their Persons into the Minds of the People they always kept themselves very close in their Palaces and being seldom to be seen by any but their nearest Servants they never gave Answer to their Subjects Petitions but by them Whereby they possessed the People that they were much above the Common Rank of Mankind The Second was That every Year they used to draw a certain number of Souldiers out of each Province and these being Quartered in and about the place of their Residence and Commanded by such a one as was thought most faithfull these Forces struck Terrour both into the Subjects at Home and the neighbouring Nations Abroad This Army was again Disbanded every year and another drawn out of the Provinces that the General by the Authority he had with the Soldiers might not be in a condition to Invade the Empire The Ruin of this Empire under Sardanapalus is not so much to be ascribed to his Effeminacy as to this That the Kings allowed too much Power to the Governours of Provinces of so vast an extent These grew at last too Powerfull for the Kings themselves who being lull'd asleep by Voluptuousness the effects of Peace and Plenty did not as they used to do formerly by great Actions endeavour to maintain their Authority among the People Out of the Ruins of the Assyrian Empire two new Kingdoms were erected Arbactes taking upon himself the Sovereignty of Media where he was Governour as the Lord Lieutenant of Babylon did the same in his Province both which were afterwards re-united under the Persian Monarchy § 5. Cyrus the first Founder of the Persian Empire did besides what formerly belonged to Media and Babylon also Conquer a great part of the Lesser Asia This Prince besides other remarkable Constitutions did wisely institute this as a most necessary one to preserve the Peace of his Empire That in all Provinces where he sent his Lords Lieutenants he Constituted Governours of the Fortresses chosen out of the Commons who being not under the Jurisdiction of the Lords Lieutenants had their dependence immediately on the King These therefore living in continual Jealousies served as a Bridle to one another The Lords Lieutenants without the Assistance of the Governours of the Fortresses were not in a Capacity to Mutiny against the King who not only Observed all their Actions but also frequently Informed the King concerning their Behaviour From the Governours of the Fortresses nothing was to be feared because being of Mean Condition and a very Limited Power they were not capable of making any great Factions or drawing any considerable Party after them Cambyses annex'd Egypt to the Persian Empire But whenever the Kings of Persia did undertake to extend their Conquests further it always proved fruitless Cambyses did in vain Attack the Aethiopians as Darius Hydaspes did the Scythians And Xerxes was shamefully beaten by the Greeks But the following Kings Artaxerxes Longimanus Darius Nothus and Artaxerxes Mnemon did Manage their Affairs with more Wisdom against the Greeks whom they did not Attack but leaving them at rest they quickly saw Intestine Wars kindled amongst themselves wherein they so well knew how to play their Game that by always affording Assistance to the weaker Side they rather protracted than finished these intestine Wars till the Greeks quite tired and exhausted were obliged to accept of such Conditions of Peace as were projected by the Persians whereby each City being declared free and independent of one another Greece was disabled hereafter to undertake any thing of Moment Notwithstanding Macedon an obscure Nation of Greece proved the Ruin of the Persian Monarchy through a defect of Policy in their Kings in not early
Henry II. therefore succeeded him who among other memorable Actions demolish'd such fortify'd Castles of the Nobility and Bishops as were built with the consent of King Stephen After he had reigned near eighteen Years in Peace and Quietness he had a mind to have his Son Henry crowned the better to secure the Succession he received him as his Copartner in the Government but he being married to Margaret the Daughter of Lewis the younger King of France this proved the cause of great Disturbances afterwards For some persuaded young Henry That his Father having abdicated himself from the Government had committed thereby the same to his management France envy'd that a King of England should have such vast Possessions in France The Scots wish'd for nothing more than to have an opportunity of committing Depredations in England Wherefore the French and Scots joining with young Henry fell upon Henry II. all at one time but were as vigorously repulsed by him the Scots especially suffered the most in this War and lost all Huntingtonshire A Peace was also concluded with France Adela Daughter of Lewis King of France being promised in marriage to Richard second Son of Henry But the old King as 't is reported falling in love with her privately kept her company and therefore opposed the consummation of the marriage betwixt her and his Son Richard This so exasperated Richard who after the death of his eldest Brother Henry was now the next Heir to the Crown that he made Head against his Father and Philip Augustus King of France taking hold of this opportunity took the City of Muns King Henry seeing himself besides this deserted by his Friends Wife and Children died in few days of Grief This Henry also conquer'd Ireland and united it to England which he and his Successours govern'd under the Title of Lords of Ireland till the time of Henry VIII who after he had withdrawn himself from the Obedience of the Pope to nettle him the more assumed the Title of King of Ireland because the Pope pretends to the sole right to bestow the Title of King in Christendom and that none ought to take it upon him without his consent wherefore the Pope afterwards to make his Pretence the more plausible freely gave the same Title to Mary Queen of England Henry also had some differences with Thomas Backet Archbishop of Canterbury who pretended it was derogatory to the Glory of God that the Priests according to the King's Commands should be subject to the Civil Judicatures There is a fabulous Relation concerning this Archbishop Thomas That he riding a Horse-back one time through a Village the Country Fellows cut off the Tail of his Horse and that their Children afterwards were born with such Tails § 8. Richard I. who succeeded his Father Henry in the Kingdom did out of a preposterous Zeal undertake an Expedition into the Holy Land with 35000 Men being accompained by Philip Augustus King of France In this War he took the Island of Cyprus which he gave to Guido Lusignanus who in consideration thereof resigned his Right to Jerusalem and in the Year 1192 he was present at the taking of Ptolemais where the Standard of Duke Leopold of Austria being set up first he pull'd it down again putting his own in the place But when they were in great hopes of gaining Jerusalem Philip returned home engaging himself by a solemn Oath that he would not injure Richard in any of his Dominions Hugo Duke of Burgundy afterwards followed his example which greatly encouraged Saladin And Richard understanding that the French were fallen into Normandy he also made a Peace with Saladin and taking his way by Land incognito was discovered in his Journey through Austria where Duke Leopold remembring the affront done to him near Ptolemais took him Prisoner and delivered him to the Emperour who after fifteen Months Imprisonment made him pay 100000 Pounds for his Ransom After his return home he found every thing in confusion the French having not only ravaged Normandy and other Provinces belonging to him but also his Brother had made a Pretension to the Crown but he obliged the latter to implore his Pardon and beat the French back into their own Country He died not long after of a wound which he received in a Siege of some inconsiderable place in France After his death his Brother John took upon him the Crown of England who was opposed by Arthur Earl of the lesser Britainy his elder Brother's Son who finding himself alone not strong enough sought for Aid of the King of France who was ready upon all occasions to create Troubles in England He took a great many Cities in Normandy and Anjou Wherefore King John was obliged to make a dishonourable Peace with him giving in marriage to Lewis King Philip's Son Blanch Daughter of Alfonsus King of Castile and of his Sister Eleonora to whom he gave as a Dowry all the Cities which Philip had taken from him except Angiers Then he married Isabella Daughter and Heiress of the Earl of Angoulesme who was promised before to Hugh Earl of Marche He to revenge this affront join'd his Forces with the King of France and Prince Arthur of Britainy and fell into Touraine and Anjou But King John falling upon them unawares routed the Enemy and took Prince Arthur Prisoner who died not long after a Prisoner in Roan But Constantia the Mother of Arthur made her Complaints to Philip King of France whose Vassal King John was on the score of such Provinces as he was possess'd of in France and the King of France summon'd King John to appear before him and to answer for the death of Arthur But he not appearing it was declar'd that King John had forfeited what Fiefs he was possess'd of in France and King Philip took from him Normandy 316 Years after Rollo the Norman had conquered the same But the French afterwards attack'd also Angiers where they were repulsed with great loss by King John whereupon a Truce was concluded betwixt them for two Years During which time he routed the Scots and suppressed the Rebels in Ireland and Wales The Truce being expired the War began afresh with France and King John's Army being routed he made another Truce with France But this ill success had much diminished his Authority among his Nobles who also hated him because he had imposed heavy Taxes upon them wherefore they with joint consent demanded from him the restitution of their ancient Privileges but perceiving that he only intended to give them fair Words for Deeds they called to their aid Lewis Son of Philip King of France who landing with a great Army in England was received with a general applause and whilst King John endeavoured to make Head against him he died overwhelm'd with Troubles § 9. Him succeeded his Son Henry III. whose tender Age wrought Compassion on most and extinguish'd the Hatred which had been
God and having once more by his Ambassadours sollicited the Pope but in vain to decide the matter the King had the same adjudged in Parliament and divorced himself from her yet conversed with her in a very friendly manner ever after till her death except that he did not bed with her since the time when this scruple first arose Some Months after he was married to Anna Bullen by whom he had Elizabeth who was afterwards Queen Anno 1535 the King caused himself to be declared Supream Head of the Church of England abrogating thereby all the Pope's Authority in that kingdom and John Fisher Bishop of Rochester and Thomas Moor the Lord Chancellour refusing to acknowledge him as such it cost them their Heads Yet would Henry never receive the Doctrine of Luther or Zwinglius but continued in the Roman Communion because he was mightily exasperated against Luther For Henry had formerly got a Book to be published under his Name against Luther in favour of the Pope for which he acquired the Title of Defender of the Faith which Title the Kings of England retain to this day But Luther setting aside all the Respect due to a King writ an Answer to the same full of Heat and bitter Reflections Yet because he esteemed the Monks as a sort of people that were not only useless but also such as depending on the Pope might prove very pernicious to him at home he gave free leave to all Monks and Nuns to go out of the Convents and Nunneries and by degrees converted unto his own use the Revenues of all Nunneries and Convents Colleges and Chappels as also those of the Order of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem nevertheless he employed some part of them in erecting six new Episcopal Sees and Cathedral Churches and to the advancing of Learning in the Universities A great part also he gave away or sold for a little Money to great Families intending thereby to oblige them for the future to maintain the alterations he had made It is reported that these Church Revenues which were so reduced did amount yearly to 186512 l. or as some others will have it to 500752 l. He also abolished the superstitious worship of Images and made some other alterations in Religious Worship so that in effect he laid the Foundation of the Reformation Nevertheless England was at that time in a miserable condition for a great many Roman Catholicks that would not acknowledge the King for the Supream Head of the English Church were executed And a great many more Protestants received the same punishment because they would not own the Corporal presence of the Body of Christ in the Sacrament tho' this effusion of blood was not so much caused by the King as by the Bishops who had first brought in use such rigorous Laws and now executed them with as much severity In the Year 1543 another War happened with the Scots who making an Inrode into England were beaten by a few English which did grieve King James V. to that degree that he died for trouble leaving behind him one only Daughter Mary whom Henry would have engaged to his Son Edward thereby by to unite these two Kingdoms and the business was like to have succeeded very well if the Archbishop of St. Andrews had not opposed it Henry also enter'd into a League with the Emperour against France wherein it was agreed to join their Armies of 80000 Foot and 22000 Horse near Paris to plunder that City and to ravage the whole Country as far as the Loire But neither of them acted according to the Agreement for Henry wasted his time in the Siege and taking of Boulogne which he afterwards by the Peace concluded in the Year 1546 promised to restore to France within the space of eight Years in consideration of the Summ of 800000 Crowns to be paid him for the same which was performed accordingly under Edward VI. Neither do I believe that Henry was in good earnest by ruining the French to give such great advantages to Charles V. After his Divorce with Catharine of Arragon he was very unfortunate in his Marriages for Anna Bullen was beheaded for Adultery and Incest tho' some are of opinion that it was more the Protestant Religion than the Crime which proved fatal to her It is certain that the Protestant Princes of Germany did so resent this matter that whereas they intended to have made Henry the Head of their League they afterwards would hold no correspondency with him After Anna Bullen he married Jane Seymour Mother to Edward VI. who died in Child-bed Then he married Anna of Cleves whom he also pretending I know not what bodily infirmity in her quickly dismiss'd The fifth was Catharine Howard who was beheaded for Adultery The sixth Catharine Parre Widow of the Lord Latimer who outlived him Henry died in the Year 1547. § 20. Edward VI. was nine Years of age when he came to the Crown during whose Minority his Uncle the Duke of Somerset had the Administration of Affairs His first design was to force the Scots to agree to a Match betwixt Edward and their young Queen Mary wherefore he fell into Scotland and overthrew them near Muskelborough in a great Battel Nevertheless he miss'd his aim for the Scots sent their Queen into France who was there married to the Dauphin afterwards King of France by the Name of Francis II. Under this King Edward the Reformed Religion was publickly established in England and the Mass quite abolished which occasioned great disturbances in the Kingdom which were nevertheless happily suppress'd In the Year 1550 there was a Peace concluded betwixt England France and Scotland when also Boulogne was restor'd to the French But King Edward falling sick the Duke of Northumberland who had before destroyed the Duke of Somerset persuaded King Edward under pretence of settling the Protestant Religion to exclude by his last Will and Testament his two Sisters Mary and Elizabeth for of the Queen of the Scots they made but little account at that time from the Succession of the Crown and to settle it upon Jane Grey Daughter of the Duke of Suffolk whom he had by Mary Daughter of Henry VII which afterwards proved fatal both to Jane and the Author For after the death of Edward the Duke of Northumberland caused Jane to be proclaimed Queen in the City of London but Mary eldest Sister of Edward did immediately lay claim to the Crown in her Letters to the Privy Council And Letters proving ineffectual they began to come to blows but most of the Nobility unto whom Mary promis'd not to make any alteration in Religion did side with her and a part of the Army and Fleet most of the Privy Counsellors and the City of London taking her part proclaimed her Queen Northumberland himself being now willing to go with the tide did proclaim Mary Queen in Cambridge notwithstanding which he
also exercised them in Sea Affairs wherein consists the chief Strength and Security of this Kingdom Wherefore she always kept a good Correspondency with all such as were Enemies of the House of Austria she assisted France against the Designs of the Spaniards favoured the Protestant Princes in Germany upheld the Dutch against the Spaniards thereby the better to weaken so formidable a Neighbour looking upon the Netherlands as the Out-work of her Kingdom Besides this she finding continual employment for her Subjects abroad did not a little contribute towards the preserving the Health of the State for by this means a great deal of corrupt and inflamed Blood being taken away it prevented intestine Diseases in the State But King James took quite another course and perceiving that the Vnited Provinces were grown strongh enough not only to support themselves against Spain but also to dispute the Dominion of the Narrow Seas with England he left them to themselves and concluding a Peace with Spain establish'd a lasting Tranquility at home for his Inclinations were more for Books than Arms. And because Subjects in general are apt to follow the Inclinations of their Sovereigns the People laid aside all Warlike Exercises and fell into such Weaknesses and Vices as are commonly the product of Plenty and Peace And the King hoped when these Nations applyed themselves only to Trade and Commerce they would be diverted from having any thoughts of opposing his Authority He made it also his main endeavour to unite the Minds of the Scots and English by Naturalizing the English in Scotland and the Scots in England and by joining the great Families by Marriages But he was more especially carefull of establishing one Form of Religious Worship in both Kingdoms For tho' there was no great difference in the Articles of Faith yet the Ceremonies and Church Government were very different For Queen Elizabeth when she established the Protestant Religion retained many Ceremonies which were anciently used in the Primitive Church as also used by the Papists afterwards she maintained also the Authority of the Bishops yet under the Royal Power supposing that this Constitution was most suitable to a Monarchy considering that the Bishops had some dependence on the King and had their Votes in Parliament And it used to be the saying of King James No Bishop no King But this Constitution did not agree with those of the Reform'd Religion in Holland Switzerland and France partly because these Nations were used to a Democratical Liberty and therefore loved an Equality in the Church-Government as well as the State partly because they had suffered from some Kings and Bishops and therefore both were equally hated by them These would not allow of any Superiority among the Clergy but constituted the outward Church-Government by Presbyteries Classes and Synods neither would they admit any Ceremonies believing that the perfection of the Reformed Religion did consist in not having so much as anything tho'never so indifferent common with the Papists And according to this Form the Church of Scotland being establish'd the number of such as were of the same Opinion increased daily in England who were commonly called Presbyterians or Puritans And the Capriciousness of those who were of several Sentiments proved the more dangerous because these Nations being of a melancholy temper used to adhere stedfastly to their Opinions not to be removed from them King James being besides a great Enemy of the Puritans thought to have found out a way to suppress them in Scotland by inserting it among the Royal Prerogatives which was to be confirmed by the Parliament of Scotland That he had the Supream Power both in Spiritual and Temporal Affairs in the same manner in Scotland as in England By this means he hoped to model without any great difficulty the Church of Scotland according to that of England And tho' this Proposition was opposed by a great many in the Parliament of Scotland yet the King's party prevailed and a new Form of Church-Government was established in Scotland But the King had no sooner turned his back and was return'd into England but the common people made an Insurrection against the Bishops in Scotland who began to introduce there the Ceremonies of the Church of England § 25. Tho' King Charles I. was of a more warlike temper than his Father yet was he obliged tho' against his Will according to the Maxims of his Father to preserve Peace abroad to avoid the danger of being oblig'd to depend on the Capricious Humours of his Subjects And because he as well as his Father had a great dislike of the Power of the common people and of the Temper and Principles of the Puritans all his Thoughts were bent to find out ways how to secure himself from the danger of both And because the King could not impose any extraordinary Taxes without the consent of the Parliament Charles chose rather to controul his own Inclinations which were bent for War than to fawn upon the Parliament in hopes that its Heats which was for limiting the King's Power would by degrees diminish if it was not called together for a considerable time It is supposed that the Lord Treasurer Weston did confirm him in this Opinion who did expect to be call'd to an account by the Parliament The Parliament used anciently to provide a certain yearly Revenue for the King towards maintaining his Court and Fleet to secure the Commerce of the Kingdom which Revenue was not hereditary to the next Successour The first Parliament which was called by Charles I. had settled the Customs as part of his Revenue but when he afterwards having dissolved the same against the Opinion of the Male Contents his Revenues also began to be call'd in question it being their Opinion that nothing could so soon oblige the King to call a new Parliament as if what was necessary for his and the Courts Subsistence were withheld from him But the King however did not only receive the same Customs as his Predecessours had done but also augmented them with new Impositions to the yearly value of 800000 l. by which means the King who was firm in his Opinion was thought to have a Design to alter the ancient Constitution of the Government and to maintain himself without a Parliament which however was look'd upon as an impossibility by the generality of them For King James had left above 1200000 l. Debts which were since increased by Charles 400000 l. more which Money was expended in the Wars against France and Spain it was therefore not visible how he could extricate himself out of these Debts without the assistance of a Parliament since according to the fundamental Constitutions of the Realm he could not levy any Taxes upon the Subjects and to force them to pay any was beyond his Power having no Forces on foot but the Militia of the Kingdom And it was impossible to bring in such a Foreign Force as could be supposed to be able
to make Head against the dissatisfy'd people Notwithstanding all which the King pursued his Resolution and having ask'd the Opinion of Men skill'd in the Law who told him That it was allowable for the publick benefit to levy Money by his own Authority he imposed several new Taxes whereby he augmented his yearly Revenue from 500000 l. to 800000 l. Besides this he laid a Tax for maintaining of a Fleet which amounted to 200000 l. All which caused great dissatisfaction among the Subjects against the King Besides the King was thought by the Puritans to deal hardly with them and too mildly with the Papists by the Counsel of Archbishop Laud a Man of great Resolution who at that time apprehended that Faction very dangerous both to Church and State which was by the Puritans interpreted as if the King was resolved by suppressing of them to introduce Popery to insinuate this into the Multitude abundance of Libels and scurrilous Papers were scatter'd abroad against the King and the Bishops and Commissioners being appointed to inquire into them they were rather exasperated than appeas'd by its Severity § 26. Both Nations being therefore full of Discontents the Flame first broke out in Scotland For the King endeavouring to root out Puritanism there to establish the Authority of the Bishops and an Uniformity in Religion he order'd a Church Liturgy to be composed abrogating all Presbyteries Classes and Provincial Synods and enjoining every one under severe penalties to conform to the same there was a general Insurrection raised by that party in Scotland There was also another reason for at the time of the first Reformation the Revenues of a great many Church Benefices were appropriated to the use of the Crown but without any remarkable advantage for they were lett out for the most part to younger Brothers of Noble Families These having found the benefit of them had by getting from time to time the Survivorship continued the same in their Families and kept them as their own Propriety Nay they did more than this for during the Minority of King James VI. they had obtained the Titles of Lordships for some of the most considerable of these or some lesser Benefices joined together King James afterwards perceiving that thereby they had bound him up from rewarding such with these Benefices as deserved well of him would have recall'd the beforesaid Grants but met with such opposition in the Nobility that he desisted from it But the King undertook the business effectually employing the said Revenues towards the augmenting of the Salaries of the Clergy These therefore who had been losers by this Revocation joined with such Ministers as were mortal Enemies of the Liturgy did with all their might help to stirr up the Rebellion Alexander Lesley also who had been a Commander in the German Wars and having refused to serve under John Banniers there was returned into his native Country in hopes to make his advantage of these Troubles He put himself at the Head of the Rebellious Party and by persuading the Nobility that the King intended to take away their ancient Privileges stirr'd up a great many against the King And to make a fair shew to the common people they made use of the Religious Cloak of Conscience ordering a Directory to be compos'd by the Ministers quite opposite to the former Liturgy They thereupon enter'd into an Association confirm'd by solemn Oaths That they would maintain the same against all even the King himself This Association was called the Covenant which being subscrib'd by the greatest part of the Nobility and Clergy a Council was constituted unto whom was committed the supream direction of their Affairs To suppress these Commotions the King sent the Marquiss of Hamilton into Scotland who dealing mildly with them only encouraged the adverse party For the King calling a Parliament in hopes to remedy these Disorders the Covenant was by its Authority confirm'd the Episcopal Authority quite abolish'd and Puritanism establish'd in defiance of the Royal Authority There being then no other way left to reduce the Rebellious Party to Obedience but force and the King being in want both of Money and a sufficient number of faithfull Subjects he was forc'd to make some use of the Papists to obtain both wherefore he did not only raise an Army wherein were some Papists but also was assisted by them with some Summs of Money all which however was in no ways sufficient to supply the want of the King and a Supply being demanded from the Subjects very few except the King's Servants and Officers were for contributing any thing And it being divulged that a great many thousand of Irish Papists and Germans were ready for the King's Service to try whether by this way the Subjects could be frightened out of some Money it served only to exasperate the Minds of the people Yet the King's Forces might in all probability have been successfull against the Scots if they had fallen upon them immediately But because they had leisure given them they did not only settle a Correspondency with France and Holland from whence they were supply'd with Money and Ammunition but also sent their Deputies into England who so well knew there to represent the state of their Affairs that the King being persuaded by the English made a dishonourable Agreement with them Which nevertheless did not last long the Court being asham'd of the Agreement and the Scots not trusting the King the King had in the mean while intercepted a Letter wherein the Scots had sollicited for some Officers and Money to be sent them from France this he hoped might prove an inducement to the English to oppose the Treachery of the Scots and to furnish him with some Supplies of which he stood in great need at that time He calling therefore a Parliament the Letter was read but to no great purpose the Members of the House of Commons being most of them Puritans who were great friends of the Scots so that the Parliament was a little while after dissolv'd by the King's Authority The King had caused to be made Prisoner in London the Scotch Commissioner who had subscribed the abovementioned Letter whereupon the Scots took up Arms and took the Castle of Edinburgh The King having with great difficulty for want of Money got together an Army went in person against the Scots but as a party of his Army endeavouring to force their passage was beaten back with loss which augmented the Discontents of his Subjects the Souldiers for want of Pay being to be maintained by those Counties where they were quartered Besides this ten thousand Men which were raised by the Parliament in Ireland for the King's service were forc'd to be disbanded for want to Pay There was then no other remedy left but to make a Truce with the Scots and to call a new Parliament in England which began to sit in November in the Year 1640. § 27. But in the
he did nothing He had for his Tutor and Administrator of the Kingdom Hugh Capet Earl of Paris After this King's Death his Uncle viz. Lewis sirnamed Outremer's Son laid claim to the Crown but was disappointed in his Pretensions by the great Power of Hugh Capet He afterwards endeavour'd to maintain his Right by force of Arms but was made a Prisoner and dying in Prison put an end to the Carolinian Race or at least to its Inheritance of the Crown of France which had been in its possession for at least 236 Years It is very remarkable that this Family lost the Kingdom through the same Errour which the former lost it For tho' this Family by prodigious Conquests had rais'd the Power of France yet were the Conquests soon after by the Divisions made of the Kingdom again dis-united and even a considerable part quite separated from that Kingdom and annexed to the German Empire Besides this by the Negligence of these Kings and the excessive Power of the great Men in the Kingdom France was reduced to a very low Condition § 6. As Hugh Capet the first Founder of the present Royal Family obtain'd the Crown not so much by right of Succession as by the assistance of the chief Men of the Kingdom who excluded the right Heir so as it is very probable he was obliged to remit a great many of the ancient Royal Prerogatives and to confirm to the great Men of the Kingdom the Power of governing their Provinces with the Titles of Dukes and Earls under condition that they should acknowledge themselves Vassals of the Kingdom yet not be obliged to depend absolutely on the King's Commands so that France at that time was like a mishapen and weak Body Hugh in the mean time re-united to the Crown which at that time had scarce any thing left which could be call'd her own the County of Paris the Dutchy of France wherein was comprehended all that lies betwixt the Rivers of Seine and the Loire and the County of Orleans Among the great Men of the Kingdom the chief were the Dukes of Normandy on whom also depended Britainy of Burgundy Aquitain and Gascoigne the Earls of Flanders Champaign and Tolouse the latter of which was also Duke of Languedock But the Counties of Vienne Provence Savoy and Dauphine belong'd to the Kingdom of Arelat which was a part of the German Empire Yet these Kings had at last the good Fortune to see all these Demi-Sovereign Princes extinguish'd and their Countries re-united to the Crown of France Hugh died in the Year 996 whose Son Robert a good natur'd Prince reign'd very peaceably he having reduc'd the Dukedom of Burgundy to which he after the Death of his Uncle was the next Heir under the entire Jurisdiction of the Crown The Tyranny exercis'd by the Pope against this King ought to be mention'd here For the King having an Intention of marrying Bertha of the House of Burgundy which Match was esteemed very beneficial to his State and the said Bertha standing with him in the fourth degree of Consanguinity besides that he had been Godfather to a Child of hers in her former Husband's time He desir'd and obtain'd the Consent of his Bishops the said Marriage being otherwise against the Canon Law But the Pope took hence an occasion to Excommunicate the King and the whole Kingdom which proved so mischievous that the King was deserted by all his Servants except three or four and no Body would touch the Victuals that came from his Table which was therefore thrown to the Dogs He died in the Year 1033. The Reign of his Son Henry was also not very famous except that he waged some inconsiderable Wars against his Vassals He presented his Brother Robert with the Dukedom of Burgundy from whence comes the Race of the Dukes of Burgundy descended from the Royal Blood He died in the Year 1060. His Son Philip did nothing memorable he was also for his Marriage excommunicated by the Pope but at last obtained a Dispensation Under the Reign of this King Philip William Duke of Normandy conquer'd England which prov'd to be the occasion of unspeakable Miseries to France for these two Kingdoms were ever after in continual Wars till the English were driven out of France About the same time the first Expedition was undertaken into the Holy Land which Extravagancy continued for near 200 Years after The Popes drew the most Benefit from these Expeditions assuming to themselves an Authority not only to command but also to protect all such as had listed themselves under the Cross Under this pretext also frequent Indulgences were sent abroad into the World and what was given towards the use of this War was collected and distributed by their Legates The King of France and other Kings receiv'd thereby this Benefit That these Wars carried off a great many turbulent Spirits And a great many of the Nobility used either to sell or else to mortgage their Estates and if any of them happened to die in the Expedition leaving no Heirs behind them their Estates fell to the King By this means also that prodigious number of People wherewith France was overstock'd at that time was much diminish'd whereby the Kings got an Opportunity to deal more easily with the rest Nevertheless when afterwards the Kings either by Instigation of the Popes or out of their own Inclinations undertook these Expeditions in their own Persons they found the dismal effects of it For by so doing the best of their Subjects were led to the Slaughter and yet it was impossible to maintain these Conquests as long as they were not Masters of Egypt Whereas if this Kingdom had been made the Seat of the intended Empire and the Store-house of the War a Kingdom might have been establish'd which would have been able to support it self by its own Strength This King died in the Year 1108. His Son Lewis sirnamed the Fat was always at variance with Henry I. King of England and in continual Troubles with the petty Lords in France who did considerable Mischiefs from their strong Castles yet he was too hard for them at last and died in the Year 1137. His Son Lewis VII sirnamed the Younger undertook upon the Persuasion of St. Bernhard an Expedition into the Holy Land but this prov'd a fatal Expedition for by the Defeat which he receiv'd at Pamphylia and the Siege of Damascus which he was forc'd to quit and the Fatigues of so great a Journey as well as the perfidiousness of some of the Commanders after he had ruin'd a great Army he returned with the miserable Remainders into France without having done any thing answerable to such an Undertaking But he committed the greatest Error when he divorced himself from his Lady Eleonora whether out of Jealousie or tenderness of Conscience is uncertain she being his Cousin in the third or fourth degree This Eleonora being also the only Heiress of
given them for their Security But immediately in the Year next following the fifth War commenc'd at which time also a third Faction arose in France which was call'd that of the Politicians they pretended without having any regard to the Religious Differences to seek the publick Welfare to have the Queen remov'd from the Administration of the Government and the Italians and those of Guise to be banish'd the Kingdom of France The Heads of this Faction were those of the House of Montmorency who intended during these Troubles to play their own Game These were afterwards very instrumental in helping Henry IV. to the Crown During these Troubles Charles IX died leaving no legitimate Issue behind him § 21. After the Death of Charles IX the Crown fell to Henry III. who was at that time in Poland during whose absence his Mother Catharine govern'd the Kingdom which was in a very confus'd Estate He left Poland privately and taking his Way by Vienna and Venice arriv'd safely in France But after he had taken upon him the Administration of Affairs he deceiv'd every body in those Hopes which were conceiv'd of him before For he being addicted only to his Pleasures and Idleness was led away by his Favourites leaving the chief Administration of the Kingdom to his Mother The Huguenots Power encreas'd remarkably after the Duke of Alenson the Kings Brother sided with them and Conde and the Paltzgrave John Casimir led an Army out of Germany into France besides that the King of Navarre found means to make his escape out of Prison The fifth Peace was therefore concluded with the Huguenots whereby they obtain'd very advantageous Conditions About the same time a new Faction was set up which was compos'd of a great many small ones this was call'd The holy Vnion or League which reduc'd France to the most miserable Condition that could be The chief promoter of it was Henry Duke of Guise who perceiving that the great Authority which he had among the People made him to be hated by the King endeavour'd to make a Party of his own He made use especially of the Priests and common People of Paris among whom the Name of the Guises was in great Veneration He was encouraged to undertake this Design because the King was despis'd by all and the Women by their Intrigues rul'd at Court Besides this he pretended to be descended from the Race of Charles the Great which was excluded unjustly from the Crown by Hugh Capet The Pretence of this League was the Catholick Religion and there was a Draught made of this League which contain'd chiefly three things viz. The Defence of the Catholick Religion the Establishment of Henry III. in the Throne and the maintaining the Liberty of the Kingdom and the Assembly of the States Those who enter'd into this League promis'd to be obedient to such Head or General as should be chosen for the Defence of this League all which was confirm'd by Oath At the first setting up of this League the King conniv'd at it hoping thereby the sooner to subdue the Huguenots nay he himself subscrib'd the same at the Dyet at Blois declaring himself the Head of this League Then the sixth War was begun against the Huguenots but the King made Peace with them the same Year notwithstanding that they were in a very ill Condition neither was any thing done worth mentioning in this War The War being ended the King returning to his Pleasures confounded great Summs of Money and therefore laid new and heavy Impositions upon the People and his Favourites grew very Insolent which increas'd the Hatred against him and at the same time the Respect and Love of the People to those of Guise Besides this the Duke of Alenson the King's Brother declaring himself Lord of the Netherlands Philip King of Spain was provoked to revenge himself of the French and upheld the League In the Year 1579 the Seventh War was begun against the Huguenots wherein also they succeeded very ill Notwithstanding this the King made a Peace with them in the Year next following he being unwilling that they should be quite rooted out for fear that the League might prove too strong for himself The German Horse were also much fear'd and the Duke of Alenson was very forward to have the Peace concluded that he might be at leisure to employ his Forces in the Netherlands This Peace lasted five Years during which time the Hatred against the King increas'd daily because of the heavy Taxes which were devour'd by his Favourites He made himself also the more despis'd by playing too much the Hypocrite and by transforming himself almost into a Monk The French Glory was also much eclips'd when the Duke of Alenson behav'd himself so ill in the Netherlands and the French Fleet which was sent to the Assistance of Anthony the Bastard was totally ruin'd near Tercera But the League grew very strong after the Death of the Duke of Alenson the King 's younger Brother the King having no hopes of any Issue of his Body Then it was that the Duke of Guise propos'd to himself no less than the Crown tho' he for a colour set up the Cardinal of Bourbon thereby to exclude the King of Navarre And because it was suspected that the King favour'd the King of Navarre the Priests began to thunder in the Pulpits and to make horrid Exclamations that the Catholick Religion was lost the Duke of Guise enter'd into a Confederacy with Philip who was to furnish great Summs of Money under pretext of maintaining the Catholick Religion and to assist the Cardinal of Bourbon in obtaining the Crown but in effect this Intention was to uphold the Divisions in France thereby to disenable it to take part with the Netherlands Then the Leaguers began to break out into an open War and having taken a great many Towns oblig'd the King according to their Demands to forbid the Exercise of the Protestant Religion in France And so began the Eighth War against the Huguenots and if the King had been in earnest to ruin them they would have been in a very ill Condition For tho' the King of Navarre beat the Duke de Joyeuse near Coutras yet did he not prosecute his Victory And about the same time the Duke of Guise dispers'd the German and Swiss Forces which under the Command of Fabian de Dona were marching to the Assistance of the Huguenots This Army being destitute of a good Commander was miserably maul'd and the rest sent home in a very shamefull Condition This Victory acquir'd the Duke of Guise great Applause and Favour among the People and still lessen'd the Value of the King's Person so that the Priests now did not stick to exclaim against the King in their Sermons calling him a Tyrant The King therefore having resolv'd with himself to punish the Heads of the League in Paris they broke out into open Rebellion and having sent
the great Taxes which are imposed upon the Subjects but without question the chief reason is that France since that time has found out new ways to draw Money out of other Countries § 27. As to the Form of Government of France it is to be observ'd That anciently there were very potent Dukes Earls and Lords in France who tho' they were Vassals of the King yet they us'd to pay no further Obedience to him than was consistent with their own Interest except the Kings were in a Condition to oblige them to it But all these in process of Time were extinguish'd and their Countries united to the Crown Now-a-days the Dukes and Earls in France are nothing else but bare Titles annex'd to some considerable Estate without any Sovereignty or Jurisdiction And whereas formerly certain Countries used to be assign'd to the King's Sons whereof they bore the Title now-a-days only a certain yearly Revenue is allotted them with the Title of a certain Dukedom or County wherein perhaps they have not a Foot of Ground And after the ancient Sovereign Dukedoms and Earldoms were abolish'd some of the great Men of the Kingdom had taken upon themselves great Authority in the Kingdom but by the Policy of Richlieu and Mararini they were reduc'd to such a Condition that they dare not utter a Word against the King The Assembly of the Estates there being three of them viz. The Clergy Nobility and the Citizens they making up the third Estate were also formerly in great Veneration whereby the King's Power was much limited But they having not been conven'd since the Year 1614 their Authority is quite suppress'd Those of the Reform'd Religion did prove also very troublesome to the Kings of France as long as they were in a Condition to take up Arms but with the loss of Rochelle they lost the Power of giving their Kings any Disturbance for the future And tho' the King hitherto does not force their Consciences yet he draws off a great many from that Party by hopes of his Royal Favour and Preferments Heretofore the Parliament of Paris us'd to oppose the King's Designs under pretence that it had a right that the King could not do any thing of great moment without its consent but this King hath taught it only to intermeddle with Judicial Business and some other Concerns which the King now and then is pleas'd to leave to its Decision The Gallick Church also boasts of a particular Prerogative in regard of the Court of Rome she always having disputed with the Pope some part of his Authority over her and the King has the Nomination of the Bishops and Abbots all which contributes much to the Strength and Increase of this Kingdom if a wise and good King sits upon the Throne § 28. When we duely weigh the Power of France in comparison with its Neighbours it is easily perceiv'd that there is not any State in Christendom which France doth not equal if not exceed in Power 'T is true in former Ages the English reduc'd the French but at that time they were possess'd of a great part of it themselves there were then several Demi-Sovereign Princes the French Infantry was then inconsiderable and the English Bows were terrible to them All which is quite otherwise now and the English Land-forces are now not to be compar'd with the French neither in Number nor Goodness since the English are unexercis'd and their Civil Wars have rather been carried on by Armies rais'd on a sudden than well disciplin'd Troops and these Wars have not a little weaken'd this Nation On the other hand the English have chiefly apply'd themselves to Sea Affairs and in this the French cannot hitherto be compared with the English yet England can scarce reap any great Advantages from France at Sea For suppose they should beat the French Fleet yet they would scarce venture to make a Descent upon France as having not any footing there and the French Privateers would certainly do great mischief to them But if the English should once miscarry at Sea an that the French should once get footing in England it might perhaps prove fatal to that Kingdom since the fate of the War must be then decided by the Issue of one Battel England having no Inland strong Holds In the last Age Spain prov'd very troublesome to France the French scarce being able to defend themselves against it and having several times been oblig'd to make Peace upon disadvantageous Conditions But besides that at that time the French Infantry was good for little and the Spanish Nation was then at its heighth whereas now the Spanish Nobility is more for Debauchery Gaming and such like Intrigues than for acquiring Glory in War they were then in full possession of all the Netherlands and Charles V. had a great Advantage by being Emperour But now-a-days the Netherlands are miserably torn to pieces they being scarce able to Garrison the places that remain Naples and Milan are almost in the same condition and France may easily secure the Coast of Provence against the Spaniards who may be well satisfy'd if the French don't by the way of Roussilion Navarre or Bayonne enter Spain Italy is neither willing nor powerfull enough to hurt France but these Princes are well satisfy'd if France does not pass the Alpes and disturb their Repose The French are not powerfull enough for the Dutch at Sea if they have an Opportunity to make use of all their Naval Strength yet the French Privateers may do them considerable Mischief wherefore I cannot see what benefit Holland can reap from a War with France without an absolute necessity For the Dutch Land-forces gather'd out of all Nations are not likely to do any great Feats against it The Swiss also neither can nor will hurt France they being well satisfy'd if they can get Money Wherefore the French need not fear any thing from them except they should make them desperate when in Confederacy with others they might prove very troublesome Germany seems to be the only Country which alone might be able to balance France for if these Princes were well united they are able to bring more numerous Armies into the Field and that in no ways inferiour in Goodness to the French and perhaps they might be able to hold it out with France But considering the present State of Germany it seems next to an impossibility that all the Members of the Empire should unanimously and resolutely engage themselves in a long War and prosecute the same with Vigour For it is not to be imagined that all of them should have an equal Interest in the War and some of them must expect to be ruin'd tho' the War in the main should prove successfull but if it should succeed otherwise they must be great losers by it without reprieve § 29. But if it should be suppos'd that France may be attack'd by a great many at once it is to be consider'd
because Philip constituted Margaret of Parma natural Daughter of Charles V. Regent of the Netherlands and refus'd to give his consent to the Match was so dissatisfy'd thereat that by doing of Mischief he resolv'd to show his own Strength The Earls of Egmont and Hoorn were also very much dissatisfy'd as also a great many others who being in great esteem with the People were all very jealous of the Spaniards A great many also of the Nobility were for a Change partly out of a hatred to the Spaniards partly because they were naturally of a turbulent Spirit and were become poor and over Head and Ears in Debt as having endeavour'd to outvie the Spaniards in Splendour at Court and thereby spent more than their Incomes would allow of The Clergy besides this was somewhat discontented because Philip having created several new Episcopal Sees would have employ'd the Revenues of several Abbies for the Maintenance of them which did not only dissatisfie such as were in present Possession of these Abbies but others also who were in hopes of them for the future for the Abbots were chosen by a free Election of the Monks in each Monastery but the Bishops were nominated by the King But all this could not have furnish'd sufficient Fuel for so great a Flame if Religion had not been joyn'd to them which proves most efficacious in disturbing the Minds of the Common People and always serves for a specious Pretence to such as are for alterations in a State There were great numbers in the Netherlands who had relinquish'd the Roman Catholick Religion some of them professing the Augsburgh Confession some the Doctrine of the Huguenots others fell into the Errors of the Anabaptists Charles V. had by severe Proclamations and Punishments been very hard upon them which had serv'd for nothing else than to exasperate the Minds of the People and to promote the new Religion Wherefore it was the Opinion of Mary Queen of Hungary the Sister of Charles V. and then Regent of the Netherlands That they ought rather to be treated more mildly But Philip had taken a Resolution to root out by force this Heresie either out of a Zeal for the Roman Catholick Religion or because he hoped thereby to oblige the Pope whose Favour he stood in need of at that time He renewed therefore his Father's Proclamation and that with more Severity against these Hereticks and to put them in Execution he was for setting up a Court of Judicature according to the Model of the Spanish Inquisition the very Name of which was terrible to every body And in effect this Inquisition is a very cruel Constitution whereby the Life Estate and good Name of every Subject is put into the Hands of unmercifull Priests whose chief Glory is to be Inhuman and Rigorous in their proceedings and who have a power to take up and punish any person upon Suspicion only and tho' a Man is wrongfully accus'd he is not to know either his Accuser or Crime and tho' he makes his Innocence appear yet he seldom escapes without some punishment The Netherlanders were the more frightned not only because in this Court no Privileges no Favour of the King nor Intercessions did avail but also because they knew the Netherlanders to be free in their Speech carrying as it were their Hearts upon their Tongues and that by way of Trade they were obliged to be conversant with those of other Religions Whereas on the other hand it was natural and easie for an Italian or Spaniard to keep his Thoughts within himself Some are of Opinion That the Spaniards were glad to see that the Netherlanders did begin the Fray hoping thereby to get an Opportunity to force them to Obedience and by suppressing their Liberty and Privileges to rule over them at pleasure They hoped that this Country might serve them one day for a Magazine from whence they might conveniently attack France England and the Northern Kingdoms Yet it is also most certain that some foreign Princes did administer Fuel to nourish and augment the Flame especially Elizabeth Queen of England whose Intention was by this means to cut out so much Work for the Spaniard that he might not be at leisure to think of Conquering others his great Power being at that time become terrible to all Europe § 3. Thus the Seeds of Civil Commotions were sown in the Minds of the Netherlanders about which time Philip II. went into Spain having so constituted the Government that the supream Administration of Affairs should be in the Hands of the Regent and the Council of State of which Council besides the Prince of Orange were the Earl of Egmont and others the Cardinal Granville a Burgundian a wise Man and much rely'd on by the King who had given secret Instructions to the Regent to rule according to his Advice But the Netherlandish Lords quickly perceiving that the whole Government was manag'd according to the Counsels of the Cardinal did sufficiently shew their Discontent in opposing themselves against it especially when the Cardinal press'd hard to execute the King's Commands concerning the Establishment of the Bishops and rooting out of the new Religion the Netherlandish Lords advis'd a Toleration of the same and to deal more gently with the People This rais'd a general Hatred against the Cardinal whereupon the Prince of Orange and the Earls of Egmont and Hoorn writ to the King That if he was not remov'd it would be impossible to preserve the Peace of the Netherlands neither did they rest stisfy'd till Philip did consent to their Demands But because the Regent was after the removal of the Cardinal sway'd by the President Vigilius and the Earl of Barlemont who in every respect follow'd the footsteps of the Cardinal this Joy did not last long but the old Discontents being renew'd it was said That the Body of the Cardinal was remov'd from the Council but his Spirit remain'd in it Thus the Divisions continu'd in the Council of State nor could the Proclamations against the new Religion be put in Execution because the People began more and more to oppose them It was therefore with consent of the Regent and Senate agreed upon to send the Earl of Egmont into Spain who was to give an account to the King of the whole state of Affairs and to see whether the King could find out another Remedy The King receiv'd him very courteously as to his person but would not remit any thing from his Severity as to Religion And imagining that the cause why this Evil had taken so deep root was the Mildness of the Regent he caus'd his Proclamation to be renew'd commanding withall That the Counsel of Trent should be introduc'd in the Netherlands Besides these Severities a Rumour was spread abroad That Philip had agreed with Charles IX at Bayonne by all Means and Ways to root out the Hereticks which was the cause why it was resolv'd to oppose the King's
such ill Success at the beginning of this War seems to be that by the great Eagerness of Gain and Trade their Martial Heat was almost extinguish'd and that after the Peace concluded at Munster they being not apprehensive of any Invasion by Land they only applied themselves to strengthen their Power at Sea and having dismissed their best Officers they had supplied their place with their own Relations whose Motto was Peace and a good Government For at the time of the War with England they had dismissed the Old English Bands and in the Year 1668 the French Troops both which were the flower of their Armies which of necessity must have been reduced into a very ill condition since the Prince of Orange had no more concern with them Besides this they thought themselves very secure not imagining that France would either dare or be able to attempt a Conquest over them as long as they were sure that the Emperour and Spain would side with them neither did they imagine that the English would join with the French against them And at last they hoped they would beat the English out of the Sea before France should be able to take three or four Places They relied upon the old Way of making of War when a whole Company was taken up with the Taking of one Place and when whole Books were composed of the Taking of Groll or the Sar of Ghent It is also believed that some of the Hollanders were not sorry that they had no great Success by Land hoping thereby to bring into discredit the Conduct and to diminish the Authority of the Prince whom they had been obliged to make their Captain-General against their Will § 22. As for the Neighbours of Holland and what it has to fear or to hope from them it seems that the English are the most dangerous Neighbours to the Hollanders they being the only Nation that have been formidable to them hitherto against their Pretensions to the Dominion of the Seas and Trade who are extreamly dissatisfied that this new Common-wealth which when it was in a very tottering condition was strongly upheld by them has now been before-hand with them in the East-Indies and daily spoil their Markets almost every-where For because an English-man is naturally proud and loves to live well whereas a Hollander minds nothing so much as his Gain being satisfied with an indifferent share nor spends any thing idly a Hollander can sell cheaper than an English-man and Strangers will always rather deal with the first than the last It is therefore in all probability the chief Interest of Holland not to irritate England and rather to allow them some Ceremonial Prerogatives at Sea such as striking and the like but withall to strengthen their Power at Sea that in case England should really contest with them for the Trade and Fishing it may be able to make head against them The Hollanders must also as much as is possible endeavour to encourage the same sort of Manufacture as is in England and either to make these Commodities better or at least to sell them cheaper thereby to get the advantage from them The Hollanders ought to stand in great fear of France on the Land-side especially since that King is their great Enemy having opposed for a considerable time all their Designs It is therefore very necessary to be in a good posture on the Land-side and to keep fair with the Princes of Germany who else would permit the French to march through their Territories or else perhaps join with him They must endeavour the Preservation of the Spanish Netherlands which they ought to consider as their Frontiers and whereby Spain is obliged always to Side with Holland against France They must take care to be provided with good Officers and to put the Province of Holland into a better Posture of Defence on the side of Gueldres It is not easie to be supposed that England and France will join again against Holland which may be prevented by the Hollanders It is also the Interest of Holland to take care that the Naval Strength of France do not increase too much and to prevent as much as in them lies that they do not settle a Trade in the East-Indies And because France draws the Riches of all Europe to it self by its Manufacturies the Hollanders must try to imitate them and furnish other Nations with the like From Spain Holland need fear nothing either by Sea or Land since that time that this Kingdom has lost all its labour against them Nay it is their Common Interest now that they cultivate a mutual good Understanding to stop the Progresses of the French in the Netherlands And the Spaniards have scarce any thing left them from which the Dutch could have any prospect of Benefit they being not in a Capacity to conquer or to maintain the West-Indies And though the Hollanders may be very troublesome to the Spanish Silver Fleets yet the Spanish Privateers may also do them considerable mischief Portugal has no Pretensions against Holland and it ought most to stand in fear of the Hollanders because these would be glad of an opportunity to take from the Portuguese Brosile and what they have left in the East-Indies which however they would not so easily be able to execute because the Hollanders are obliged to fetch their Bread out of the East-Sea they have always taken care that neither of the Northern Kings should be Master alone of the East-Sea which Balance is the easier kept now since the Sound is divided betwixt Sweden and Denmark And it is notorious enough what Game they have play'd with these two Kings For the rest it is the general Interest of Holland to keep fair with all other Princes thereby to maintain a free Commerce every-where And in these Places where they cannot Trade alone it is the Interest of the Hollanders either by goodness or cheapness of their Commodities and an easie Deportment to endeavour to draw the chief Benefit of Trade to themselves For this is the easier and less odious Way to heap up Riches than if they should attempt publickly to mix the Foreign Trade of all other Nations since it would prove impossible for them alone to maintain a general Monopoly CHAP. VII Of the SWITZERS § 1. THese Countries which are possess'd now by the Switzers belonged formerly to the German Empire but that they were united in one Commonwealth was occasioned thus the three small Counties of Vry Switz and Vnder-Walden which commonly are call'd the three Forest Towns enjoy'd very antient Privileges which they pretended to have been granted them by the Emperor Lewis Surnamed the Pious yet so that the Emperor used to send thither an Imperial Judge or Vicar who had the supreme Jurisdiction in criminal Affairs There were also some Monasteries in those Countries which tho they enjoy'd particular Privileges yet did they not interfere with their Liberty of the People
also are in continual fear that as soon as they have bent their whole Force against Hungary the Persians may fall upon them on the other side or some of the Bassa's towards the East Revolt from them And a well Disciplin'd Army of Germans will scarce shrink before all the Turkish Forces and when Germany is resolv'd to stand the brunt the Turks will I believe quâ—ckly be weary of attacking it Italy is in no ways to be compared with Germany either for its strength or number of Men besides that it is divided into several States by which it is disabled to attack any Foreign State much less so Potent an Empire which being possess'd of some Passes leading into Italy might in time take an opportunity to renew its pretensions upon that Country The Switzers are very good Neighbours to Germany as having neither will nor power to attack it especially since they are destitute of good Horsemen Neither can Poland compare its strength with Germany for tho the Poles can bring a great number of Horse into the Field yet they are not to be compared with the German Horse much less their Foot to the German Infantry wherefore the Poles cannot undertake any considerable and if the Poles should enter into an Alliance with another Prince and make a diversion to the Germans by falling upon the back of them it would not be difficult for the Germans to be even with them since they are not well provided with Frontier Places or any strong Holds within the Country which are able to withstand an Enemy whereas in Germany they would meet with Places which would give them sufficient work And in such a case perhaps the Muscovites might easily be prevailed withal to fall vpon the back of them but it is not to be supposed that such a Commonwealth as this will easily attempt an offensive War against its Neighbours yet it is of great consequence to Germany that Poland may not be brought under subjection to the Turks or any other Power And these two Nations are able to do one another considerable Services if they would with their Joint-Forces attack the Turks Denmark has no pretensions upon Germany and the best Land-Forces of the Danes being Listed in Germany their Army may be Ruin'd only by the Emperours recalling the Germans out of that Service if they should attempt any thing against the Empire Neither do I believe that Germany but especially the Circles of the Higher and Lower Saxony will be so careless of their own Interest as to let Denmark become master of Hamborough and Lubeck England cannot do any harm to Germany except by disturbing the Trade of Hamburgh tho it seems to be the Interest of the English rather to enjoy the benefit of their Free Trade there On the other hand the Germans may do a service to the English against the Hollanders by Land whilst these are engag'd with them in a War at Sea Holland has neither power nor inclination to attack Germany For if the Germans should be recall'd out of the Service of the Dutch their Land-Forces would make but a very indifferent show Neither can they reap any benefit by making new Conquests but it seems rather to be for their purpose to keep fair with the Germans that in case of a War with their Neighbours they may make use of their assistance Spain cannot pretend to do any considerable mischief to Germany if the Head and Members are well united but if it should joyn with the Head against the Members it may prove mischievous especially by the assistance of their Money but in such a case there would questionless not be wanting some that would oppose its designs Swedeland alone is not so powerful as to be in any ways formidable to Germany neither is this Kingdom for making any more Conquests on that side since thereby it would lose more of its own strength than it can gain by them but on the other hand it is of great Consequence to Sweden that the state of Religion and of the Government remain in the same condition as it was setled in the Westphalian Peace neithat Germany be subjected or ruled by any absolute Power France has of late made itself so Powerful that this Kingdom alone may do more mischief to the Germans than any of the rest of their Neighbours France in consideration of its Form of Government has a considerable advantage over Germany for the King there has all the best Men and the Purses of his Subjects at command and employs them as he thinks fit But however such is the strength of Germany that if well united it need not much dread France for Germany is capable of raising as numerous if not more numerous Armies than France and may as easily recruit them Besides this the German Souldiers every thing duly consider'd will scarce turn their backs to the French There might also be a way found out for Germany to keep always a sufficient Army on foot against France at least it is not easily to be suppos'd that if France should attack Germany in good earnest all the rest of Europe would be lookers on but if Germany be divided within it self so that either one Party should join with France whilst some others stand Neuters till France has devour'd some of the Neighbouring States then nothing but fatal Consequences can attend it CHAP. IX Of DENMARK § 1. DENMARK is one of the most antient Kingdoms in Europe which was Established a great many years before the Birth of our Saviour but for want of good Histories it cannot be precisely determin'd at what time it had its beginning nor how long each of its antient Kings Reign'd or what were there great Deeds We will not therefore detain the Reader by inserting here there bare Names but only to touch upon such matters as are with some certainty transmitted to Posterity Among the most antient Kings Frotho III. is most famous who 't is said did Reign just before the Birth of Christ and was a most Potent Monarch who Rul'd over Denmark Sweden Norway England Ireland and other Neighbouring States The Borders of his Territories were on the East-side Russia and on the West-side the Rhine 'T is also related that he Conquer'd the Vandals which lived then in these Countries that now are call'd Pomerania and Mecklenburgh and that he was the first King that stiled himself King of the Vandals Gotrick 't is said did assist Wittekind the King of the Saxons against Charles the Great Erick is commonly reckon'd to have been the first Christian King of Denmark tho some pretend that his Brother Herald who Reign'd before him was the first Under this Kings Reign the Christian Religion was propagated in Denmark by the help of Ansgarius then Bishop of Bremen which afterwards King Gormo II. endeavouring to root out again was forc'd by the Emperour Henry sumamed the Bird Ketcher to grant the free
Exercise of the Christian Religion throughout his Kingdom His Son Harald was attack'd by the Emperour Otto I. from whom the Sea betwixt Jutland and Holland has got the Name of Otten Sound because the Emperour there threw in his Lance to mark the utmost Limits of his Expedition His Son Suen Otto came to the Crown in the year 980. who being taken Prisoner by the Jutins was redeem'd by the Women who gave their Gold and Silver Ornaments for his Ransom In recompence of which he granted them this Privilege that whereas they used only to have a small Portion in Mony out of their Fathers Inheritance they for the future should have an equal share with the Males He also Conquer'd a part of England and died in the year 1012. His Son Canut or Cnut II. surnamed the Great was King of Denmaâ—k Norway and England having Conquer'd the latter of these three by force of Arms tho England did not remain long under the subjection of the Danes for after his death Harald and only Hardiknut Reign'd in England after whose death the Danes were again chased out of England Besides this Magnus Son of S. Olaus King of Norway made himself Master of Denmark which Kingdom however after his death Sueno II. obtain'd but he was forc'd to fight for it against Harald Hardrode then King of Norway He died in the year 1074. Him succeeded his Sons Harald VII who Reign'd but two years and Canute IV. This King did give great Power to the Bishops in Denmark and granted the Tenths of all the Revenues of the Country to the Clergy At which the Jutes being exasperated slew him at Oden Sea but the Clergy as an acknowledgement of his Favours bestowed upon them placed him in the number of Saints and his memory was afterwards celebrated with full Cups at their Feasts by those who call'd themselves the Knutgylden from him His Brother Olaus IV. succeeded him who died in the year 1095. and after him Reigned his Brother Erick II. who took Jutin at that time a great City in Pomerania He died in the Ille of Cyprus in his Pilgrimage to Jerusalem § 2. After his death the whole Kingdom was in great Confusion especially when three at once fought for the Crown viz. Sueno III Canute VI and Waldemar I. These after they had waged wars together for many years did at last agree to divide the Kingdom into three parts but Canute having been assassinated by Sueno and Sueno again having been slain in a Battel against Waldâ—mar he got the whole Kingdom into his possession He subdued the Rugians and Vandals who had hitherto proved very mischievous to Denmark he also destroyed the City of Julin 'T is related that he laid the first Foundation of the City of Dantzwick and under the Reign of this King Absalom Bishop of Roshild first began to build the City of Copenhagen Waldemar died in the year 1182. Him succeeded his Son Canute VI. who waged great Wars against the Vandals and at last forced their Princes to be his Vassals taking upon himself the Title of King of the Vandals or Slaves He took from Adolf Earl of Holstein among other places the City of Hamburgh which however twenty seven years after did shake off the Danish Yoke He having also conquered Esthonia and Livonia the Christian Faith was established in these Countries by his means He died in the Year 1202. After him reigned his Brother Waldemar II. who at the beginning was a very fortunate and potent Prince and had under his Subjection besides Denmark the Countries of Esthonia Livonia Curland Prussia Pomerania Rugen Meckâ—enburgh Holstein Stormar Ditmarsen and Wagern as also the Cities of Lubeck and Lauenburgh But he lost a great part of them again by the following occasion Henry Earl of Swerin having undertaken a journey to the Holy Land had committed during his absence his Lady and Country to the care of Waldemar but having been informed after his return that the King had lived in Adultery with his Lady he to revenge this Affront took him Prisoner by stratagem and after he had kept him three years in prison dismist him making him pay for his ransom the sum of 45000 marks of fine Silver The Countries of Mecklenburgh and Pomerania and the Cities of Lubeck and Duntzwick taking hold of this opportunity revolted from Waldemar Adolf Earl of Shauenburgh took from him Holstein and Stormar the Knights of the Cross took Esthonia and Livonia And endeavouring to recover these Countries he was vanquished in a Battel fought near Bornhove by the Earl of Shauenburgh Yet he recovered Reval and Esthonia and died in the year 1241. § 13. His Son Erick V. succeeded him in the Kingdom tho he had also given some parts of it to his other Sons viz. to Abel Sleswick to Canute Bleckingâ—n and to Christopher Laland and Falster These were each of them for being Sovereigns in these Countries but Erick pretending that they ought to be his Vassals there were great Commotions in Denmark till Erick was miserably murthered by his Brother Abel and Abel after he had reigned two years was slain by the Friselanders and Ditmarsians Whom succeeded his Brother Christopher I. Aganist this King the Archbishop of Lunden raised abundance of Troubles and the King having imprisoned him he was by the rest of the Bishops and Clergy excommunicated and with him the whole Kingdom And at last the King was by them poisoned as 't is thought with the Host After him reigned his Son Erick VI. who was at Variance with the Bishops and engaged in Wars against Sweden and Norway at last he was taken Prisoner in a Battel by Erick Duke of Holstein and was barbarously murthered by some of the great Men of the Kingdom He left the Crown to his Son Erick VII who immediately in the first year of his Reign had great contests with the King of Norway who had given protection to to the Murtherers of his Father He also had some other Differences with some of the neighbouring States and died in the year 1319. Him succeeded his Brother Christopher II who got his Son crowned in his Life time This King was banished the Kingdom by his Subjects who under pretence of being oppressed with Taxes elected in his stead Waldemar Duke of Sleswick their King But they grew also quickly weary of him and recalled Christopher who afterwards in a battel fought against this Waldemar lost his Son Erick Under the Reign of this King Schonen being sorely oppressed by the Holsteiners who were in Possession of it surrendred itself to Magnus King of Sweden And John Duke of Holstein perceiving that he could not maintain it by force sold all his Right and Title to it for 70000 Marks fine silver Under the Reign of this King Denmark was torn into so many pieces that very few places were left to the King He died in the year 1333.
own Name which he made his place of residence Whose youngest Son Lechus II. to obtain the Principality murthered his elder Brother but as soon as the Fact was discovered he was banished the Country After him ruled a Virgin whose Name was Venda the only Daughter left of the Children of Cracus who having vanquished one Ritiger a German Prince that pretended Mariage to her out of a blind Superstition drowned herself in the River of Weixel After her death the administration of the Government returned again to the Governours or Vayvods which continued for some time till the Poles elected again for their Prince a Goldsmith called Premislus who is also called Lescus I. because he had by a Stratagem defeated the Moravians who had made an Irruption into Poland But he leaving no Issue behind him a Horse Race was instituted with condition that the Victor should succeed in the Government One of the Competitours had laid Iron Hooks in the Ground by which means the others Horses having been â—amed he was the first that came to the Goal but the Fraud being discovered he was killed upon the spot In the mean while a certain poor Fellow on foot had run the Race and was the next to the Impostor whom the Poles declared their Prince His name was Lescus II. and as some say was slain in the Wars against Charles the Great Him succeeded his Son Lescus III. who having appeased Charles the Great with Presents made Peace with him either as an unequal Allie or else by acknowledging himself his Vassal He left Poland to his Son Popiel whom he had begot in Wedlock but to his natural Sons he gave the neighbouring Countries of Pomerania Mack Caâ—â—ubia with some others Him succeeded his Son Popiel II. an ill man who upon the perswasion of his Lady murthered his Father's Brothers 't is reported that out of their dead Bodies came forth Mice which devoured Popiel with his Wife and Children § 3. After his Death there was an Interregnum full of troubles till the Poles declared Piastus a Country-fellow born at Crusswitz their Prince from whom ever since such of the Natives as obtained the Royal Dignity were called Piasti His Posterity has reigned for a long time in Poland from whom also descended the race of the Dukes of Lignitz and Brieg in Silesia which is but lately extinguished 'T is said that he was 120 Years old before he died His Son Zicmovitus began his Reign in the Year 895. a Warlike and brave Prince whom succeeded his Son Lescus IV. a good and peaceable Prince Much of the same temper was his Son Zicmovistus who began to Reign in the Year 921. This Prince had but one Son who being blind was in the seventh Year of his Age in which Year according to the Custom of those times his Head was to be shaved and he to receive his Name restored to his Sight which was then taken for an Omen that he should be enlightened with the Christian Faith His Name was Micislaus I. and began his Reign in the Year 962. He having a great many Wives and no Children occasioned in him a desire to turn Christian for some Germans representing to him that if he left the Heathenish Superstitions he would certainly beget Children he was perswaded by them to remove his Heathenish Wives which he did and married Dambrateca the Daughter of Bogislaus Duke of Bohemia Before he married her he was baptized himself and first introduced the Christian Religion into Poland as also that custom which has obtained since there that at the time when the Gospel is read in the Mass the Men half draw their Cymetars to signify that they were ready to fight for the Christian Faith § 4. Him succeeded his Son Boleslaus Chrobry who was by the Emperour Otto III. dignified with the Title of King who also remitted unto him all the Pretensions which the former Emperours had upon Poland and this in consideration for the kind entertainment which he had received from Boleslaus in his Pilgrimage to the Grave of Albart Bishop of Gnicsen which being then very famous for some Miracles was visited by the Emperour to fulfil his Vow which he had made during a precedent Sickness This first King of Poland behaved himself very bravely in his Wars against the Red Russians the Bohemians Saxons and Prussians He also instituted twelve Senators as his Assistants in the administration of the Government But his Son Miccislaus lost for the most part his Father's Conquests Moravia having among the rest been taken from him by the Bohemians He began his Reign in the Year 1025. and died in the Year 1034. leaving but one Son behind him whose Name was Casimir who being an Infant his Mother Rixa administred the Government for a while But the Poles being dissatisfied with her she fled with her Son into Germany who in his Journey in France assumed the Order and Habit of a Monk During his absence there were great Disturbances in Poland Maslaus having about that time made himself Master of Masuria which for a long time after remained independent of the Kingdom of Poland At last the Poles prevailed upon Casimir to leave his Monastery and accept the Crown And to perswade the Pope to absolve him from his Vow they promised that for each Head except those of the Nobility and Clergy they would contribute yearly a Farthing towards the maintaining of a perpetual burning Lamp in the Church of St. Peter in Rome and cause their Heads to be shaved above their Ears like Monks After he came to the Crown he beat Maslaus and the Prussians and restored the Kingdom to its former tranquility His Son Boleslaus Surnamed the Hardy did at first wage War against his Neighbours the Prussians Bohemians and Russians with great Success but afterwards giving himself over to all manner of Debauchery and having been checked for that reason by Stanislaus the Bishop of Cracau who also at last excommunicated him he cut him to pieces before the Altar Then he was excommunicated by the Pope and perceiving himself to be hated by every body left the Kingdom and at last murthered himself § 5. Him succeeded his Brother Vladislaus who standing in fear of the Pope would not at first take upon him the Title of King He met with great Troubles both at home and abroad which however he overcame at last Him succeeded his Son Boleslaus III. a brave Souldier who obtained a signal Victory over the Emperour Henry V. in a Battle fought in the Dogsfield near Breslau There was never a Prince in Poland more Famous for Military Atchievements than himself it being related of him that he fought forty five Battles all with good Success except the last of all fought against the Red Russians which was lost by the Cowardise of the Vayvod of Cracovia unto whom the King for a
them to all sorts of People whom he installed before they had taken Holy Orders And when the Emperour resolved to maintain his antient Right and Title he excommunicated him and stirred up the Bishops and the Estates of Germany against him who made him so much work that he was obliged to resign his Right of Constituting of Bishops The Pope under this pretext did not only intend to exempt the Bishops from the Emperour's Jurisdiction but the main point was to make himself Sovereign over Italy and to make all the other Princes submit to the Pope's Authority And some are of Opinion that this Design might have been put in execution considering that Europe was at that time divided into so many Principalities and most of these Princes being not very Potent might either out of a Devotion or to avoid falling under the Jurisdiction of more Potent Princes submit themselves under the Pope's protection and pay him Tribute It is therefore not improbable that if three or four Popes had succeeded one another instructed with sufficient Capacity to cover their Design with the Cloak of Holiness and in the mean while to uphold the Interest of the People against the Oppressions of their Princes the Popes might have made themselves absolute Sovereigns both in Temporal and Spiritual Affairs Neither did the Pope only pretend to free himself from the Emperour's Jurisdiction over him but also endeavoured to make him his Subject for he pretended to be his Judge he summon'd him before him to make answer to the Complaints of his Subjects excommunicated him and declared him to have forfeited his Right and Title to the Empire And tho' his Son the Emperour Henry V. did endeavour to recover what was forcibly taken away from his Father and made Pope Paschal a Prisoner whom he forced to restore to him the right of Constituting of Bishops yet were the whole Clergy in Europe so dissatisfied hereat and raised such Commotions that at last he was obliged to resign the same again into the Pope's hands Much about the same time there were great Disputes concerning this Point in England which were composed in such a manner that the King should not pretend to the Power of investing of Bishops but that these should do Homage to him The last of which the Pope was very unwilling to grant who would fain have had the Bishops to be quite independent of the King which was the reason why he expresly forbid the Bishops in France to follow this Example but King Lewis VI. and his Successours did maintain their Right with so high a Hand that the Popes were never able to establish their pretended Right in France Neither did the Popes think it advisable to fall out at once with the Emperour and France but that it would be more secure to have one at hand to uphold them against the other especially the Popes were not so much for weakening of France because they were not so nearly concerned with that Kingdom as for humbling the Emperours that were Potent in Italy and pretended to the Sovereignty over the City of Rome Neither was Germany so intirely united as France and most Princes of Europe being then very jealous of the Grandeur of the Empire were very willing to joyn with the Pope against the Emperours under pretence of upholding the Authority of the Holy Church and Papal Chair 'T is true the two Emperours Frederick I. and II. did afterwards endeavour to restore the antient Imperial Right but were not able to attain their aim especially since Italy was divided into the two Factions of the Guelfs and Gibellines the first whereof were for the Pope the latter for the Emperour which caused such a Confusion in Italy that the Emperours could never afterwards reduce Italy to an entire Obedience And because after the death of the Emperour Frederick II. the whole Empire was during that long vacancy of the Throne put into great Confusion and Disorders the succeeding Emperours found so much work in Germany that they were not in a Condition to look after Italy whereby the Pope had sufficient leisure given him to make himself Sovereign both as to his own Person and over the Possessions belonging to the Church of Rome § 22. But the Pope not being contended to have attained this degree of Grandeur quickly set on foot another Doctrine which was of far greater consequence viz. That the Pope had an indirect Power over Princes that it belonged to him in his own Right to take Care how they governed and managed their Affairs For tho' they did not expresly pretend in gross terms that Princes did depend on them in Civil Affairs yet they believed that the supreme Ecclesiastical Power did entitle them to an Authority to judge concerning the Actions of Princes whether the same were good or bad to admonish them to correct them and to command what was fitting and to forbid what was unfitting to be done If therefore Princes waged War against one another the Pope pretended to have an Authority to command a Truce to be made betwixt them to bring their Differences before him and refer them to his Decision not without threatnings that he would not only excommunicate them in their Persons but also forbid the exercise of Divine Service and administration of the Sacraments throughout their whole Kingdom They also did believe it belonged to their Office to obviate all publick Scandals to defend such as were oppressed and to see Justice done to all the World It was from this pretension that they received the Complaints of all such as pretended to be oppressed nay they went further for they sometimes took information concerning the Injuries done by Princes to their Subjects and concerning some Impositions laid upon the People whereby the People thought themselves aggrieved which they forbid to be levied upon them under the penalty of Excommunication Sometimes they used to declare the Possessions of such as were excommunicated forfeited exposing their Persons to danger and releasing the Subjects from their Oaths of Allegiance under pretence that the Government of a Christian People ought not to be trusted to the management of such as had rebelled against the Church This has been attempted against a great many Crowned Heads and put in execution against some of them This abominable pretension as they perswade the ignorant was founded upon their fictitious Decretals upon which they have built their Canon-Law which grants to the Pope an unlimited Power over Christians by vertue of which he may as the Common Father send out his Commands to all Believers and admonish them concerning all such Matters as belong to Religion and their Salvation and in case of Disobedience lay punishments upon them For that the Predecessours of Gregory VII did not make use of this Power they say was because the preceeding Emperours either kept themselves within their bounds or else the Popes lived an ungodly Life To give specious colours to these pretensions
they made use of the Examples of Ambrose and Theodosius they used to relate how the Spanish Bishops had obliged King Wamba by way of penance to lay down the Crown As also how the Bishops of France had deposed Lewis Surnamed the Pious who afterwards could not recover his Crown without the Consent and Authority of another Assembly of Bishops They alledged for another Example how Fulco then Archbishop of Rheims had threatened Charles Sirnamed the Simple to absolve his Subjects from their Oaths of Allegiance if he made an Alliance with the Normans who were then Pagans They supposed that it was without question that the Pope's Power did extend it self beyond that of all other Bishops since it was not limited by any thing except by the express Canons of Councils and Decrees of the Popes wherein nothing was contained against this Power of deposing of Kings and they say it was not to be supposed that they could have been forgetful of this point And because they had assumed a Power to give the Name and Title of a King to some who either prompted by their Ambition or Superstition had begged the same from them they supposed that by the same Right they might take away the Crown from such as they esteemed unworthy of wearing it They also had forbid to marry within the seventh degree of Consanguinity and the fourth of Affinity whereby they often met with an opportunity to be troublesome to Princes For because it seldom happened among those of so high a Rank but that one side or other was within one of these degrees they stood in continual fear lest the Pope should disturb their Negotiations except they humbly begged for a Dispensation and in both cases the Popes knew how to make their advantage of them Lastly the Popes having abundance of Business to dispatch did thereby draw the best and most refined Wits to their Courts who used to go thither to look for Imployment and to perfect themselves in the great School of Europe These were always for promoting the Pope's Interest and Designs from whom they expected their promotion besides that the whole Clergy did adhere to him as to their supreme Head Pope Boniface VIII did clearly give us to understand his meaning at the Jubilee kept in the year 1300. when he appeared sometimes in the Habit of an Emperour sometimes in that of a Pope and caused two Swords to be carried before him as the Ensigns of the Ecclesiastical and Civil Power § 23. But the Popes could not long enjoy this unsufferable Usurpation in quiet for it was so often called in question till they were obliged to draw in their horns and to make their pretensions a little more plausible 'T is true in the Business with the Emperours the Henrys and the Fredericks they got the upper hand nevertheless they met betwixt while often times with very indifferent entertainment and such things were sometimes publish'd against them as were little to their Honour and from whence it might easily be judged by those that were impartial that not the Glory of God but their own Grandeur was the chief aim of their undertaking But when Boniface III. pretended to play the same Game with Philip Surnamed the Handsome King of France he watched his opportunity so well and gave him such a blow that the Pope felt the smart of it And to avoid the Scandal which the common People might take at these so severe proceedings against the Pope use was made of this pretext that what was done against his Person was not intended against the Vicar of Jesus Christ but against a pernicious Person who by unlawful means was got into the Chair and that a general Council ought to be called to free the Church from his Oppressions But the ensuing Schisms have proved the most pernicious to the Popes Authority as also the double Elections which have been made at several times when the Cardinals being divided set up two Popes at once who used by turns to excommunicate and revile one another and to maintain themselves in the Chair were fain to flatter the Kings and acknowledge that they were beholding to them This Division was an evident sign that the Elections of these Popes had not been guided by the Holy Spirit but been influenced by some ill Designs and Intrigues Wherefore it was also the Opinion of the Wiser sort that in such a case neither of them ought to be acknowledged as Pope but that a new one ought to be chosen which was also put in execution at the Council of Constance The first Schism arose according to my Opinion in the year 1134. or as some will have it 1130. when after the death of Honorius II. Innocent II. and Anacletus were both chosen Popes And tho' the first had the greater party on his side yet did the King of Sicily and Duke of Aquitam vigorously uphold the latter and his adherents did after his death choose another in his stead who called himself Victor with whom Innocent made an agreement so that he voluntarily relinquished his pretension and acknowledged him his Superiour But after the death of Adrian IV. two Popes were again elected at one time viz. Alexander III. and Victor IV. To the first adhered France England and Sicily to the latter the Emperour Frederick I. all Germany and the Clergy of Rome And after his death those of his party chosen three successive Popes all whom Alexander out-lived These used to make a common Trade to excommunicate and revile one another and each of them were fain to behave themselves towards their Protectours more like a Client than a Master But much greater was the Schism after the death of Gregory IX when again two Popes were elected at once whereof one resided at Rome the other at Avignon This Schism lasted through several successions near the space of Forty Years during which time both parties excommunicated one another very frequently and committed great Cruelties France Scotland Castile Savoy and Naples were of the side of the Pope that resided at Avignon but all the rest of Christendom declared for the other at Rome Both parties took great pains to set out the great numbers of Saints that were of their party and what Miracles and Revelations were made concerning their approbation And both sides knew how to produce such Reasons that at last there was no other remedy left them but to force both the Anti-Popes to abdicate themselves at the Council of Constance and to choose a new one in their stead The last Schism of all arose when the Council of Basil having deposed Eugenius IV. did in his stead elect Felix V. Pope unto whom the former would not submit And these Dissentions were continued till after the death of Eugenius when Nicholas V. was chosen in his stead unto whom Felix for quiet sake did resign the Chair upon very advantageous terms in the year 1488. It is very easily to be imagined how these Divisions did
the mean while to have found out an expedient to appease Luther And Cardinal Cajetan did in the year 1519. act a very imprudent Part at Augsburgh when he dealt so very rudely with Luther and refused to accept of his Proposal viz. that he would be silent provided his Adversaries would do the same For by this refusal made to so resolute a Man whom he would have obliged to make a Recantation he forced him to do his utmost and to fall directly upon the Pope himself It would have been no difficult matter to have granted him that some corrupted Manners were crept into the Church to keep him from meddling with the Reformation of the Doctrines But on the contrary the Pope making continual instances at the Elector of Saxony's Court to have Luther delivered up to him Luther was thereby obliged to show the unreasonableness of the Pope and to demonstrate that his own Doctrine was built upon a very solid and good Foundation And the Pope rendred his Cause very suspicious that he when Luther appeal'd to a Council did by making a great many evasions protract to call one From hence it was evident that he did not trust much to the goodness of his Cause if it were to be debated before impartial Judges It was also an unlucky hit for the Pope when he fell out with Henry VIII who to spite the Pope did open the Door for the Protestant Religion to be settled in England Likewise did those of the House of Navarre propagate and protect the Protestant Religion in France out of a hatred as some say against the Pope who had shown the way to Ferdinand the Catholick into that Kingdom Besides this there were abundance of good Men of the Roman Catholick Religion who were glad to see that Luther did wash the scabby Heads of the Monks with so strong a Lye as he did So that every thing seemed to concur to promote the Decree of God Almighty § 27. But why the Doctrine of Luther was not spread farther and the Ecclesiastical Monarchy was not quite overturned several Reasons may be alledged First it is to be considered that in those States where Luther's Doctrine was received the Supreme Direction in Ecclesiastical Affairs became necessarily to be devolved on the Civil Magistrates For if any one of these States would have pretended to this Direction over the others of the same Communion these who would have thought themselves no less capable would never have acknowledged the same Which did not a little weaken their Union and Strength and was the main occasion that they could not act so unanimously and vigorously against the Pope as he against them It is also to be considered that this Reformation was not undertaken after mature deliberation and as it were on purpose to form or set up a new State but this great Revolution happened upon a sudden and unexpectedly so that the whole Work was carried on as occasion offer'd and by degrees And tho Luther was the first that gave the Alarm yet the rest did not think themselves obliged to follow precisely his Opinion but were also ambitious of having contributed something towards the Reformation This occasioned Disputes among themselves and because no body had an Authority among them to decide these Controversies each Party persisted obstinately in their Opinion from whence arose such a Schism that they became neglectful of the Common Enemy and fell upon one another This furnished the Popish Party with a very probable Argument who cry'd out aloud the Hereticks were faln into Confusion among themselves as not knowing what to believe and since they had left the Church of Rome they were brought into an endless Labyrinth There were also a great many of the Protestants who under pretext of the Gospel did lead an impious and scandalous life as if by the Liberty of the Gospel they had obtained a License to abandon themselves to all sorts of Vices This gave also occasion to the Papists to defame the Doctrine of Luther especially since he had with great severity reproved the licenciousness of the Clergy and had been generally applauded for it It also proved very mischievous to Luther's Doctrine that immediately after whole swarms of Fanaticks Anabaptists and the like appear'd in the World and that the Boors in Germany run as it were mad and made a most dangerous Insurrection When some Princes took this Point into Consideration the Doctrine of Luther began to become suspicious to them as if thereby the licenciousness of the Common People was Taught and Authorised which they looking upon as a greater Evil than what oppression they were likely to suffer from the Clergy did with all their Power oppose the Doctrine of Luther There are some who will have it that the University of Paris also had a share in this For Luther having persuaded himself that this University was dissatisfied at Leo X. because he had abolished the Pragmatick Sanction concerning the Elections of Bishops and that therefore the Members thereof would be glad of an opportunity to revenge themselves he submitted his Disputation with Eckius to their Judgment but these gave their Judgment against him and that in very hard words The Kings of Spain also did afterwards consider that it was for their purpose to take upon them the protection of the Roman Chair wherefore they opposed the Protestant Doctrine with all their might and so powerfully assisted the League in France that Henry IV. if he would maintain his Crown was obliged to leave the Protestant Religion Some also have observed that when Zwinglius and afterwards Calvin began all upon a sudden to introduce too great a Reformation not only as to the inferiour but also the Essential parts of the Church and thereby fell from one extreme to another this proved a main obstacle to the increase of the Protestant Religion For Luther had hitherto made very little alteration in outward Matters He had left in the Churches the Ornaments Clocks Organs Candles and such like he had retained the greatest part of the Mass but had added some Prayers in the Native Tongue so that he was looked upon by most as a Reformer of the Abuses only But when it seem'd that this Revolution was likely to become Universal Zwinglius appear'd in Switzerland as did Calvin afterwards in France these instead of following the footsteps of Luther began to Preach against the Presence of the Body of Christ in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper abolish'd all sorts of Ceremonies and Ornaments destroyed all Reliques broke the Altars and Images abolish'd all order of the Hierarchy and despoiled Religion of all such things as did most affect the Eyes and exteriour Senses of the People This caused an aversion and animosity in the Common People against them and increased its Zeal for that Religion which it had received from its Ancestors The Riches of the Church did partly promote Luther's Doctrine a great many having thereby taken
Haldan Sivand Erick Haldan Vngrin Regnald About the year 588. Rodolf was King of the Gothes but being vanquished by the English whom he left in the possession of that Kingdom he himself fled into Italy where he sought Sanctuary of Dicterick the King of the Gothes In the mean while Frotho either the Son or else a Kinsman of Regnald was King of Sweden whom succeeded these following Kings Fiolmus Swercher Valander Vislur who was burnt by his own Sons Damalder who was Sacrificed by his own Subjects to their Idol at Vpsal Domar Digner Dager Agnius who was hanged by his own Wife Alrick and Erick who flew one another in a single Combat Ingo Hugler Haco Jerundar Hacquin surnamed Ring under whose Reign that most memorable Battel at Brovalla was fought betwixt the Swedes and Danes where thirty thousand Men were killed on the Danish and twelve thousand on the Swedish side This King Sacrificed nine of his Sons to the Idol at Vpsal and would have done the same with the tenth who was the only Heir left to the Kingdom if he had not been prevented by the Swedes Him succeeded his Son Egillus whom followed in the Kingdom of Sweden Othar Adel Ostan Ingvard Amund Sivard Hirot or Herolt who married his Daughter Thera to Regnerthethen King of Denmark Ingellus the Son of Amund succeeded Hirot in the Kingdom of Sweden who the night after his Coronation caused seven of those petty Princes that were Vassals of the Crown of Sweden to be burnt in their Lodgings and afterwards exercised the same Cruelty against five more of the same Rank His Daughter Asa that was married to Gudrot a Prince of Schonen exceeded her Father in Cruelty for having murthered her Husband and his Brother she betrayed the Country to the Enemies which so exasperated Ivan the Son of Regner King of Denmark that he fell with great fury upon Ingellus who had taken his Daughter into his Protection destroying all with Fire and Sword Ingellus being reduced to the utmost extremity by the advice of his Daughter burnt himself his Daughter and the whole Family in his own Palace except his Son Olaus who sheltered himself in Wermeland After the death of Ingellus a certain Nobleman of an antient Family in Sweden whose name was Charles assumed the Royal Title and Power but Regner King of Denmark who pretended that it belonged to his Son did send a challenge to the said Charles and having killed him in the Combat transferred the Kingdom of Sweden to his Son Bero or Biorn who was Hirots Daughters Son § 3. Under the Reign of this Bero or Biorn Ansgarius a Monk of Corvey and afterwards Bishop of Bremen was sent into Sweden by the Emperour Lewis the Pious to Preach the Gospel in that Kingdom But the King refusing to hearken to his Doctrine was by the Swedes banished the Kingdom together with his Father Regner His Successor Amund did also Rule but a very few years and having raised a most horrible Persecution against the Christians was also banished the Kingdom The Swedes being quite tired out with Amund's tyrannical Government did call in Olaus out of Wermeland to be their King who to establish himself in the Throne married the Daughter of Regner to his Son Ingo and thereby obtained the quiet possession of the two Kingdoms of the Swedes and Gothes Not many years after Ansgarius rerurned into Sweden and Converted Olaus who then resided at Birca a most populous City to the Christian Faith Olaus then marched with a Potent Army into Denmark and having committed the Administration of that Kingdom to his Son Ennigruus returned into Sweden where he was by his Heathen Subjects Sacrificed to their Idol at Vpsal His Son Ingo the better to Establish himself in the Throne married the King of Denmark's Daughter and afterwards was killed in the War against the Russians Him Succeeded his Son Erick surnamed Weatherhat famous for his skill in Witchcraft who was succeeded by his Son Erick surnamed Seghersell who Conquered Finland Curland Livonia and Ehestland From Denmark he retook Halland and Schonen and at last drove the Danish King Swen out of Denmark who could not recover his Kingdom till after his death His Son Stenchill surnamed the Mild was Baptized at Sigtuna a great City at that time and having destroyed the Idol at Vpsal and forbid his Subjects upon pain of death to Sacrifice to the Idols the Pagans were so enraged thereat that they slew and burnt him near Vpsal and with him the two Christian Priests that were sent to him by the Bishop of Hamburgh His Brother Olaus nevertheless obtained from King Etheldred of England several Christain Priests who not only preached the Gospel in Sweden but also the King and a great number of People were Baptized by one of these called Sigfried in a Fountain called Husbye which is called St. Sigfrieds Kalla Wel to this day This Olaus was surnamed Skotkonung because upon the persuasion of the English Priests he granted to the Pope a yearly Tax against the Saracens which was called Romskot This Olaus took from Oluf Tryggeso the Kingdom of Norway which he however recovered afterwards This Olaus Skotkonung was also the first who made a perfect union betwixt the two Kingdoms of the Swedes and Gothes who had hitherto been often at great enmity with one another To Olaus succeeded his Son Amund under whose Reign the Christian Religion increased very succesfully in Sweden after whom Reigned his Brother Amund surnamed Slemme a Man very negligent both in maintaining Religion and Justice He was slain with the greatest part of his Army by Cnut King of Denmark near a Bridge called Strangepelle After his death the Gothes and Swedes disagreed about the Election of a new King the first choosing Haquin surnamed the Red. the latter Stenchill the younger At last it was agreed betwixt them that Haquin being pretty well in years should remain King during his life and should be succeeded by Stenchill After the death of Haquin who Reigned thirteen years Stenchill the younger Olaus Skotkonung's Sisters Son began his Reign who vanquished the Danes in three great Battels Him succeeded Ingo surnamed the Pious This King utterly destroyed the Idol at Vpsal which so enraged his Pagan Subjects that they Banished him the Kingdom and afterwards murthered him in Schonen he was buried in a Convent called Waâ—heiâ—â— in West-Gothland After him reigned with great applause his Brother Halstan whom succeeded his Son Philip Ingo Philip's Son and his Queen Ragoild were also very famous for their Piety and other Vertues she was after her death honoured as a Saint and her Tomb frequently visited at Talge This King left no Sons but two Daughters Christina and Margret the first was married to St. Erick the second to Magntis King of Norway He was poisoned by the East Gothes
in Denmark Ambassadors were sent to the Marshal and the other Senators of Sweden that were then at Calmar to notifie the arrival of the Duke of Bavaria and to treat with them to receive him also for their King as the only means to maintain the Union and Peace betwixt those Kingdoms The Marshal and his Party were not a little surprised at this Proposition but perceiving that at the Dyet held at Arboga most of the Estates were inclined to maintain the Union and receive Christopher for their King they also agreed with the rest of the Estates and Christopher was received by the Marshal and the Senators with great Pomp at Calmar from whence being conducted to Stockholm and from thence to Vpsal he was there crowned King of Sweden and soon after returned into Denmark After he had reigned four years he married Dorothee the Daughter of John Marquis of Brandenburgh and King Erick who was yet in the possession of Gothland doing considerable damage to the Swedish Ships he was prevailed upon by the Senate to undertake an Expedition into Gothland Whilst every body was in great expectation about the success of this Enterprise he upon the sudden clapt up a Peace with King Erick leaving him in the quiet possession of Gothland He died at Helsinburgh in his Journey to Joncoping whither he had called together the Senate and Nobility of Sweden having left great Legacies to several Churches in Sweden but the Danes who had all his Ships Ammunition rich Furniture and ready Money in their hands would not pay one groat of it After the death of K. Christopher the Estates of Sweden that were assembled at Stockholm were divided into two parties some of them being for deferring the Election of a new King till such time as the Senators of the 3 kingdoms could at a general Assembly chuse a King according to the Union agreed upon betwixt them but the Marshal and his Party which was the strongest were without having any respect to the Union for chusing immediately a King of their own this Contest lasted for several days and that with such heats that they were ready to come to blows till at last the Marshal Charles Cnutson's Party prevailed who was chosen King of Sweden But the Danes offered the Crown of Denmark to Adolf Duke of Holstein and he by reason of his old Age having refused to accept of it they made Christian Earl of Oldenburg the Duke's Sister's Son their King Charles at the very beginning of his Reign besieged King Erick in the Castle of Wisby who having deluded the Swedish Generals with a Truce did in the mean while provide himself with all Necessaries and was at last relieved by Christian King of Denmark who sent him into Pomerania where in the City of Rugen he ended his days without making any further pretension to the Crown In the mean while the Norwegians except some of the Nobility had made Charles also their King which occasioned almost a continual War betwixt him and Christian king of Denmark in which King Charles was pretty successful at first but after the death of the brave Thord Bonde his General who was barbarously murthered King Christian with the Assistance of the Archbishop of Sweden and several others of the Swedish Nobility who were Enemies to King Charles proved too hard for him for the Archbishop having surprised the King's Forces at Strengness besieged him in the City of Stockholm so that King Charles finding himself reduced to the utmost Extremity resolved to embarque with all his Treasure for Dantzick where he arrived safely after a Voyage of three days in the tenth year of his Reign No sooner had King Charles left the Kingdom but the Archbishop having got all the Stronholds of the Kingdom into his hands sent to Christian King of Denmark to invite him into Sweden who being arrived with a considerable Fleet at Stockholm was by the Senate and Nobility declared King of Sweden and crowned at Vpsal He reigned at first with a general satisfaction of the Swedes but some years after by his Cruelty and heavy Impositions laid upon the People became odious to them for he not only caused some of the Great men that were falsly accused of holding a Correspondency with King Charles to be tortured to death but also exercised great Cruelty against a great number of Boors that were risen in Arms against him and having conceived a jealousie of the Archbishop he caused him to be carried Prisoner to Copenhagen This so exasperated Katil the Bishop of Lyncoping that he raised an Insurrection against the King and forced him to retire into Denmark and tho the King returned the year next following with a considerable Army yet being defeated by the Bishop's Forces he was forced to leave the Kingdom a second time and the Bishop having laid siege to the City and Castle of Stockholm where King Christian had left a Garrison sent for assistance to King Charles who being glad of this Opportunity came with some Forces which he had gathered in Poland and Prussia into Sweden where he was no sooner arrived but the City of Stockholm was surrendred to him and he again received as King of Sweden But this Joy was of no long continuance for a difference being arisen betwixt him and Bishop Katil about the exchanging the Archbishop that was Prisoner at Copenhagen the said Bishop did underhand agree with King Christian to restore him to the Kingdom of Sweden under condition that he should set the Archbishop at liberty According to this agreement a Reconciliation being made betwixt K Christian and the Archbishop the latter was received very splendidly by the Bishop and was no sooner arrived in Sweden but having raised some Forces against King Charles defeated him in a bloody Battel fought upon the Ice near Stockholm and forced him to abjure his Right and Pretension to the Kingdom After the King's Resignation the Archbishop made himself Master of all the Strong-holds of the Kingdom without any opposition except that one Nils Sture a particular Friend of K. Charles's traversed sometimes his Designs This Nils Sture and one Erick Axelson Governour of Wibourg in Finland having at last made a party against him play'd their Game so well that Erick Axelson who had married King Charles's Daughter was declared Regent of the Kingdom But the A. Bish was obliged to surrender Stockholm and some other Strong holds into the Regent's hands Nevertheless the hatred betwixt the two exasperated Factions headed by Nils Sture and Erick Nilson of which party was also the Archbishop continued with great animosity Erick Nilson and his Party under pretence of protecting the Archbishop against the Power of King Charles and his adherents endeavoured the Restauration of King Christian but Nils Sture and his Party openly declared that they would either have King Charles restored or at least maintain the Regent in his Station These two Parties did not only commit great Insolencies and
Assistance who having taken some Ships loaden with Amunition belonging to the Regent and in vain endeavoured to relieve the besieged Castle the War was begun on both sides For the Archbishop having been forced to surrender the Castle and his Office Pope Leo thereupon excommunicated the Regent laying a Fine of 100000 Ducats upon the Swedes and enjoyning the execution thereof to King Christian Pursuant to this Decree the King of Denmark fell with a great Army into Sweden and was met by the Regent and his Forces in West-Gothland but the Regent having received a Wound there of which he died soon after at Strengness his Army first retreated and being deprived of a Leader afterwards dispersed King Christian then having divided his Army sent one part into West and East-Gothland which were soon subdued and marched with the rest to Strengness The Archbishop taking hold of this opportunity reassumed his Archi-Episcopal Dignity and being assisted by two other Bishops and seven of the Senators of the Kingdom did declare Christian King of Sweden in the name of the Estates at Vpsal The King having been Crowned by the Archbishop Trolle and received the City of Stockhâ—lm by surrender into his hands treated the Swedes at 〈◊〉 with abundance of humanity but soon after found out a Weapon wherewith to destroy his Adversaries and this was the business concerning the degradation of the Archbishop and the ruining of his Castle of Stecka For tho' the King by an Amnestie had pardoned all past Offences yet no satisfaction having been given to the Pope the Archbishop in his Name demanded a million pounds of Silver in reparation of the damages done to the Church at Vpsal and his Castle of Stecka And to make up the matter it was pretended that Gunpowder had been conveyed into the King's Palace to blow him up Steen Sture's Widow his Mother in Law fifteen others besides the Senare and Commonalty of Stockholm were accused as Actors and Abettors who were all condemned as Hereticks ninety four of them all People of Note being beheaded at Stockholm and their Servants hanged up with Boots and Spurs The deceased Regent's body having been digged up was exposed among the rest of the executed Persons and the Quarters set up and down the Country His Widow and Mother in Law were forced to purchase their Lives with the loss of their whole Estate and were nevertheless with a great many other Women of Quality committed to Prison In Finland Hemoning Gudde notwithstanding his former Services done to him was with ten more executed by the King's Command the Abbot of the Convent at Nydala was with eleven Monks drowned by his Orders and two Gentlemen's Sons one of nine the other of seven years beheaded at Joncoping and after he had in this manner murthered 600 of his Swedish Subjects he returned into Denmark § 9. But in the mean while that King Christian was busied in bringing the Swedes under the Danish yoke by all manner of inhumane Barbarities Gustavus Erichson whose Father had been beheaded by the Tyrant and his Mother thrown in Prison had sheltered himself among the Dalekâ—rls who being made sensible of the danger which threatened them and the whole Kingdom had made Gustave their Head whose example being followed by the Estates of Sweden they soon after declared him Regent of that Kingdom except the Archbishop and his Party that remained firm to the Danish Interest King Christian being violently exasperated at Gustave revenged himself upon his Mother and two Sisters whom he sent from Stokholm to Copenhagen where they perished in Prison he issued also out an Order that no quarter should be given to any Swedish Nobleman and committed great Barbarities wherever he came The Swedes on the other hand under the Conduct of their Regent Gustave repaid the Danes with the same Coin wherever they met them and with the Assistance of the Lubeckers besieged Stockholm which was as yet in King Christian's Possession when they received the joyful news out of Denmark that the Jutlanders had renounced their Allegiance to King Christian This so encouraged Gustave and his Party that they did not only drive King Christian's Forces out of most Provinces of the Kingdom retook Ocland and Borkholm but also recovered the Castle and City of Calmar and made Gustave King of Sweden who thereupon immediately summoned Stockholm to a surrender and the Garrison being without hopes of relief surrendred the City and Castle to the Lubeckers who restored the same to King Gustave In the mean while King Christian was retired with his Queen into the Netherlands and the Jutlanders having made Frederick I. King Christian's Uncle their King would fain have perswaded the Swedes to follow their example but these being not ambitious of continuing the Union with Denmark had refused their proffer and chosen Gustave their King But King Gustave finding the Treasury mightily exhausted by these long intestine Wars he not only taxed the Clergy to pay considerable Sums towards the payment of his Souldiers but also made bold with the superfluous Ornaments of the Churches against which Brask the Bishop of Lincoping having protested and made complaint thereof to Johannes Magnus the Pope's Legate Peter Bishop of Westeraas endeavoured to raise an Insurrection among the Dalekerls But whilest these Bishops were employed in maintaining their Privileges the Protestant Religion had begun to spread all over the Kingdom The same was by some Merchants and German Souldiers first introduced into Sweden and some Swedish Students that had studied at Wittenbergh had brought along with them into their Native Country both the Doctrine and Writings of Luther Among these one Olaus Petri was the chiefest who having been an Auditor of Luther at his return into Sweden was made a Canon and Protonotary to the Bishops of Strenguess this Man after the death of the Bishop having brought Lars Anderson the Archdeacon over to his Opinion began not only to defend Luther's Doctrine publickly in the Schools but also to publish the same from the Pulpit The Bishop being absent Dr. Nils Dean of that Chapter with all his might opposed this new Doctrine which being come to the King's Ears he advised with Lars Anderson who having instructed him in the chief Points of it and in what manner a great many German Princes had taken away the superfluous riches of the Clergy began to hearken to his Opinion resolving nevertheless to go on cautiously in this business and to see how some Princes in Germany should proceed in this Affair as also how the Bishops in Sweden would relish this Doctrine In the mean while Pope Hadrian IV. had sent his Legate into Sweden to endeavour the extirpation of this Heresie and the Clergy of Sweden grew every day more refractory refusing to pay the Taxes imposed upon them as being contrary to their Privileges On the other hand Olaus Petri being encouraged by the King was not silent but defended his Cause both by Dispute and Writing with such
Success that the King not only constituted him Minister in the great Church of Stockholm and put into other vacant Church-Benefices such Ministers as had studied at Wittenbergh but also constituted over the Dominicans and Black Fryars such Priors as he knew to be faithful to him and such of them as were Foreigners he banished the Kingdom and told unfeignedly to Bishop Brask that he could not deny Protection to the Lutherans as long as they were not convinced of any Crime or Errour But all this while one Soren Norby who still adhered to King Christian had Gothland in his Possession and did considerable damage to the Swedes in their Trade against him King Gustavus having sent Bernhard van Melan with some Forces to reduce the said Island and Norby finding himself too weak put himself and the Island under the Protection of Denmark which occasiaoned some differences between these two Northern Kings who had been very good Friends ever before About this time Olaus Petri was publickly married in the great Church at Stockholm and the King had not only demanded the Tenths of the Clergy towards the maintenance of his Forces but also Quartered some of his Horse in the Monasteries which so incensed Bishop Brask that he forbid in his whole Diocess so much as to name the Doctrine of Luther But the King having understood that Olaus Petri was busie in Translating the New Testament into the Swedish Tongue commanded the Archbishop to take care that the Roman Catholicks also should make a Translation which though it â—elished very ill with the Bishops yet were they fain to comply with the King's command who to mortifie them the more also ordered a Disputation to be held at Vpsal betwixt Dr. Pieter Galle and Olaus Petri concerning the chiefest Points in question betwixt the Roman Catholicks and Lutherans where Olaus Petri had much the better and his Translation was approved of before the others which had been patched up by so many Translators In the mean time the Danish Clergy had given a considerable Subsidy to their King to be employed against King Christian wherefore King Gustave taking hold of this opportunity demanded a considerable supply from the Swedish Clergy but these objecting that it was against their Privileges and Rights the King ordered the same to be examined in another Dispute betwixt Olaus Petri and Dr. Pieter Galle and because they were not able to prove their Title out of the Holy Scripture the King concluded them to be dependent on his pleasure and at the Dyet held at Westeraos not only demanded a supply from the Clergy but also proposed that the superfluous Bells should be taken out of the Churches and be employed towards the payment of the Debt due to the Lubeckers And because the Archbishop grew more troublesome every day the King first took him into Custody and afterwards sent him Ambassadour into Poland from whence he never returned into Sweden He also commanded another Disputation to be held concerning the chief Points in question betwixt the Lutherans and Roman Catholicks which however met with great opposition from Bishop Brask and the rest of the Roman Catholick Clergy who set up a Country Fellow against Gustave This Fellow pretended to be the Son of Steen Sture notwithstanding he was dead a twelve month before and having got a party among the Dalekerls and being upheld by Bishop Brask and the Bishop of Druntheim in Norway and encouraged in his undertaking by King Frederick of Denmark laid open claim to the Crown threatning all the Lutherans and especially the City of Stockholm with Fire and Sword which was the most forward in settling the Protestant Religion About the same time the Emperour had besieged Pope Clement VII in the Castle of St. Angelo wherefore King Gustave taking hold of this Juncture appointed a Dyet to be held at Westeraos where in his Declaration he professed that the Roman Catholick Clergy had made it their business to charge him with making Innovation in Religion for no other reason but that he would not let them domineer over the Laymen and had forced them to submit to the Civil Power and to give part of their superfluous Riches some of which they had got by fraud towards easing the Common People of those burthensome Taxes which he hitherto had been forced to impose upon them And that for the same Reason the Emperour himself had been forced lately to teach the Pope his duty The same thing was proposed by the King to the whole Dyet where he told them that the superfluous Revenues of the Clergy ought to be annexed to the Crown and especially such Lands as since the year 1454 had been given to the Clergy should be restored to the right Heirs promising withal that the Common People should be for the future eased of their Taxes in case they would give their consent to the reduction of the Revenues of the Clergy And the better to get the consent of the Temporal Lords and Senators he made a great Banquet where he gave the next place to himself to these Senators whereas the same had belonged formerly to the Bishops who now were forced to be contented with the next place after them the third place was given to the rest of the Nobility the fourth to the inferiour Clergy the fifth to the Citizens the sixth to the Boors which so exasperated the Clergy that they assembled in the Church of St. Egidius and secretly took a resolution among themselves not to obey the King in this Point not to surrender any of their Revenues or to recede from their antient Religion And Bishop Brask freely told the King that the Clergy of the Kingdom had such a strict dependency on the Pope that without his consent they could not do any thing whatsoever Which as it met with great approbation from all the rest of the Clergy and from some of the Temporal Estates so the King was so incensed thereat that he immediately rose from his Seat and told the Estates that he was ready to Abdicate the Kingdom if they would repay him his Charges and Monies which he had laid out for that use and to show them that he was in earnest retired for several days with some of his chief Officers into the Castle The Estates being much surprised at the King's resolution especially when they saw the Citizens of Stockholm to be stedfast to the King and that Dr. Peter Galle was worsted by Olaus Petri in a late Disputation thought it their best way to beg the King's pardon and to intreat him not to resign the Crown Upon their reiterated request the King having been at last prevailed upon to come out of the Castle demanded from several Bishops to surrender into his hands their Castles and to subscribe a Decree made at this Dyet concerning the regulating of the Clergy which they were fain to comply withal As soon as the Dyet was ended he took not only from the Monasteries such Lands as
had been given to them since the year 1454. but also several other Church Lands and precious moveables all which he annexed to the Crown In the mean while the Bishops and their party were not idle but were contriving all manner of mischief against the King though with small success For the Dalekerls who had made an Insurrection were frightened by the King to comply with his commands and to send away their Leader the supposititious Sâ—ure and Sigismund King of Poland unto whom the dissatisfied party had proffered the Crown did not think fit to accept of it so that Bishop Brask despairing at last of the Roman Catholick Cause under pretence of a Journey retired to Dantzick The King having surmounted all these difficulties thought convenient not to defer any longer his Coronation which having been solemnized at Vpsal with the usual Solemnity he summoned the Rebellious Dalekerls to appear before him at Thuana threatning them with Fire and Sword if they did not appear at the appointed time The Rebels being throughly frightened by the King's severity appeared without Arms at the appointed place where he caused several of the Ringleaders to be Executed and dismissed the rest after having promised to be obedient for the future In Helsingland he appeased the tumultuous multitude with threats and fined their Leaders and having called together a Synod of the Clergy at Orebro where the King's Chancellour was President the chiefest Points of the Popish Doctrine were there abolished and in their stead the Protestant Religion introduced where it was also ordered that a Protestant Professor of Divinity should be Constituted in each Cathedral This wrought in a manner Miracles among the Inferiour Clergy and Monks who left their Monasteries were married and became Ministers in the Protestant Churches But the Bishops and their party entred into an Association with some of the dissatisfied Lords in West Gothland who accused the King of Heresie and other Crimes renouncing their Allegiance to him These were Headed by Thuro Johanson the Rix Marshal who raised an Insurrection among the Dalekerls and endeavoured also to stir up the West and East Gothes whom he persuaded to make Magnus Brynteson a Man in great Authority among them their King But the King having again appeased this tumult by granting his Pardon to them Magnus the Bishop of Skara and Thuro Johnson fled into Denmark but Magnus Bayteson Nils Olofson and Thuro Erickson having been Convicted of High Treason at the Dyet held at Strâ—ngness the two first were Executed and the third paid a considerable Fine The King then to settle the minds of his Subjects having renewed his Pardon caused the superfluous Bells to be taken out of the Steeples the same being granted to him by the Estates towards the payment of a Debt due to the Lubeckers Which proved a new Subject for an Insurrection for the Dalekerls not only seised upon some of these Bells but also pretended to hold an Assembly at Arboga to consult about the Deposing of King Gustave which obliged the King to call together the Estates at Vpsal whither he came in person with a good Army and meeting with great opposition from the mutinous People ordered his Soldiers to fire among them which so terrified them that upon their Knees they begged his Pardon promising to be more Obedient for the future Things being thus pretty well settled the King married Catharine the Daughter of Magnus Duke of Saxen Lauenburgh and having received intelligence that King Christian was landed in Norway with a considerable Force he sent some Troops under the Command of Lars Sigeson the Rix Marshal to the Frontiers of Norway who having been joined by some Danes forced King Christian to raise the Siege of Banus who at last surrendring himself to the Danes was by Frederick King of Denmark committed to Prison where he died after twenty seven years imprisonment But no sooner was this storm over but the Lubeckers raised another against Sweden For they having demanded from the King to grant them the whole Trade on his Northern Sea Coasts which he refused to consent to peremptorily demanded their Debt and having joyned with a great many Refugies of King Christian's party and made John Earl of Hoya who had married King Gustave's Sister their Head did propose to themselves no less than the Conquest of the Northern Kingdoms having inticed some Citizens of Stockholm under pretext of making that City a free Hanse Town to lay violent hands on the King And after the death of Frederick King of Denmark when that Kingdom was divided into several Factions persuaded the Senate of Copenhagen and Malmoe to enter into the Confederacy of the Hanse Towns Being thus strengthened by a considerable party within that Kingdom they had great success against the Danes till these having declared Christian III. their King and being assisted with Mony Ships and Forces by King Gustave beat the Lubeckers near Heâ—sinburgh and afterwards in a Sea-Fight defeated their whole Fleet and carried a great many of their Ships into Denmark Soon after King Gustave to strengthen himself the better at Home married Margaret the Daughter of Abraham Erickson Governor of West Gothland which Alliance stood afterwards his Son Duke John in great stead against King Erick King Gustave having also conceived a jealousie against the Emperour Charles V. whom he suspected to be for making Palls Grave Frederick Son in Law of the imprisoned King Christian King over the Northern Kingdoms took a resolution to strengthen himself with the Alliance of France To put this design in execution he sent his Secretary into France who having first made a Treaty of Commerce betwixt these two Crowns did also afterwards conclude a defensive Alliance betwixt them Gustave having thus settled his Affairs called a Dyet to be held at Westeraas where the Estates of the Kingdom declared the Succession Hereditary for the future Constituting Erick Gustaveson who was then but eleven years old his Father's Successor At the same Dyet the Popish Religion was quite abolished and the Lutheran Religion Established in Sweden the King and the Estates having obliged themselves by a Solemn Oath to maintain the same with all their power In the year 1551. King Gustave after the death of his Queen Margaret married Catharine the Daughter of Gustave Olufson and ruled the Kingdom of Sweden with great Tranquility except that the Russians had faln into Livonia and Finland with whom having made a Peace and being now grown very old he by his Testament gave to John his second Son the Dukedom of Finland to the third Son Magnus the Dukedom of East Gothland and to Charles the youngest of all the Dukedom of Sudermanland Nericke and Wermeland which Countries they were to hold in Fief from the Crown But his eldest Son Erick who was â—o succeed him in the Kingdom having been persuaded by his Tutor Dionysius Burraeus a Frenchman to make his Addresses to Elizabeth Queen of
first offered the Crown to John King Sigismund's half Brother who refused to accept of the same they bestowed it upon Charles who being the only Son left of King Gustave and by his Valour and Prudence having deserved so well of the Kingdom the Crown was confirmed to his Heirs even to the Females No sooner was Charles declared King but he undertook an Expedition into Livonia where he received a signal overthrow from the Poles which might have proved of very ill consequence to Sweden if King Sigismund had not been prevented by the intestine Commotions of the Poles to pursue his Victory The Russians also had slain the false Demetrius and having made one Suski their Grand Duke craved Assistance from King Charles who sent some Thousand Auxilaries under the Command of James de la Gardie with whose Assistance they were very successful against the Poles But in Lifland the Poles got the better of the Swedes in several encounters and the Danes seeing the Swedes engaged on all sides began to make great preparations against them The Muscovites also had delivered their Grand Duke Suski up to the Poles and offered that Crown to Vladislaus the Son of Sigismund so that the Swedish Affairs looked with an ill face at that time if Prince Gustave Adolph King Charles's Son by his extraordinary Valour had not upheld their drooping Courage For whilst the Danes wee busy about Calmar he with 1500 Horse not only surprised their chief Magazin in Blekinyen which is now called Christianstad but also took from them the Isle of Oeland and the Castle of Borkholm and whilst he was busy in putting his Forces into Winter-Quarters his Father King Charles died at Nycoping in the 61 year of his age § 13. Gustavus Adolphus being at the time of his Father's Death yet under age was under the Tuition of his Mother Christina Duke John and some of the Swedish Senators But the Swedes being at that time embroiled in the Polish and Russian Affairs and the Danes pressing hard upon them it was concluded at the Dyet at Nycoping that King Gustave Adolph notwithstanding he was not 18 years of age should take upon himself the administration of Affairs The King immediately applied all his Care to the Danish War which was carried on but with indifferent Success on the Swedish side especially by Sea where the Danes played the Masters the Swedish Fleet being but in a very ill condition and the Danes having taken besides Calmar also Risbyfort and Elffesburgh two considerable places in Sweden King Gustave finding this War very grievous to the Kingdom and the Muscovites having about the same time declared themselves very favourably in behalf of his Brother Charles Philip unto whom they offered that Crown a Peace was concluded with the Danes the Swedes being obliged to pay them a Million of Crowns for these three places above-mentioned In the mean while James de la Gardie had so well managed his Affairs in Muscovy that the Chiefest among them desired King Gustave Adolph and his Brother Charles Philip to come into Muscovy but King Gustave Adolph who had more mind to unite that Crown with Sweden than to leave it to his Brother was not only very slow in his Resolution but also at last in his Answer to the Muscovites only spoke of his own coming thither without mentioning his Brother which having been interpreted by the Muscovites as if he intended to make their Country a Province of Sweden they made one Michael Foedorowitz Romano their Grand Duke and when Prince Charles Philip afterwards came into Muscovy some of them for a while adhered to him but the new Grand Duke having the stronger Party the rest also at last left the Swedish side who vigorously attacked and beat the Muscovites in several Engagements and took from them some of their Frontier places till at last a Peace was concluded betwixt both Partys at Stolbova by the mediation of the English by vertue of which the Swedes got Kerholm and Ingermanland In the mean while a Truce had been concluded with Poland for two years but the same being near exspiring King Gustave Adolph resolved to pursue the War against the Poles with more vigour than before The better to put this Design in execution he after his Coronation had been performed at Vpsal with an universal Joy of the People paid to Christian King of Denmark the residue of the sum due to him by vertue of the last Treaty of Peace and having married Mary Eleonora the Daughter of John Sigismund Elector of Brandenburgh he attacked the City of Riga which defended it self for six weeks bravely but being reduced to the last extremity surrendred it self upon very honourable Terms From hence he sailed towards Dantzick to carry the War into Prussia but King Sigismund being then at Dantzick the Truce was renewed for two years longer During the time of the Truce a Peace was proposed betwixt these two Crowns which the Polish Estates were very desirous of notwithstanding which King Sigismund persisted in his former Resolution of pursuing the War King Gustave therefore again entred Livonia with a good Army where having defeated 3000 Lithuanians who under the Command of Stanislaus Sariecha would have disputed his Passage Kakenhausen Dorpt and other places of less note surrendred themselves to the King From hence he advanced into Lithuania and took Birsew and tho' the Poles had nothing left in Livonia but only Duneburgh and the Lithuanians were again defeated by the Swedes near Walsow in Sem-Gallia King Sigismund persisted in his Resolution of carrying on the War being encouraged by the Emperour who then was very successful in Germany King Gustave then resolving to give the Poles a home-stroke sailed with a Fleet of 80 Ships and 26000 Landmen towards the Pillaw where by Order of the Elector of Brandenburgh having been received without opposition he landed his Men and without any resistance took Brandenburgh and Frauenburgh The next was Elbingen where the Citizens having made some shew of resistance the Senate surrendred the City without making as much as a Capitulation The same good Fortune attended him before Marienburgh Meve Dirshaw Stum Christburgh and other places in Prussia which all fell into his hands before the Poles had notice of his arrival Soon after the Poles sent 8000 Horse and 3000 Foot into Prussia who had formed a design to surprise Marienburgh but were repulsed with the loss of 4000 Men and were also forced to raise the Siege of Meve And Stanislaus Konierpol ki with his Podolians also besieged Dirshaw in vam but retook Pautske from the Swedes and dispersed some Germen Troops that were listed in Germany for the Service of King Gustave In the next Spring the Swedish King having received new Supplies out of Sweden intended to attack Dantzick but having received a shot in the Belly before one of their out-works he desisted for that time but soon after made
very well of themselves and to despise others They have sufficient Capacity to attain to the first Principles of any Art or Science but commonly want Patience to attain to the perfection of them Their inclination is not much to Trade or Handy-work and therefore Manufacturies are but little encouraged among them § 19. The Kingdom of Sweden is of a great extent but full of great Forests and innumerable Lakes and the Sea-Coast surrounded with many Rocks But deeper into the Country there are a great many fertile tracts of Ground the Forests furnish them with Fuel and the Lakes with great store of good Fish which also contribute much to the easie transportation of the Native Commodities from one place to another The Country produces Corn sufficient for its Inhabitants neither is there any want of Cattel or Horses Sweden produces more Copper and Iron than any other Kingdom in the World and their Mines are fitted by nature for that purpose being surrounded with Woods and Rivulets There is a Silver Mine in Westmanland Finland brings forth Pitch and Tar and Deal and Wermeland good store of Masts The Native Commodities of Sweden are Copper Iron Tar Pitch Masts Boards c. In lieu of which Sweden receives from abroad Wine Brandy Salt Spices Cloaths Silk and Woollen Stuffs fine Linnen Cloath French Manufactories of all sorts Furs Paper and such like all which in some years surpasses in value the Commodities fit for exportation here To recompence this Navigation and Commerce has been encouraged of late years among the Natives and several sorts of Manufactories whereof those made of Copper Iron and Brass would questionless turn to the best account if these Artists were duely encouraged to settle themselves in this Kingdom Copper and Iron being the foundation of the Swedish Commerce abroad This present King has put their Forces both Horse and Foot in a better Condition than ever they were before which are maintained in Sweden with a small charge to the Crown the Foot being maintained by the Boors but the Horsemen have for the most part some Farms in their possession belonging to the Crown the Revenues of which are their pay But the King's Guards are paid out of his Treasury Formerly the station of the Royal Navy was at Stockholm but since a new Harbour has been made in Bleckingen where the Ships may be put to Sea sooner and with more conveniency Besides this Sweden has this advantage that it is covered on the side of Norway with inaccessible Rocks besides the three strong Fortresses of Bahus Marstrand and Gothenburgh and the Swedish and Finland Coasts are so well guarded by innumerable Islands that it is very difficult to approach the shoar § 20. As to the Neighbours of Sweden it borders on the East side upon Muscovy with whom the Swedes in former times were often at War but since Finland is now well covered against them by the Fortresses of Narva Kexholm and Noteburgh and they have learn'd by experience that the Swedes are better Souldiers than they there is nothing to be feared from thence And since the Swedes have no great reason to covet any further Conquests on that side they may be taken now for good Neighbours With the Poles the Swedes used formerly to have no difference at all except when in outrage that Nation espoused the quarrel of their King concerning his Title to Sweden But since Charles Gustave a little humbled their pretensions upon Livonia as the Swedes have done upon Prussia the Poles for the future may in all likelihood prove good Neighbours to Sweden The Swedes have had antiently a great Communication with the Germans by reason of their Commerce with the Hanse Towns But since the Swedes have by the Westphalia Treaty been put into possession of two Provinces in Germany they enjoy the same right with the rest of the Estates and the King of Sweden is now to be considered as a Member and not as a Neighbour of the Empire whose Interest therefore is to see that the Westphalia Treaty be kept in vigour There is some jealousy betwixt the Swedes and the Elector of Brandenburgh about some part of Pomerania which would else have fallen to that Elector's share and besides this he is obliged to keep up a constant standing Army against so considerable a Neighbour but since Sweden has preserved Brandenburgh and the rest of the Protestant Estates and the said Elector has received a triple equivalent for this loss it is but reasonable that something of allowance should be given as to this point especially since it is not for the Interest of Sweden to make any further Conquests in Germany But betwixt the Swedes and the House of Lunenburgh there ought to be a good understanding since they are able to do one another great Service against Denmark Brandenburgh and the Westphalian Bishops Since Sweden by making the Sea the borders betwixt them and Denmark has put a stop to these troubles which formerly used to proceed from the too near neighbourhood of the Danes and secured their Trade it ought not to make any attempt of further Conquests in Denmark it being the Interest of most Estates of Europe to take care that neither of the two Northern Kings become sole Master of the Sound Wherefore Sweden ought to endeavour to keep the present limits betwixt them and Denmark and to live in amity with those Estates in Germany who are jealous of the Neighbourhood of Denmark The foundation of the good Correspondency betwixt France and Sweden was built upon the common agreement of keeping under the overgrown Greatness of the House of Austria but since the case is now altened the King of France now pretends to play the Master over Princes Sweden ought not to assist France in those Designs which overturn the Westphalian Treaty or are intended against the Protestants in Germany and Holland The good understanding betwixt Sweden and Holland is chiefly founded upon this bottom that as Sweden cannot be glad to see Holland ruined so the Hollanders are obliged to prevent the King of Denmark from making himself sole Master of the passage of the Sound or the Baltick England has hitherto had so little concern with those Northern parts that their greatest Correspondency has been transacted by way of contemplating with very little Reality Spain is considered by the Swedes as a part of the House of Austria tho' the Swedes have so far a concern in the Spanish Netherlands as from their preservation depends the welfare of Holland But the good understanding betwixt Sweden and Portugal depends only from the mutual Commerce of these two Nation who else by reason of this great distance can scarce be serviceable to one another FINIS BOOKS printed for Matth. Gillyflower at the Spread-Eagle in Westminster-Hall COmpleat Gardiner or Directions for Cultivating and right Ordering of Fruit-Gardens and Kitchen-Gardens with diver Reflections on several parts of Husbandry in