two Sons Charles and Carolomannus who divided the Kingdom betwixt them But Carolomannus dying quickly after the whole Kingdom fell to Charles This Charles was justly sirnam'd the Great he having carried the French Monarchy to the highest pitch of its Greatness none of his Successours having been able to attain to the like tho' some of 'em have aim'd at it For having routed Desiderius the last King of the Lombards who endeavour'd to recover what was formerly taken from Aistulphus he conquer'd the Kingdom and brought it under his Subjection He also subdu'd Germany having routed Tassilo who had taken upon him the Title of King of Bavaria He also waged War against the Saxons for the space of 32 Years whom he at last brought under his Obedience obliging them to embrace the Christian Faith For which purpose he erected several Episcopal Sees and Monasteries by the help of the Priests to reform the baâ—barous Manners of this Savage People He also beat the Sclavonians Danes and Huns and took from the Saracens a part of Spain as far as to the River Iberus tho' his Forces in their return home were overthrown near Ronceval where was also slain the famous Rowland This Charles was in the Year 800 at Christmas being then at Rome proclaim'd Emperour by the People by the Instigation of the Pope in St. Peter's Church Tho' he gain'd nothing by this Title except it was the Sovereignty or Protection of the Roman Church and the Patrimony of St. Peter if both did not belong to him before for all the rest he enjoy'd before under other Titles He died in the Year 814. § 5. After the death of Charles the Great the French Monarchy began to decline again because his Son Lewis sirnamed the Pious was more fit to be a Priest than a Souldier And it is certain that so vast a Kingdom where the new Conquests were not yet well settled did require a Prince of a Military Spirit And notwithstanding he had the good Fortune to force some of the Rebellious Nations to return to their Duty yet he committed afterwards two fatal Oversights when in his life time he gave to his Sons the Titles of Kings and divided the Kingdom betwixt them The first of which proved pernicious to himself the second to the Monarchy For these impious and ungratefull Sons were not for staying for their Father's Death but Rebelling against him and made him after he was deserted by every body their Prisoner The Bishops who were by him kept under strict Discipline after they had condemn'd him forc'd him to resign the Government But the great Men of the Kingdom quickly repenting restor'd him to his Throne and he also pardon'd his Sons He died in the Year 840 having before his Death made a new Division of the Kingdom betwixt his Sons the Effects of which appear'd soon after to the World when Lotharius the elder Brother who also had the Title of Emperour undertook to take from his Brothers their Portion against whom the two other Brothers Lewis and Charles entring into a Confederacy forced him to divide the Monarchy with them having first obtain'd a bloody Victory near Fountenay unfar Auxerre in which Battel were slain above 100000 Men and among them the Flower of the French Nation In this Division Germany fell to Lewis's share which ever since has continued separate from France and has made a distinct Empire But the younger Brother Charles sirnamed the Bald got for his Portion the greatest part of France viz. all that part which lies betwixt the Western Ocean and the Meuse but the eldest Brother obtain'd Italy Provence and all those Counties which are situated betwixt the Meuse Rhine and the Some Under the Reign of this Charles the Bald the Normans so they call'd the Danes and Norwegians fell with a considerable Force into France making great Havock where-ever they came And the Kingdom was weakned to that degree by the last bloody Battel and its being divided into so many Principalities for the Sons of Lotharius had also shared their Father's Provinces among themselves that it was not strong enough to chase out of its Dominions these Robbers but was oblig'd under Charles sirnamed the Simple to give into their possession the Province of Neustria which they called after their Name Normandy The Sons of Lotharius dying without Issue Charles the Bald and the Sons of Lewis shared their Part betwixt them out of which Charles got Provence At last Charles obtain'd the Title of Emperour and died in the Year 877. His Son Lewis sirnamed Balbus succeeded him who dying soon after left the Kingdom to his two Sons who were very young viz. to Lewis III. and Carolomannus from whom Lewis King of Germany took Lorrain Lewis dying in the Year 882 as did Carolomannus in the Year 884 none was left but a Brother of theirs by the Father's side viz. the Son of Lewis sirnamed Balbus who being then a Child of five Years of Age was afterwards called Charles the Simple For at that time the Authority of the Kings of France was decay'd to that degree that it was a common custom to give them Sirnames according to the several defects of Body or Mind as were obvious in them He was during his Minority committed to the Tuition of his Cousin Carolus Crassus who also had the Title of Emperours who not long after because he was very infirm both in Body and Mind was deposed and died in the Year 888. The Royal Authority being thus decay'd and nothing but Divisions found in the Kingdom the great Men of the Kingdom mightily increased their own Power so that whereas they used formerly to be Governours of their Provinces under the King's Command they now began to claim them as a Propriety belonging to themselves independent of the King It is related by some That the Kings at that time had nothing left but Rheims and Laon which they could really call their own which Evil could not be totally suppress'd by the following Kings till several hundred Years after After the Death of Carolus Crassus Eudo Count of Paris got himself to be crowned King and waged War with Charles the Simple but died in the Year 898 Yet Charles the Simple quickly found another Rival for the Crown For Rudolf King of Burgundy got himself to be crowned King of France making Charles the Simple his Prisoner who died during his Imprisonment After the Death of Rudolf which happen'd in the Year 936 reign'd Lewis IV. sirnam'd Outremer because he had during the Imprisonment of his Father shelter'd himself in England This King's Reign was full of intestine Commotions he died in the Year 954 leaving for his Successour his Son Lotharius who likewise reign'd in continual troubles till the Year 985 leaving behind him his Son Lewis sirnamed the Faint-hearted of whom the French Historians only say this that
Aquitain and Poictou was immediately after married to Henry Duke of Normandy afterwards King of England the second of that Name who by this Match annexed these fair Countries to the Crown of England In fine having been kept in a continual alarm by his petty Vassals but especially by Henry II. King of England He died in the Year 1180. § 7. His Son Philip II. sirnamed Augustus or the Conquerour was at first engaged in a War against Henry II. King of England from whom he took several considerable places which however he restored afterwards to his Son Richard with whom he enter'd into a League to retake Jerusalem from the Saracens pursuant to which both the Kings went thither in Person with a considerable Force But a Jealousie arising betwixt these two Kings nothing was done worth mentioning for Richard accused Philip that he had an ill design against him in Sicily in their Voyage besides that he had refused to consummate the before intended Match betwixt his Sister and Richard Wherefore as soon as Ptolemais had been taken by their joint Forces Philip under pretence of Sickness returned into France leaving only with Richard Hugh III. Duke of Burgundy with some Troops who envying Richard hinder'd the taking of the City of Jerusalem After his return from that unfortunate Expedition to the Holy Land he undertook a War against Richard which he also carried on against his Brother John wherein Philip had much the better of the English for he took from them Normandy the Counties of Anjou Maine Touraine Berry and Poictou He was very instrumental in deposing the Earl of Tholouse who because he had taken into his Protection the Albigenses was excommunicated by the Pope Philip also obtained a great Victory near Bouvines betwixt Lisle and Tournay against the Emperour Otho IV. who being joined with the Earl of Flanders attack'd him with an Army of 150000 Men whilst the King of England was to fall into France on the side of Aquitain This King was so successfull in his Wars against England that his Son Lewis was very near obtaining the Crown of England And tho' he was chased again out of England yet did he after his Father's Death pursue his Victories against the English in France taking from them among others the City of Rochelle But this Lewis VIII did not reign long for he died in the Year 1226 leaving for Successour his Son Lewis IX sirnamed the Holy during whose Minority his Mother Blanch of Castile had the Supream Administration of Affairs and tho' some of the Nobility raised great Troubles against her she subdued them all by her singular Prudence In the Year 1244 the City of Jerusalem was ransack'd by some Persians who called themselves Chorasmii Lewis being about the same time dangerously ill made a Vow That if he recovered he would undertake an Expedition against those Infidels which he afterwards perform'd But before his departure he issued out his Proclamation throughout the Kingdom intimating that whoever had received any damage by his Souldiers should have Restitution made him which was performed accordingly In this Expedition he took the strong City of Damiata but the overflowing of the River Nile hindered him from taking Grand Cairo After the River was returned to its usual Bounds he vanquish'd the Enemy in two Battels but they having receiv'd new Reinforcements cut off the Provisions from the French who were also extreamly pester'd with the Scurvy The King then resolv'd to retreat towards Damiata but in his March thither they attack'd him gave him a terrible overthrow and took him Prisoner yet released him again for a Ransom of 400000 Livres he being obliged to restore also to them the City of Damiata Thus he marched with the Remainders of his Army which from 30000 Men was moulder'd away to 6000 to Ptolemais where after he had given what Assistance he could to the Christians he at last returned home Under the Reign of this King France got first an Opportunity to intermeddle in the Affairs of Italy from whence yet this Kingdom never reapt any great Benefit Manfred natural Son of the Emperour Frederick II. having first kill'd King Conrad his Brother made himself King of Naples and Sicily But the Pope on whom this Kingdom depended as a Fief being dissatisfy'd with Manfred offer'd the same to Charles Earl of Anjou Brother of Lewis IV. King of France which he having accepted of was crowned at Rome with Conditon that he should pay to the Pope 8000 Ounces of Gold make a yearly Present of a White Horse as an acknowledgment and if he was chosen Emperour that he should not unite that Kingdom with the Empire the Pope being unwilling to have any one more powerfull than himself in Italy Charles thereupon vanquish'd Manfred and having murthered him and his Children took possession of the Kingdom The young Conradin Duke of Swabia came with an Army to recover the Kingdom which was his Inheritance from his Grandfather but having been overthrown in a Battel near the Lake of Celano was made a Prisoner and in the Year next following had his Head cut off at Naples upon the Instigation of the Pope who being ask'd by Charles What he had best to do with his Prisoner answer'd Vita Conradini mors Caroli Mors Conradini vita Caroli i. e. The Life of Conradin is the Death of Charles The Death of Conradin the Life of Charles And as by the Death of this young Prince was extinguish'd the Noble Race of the Dukes of Swabia so this Charles laid the first Pretensions of France to the Kingdom of Naples In the mean while King Lewis being not satisfy'd with his former unfortunate Expedition against the Infidels resolved to try again his Fortune against Tunis either because he found that this place lay very convenient for his Brother's Kingdom of Sicily or because he hoped thereby to open a way for the Conquest of Egypt without which all the Expeditions into the Holy Land were likely to prove ineffectual But in this Siege he lost a great part of his Army by Sickness and he died himself there in the Year 1270. From a younger Son of this Lewis IV. viz. from Robert Earl of Clairmont sprang the Bourbon Family which now sways the Scepter of France § 8. His Son Philip sirnamed the Hardy succeeded him under whose Reign that considerable Earldom of Tholouse was united to the Crown of France Alfonsus Son of Lewis IX who had married the only Heiress of this Country happening to die without Issue in an Expedition into Africa Under the Reign also of this King fell out the so much celebrated Sicilian Vespers whereby all the French were at one blow extirpated out of Sicily The Business was thus Some Frenchmen had ravish'd the Wife of John of Porchyta born at Salerno who enflam'd with Revenge did seek for Aid of Pieter King of Arragon hoping by his Assistance to drive Charles
came yet would Charles never hazard a Battel with them but contented himself to annoy them with Skirmishes whereby he did them considerable Mischief The Pope in the mean while labour'd hard to make Peace betwixt these two Crowns but King Edward happening to die about that time King Charles took hold of this Opportunity and attacking the English with five several Armies at one time took all from them but Calais Bourdeaux and Bayonne in Guienne and Cherbury in Normandy The English during the Minority of their King being also pester'd with the Plague and the War with the Scots were not in a Capacity to send sufficient Relief Yet this King miscarried in his Enterprize against Britainy In the Year 1379 the Emperour Charles IV. came to visit him in Paris where he constituted the Dauphin a perpetual Vicar of the Empire in Dauphine And ever since say the French the German Emperours never did pretend to any thing in Dauphine and in the Kingdom of Aâ—elat He died in the Year 1380. § 12. Now we are come to that most unfortunate Reign of Charles VI. at the very beginning of which one of the main occasions of Mischief to France was That Joan Queen of Naples standing in fear of Charles de Duraz did adopt Lewis Duke of Anjou declaring him Heir of that Kingdom The Duke willingly accepting of her Offer raised in her behalf an Army of 30000 Horse having employed thereunto the Treasure left by Charles V. which he had got clandestinely into his possession With this Army be made himself Master of Provence which then belong'd to Joan. And tho' in the mean time Charles de Duraz having kill'd Joan had made himself Master of the Kingdom the Duke of Anjou nevertheless pursued his intended Expedition but was by continual Marches and the Cunning of Charles led about and tir'd to that degree that he died in great Misery very few of so great an Army having had the good fortune to return into France The People also were generally much dissatisfy'd at the beginning because those who had the Tuition of the King to curry-favour with the People had promised an abatement of the heavy Taxes But the same being not long after again introduc'd augmented and devoured by the Courtiers great Troubles and Insurrections arose both in Paris and other places In the mean while the Flemings had carried themselves insolently towards their Lord who calling to his Assistance the French they killed 40000 Flemings together with their General Arteville The general Dissatisfaction of the People was much increased afterward when a great Summ of Money was employed upon an Expedition against England which proving fruitless both the Money and Men were lost Lewis Duke of Orleans Brother of this King Charles married Valentina the Daughter of John Gaâ—â—acius Viscount of Milan with this Condition That he should receive immediately as a Dowry not only a great Treasure of Money and Jewels but also the County of Ast and in case her Father should die without Issue the whole Country should be devolved on Valentina and her Children Which Contract has not only furnished France with a Pretension to Milan but also has been the occasion of great Calamities After this another Misfortune happened to France for the King whose Brains were mightily weakened by Debaucheries in his younger Years as he was travelling in Britainy fell upon a sudden Distraction caused partly by the great Heat which was then in the Month of August partly because as 't is reported a tall black Man appear'd to him who stopping his Horse by the Bridle said Stop King whither will you go you are betray'd Soon after a Page being faln asleep let the point of his Lance drop upon the Headpiece of him who rid just before the King which the King being extreamly surpriz'd at interpreted it as directed against him And tho' this Madness did cease afterwards yet was his Understanding much impair'd and the Fits would return by intervals This unhappy Accident was the occasion of that fatal Contest concerning the Administration of the Kingdom which the King was incapable of betwixt Lewis Duke of Orleans the King's Brother and Philip Duke of Burgundy his Uncle The first claim'd it on the account of proximity of Blood the latter on account of his Age and Experience The latter was most approv'd of by the Estates who declar'd him Regent yet the Duke of Orleans by making new Intrigues still endeavour'd to make himself the Head of the Kingdam which caused pernicious Factions in the Court. And tho' the Duke of Burgundy died his Son John pursuing his Father's Pretensions the Hatred so increased betwixt both Parties that notwithstanding the Reconciliation made betwixt them the Duke of Burgundy caus'd the Duke of Orleans to be murther'd by some Ruffians at Night in the Streets of Paris And tho' the Duke of Burgundy after having made away his Rival and forc'd a Pardon from the King was now the only Man in the Court yet were the Animosities betwixt the Duke of Burgundy and the Sons of the murther'd Duke of Orleans not extinguish'd thereby which divided the whole Kingdom into two Factions one siding with the Burgundian the other with the Family of Orleans and occasion'd barbarous Murthers Devastations and such other Calamities which are the common products of Civil Commotions At last the Burgundian Faction was brought very low by the King and his Party But the English having observ'd the intestine Divisions in France landed in Normandy with a great Army and took Harfleur But being extreamly weaken'd both in the Siege and by Sickness they resolv'd to retreat towards Calais In the mean while the French had got together an Army which was four times stronger than the English which met them near Agincourt a Village in the County of St. Poll where a Battel being fought betwixt them 6000 French were kill'd upon the Spot and a great number taken Prisoners among whom were a great many persons of Quality The English Historians make this Defeat much greater it being rarely to be observ'd that the Historians of two Nations who are at Enmity agree in their Relations Yet the English being extreamly tir'd could not pursue the Victory In the mean time the Invasion made by a Foreign Enemy did in no ways diminish the intestine Divisions but rather augmented them For the Duke of Burgundy perceiving his Party in France to decline began to favour the English who in the Year next following landed again in Normandy and had great Success At last the Queen who had hitherto had a share in the Government added Fuel to the Fire For the Constable d' Armagnac having now the sole Administration of Affairs and being only balanc'd by the Authority of the Queen took an opportunity by the free Conversation of the Queen to put such a Jealousie in the King's Head that with the Consent of Charles the Dauphin she was banish'd the Court.
Forces were extreamly diminish'd in France and the Souldiers for want of Pay had given themselves over to Plunder They wanted good Officers their Places were not well provided and their Subjects weary of the Government England at home was divided within it self and the English weakened by two Overthrows which they had received from the Scots Charles therefore having met with this Opportunity resolv'd to beat the English at once out of France He took for a Pretence of the War that they had broken the Truce in Britainy and with the Scots and attacking them with great Vigour in several places at once he drove them within the space of thirteen Months out of Normandy The next Year after he took from them Aquitain Bayonne being the last which surrender'd it self so that the English had nothing left on the Continent of France but Calais and the County of Guines Bourdeaux soon after revolted from the French and sought for Aid of the English but the brave Talbot having been kill'd in an Engagement it was retaken and re-united to the French Crown after it had been 300 Years in the possession of the English Thus did this King re-unite the mangled Kingdom having expell'd the English out of its Bowels Nevertheless he did not entirely enjoy the Fruits of his good Fortune living at variance with his Son who for the space of thirteen Years came not to Court. And being at last persuaded that a Design was formed against his Life it so disturb'd him that for fear of being poisoned he starved himself § 14. Him succeeded his Son Lewis XI a cunning resolute and malicious Prince who laid the first Foundation of the absolute Power since exercised by the Kings of France whereas formerly the Royal Power was kept under by the Authority of the great Men of the Kingdom He began with reforming his Court and Ministers according to his Pleasure Of which the great Men of the kingdom foreseeing the Consequence they enter'd into a League which they called La Ligue du bien public the League for the publick good wherewith they pretended to defend the Publick against the King's arbitrary Proceedings Among these were the Dukes of Burgundy and Britainy who were willing to keep the King within bounds In the Year 1465 Charles the young Duke of Burgundy enter'd France with an Army and fought a Battel with the King near Montlehery wherein the Advantage was near equal but because the King retreated a little backwards the Night following the Duke of Burgundy pretended to have gained the Victory which put him upon those Enterprizes which afterwards cost him his Life The King extricated himself with a great deal of Cunning out of this danger for he released the Taxes and with great Promises and fine Words appeased the People all which as soon as the danger was pass'd he revok'd at pleasure To dissolve the knot of this Faction he made Divisions betwixt the most powerfull the bravest he brought over to his side by giving them particular Advantages the rest he ruined by his Policy especially by bribing their Friends and Servants And being in great want of Money he borrow'd great Summs of his Servants and such as refused to lend were put out of their Employments Which 't is said gave the first occasion that the Offices were afterwards sold in France But the Duke of Burgundy persisted in his Opposition who had in the Year 1468 hem'd him in at Peronne which danger he however escaped At last Lewis was rid of this his troublesome Enemy who had laid so many Designs against him he being kill'd by the Swiss near Nancy Lewis taking advantage of the great Confusion which was occasioned by the Death of the Duke in that Country took possession of the Dukedom of Burgundy under pretext that the same was an Appanage and brought over to his side the Cities situated on the River Some which had been under the Jurisdiction of Charles It was generally believ'd That Lewis by way of Marriage might easily have annexed the whole Inheritance of this Duke unto France if he had not conceived such an implacable hatred against this House that he was resolved to ruin it Two Years before the Death of the Duke of Burgundy King Edward IV. landed with a great Army in France whom Lewis with Presents and fair Promises persuaded to return home again He united to the Crown Provence Anjou and Muns having obtained the same by the last Will and Testament of Charles d' Anjou Count de Maine who was the last Male Heir of the House of Anjou notwithstanding that Rene Duke of Lorraine Son of Ygland d' Anjou pretended a Right to the same by his Mother's side In his latter days he lived miserably and grew ridiculous being in continual fear of death He died in the Year 1483. § 15. His Son Charles VIII had at the beginning of his Reign his Hands full with the Duke of Britainy and was marching with an Army to unite that Province by main force to the Crown But understanding that Maximilian of Austria had concluded a Match betwixt Anna the only Heiress of this Dukedom and himself the French King did think it no ways adviseable to let such a delicious Morsel fall to the share of the House of Austria but obliged the Bride partly by force partly by fair words to renounce Maximilian and to be married to himself whereby this Country was united to France And tho' Henry VII King of England did not look with a good Eye upon the growing Power of France and therefore with a great Army besieged Boulogne yet in consideration of a good Summ of Money he was prevailed upon to return home again especially since Maximilian who had received a double affront from Charles who had not only taken his Bride from him but also had sent back his Daughter Margaret which was promised to him in Marriage did not join his Forces with him according to Agreement Maximilian took Arras and St. Omer but being not able to go further he consented that his Son Philip Lord of the Netherlands might make a Truce with Charles On the other side Charles gave to Ferdinand the Catholick the Counties of Russilion and Cerdagne some say to engage him thereby not to oppose his intended Expedition against Naples Others say that Ferdinand corrupted Charles's Confessour to persuade him that he should restore that Country to its lawfull Sovereign France being thus by the Union with Britainy become an entire Kingdom it began to contrive how to obtain the Sovereignty over Italy Charles had a Pretension because the Right and Title of the Family of Anjo and Naples was by the Death of the last Duke of Anjou and Earl of Provence devolv'd to Lewis XI and consequently to himself But this young King received the greatest Encouragement from Lewis sirnamed Morus or the Black Duke of Milan who having Tuition of his Nephew
John Galeas the true Heir of this Dukedom but a weak Prince had under that Pretence made himself Master of the same This Duke fearing that he might be put out of possession by Ferdinand King of Naples whose Son Alfonsus's Daughter Isabella was married to John Galeas endeavour'd to give Ferdinand his Hands full of Work that he might not be at leisure to think of him knowing also that Ferdinand and his Son Alfonsus were much hated by their Subjects for their Tyranny and Impiety An Expedition was therefore undertaken against Naples which proved the occasion of continual Miseries to Italy for the space of forty Years for so long it was the Cock-pit for the French Germans and Spaniards and at last lost a great part of its ancient Liberty It seem'd to be fatal to Italy that the wise Italians either could or would not prevent this Expedition which was design'd two Years before Charles had at the beginning all the Success imaginable for the Italian Troops were in a very ill condition and there being no body who durst oppose him Florence and the Pope sided with him the latter declaring Charles King of Naples King Alfonsus stirr'd up by his own Conscience abdicated himself transferring all his Right and Title upon his Son Ferdinand But his Forces being soon beaten and dispers'd Charles made his solemn Entry into Naples with loud Acclamations Immediately the whole Kingdom submitted to him except the Isle of Iseria and the Cities of Brundisi and Gallipoli The Conquest of so fair a Kingdom and that within five Months time struck a Terrour into the Turkish Emperour himself being in fear at constantinople and Greece being ready to rebell as soon as the French should land on that side But the Face of Affairs was quickly changed for the French by their ill behaviour quickly lost the Favour of the Neapolitans the King minded nothing but Gaming and the rest following his Example were careless in maintaining their Conquest Besides this it was look'd upon as a thing of such Consequence by the rest of the Princes of Europe that the Emperour the Pope King Ferdinand of Arragon Venice and Milan enter'd into a Confederacy to drive the French out of Italy Charles therefore fearing lest his Retreat might be cut off took his Way by Land into France having left things but in an indifferent state of Defence in Naples In his March he was met by the Confederate Army near the River of Taro where a Battel was fought in which tho' there were more kill'd on the Confederate side than of the French yet he marched forward with such Precipitation as if he had lost the Battel Charles was no sooner returned into France but Ferdinand soon retook without great trouble the Kingdom of Naples to the great Dishonour of the French who were not able to maintain themselves there a whole Year of whom very few return'd alive into France Not long after Charles died without Issue § 16. Him succeeded Lewis XII formerly Duke of Orleans who not to lose Britainy married Anna Widow of the late King He made War soon after on Milan pretending a Right to that Dukedom by his Grandmother's side and having conquer'd the same within 21 days Lewis the Black was forc'd to fly with his Children and all his Treasure into Germany But the Inhabitants of Milan grew quickly weary of the French their free Conversation with the Women being especially intolerable to them and therefore recall'd their Duke who having got together an Army of Swiss was joyfully receiv'd and regain'd the whole Country except the Castle of Milan and the City of Novara But Lewis sending timely Relief the Duke ' s Swiss Souldiers refused to fight against the French so that the Duke endeavouring to save himself by flight in a common Souldiers Habit was taken Prisoner and kept ten Years in Prison at Loches where he died Thus the French got Milan and the City of Genoua again After so great Success Lewis began to think of the Kingdom of Naples To obtain which he made a League with Ferdinand the Catholick wherein it was agreed that they should divide the Kingdom betwixt them so that the French should have for their share Naples Terre de Labour and Abruzze and the Spaniards Poville and Calabria Each of them got his share without any great trouble Frederick King of Naples surrendring himself to King Lewis who allowed him a yearly Pension of 30000 Crowns But soon after new Differences arose betwixt these two haughty Nations concerning the Limits for the French pretended that the Country of Capitanate which is very considerable for its Taxes paid for Sheep which are there in great numbers did belong to Abruzze whereas the Spaniards would have it belong to Poville and from Words they came to Blows The French at first had somewhat the better but as soon as Gonsalvus de Cordoua that cunning Spaniard had broke their first Fury and Lewis did not send sufficient Relief they were as shamefully beaten again out of the Kingdom as they had been before Lewis endeavoured to revenge himself upon the Spaniards in the Year next following but tho' he attack'd them with four several Armies yet could he not gain any thing upon them Wherefore he made a Peace with Ferdinand and enter'd into an Alliance with him against Philip Son-in-law to Ferdinand who having after the death of Isabella taken from him the Kingdom of Castile was upheld by his Father Maximilian and back'd by Henry King of England whose Son had married his Wife's Sister In the Year 1507 the City of Genoua rebell'd against Lewis but was soon reduced to her former Obedience Then the War began afresh in Italy with the Venetians who being too much addicted to self-interest had drawn upon themselves the hatred of all their Neighbours having encroached upon every one of them and Lewis especially attributed to them his loss of the Kingdom of Naples To humble this proud State a League was concluded at Cambray betwixt the Emperour the Pope the Kings of France and Spain Lewis by entring into a Confederacy with his mortal Enemies had more regard to his Passion than his Interest it being certain that he might upon all occasions have trusted to the Friendship of the Venetians But now he was the first that fell upon them and defeated them in a great Battel near Giera d' Addua which caused such a Terror among them that they left all what they had on the Continent within twenty days and if Lewis had pursued his Victory whilst they were under this first Consternation he might doubtless have put a period to their Greatness But in the mean time that he marched back towards Milan not making the best of his Victory they got leisure to recover themselves especially since the Emperour Maximilian was not in earnest against them and Pope Julius II. was reconciled to them Nay in
suspicious of all mankind And the whole Confederacy is altogether adapted for their common Defence and for the maintaining of a firm Union betwixt themselves The difference of Religion is also a main obstacle among them some of them being Roman Catholicks but most Protestants and both Parties great Zealots in their Religion Wherefore it seems a hard task to make them all truly unanimous except forc'd by the necessity of a common Danger And in this Democratical Government it is not to be supposed that one man can have sufficient Authority to sway the rest and to stir them up to any great and sudden Enterprise And this slowness of their publick Counsels is such a check upon their natural Valour at home that they can employ it no better than to sell it for a little money to other Nations § 10. This is the very reason why the Switzers are the best Neighbours in the World as being never to be feared and always ready to assist you in case of necessity if you pay them for it On the other hand they need not stand in great fear of their Neighbours The States of Italy are not in a capacity to do them any harm and Germany is not willing to hurt them If the House of Austria should attack them they are able to defend themselves and besides this they may in such a case be sure to be back'd by France France alone seems to be their most dangerous Neighbour and it has been the wonder of many why the Switzers rely altogether upon the French Alliance and Promises and do not in the least endeavour to secure their Country against the growing Power of France and that in the last war they left the Franche Comtè to the mercy of the French which opens the Passage into their Country and enables the French to levy Souldiers on their Frontiers at pleasure It seems therefore to be the present Interest of Switzerland not to imitate the French and nevertheless to take care that they do not make themselves Masters of their Frontier Places viz. of Geneva Newburgh on the Lake the Four Forest Towns and Constance That they do not send too great a number of their Men into the French Service whereby they may exhaust their own Stock of Souldiers and that such as are sent into the French Service may be engaged not to be forgetful of their Duty to their native Country so as to be ready to return home in case of necessity On the other hand France seems to have no great reason to attack the Switzers as long as they are quiet and do not pretend to oppose the French Designs it being evident that if France had once obtained its aim the Switzers would be obliged to submit themselves And it seems at this time more Advantageous for the French to make use of the Switzers as their Allies than by conquering them to make them refractory Subjects who by reason of their natural stubborness must be bridled by strong Garisons which would scarce be maintained out of the Revenues of so poor a Country CHAP. VIII Of the GERMAN Empire § 1. GErmany was not antiently one Common-wealth but divided into a great many States and independent of each other most of them being Democracies And tho some of them had their Kings yet these had more Authority to Advise than to Command These several States were at last united under the Government of the Francks The Kings of the Merovingean Family having undertaken several Expeditions into Germany did reduce several of these States under their Subjection And Charles the Great reduced all Germany under his Jurisdiction he being at the same time Master of France Italy Rome and a part of Spain all which Provinces he committed to the care of certain Governours who were called Graves or Marc-Graves The Saxons retained more of their antient Liberty than the rest wherefore the better to keep this then barbarous Nation in obedience he erected several Episcopal Sees in Saxony hoping by the influence of the Christian Doctrine to civilize this barbarous People Lewis Surnamed the Pious Son of Charles the Great had three Sons viz. Lotharius Lewis and Charles who divided the Empire of the Francks among them In this Division Lewis got for his share all Germany as far as it extends on this side of the Rhine and also some Countries on the other side of that River by reason of the Vineyards as 't is said which are on both sides All which he was possess'd of as Sovereign without being in any ways dependent on his elder Brother much less the younger who had France for his share And at that time Germany was first made a Kingdom independent of any other § 2. Carolomannus the Son of this Lewis did after the death of Charles the Bald who was King of France and had born the Title of Roman Emperour Conquer Italy and took upon him the Imperial Dignity notwithstanding that Lewis Son of Charles the Bald and King of France had upon instigation of the Pope assumed the same Title After him succeeded his younger Brother Carolus Crassus who maintained both the Kingdom of Italy and the Imperial Title But the great Men in Germany having deposed the said Charles they made Arnolph the Son of the abovementioned Carolomannus King of Germany who went into Italy and took upon him the Title of Roman Emperour for which had contended for a good while Berengarius Duke of Trioul and Guido Duke of Spoleto But after the death of Arnulph his Son Lewis Surnamed the Child obtained the Crown of Germany under whose Reign the Affairs of Germany were in so ill a condition that he had no leisure to look into those of Italy For Arnulph had called to his assistance the Hungarians against Zwentepold King of Bohemia and Moravia who had Rebell'd against him with whose assistance he reduced Zwentepold to obedience but the Hungarians who were at that time a most barbarous Nation having got a tast of Germany made an inroad into that Country ravaging every where with an inhuman Cruelty They also defeated Lewis near Augsburgh obliging him to pay them a yearly Tribute notwithstanding which they ravag'd and plundered wherever they came This overthrow was chiefly occasioned by the Kings tender Age and the Divisions of the great Men among themselves who aimed at nothing more than to establish their own Authority After the death of Lewis Cunrad Duke of Franconia was elected King Germany under whose Reign the Potent Dukes of Lorain Swabia Bavaria and Saxony did preteâ—d to maintain the Sovereignty over their own Countries and a Hereditary Possession which Cunrad was not able to prevent and because Henry Duke of Saxony was the most Potent and Cunrad feared that at last he might quite withdraw himself from the German Empire he upon his Death-bed advised the rest of the Princes of Germany to make him their King which was done accordingly
he prosecuted with more patience than vigour He died in the year 1493. Him succeeded his Son Maximilian I. who had the good fortune by his Marriage with Mary the Daughter of Charles the Hardy Duke of Burgundy to annex the Netherlands to the House of Austria As he was very fickle in his undertakings so the success was generally answerable to it and various and his Wars with the Switzers and those in Italy against the Venetians had but a very indifferent end The chiefest thing of moment done by him is that whereas formerly all differences in Germany were decided by the Sword he reestablished the Peace of the Empire He died in the year 1519. § 13. Him succeeded his Grandson Charles V. King of Spain and Sovereign of the Netherlands under whose Reign the face of Affairs in Germany was remarkably changed which was occasioned by the Religious Differences set on foot about that time For the Pope had caused Indulgences to be sold here in so scandalous a manner that the wiser sort began to be asham'd of it Wherefore Martin Luther Doctor of Divinity and Professor in the University of Wittenbergh held a publick Disputation against it wh◠being opposed by others all the neighbouring Countries were alarm'd at it Luther at first did submit himself to the decision of the Pope but finding that he favour'd the Indulgence Merchants and that he was condemn'd by him he appealed to a free General Council and then began to go farther to examine the Popes Authority and having laid open some Errours and Abuses which were crept in among them his Doctrine was so approved of by some of the Princes and free Imperial Cities that they began to banish the Priests and Monks out of several places and to reduce their Revenues And tho the Emperour did declare Luther at the Dyet of Worms an Out-Law and endeavour'd by several Proclamations to put a stop to these Proceedings and Innovations nevertheless the Emperour being then engag'd in a war with France and therefore not in a capacity to apply himself in good earnest to the suppressing of this Division Luthers Party grew daily stronger Perhaps he was afterwards not very sorry to see the wound encrease that he might make the better benefit of the Cure there having been a Proclamation publish'd at the Dyet of Spiers which was in no ways agreeable to the Lutheran Princes they protested against the same from whence they are called Protestants In the year next following they delivered a Confession of their Faith to the Emperour at Augsburgh and entered into a Defensive Alliance at Smalkald which League was renewed in the year 1535. when a great many Princes and Free Imperial Cities were received into it This League made at Smalkald was a great eye-sore to the Emperour who used all means to dissolve the same But the Protestants who now began to trust to their own strength standing by one another the Hostilities began on both sides and the Protestants did bring into the Field an Army of 100000 Men under the Conduct of John Frederick Elector of Saxony and Philip Landgrave of Hesse If they had fal'n immediately upon the Emperour whose Forces were then not joined they might in all probability have worsted him but having lost the first opportunity the Emperour strengthen'd himself that he forced the Protestants to quit the Field and to disband their Forces He also caused a diversion to be given the Elector at home by his Kinsman Maurice which had such influence upon the Free Imperial Cities that they were oblig'd to submit themselves and to pay considerable Fines In the year next following the Emperour fell into Saxony and having defeated the Elector near Michlbergh took him prisoner against whom he pronounced sentence of Death which however he chang'd into an Imprisonment Philip Landgrave of Hesse having also submitted himself was contrary to agreement made a Prisoner whereby the Protestant Religion in Germany was reduc'd to great extremity The Electorat of Saxony was given to Maurice Duke of Saxony who at last being resolved not to permit any longer that both the Religion and Liberty should be quite destroy'd neither that his Wifes Father the Landgrave of Hesse who upon his Parole had surrendred himself to the Emperour should be detain'd a Prisoner fell so suddenly with his Forces upon the Emperour that he was very near having surprised his Person at Inspruck Henry II. King of France having also made an Inroad on the other side of Germany surprized Metz Tullie and Verdun King Ferdinand therefore the Emperours Brother interposing his Authority a Peace was concluded at Passau where their Religion was secured to the Protestants till matters could be better setled at the next ensuing Dyet The Landgrave was released as likewise John Frederick the Elector who was dismissed out of prison a little before by the Emperour At last the Religious Peace in Germany was establish'd at the Dyet at Augsburgh where it was provided that neither Party should annoy one another under the pretext of Religion and that such of the Church Lands and Revenues as the Protestants had been possess'd of before the Peace concluded at Passau should remain in their possession The Boors also in Germany raised a most dangerous Rebellion under the Reign of Charles V of whom there were kill'd above 100000. In the year 1529. the City of Vienna was besieg'd by Solyman the Turkish Emperour but to no purpose he being oblig'd to raise the Siege not without considerable loss And afterwards the Turks who were marching with a great Army into Austria were beaten back again In the year 1534. the Anabaptists were for erecting a new Kingdom in Munster in Westphalia under the Conduct of John a Taylor of Leiden and one Knipperdolling who receiv'd the dire Reward of their madness At last this great Prince Charles V. surrender'd the Imperial Dignity to his Brother Ferdinand I. King of Hungary and Bohemia who united these two Kingdoms to the House of Austria he having Married Anna Sister of Lewis King of Hungary and Bohemia who was slain in the battel fought against the Turks near Mohatz He Reign'd very peaceably in Germany and died in the year 1564. Him succeeded his Son Maximilian II. who also Reign'd in peace except that a Tumult happen'd at that time in Germany raised by one William Grumpach and his Associates who having first murther'd Melchior Zobel the Archbishop of Wartzburgh had plunder'd that City they also endeavour'd to stir up the Nobility and to raise disturbances in other places This man having been declar'd an Outlaw was protected by John Frederick Duke of Saxony who paid dearly for it Gotha one of his best strong Holds having been demolish'd and he himself taken Prisoner Maximilian died in the year 1576. Him succeded his Son Rudolph II. who Reign'd also very peaceably in Germany except that the
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
1479. John II. A Project of sailing to the East Indies Emanuel Moors and Jews banish'd out of Portugal The first Sea-voyage into the East Indies 1497. The reason why the Venetians opposed the Portugueses settling themselves there The Progress of the Duke â—f Albuquerque in the East Indies The discovery of Brasil in America John III. The Jesuites sent to the Indies Sebastian His fatal Expedition into Africa Henry Portugal united to Spain The Dutch sail to the East Indies 1620. 1630. The Portuguese shake off the Yoak of Spain The Duke of Braganzâ— proclaimed King John IV. 〈◊〉 League between Portugal and Holland A War breaks cut betwixt them A Peace in 1661. Alfonsus VI. 1668 1666. Don Pedro. The Humours of the Portugueses Fruitfulness of Portugal Brasile Africa The East Indies A horrible Persecution raised on the Christians of Japan and the occasion of It. The Strength of Portugal How it stands with regard to Spain To France To Holland The ancient Sate of England The Romans conquer England The Saxons come into Britainy â—450 689. The Saxon Kings in England The Saxon Heptarchy Peter's 〈◊〉 The Kingdom of England 818 Dancs first come into England 1002. The Danes driven out but return again King Edmund treacherously murther'd Canute the Dane King of England 1017. Harald Hardiknut Edward the Consessor 1066. Wâ—lliam the Conquerour Willam conquers England October 14 1066. The Corfew Bell. Edgar Atheling makes an attempt His Son Robert Rebels He acts as a Conquerour Robert Rebels again 1088. William Rufus 1100. Henry I. Robert makes a Lesient in England Normandy annexed to the Crown of England The Norman Race extinct Stephen Maud makes War on him Henty II. Hâ—s Son with the French and Scots join in a War against him 1189. Ireland conquered Richard I. He makes an Expedition into the Holy Land In his return â—e is taken Prisoner 1199. John His Nephew Arthur opposes him The King of France dispossesses him of Normandy The Dauphin invited by the Barons invades England 1216. Henry III. The Dauphin is forced â—ome again A War with the Barons He quits his Pretensions on Normandy for a Summ of Money Edward I. The causes of the Differences betwixt the English and Scots A War with Scotland 1307. With France 1297. He banishes the Jews Edward II. Vnsuccessfull 〈◊〉 his War with Scotland 〈…〉 1327. Edward III. His Pretensions to the French Crown He is successfull against Scotland His Expedition into France 1340. The Battel near Crecy 1346. The Scotch defeated He takes Calais 1356. The Battel near Poictiers A dishonourable Peace to France Another War with France 1377. Richard II. A Peace with France Troubles at home The occasion of his Ruin Henry Duke of Lancaster invades England 1399. Henry IV. of the House of Lancaster He had great Difficulties which he surmounted Henry V. He invades France to prosecute his claim of the Crown The Battel uear Aguicourt 1419. 1420. The Administration of France to be in Henry during Charles's life and after his death the Crown to descend to him 1422. Henry VI. Proclaim'd King of France 1423. 1424. The Maid 〈◊〉 Orleans He was crowned in Paris 1432. The English decline in France 1435. The Duke of Burgundy leaves the English and is reconciled to Charles 1436. The occasion of the Troubles in England 1449. The English driven out of France The occasion of this sudden loss 1460. Edward IV. of the House of York A bloody Battel betwixt Edward and Henry Henry taken out of Prison and set on the Throne Edward returns into England Henry a second time Prisoner 147â— and murther'd by the Duke of Gloucester Edward V. Richard III. 1483. Murthers his Nephews He murther's his Wife Henry Earl of Richmond invades England 1485. Henry VII He united the White and Red Roses Lambert Symnel He makes an Expedition inâ—â— France Perkin Warbeck He marries his Daughter Margaret to the King of Scotland Henry VIII He enters into League with Ferdinand and the Pope 1512. His Expedition against France A second An Invasion of the Scots He makes a second War against France The Divorce of Henry VIII The fallâ— of Woolsey 1532. He marries Anna Bullen He abrogates the Pope's Supremacy Monasteries demolished Protestants and Papists executed War with Scotland He enters into a League with the Emperour against France 1550. Anna Bullen beheaded His other Wives Edward VI. 155â— Lady Jane Grey proclaimed Queen Mary Restores Popery Marries Philip of Spain Lady Jane c. beheaded The reason why Philip interceded for the Lady Elizabeth The Battel of St. Quintin Calais lost 1558. Elizabeth Philip desires her in marriage Papists and Paritaus Poreign Seminaries Mary Queen of Scotland The Queen of Scots married Bothwell who murthered her Husband She was made a Prisoner in England 1572. 1586. Beheaded 1587. Queen Elizabeth assists the Huguenots 1562. 1559. The Sovereignty of the Netherlands twice offered her 1595. The Armado defeated Essex heheaded 1600 She was jealous of her Power at Sea James I. Cobham's Conspiracy 1603. The Powder Plot. 1604. 1626. Foreign Plantations Charles I. 1626. War with Spain War with France A Peace concluded with both Causes of the intestine Commotions in England The different Conduct of Queen Elizabeth and King James as to the State The Occasions that were taken from Religion The Conduct of Charles I. Troubles in Scotland and England 1637. 1567. 1617. 1633. The Scotch Covenant A Letter intercepted wherein the Scots desire Succour from France The Parliament is sactious and favours the Scots The Parliament of England directly oppose the King 1642. The Rebellion begins Their Behaviours The King made a Prisoner The Independents become Masters The King is sentenced to death and executed 1648. Ireland conqâ—er'd Charles II. râ—â—ted The Scots câ—nquered Cromwell made Protectour 1652. 1660. King Charles II's Restauration 1660. War with Holland 1665. 1674. Constitution of the English Nation Constitution of the Scotch Nation Of the Irish The Condition of Great Brittainy The Form of the Government in England The Power and Strength of England With relation to other States To the Northern Crowns To Spain To France To Holland The most ancient Stare of France Gaul subdued by the Romans By the Barbarous Nations That the Franks came out of Germany The origin of the French Language Pharamond the first King Clodion Merovaeus Childerick Clouis I. 496. France is divided Clotarius II 614. Dagobert Charâ—es Martell 714. 732. Pipin proclaim'd King The Merovingian Family loses the Crown 751. Pipin's Expeditions He assists the Pope against the Lombards Charles the Great 774. He is proclaimed Emperour of the Romans Lewis the Pious He divides his Kingdom His Sons Rebell 833. Germany divided from France Charles the Bald. The Normans make an Irruption into France 912. Ludovicus Balbus Ludov. III. and Carolomannus Charles the Simple The decay of the Royal Authority The Excessive Power of the Nobles Eudo Count of Paris crown'd King of France 923. Rudolf of Burgundy crown'd King 929. Lewis Outremer Lotharius Lewis the
as an Instruction to young Men Viz. That this Interest may be divided into an Imaginary and Real Interest By the first I understand when a Prince judges the Welfare of his State to consist in such things as cannot be perform'd without disquieting and being injurious to a great many other States and which these are oblig'd to oppose with all their Power As for Example The Monarchy of Europe or the universal Monopoly this being the Fuel with which the whole World may be put into a Flame Num si vos omnibus imperare vultis sequitur ut omnes servitutem accipiant If you would be the only Masters of the World doth it thence follow that all others should lay their Necks under your Yoke The Real Interest may be subdivided into a Perpetual and Temporary The former depends chiefly on the Situation and Constitution of the Country and the natural Inclinations of the People the latter on the Condition Strength and Weakness of the neighbouring Nations for as those vary the Interest must also vary Whence it often happens that whereas we are for our own Security sometimes oblig'd to assist a neighbouring Nation which is likely to be oppress'd by a more potent Enemy we at another time are forc'd to oppose the Designs of those we before assisted when we find they have recover'd themselves to that degree as that they may prove Formidable and Troublesome to us But seeing this Interest is so manifest to those who are vers'd in State-Affairs that they can't be ignorant of it one might ask How it often times happens that great Errors are committed in this kind against the Interest of the State To this may be answer'd That those who have the Supream Administration of Affairs are oftentimes not sufficiently instructed concerning the Interest both of their own State as also that of their Neighbours and yet being fond of their own Sentiments will not follow the Advice of understanding and faithfull Ministers Sometimes they are misguided by their Passions or by Time-serving Ministers and Favourites But where the Administration of the Government is committed to the Care of Ministers of State it may happen that these are not capable of discerning it or else are led away by a private Interest which is opposite to that of the State or else being divided into Factions they are more concern'd to ruin their Rivals than to follow the Dictates of Reason Therefore some of the most exquisite parts of Modern History consists in this that one knows the Person who is the Sovereign or the Ministers which rule a State their Capacity Inclinations Caprices Private Interests manner of proceeding and the like Since unpon this depends in a great measure the good and ill management of a State For it frequently happens That a State which in it self consider'd is but weak is made to become very considerable by the good Conduct and Valour of its Governours whereas a powerfull State by the iâ—l management of those that sit at the Helm oftentimes suffers considerably But as the Knowledge of these Matters appertains properly to those who are employ'd in the management of Foreign Affairs so it is mutable considering how often the Scene is chang'd at Court Wherefore it is better learn'd from Experience and the Conversation of Men well vers'd in these Matters than from any Books whatsoever And this is what I thought my self oblig'd to touch upon in a few Words in this Preface THE TABLE A. ANcient State of Mankind p. 1 The Assyrian Empire 3 Alexander the Great 9 America discovered 44 Peace made at Aix la Chapelle 244 An Association of the Nobility in the Netherlands 259 The Duke de Alva is sent into the Netherlands 261 He causes the Earls of Egmont and Hoorn to be beheaded 261 Don John de Austria made Governour of the Netherlands 264 The Duke of Alenson constituted Sovereign over the Netherlands 266 Archduke Albert Governour of the Spanish Netherlands 269 Avignon why once the seat of the Popes 410 The House of Austria most zealous for Popery 424 Albert Duke of Meclenburgh King of Sweden 475 B. THE Duke of Braganza proclaimed King of Portugal under the Name of John IV. 65 92 Brasil first discovered in America 90 〈◊〉 near Crecy betwixt the English and French 191 118 Battle near Poictiers betwixt the English and French p. 192 119 The Battle of St. Quintin betwixt the English and French 140 The Battle of Agincourt 198 Brittainy united with France 204 Battle of Pavia betwixt Charles V. Emperor of Germany and Francis I. King of France 212 Mareschal de Biron's Conspiracy against Henry IV. King of France 233 Briel taken by the banish'd Netherlanders 262 Battle near Nieuport betwixt the Spaniards and Dutch 270 The Bohemian Tumults under the Emperour Ferdinand I. 301 The Crown of Bohemia offered to Frederic Elector Palatine 301 Boteslaus Chrobry the first King of Poland 335 The Battle fought near Warsaw in Poland 351 Boris Goudenaw Czar of Muscovy 362 Of making Bishops 383 Battle fought near Leipzick in Germany 520 Battle fought near Lutzen in Germany 524 Battle of Norelingen in Germany 527 A second Battle fought near Leipzick 530 Battle fought in the Island of Fuhnen 534 C. CArthage 12 Constantinople the Imperial Seat of the Eastern Emperors 26 Castile made a Kingdom 33 Castile and Arragon united under Ferdinand and Isabella 42 Charles V. 46 His Wars with France 47 Charles V. takes Rome 48 Charles V. wages Wars against the Protestants in Germany 52 Charles's Abdication 53 His Death 53 Catalonia rebels against Spain 63 Charles II. King of Spain 66 The Canary Islands 73 The Corfew Ball 106 Calais taken by Edward III. King of England 119 Charles I. King of England 148 His Wars with France 149 His Wars with Spain 148 Commotions in England and the true Causes thereof 149 The Conduct of King Charles I. 151 He is made a Prisoner 158 He is sentenced to death and executed 159 Charles II. Son of King Charles I. routed near Worcester 160 Cromwell made Protector of England 161 Charles II. Restauration to the Kingdom 162 His Wars with Holland 163 Charles sirnamed the Great King of France 179 Is proclaimed Emperour of the Romans 179 The Carlinian Family extinguish'd in France 182 Charles VI. King of France 195 Charles VII King of France 199 Charles VIII King of France 204 Conquers Naples 205 Loses Naples 206 Charles IX King of France 221 The first second third fourth and fifth Huguenot Wars under his Reign 221 222 223 224 Charles the Great 282 Charles IV. Emperour of Germany causes the Golden Bull to be compiled 295 Charles V. Emperour of Germany 297 He resigns the Empire 299 Christian I. the first King of Denmark out of the Owen burgh Family 322 Christian II. King of Denmark crowned King of Sweden 323 He is driven thence and afterwards out of his own Kingdom 324 Christian IV. King of Denmark his defeat near Kings-Luttern 325 The Siege of Copenhagen 326 Christian
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
possession of the Territories belonging to his Brothers but was slain in the Siege of Camora which City he endeavour'd to take from his Sister Then Alfonso his Brother who had hitherto dwelt with the Moorish King of Toledo made himself Master of Castile and Leon. And took from the Moors besides some other Places the City of Toledo which was in those days esteemed impregnable But the Moors in Spain having received fresh Re-inforcements out of Africa got new Courage and falling upon the Christians defeated them in two Battles till Alfonso got an entire Victory over them obliging the Moorish King of Corduba to pay him a yearly Tribute Nevertheless he was afterwards again over-thrown in a Battle fought with the Moors where he lost his only Son Sanctius whose Death he revenged soon after upon them He died in the Year 1109. Vrraca his Daughter was Heiress to the Kingdom she being Married to Alfonso King of Arragon Which Marriage under pretence of too near a Consanguinity and Adultery committed by the Queen was afterwards dissolved again But because Alfonso would nevertheless keep Castile as the Dowry of the Queen it caused great Intestine Wars and Divisions For Alfonso VIII Son of Vrraca by Raymond of Burgundy her first Husband who was come out of France to assist her Father in the Wars against the Moors was proclaimed King of Castile in the mean while that Alfonso of Arragon was busied in taking besides some other Places the City of Saragossa from the Moors At last a Peace was concluded betwixt Arragon and Castile Afterwards Alfonso of Castile made War against the Moors with great Success taking from them divers Places of Note But Alfonso of Arragon being slain in a Battle fought with the Moors and leaving no Children behind him those of Navarre chose for their King Garsias who was of the Race of their former Kings But the Arragonians conferr'd the Crown upon Ramirus Brother to the deceased King who had been a Monk Alfonso of Castile in Opposition to both pretending to have a Right to these Kingdoms conquered a great part of them causing himself with consent of Pope Innocent II. who was supposed to do it in spite to the German Emperours to be proclaimed Emperour of Spain But this difference was also at last composed it being agreed that Ramirus should give his only Daughter together with the Kingdom to Raymond Earl of Barcelona by which means Catalonia and Arragon were United then Alfonso entring into a Confederacy with the Kings of Navarre and Arragon Attack'd again the Moors taking from them the City of Almeria which in those days was a great Sea-port and Harbour for Privateers Raymond took from the Moors Tortosa Lerida and other strong Holds Alfonso died in the Year 1157. § 6. The same Alfonso though Spain had suffered sufficiently by its being divided into so many Governments left to his Son Sanctius Castile to Ferdinand Leon and Gallicia Sanctius who did nothing that is remarkable except that he beat twice those of Navarre died in the Year 1158 leaving his Son Alfonso IX a Child of four years of Age. During the time of his Minority there were great Disturbances in Castile occasioned partly by the Divisions among the Nobility partly by the Wars with Ferdinando of Leon and Sanctius of Navarre who took several Places from the Castilians But coming to his riper years he did extricate himself though not without great difficulty out of those Troubles In the War against the Moors who always kept the Spanish Kings in Exercise he suffered extreamly so that he was obliged to make a Truce with them because the Kings of Navarre and Leon at the same time fell upon him At last there was a Confederacy made betwixt these Kings with a certain agreement how such Places should be disposed of as should be taken from the Moors In the Year 1210 a most Memorable Expedition was undertaken against the Moors where presented themselves a great many Foreigners who came to Signalize themselves but a great many of them being soon tired out returned home At that time was fought the famous Battle of Lasa where 200000 Moors being slain they lost all their Strength In this Battle Sanctius King of Navarre breaking first through a Chain which surrounded the Moorish Army he afterwards bore a Chain with an Emerald in his Shield In this War was taken from the Moors besides other Places the City of Calatrava The King of Leon took Alcantara Alfonso died in the Year 1214 leaving behind him his Son Henry whose Minority occasioned great disturbances in the Kingdom he died without Issue in the Year 1217. He had two Sisters the Eldest Blanch was Married to Lewis VIII Son of Philip Augustus King of France The second Berengaria was Married to Alfonso King of Leon. The Crown by Right of Succession did belong to the Eldest and her Heirs But out of a hatred the States bore to Strangers they conferr'd the Kingdom upon Ferdinand Sir-named the Holy Son of Berengaria who with all speed imaginable possess'd himself of it before he could be prevented by his Father surmounting all the difficulties which were rais'd against him partly by his Father partly by some of the Nobility It is related by some That Blanch was not the eldest Sister but that some of the Castilian Noblemen did dispute the right of Berengaria to the Crown because the Pope had declar'd her marriage with Alfonso void and their Children illegitimate as being too near in Bloud By the death of Alfonso Leon and Castile were reunited under Ferdinand at what time the Moors suffer'd extreamly in their Affairs King James of Arragon took from them Majorca in the Year 1232. Minorca in the Year 1234. Yvica in the Year 1238. The City and Kingdom of Valencia Ferdinand took from them besides other places in the Year 1230 Merida and Badajoz In the Year 1236 the City and Kingdom of Corduba Murcia surrender'd it self to the protection of Castile In the Year 1243 Jaen Sevile and the greatest part of Andalusia But whilst he was making Preparations to carry the War into Africa he died in the Year 1252. § 7. The History of the next following Years is full of Troubles and Divisions Alfonso 't is true was famous in foreign Countries for his Wisdom and great skill in Astronomy so that it is reported of him that he used to say That if God would have advised with him at the time of the Creation of the World the World should have been made more uniform yet he was unfortunate at home and hated by his Subjects The first occasion of which was that he being desirous to fill his Treasury which was exhausted he caus'd the current Coin to be diminish'd which enhanc'd the price of every thing and whilst to prevent this he set certain rates on all Commodities which occasion'd a general scarcity of all things the
the Queen afterwards had another Bastard begotten by another person To remove this shame and to exclude Joan from the succession of the Crown the Nobles of Spain enter'd into an Association and putting the Image of Henry upon a Scaffold they there formally accus'd him and afterwards having taken off his Ornaments threw it from the Scaffold at the same time proclaiming Alfonso Brother of Henry their King From hence arose most pernicious intestine Wars which ended in bloudy Battels During these troubles Alfonso died About the same time Ferdinand Son of John II. King of Arragon whom his Father had declar'd King of Sicily props'd a Marriage with Isabella Henry's Sister to whom the rebellious Castilians had offer'd the Crown and forc'd Henry to confirm the right of Isabella to the Crown whereupon the Nuptials were celebrated but privately Yet would Henry by making this Concession void have afterwards set up again the Title of Joan whom he had promis'd in marriage to Charles Duke of Aquitain Brother to Lewis XI King of France but he dying suddenly Henry at last was reconcil'd to Ferdinand and Isabella and died in the Year 1472. § 9. From this match of Ferdinand whom the Castilians call The V. or The Catholick with Isabella sprang the great Fortune and Power of Spain it under his Reign arriving to that pitch of Greatness which ever since has made it both the Terrour and the Envy of Europe This Ferdinand also met with some obstacles at the beginning of his Reign the States of Castile having limited his Power within too narrow Bounds And Joan the late King Henry's suppos'd Daughter having contracted a match with Alfonso King of Portugal who entring Castile with a puissant Army caus'd her to be proclaim'd Queen but the Portugueses being soundly beaten the whole design vanish'd and Joan retiring into a Monastery the civil Commotions were totally suppress'd The next care of Ferdinand was to regulate such Disorders as were crept into the Government in the former Reigns wherefore he caus'd that Law-book to be compil'd which from the City of Toro where it first was publish'd is call'd Leges Tauri In the Year also 1478 the famous Spanish Inquisition was first instituted by him against the Moors and Jews who having once profess'd themselves Christians did afterwards return to their Idolatry and Superstitious Worship This Court of Inquisition is esteemed an inhuman and execrable Tribunal among other Nations and carries the greatest Injustice with it in ordering the Children to bear the Guilt of their Parents nor permitting any body to know his Accusers to clear himself against them But the Spaniards ascribe to this Inquisition the benefit which they enjoy of one Religion the variety of which has brought great Inconveniencies upon other States 'T is true by those means you may make Hypocrites not sincere Christians After he had order'd his Affairs at home and after the death of his Father taken upon him the Government of Arragon he undertook an Expedition against the Moors of Granada which lasted ten Years wherein the Spaniards were routed near Mallaga but quickly reveng'd themselves upon their Enemies taking from them one place after another till they at last besieg'd the City of Granada with 50000 Foot and 12000 Horse and having forc'd the King Boabdiles to a surrender they put an end to the Kingdom of the Moors in Spain after it had stood there for above 700 Years And to prevent the possibility of their ever encreasing again in Spain he banish'd 170000 Families of Jews and Moors out of Spain by which means the Kingdom nevertheless was despoil'd of vast Riches and of a great number of Inhabitants After this he took from them Mazalquivir Oran Pennon de Velez and Mellilla situated upon the Coast of Barbary Ferdinand also made use of this opportunity to teach his Nobles who were grown overpowerfull their due Respect and Obedience to the King and took upon himself the Sovereign Disposal of all the Spanish Orders of Knighthood which were grown to that excess of Riches and Power in Spain that they were formidable to its Kings Much about the same time Christopher Columbus a Genouese discover'd America after his Offers had been refus'd by the Kings of Portugal and England and after he had been seven Years solliciting at the Court of Castile for a supply to undertake the Voyage At last 17000 Ducats were employed in equipping three Vessels out of which Stock such prodigious Conquests and Riches have accru'd to Spain that ever since it has aim'd at the Universal Monarchy of Europe How easily the Spaniards did conquer these vast Countries and with what Barbarity they us'd the Inhabitants is too long to be related here Not long after a War was kindl'd betwixt Spain and France which has been the occasion of inspeakable Miseries in Europe after these two Warlike Nations were freed from that Evil which had hitherto diverted them from medling with Foreign Affairs the French having rid themselves from the English and the Spaniards from the Moors For when Charles VIII King of France undertook an Expedition against the Kingdom of Naples Ferdinand did not judge it for his Interest to let the French by conquering this Kingdom to become Masters of Italy especially since by marrying his Daughters he was in aliance with England Portugal and the Netherlands and besides the then kings of Naples descended from the House of Arragon And tho France lately enter'd with him into a Confederacy by vertue of which the French gave up Roussilion to Spain hoping thereby to bring over Ferdinand to their Party nevertheless when he perceiv'd That by all his Intercessions he could not disswade him from undertaking of this Expedition he enter'd into a Confederacy with the Pope Emperour Venice and Milan against France He also sent to the assistance of the Neapolitans Gonsalvus Ferdinand de Câ—rdua afterwards sirnam'd The Grand Captain under whose Conduct the French were beaten out of the Neapolitan Territories whilst he himself made an inrode into Languedock In the Year 1500 the Moors living in the Mountains near Granada rebell'd and were not without great difficulty appeas'd Afterwards an Agreement was made betwixt Ferdinand and Lewis XII King of France concerning the Kingdom of Naples under pretence to make War from thence against the Turks which being soon conquer'd by their joint Power they divided it according to their Agreement But because each of them would have had this delicious Morsel for himself they fell at variance concerning the Limits and some other matters which interven'd betwixt two Nations that had an animosity against one another Wherefore they came quickly to Blows and Gonsalvus routed the French near Ceriniola took the City of Naples beat them again near the River Liris or Garigliano and taking Cajeta drove the French a second time out of the Kingdom of Naples But Gonsalvus was not rewarded by Ferdinand according to his Deserts
provided with all Necessaries was lost by the unskilfulness and Cowardice of the Governour so that the whole Kingdom of Tunis to the great prejudice of the Christians fell into the Hands of the Turks At home Philip had a War with the Marans of Granada who rebelling against him were supported by the Algerines and could not be subdu'd but with great difficulty and if the Turks had been quick enough in giving them timely assistance it might have prov'd very dangerous to Spain This Rebellion did not end till the Year 1570 after it had continued for three years There were also some Commotions among the Arragonians who pretended to take part with Anthony Perez who standing upon his privilege against the Process that was made him for having upon the King's Orders murther'd Escovedo an intimate Friend of Don John of Austria Philip by this intended to purge himself of the Infamy of the fact and at once to revenge himself upon Perez who had been unfaithfull to him in some Love Intrigue aiming at that himself which he had undertaken to procure for the King And tho this did not much redound to the honour of Philip yet by this he took an opportunity to retrench the Privileges of the Arragonians In the Year 1568 Philip caus'd his Son Charles to be kill'd under pretence that he had endeavour'd to kill his Father and not long after the Queen Isabella also Charles's Step-mother died not without suspicion of having been poison'd But a great many are of opinion that some Love Intrigues were the occasion of their death which is the more probable because the said Isabella being intended for the Bride of Charles had been taken by the Father in spite of his Son Henry King of Portugal dying there were several pretenders to that Crown among whom was Philip as being born of Isabella Emanuel King of Portugal's Daughter who maintain'd his Right by the Sword and under the Conduct of the Duke of Alva conquer'd the Kingdom forcing Anthony the Bastard who had caus'd himself to be proclaim'd King to fly into England and from thence into France where he died an Exile in Paris Only the Island of Tercera held out for some time longer which the French intending to relieve were totally routed by the Spaniards And thus Philip became Master both of the East and West Indies the two greatest Mines of Riches in the World Nevertheless the French English and Hollanders had found out a way to ease him of these prodigious Revenues For Philip just before his death did confess That the War with the Netherlands only had cost him 564 Millions of Ducats And truly it is very probable that trusting to his vast Riches he was thereby prompted to his ambitious Designs and to undertake more than prov'd beneficial to him He died in the Year 1598. § 12. Philip the IIId's Father had left him the Kingdom in Peace with France but the Dutch War grew every day the heavier upon the Spaniards The Spaniards did hope that after Philip II. in his latter days had married his Daughter Clara Eugenia to Albert Archduke of Austria giving her the Netherlands for a Dowry the Dutch would become more pliable and reunite themselves with the rest of the Provinces in the Netherlands as having now a Prince of their own and not liable to the Spanish Government But because the Hollanders did by no means like this bait and at the Siege of Ostend gave a tast to the Spaniards both of their Strength and firm Resolution that they were resolv'd to stand it out with them the Spaniards resolv'd to make Peace with them especially since the Hollanders had found out the way to the East Indies where they made great progress France also enjoying a peaceable Government under Henry IV. and encreasing in Power it was fear'd That if the French should fall upon Spain with fresh Forces which had been tir'd out by this tedious War it might prove fatal to Spain They were also in hopes that the fear of a foreign Enemy ceasing the Hollanders in time of Peace might fall into Divisions among themselves or at least that Peace and Plenty might abate their Courage The Spaniards did sufficiently shew their eagerness for a Peace with Holland by setting the Treaty on foot in the Hague by sending Ambrosius Spinola himself among others thither as Ambassadour and by granting and allowing them the East India Trade Whereas the Hollanders carried it very high and would not abate an ace of their Proposals At last a Truce for twelve Years was concluded with Holland In the Year next following Philip banish'd 900000 Marans the Off-spring of the ancient Moors who had profess'd themselves Christians only for a shew out of Spain because they intended to raise a Rebellion and had underhand crav'd Assistance from Henry IV. In the same Year the Spaniards took the Fortress of Arache situated on the Coast of Africa as they had likewise possess'd themselves before of the Harbour of Final near Genoua in the Year 1619. Those of the Valtelins did withdraw themselves from the Grisons The Spaniards sided with the former in hopes to unite them with the Dukedom of Milan But France taking part with the Grisons the business was protracted for a great many years till at last matters were restor'd to their former state This difference did rouse up all Italy and the Pope himself took part with the Grisons tho Protestants assisting them in the recovery of the Valtelins The War being broken out in Germany the Spaniards sent Ambrose Spinola out of the Netherlands into the Palatinate part of which was subdu'd by them Philip III. died in the Year 1621. § 13. His Son Philip IV. at the very beginning of his Reign made great alterations in the Court sending away the Creatures of the Duke de Lerma the Favourite of his Father He himself foreseeing what was likely to befall him did timely obtain a Cardinal's Cap fearing the King should aim at his Head With the beginning of the Reign of this King the Truce with Holland being expir'd the War was rekindled in which Spinola was forc'd to raise the Siege of Bergen op Zoom because Christian Duke of Brunswick and General Mansfeld having before routed the Spaniards near Fleury came to the assistance of the Hollanders Pieter Heyn surpris'd the Spanish Silver Fleet with a Booty of 12 Millions of Gilders At the same time the Hollanders did settle themselves in Brasile taking the City of Olinda In the Year 1629 the Spaniards being in hopes to make a considerable Diversion and to put the Dutch hard to it made an Inrode into the Velaw and took Amersfort whilst the Hollanders were busied in the Siege of Hertogenbusk Bois le Duc but the Hollanders taking Wesel by surprise they were oblig'd to retreat with all speed over the River Yssel for fear that their retreat should be cut off by the Dutch In the Year 1639
afterwards lost his Head § 21. Queen Mary caused the Roman Catholick Religion and Mass which were abolished in her Brother's time as also the Pope's Authority to be restor'd in England she used the Protestants very hardly of whom a great many were punished with death Yet was she not able to restore the Church Revenues for fear of exasperating the greatest Families who had them in their possession The Pope did also send Cardinal Poole to re-unite the Kingdom to the holy See of Rome This Queen Mary was married to Philip Son of Charles V. who was afterwards King of Spain yet under these Conditions That she should have the sole disposal of all Offices and Revenues of the Kingdom and if a Son was born he should besides the Crown of England inherit Burgundy and the Netherlands Don Carlos who was born of a former Wife should be Heir of Spain and all the Italian Provinces and in case he died without Issue this should also inherit his part But no Children came of this marriage Mary being pretty well in Years for she was thirty Years before proposed in Marriage And there were some who being dissatisfy'd at this Match raised Tumults among whom was the Duke of Suffolk Father of Jane who had hitherto been a Prisoner in the Tower but she and her Husband Guilford and her Father paid with their Heads for it It was within an ace but that Elizabeth who was afterwards Queen had also undergone the same fate if Philip and the Spaniards had not interceded for her not out of any affection to her person but because they knew that after her the next Heir to the Crown of England was Mary Queen of Scotland who being married to the Dauphin of France they feared lest by this means England and Scotland might be united with France Among other Articles in the Marriage Contract of Queen Mary it was agreed That she should not be obliged to engage her self in the Wars which her Husband Philip should carry on against France Notwithstanding which when Philip afterwards was engaged in a War with France she sent to his assistance some of her best Forces who by their Bravery chiefly obtain'd the Victory near St. Quintin for which reason Philip gave the City to be plundered by the English Henry II. King of France taking hold of this opportunity assaulted the City of Calais under the Command of the Duke de Guise which being not well Garrison'd he took in a few days and obliged all the Inhabitants to quit the City and to leave behind them all their Gold Silver and Jewels He also took afterwards the two Castles of Guisnes and Hammes and thereby drove the English quite out of France Not long after this loss Queen Mary died § 22. Elizabeth who after the death of her Sister was unanimously proclaimed Queen maintain'd her Authority and govern'd with great Prudence and Glory in the midst of a great many threatning dangers to the very end In the beginning Philip endeavoured by all means to keep England on his side for which reason he proposed a Marriage betwixt Elizabeth and himself promising to obtain a Dispensation from the Pope which was nevertheless opposed by the French in the Court of Rome Elizabeth was very unwilling to disoblige so great a Prince who had well deserved of her yet on the other side the same scruple which had caused her Father to be divorced from Catharine of Arragon by a parity of reason did remain with her she considered especially that the said Divorce must needs be esteemed unjust if the Pope's Dispensation was allowed of since it had been alledged as a fundamental reason of the said Divorce that the Pope had no power to dispense in any cases which were contrary to God's Law She resolved therefore not to have any further concerns with the Pope and to give a friendly refusal to Philip. Then she by an Act of Parliament constituted the Protestant Episcopacy yet not at once but by degrees taking away from the Papists the free exercise of their Religion and under several Penalties and Fines obliged every one to frequent the Protestant Churches on Sunday Every body also was obliged by a solemn Oath to acknowledge her the Supream Governour in England even in Spiritual Matters which Oath was among 9400 who were possess'd of Church Benefices taken by all except 189 who refused the same among whom were fourteen Bishops She kept stedfast to the established Episcopal Church Government tho' she met with great opposition from two sorts of people viz. the Papists and Puritans These having conceived a great hatred against Episcopacy and all other Ceremonies which had the least resemblance of Popery were for having every thing regulated according to the way of Geneva Tho' their number increased daily yet the Queen kept them pretty well under But the Papists made several attempts against her Life and Crown for her envious Enemies did erect several Seminaries or Schools for the English Nation in foreign Countries viz. at Douay at Rheims at Rome and Valedolid all which were erected for the Instructing of the English Youth in these Principles viz. That the Pope had the Supream Power over Kings and as soon as a King was declared a Heretick by him the Subjects were thereby absolved from their Allegiance due to him and that it was meritorious work to murther such a King Out of these Schools Emissaries and Priests were sent into England whose business was there to propagate the Roman Catholick Religion but more especially to instruct the People in the abovementioned Doctrines To these associated themselves some Desperado's who after Pope Pius V. had excommunicated the Queen were frequently conspiring against her Life But most of them got no other advantage by it than to make work for the Hang-man and occasioned that the Papists were stricter kept than before Mary also Queen of Scotland raised abundance of troubles against Queen Elizabeth she being the next Heiress to the Crown of England did with the assistance of the Duke of Guise endeavour to have Queen Elizabeth declared by the Pope Illegitimate which the Spaniards underhand opposed and both she and the Dauphin assumed the Arms of England which undertaking proved afterwards fatal to Queen Mary For Elizabeth sided with the Earl of Murray natural Brother of Queen Mary whose main endeavour was to chase the French out of Scotland and to establish there the Protestant Religion both which he effected with the assistance of Queen Elizabeth This Queen Mary being after the death of Francis II. returned into Scotland was married to her Kinsman Henry Darley one of the handsomest Men in England by whom she had James VI. But her Love to him grew quickly cold for a certain Italian Musician whose name was David Ritz was so much in favour with the Queen that a great many persuaded Henry that she kept unlawfull company with him He being thus
their General Hamilton a Prisoner But during the absence of Cromwell the Parliament had re-assumed the Treaty with the King and the business was carried on so far that there was no small hopes of an Accommodation when the Souldiers headed by Ireton Son-in-law to Cromwell broke off the Treaty taking Prisoners such Members of the House as did oppose them So that there were not above forty Members left in the Parliament and those were either Officers or at least favourers of the Army These decreed That no Treaty should be set on foot for the future with the King That the Supream Power was to be lodged in the People which was represented by the House of Commons But the Regal Power and the Authority of the House of Lords should be quite abolished Then they order'd a Court of 250 persons to be erected by whose Authority the King was to be summoned sentenced and punished notwithstanding that the generality of the people look'd upon this Court as an abominable thing some Presbyterian Ministers cry'd out aloud against it in the Pulpits the Scots protested against it and the Dutch Ambassadours and other Princes did their utmost to oppose it Before this Court where sat among the rest a great many of very mean Extraction the King was accused of High Treason Tyranny and of all the Murthers and Robberies committed since the beginning of these Troubles And the King as in justice he ought to do refusing to acknowledge its Authority was sentenced to be beheaded tho' there were but 67 of these pretended Judges present the rest abominating the fact had absented themselves among whom was Fairfax But the King having been miserably abus'd by the Souldiers was beheaded with an Ax upon a Scaffold erected for that purpose before Whitehall § 29. After the death of the King the outward shew of the Supream Power was in the Parliament but in effect it was lodged in the Generals of the Armies Their first design was to banish the King's Son and the whole Royal Family and to suppress all such as adhered to him Cromwell was sent into Ireland where the Royal Party was as yet pretty strong which Island was reduced in the space of one year by Cromwell's good Fortune and Valour In the mean while the Scots had proclaimed Charles II. tho' under very hard Conditions their King who also arriving there safely out of France whither he was gone for Shelter was crowned King of Scotland The Parliament thereupon recall'd Cromwell out of Ireland and having made him General for they had deposed Fairfax whom they mistrusted sent him into Scotland where he beat the Scots several times but especially gave them an entire defeat near Leith taking among other places the Castle of Edinborough which was hitherto esteemed impregnable The King in the mean while having gathered a flying Army enter'd England in hopes that a great many English would join with him But he was deceiv'd in his hopes very few coming to him and Cromwell overtaking him with his Army near Worcester his Forces were routed and dispersed so that he was forc'd to change his Cloaths in his flight and after a great many dangers was miraculously saved and escaped by the help of a Merchant-ship into France The King being thus driven out of the Island the Scots were entirely subdu'd under the Conduct of General Monk who was sent thither by Cromwell who having imposed upon them very hard Conditions according to their deserts intirely subjected them to the English This done the Parliament began to take into consideration how to disband part of the Army and to quarter the rest in the several Counties But Cromwell sent away that Parliament which had been the cause of so much troubles and constituted a new Parliament consisting of 144 Members most of them being Fanaticks and Enthusiasts among whom Cromwell had put a few cunning Fellows who being entirely devoted to his Service did make the rest dance after his pipe These having first let these silly wretches go on in their own way till by their phantastical Behaviour they had made themselves ridiculous and hated by every body then offer'd the Supream Administration of Affairs to Cromwell who having accepted of the same under the Title of a Protectour selected a Privy Council wherein were received the Heads of the several Sects Thus they who had shown so much aversion to the Royal Power and hatch'd out a Monarch of their own who without controul ruled the three Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland at pleasure Cromwell to have a fair pretence to keep on foot his Sea and Land Forces which were the Foundation of his Power began a War with the Dutch who seem'd to despise this new Monarch But Fortune was so favourable to Cromwell in this War that he took above 1700 Merchant men from the Dutch and beat them in five Sea Engagements in the last of which the Dutch lost Martin Tromp and twenty seven Men of War The Hollanders then were oblig'd to beg for Peace and to accept of such Conditions as were propos'd to them among which one was That the Province of Holland should exclude the Prince of Orange for ever from succeeding in his Father's place Another was That they should not receive the banish'd King Charles II. into their Territories Which some alledge as a reason that he was always ready afterwards to revenge himself upon them tho' at his return into the Kingdom they endeavoured with aboundance of flattery to make amends for the former affront It is very likely also that the King was suspicious that the Dutch had fomented the Differences betwixt his Father and the Parliament Cromwell acquired so much Glory by this War that most Princes sent their Ambassadours to him as if he had been a lawfull Sovereign and desir'd his Friendship He was no less fortunate in discovering several Plots which were made against him For which purpose he entertained his Spies every where even near the King's person having besides this a cunning way to draw the people over to his party and to suppress such as envy'd his Fortune He sent also a Fleet into the Mediterranea◠wherewith he curb'd the Pirates on the Coast of Barbary Another was sent into the West Indies where his Designs against St. Domingo and Hispaniola miscarried but Jamaica he took from the Spaniards notwithstanding that a great many of his Men were taken off by Sickness and he did considerable mischief to the Spaniards by ruining their Silver Fleet. He sent some Auxiliary Troops to the French in Flanders who in recompence surrender'd to him Dunkirk He died in the Year 1658 having been as great and formidable as ever any King of England He was a great Master in the Art of Dissimulation knowing how to make his advantage of Religious Pretences wherefore he gave liberty of Conscience to all Sectaries whereby he not only got their Favours but also by dividing the people into
several Opinions he prevented their easily joining against him § 30. After the death of Cromwell this unlawfull and violent form of Government could not be of a long continuance For tho' his Son Richard succeeded him in the Protectorship this was the Title used by Cromwell having refused the Name of King yet was he in no ways capable to bear such a weight Wherefore he was soon deposed by the Parliament which being divided within it self Monk who was then Governour of Scotland took this opportunity and marching with an Army out of Scotland into England possess'd himself of the City of London dissolv'd the Military Parliament and recall'd King Charles II. into his Kingdom This King did restore the ancient Form of Government in the Kingdom both in Spiritual and Temporal Matters for his Subjects were ready to gratify him in most respects as having been taught by Experience That the Frogs who despised to have a Block for their King got afterwards a Stork for their Master This King who judg'd that the Greatness of England did chiefly depend on the Dominion of the Seas and Commerce which was disputed by no body but the Dutch did in all probability bend all his Thoughts that way viz. How to make these proud Merchants more pliable his hopes being grounded upon what he had seen Cromwell do against them Wherefore he began a War with Holland which was carried on at first with equal losses on both sides But the English at last taking a Resolution to tire out the Dutch without coming to an Engagement they ventur'd at a bold stroke and to the great dishonour of the English enter'd the River of Thames firing some Ships at Chattam This obliged the King to make a Peace with them by the Mediation of Swedeland tho' the great success of the French Arms in Flanders may probably have contributed a great deal towards it Yet it seems as if ever since he had kept up a Resolution of Revenging himself upon them he being also again exasperated by the Rable in Holland who affronted him afterwards He therefore in the Year 1672 attack'd the Dutch at Sea whilst the King of France made War against them by Land But this War did not succeed according to his expectation for the Dutch did not only take from the English a great number of Merchant-ships but also the English could not master the Dutch in any of these Sea fights partly because the French would not fall on in good earnest partly because the Dutch acted very circumspectly not giving any opportunity to the English to make a Descent either on Holland or Zealand It is possible that the King's Intentions may perhaps have been frustrated by some Intrigues at home And because the English Nation began to grow very jealous of the great Successes of France the King was obliged to make a separate Peace with Holland and afterwards was receiv'd as a Mediatour betwixt the Parties then engag'd in War against one another § 31. The English Nation is very populous and fruitfull There are some who have reckoned that in England are 9913 Parishes in each Parish 80 Families which make 778183 Families and seven persons reckoned to each Family amounts to 6470800 Souls among which number it may be suppos'd to be above a Million of Men capable of bearing of Arms. This Nation is also very fit to settle Colonies in Foreign Countries because the English as soon as they are in the least settled in a place they quickly marry and remain there for their life time Whereas other Nations if they go into far distant Countries go only with an intent to get a little Money which they afterwards love to spend in their Native Country The English are also Courageous Brave not fearing Death For in former times their Land forces were much superiour to the French and ever since the times of Queen Elizabeth when they first began to apply themselves in earnest to the Sea they have not been inferiour in Skill and Courage to any Nation in the World except that the Dutch may be compared with them in Sea Affairs But this is to be observ'd of the English Valour that they commonly are very Furious and Brave at the beginning yet great Hardship Famine and other Inconveniencies they are not so well able to endure with Patience as being us'd to live in great Ease and Plenty in their own Country Wherefore Maurice Prince of Orange us'd to put the English that were sent to his assistance upon desperate Enterprizes before as he us'd to say they had digested the English Beef They are also very dexterous in Woollen and Silk Manufacturies and are generally great Improvers of other Arts and Mysteries Yet they are also somewhat Highminded inclining themselves to Diversion which is the reason that they do not so much Work as otherwise they might and yet they expect to be paid for their idle Hours as well as the rest which is the reason why they sell their Wares at a higher rate than others and that they envy such French Handycrafts-men who live among them and are seldom diverted from their daily Labour by any Pleasures They being generally of a melancholy temper makes them very Ingenious and when they apply themselevs to any Science they make great progress in the same if they hit the right way But by the same rule because there happens often to be an ill mixture of this melancholy temper abundance of Fanaticks and Enthusiasts are to be found among them who having form'd to themselves Opinions out of ill-grounded Principles adhere so stedfast to them that they are not by any ways to be removed from them Wherefore there is not any Nation under the Sun where more different and more absurd Opinions are to be met withall in Religion than in England The loose sort of people are addicted to Thieving and Robbing upon the High-way wherefore the Hangmen are always busie in England This Nation also loves to eat and drink extreamly well tho' there are some who will have it that the English have got their way of drinking so plentifully from the Netherlanders in the Wars of the Low-Countries and from thence have brought that ill Custom over into England which before they say was not in use there Their own Histories are sufficient evidences that they have been always inclined to Rebellion and intestine Commotions Wherefore their Kings can never be secure except they keep a watchfull Eye over the restless Spirit of the People § 32. The Scots are reported to have a share of Pride and Envy in them They are very apt to propose to themselves great Matters and to delight in their own Inventions They are good Land-Souldiers and can endure more hardship than the English neither are they so much addicted to their Belly both which they have from the barrenness of their Native Country They are very Revengefull and intestine Broils among the Noble Families were formerly very common
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
out of Sicily the Sicilians also being very averse to the French who had committed great Outrages in that Kingdom Pope Nicholus V. lent a helping hand who stood in fear of the Power of Charles as did also Michael Paleologus the Constantinopolitan Emperour because Charles had made some Pretensions to that Empire John therefore disguis'd in a Monks Habit travell'd about from place to place till he had brought his Design to Perfection It was next to a Miracle that the Design was not betray'd in three years time it having been so long a forming in several places At last it was put in Execution it being agreed upon that in the second Holyday in Easter at that very time when the Bells rung in to the Vespers all the French throughout the whole Kingdom of Sicily should be massacred at once which was done accordingly within two Hours time with great Barbarity no person having been spared in the Massacre Which being done Pieter King of Arragon possess'd himself of the Kingdom of Sicily And tho' the Pope order'd the Croisade to be preached up against Pieter and declared Charles the second Son of Philip King of Arragon and this Philip marched with a great Army to put his Son into possession yet it did prove labour in vain and Philip died in the Year 1285. His Son and Successour Philip sirnamed the Handsom upon some frivolous Pretences began a War with the English taking from of them the City of Bourdeaux and the greatest part of Aquitain which however they soon after recover'd by vertue of a Peace concluded betwixt them Not long after he attack'd the Earl of Flanders who by the Instigation of the English had enter'd into a Consederacy with a great many neighbouring Lords against him from whom he took most of his strong Holds But the Flemings being soon tired with the Insolencies committed by the French cut in pieces the French Garrisons whereupon the King sent an Army under the Command of Robert Earl of Artois to reduce them to Obedience but he was defeated near Courtray there being 20000 French slain upon the Spot which happened chiefly by a Misfortune that the Cavalry was misled into a moorish Ground It is related that the Flemings got above 8000 gilt Spurs as a Booty from the French And tho' afterwards there were 25000 killed of the Flemings yet they quickly recollecting themselves raised another Army of 60000 Men and obliged the King by a Peace made betwixt them to restore them to their ancient State This King Philip also with consent of the Pope suppress'd the rich Order of the Knights Templers and died in the Year 1314. Whom succeeded his three Sons each in his turn who all died without Issue and without doing any thing of moment The eldest Lewis X. sirnamed Hutin died in the Year 1316 whose Brother Philip sirnamed the Tall had a Contest for the Crown with his deceased Brother's Daughter Joan she being supported by her Mother's Brother the Duke of Burgundy but it was determined in favour of Philip by vertue of the Salick Law Under this King the Jews were banish'd out of France they having been accused of poisoning the Fountains He died in the Year 1322. Him succeeded the third Brother Charles IV. sirnamed the Handsom under whose Reign all the Italians and Lombards who being Usurers did exact upon the People were banished the Kingdom A War also was begun in Aquitain against the English but these Differences were quickly composed by the Intercession of Queen Isabella Sister of Charles He died in the Year 1328. § 9. After the Death of this King France was for a great many years together torn in pieces by very unfortunate and bloody Wars which had almost prov'd fatal to this Kingdom For a Contest arose about the Succession betwixt Philip of Valois Philip the Handsom's Brother's Son and Edward III. King of England the above-mention'd Philip the Handsom's Daughter 's Son The former pretended a right by vertue of the Salick Law which excludes the Females from the Succession But the latter tho' he did not deny the Salick Law yet did he alledge That this Law did not barr from the Succession the Sons born of the King's Daughters And it was certain that he was nearer a kin to the deceased King than Philip neither could any Precedent be brought where a Son of the King's Daughter had been excluded from the Succession to admit his Brother's Son Yet the Estates of France declared for Philip partly upon the persuasion of Robert Earl of Artois partly because they were unwilling to depend on England And tho' King Edward did dissemble at first this Affront and came in person to do homage to Philip for his Provinces which he was possess'd of in France yet not long after he began to show his Resentment the French having obliged him at the time when he performed the Ceremony of Homage to lay aside his Crown Scepter and Spurs Besides the States of England did persuade him not so easily to let fall his Pretensions and Robert Earl of Artois being fallen out with Philip about some Pretensions concerning the County of Artois did stir up King Edward to undertake a War against France In the mean time while Philip had defeated the Flemings who were risen in Rebellion against that Earl to that degree that of 16000 Men not one escaped the Sword In the Year 1336 the English began to make War against France which was carried on for some Years with equal Advantage on both sides and was interrupted by several Truces till at last Edward landed with an Army in Normandy and outbraving the French approach'd to the very Gates of Paris But Edward making soon after his Retreat through Picardy towards Flanders was overtaken by Philip near Albeville where a bloody Battel was fought betwixt them The French Forces being extreamly tir'd by a long March gave the English an easier Victory Besides this some Genoese Foot retreated immediately their Bows having been render'd useless by the rainy Weather which the Duke d' Alenzon perceiving and thinking it to have been done by Treachery fell with a Body of Horse in among them which caused the first Confusion The English also made use of four or five pieces of great Cannon against the French which being never seen before in France caused a great terrour in the French Army Several French Lords also being not well satisfy'd with the King were glad to see him defeated This Victory is the more remarkable because according to the French Historians the English were not above 24000 strong whereas the French were above 100000. Out of which number 30000 Foot Souldiers were slain and 1200 Horsemen among whom was the King of Bohemia This King tho' he was blind yet charg'd the Enemy on Horseback betwixt two of his Friends who had ty'd his Horse to theirs and they were all three found dead together The next day
there was a great slaughter made among some French Troops who not knowing what had pass'd the day before were on their March to join the French Camp After this Battel the English took Calais Philip having in vain attempted its relief with 15000 Men. This unfortunate King however received this one Comfort That the Dukedom of Dauphine was annexed to the Crown of France by a Gift of Hubert the last Duke with Condition that the eldest Son of the Kings of France should bear the Title of Dauphin This Hubert having conceived a mortal hatred against the then Earl of Savoy had before put himself under the Protection of France but when afterwards by an unfortunate Accident he kill'd his only Son he retir'd into a Monastery giving to the King of France the Possession of his Country This King Philip also bought Roussilion and Montpelier and was the first who imposed that so much abominated Tax in France upon Salt called the Gabell whereby the Subjects are obliged to pay for the Sun and Sea Water at so dear a rate Wherefore King Edward used to call him in jest The Author of the Salick Law He died in the Year 1356. § 10. His Son and Successour John was more unfortunate in his Wars against the English than his Father For the Truce being expir'd the War began afresh wherein Prince Edward made an Inrode with 12000 Men out of Aquitain destroying all roundabout him King John intending to cut off his Retreat overtook him with all his Forces near Maupertuis two Leagues from Poictiers The Prince offered the King Satisfaction for the Damage sustained which he refusing to accept of attack'd Prince Edward in his advantageous Post he being surrounded with Hedges and Vineyards but the English by the help of their Bows soon broke through his Van-guard and afterwards the whole Army which consisted of 50000 Men put them in Disorder killing upon the Spot as it is related by the French Historians 6000 French among whom were 1200 Gentlemen the King and his youngest Son were both made Prisoners The three eldest had the good Fortune to escape During the Father's Imprisonment Charles the Dauphin took upon him the Administration of Affairs but the People which had been sorely oppress'd hitherto being unwilling to obey it caused great Disorders in the Kingdom The Peasants rise up against the Nobility and the Citizens of Paris made heavy Complaints The Souldiers for want of Pay lived at Discretion and made a miserable havock in the Country Charles of Navarre added Fuel to the Fire in hopes to make his own Advantage by these Troublesome times and did not stick to make Pretensions to the Crown yet Matters were composed with him at last And the Estates of France refusing to accept of such Conditions as were proposed by the English the King of England enter'd France with a great Army and over-run the greatest part of it yet could not make himself Master of any fortify'd place Then a Peace was concluded at Bretigny a League from Chartres by vertue of which the French were to surrender to the English besides what they were possess'd of before Poictou Xaintonge Rochelle Pais d'Aulnis Angoumois Perigord Limosin Quercy Agenois and Bigorre with the Sovereignty over them besides this Calais and the Counties d'Oye Guisnes and Ponthieu and three Millions of Livers as a Ransom for the King's person This Peace was very hard for France and continued not long King John forced by Necessity was oblig'd to do another thing little becoming his Grandeur for he sold his Daughter to Galeas Viscount of Milan for 600000 Crowns giving her in Marriage to the said Viscount This King presented his youngest Son Philip sirnamed the Hardy with the Dukedom of Burgundy it being vacant by the Death of the last Duke From this Philip descended the famous Dukes of Burgundy whose Territories at last devolved to the House of Austria This King died in England whither he was gone to make satisfaction for his Son who being a Hostage there had made his escape Some say that he went to see a Lady there with whom he was much in love § 11. King John was succeeded by his Son Charles V. sirnamed the Wise who prudently made amends for the Rashness of his Grandfather and Father never engaging himself in Battels with the English but by protracting the War and secret Intrigues endeavoured to tire out their Courage The disbanded Souldiers had mutineer'd and were become so Insolent that no body durst oppose them These he sent into Spain where Pieter sirnamed the Cruel and Henry I. fought for the Crown of Castile These Forces had put the Pope in such a fear that in their March he presented them with 200000 Livers and a good store of Indulgences to divert them thereby form taking their way near Avignon Prince Edward also engaged himself in this War but got nothing by it but a sickly Body and great want of Money Wherefore he pretendâ—ng to lay a Tax upon his Subjects in Guienne to pay off his Souldiers they complained thereof to the King of France who having well prepared himself and being informed that the Prince languished under a mortal Disease summon'd him to appear in Paris pretending that the Peace made at Bretigny was of no force since the English had not performed the Conditions and had since that time committed Hostilities wherefore he insisted upon his former right of Sovereignty over Aquitain And Prince Edward having sent him a disdainfull Answer King Charles denounced War against the English A great many Fast-days and Processions were kept by the King's Order in France and the Priests made it their business to represent the Justice of the King's Cause and the Injustice of the English to the People By this way he insinuated himself into the Favour of the French that lived under the English Jurisdiction and persuaded his own Subjects to be more free in paying their Taxes The Archbishop of Tholouse alone did by his cunning Persuasions bring over to his Party above fifty Cities and strong Castles The Constable Bertrand du Guesolin did also great mischief to the English with small Parties and worsted them not only in several Rencounters but also beat them out of Perigord and Limosin But in Guienne especially the English Affairs were in a bad condition after the Spanish Fleet which was sent to the Assistance of the French by Henry King of Castile had ruin'd the English near Rochelle After which exploit Poictiers was taken from them and Rochelle upon very advantageous Conditions surrender'd it self to the King of France And King Edward being detained by contrary Winds not being able to bring over timely Relief Xaintonge Angoumois and some other places followed the Example of the former The English not long after with an Army of 30000 Men marched from Calais cross the Country as far as Guienne ravaging and plundering by the way where-ever they
Which so incensed the Queen that she having conceiv'd an implacable Hatred against her Son sided with the Duke of Burgundy whose Party was thereby greatly strengthen'd Thus commenced the intestine Wars wherein both Parties were so exasperated against one another that they had little regard to the great Success of the English who in the mean time conquer'd all Normandy and Roan it self The Dauphin intending at one blow to root out the Evil of these intestine Commotions cunningly invited the Duke of Burgundy to come to an Agreement with him when at their second meeting at Monterau he caused him to be kill'd But this stroke had a quite contrary effect For the generality of the Nation abominated the fact and the Queen took from hence an Opportunity totally to ruin her Son and to exclude him from the Succession Wherefore entring into a League with the murther'd Duke's Son Philip a Peace was concluded with Henry V. King of England by vertue of which he was to marry Catharine the Daughter of Charles VI. and during his Life to be Regent of France and after his Death to be put into the full possession of the Crown of France That both the Crowns of France and England should be united yet that each Kingdom should be ruled according to its own Laws Besides this a Sentence was pronounc'd against the Dauphin in Paris That by reason of the Murther committed by him upon the Duke of Bargundy he was declared incapable of the Crown and that he for ever should be banish'd the Kingdom He appeal'd from this Sentence to God and his Sword and set his Court up at Poictiers so that at that time there was in France two Governments and two Courts But the Affairs of the Dauphin were in a very ill condition very few of the Provinces siding with him those that did were Anjou Poictou Tours Auvergne Berry and Languedock but all of them mightily exhausted of Money But it was happy for him that the brave King Henry V. died in the very Flower of his Age and good Fortune as likewise did not long after Charles VI. whose Life by the Infirmities of his Mind being incapable of governing the Kingdom had greatly obstructed the Welfare of the Kingdom § 13. Charles VII whom we hitherto have call'd the Dauphin caused himself immediately after his Father's Death to be proclaim'd King with the Assistance of the Bravest among the French nevertheless his Affairs at the beginning were under very ill Circumstances For the Duke of Bedford who was constituted Regent in France having caused young Henry VI. of England to be proclaimed King of France in Paris in conjunction with the Dukes of Burgundy and Britainy try'd all ways to expell him quite out of France His Forces were several times miserably beaten by the English the greatest part of the Cities abandon'd him so that the English used to call him in derision the King of Bourges because he used commonly to reside there He was at last become so poor that he rarely could dine in Publick and it was observ'd that one time he had nothing for his Dinner but a piece of roasted Mutton and a couple of Fowls Besides this most of the great Men about him being dissatisfy'd with the ambitious Proceedings of the Constable Richmond had left the Court and were driving on their own Intrigues The only Comfort left to Charles was that there was a misunderstanding betwixt the English and the Duke of Burgundy else if they had with their joint Forces vigorously attack'd Charles he in all probability could not have held out long against them The occasion happen'd thus Jaqueline Countess of Hennegau Holland Zealand and Friesland being divorced from her Husband John Duke of Brabant a Cousin of the Duke of Burgundy was married again to the Duke of Gloucester Brother of Henry V. The Duke of Burgundy taking his Cousin's part it caused great Heart-burning betwixt him and the Duke of Gloucester The Duke of Bedford endeavour'd to appease them yet did the Duke of Burgundy from that time entertain a Grudge against the English which encreased afterwards when the English refused to put the City of Orleans into the Hands of the Duke of Burgundy This City being besieged by the English was reduc'd to the utmost Extremity the French which attack'd a Convoy which was going to the English Camp having been entirely beaten Which Engagement is called la journée des Haranes or the Battel of the Herrings Charles's Affairs were then become so desperate that he had resolv'd to retire into Dauphine when upon a sudden an unlook'd for help was sent him For a Country Maid born in Lorraine whose Name was Joan did pretend that she was sent from God to relieve Orleans and to see the King crowned at Rheims Both which she effected striking thereby great terrour into the English whereas on the other side the French being greatly encouraged by this Success saw their Affairs from henceforward mend every day But this poor Wench following the Wars longer as it seems than she had in Commission was taken Prisoner making a Sally out of Compeigne and being deliver'd to the English was with great dishonour burnt as a Witch at Roan The English perceiving their Affairs not to go so forward as formerly resolv'd to give them new Life and Vigour by bringing over the young King Henry and having him crowned in Paris And to keep fair with the Duke of Burgundy they gave him the Counties of Brie and Champaigne yet all this proved insufficient The War therefore having been thus carried on for several Years only with light Skirmishes both Parties being tir'd out a Treaty was at last propos'd by Mediation of the Pope at Arras but the English rigorously insisting upon their Pretensions which were very hard they were deserted by the Duke of Burgundy who made a separate Peace with Charles upon very advantageous Conditions There befell also the English another Misfortune by the Death of the Duke of Bedford who hitherto had administred the Affairs in France with great Prudence After this the Cities of France surrender'd themselves one after another to Charles among which was Paris which submitted it self to its natural Lord. But because the English had made miserable havock throughout France and the French Souldiers themselves being ill paid had committed great Depredations without any Order or Discipline a great Famine ensu'd and afterwards a great Plague It is related that the Wolves did snatch the Children out of the Streets of the Suburbs of St. Anthony in Paris The War having been thus protracted for a considerable time a Truce was concluded for some Years The King to be rid of the Souldiers sent them into Alsace under pretence to disturb the Council at Basil They killed at once 4000 Swiss but having lost double the number soon after returned home again In the mean time the English were degenerated from their former Valour their
prejudicial to the Christians § 8. In his stead Casimir was made King of Poland A great part of Prussia which was weary of the Government of the Knights of the Cross did surrender it self under his Protection This occasioned a heavy War betwixt them and the Poles which having been carried on a great while with dubious Success a Peace was at last concluded by the mediation of the Pope by Vertue of which the Poles got Pomerellia Culm Marienburgh Stum and Elbing the rest remaining under the jurisdiction of the Knights of the Cross under Condition that the Master of that Order should be a Vassal of Poland and a Duke and Senator of that Kingdom Much about the same time the Duke of Vallachia did submit himself as a Vassal to the Crown of Poland Under the Reign of this King the Deputies of the Provinces first appeared at the Dyets of the Kingdom Vladislaus the Son of this Casimir was made King of Bohemia and afterwards also of Hungary tho' his own Brother John Albert did contend with him for the latter but being soundly beaten was obliged to desist from his Pretensions Casimir died in the Year 1492. Him succeeded his Son John Albert who received a signal overthrow in Vallachia from the Turks and rebellious Vallachians The Turks also fell into Poland but by a sudden great Frost a great many Thousands of them were starved to Death Under the Reign of this King the Dukedom of Plotzk◠in the Country of Masovia was united to Poland He died in the Year 1501. Whom succeeded his Brother Alexander but he did not Reign longer than till the Year 1506. Whom succeeded Sigismund one of the most Famous Princes of his time This King was engaged in three several Wars against the Muscovites wherein the Poles always were Victorious in the Field but the Muscovites who had got Smolensko by Treachery kept the possession of that place The War which he waged with the Knights of the Cross in Prussia at last composed under these Conditions that Albert Marquess of Brandenburgh who was then Master of that Order should receive the Eastern parts of Prussia as a hereditary Fief from the King and should acknowledge himself hereafter a Vassal of the Crown of Poland Under his Reign also the whole Country of Masovia was re-united to the Crown of Poland He also fought very successfully against the Vallachians and died in the Year 1548. leaving for his Successour his Son Sigismundus Augustus Under his Reign Livonia submitted it self to Poland as being not able to defend it self against the Muscovites who already had taken Dorpt Felin and several other places In this publick Consternation Estlad and Reval did surrender themselves to Erick King of Swedeland But the Archbishop of Riga and the Master of the Teutonick Order did seek for Protection of the King of Poland which he would not grant them upon any other terms than that they should submit themselves to the Crown of Poland Whereupon the Master of the Order having abdicated himself surrendred the Castle of Riga and some other places to the Poles And he in recompence of his Loss was made Duke of Curland and Semigall This occasioned a War betwixt the Poles and Muscovites wherein these took from the former Plotzk◠This King died without Children and by his Death the Male Race of the Jagellonick Family was quite extinguished § 9. After his Death there were great Contentions in Poland concerning the Election of a new King and at last by the majority of Votes Henry Duke of Anjou Brother of Charles IX King of France was declared King of Poland who arriving there was crowned in the same Year But he had scarce been four Monthsin Poland when having Notice that his Brother the King of France was dead he in the Night time and in a thick Fog for fear the Poles should detain him relinquished Poland and taking his way through Austria and Italy into France took Possession of that Kingdom The Poles being extreamly vexed at this Affront were for electing a new King A great many were for Maximilian of Austria but Stephen Batori Prince of Transylvania having been declared King by the plurality of Votes quickly came into Poland and excluded Maximilian by marrying Anna the Sister of Sigismundus Augustus This King reduced the City of Dantzick which had sided with Maximilian to obedience Afterwards he fell upon the Muscovites taking from them Plotzko and the neighbouring Countries At last he made Peace with the Muscovites under this Condition that they should resign to him the whole Country of Livonia in lieu of which he would restore to them such places as he had taken from them in Muscovy This King adorned the Kingdom with wholesome Constitutions and established the Militia of Horse which Souldiers being paid out of the fourth part of the Royal Revenues are commonly called the Quartians these he disposed upon the Frontiers to defend the same against the Incursions of the Tartars By this means that Tract of Land which from Bar Bracklavia and Kiovia extends it self betwixt the two Rivers of the Dniester and the Borysthenes as far as to the Black Sea was filled with populous Cities and Towns which is now called the Vkraine it having been formerly a desolate Country He also put into a good Order and Discipline the Cosacks who served for Foot Souldiers giving to them Techtimorovia situated on the River Borysthenes which they made afterwards their Magazine and the place of Residence of their Governours Before this time the Cosacks were only a wild and barbarous sort of Rabble who were gathered out of the Polish Russia and having settled themselves in the Island of the River Borysthenes beneath Kiovia lived upon Robbing and Plunder These Cosacks after they were brought into good Discipline by this King Stephen have been for a considerable time serviceable to the Crown of Poland not only against the Incursions of the Tartars but also by their cruising into the Black Sea have done great Mischief to the Turks For they have had Courage enough to ransack the Cities of Trebisond and Sinope nay even the Suburbs of Constantinople with other places This brave King whilst he was making Preparations against the Turks died in the Year 1586. § 10. After his Death Sigismund Son to John King of Swedeland was made King of Poland who had this Advantage that his Mother Catherine had been Sister of Sigismundus Augustus and so consequently was descended from the Jagellonick Race Some of the Poles proclaimed Maximilian their King but he coming with some Forces to take Possession of the Kingdom was beaten and taken Prisoner and before he obtained his Liberty was obliged to renounce his Title to that Crown After the Death of John King of Sweden Sigismund went in the Year next following into Swedeland where he was Crowned King of Sweden But having afterwards lost that Crown it occasioned a War betwixt Poland and Sweden
whether this had been done by his Authority and the King having answered No but that it had been done by the Nobility to take revenge of the Cosacks these joined with the Tartars and fell into Poland against these the King went in Person into the Field at the Head of the Nobility and defeated them in a Battel but the King having afterwards made an Agreement with them the Nobility was greatly discontented with the King's proceedings alledging that the King had granted too much to the Cosacks Whilst the Jealousies reigned in Poland the Muscovites fell into Poland and having brought the Cosacks over to their Party besieged Smolensko which they took in the Year next following and having ravaged every where in Lithuania they took Wilea and some other Cities where they committed great Barbarities In the Year 1655. another Storm threatened the Poles For Charles Gustavus King of Swedeland having with an Army of chosen Men entred that Kingdom first Conquered great Poland and Masovia and afterwards the lesser Poland with the capital City Cracovia from whence he marched into Prussia where almost all the Cities surrendred themselves except Dantzick where were at first a great many Citizens that favoured the Swedes but by the perswasions of some Ministers were kept in Obedience to Poland The Resistance which was made by this one City was the main Reason why all the Advantages got by the Swedes proved fruitless at last and that they could not maintain themselves in Prussia notwithstanding that not only the whole Militia of Poland and that part of Lithuania which was not under the subjection of the Muscovites had submitted themselves to the Swedish Protection but also that King John Casimir himself fled into Silesia For the Poles having recollected themselves after the first Constemation was over and being joined by the Tartars fell upon such of the Swedish Forces as were dispersed up and down the Country The Lithuanians also revolted and killed all the Swedes that were in Winter Quarters with them King Charles Gustavus also had greatly weakened his Army not only by the great March towards Jeroslavia but also Czarneski the Polish General did often with his Light-Horse fall upon on the Rear of the Army and did considerable Mischief In the mean while the Poles also had retaken Warsovia where they had made the Swedish Governour Wittenbergh and some other great Officers Prisoners contrary to the Articles made at the surrendry of the Place And tho' King Charles Gustavus having been joined before by the Elector of Brandenburgh's Forces did vanquish the Poles and Tartars in a memorable Battel which lasted three Days and was fought near Warsovia yet all the Princes of Europe began to look about them and to consult about a Diversion to be made Sweden The Muscovites fell into Livonia where they besieged Riga but to no purpose The Hollanders did give plainly to understand that they were not willing that Prussia should come under the subjection of Swedeland And the Danes also began to be in motion On the other hand Ragozi Prince of Transylvania entred Poland with an Army to try whether perhaps he could obtain that Crown for himself But the King of Sweden being obliged to march out of Poland against the Danes Ragozi made a bad Market of it for before he could reach his own Country he was totally routed and oliged to make a shameful accord with the Poles Which misfortune however he might have avoided if he according to the advice of the King of Sweden who promised to keep the Poles so long in play till he was out of danger would have taken his march directly over Brescie Pinsk and so further towards his own Frontiers But Ragozi would by all means take his way near Cracaw Then the Poles retook Cracaw and Thorn and chased the Swedes out of Curland who had before taken the Duke of that name Prisoner The Poles also besieged Riga but were beaten from thence by the Swedish General Helmfeld And tho the Poles by the Peace made at Oliva recovered all Prussia again yet were they obliged to renounce all their pretensions upon Livonia and to leave the Muscovites in the possession of Smolensko Severia and Kiovia Neither could they appease the Cosacks some of them having put themselves under the protection of the Muscovites some under the Turks whereby they shewed the way to the Turks into Poland Neither could the King put an end to the intestine divisions and jealousies wherefore at last tired with these troubles John Casimir resigned the Crown and living a retired life in France in the Abby of St. Germain he there dyed a few years after § 13. There being now left none of the Royal Family in Poland several Foreigners pretended to the Crown But at last a Piastus whose name was Michael Witsnowizki was declared King chiefly by the Votes of the lesser Nobility His short Reign was full of intestine commotions and the Turks in the mean while did not cease to do considerable mischief in Poland having in the year 1672. taken Caminieck in Podolia which Fortress having been formerly thought impregnable serves them now for a door through which they may enter Poland at pleasure A Peace was then concluded with the Turks by vertue of which the said Fortress remained in the possession of the Turks the Poles also having promised to pay to the Turks a yearly Tribute This King dyed in the year 1673. In whose stead in the year next following the Polish General John Sobieski was made King of Poland he having in the year before attack'd the Turks in their Camp with such success that of 32000 Men scarce 1500 escaped alive He renewed the War with the Turks but concluded a Peace with them in the year 1676. by vertue of which the Turks kept the Fortress of Caminieck but remitted the yearly Tribute to the Poles He being a Man of great capacity it is hoped that he may prove a good King of Poland § 14. It is to be considered concerning the Polish Nation that whosoever is not a Nobleman in Poland is esteemed a Boor. For the Inhabitants of the Cities are very little regarded and the Tradesmen are most Foreigners But the Boors are esteemed nor used no better than Slaves being also very raw and barbarous both in their Life and Conversation wherefore when we talk of the Poles thereby ought only to be understood the Nobility They are therefore commonly downright and honest very seldom given to the art of dissembling they are of a very generous spirit and expect a great deal of respect And if you give them as much respect as they pretend to they are no less courteous and will willingly pay a respect again to you and their words and behaviour are full of Pomp and Ceremony They are very liberal or rather profuse and not given to be parsimonious tho they should want the next day This Nation also is very fierce
Emperour Justinian and Rome and Italy made a Province of the Grecian Empire then it was that the Popes took their opportunity to exempt themselves from the Jurisdiction of these Emperours whose Authority was mightily decayed in Italy partly by the ill management of their Governours at Ravenna partly by their own weakness and want of Strength for the Lombards were Masters in Italy and in the times of Justinian II. one Emperour was for ruining the other Besides this some of these Emperours were against the adoring of Images and Leo Isaurus quite ejected them out of the Churches because this adoration was wholly degenerated into Idolatry and as to the outward appearance the Saints were more regarded than God himself This undertaking was very vehemently opposed by Pope Gregory II. who stood up for the Images partly because the Roman Chair found this Superstition very advantageous partly because the Pope took it very ill that the Emperour should undertake a Reformation in Matters of Religion without his Knowledge and Consent and that at that time when he was busie to introduce the Ecclesiastical Monarchy in the Western parts partly also because he thought to have met with an opportunity to withdraw himself from the Jurisdiction of the Grecian Emperours The better to obtain his Aim he stirred up the Romans and Italians who hitherto had been under the Obedience of the Emperours to refuse to pay them Tribute and the Governour residing at Ravenna endeavouring to maintain the Emperour's Right was slain in a Tumult Whereby the Jurisdiction and Power of the Grecian Emperours was abolished in those parts of Italy and these Countries began to be free and independent on any Foreign Jurisdiction § 20. By these means the Pope had freed himself from the Jurisdiction of the Emperours of Constantinople but not long after he was threatened by another Enemy who being nearer at hand was likely to prove more troublesome to him than formerly the Emperours who lived at so considerable a distance For the Kings of the Longobards endeavoured first to make themselves Masters of those parts which were fallen off from the Emperour and afterwards of all Italy They had already taken Raâ—enna and there was none left in Italy who was able to stop their Victories The Popes were then hard put to it and knew not where to seek for Protection except of the Kings of France who at first endeavoured to finish these Differences by an amicable Composition but the Longobards not being willing to rest satisfied therewith they resolved by force of Arms to maintain the Italian Affairs They were easily prevailed upon to undertake this Business not only because Pope Zachary had approved of the Proceedings of Pepin who having abdicated the lawful King was from a Grand-Marshal become King of France but also they had thereby an opportunity offered them to make Conquests in Italy whereof the French Nation has been always very ambitious Pepin and afterwards Charles the Great having been so Fortunate in their Wars against the Longobards as to Conquer their whole Kingdom they gave to the Papal Chair all that Tract of Land which had been formerly under the Jurisdiction of the Grecian Governours There are some who are of Opinion that to obtain this Gift the Pope made use of the fictitious Donation of Constantine the Great which in those barbarous times was easily imposed upon the ignorant World Besides this the French Kings had great Obligations to the Pope for the above-mentioned reason and were also fond of acquiring the name of pious Princes by bestowing liberal Presents out of other Mens Possessions For it was in those Days a common Custom that Men of all degrees made it their Business to out-do one another in Liberality towards the Clergy Nay the Princes used to grant them these Possessions without any incumbrances that thereby the Ecclesiasticks might be sure to enjoy free possession of what they had bestowed upon them These extravagant Donations were none of the least Causes why the Clergy afterwards did labour with so much vehemency to withdraw themselves from the Jurisdiction of the Civil Magistrates as fearing that these extravagant Donations and Grants might be recalled and declared void by their Successours Wherefore it has been always a Maxim of Wise Men. that Princes by granting extravagant Priviledges and Gifts made their Subjects rather Jealous than Friends since those who have obtained them living always in fear that the same either in part or wholly may be taken away again imploy all means so to establish themselves as to be in a capacity to maintain themselves therein in spite of the Prince Those Learned Men who are of an impartial Judgment take it for granted that the Pope did pretend to exercise a Sovereign Power over these Countries granted to him by the French Kings but that the People refused the same as being for maintaining their Liberty and thinking it very odd that the Pope who was an Ecclesiastical Person should pretend to be also a Worldly Prince When therefore the Romans mutinied against Pope Leo III. he was forced to seek for Assistance from Charles the Great who restored the Pope But on the other hand the Pope and People of Rome proclaimed Charles Emperour whereby he was put into possession of the Sovereignty over that part of Italy which formerly belonged to the Jurisdiction of the Governours at Ravenna and the other remnants of the Western Empire so that the Pope afterwards enjoyed these Countries under the Sovereign Jurisdiction of the Emperour who therefore used to be called the Patron and Defender of the Church till the Reign of the Emperour Henry IV. § 21. But the Popes began at length to grow weary of the Imperial Protection because the Emperour's Consent was required in the Election of a Pope and if they were mutinous the Emperours used to check them and sometimes turn them out of the Chair To exempt themselves from this Power of the Emperours over them the Popes have for a long time together imployed all their Cunning and Labour before they could obtain their Aim They used to make it their constant Business to raise intestine Commotions against the Emperours sometimes in Germany sometimes in Italy thereby to diminish their Power and Authority The Bishops especially in Germany were always very busie as being dissatisfied that they were dependent on the Emperours who nominated the Bishops and therefore joyned with the Pope to assist him in setting up the Ecclesiastical Sovereignty The Reign of the Emperour Henry IV. furnished them with an opportunity to put in execution their Design this Emperour by his Debaucheries and ill management of Affairs living in discontents and continual broils with the Estates of Germany and as soon as Gregory VII who was before called Hildebrand a proud resolute and obstinate Man got into the Chair he began to exclaim against the Emperour that the granting of Church-Benefices did not belong to him since he made a Traffick with them and sold
who were grown weary of the Swedish Government Under the Reign of these five last Kings there were golden times in Sweden the Christian Faith was then Established and the Subjects lived in Peace and Plenty § 4. After the death of Inge the East Gothes without the consent of the other Provinces made one Ragwald Knaphofde a Man of great bodily Strength but of no great Wisdom their King who was slain by the West Gothes In his stead the East Gothes chose Swercher II. a very good King who nevertheless was murthered by one of his Servants After the death of Swercher the East Gothes chose his Son Charles for their King but the Swâ—des at their General Assembly at Vpsal Elected Erick the Son Josward he having married Christina the Daughter of Ingo surnamed the Pious But both the Swedes and Gothes considering afterwards how necessary it was to keep up the Union betwixt these two Kingdoms made an agreement that Erick should remain King over both Kingdoms but that Charles should succeed him and that afterwards their Heirs should Rule the Kingdom in the same manner in their several turns This Erick having reduced the Finns to their former Obedience obliged them to receive the Christian Doctrine He also ordered the antient Constitutions of the Kingdom to be Collected into one Book which was called after his name St. Erick's Law He was slain in the Meadows near Vpsal by Magnus the King of Denmark's Son who having first defeated his Army was proclaimed King But the Swedes and Gothes under the Conduct of Charles the Son of Swercher fell again with such fury upon the Danes that they kill'd all the Danes with their King and his Son upon the spot and out of the spoil built a Church near Vpsal which they called Denmark Charles therefore the Son of Swercher became King of Denmark who Reigned with a general applause till Cnut the Son of Erick returned out of Norway and under pretence that he had abetted his Father's death surprised and killed him His Lady and Children fled into Denmark where having got some assistance they joined with the Gothes under the Conduct of Kell the Brother of Charles to recover the Kingdom but their General was killed upon the spot and their Forces dispersed by Cnus Erickson After which he Reigned very peaceably for the space of twenty three years After the death of Cnut Swercher the Son of Charles was made King of Swedeland but had for his Rival Erick the Son of the last deceased King At last the difference was thus Composed that Swercher should remain King during his life but should be succeeded by Erick But Swercher who notwithstanding this agreement was for settling the Crown upon his Family did barbarously murther all the Sons of Cnut except Erick who escaped into Norway from whence he returned with some Forces and being assisted by the Swedes vanquished Swercher who fled into West Gothland Having obtained Succours of sixteen thousand Men from Weldemar the King of Denmark he attempted to recover his Kingdom but was miserably beaten by Erick's Army he himself narrowly escaping into Denmark from whence he not long after again fell into West Gothland but was again defeated and slain in the Battel Leaving Erick Cnutson in the quiet possession of the Throne who renewed the former agreement made betwixt those two Families and Constituted John the Son of Swercher his Successour in the Kingdom He married Ricnet the Sister of Waldemar King of Denmark and dyed in Wisingsoe Him succeeded according to agreement John the Son of Swercher who Reigned but three years and dyed also in the Isle of Wisingsoe which was the general place of residence of the Swedish Kings in those days § 5. After the death of John Erick the Son of the former King Erick became King of Sweden who being lame and besides this lisping was surnamed the Lisper There was about that time a very Potent Family in Sweden called the Tolekungers who aimed at the Crown To bring these over to his Party the King had married three of his Sisters to three of the Chiefest among them he himself having married Catharine the Daughter of Sweno Tolekunger But these being grown more Potent by this Alliance Cnut Tolekunger rebelled against the King and having worsted him obliged him to fly into Denmark from whence he soon returned with a strong Army and vanquished Tolekunger and having caused him and Halingar his Son to be slain restored the Peace of the Kingdom Under the Reign of this King it was that Gulielmus Sabinensis the Pope's Legat did first forbid the Priests in Sweden to Marry whereas before that time it had been a common Custom among the Priests there to Marry as well as Laymen This Erick under the Conduct of his Brother in Law Birger Yerl forced the Finnes to return to Obedience and to receive the Christian Faith and built several Fortresses upon their Frontiers He dyed without Issue in Wisingsoe Whilst Birger Yerl was absent in Finland the States made Waldemar the eldest Son of Birger Yerl their King as being the deceased King's Sisters Son Who being Crowned in the year next following the Administration of the Kingdom was committed during his minority to his Father Birger who augmented the antient Law Book and deserved so well of the Publick that upon the request of the Estates he was created a Duke whereas before he had been only an Earl or as it is in their antient Language Yerl He met with great opposition from the Tolekungers who had not quite laid aside their pretensions to the Crown so that their jealousie at last broke out into open War But the Duke under pretence of making an agreement with them after having granted them a safe Conduct persuaded them to give him a meeting where having made them all Prisoners caused them to be Executed except Charles Tolekunger who fled into Prussia and remained there all his life time Things being thus settled he gave to his Son in Marriage Sophia the Daughter of Erick King of Denmark and laid the first foundation of the Castle and City of Stockholm and tho his Son was become of Age yet did he never surrender the Government to him as long as he lived He died after he had been Regent fifteen years leaving four Sons Waldemar King of Sweden Magnus Duke of Sudermanland Erick of Smaland and Benedict of Finland who afterwards raised great Disturbances for Waldemar having during his Pilgrimage to Rome and Jerusalem left the Administration of the Kingdom to his Brother Magnus at his return accused him of having aimed at the Crown The States of Sweden held an Assembly at Strengness to compose these differences if possible but met with so much difficulty that it was impossible to be effected Wherefore Magnus and Erick being retired into Denmark soon returned from thence with a
made at Calmar especially when he sent the most antient Swedish Records into Denmark which at last obliged the Swedes to take desperate Counsels The first Insurrection was made by the Dalekarls who being headed by a certain antient Nobleman in those parts called Engelbrecht Engelbrechtson besieged one of the King's Officers called Josse Erichson who had exercised great Tyranny over them in his Castle neither could they be appealed till he was deposed from his Office and another put in his place But this Calm did not last long for the Boors being again stirred up by Engelbrecht over-run all the neighbouring Country destroying with Fire and Sword all such as would not side with them and being joined by one Erick Pueâ—â— who headed the Northlanders they took a great many strongholds killing all the Foreigners they met withal whose seats they destroyed and at last forced the Senate of the Kingdom assembled at Wadstena to renounce their Allegiance to the King These intestine Commotions obliged King Erick to make Peace with the Holstâ—iâ—â—rs and the Hanse Towns and to turn all his Forces against the Swedes But his Fleet being for a great part destroyed by Storms he arrived with the rest at Stockholm but not being able to cope with so great a multitude as Engelbrocht had raised against him he was fain to make a truce with them for twelve Months In the mean while he retired into Denmark leaving only a Garrison of 600 Men in the Castle of Stockholm After his departure Engelbrocht was declared Generalissiâ—â— over all the Forces of the Kingdom who at last upon the perswasion of the Archbishop Cluf agreed to a Treaty to be set on foot betwixt the King and his Subjects where it was agreed that the Swedes should again acknowledge him for their King provided he would stand to the Union which the King at that time consented to reserving only to his free disposal the three Castles of Stockholm Calmar and Nycoping all the rest being to be committed to the Government of the Natives of Sweedland Thus things seemed to be restored to the antient State but no sooner had the King got the aforesaid Castles into his possession but he began to recede and having left a Garrison of 500 Men in the Castle of Stockholm retired upon a sudden into Denmark King Erick having thus left the Kingdom a second time the Swedish Senators who feared that he might soon return with a greater Force being assembled at Arboka called together the whole Nobility and a Burger-Master out of each City to consult about the present exigency of Affairs but before they could come to any steady resolution Engelbrecht by the assistance of some of the Citizens of Stockholm had made himself Master of that City and besieged the King's Lieutenant in the Castle The Treaty being thus broke of and the flame of Rebellion rekindled the Marshal Charles Cnutson was declared Governour and General of the Kingdom This was like to have occasioned great Disturbances if Engelbrecht who pretended to be injured by this Choice had not been first appeased with great Promises and afterwards murthered by one Benedict Suenson with whom he had an old quarrel But Erick Puâ—ke the chief Companion of Engelbrecht taking up his Friend's Quarrel against his Murtherers that were protected by Charles Cnutson it occasioned great Jealousies betwixt them The Castles of Stockholm and Calmar being also in the King's possession and some of the Chiefest of the Kingdom grown very jealous of the greatness of the Marshal the Treaty was renewed with the King at Calmar who came thither in Person and promised to put into all Offices and Places of Trust Natives of Sweden and having made Benedict Suenson Governour of the Castle of Calmar appointed an Assembly of the Senate and Nobility to be held in September following when he would be ready to surrender all the Strong-holds into the hands of the Native Subjects of Sweden But in the mean time the King in his Voyage from Gothland to Suderkoping was overtaken by a violent Tempest wherein most of his Ships having been lost he narrowly escaped drowing As soon as the Swedes got notice of this Misfortune not knowing whether the King was alive or dead it was resolved that the last Treaty made at Calmar should remain in Force Pursuant to this Decree the Marshal having partly by great Promises partly by Threats got into the possession of all the Castles of the Kingdom seemed to want nothing to accomplish his Designs but the Title of a King whereâ—t Erick Pueke being vexed to the Soul raised a great number of Boors against him who having defeated the Marshal and his Forces would quickly have put an end to his Greatness if he under pretence of reconciliation had not invited Erick Pueke to an interview and notwithstanding his Faith given sent him to Stockholm where he was beheaded In the mean while the Senators of the Kingdom having got notice that the King was alive appointed an Assembly to be held at Calmar where the King was to fulfil the former Treaty but the King not coming at the appointed time Commissioners were sent into Denmark to treat with him about the performance of the Agreement made at Calmar which he refusing to do they made an underhand League with some of the great Men in Denmark against King Erick the effects of which he felt soon after Whilest these things were transacting in Denmark the Marshal had by his cunning got the whole Power of the Kingdom into his hands and obtained from the Senate in Sweden to appoint a certain day for the King to appear in Sweden and put an end to those Differences that were then betwixt him and the Estates and in case of a refusal they renounced their Allegiance to him But the Archbishop Oluf and some of the Chief Men of the Kingdom that were dissatisfied at the Marshal's proceedings did so far prevail by their Authority that a General Assembly of all the Senators of the three Northern Kingdoms should be held at Calmar which in all likelihood might have had better Success than before if the Archbishop had not been poysoned in his Journey thither by the Marshal Notwithstanding this the rest of the Senators appeared at Calmar but the King's Commissioners refusing to acknowledge and to confirm the Treaty made at Calmar which the Swedes insisted upon the whole meeting proved fruitless In the mean time King Erick was retired with all his Treasure out of Denmark into Gothland and the Danish Senators who as well as the Swedes had been dissatisfied with the King for a considerable time before agreed with the Swedes to renounce their Allegiance to him and to choose one in his stead that would maintain the Union betwixt these Kingdoms The Danes therefore sent to Christopher Duke of Bavaria who being King Erick's Sister's Son had for some time lived in Denmark desiring him to accept of that Crown As soon as he arrived
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
Murthers making great havock all over the Country but at last also came to an open War wherein the Archbishop's Party being worsted he died for grief and the Common People in hopes to put an end to the miseries of the Kingdom once more restored Charles to the Crown But Erick Nilson Erick Carlson Tâ—olle and some others having again raised some Forces against him and surprised his Army during the time of the Truce again forced him to seek for shelter in the Dalers whither being pursued by Erick Carlson he with an unequal number gave him a signal overthrow forcing him to retire into Denmark King Charles being soon after returned to Stockholm which City and the whole Kingdom he recommended before his death to Steen Scure his Sister's Son he there died in the same year leaving the Kingdom in such a confusion that for a twelve month after there was a meer Anarchy in Sweden some having declared for King Christian some for Steen Sture to be made Regent of the Kingdom At last the Government was committed to Steen Sture who having vanquished King Christian in a memorable Battel fought near Stockholm and forced him to retire with his broken Forces by Sea into Denmark got into the possession of the whole Kingdom of Sweden And tho' King Christian kept the Regent of Sweden in a continual alarm as long as he lived and several meetings were held concerning his Restauration yet there was no open War betwixt the two Kingdoms and Steen Sture reigned for a considerable time with a general applause so that King Christian during his Regency never durst return into Sweden but died in Denmark in the year 1481. After the Death of King Christian the Danes and Norwegians having made John the Son of Christian their King the Swedes also agreed with King John upon certain Articles which the King having confirmed to them under his Seal he was declared King of Sweden But the Regent Steen Sture notwithstanding this solemn Transaction remained in the possession of the Kingdom for fourteen Years after under pretence that the Danes had not fulfilled their Promise according to the Articles of the Treaty during which time the Kingdom was miserably afflicted by intestine Divisions and the Wars which were carried on against Denmark and Russia The Senators therefore of Sweden having in vain endeavoured to perswade Steen Sture to lay down his Office at last deposed him from the Regency and craved Assistance from King John who having defeated Steen Sture and his Party near Stockholm was by the Senate and the Regent himself received as King of Sweden and his Son Christian declared his Successor after his death in that Kingdom This King reigned very peaceably for a while but after some Years by the perswasions of some Courtiers fell into the same Errour which had been the undoing of his Predecessors For under pretence that the Revenues of the Crown were extreamly diminished he obliged Steen Sture and several others to surrender the Fiefs belonging to the Crown which they were in possession of some of which he bestowed upon the Danes and Germans Besides this his Governours had committed great Insolencies in their Provinces which so exasperated the People that as soon as the News of his defeat in Ditmarsen was spread over Sweden the Swedes being headed by Steen Sture assembled at Wadstana where having renounced their Allegiance they bid open defiance to him alledging that he had not fulfilled the Articles of the Treaty made at Calmar The King being surprised at this unexspected News sailed forthwith for Denmark leaving the Queen with a good Carrison at Stockholm which City was thereupon besieged by Sture who being soon after again constituted Regent of the Kingdom forced the Castle of Stockholm to a surrender and got almost all the rest of the Strongholds in Sweden into his possession notwithstanding which the Danes burnt Elfsburgh and Oresteen and committed great Cruelties in West-Gothland under the Conduct of Christian King John's Son who had done the like not long before in Norway where he had rooted out almost all the Noble Families Yet because the Queen was as yet in Sweden the fury of the Danes was for a while appeased by the intercession of the Lubeckers and the Cardinal Raimow who having procured Liberty for her to return into Denmark she was conducted by the Regent to the Frontiers of Swaland But in his return to Ioncoping he died suddenly and his death having been kept secret for a while there was a strong suspition that he had been poysoned by Mereta the Widow of Cnut Alfson thereby to open the way to her Bridegroom Suante Sture to the Regency of the Kingdom As soon as the news of the Regent's death was spread all over the Kingdom the Estates convened at Stockholm where it was disputed for some time whether King John should be recalled or Suante Nilson Sture should be made Regent till the latter having prevailed the said Sture was made Regent of the Kingdom Then the War was renewed with King John which was carried on with various Success both Parties committing great devastations without any other remarkable advantage The Danes having at first stirred up the Emperour the Pope and the Russians against the Swedes did considerable mischief but the Regent having made a Peace with the Russians and set the Lubeckers against Denmark retook Calmar and Bornholm and would in all likelihood have made greater Progresses if he had not soon after died at Westekaos in the eighth year of his Regency After the death of this Regent there were again great Divisions in the Senate about the Election of a new Regent the younger sort were for choosing Steen Sture the deceased Regent's Son But the Archbishop and Bishops and the rest of the antient Senators would have elected Gustavus Trolle an antient Wise and experienced Man After several prorogations and very hot debates at last Steen Sture who was favoured by the common People and had most of the Strongholds of the Kingdom in his hands was declared Regent and King John died in the year next following at Ablburgh in Jutland After his death the Danes and Norwegians had declared Christian his Son their King but the Swedes who had not forgot his cruelties formerly committed in West-Gothland desired time to consider of a thing of such importance King Christian finding himself after four years tergiversation deceived in his hopes and that the Regent would not part with his Power by fair means did not only stir the Pope Leo X. up against him but also brought Gustavus Trolle the new Arbhbishop by great Presents over to his side and perswaded the Russians to make an in-road into Finland Steen Sture being soon convinced of the Archbishop's sinister Intentions had tendered the Oath to him which he refusing to take was besreged by the Regent in his Castle of Stecka Then it was that the Archbishop called King Christian to his
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
and that he would be Crowned by the Pope's Nuncio which obliged the Estates to send their Deputies to Duke Charles to desire him to interpose his Authority with the King Charles therefore having in conjunction with the Estates in vain endeavoured to perswade the King to a compliance with the Estates entred into an Association with them for the defence of the Protestant Religion and mustered his Troops near Vpsal The King perceiving them to be in earnest thought it his best way not to let things run to extremity but having consented to most of their Propositions which he surrendred to them the same morning when he was to be crowned the Coronation was performed by the Bishop of Strengness But no sooner was he returned to Stockholm but he took a resolution quite contrary to his Promise with an intention to obtain by force what he could not get by fair means Wherefore having sent for some Forces out of Poland he hoped to terrifie the Estates into a compliance at the next Dyet but these being backed by Duke Charles and having raised the Delekerls remained stedfast in their Resolution The King seeing himself disappointed again in his Design resolved upon the advice of the Poles to leave the Kingdom and the Government in an unsettled Condition hoping thereby to oblige them to be more pliable for the future But as soon as the Senators understood that he was sailed towards Dantzick they in conjunction with Duke Charles took upon themselves the administration of the Government deposed the King's Governour of Stockholm he being a Papiâ—t and forbid the exercise of the Romish Religion And soon after a Peace having been concluded with the Muscovites a Dyet was held at Sudercoping where after the Estates had justified their proceeding in a Letter to the King the Augsburgh Confession was again confirmed the Popish Religion abolished and all Swedes that adhered to the same declared incapable of any Employments in the Kingdom and several other Decrees were made against the Papists and for the maintaining of the Privileges of the Subjects Then they constituted Duke Charles Regent of the Kingdom to govern the same with Advice of the Senate and the whole Transaction was published in the Latin Swedish and German Tongues This having occasioned a general flight among the Roman Catholicks out of Sweden King Sigismund was so dissatisfied thereat that he quickly sent some Commissioners out of Poland to disswade the Duke from these proceedings but also when this proved ineffectual by his Letter to the Estates he committed the whole management of Affairs to the Senate excluding the Duke from the Regency In the mean while some Senators either to curry favour with the King or upon some distaste taken against Duke Charles had shewn themselves great Favourers of the King and declined to appear at the Dyet which was appointed to be held under the Duke's Authority at Arboga Notwithstanding which the few Senators and the Estates there present did again confirm the Decrees lately made at Vpsal and Sudercoping declaring Duke Carles sole Regent of Sweden But Niclaco Flemming the King's General being in Arms and having lately killed a great number of the Boors the Duke also thought it not fit to fit still but having gathered what Troops he could possessed himself first of Gothland and not long after of the whole Kingdom of Sweden the King's Governours and those of the Senators that had not appeared at the last Dyet held at Arboga flying in great numbers to the King in Poland King Sigismund then perceiving that his presence was absolutely necessary in Sweden resolved to go thither in Person with 6000 Men which the Duke having been advertised of called together the Estates of the Gothick Kingdom at Wadstena and having made known to them the King's intention it was unanimously resolved to meet the King with an Army near Calmar But the West-Goths and Smalanders having taken up Arms for the King and the Finns equipped some Ships for this Service the former were beat back by the Boors headed by two Professors of Vpsal and whilest Duke Charles was sailed with his Fleet to reduce the latter which he did with good Success the King without any opposition arrived at Calmar Several Treaties were then set on foot to endeavour the settlement of the Kingdom and to reconcile Matters betwixt the King and Duke which proving ineffectual both Parties had recourse to Arms. The first encounter happened near Stegeburgh where the Duke's Forces being surrounded were quickly put to the rout but laying down their Arms obtained Pardon from the King but the Duke soon made amends for this Misfortune at Stangbroo where having surprised part of the King's Army he killed 2000 of them upon the spot with the loss of 40 Men on his side This Defeat occasioned an agreement betwixt the King and Duke upon certain Articles of which the Estates were to be Guarrantees and the King promised to come forthwith to Stockholm to settle the Affairs of the Kingdom whither he would needs go by Sea tho' it was in October but in lieu of sailing to Stockholm directed his Course from Calmar where he was droven in by contrary Winds to Danâ—zick The Duke being surprised at this unexpected departure called together the Estates of the Kingdom who having once more constituted him Regent of Sweden at their second meeting at Stockholm renounced their Obedience to King Sigismund offering at the same time the Crown to his Son Vladislaus in case he would come within a twelve Months time into Sweden and be educated in the Lutheran Religion but in case of failure he and his heirs to be excluded from the Crown Duke Charles thereupon marched against the Finns whom he quickly forced to Obedience and having made an Alliance with the Russians convened the Estates of the Kingdom in the next following year at Sincoping where some of the Lords that were here having before fled into Poland were condemned of High Treason and executed accordingly and not only King Sigismund declared incapable of the Crown but also his Son Vladislaus because he had not appeared within the limited time excluded from the Succession About the same time the Duke being certified that the Eastlanders and especially those of Reval were inclined to his side he marched thither with a great Army and being received very joyfully by the Inhabitants of Reval the Polish Governours left the rest of the places of Esthland voluntarily to the disposition of Charles The same fortune artended him at first in Livonia where he took several places of note without much opposition but was forced to raise the Siege of Riga upon the approach of the Poles who retook Kakenhausen and some other places thereabouts Charles having in the mean time got notice how the Poles had set up the false Demetrius and assisted him against the Muscovites under pretence of being afraid of the designs of the Poles against Sweden desired to resign But these having
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
Narbonne the Seat of their Kings who at first had under their Jurisdiction Catalonia and Languedock but soon after extended their Power over other Provinces of Spain Among these was particularly renown'd their King Euric who took from the Romans all what was left them in Spain except Gallicia which remained under the Power of the Suevians He also conquer'd several Provinces in France But Clodoveus King of the Francks having defeated the Son of Euric retook from the Goths what they had conquer'd before in France under the Reign of Agila and Athanagildas the Romans who had before rescu'd Africa from the hands of the Vandals retook a part of Spain but were chac'd from thence for the most part under the Reign of Levigildis who also did quite root out the Suevians in Gallicia Under the Reign of his Son Recaredus the Empire of the Goths was arriv'd to its highest pitch of greatness as comprehending not only some neighbouring Provinces of France and a part of Mauritania but also all Spain except a small part possess'd as yet by the Romans from whence they were quite chased afterwards by King Suinthila King Wamba subdu'd the Gothick Rebels in France with great success and beat the Fleet of the Saracens who much infested those Seas but under Witiza the Gothick Empire begun to decline from their ancient Valour the Goths being much degenerated till under the Reign of Roderic it was quite extinguish'd The King himself contributed greatly to its sudden downfall for having ravish'd a certain Court Lady call'd Cava the Daughter of Count Julian Governour of that part of Mauritania which belong'd to the Goths as also over that tract of Spain which lies near the Streights of Gibralâ—ar he to revenge himself for this affront first stirr'd up a great many of the King's Subjects against him and afterwards persuaded the Saracens to pass out of Africa over into Spain These to try their Fortune first pass'd over with a small number but quickly encreasing by continual Supplies of Men sent from home they vanquish'd such Forces as Roderic sent in hast against them After this Success the treacherous Julian understanding that Roderic did intend to bring into the Field the whole Forces of his Kingdom which consisted of 100000 Men brought more Saracens over into Spain who being joined with the rest did in a most memorable Battle intirely rout this Multitude of unexercised and ill arm'd Souldiers who were surpriz'd to see one of their own party call'd Oppas with the Troops under his Command went over to the Enemy and fell into their Flanck together with the Forces of Julian Thus all was given over for lost and in this one Battle fell the whole Power and Splendour of the Goths which had been famous in Spain for three hundred Years Roderic himself being kill'd in the flight so that the Goths being without a Head were quite dispers'd and all the great Cities partly by force of Arms partly upon Articles fell into the Hands of the Enemy within the space of three Years Only Asturia Biscay a part of Gallicia and some Countries next adjacent to the Pyrenean Mountains remain'd under the Goths rather because the Enemies did not think it worth their while to drive them from these Mountainous places than that the Goths trusted to their own Strength to defend themselves against them Into these parts also retir'd such Christians as had escap'd the Sword of the Enemies But all the rest of Spain was inhabited by the Saracens and Jews § 3. To free Spain from this Tyranny was first undertaken by Pelagius who as 't was said was descended from the Race of the Gothick Kings This Man being chosen King did recollect the remaining Forces of this unfortunate Nation and having brought together an Army obtained a signal Victory against the Moors and in the mean while that the Saracens were weakening their Strength in France took from them the City of Leon and several others His Son Favila who succeeded him did nothing worth mentioning But Alfonso the Catholick re-took several Places from the Moors and reigned till the Year 757. Whose Son Favila also Valiantly defended his Kingdom vanquishing the Moors in a great Battle He was killed in the Year 768 But his Successor Aurelius made a shamefull Peace with the Moors by virtue of which he was obliged to give them a yearly Tribute of a certain Number of Virgins He died in the Year 774. His Successor Silo did also nothing worth mentioning and died in the Year 783. After him reigned Alfonso the Son of Favila against whom Mauregatus taking up Arms forced him out of the Kingdom who to settle himself the better in the Empire craved assistance from the Moors promising them a yearly Tribute of 50 Noble Virgins and as many others He died in the Year 788. His Successor Veremundus did nothing Praise-worthy except that he recalled Alfonso Sir-named the Chaste who refusing to pay the Tribute of the Virgins to the Moors gave them several signal Defeats But having no Children he made an agreement with Charles the Great that he should assist him in driving the Moors out of Spain in recompence of which he was to be his Heir in the Kingdom of Spain Charles therefore sent his Son Bernard with a Puissant Army into Spain but the Spaniards not liking the agreement as being not willing to be under the Command of the French arose unanimously and falling upon the French near Ronceval just as they were entring into Spain entirely routed them in which Battle the famous Rowland was slain Thus it is related by the Spanish Historians but the French do not agree with them in the relation Alfonso died in the Year 844 whose Successor Ramirus most gloriously usher'd the Spanish Liberty For the Moors demanding the Tribute according to the agreement made with Mauregatus he defeated them in a great Battle but could not take from them many of their strong Holds being with-held partly by Intestine Commotions partly by an Inrode the Normans made upon him He died in the Year 851. After him succeeded his Son Ordonius who reigned with great applause he obtain'd a Victory over the Moors and took some of their strong Holds He died in the Year 862 whose Son and Successor Alfonso Sirnamed the Great fortunately overcame the Rebels at home and the Moors abroad But by laying too heavy Impositions upon the People he drew the hatred of a great many upon himself and was therefore robb'd of the Crown by his Son Garsias This King Valiantly attackt the Moors but died soon after His Brother also was Victorious against the Moors transferring the Seat of the Spanish Kings from Oviedo to Leon. He died in the Year 923. But besides this Kingdom of Oviedo there arose several other Governments in Spain For Garsias Semenus erected a new Kingdom in Navarre
for he not only lesien'd his Authority at Naples but also being suspicious that he either intended to keep that Kingdom for Philip Son-in-law to Ferdinand or else for himself Ferdinand undertook a Journey in Person to Naples on purpose to bring Gonsalvus handsomly away from thence and taking him along with him into Spain he treated him ill for his great deserts In the mean time died the Queen Isabella which occasion'd some Differences betwixt Ferdinand and his Son-in-law Philip the Netherlander Ferdinand pretending according to the last Will of Isabella to take upon him the Administration of Castile And to maintain his Claim the better he enter'd into a Confederacy with France by marrying Germana de Foix Sister to Lewis XII hoping thereby to obtain a powerfull Assistance in case Philip should come to attack him But Philip coming into Spain and taking upon him the Administration of the Government in the name of his Lady Joan Ferdinand retir'd into Arragon But Philip died soon after whose Queen Joan being not in her right Wits yet undertook the Administration of the Government not without the opposition of some of the chief of the Nobility wherefore the Administration of the Government was by common consent committed to Ferdinand after his return from Naples notwithstanding the Emperour Maximilian did pretend to it in the right of his Grandson Charles In the Year 1508 Ferdinand enter'd into a Confederacy against the Venetians whereby he regain'd the Cities of Calabria Brindisi Otranto Trano Mola and Polignano which the Venetians had formerly obtain'd for some Services done to the Neapolitans But as soon as Ferdinand perceiv'd that the Venetians were like to be swallow'd up by the Emperour and France the Pope and he left the Confederacy thinking it more convenient to preserve the State of Venice since by adding the Territories of Venice to those of Milan which were then possess'd by the French they would have grown too powerfull in Italy Hence arose a War in which John d' Albert King of Navarre taking part with the French was upon instigation of Ferdinand excommunicated by the Pope under which pretext Ferdinand took an opportunity to possess himself of that part of the Kingdom which lies on the Spanish side of the Pyrenean Mountains which since that time the French have in vain indeavour'd to recover In the Year 1510 the Spaniards took Bugia and Tripolis upon the Coast of Barbary but were routed in the Island of Gerbis This wise King died in the Year 1516. § 10. Him succeeded his Grandson by his Daughter Charles the fifth Emperour of that Name who with the assistance of the Cardinal Ximenes immediately took upon himself the Administration of the Government his Mother to whom the same did belong being incapable of Administring it This Prince who since Charles the Great was the most Potent Prince that hath been in Europe spent the greatest part of his Life in Travels and Wars In the very beginning of his Reign there were some Commotions in Spain which were soon appeased John D' Albert also made an Inrode into the Kingdom of Navarre in hopes to recover it but was quickly repulsed But with the French during his whole Life he waged continual Wars For though in the Year 1516 he made a League with King Francis I. whereby the Daughter of Francis was promised to him in Marriage yet was this Tie not strong enough to withhold the Animosity of these two courageous Princes Charles who was flush'd up with the great Success of his House had always in his Mind his Motto Plus ultra But Francis who was surrounded every-where by so potent a Prince did oppose his Designs with all his Might fearing lest his Power should grow too strong both for him and all the rest of Europe Charles obtain'd a most particular advantage When the Imperial Dignity was conferr'd upon him to obtain which for himself or some-body else Francis had labour'd with all his Might but in vain Robert de Mare Lord of Sedan withdrawing himself from the Emperour and putting himself under the Protection of France with whose assistance he attack'd the Lord of Emmerick who was under the Emperour's protection administer'd new matter of jealsousie which quickly broke out into an open flame in the Netherlands In which War the French lost Tournay and St. Amant but beat the Imperialists from before Meziores Charles also did intend to drive the French out of Milan upon instigation of Pope Leo X. Charles pretending that Francis had neglected to receive this Dutchy in fief of the Empire beat the French near Bicoque Fonterabie also which they had taken by surprize was re-taken by force from the French It proved also very disadvantageous to them that the Constable Charles of Bourbon sided with the Emperour and entring Provence besieged Marseilles Which nevertheless he was forced to quit as soon as Francis march'd with all his Forces that way into Italy to recover the Milaneze Where he took the City of Milan but at the Siege of Pavia was Attack'd by the Imperial Generals who totally routed his Army and having taken him Prisoner carried him into Spain The King himself was in part the occasion of this loss he having sent a great part of his Army towards Naples and Savona and those that remained with him were most Italians Swiss and Grisons who did not perform their Duty in the Battle and most of his Generals were of opinion to avoid the hazard of a Battle by retiring under the City of Milan The French also succeeded ill in the Diversion which they endeavour'd to give the Emperour for by the help of Charles Duke of Geldres and the Friselanders for they were at that time worsted by Charles's Forces There were some that advised Charles to set Francis at liberty without any Ransome and by this Act of Generosity to oblige him for ever But he followed the Counsels of such as did advise to make advantage of so great a Prisoner He therefore imposed very hard Conditions upon him which Francis refusing to accept of out of discontent fell into a dangerous Sickness so that Charles himself went to visit and comfort him Though he was advised to the contrary by his Chancellour Gallinaca who alledged that such a Visit where he did not intend to promise the Prisoner his liberty would rather seem to proceed from Covetousness and fear of losing the advantage of his Ransome than from any civility or good inclination towards him And this Sickness was the real cause why at last the Treaty concerning his Liberty which had been so long on foot was finish'd the Emperour fearing that his Discontent might plunge him into another Sickness or Death it self In the mean time the prodigious Success which attended the Emperour did raise no small jealousie among other Princes and by instigation of Pope Clement VII three Armies were raised to maintain the Liberty of Italy To prevent this Storm
and especially to withdraw the Pope from the Confederacy the Emperour's Generals marched directly against Rome which they took by Storm where Charles of Bourbon was slain and for several days together plunder'd the City and committed great Out-rages The Pope himself was besieged in the Castle of St. Angelo and Charles at the same time that the Pope was enclosed his own Forces caused Prayers to be made for 40 days together for his deliverance at last forced by Famine he was forced to Surrender and to renounce the above-mention'd League The Conditions on which Francis had obtain'd his Liberty were That Francis should surrender the Dukedom of Burgundy to renounce the Sovereignty over Flanders and Artois quit all his pretences upon Naples and Milan to marry the Emperour's Sister Eleonora and to give his two Sons as Pledges for the performance of these Articles But as soon as he got into his own Kingdom he protested against the Treaty which was extorted from him during his Imprisonment And making a League with the Pope England Venice the Suiss and Florence sent an Army into Italy under the Command of Odet de Foix Lord of Lautree This occasion'd not only that very gross words pass'd betwixt these two Princes but they also gave one another the lye and a Challenge pass'd betwixt them But Lautree who had at first great success being destroy'd with his Army by Sickness in the Siege of Naples a Peace was at last concluded at Cambray in the Year 1529 by virtue of which Francis paid for his Sons 2550000 Rixdollars renounc'd his Pretensions to Flanders Artois Milan and Nalpes and marry'd Eleonora Sister to the Emperour out of which Marriage if a Son should be born he was to be put into the possession of the Dukedom of Burgundy In the Year 1530 Charles was Crowned by Pope Clement VIII at Bononia whereby he obtained from the Emperour that the Common-wealth of Florence should be made a Principality and the said City was by force obliged to admit this Change Alexander de Medicis being constituted Duke to whom the Emperour married his natural Daughter Margaret In the same Year the Bishop of Vtrecht resign'd the Soveraignty of that City and the Province of Over-yssel into the Hands of Charles and the Provinces of Geldren Zutphen Groningen the Twente and Drente also fell into his Hands In the Year 1535 he went with a puissant Army into Africa took Tunis and Goletta restoring the Kingdom of Tunis to Muleassa who was banished before by Haradin Barbarossa but in Goletta he left a Garrison In the Year 1537 another War broke out betwixt Charles and Francis For the latter could not digest the loss of Milan and being advised by the Pope that when-ever he intended to Attack Milan he should first make himself Master of Savoy and Francis Sforzia dying at the same time he fell upon Charles Duke of Savoy and under pretence that he defrauded his Mother of her Dowry drove him quite out of Savoy and conquered a great part of Piedmont But the Emperour who was resolved to annex the Dutchy of Milan to his Family came to the assistance of the Duke of Savoy and at the Head of his Army entring Provence took Aix and some other Places but his Army being much weakned with Sickness for want of Provisions he was forced to retire again In the Netherlands the Imperialists took St. Paul and Monstrevil Killing great Numbers of the French Through Mediation of the Pope Paul III. a Truce of 10 Years was concluded at Nissa in Provence after which these two Princes had a friendly Interview at Aigues Mortes And in the next following Year the Emperour against the advice of his friends ventured to take his way through the very heart of France being desirous with all possible speed to compose the Disorders which were arisen at Ghent Yet had he before by the Connestable Anna Montmorancy cajolled Francis into a belief that he would restore to him the Dutchy of Milan which however he never intended to perform In the Year 1541 he undertook an Expedition against Algiers in Africa at the latter end of the Year against the advice of the Pope and others of his friends who persuaded him to stay till next Spring He there Landed his Army with good success but a few days after such prodigious Storms and Rains did fall which dispersed his Ships and spoiled the Fire-locks of the Souldiers that the Emperour was obliged with the loss of one half of his Army to return into Spain In the Year next following Francis broke with him again under pretence that his Ambassadours Caesar Fregosus and Anthony Rinco which he had sent through the Milanese by the way of Venice to go to the Ottoman Port were upon the River Po Murthered by Orders of the Governour of Milan Wherefore William Duke of Cleves entring Brabant on one side the Duke of Orleans on the other side took Luxemburgh and some other places The Dauphin besieg'd Perpignan but was oblig'd to raise the Siege The famous Pirate Barbarossa did by the instigation of Francis great mischief on the Sea-coasts of Calabria destroying Nissa in Provence by Fire Charles seeing himself at once attack'd in so many places setting aside the Differences which were arisen about the Divorce betwixt Henry and his Aunt Catherine made a League with Henry King of England wherein it was agreed That the Emperour should force his way through Champaigne whilst Henry enter'd into Picardy that so they might by joining their Forces ruine the whole Power of France The Emperour therefore with an Army of 50000 men beat the Duke of Cleves in the Netherlands forcing him to surrender Guelderland and after having recover'd the places in Luxemburgh taken before by the French enter'd into Campaigne taking by force Lygny and Disier Francis kept with his Army on the other side of the River Marne and not daring to fight the Imperialists contented himself to ravage the Country which they were to march through to endeavour to cut off their Provisions Nevertheless the Imperial Army found a sufficient quantity at Espernay and Chasteau Thierry This occasion'd such a Terrour and Confusion in Paris that the Citizens were for leaving the City if the King by his Presence had not encourag'd them to stay And if on the other side King Henry had acted according to the Agreement they might easily have got the French Army betwixt them and in all likelyhood would have put a period to the French Greatness But Henry being detain'd at the Sieges of Bologne and Monstrevil sent word to the Emperour That he would not stir further till he had made himself Master of these two places Charles then began to suspect the King of England whom he perceived meerly to be for his own Interest and did not think fit to trust any longer considering also with himself what vast charges he was at in this War and how thereby his Designs were retarded which he
had projected against the Protestants in Germany as also that his Forces had receiv'd a considerable overthrow in Italy near Carizola from the French he made thereupon a Peace with Francis at Crespy in the County of Valois Then Charles undertook to subdue the Protestants entring for that purpose into a League with Pope Paul III. which War he carried on with such success that without great trouble he overthrew them making their chief Heads the Elector of Saxony and Landtgrave of Hesse Prisoners The Emperour made use of this Policy in fomenting Divisions betwixt Duke Maurice and his Cousin the Elector of Saxony and refusing to fight with them at first he thereby protracted the War foreseeing that a Confederacy under so many Heads would not last long and that the Cities which contributed the most towards it would grow quickly weary of the Charges of the War Francis also and Henry VIII were both of them lately dead who else questionless with all their Power would have oppos'd his designs of oppressing the Protestants thereby to make himself absolute Master in Germany The Heads also of the Protestant League did greatly contribute to their own Misfortune they having let slip several opportunities especially at first before the Emperour had rightly settled his Matters when they might have done him considerable mischief nevertheless Charles was no great gainer by these Victories because he used the Conquer'd whom he was not able to keep in Obedience by force with too much rigour keeping the Captive Princes in too close an Imprisonment He also disobliged Maurice Elector of Saxony after his Father-in-law the Landtgrave of Hesse had by his persuasions surrender'd himself to the Emperour The Elector therefore being persuaded by the Prayers of his Children and others who objected to him That by his Assistance their Religion and Liberty were in danger of being lost he fell unawares upon Charles whom under favour of the Night and a Fogg he forc'd to retire from Inspruck After this exploit a Peace was concluded by the Mediation of King Ferdinand where in the Treaty at Passaw the Protestant Religion was establish'd In the mean while Henry II. King of France coming to the assistance of the Protestants had taken Metz Toul and Verdun The Emperour attackt Metz again with great fury but having been fain to leave it after a considerable loss sustain'd he discharg'd his Fury upon Hesdin and Tervanne which he levell'd with the Ground In Italy the Imperialists took Siena which afterwards Philip II. gave to Cosmus Duke of Tuscany reserving to himself the Sovereignty and some Sea-ports At last Charles tir'd with the Toils of the Empire and the Infirmities of his Body resigned the Imperial Crown to his Brother Ferdinand who would not consent that the same should come to his Son Philip. But to Philip he gave all his Kingdoms and Territories except those in Germany which fell to Ferdinand's share reserving to himself only a yearly allowance of 100000 Ducats He had made a little before a Truce of five Years with France which was soon broke by the persuasions of the Pope who endeavouring to drive the Family of Colonna out of their Possessions and they being upheld by the Spaniards the French sided with the Pope But this War prov'd very unfortunate to the French they being routed at St. Quintins lost that City and the Mareschal de Thermes was also soundly beaten near Gravelin At last a Peace was again concluded at Chateau en Chambrasis by virtue of which the French were obliged to restore all what they had taken in Italy which had been the occasion of some Blood-shed by Francis and Henry But under-hand it was agreed That both the King of Spain and France should endeavour to root out the Hereticks as they call'd them which succeeded afterwards very ill both in Spain and France In the Year before this viz. 1558 died Charles in the Convent of St. Justus in Spain where he spent his last days in quiet His last Will and Testament tho never so rational was so far from being pleasing to the Inquisition that it wanted but little of having been burnt as Heretical But his Father Confessour and the rest of the Monks in that Convent who had been present were forc'd to undergo the severe Judgment of this Court § 11. Under the Reign of Philip II. the greatness of the Spanish Monarchy began to be at a stand neither had its Kings the same success as formerly to get vast Kingdoms by Marriages For from the match of Philip with Mary Queen of England came no Children And truly in my Opinion the Spanish Greatness receiv'd the first shock at that time when Charles V. surrender'd his Dominions in Germany to his Brother Ferdinand and afterwards had him elected King of the Romans by which means the Power of this House was divided and the Imperial Crown separated from the Spanish Monarchy Charles would fain have afterwards persuaded Ferdinand to transfer the Succession of the Imperial Crown upon Philip but he being persuaded by his Son Maximilian to keep what he had got would in no ways part with it He was also much belov'd by the Germans whereas they had an aversion against Philip who being a meer Spaniard did not as much as understand the German Tongue And Ferdinand and his Successours prov'd very good Princes who were not fond of the Spanish methods of Governing But that which gave the greatest shock to the Spanish Greatness were the Troubles arisen in the Netherlands The reason why this Evil grew incurable was because Philip being over fond of his ease would rather sit still in Spain than by his Presence endeavour to stop the current before it ran too violent tho' his Father did not think it too much to venture himself at the Discretion of Francis his Rival to appease the Tumults arisen only in the City of Ghent Another reason was That he took the most violent course by sending the Duke of Alva a cruel Man among the Netherlunders who being us'd to a mild sort of Government were thereby put into despair especially when they were inform'd That the Inquisition had declar'd Criminal not only those who were guilty of the Rebellion and pulling down the Images but also all such Catholicks as had not made resistance against them The Saying of Anthony Vargas a Spanish Minister is a famous as ridiculous Haeretici diruerunt templa boni nihil fecerunt contra ergo omnes debent patibulari i. e. The Hereticks demolish'd the Churches the Catholicks did not oppose them wherefore they ought all to be hang'd Besides this the Spaniards were much hated by the Netherlanders not only because of the great differences there was betwixt the Manners of these Nations but also because these latter had been in great esteem with Charles V. who was very like them in all his Behaviour On the contrary Philip only encourag'd the Spaniards who having an
thereby to avoid the hatred which the Spaniards naturally bear against the French And such is the Spanish pride that tho' they think it below themselves to meddle with those trifles yet they do not think much to be a poor Centinel in some Fort or another all their life time the honour of the Sword and hopes of becoming in time an Officer making them amends for what hardship they endure Their Pride Covetousness and rigorous proceedings make them hatefull to all such as are under their Command which are very unfit Qualifications for the maintaining of great Conquests For no body is willing to be despised by Foreign Governours Spain being mightily exhausted of Men and therefore incapable of raising great Armies within it self is very unfit to maintain vast Countries for which several reasons may be given For the Women here are not so fruitfull as in the Northern parts which is to be attributed to the heat of the Climate and the constitution of their spare Bodies Those parts also which are remote from the Sea-shore are not well peopled some of these Grounds being very barren not producing any thing for the subsistance of Mankind Whoring also being publickly allowed of here a great many of them will rather make shift with a Whore than to maintain a Wife and Children These also who have taken upon them holy Orders of whom there is a great number are obliged not to marry The Wars which they have waged against so many Nations but especially in Italy and the Netherlands have devoured a great many Spaniards A vast number have transplanted themselves into America being glad to go to a place where they may with a small beginning come to live very plentifully Before the discovery was made of America Ferdinand the Catholick had at once before the City of Granada an Army of 50000 Foot and 20000 Horse tho' Arragon did not concern it self in that War and Portugal and Navarre were at that time not united with Castile At last this Country was mightily dispeopled when Ferdinand after the taking of Granada and Philip III. banished a great many thousands of Jews and Marans who could not be kept in obedience in Spain these settling themselves in Africa retain to this day their hatred against the Christians robbing their Ships in those Seas But this is evident enough that the Spaniards could never have made a Conquest of those vast Countries by force of Arms if the greatest part of them had not fallen into their Hands by easier ways § 16. Concerning those Countries which are under the Jurisdiction of this Nation Spain is large enough in extent for the number of its Inhabitants but it is not fertile alike in all places for the most remote parts from the Sea-coasts are many of them barren not producing any thing for the subsistance of Men or Beasts But for the most part nearer to the Sea-side it is very fine and fruitfull There is abundance of Sheep here They have also very fine Horses but not in very great quantities having scarce enough for their own use This Kingdom is very well situate for Trade having on the one side the Ocean and on the other side being almost surrounded by the Mediterranean where they have most excellent Harbours The product of their Grounds and Commodities fit for Exportation are especially Wooll Silk Wine Oyl Raisons Almonds Figs Citrons Rice Soap Iron Salt and such like In former times the Spanish Gold-mines were most famous but now-a-days neither Gold nor Silver as far as I know is digged out in Spain Some will alledge for a reason That it is forbidden under severe penalties to keep it as a reserve in case of a great extremity But I am rather apt to believe That those Gold-mines have been long a-goe quite exhausted by the Avarice of the Spaniards § 17. The greatest Revenue of Spain comes from the East Indies from whence Gold and Silver like Rivulets are conveyed into Spain and from thence into the other parts of Europe At what time and by whom this Country which had been so long unknown to the Europeans was first discover'd we have already mentioned Tho' there are that pretend That America was discovered in the Year 1190 by one Madoe Son to Owen Gesneth a Prince in Wales who they say made two Voyages thither and having built a Fort in Florida or Virginia or as some say in Mexico died in America And this is the reason why in the Mexican Tongue abundance of British words are to be met withall and that the Spaniards at their first coming into America did find the remnants of some Christian Customs among the Inhabitants From whence some inferr That if the first discovery of a Country gives a good Title of Propriety to the Discoverers England would have as good if not a better Title to America than Spain but this we will leave to be decided by others But it is not so evident from whence Spain could claim a right of subduing that Countrey by force of Arms. For what is alledged among other pretences concerning the Bull of Alexander VI. wherein he did grant those Countries to Spain this does not only seem ridiculous to us but also to those Barbarians themselves who have ridicul'd it saying The Pope must be a strange sort of a Man who pretended to give away that which was none of his own But let this be as it will the Spaniards think it sufficient that they are in possession of it and if an exact scrutiny should be made into other matters of this nature it would appear that the Titles to most conquered Countries were none of the best But some of the most conscientious Spaniards do not justifie what Cruelties their Country-men committed in the beginning against those poor People of whom they kill'd without any provocation given a great many hundred thousands or destroyed them by forcing them to undergo intolerable hardships and making the rest their Slaves Tho' afterwards Charles V. being informed of their miserable condition ordered all the rest of the Americans to be set at liberty But the Spaniards are not Masters of all America but only of the middle part of it viz. The Kingdoms of Peru and Mexico and those vast Islands of Hispaniola Cuba and Porto Ricco Jamaica having been taken from them by the English These parts of America are now-a-days inhabited by five several sorts of People The first are the Spaniards who come thither out of Europe these are put in all Offices The second are called Crioliens who are born in America of Spanish Parents These are never employ'd in any Office as being ignorant of the Spanish Affairs and too much addicted to love their native Country of America wherefore the King is cautious in giving them any Command fearing lest they should withdraw themselves from the Obedience of Spain and set up a Government of their own especially because these Crioliens bear a great hatred against the European Spaniards For
this reason also the Governours are changed every three Years to take away the opportunity of strengthening their Interest too much who after their return into Spain are made Members of the Council for the Indies as being esteemed the most proper to advise concerning the preservation of that Country The third sort are called Metiffs who are born of a Spanish Father and an Indian Mother are in no esteem among them Those who are brought forth of the marriage of a Spaniard with a Metiff or of a Metiff and a Spanish Woman are called Quatralvos as having three parts of a Spaniard and one of an Indian But such as are born of a Metiff and an Indian Woman or of an Indian Man and a Metiffic are called Tresalvos as having three parts of an Indian and one of a Spaniard The fourth sort are the remnants of the ancient Inhabitants of whom a great many are to be met with especially in the Kingdoms of Peru and Mexico who are not so Barbarous as some may imagine there having been found among them such excellent Laws and Constitutions as would make some Europeans blush The fifth sort are the Moores or as the Spaniards call them Negroes who being bought in Africa are sent thither to do all sorts of drudgery These are generally very handy but very perfidious and refractary wherefore they must always be kept under a strict hand Such as are born of a Negro and an Indian Woman are called Mulats Yet is that part of America considering its bigness not very well stock'd with People since the Spaniards did in a most cruel manner root out the most of its ancient Inhabitants And if I remember well Hieronymus Benzonus says That all the Cities in America which are inhabited by the Spaniards joined together were scarce to be compared for number of People with the Suburbs of Milan Yet there are some who talk largely concerning Mexico viz. That it has betwixt 30 and 40000 Spanish Citizens who are most of them very wealthy so that it is reported there are 18000 Coaches kept in that City The Spaniards are not easily to be beaten out of America because most places which are in their possession are hard to come at and it is very difficult to transport such a number of Souldiers out of Europe as can be sufficient to attack any of these places Besides this the great difference of the Climate and Diet could not but occasion mortal sicknesses among them But in Peru especially they are very well settled there being scarce any access by Land and by Sea you are obliged to go round the South and remotest parts of America or else to come from the East Indies both which are such long Sea-voyages which an Army can scarce undergo without running the hazard of being destroy'd by Sickness Concerning the Riches of America 't is true the Spaniards at their first coming thither did find no coined Gold or Silver that being unknown in those days to the Inhabitants but an inconceivable quantity of uncoined Gold and Silver and abundance of Gold and Silver Vessels made without Iron Tools all which the Spaniards carry'd into Spain except what the Seas swallowed up in their Voyages which was very considerable But now-a-days those Rivers which formerly used to carry a Golden Sand are most exhausted and what is found there now is all dug up out of the Mines especially the Silver Mines of Porosi in Peru do afford an incredible quantity of Silver which is yearly together with some other Commodities transported in a Fleet into Spain Nevertheless a great part of this Silver belonging to Italian French English and Dutch Merchants the least part of it remains in Spain so that the Spaniards keep the Cow but others have the Milk Wherefore when the French and Spanish Ambassadours at Rome quarrel'd about Precedency and the latter to represent his Master's Greatness spoke very largely of the vast Riches of America the Frenchman answered That all Europe but especially Spain had been a considerable loser by them The Spaniards having employed themselves in searching after the Treasures of America were thereby become idle and had dispeopled their own Country The King of Spain trusting to his great Riches had begun unnecessary Wars Spain being the fountain from whence vast Riches were derived to other Nations did receive the least benefit of all by them since those Countries that furnish'd Spain with Souldiers and other Commodities did draw those Riches to themselves Formerly there were also Emeraulds in America and Pearls were found but that Stock is long since by the Avarice of the Spaniards quite exhausted There is besides this a great quantity of Commodities in America which are used in Physick and Dying Colours There is also great quantities of Sugars and Hides as appears in that in the Year 1587 the Spainsh Fleet transported 35444 Hides from St. Domingo and 64350 from New Spain For the Oxen and Cows which were first transported from Spain into America are grown so numerous that they shoot them for their Hides sake only throwing away the Flesh which is scarce eatable And as America is the best Appendix of the Spanish Kingdom so the Spaniards take all imaginable care to prevent its being separated from Spain They make among other things use of this Artifice That they will not allow any Manufactory to be set up in America so that the Inhabitants cannot be without the European Commodities which they do not suffer to be transported thither in any other Ships but their own § 18. Besides this the Canary Islands are in the possession of the Spaniards from whence are exported great quantities of Sugar and Wine it is credibly reported That England alone transports above 13000 Pipes of Canary at 20 l. per Pipe The Island of Sardinia also belongs to the Spaniards which Isle is pretty large but not very rich its Inhabitants being for the most part Barbarians The Isle of Sicily is of much greater value from whence great quantities of Corn and Silk are to be exported but the Inhabitants are an ill sort of People who must be kept under according to the old Proverb Insulani quidem mali Siculi autom pessimi Unto Sicily does belong the Isles of Maltha and Goza which was given in Fief from Charles V. to the Order of the Knights of Rhodes Spain also has a great part of Italy in its possession viz. The Kingdom of Naples who 's Capital City is scarce bridled by three Castles The Sovereignty of Siena and a great many strong Sea-ports and the Sea-coasts of Tuscany viz. Orbitello Porto Hercule Telamone Monte Argentario Porto Longone and the Castle of Piombino besides that noble Dukedom of Milan which is the Paradise of Italy as Italy is commonly called the Paradise of Europe They have also the Harbour of Final upon the Genouese Coast In the City of Milan Trade and Manufactory flourishes extreamly and this Dukedom is much valued by
pretending that the Spencers had diverted the King's Love from her retir'd first into France and from thence into Hainault and returning with an Army took the King Prisoner and caused the Spencers to be executed The King was carried from place to place and greatly abused during his Imprisonment having been forced before by the Parliament to resign the Kingdom to his Son Edward At last about six Months after his Deposition he was miserably murther'd § 11. Edward III. was very young when the Crown was conferr'd upon him wherefore the Administration of the Government was during his Minority committed to his Mother and managed under her chiefly by her Favourite Roger Mortimer She immediately at the beginning made a dishonourable Peace with Scotland whereby Edward renounced the Sovereignty and all other Pretensions upon that Kingdom and the Scots renounced their Title to Cumberland and Northumberland This and some other matters laid to their charge was the reason why some Years after the Queen was condemned to a perpetual Imprisonment and Mortimer was hanged Afterwards a most cruel War broke out betwixt England and France for Lewis Philip and Charles all three Sons of Philip sirnamed the Handsom dying without Issue Edward did pretend a right to the French Crown as being the late King 's Sister's Son alledging That if his Mother as being a Woman might be thought incapable of governing the Realm the same ought not to be prejudicial to him as being a Man But Philip de Valois notwithstanding he was a degree farther of as being the late King's Father 's Brother's Son yet prevailed with the States who under pretence of the Salick Law and the hatred they bore to a Foreign Sovereign being besides this encouraged thereunto by the Earl of Artois set him upon the Throne Edward being afterwards summon'd by Philip to come in person and to do Homage for the Dukedom of Aquitain went thither in person he being then but young and England full of intestine Commotions notwithstanding this seemed to be very prejudicial to his Pretensions And King Edward appearing in the Church at Amiens with the Crown upon his Head his Sword and Spurs on was ordered to lay them aside and to take the Oath upon his Knees which so exasperated Edward that France afterwards felt the effects of it Not long after Edward Baliol Son of John Baliol made pretensions to the Crown of Scotland against the young King being assisted by King Edward notwithstanding King David of Scotland had married his Sister During which Commotions the English recovered Barwick upon Tweed and in one Battel killed 30000 Scots whereupon Edward Baliol did do Homage to the King of England for the Crown of Scotland By this time King Edward being come to his riper years upon the instigation of Robert Earl of Artois undertook an Expedition into France and taking upon him the Title and Arms of France renewed his Pretensions to that Crown In this Expedition he entirely routed the French Fleet near Sluys which was sent to hinder his landing and defeated 30000 Men. and after he had besieged Tournay he made a Truce with them for twelve Months In the mean while the English were engaged in a War with the Scots who under the Conduct of their former King David had driven out Edward Baliol. The time of the Truce being expir'd the War began afresh in France where among other places the English took Angoulesme King Edward himself came with a great Army into Normandy and took both there and in Picardy a great many places from the French At last a bloody Battel was fought betwixt them near Crecy in Picardy wherein the English tho' but 30000 strong fought against 60000 French killing 30000 upon the spot among whom were 1500 persons of Quality The next day after 7000 French were cut to pieces by the English who not knowing what had happened the day before were upon their march to the French Camp In this Battel no Quarter was given on either side Much about the same time King David of Scotland enter'd England with an Army of 60000 Men to make a Diversion in behalf of France but he was defeated in a great Battel and himself taken Prisoner The English had no less success the same Year in Britainy and Guienne In the Year next following King Edward took the City of Calais which he fill'd with English Inhabitants Prince Edward Son to Edward III. whom his Father had sent with an Army into Guienne behaved himself very valiantly making great havock where-ever he came John King of France drew out an Army against him of 60000 Men tho' the Prince was not above 8000 strong upon this the King thinking he had catch'd the Bird in the Net would not accept of any Conditions tho' never so advantageous But Prince Edward having posted his Men betwixt the Bushes and Vineyards from thence so gall'd the French Horse with his long Bows that they being repulsed put all the rest in confusion King John himself was taken Prisoner as also his youngest Son and above 1700 persons of Quality were slain This Battel was fought about two Leagues from Poictiers At last after King Edward had with three Armies over-run the greatest part of France a Peace was concluded by the Mediation of the Pope at Bretaigny not far from Chartres The Conditions of this Peace were That England besides what it had before in France should be put in possession of Poictou Zaintogne Rochelle Pais d' Aulnis Angoumois Perigord Limoisin Quercy Agenois and Bigorre with an absolute Sovereignty over the same besides this the City of Calais the Counties of Oye Guisnes and Ponthieu and three Millions of Crowns were to be given as a Ransom for the King and that King John should give his three younger Sons his Brother and thirty other persons of Quality as Hostages for the payment of the said Summs But that on the other side the English should restore all the other places which they had taken from the French and renounce their Right and Title to the Crown of France The Peace being thus concluded Prince Edward to whom his Father had given the Dukedom of Aquitain restored Peter King of Castile to his Kingdom But in his Journey the Souldiers being very mutinous for want of Pay he levyed an extraordinary Tax upon his Subjects which they complaining of to the King of France he summon'd the Prince to appear before him who answer'd He would suddenly appear with an Army of 60000 Men therefore Charles V. King of France denounced War against the English pretending that the promised Sovereignty at the last Peace was void because the Prince had not fulfilled the Articles of the same and had committed Hostilities against France But whilst Prince Edward was busie in making great Preparations against France he died suddenly and with him the English good Fortune for the French took from them all the Dukedom of
Constitutions yet most are of Opinion that not this Pharamond but his Son Clodion sirnamed Long-hair invaded Gaul who after he had been several times repulsed by Aetius the Roman General at last took Artois Cambray Tournay and some other places as far as the River Somme making Amiens his place of Residence He died in the Year 447 but his Successour and Kinsman Merovaeus in conjunction with the Roman General Aetius and Theodorick the King of the West Goths having beaten Attila the King of the Hans out of France extended his Dominions as far as Mentz on one side and on the other side conquer'd Picardy Normandy and the greatest part of the Isle of France The Romans themselves contributed to this loss for that not only in the Battel fought against Attila they had lost a great many of their best Forces but Aetius also being fallen into disgrace with the Emperour Valentinian was by him murthered which Aetius may be justly said to have been the last great Captain the Romans had there being after his death no body left who could resist Merovaeus From this King sprang the first Race of the French Kings which is called the Merovigian Family He died in the Year 458. His Son Childerick for his Lasciviousness was banish'd in whose stead one Aegidius of the ancient Race of the Gauls was set up for King But Childerick through the faithfulness of his Friend Guyeman was after an Exile of eight Years recall'd out of Thuringia whither he fled and restor'd to his Throne who drove back the Britains and Saxons that made at that time great havock in France He also conquer'd that part which is now call'd Lorrain and took Beauvais Paris and some other places near the Rivers of the Oise and the Seyne He died in the Year 481. His Son Clouis or Lewis having kill'd Syagrius the Son of Aegidius establish'd the French Monarchy and added great Territories to the Kingdom This King fell in love with Clotildis of the Royal Race of Burgundy who promised to marry him if he would turn Christian Which however he afterwards delayed to perform till the Alemans who would have got a footing in France enter'd that Kingdom whom he meeting with his Army near Zulick a bloody Battel was fought where when he saw the French began to fall in disorder he vow'd That if he obtain'd the Victory he would be baptiz'd which Vow after the Victory he perform'd being baptiz'd at Reims by St. Reim whose example the whole Nation of the French followed This King also overturn'd the Kingdom of the Goths which they had establish'd in Languedock uniting that Country with his Kingdom He also conquer'd several petty Principalities and a part of the Higher Germany He died in the Year 511. § 3. After the death of Clouis France received a signal blow the Kingdom being divided among his four Sons who tho' they annexed the Kingdom of Burgundy to it yet this division weaken'd this Kingdom and administred Fuel to the following intestine Dissentions Nay this impolitick dividing the Kingdom went further still for they subdivided the Kingdom again among their Sons which occasioned most horrible civil Commotions in France these Kings endeavouring as it were to out-do one another in Iniquity And among the rest the two Queens Brunechildis and Fredegundis are infamous for their monstrous Crimes At last after a great many intestine Divisions Clotarius II. re-uniting the divided Kingdom did somewhat restore its ancient State He died in the Year 628. But his Son Dagobert fell into the same Madness for he not only gave part of the Kingdom to his Brother Albert but also divided his own share among his two Sons neither did he do any thing for the Benefit of the Publick during his Reign From this time the French Kings quite degenerated from their ancient Valour giving themselves over to Laziness and Debauchery Wherefore the Grand Mareschals of the Kingdom did by degrees assume the Power and Administratinon of Publick Affairs Among these Pipin was famous descended of a Noble Family in Austrasia who had the Administration of Affairs during the space of twenty eight Years under several Kings His Son Charles Martell succeeded his Father in his Power and Office which he rather augmented after he was grown famous by his Martial Exploits having chas'd away the Saracens who about that time conquering Spain fell also into France of whom he kill'd a vast number This Man took upoâ— himself the Title of a Prince and Duke of France so that nothing remain'd with the Kings but the bare Title and an empty Name they being kept in the Country and once a Year carried for a Show through the City to expose them to the view of the People like strange Creatures At last Pipin the Younger Son of this Charles Martell who died in the Year 741 having brought the great Men of the Kingdom over to his Party depos'd King Childerick II. and having sent him into a Convent got himself proclaim'd King of France This was approv'd easily enough by Pope Zachary because he being in fear of the growing Power of the Longobards in Italy did endeavour by all means to oblige the King of France to come to his Assistance And thus the Merovignian Family loses the Crown of France § 4. Pipin to convince the World that he was not unworthy of the Crown or else to furnish the People with other Matters than to talk of the deposing of Childerick undertook an Expedition against the Saxons whom he vanquish'd in a great Battel And he had likewise under the Reign of the former Kings undertaken several Expeditions into Germany with great Success and subdu'd some of the Nations bordering upon the Rhine Not long after an Opportunity presented it self to make himself famous in Italy For Aistulphus the King of the Lombards had propos'd to himself the Conquest of all Italy after he had chas'd the Governours of the Grecian Emperours which were then call'd Exarches out of Ravenna and all other places which were under their Jurisdiction and was ready to march directly against Rome The Pope Stephen III. being in great fear of this Enemy and not knowing where to find Assistance crav'd Aid of Pipin whom he at last persuaded to take his part against Aistulphus In this War Pipin recover'd from Aistulphus all what he had before taken from the Grecian Emperours in Italy the Revenue of which he as 't is pretended gave to the Roman See reserving to himself as it is very probable the Sovereignty over these places He gained by this Action the Reputation of being very Zealous and by bestowing these Revenues upon the Holy Chair got a firm footing in Italy and the advantage of swaying Matters there according to his Pleasure He made also Tassilo Duke of Baâ—aria his Vassal and beat the Duke of Aquitain This Pipin died in the Year 768 leaving behind him
the Year 1510 the Pope Ferdinand Henry VIII and the Swiss Cantons denounced War against Lewis For the Pope could not look with a good Eye upon the growing Power of France in Italy Ferdinand feared lest Lewis might attack Naples and Henry being come lately to the Crown was for making himself famous by so great an Undertaking the Swiss were set against France because Lewis had not paid them their old Arrears and had refused to encrease their Pension not because their Demands were extravagant but because he would not be out-brav'd by them In this War the French General Gasto de Foix behaved himself very gallantly for he relieved Bononia beat the Venetian Army killed 8000 of them in Brescia and obtained a glorious Victory against the Confederate Army near Ravenna in which Battel nevertheless this brave General being too hot in pursuing the Enemy was slain With his death the French Affairs began to decline and they were again forced to leave Italy Maximilian Son of Lewis the Black was restored to his Dutchy of Milan by the help of the Swiss The Genoucse revolted and made sanus Fregosus their Duke Ferdinand the Catholick took from King John the Kingdom of Navarre which the French in vain endeavoured to regain from the Spaniards But Lewis being extreamly desirous to regain Milan enter'd into a League with Venice and retook most places of that Dukedom and the City of Genoua He besieg'd Duke Maximilian in the Castle of Novara but the Swiss coming to the Assistance of the Duke attack'd the French with incredible Fury in their Camp and drove them quite out of the whole Dukedom which was twice taken in one Month. Then Lewis was at one time attack'd by the Emperour England and the Swiss and if the English and the Swiss had join'd France would have run a great Risque But King Henry in lieu of entring into the Heart of France lost his Time at the Siege of Terouâ—ne where he defeated the French that were come to its Relief near Guinegast this Battel was call'd La journée des esperons or The Battel of the Spurs because the French made better use of their Spurs than their Swords and after he had taken Tournay he return'd into England The Swiss who kept the Duke of Tremoville besieg'd were bought off with 600000 Crowns which were promised to them by the Duke without the King's Order as likewise that he should renounce the Council of Pisa and his Pretensions to the Dukedom of Milan Which shamefull Agreement the King refus'd to ratify and if the Swiss had not been more fond of the Ransom offer'd for the Hostages than their Blood they had pay'd with their Lives for it In the Year next following Lewis made a Peace with the King of England who gave him his Sister Mary in Marriage which young Lady 't is thought did hasten the Death of the old King which ensu'd in the beginning of the Year 1515. This King was so well belov'd by his People that he was generally call'd Le Pere du Peuple or The Father of the People § 17. His Nephew Francis I. succeeded him who having made a League with England the Archduke Charles and Venice enter'd upon a sudden into Italy and took Genoua and some other Places without great Opposition but being encamp'd near Marignano within a League of Milan the Swiss unexpectedly fell upon him where a bloody Fight ensu'd The Swiss were at last repuls'd and found that they cou'd be beaten having lost above 10000 but the French also left 4000 of their best Men upon the Spot After this Maximilian surrender'd himself and the whole Country to the King on the Condition of an annual Pension of 30000 Ducats to be paid him Soon after the King agreed with the Swiss whom in Consideration of a good Summ he brought again into an Alliance with France He made also an Agreement with Pope Leo X. by vertue of which the King was to have the Right of naming Bishops and Abbots but the Pope to keep certain Benefits out of the chiefest Church Benefices In the Year 1518 he redeem'd Tournay form the English for a good Summ of Money In the Year next following after the Death of the Emperor Maximilian Francis employ'd all his Engines to be exalted to the Imperial Dignity but the German Princes fearing lest the French should endeavour to humble them and for some other Considerations preferr'd before him Charles V. This proved the Occasision of great Jealousies betwixt these two Princes for Francis being very sensible what great Advantages he had gained by the Imperial Dignity put himself into a good posture to prevent his becoming Master of him and all the rest of the Princes in Europe This Jealousie broke at last out into an open War Francis endeavouring to re-take Navarre from the Spaniards as thinking to have met with a fair Opportunity whilst the Divisions in Spain were on Foot The French conquer'd that Kingdom in a few days time but being not carefull enough to preserve it as easily lost it again Soon after the War was kindled in the Netherlands occasion'd by Robert Van de Marck Lord of Sedan whom Francis took into his Protection This Robert was so puft up with the French Protection that he writ a Letter of Defiance to the Emperour and fell into the Country of Luxemburgh But Charles quickly chastis'd this petty Enemy and being persuaded that Francis had encourag'd him thereunto he took from him St. Amand and Tournay The Business nevertheless might have been compos'd at the beginning if the French had not insisted upon keeping Fonterabia which in the mean time had been surpris'd by them But the hardest task was in Italy both the Emperour and Pope being willing to drive Francis out of Milan and to restore Francis Sforza They effected both with good Success for the French Army was not timely supply'd with Money and being besides this beaten near Bicoque the French were again driven out of Milan and Genoua And on the other side they also lost Fonterabia But what happen'd very ill to Francis was That the Constable Charles of Bourbon went over to the Emperour the Reason of which was That he had been for a while mightily kept under by the Queen Mother the Chancellour Duprat and Admiral Bonnivet The first had commenc'd a Suit at Law against him about the Dukedom of Bourbon which he despair'd to be able to maintain against so strong a Party as believing that the King was underhand concern'd in the Matter 'T is said that the first Cause of this Difference was because the Duke of Bourbon had refus'd to marry her The Duke of Bourbon therefore had agreed with the Emperor and the King of England That they should divide the Kingdom of France betwixt them the Kingdom of Arelat and the Emperour's Sister having been promis'd to the Duke of Bourbon But the Design being discover'd the Duke of Bourbon was
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
might not be devoured by the House of Austria he was resolved to prevent with all his Might This is certain that his Preparations were greater than seem'd to be requisite only for the business of Juliers for he and his Allies had got 120000 Men together and prodigious Summs of Money The House of Austria on the other hand did not make the least Preparations just as if it had fore-known the fatal Blow which happened soon after The Army was marching towards the Netherlands and the King ready to follow in a few days having caused the Queen to be Crowned and constituted her Regent during his absence When the King going along the Street in Paris in his Coach which was fain to stop by reason of the great Croud of the People was by a desperate Ruffian whose Name was Francis Ravillac stabb'd with a Knife in his Belly so that he without uttering one word died immediately There are some who make no-question of it but that this Villain was set on to commit this fact and that it was not done without the knowledge of the Spaniards and the Queen her self And so fell this great Hero by the hands of a profligate Wretch after he had surmounted great Difficulties in ascending the Throne and had avoided above fifty several Conspiracies which being most contrived by the Priests against his Life were all timely discovered His Death proved very pernicious to the Kingdom because during the Minority of his Son the Power of the Great Men and also of the Huguenots did extreamly encrease § 23. His Son Lewis XIII succeeded him being scarce nine Years of Age and under the Tuition of his Mother Mary de Medicis she endeavour'd to preserve Peace abroad by Alliance and at home by Clemency and Liberality towards the great Men of the Kingdom who nevertheless several times raised Disturbances whereby they made their own advantage the Queen-Regent being not Powerfull enough to keep them in Obedience by force As soon as the King had taken upon himself the Management of Affairs he caused Concini Marshal d' Ancre who was born a Florentine to be killed he having been in great Power during the Queen's Regency and by his Pride Riches and Power drawn upon himself the Hatred of the Subjects by his Death he hoped to appease the dissatisfied Multitude The Queen-Mother was sent away from Court to Blois from whence she was carried away by the Duke d' Espernon And these Commotions were at last appeased by bestowing liberal Presents among the Great Men. About the same time Richlieu afterwards made a Cardinal began to be in great Esteem in Court who advised the King to establish his Authority and to take up by the Roots the intestine Evils of France He laid this down as a fundamental Principle That he should take from the Huguenots the power of doing him any mischief considering that such as were dissatisfied at any time or that were of a turbulent Spirit took always refuge and were assisted by them The first beginning was made in the King 's Patrimonial Province of Bearn where he caused the Catholick Religion to be re-establish'd The Huguenots being greatly dissatisfied thereat began to break out into Violence whence the King took an opportunity to recover several Places from them but sustained a considerable Loss in the Siege of Montauban till at last Peace was made with the Huguenots under condition that they should demolish all their new Fortifications except those of Montauban and Rochelle In the Year 1625 Cardinal Richlieu was made Chief Minister of France about which time also the second War with the Huguenots was ended But this Peace did not last long because those of Rochelle would not bear that the Fortress called Fort-Lewis should be built just under their Noses Richlieu therefore having taken a resolution at once to put an end to this War by the taking of Rochell besieg'd it so close both by Sea and Land that the English who had had very ill Success in the Isle of Rhée where they Landed could bring no Succours into the place Their Obstinacy was at last over-come by Famine of 18000 Citizens there having been not above 5000 left for they had lived without Bread for thirteen Weeks With this stroke the Strength of the Huguenots was broken Montauban upon the persuasion of the Cardinal having demolished its Works The cunning Duke of Roan also at last made his peace after he had been sufficiently troublesome to the King in Languedoc under condition that the Cities of Nismes and Montpelier should demolish their Fortifications but for the rest enjoy the free Exercise of their Religion And thus the Ulcer which had settled it self in the very Entrails of France was happily healed up It is related by some that these Civil Wars have devoured above a Million of People that 150 Millions were employed in paying of the Souldiers that nine Cities 400 Villages 20000 Churches 2000 Monasteries and 100000 Houses were burnt or laid level with the ground Then France applied all their care towards Foreign Affairs The King assisted the Duke of Nevers in obtaining the Dukedom of Mantua which belonged to him by Right of Succession but whom the Spaniards endeavour'd to exclude from the same as being a French-man In this War the Siege of Casal is most famous in the defence of which place the French gave incredible proofs of their Bravery At last the business was through the wise Management of the Popish Nuncio Mazarini who then laid the first Foundation of his future Greatness in France composed and the Duke of Nevers afterwards by the Treaty made at Chierasco establish'd in the Dukedoms of Mantua and Montferrat The King also bought Pignerol of the Duke of Savoy that so the French might not want a door into Italy France had also before taken part with the Grisons against the Inhabitants of the Valteline who had revolted being assisted by the Spaniards whereby he prevented this Country from falling into the Hands of the Spaniards and so Matters were restored to their former State In the Year 1631 France made an Alliance with Sweden allowing to that King a yearly Pension to assist him in opposing the Greatness of the House of Austria But when King Gustavus Adolphus began to be formidable on the Rhine he took the Elector of Treves into his protection putting a Garrison into Hermanstein which nevertheless in the Year 1636 was forced to a Surrender by Famine In the mean time the Queen-Mother and the Kings Brother the Duke of Orleans envying the Greatness of Richelieu had raised some tumults With them also sided Montmorency who paid for it with his Head and put an inglorious end to his noble Family which boasted to have been the first noble Family that embrac'd the Christian Religion in France And tho' this business was afterwards Composed the Queen Mother being received into Favour again yet was she so
that it is absolutely against the Interest of some States to join themselves against France For as Affairs now stand Portugal is not likely to join with Spain Sweden with Denmark Poland with the House of Austria against France Neither is it probable that the Italian Princes will be desirous to assist the Emperour and Spain in subduing of France except we must suppose them to be willing to promote their own Ruin Neither is it likely that England and Holland will agree in a War against France for whilst one of them is engag'd in a War against France it seems to be the Interest of the other to stand Neuter and to promote its own Trade and Navigation It is also not very probable that the Princes of Germany especially those of the Protestant Religion should be willing to see France fall before the House of Austria since both their Power and Religion would stand upon slippery Ground if not supported by a Foreign Power Wherefore it seems to be no difficult task to persuade some of the Protestant Princes at least to sit still The Swiss also are not likely to co-operate with Spain and the House of Austria in the Conquest of France and therefore it would not be so difficult for France to defend it self against the House of Austria and all its Confederates Not to mention here that in such a case Sweden and Poland would not leave France if they were in a Condition to assist it But it is not probable that France should make any account upon an Alliance with the Turks except in the greatest Extremity for the Mahometan Princes have learn'd by Experience that where-ever they have intermedled with the Christians in their Wars these commonly have clapt up a Peace without including them or having any regard to their Interest On the other hand France seems not to be strong enough to overturn all the States of Europe by his Conquests For France may be the most potent Kingdom in Christendom but not the only one and by extending its Conquests too far it would be weaken'd within In the mean time those lesser States bordering upon France are in great danger to be devour'd by so flourishing a Kingdom CHAP VI. Of the United Provinces § 1. THat Country which is commonly call'd the Netherlands or the Lower Germany was anciently comprehended partly under Gaul partly under Germany according as they were situated either on this or the other side of the Rhine which was the ancient Boundary of these two vast Countries That part which was situated on this side of the Rhine was by Julius Caesar together with the rest of Gaul reduc'd under the Obedience of the Roman Empire Afterwards the Batavi and the Zealanders did also submit to the Romans yet so that they were rather esteem'd Allies than Subjects And when in the Fifth Century after the Birth of Christ the Francks establish'd a new Kingdom in France these Provinces were also at first united to it But at the same time when Germany was separated from France most of them fell to Germany few remaining with France The Governours of these Provinces did in process of time under the Names of Dukes and Earls make themselves Demi-Sovereigns as did also other Princes of Germany and France yet so that it was a general Maxim among them To rule the People with Mildness And for the Security of their Liberty they us'd to grant them great Privileges in the maintaining of which this Nation was always very forward The Estates also which consisted of the Clergy Nobility and Cities were always in great Authority and would not easily suffer that any new Impositions should be laid upon the People without their consent These Provinces according to the common computation are Seventeen in number viz. Four Dukedoms of Brabant Limburgh Luxemburgh and Gueldres Seven Earldoms of Flanders Artois Hainault Holland Zealand Namur and Zutphen Five Lordships of Friesland Malines Vtrecht Over-yssel and Groningen Antwerp has the title of a Marquisate of the Roman Empire These Provinces were anciently ruled each by its Prince or Lord but afterwards several of them were either by Inheritance Marriages or Contracts united together till most of them fell to the share of the House of Burgundy from whence they came to the House of Austria by the Marriage of Maximilian I. who had marry'd Mary the only Daughter of Charles surnamed The Hardy And were afterwards all united under Charles V. who govern'd them in Peace and Prosperity 'T is related that he had once taken a Resolution to make them one Kingdom which however he could not effect their Laws and Privileges being so different and they so jealous of one another that none of them would remit any thing of their Pretences in favour of the rest But the Reign of Charles V. over the Netherlands proved so very fortunate because he bore an extraordinary Affection to them and they to him For Charles was born in Ghent educated amongst them and liv'd a considerable time there His Humour suited very well with theirs he conversed with them in a friendly manner without haughtiness employing the Netherlanders frequently in his Affairs whereby this Nation was in great esteem at his Court But under the Reign of his Son Philip II. these Provinces were torn to Pieces by intestine Commotions and civil Wars which occasion'd the Rise of a potent Commonwealth in Europe This Government having prov'd the occasion of great Alterations it is worth our while to search both into the cause of these Commotions and the Origin of this new Government § 2. Philip II. therefore was not a little to be blam'd as being partly himself the cause of these civil Troubles for he being born in Spain and educated after the Spanish Fashion did favour only the Spainards representing in all his Behaviour a perfect haughty Spaniard which did mightily alienate the Minds of the Netherlanders especially after he resided altogether in Spain and did not so much as honour the Netherlands with his Presence thinking it perhaps below his Grandeur that he who was Master of so great a Kingdom and had such great Projects in his Head should trouble himself much about the Affairs of the Netherlanders Tho' in all Probability these might have been kept in Obedience by his Presence for his Father the sooner to appease a Tumult which was only risen in the City of Ghent did venture to take his journey through France and the Territories of Francis who was but lately reconcil'd to him Moreover William Prince of Orange a crafty thorough-pac'd and ambitious Man did not a little foment these Divisions For when Philip had taken a Resolution to go into Spain and to commit the Administration of the Netherlands to a Governour this Prince was contriving how Christina Dutchess of Lorrain might be constituted Regent of the Netherlands and how he by marrying her Daughter might bear the greatest sway in the Government But he miscarrying in both
same off again with his foot intimating thereby as if it was in the power of the Popes to give and to take away the Imperial Crown He died in the year 1198. having just then made great preparations for an Expedition into the Holy Land and sent his Army before he being ready to follow § 7. After the death of Henry VI. the Germans were miserably divided among themselves for Frederick II. his Son being then but five years old his Uncle Philip pretended to have the Tuition of his Nephew and the Administration of the Empire according to the last Will of the deceas'd Emperour but this being opposed by the Pope he perswaded some of the Princes to elect Otto Duke of Saxony Germany was thus miserably torn in pieces most siding with Philip the rest with Otto After a long war an agreement was made betwixt them that Otto should Marry the Daughter of Philip but lay down the Royal Title till the death of Philip when the same was to be restored to him Not long after Philip was murthered at Bamberg by Otto the Palatin of Wittelbach After his death Otto obtained the Imperial Dignity and having been Crowned at Rome he resolved to reunite such places as were unjustly possess'd by the Popes to the Empire which so exasperated the Pope that he Excommunicated him exhorting the Princes to elect another Emperour Most of them were for Frederick II. Son of Henry VI. which made Otto to hasten into Germany but having in vain endeavour'd to maintain himself in the Empire he was forc'd to surrender the Imperial Crown to Frederick the Second King of Sicily and Naples and Duke of Suabia who after he had bestowed a considerable time in setling the Affairs of Germany went into Italy where he was Crowned by the Pope In the year 1228. he undertook an Expedition into the Holy Land and retook Jerusalem from the Saracens He was continually allaâ—m'd by the intrigues of the Popes who were for playing the Masters in Italy against whom he bravely maintained his Right This occasioned several Excommunications to be thundred out against him by the Popes who raised great disturbances From hence had their rise the two famous Factions in Italy whereof those who sided with the Pope called themselves Guelfs but these who were for the Emperour Gibellins which two Factions for a considerable time after occasioned great Commotions in Italy And tho Frederick behav'd himself bravely against the Pope and his Associates yet the Popes Excommunication had such powerful Influence in that Superstitious Age that after the Pope had solemnly deposed him in the Council held at Lyons some Princes of Germany did choose Henry Landgrave of Thuringia their King who was commonly call'd the King of the Priests but he dying in the year next following some Princes declared William Earl of Holland their King who was not able to Establish himself being opposed by Cunrad Son of Frederick II. who was appointed to succeed his Father in the Empire In the mean time his Father had been very unsuccessful in Italy who at last died in the year 1250. Cunrad having left Germany retired into his Hereditary Kingdoms of Naples and Sicily where he died William Earl of Holland was slain in a battel against the Frizelanders in the year 1256. § 8. With the death of Frederick II. the Authority of the German Emperours in Italy was quite extinguish'd And that it might not be revived again the Pope gave the Kingdom of Naples to Charles Duke of Anjou who by the Instigation of the Pope caused the young Cunradin who being the Son of Cunrad was come to recover his Herediatary Kingdom and taken Prisoner in a battel fought betwixt them to be executed by the hands of the Hangman with whom was extinguish'd the Race of the Dukes of Swabia In the mean time there were great divisions among the German Princes concerning the election of a new Emperour some of them had chosen Richard Duke of Cornwal Son of John King of England and the rest were for Alfonsus X. King of Castile both were elected in the year 1257. Richard came on his Journey as far as the Rhine to take possession of the Empire but for want of Money was forc'd to return home again And Alfonsus came not within the sight of Germany Then there was a complete and long vacancy of the Throne in Germany during which time there was nothing to be seen but confusion every body pretending to be Master These Civil Disorders were of the worse consequence because that about the same time the three great Families of the Dukes of Swabia the Marquesses of Austria and Landgraves of Thuringia being extinct a great many aspired to possess themselves of these Countries To be short the longest Sword was then the best Title and he that could master another kept him under subjection and robbing and plundering was an allow'd exercise at that time Against these outrageous Proceedings several of the Cities upon the Rhine enter'd into a Confederacy with whom a great many other Princes afterwards joyning their Forces they demolish'd the strong Holds of these Robbers and clear'd the Highways § 9. At last Rodolph Earl of Habsburgh and Landgrave of Alsace from whom are descended the present Arch-Dukes of Austria was unanimously chosen Emperour who the better to establish himself in the Throne Marry'd his three Daughters to three of the great Princes of Germany viz. to Lewis Palatin of the Rhine to Albert Duke of Saxony and to Otto Marquess of Brandenburgh After the death of Frederick Marquess of Austria who had his Head cut off at Naples together with Cunradin Ottocar the King of Bohemia had possess'd himself of Austria Stiria Crain the Windishmarck and Portenau But Rodolph who thought that his Family had more Right to it having â—etaken these Countries from Ottocar gave them in Fief to his Son Albert and to the second whose name was Rodolph the Dukedom of Swabia Besides this the Grandson of Albert got Crain and Tyrol Thus Rodolph did by obtaining the Imperial Dignity raise his House from a moderate State to great Power and vast Riches But tho he was often invited to come into Italy yet he could never be perswaded to it alledging that old and notorious saying of the Fox Quia me vestigia terreat because the footsteps deter me Nay he declar'd a great many Cities there Free for Sums of money by which the Kingdom of Italy being first torn into a great many pieces was quite lost But Germany he took into his particular Care and destroy'd a great many Castles there which serv'd for a retreat for Robbers He was the first that introduc'd the use of the German Tongue in all Publick Courts and Private Transactions whereas formerly the Latin Tongue had been made use of in the like cases He dyed in the year 1291. His Son Albert did lay claim to the Empire but by the Interest of the
Archbishop of Mayence Adolph Earl of Nassau who was his kinsman was chosen Emperour the Archbishop being in hopes to have under him the supreme Management of the Affairs but Adolph not being willing to depend on the Archbishop he conceived a hatred against him Some did think it unbecoming the grandure of the Emperour that he engaged in a League with England against France for a Sum of Mony paid to him by the English but this might admit of a very good excuse since besides this the English had promiss'd the Emperour to assist him in the recovery of the Kingdom of Arclat a great part of which France had during the Troubles in Germany taken into its possession On the other hand France sided with Albert who being advanced near the Rhine the Archbishop of Mayence did assemble some of the Electors who being dissatisfied with Adolph depos'd him and chose Albert Emperour in his stead A bloody Battel was fought betwixt these two near Spires wherein Adolph being slain being slain the Imperial Crown remain'd to Albert But because he aim'd at nothing more than to enrich himself his Reign was both very unglorious and unfortunate His Covetousness was at last the occasion of his death for his Nephew John Duke of Swabia whom he had dispossess'd of his Country murder'd him near Rhinefeld § 10. After his death Philip King of France endeavour'd to obtain the Imperial Crown but was prevented by the Electors who upon the perswasion of the Pope chose Henry VII Earl of Luxemburgh This Emperour after he had setled Germany undertook a Journey into Italy with a resolution to suppress the Civil Commotions there and to reestablish the Imperial Authority The beginning of this undertaking proved so prosperous that every body hoped for great success from it But in the midst of this prosperity he was murther'd by a Monk who had given him a poison'd Host he having been hired by the Florentines the Emperours Enemies to commit this fact In the year 1313. the Electors were again divided in the Election of a new Emperour some having given their Votes for Lewis Duke of Bavaria the rest for Frederick Duke of Austria The first was Crown'd at Aix la Chapelle the latter at Bâ—nn These two carry'd on a War against each other for the Imperial Crown during the space of nine years to the great detriment of the whole Empire At last Frederick being made a Prisoner in a battel fought in the year 1323. Lewis became sole Master of the Empire and restored its Tranquility But he afterwards went into Italy to back the Gibellines who were of his side and tho at first he was very prosperous yet could he not settle his Affairs to any purpose because the Pope had Excommunicated him Wherefore also the Popes Associates in Germany maugre all his resistance were always too hard for him and at last by the perswasions of the Pope stirr'd up the Electors against him who chose Charles IV. Marquess of Moravia Son of John King of Bohemia Emperour in his stead who nevertheless as long as Lewis lived was not much taken notice of He died in the year 1347. It is to be observed that the preceding Emperours used generally to make their Progress thro' the Empire and to maintain their Court out of the Revenues belonging to the Empire But this Lewis IV. was the first who kept his constant Court in his Hereditary Country and maintain'd it out of his own Revenue whose example the succeeding Emperours follow'd the Revenues belonging to the Empire having been by degrees extremely diminish'd § 11. After the death of Lewis there were some who would have made void the former Election of Charles and had chosen in his stead Edward King of England who did not think fit to accept of the Imperial Dignity The same was also refused by Frederick Marquess of Misnia At last Gunther Earl of Swartzburgh was elected whom Charles caused to be poison'd and by his Liberality establish'd himself in the Empire During his Reign he gave away a considerable part of the Dependencies of the Empire and among the rest he granted to France the perpetual Vicarship of the Kingdom of Arclat and in Italy he sold what he could to the fairest bidder But he was not so careless of his Kingdom of Bohemia unto which he annex'd among other Countries that of Silesia He was a great favourer of the Cities which he dignified with such Privileges that they might the better be able to maintain themselves against the Power of the Princes The best thing that ever he did was that he caused first to be compiled the Golden Bull wherein were set down the Rules to be observed in the elections of the ensuing Emperours and Divisions among the Electors prevented for the future He died in the year 1378. having not long before by great Presents made to the Electors prevailed with them to chose his Son Wenceslaus King of the Romans But he being very brutish and careless of the Affairs of the Empire was deposed by the Electors which he little regarded but retired into his Hereditary Kingdom of Bohemia where he lived for a considerable time After Wenceslaus was deposed Jodocus Marquess of Moravia was chosen Emperour but he happening to die within a few months after before he could take possession of the Empire Frederick Duke of Brunswick was elected in his stead who in his Journey to Francfort was by instigation of the Archbishop of Mayence murthered by the Earl of Waldeck At last Rupert Palatin of the Rhine was chosen Emperour who Reigned with great applause in Germany but his Expedition into Italy proved fruitless He died in the year 1410. § 12. After the death of Rupert Sigismund King of Hungary Brother to Wenceslaus was made Emperour a Prince endow'd with great Qualities but very unfortunate in his wars having before he obtained the Imperial Crown received a great defeat from the Turks near Cogrelis which was occasioned by the too much heat and forwardness of the French Auxiliaries He caused John Huss notwithstanding the safe Conduct granted him to be burnt at the Council of Constance whose death his adherents who called themselves Hussites did revenge with great fury upon Bohemia and Germany this War having taken up the greatest part of his Reign He died in the year 1437. After him succeeded his Son-in-Law Albert II. Duke of Austria and King of Hungary and Bohemia who did not Reign a whole year He died in the year 1439. whilst he was very busie in making preparations against the Turks Him succeeded his kinsman Frederick III. Duke of Austria since which time all the succeeding Emperours have been of this House During his Reign several disturbances were raised in Germany which were neglected by the Emperour He also had some differences with Ladislaus Son of Albert II. concerning Austria and was attack'd by Matthias Hunniades King of Hungary which war
an opportunity to possess themselves of of these ample Revenues nevertheless the same kept a great many Prelates under the obedience of the Roman Chair who if they had not been afraid of losing their Rich Benefices would not have been so backward to side with Luther's Party This was manifestly to be seen in France where both the Prelates and Common People had made no great account of the Popes Authority before the Reformation but when they saw that those of the Reformed Religion were for breaking into their Quarters they agreed better afterwards with the Court of Rome and the Commonalty was very Zealous against the Reformed Religion § 28. But besides this the Pope as soon as his adherents had recovered themselves from their first consternation and his Enemies were faln out among themselves has since settled his Affairs in such a manner that the Protestants in all likelyhood will not only not be able to hurt him for the future but he also by degrees gets ground of them For those things wherewith Luther did upbraid them and did the most mischief to them they have either quite abolish'd or at least they are transacted in a more decent manner Si non castè tamen cautè They have also made use of the same Weapons wherewith Luther did attack them For the Popes now a days do not insult with so much haughtiness over Princes but treat them with more Civility and Lenity It is true in the last Age Paul IV. behaved himself very impudently towards Spain and in our Age Paul V. did the same with Venice But by the mediation of wiser Heads these Differences were Composed before they could draw after them any further ill Consequences and the Popes ever since have been sufficiently convinced that these hot-headed proceedings are in no ways suitable to their present condition For Paul V. did quickly give fair words when the French Ambassadour made him believe that the Venetians had sent for some Ministers from Geneva to be instructed in the Principles of the Reformed Religion Neither have of late years sate such Debauchees in the Papal Chair as Alexander VI. or such Martial Popes as Julius II. was but of late they have endeavoured to carry on their Intreagues under hand whilst they in outward appearance pretend to be the Promoters and Mediatours of Peace That most scandalous Trade of Indulgences and that gross sort of Simony they have set aside whilst they make it their business to cajole the People out of their mony in a more handsome manner The Bishops are now of another Stamp and carry it on with much more gravity than before the times of Luther nay there are now among the Prelats eccellent and well qualified Men. The Ordinary Priests and Monks also have been much Reformed in their Manners and been obliged to lay aside their former brutish Ignorance Luther And his adherents did at first gain mightily upon the People by their most excellent and learned Sermons and by their Books which they publish'd thereby to excite the People to Piety Prayers godly Meditations and Exercises Both which the Papists have imitated since for among them now adays are to be found most excellent Preachers and very good Prayer-Books so that the Protestant Clergy has now not much to object against them as to their ability or outward behaviour They have also got a very good insight into all the Controverted Points and have a dosen or more Distinctions at hand against any Objection For example whereas nothing seems more ridiculous than that the Pope should grant his Indulgences for twenty or thirty thousands years to come they know how to give this a fine colour by these Distinctions of Intensive and Extensive Potentialiter and Actualiter which relish strangely with young Students and the ignorant suppose them to be terms full of Mysteries And because the Ignorance of the Clergy and the hatred conceived against Learning and learned Men had proved very prejudicial to the Popish Monarchy the Popish Clergy and especially the Jesuits have since altered their Course and having taken upon them the Education of Youth have pretended to the Monopoly of Learning among the Roman Catholicks so that since that time Learning has not only not been prejudicial but very profitable to them Lastly they now adays do not make use of Fire and Sword to propagate the Roman Catholick Religion but the chief Men among the Protestants are inticed to come over to their Party with fair Words great Promises and actual Recompenses If any one who is well qualified will go over to their Party he may be sure to make his Fortune since the Wealth of their Church furnishes them with sufficient Means to maintain such a Person tho his Merits were not extraordinary Whereas on the contrary if any one goes over from them to the Protestants Religion and either has not wherewithal to live or else is endowed with extraordinary qualifications he must expect nothing but want Last of all those of the House of Austria have greatly promoted the Popish Interest when they drove the Protestants out of the Hereditary Countries in Germany out of the Kingdom of Bohemia and the Countries belonging thereunto and lately have done the same to the Protestants in Hungary except to a very few or else have forced them to profess themselves Roman Catholicks § 29. From what has been said it may easily be understood in what manner this Ecclesiastical Sovereignty has extended her Power over the Western parts of Christendom But throughly to understand the whole Structure and Composure of this Engine and by what means it is sustained it will not be improper to consider the Pope in two different ways first as a Prince in Italy and secondly as the spiritual Monarch over the Western Church As to the first it is to be observed that the Pope may be reckoned a Potent Prince in Italy but is in no ways to be Compared with the other Princes in Europe The Countries under his Jurisdiction are the City of Rome with her Territories situated on both sides of the River Tyber the Dukedom of Benevento in the Kingdom of Naples the Dukedoms of Spoleto Vrbino and Ferrara the Marquisate of Ancona several places in Tuscany Romaniola or Flaminia where are situated Bologna and Ravenna In France the Country of Avignon belongs to him Parma is a Fief of the Church which Paul III. granted to his Son Lewis Farnese But since that time a Constitution has been made that it shall not be in the power of any Pope to Alienate any Fief or to grant any of the Countries belonging to the Church in Fief to any person whatsoever to prevent the ruin of the Ecclesiastick State and that in case the Revenues from abroad should fail the Pope nevertheless might not want means to maintain himself and his Court. The Kingdom of Naples is also a Fief of the Church in acknowledgment of which the King of Spain every
six Books By the Famous Monsieur de la Quintinye Chief Director of all the Gardens of the French King To which is added his Treatise of Orange Trees with the raising of Melons omitted in the French Editions Made English by J. Evelyn Esq illustrated with Copper Plates The Commentaries of Julius Caesar of his Wars in Gallia and the Civil Wars betwixt him and Pompey with many Excellent and Judicious Observations thereupon By Clement Edmonds Esquire To this Edition is now added at the end of every Book those Excellent Remarks of the Duke of Rohan also the Commentaries of the Alexandrian and African Wars Written by Aulus Hirtius Pansa now first made English with a Geographical Nomenclature of the Antient and Modern Names of Towns together with the Life of Caesar and an account of his Medals The Roman History from the building of the City to the settlement of the Empire by Augustus Caesar being 727 years for the better understanding of the Roman Authors and Roman Affairs By Lawrence Etchard A. M. The Life of the Famous Cardinal Duke de Richlieu Principal Secretary of State to Lewis XIII A new Voyage to Italy with a Description of the Chief Towns Churches Tombs Libraries Palaces Statues and Antiquities of that Country with useful Instructions for those who shall travel thither By Maximilian Misson Gent. Adorned with Figures BOOKS printed for Tho. Newborough at the Golden Ball in St. Paul's Church-Yard THE Great Historical Geographical and Poetical Dictionary being a Curious Miscellany of Sacred and Prophane History containing the Lives of the Patriarchs Judges and Kings of the Jews of the Fathers of the Church of the Popes c. of Heresiarchs with an Account of their principle Doctrines of Emperours Kings and Illustrious Princes c. of Philosophers Inventors of Arts and those that have recommended themselves to the World The Genealogy of several Illustrious Families in Europe the Fabulous History of the Heathen Gods c. the Description of Empires Kingdoms Commonwealths Islands Mountains and Rivers and other considerable Places of Geography c. Collected from the best Historians Chronologers and Lexicographers by Lewis Morery D. D. The Sixth Edition Corrected and Enlarged by Monsieur l' Clarke To which are added the Lives and most Remarkable Actions of the English Scotch nad Irish Nobility Gentry Clergy and Artificers c. by several Learned Men with the five Years Historical and Geographical Collections of Edmund Bohun Esqiure never yet published Geographia Universalis The Present State of the whole World Giving an Account of the several Religions Customs and Riches of each People The Strength and Government of each Polity and State The Curious and most Remarkable Things in every Region with other Particulars necessary to the understanding History and the Interest of Princes Written Originally at the Command of the French King for the use of the Dauphin by the Sieur Duval Geographer in Ordinary to his Majesty The Third Edition Corrected and Enlarged by R. Midgley M. D. The most ancient State of Mankind The Original of Civil Societies At what time the first States were constituted The first States were very small and imperfect The Assyrian Empire By what means this Empire was maintained It s Fall The Persian Empire By what means it was maintained Greece Sparta Macedon The Politick Conduct and great Actions of Philip. Alexander the Great He dies young Great Troubles after the Death of Alexander The Fall of the Macedonian Empire Carthage Rome a Warlike City Bywhat means Rome became so populous Several other Military Institutions Of the Religion of the Romans The Expulsion of their Kings and the Erection of a new Form of Government Reasons of the fall of the Roman Greatness The Defects of the Roman Common-wealth Two distinct Bodies in Rome Factious Tribunes Citizens too powerfull The Constitution of the Roman Monarchy The Roman Monarchy could not be of a long continuance 〈…〉 Anno 1453. The ancient State of Spain West Goths conquer Spain 410. 554. 572. 586. 646. 677. The Ruine of the Gothick Empire in Spain 713. 714. The Saracens câ—nquer Spain Kings in Oviedo Pelagius 726. Favila Alfonso I. 737. Favila Aurelius Silo. Alfonsus I Veremundus 791. Ramirus Ordonius I. Alfonso III. Garsias 910. 913. The Origin of the Kingdoms of Navarre and Arragon Favila II. Alfonso IV. Ramirus II. 931. Ordonius III Sanctius 955. 965. Ramirus III. 967. Veremund II. 982. Alfonso V. 999. Veremund III 1025. Castile made a Kingdom Sanctius II. Major The perniciâ—us Division of Spain 1038. 1045. 1053. Sanctius III. 1067. Alfonso VI. 1073. 1085. Alfonso VII Alfonso VIII 1118. 1122. 1134. 1137. Sanctius IV. Alfonso IX Henry Ferdinandus Sanctus 1230. 1230. 1240. 1248. Alfonso X. 1256. 1284. Sanctius V. The Sicilian Vespers Ferdinand IV 1312. 1297. Alfonso XI 1324. 1350. Peter the Cruel 1366. 1369. Henry II. John II. 1390. Henry III. John II. 145â— 1442. Henry IV. 1468. 1469. Ferdinand the Catholick and Isabella The Kingdom of Castile and Arragon united The first beginning of the Spanish Inquisition 1497. 1481. 1483. Granada taken 1492. 1494. America discover'd The first rise of the War betwixt France and Spain 1504. Philip. 1506. 1512. Ferdinand conquer'd Naâ—â—arre Charles 1519. Wars betwixt Charles and France 1524. 1525. Rome taken by Charles V. 1527. A Peace madâ— at Cambray 1538. 1542. Peace made at Crespy 1544. Charles wages War against the Protestants in Germany 1547. 1550. Treaty at Passaw 1554. Abdication of Charles Peace betwixt Spain and France 1559. Charles dies Philip II. War with England The Spanish Armado destroyed 1588. 1596. 1594. Peace made at Vervin 1551. 1560. 1592. Portugal falls to Spain 1579. 1595. Philip III. Trucâ— with Holland 1609. 1602. Philip IV. 1622. 1628. 1639. Catalonia rebels 1651. Portugal falls off from Spain 1640. 1636. The Portugueses Duke of Braganza proclaimed King of Portugal 1642. 1647. Massanâ—llo ' s Rebellion at Naples 1647. 1650. The Pyrenean Treaty 1662. 1665. Charles II. 1668. Peace with Portugal The Tripple Alliance Peace made at Aix la Chapelle 1668. Peace made as Nimmegen 1679. The Nature of the Spaniards The Constitution of the Spanish Countries The Spanish West Indies Several sorts of Inhabitants in the Spanish West Indies Riches of America 1563. The Canary Islands Sardinia Sicily Naples Milan The Netherlands The Philippine Islands Strength and Weakness of Spain In what condition Spain is in in reference to its Neighbours and especially as to Barbary Turky Italian States The Pope Venice Genouae Savoy The Suiss Holland Germanâ— England Portugal France What may be the consequence of the Extinction of the Royal Family The Origin of the Kingdom of Portugal Henry Earl of Portugal Alfonsus I. King of Portugal 1126. 1139. The Origin of the five Shields in the Arms of Portugal 1179. 1185. Sanctius I. Alfonsus II. Sanctius II. 1246. Alfonsus III. Dionysius Alfonsus IV. Pieter Ferdinand 1373. Interregnum Some call in the King of Castile 1385. John the Bastard 1399. 1415. 1420. Edward Alfonsus V. 1476. 1479.
Fainthearted 987. The Carolinian Family extinguish'd Hugh Capet the first of the present Race Robert The Pope excommunicates him and his Kingdom Henry I. Philip I. Will. Duke of Normandy conquers England Expedition into the Holy Land Lewis the Fat Lewis VII His unfortunate Expedition to the Holy Land Philip II. the Conquerour Another Expedition to the Holy Land War betwixt France and England 1223. Lewis VIII Lewis IX A third Expedition to the Holy Land without Success 1254. The first Pretensions of the French upon the Kingdom of Naples 1261. 1268. An unfortunate Expedition of S. Lewis Philip the Hardy The Sicilian Vespers 1282. Philip the Handsom 1292. He has ill Success in Flanders 1302. 1304. He suppress'd the Templers Lewis X. Philip the Tall. Charles IV. Philip of Valois His Title conteâ—ted by Edward III. of England and in what ground War with England Battel near Crecy The English take Calâ—is 1347. Dauphine annexed to France 1349. Philip introduced the Gabell John Vnfortunate in his Wars against the English Battel near Poictiers 1356. A dishonourable Peace to France 1360. 1364. Charles the Wise He declares War against the English After the Death of Edward Charles attacks the English with Advantagâ— Charles VI. 1384. 1382. The first rise of the French Pretensions upon Milan◠〈…〉 1404. The Duke of Orleans assassinated by the Duke of Eurgundy 1407. The English take advantage of these Troubles 1415. Battel of Agincourt 1419. The Duke of Burgundy assassinated 1422. Charles VII Henry VI. of England proclaim'd King of France Misunderstandings betwixt the English and the Duke of Burgundy the only Advantage Charles had left The Maid of Orleans 1431. The English Power declines in France 1435. 1436. He drives the English out of France 1449. 1451. 1453. 1461. Lewis XI He reduces the excessive power of the Nobility A League against him The King's 〈◊〉 â—â—thods The Original of selling the Offices of France Duke of Burgundy slain 1477. Charles VIII Britainy united to France 1491. An Expedition to Naples end the Preâ—â—â—sions of it 1494. Charles conquer'd Naples 1495. The League of Italy against the French He losâ—th Naples 1498. Lewis XII 1499. He conqâ—ers Milan He conquers Naples 1501. Loses it agaiâ— 1503. The Venetian War Lewis joins in the League against thâ—â— 1508. 1509. A League against Lewis 1512. He conquers Milan agaiâ—n He is attack'd by several Princes at once Francis 1. He aspires to the Empire In a few Days he takes and loses the Kingdom of Navarre 1521. A War 〈◊〉 in Italy The French driven out of Milan 1521. The Duke of Bourbon revolts to the Emperour 1524. Franc's desired at the Battel of Pavia and taken Prisoner 1525. He is set at Liberty on hard Conditions which he did not perform He with the King of England declare War against the Emperour He sends an 〈◊〉 my into Italy Peace made at Cambray 1529. 1535. The War breaks out afresh The Truce prolong'd for nine Years Francis breaks the Truce 1542. A Peace concluded at Crespy 1544. 1546. Henry II. 1548. 1549. 1550. His Expedition into Germany 1552. 1555. A Truce between Charles V. and Henry II. 1557. A Project to unite Scotland with France misscarried Francis II. The Causes of the intestine Wars of France 1527. The House of Guise rises and that of Bourbon declines Divisions about the Administration of the Government 1560. Charles IX The Conferenec of Poissy 1562. The first Huguenot war 1563. The Second War 1568. The Third War 1569. The Prince of Conde being slain the King of Navarre is declar'd Head of the Huguenots 1570. The Parisian Massacre The Fourth War 1573. The Fifth War Henry III. The Holy League 1577. The Sixth War Spain enters the League The Seventh War 1585. The Eighth War 1587. The League force the King from Paris 1588. The Duke and Cardina of Guise assassinated by the King's Order at Blois The King makes use of the Huguenots against the League Aug. 2. 1589. Henry IV. His Difficulties on the account of his Religion The Pope Excommunicates Henry Proposals about setting up another King 1593. The King changes his Religion 1593. Several Cities surrender to him 1594. The King assaulted and wounded by a Ruffian The Jesuits banish'd The Edict at Nants The Peace of Vervins He takes from the Duke of Savoy all that he possessed on this side the Alpes 1600. The Conspiracy of the Marshal de Biron 1602. He introduces Manufacturies His Design to put a stop to the growth of the House of Austria He is Assassinated by Ravillac May 14. 1610. Lewis XIII 1617. 1619. Richlieu comes in play Made chief Minister of State Rochelle taken The Effects of the Civil Wars A War in Italy 1628. The first Occasion of Mazarini's Greatness How Pignerol came into the hands of the French The Queen Mother raises Troubles 1642. The King takes Lorrain from that Duke 1634. 1636. 1638. May 14. 1643. Lewis XIV Mazarini ' s Ministry 1644. Peace of Munster The intestine Commotions 1648. The Slingers The King forc'd to leave Paris 1649. The Imprisonment of the Princes 1651. The Cardinal banish'd France The Queen recalls him 1653. 1658. 1662. The Pyrenaean Peace 1659. The Death of Mazarini 1661. A Dispute about Precedency between the French and Spanish Embassadours A Treaty with the Duke of Lorrain A Differance with the Pope 1664. He attacks Flanders Peace made at Aix la Chapelle 1668. 1667. He invades Flanders 1672. 1673. Mastricht taken by the French The Death of Turenne The Losses of the Spaniards in this War Peace at Nimmegen The French Nation Full of Nobility Their Natural Qualities The Nature of the Country It s Situation It s Fertility Its Plantations The Government of France The Strength of France with reguard to England To Spain To Italy To Holland To the Swiss To Germany The Strength of France in regard of a Confederacy The ancient State of the United Provinces The Division of the 17 Provinces The Vnion of the 17 Provinces Tâ—eir Coâ—ditiâ—n than under Charles V. The cause of the Wars in the Netherlands under Philip II. William Prince of Orange Discontents of the Nobility and Clergy Change of Religion Spanish Inquisition Queen Flizabeth â—â—mented their Revolt 1559. The Cardinal Granville 1564. Count Egmont sent into Spain An Association of the Nobility 1566. Breaking of Imâ—ges The Duke of Alva 1568. The Earls of Egmont and Hoorn beheaded Briel taken April 1. 1571. Duke of Alva recall'd Lewis Requesenes Governour 1574. 1576. The Treaty of Ghent Don John d' Austria made Governour Archduke Matthew 1577. Alexander Duke of Parma Malecontents The Duke of Parma The Vnion of Utrecht the Foundation of the Common-wealth 1579. The Duke of Alenson 1583. 1584. Prince of Orange murthered His Son Prince Maurice made Stadtholider The English Confederacy 1616. 1586. The Regency of the Earl of Leicester The State of Affairs in Holland legias to mend 1588. 1590. 1592. Arch-Duke Albert Governour of the Spanish Netherlands 1602. The East-India Company Isabella Clara Eugenia Battel
near Newport Siege of Ostend 1601. The Conquests on both sides A Truce of 12 Years 1609. A Quarrel about the Dutchy of Juliers The Differences between the Remonstrants and Contra-Remonstrants Afterwards manag'd by State Policy 1629. The Spanish War renew'd 1621 Prince Maurice dies 1625. Prince Frederick Henry I. 1627. A League Offensive between France and Holland 1635. 1636. Prince William II. Peace concluded at Munster 1648. War with Portugal Divisions in Holland Da Witt and others made Prisoners by the Prince The Birth of Prince William III. War with the English Parliament A Peace 1654. Differences with Swedeland 1660. The Second War with England 16â—5 England and France declare War with Holland The Du Witts murther'd 1674. 1676. 1677. The Constitution Their Genius The Nature of 〈◊〉 Country Of their Shipping and Commerce East-India Company The West-India Company Strength and Weakness of this Common-wealth Form of Government Prince of Orange 1675. Whether it is their advantage to have a Soveraignty Other Defects of this Common-wealth 1665. The Neighbours of Holland England France Spain Portugal The Northern Crowns First Original of this Commonâ—ealtâ— Thâ— first Vnâ—on of he Switz The Bâ—â—â—el near Morgarten To fiâ—st design of this Confederacy Battel near Sempach Wars wiâ—h Charles Dukâ— of Burgundy Their Allâ—es Some oâ—her Wars of thâ— Switzers 1499. Thâ—ir Wars with France 1513. 1515 The 〈◊〉 of the Soil The Genâ—ns of this Nâ—tion Their strength and weakness Their neighbours Te antient condition of Germany Charles tâ—e Great Lewis the Pious Lewis K. of Germanâ— C. Crassus 8â—7 894. 899. Lewis the Child 9â—5 9â—1 Cunrad Henry the Faulconer Otto the Great â—62 Otto II. Otto I 1001. 1024. Conrad II. 1034. Henry III Henry IV. The Pope gives him great trouble 1084. Hâ—â— Sâ—n Râ—â—els 1106. Henry V. 1122. 1125. Lotharâ—us the Saxâ—n Fredrick I. 1189. Henry VI. Philip 1208. Otto VI. Frederick II. The â—ueâ—fs and Gâ—bâ—â—lins 1245. 1254. A long inteâ—regnum 1255. Râ—dâ—lph â—arl of Habsbuâ—â—h 1273. Adolph Albert I. 1308. 〈◊〉 VII 〈◊〉 by â— Monk 〈…〉 Excâ—mmunicâ—ted bâ—â—â—â—e Pope Charles IV. Tâ—e Golden Bull. Wenceslaus 1400. Fredâ—rick oâ— Bruâ—sâ—ick Rupert Sigismund 1393. Albert II. Fredrick III Maximilian I. Charles V. 1517. The Reformation 1521. 1529. The Rise of the Name of Protestants 1530. The League at Smalkald 1546. 1552. A Peace concluded 1552. 1555. An Insurrection of the Boors 1525. 1532. He Resign Ferdinand I. Maximilian II. 1567. Râ—dolph II. 1612. Matthias Origin of the German Wars Thâ— Evangelical Union The Bohemian Tumults 1618. Ferâ—inand I Tâ—e Crown of Bohemia offer'd to the Electoâ— Palatin The ill succesâ— of the Elector Palatin 1620. Thâ— War spread in Geâ—maâ—y 1626. 1629. The Proclâ—mation concerning Churcâ— Lanâ—s 1629. Gustavus Aâ—olphus 1630. 1632. Gustavus'â— Dâ—â—th Thâ— Waâ— continueâ— 1634. 1635. Peace of Osnâ—â—rugge and France 1648. 1637. Ferdinand tâ—e Third Leopold 1659. War with the Turk War with France Peace of Nimâ—eâ—â—n 1679. The Genius oâ— this Nation Nature of 〈◊〉 Soil Its Commodities Form of Government Strenâ—th and weaknâ—ss of this Empire Whâ— the Emperour quitted the Kingdom of Arclat What is the Interest of the Electors The Conduct of Charles Of the Gaâ—ranties of the Circle of Burâ—undy 1548. Ferdinand pursuâ—s thâ— Spanish Mâ—xims Tâ—â— difference betwâ—xt hâ— Protestants 〈…〉 Tâ—e Turks Italy â—hâ— Swisse Poland Denmark Englanâ— Hollaâ—d Spâ—iâ— Sweden France 〈…〉 Kingdom 〈◊〉 III. Ericâ— I. 846. Suen Oâ—ttâ— Canut II. 1087. Waldemar I. 1157. 1164. Canute VI. 1227. Erick V. Abâ—l. 1250. 1252. Christâ—ph I. 1259. Erick VI. 1286. Erick VII Christoph II 1332. Wald. III. Olaus VI. 1396. Eric Pomerar 1438. Christopher 1439. Chrisâ—ian I. 1458. 1463. John 1497. 1513. Christian II. Crowned K. of Swedeâ— 1520. 〈…〉 of his own Kingd 1532. 1546. 1559. Frederick I. Christian III 1556. Fredâ—rick II 1560. 1570. Christian IV. 1613. 1625. 1629. 1643. 1645. Frâ—â—erick III 1657. War with Sweden 〈…〉 Câ—penhagen 1659. A Peace concluâ—ed Thâ— King â—eclared absolute an tâ—e Crown herediâ—arâ— Christian V. 1675. Hâ— makâ—th War upon Swedâ—n A Peace The Gâ—nius oâ—t is Nâ—tion The Norwegians Nature of the Soil Iâ—s defects Nâ—ighbours of Denmark Germany Swâ—â—en Holland England Thâ— Muscovites Poland France Origine of the Kingd of Poland Lechus Twelve Vayvods or Governours 700. Cracus Lechus II. Venda 750. Lescus I. 776. Lescus II. 804. Lescus III. Popiel I. Popiel II. 820. Piastus Zicmovitus Lescus IV. 902. Zicmovistus Micislaus 〈◊〉 965. 999. Boleslaus Chrobry the first King of Poland Miccislaus II. Casimir I. Boleslaus the Hardy 1058. Vladislaus 1082. Boleslaus III. 1103. 1139. Vladislaus II. Boleslaus IV. 1146. Miccislaus III. 1174. Casimir 11780. Lescus V. 1213. The first Inroads oâ— tâ—e Tartars Bâ—lesiaus V. 1226. Lâ—scus VI. 1279. Premislus 1291. Vladisl III. 1300. Casimir III. Lewis Jagello orVlaâ—isl IV. How Lithuania was united o Poland Vladisl V. 1445. Casimir IV. John Albert. Alexander Sigismund Sigismund is Augustus 1552. Henry of Valâ—â—s Duke of Anjou 1574. Steph. Batori Thâ— Cosacks Sigism III. 1592. 1605. Thâ— occasion of he War between Poland and Mâ—scâ—vy 1605. 1606. Basil great Duke of Muscovy 1086. Sigismund makes his a 〈…〉 of these Troubles in Muscovy 1609. 1610. The Policy oâ— the Muscâ—vites The Oversight of Sigismund The Poles defeated in Moldavia 1617. A War betwixt the Poles and Turks 1621. The Invasiof Gustavus Adolpâ— us 1625. Vladis IV. 1634. 1635. The Cause of the War with the Cosacks John Casimir 1647. The Poles defeated by â—he Cosâ—â—â—s The Muscovites join wâ—th the Câ—sacks 1653. The King of Sweden invades Poland The Battel of Warsaw Ragozi Prince of Transylvania invades Poland 1606. Michael Witsnowizki 1670. John Sobieski Tâ—e Genius of this Nation The Nature of the Soil c. Its Commodities The strength of the Kingdom Their weakness Their form of Government The Revenues of the King The Estates of the Kingdom Of the Administration of Justice Neighbours of Poland Germany The House of Austria in particular The Interest of Poland and Germany with reference to the Turk Brandenburgh Denmark and Sweden Moscovy The Tartars Moldavia The Cosackâ— The antient State of Russia John Basilius John Basilewitz 1533. Theodore Iuanowitz Boris Guidenow 1605. 1606. Michael Fadorowitz 1613. 1645. Alexius Michaelowitz 1656. Theodore Alexowitz The Genius of this Nation The Nature of the Country and Commodities Form of Government Strength of the Country Neighbours of Muscovy The Persiant Tartars Poland Sweden Politick Reflections upon Popedom The Blindness of Heathens in Matters of Religion The Constitution of the Jewish Religion The Christian Religion is proper for all the world Not contrary to Civil Government No other Religion or Philosophy comparable to it Concerning the outward Government of Religion What is meant by the external Government of Religion The Consideration of this Question according to the nature of Religion in general According to the Nature of the Christian Religion in particular First propagation of the Christian Religion The Methods of God in Establishing the Christian Religion Way the meanest first converted Persecution of the
and Aznar Son of Eudo Duke of Aquitain having taken several Places from the Moors took upon himself with consent of the before-mentioned Garsias the Title of Earl of Arragon Lewis also Son of Charles the Great taking Barcelona constituted a Governour there whose Name was Bernard a Frenchman from whom descended the Earls of Barcelona About the time also of the above-mentioned Kings there were several Earls or Governours of Old Castile who acknowledged the foresaid Kings for their Soveraigns These Earls being once suspected by King Ordonius he call'd them together who appearing were all kill'd by his Order Wherefore the Old Castilians under the Reign of his Son Favila a cruel Tyrant with-drawing themselves from the Kingdom of Leon chose two Governours under the Name of Judges who were to administer all Civil and Military Affairs But this Form of Government did not last long among them § 4. After Favila Alphonso the IVth obtained the Kingdom under whose Reign Ferdinand Gonsalvo Earl of Castile perform'd great things both against the Moors and Sanctius Abareus and his Son Garsias Kings of Navarre whom he vanquish'd But Alfonso himself being unfit to Govern the Kingdom surrendred it to his Brother Ramirus who with the assistance of the before-mentioned Ferdinand beat the Moors in several Places He died in the Year 950 and was succeeded by his Son Ordonius a Valiant Prince but did not Reign long leaving the Kingdom to his Brother Sanctius Crassus He was Banish'd by Ordonius Sir-named the Wicked but soon restored by the help of the Moors It is said that by certain Articles made betwixt Sanctius and Ferdinand Earl of Castile it was agreed that Castile after that time should not be obliged to acknowledge any dependance on the Kings of Leon. He was succeeded by Ramirus who in his Minority was under Womens tuition and when grown up proved very useless to the Publick For under his Reign partly by civil Commotions partly by the In-roads made by the Moors the Kingdom was considerably weakened and in great danger of losing more several Places being taken from the Christians Under Veremund II. also the Moors did considerable mischief in those Parts taking and plundering besides a great many others the City of Leon to which Misfortunes the civil Commotions did greatly contribute But at last Veremund entring into a Confederacy with the King of Navarre and Garsias Earl of Castile forced the Moors out of his Kingdom Him succeeded his Son Alfonso V. under whose Reign there were great Intestine Commotions in Castile whereby the Moors were encouraged to attack it with such vigour that they over-threw Garsias and took him Prisoner whose Son Sanctius revenged himself afterwards upon the Moors After this great Dissentions being arisen among the Moors their Empire was divided into several Parts each Governour of its Province assuming the Name of King Alfonso succeeded his Son Veremund III. under whose Reign there happened a great Revolution in Spain For Garsias Earl of Castile being upon the point of being married to the King's Sister at Leon was there barbarously murthered by some of his Vassals Castile therefore falling to Sanctius King of Navarre who had married the Sister of Garsias he took upon him the Title of King of Castile This Sanctius Sir-named Major also waged War against Veremund who had no Children taking from him by force of Arms a considerable part of the Kingdom Whereupon a Peace was concluded whereby it was agreed that Sanctius should keep what he had taken before but that his Son Ferdinand should Marry Sanctia the Sister of Veremund she being Heiress to her Brother and to succeed him in the Kingdom of Leon. In this manner was Leon Navarre and Castile United in one House But in the mean while that Sanctius Major was in the Field against the Moors a great Misfortune happened at Home He had particularly recommended to the Care of his Queen a very fine Horse which Garsias her Eldest Son had a mind to have and would have obtained it from the Mother if the Master of the Horse had not opposed it telling them that his Father would be greatly displeased at it This denial wrought so upon the Son that he accused his Mother of committing Adultery with the Master of the Horse The Matter being examined the King 's Natural Son Ramirus profered to justifie the Innocency of the Queen in a Duel with Garsias and the King being uncertain what to do a Priest did at last enforce the Confession of the Calumny cast upon the Queen from Garsias whereupon Garsias being declared incapable of succeeding his Father in Castile which did belong to him by his Mother's side and Ramirus obtained the Succession in the Kingdom of Arragon as a recompence of his Fidelity This Sanctius Major died in the Year 1035. § 5. Thus all the Provinces of Spain which were possess'd by the Christians being joined in one House it seem'd an easie matter to root out the Moors divided among themselves and to restore Spain to its former state if the same had remained under one Head But the division made by Sanctius Major occasion'd most bloody and pernicious Wars This before-mentioned Sanctius had four Sons To the Eldest Garsias he left Navarre and Biscay to Ferdinand Castile to Gonsalvo Suprarbe and Ripagorsa and to Ramirus his Natural Son Arragon giving to each of them the Title of King These being all ambitious to be equal in Power and Greatness to their Father and thinking their Bounds too narrow fell quickly together by the Ears For whilest Garsias was gone in Pilgrimage to Rome Ramirus endeavoured to make himself Master of Navarre but the other returning home â—hased him out of Arragon There arose also a War betwixt Ferdinand of Castile and his Brother-in-law Veremund King of Leon wherein the latter being slain in Battle Ferdinand became Master of Leon which did by Right of Succession belong to him He also took from the Moors a great part of Portugal After the Death of Gonsalvo the Third Son of Sanctius Major Ramirus made himself Master of his Territories and endeavoured also to recover by force of Arms Arragon from the King of Navarre Not long after Ferdinand of Castile and Garsias of Navarre waged War together about a certain Tract of Ground wherein Garsias was slain in a Battle By his Death Ramirus got an opportunity of recovering Arragon Ferdinand Sir-named the Great died in the Year 1065 dividing the Empire to the great detriment of Spain among his three Sons The Eldest Sanctius had Castile Alfonso Leon Garsias Gallicia and a part of Portugal with the Titles of Kings Sanctius waged War with Ramirus of Arragon whom he slew in a Battle but was beaten back again by Sanctius Son of Ramirus and the King of Navarre Afterward having driven Alfonso out of his Territories and taken Garsias Prisoner he took