hired a brother of the captains to kill the said Lodouic as he entred into the castel whom the captaine withheld frō executing the fact for the which cause he now saued his life Notwithstanding if he had been giltie of so heinous a crime as a purpose to yeeld the place to the Emperor who might haue laid claim to it both as Emperor Duke of Austrich for that house pretendeth some title thereunto I thinke he would not haue pardoned him for it would haue made a great alteration in Italie and the whole estate of Milain would haue reuolted in one day For when they liued vnder the Emperors euerie household paid but halfe a ducat for tribute but now they are cruelly and tyrannouslie gouerned both the Spiritualtie Nobilitie and Commons The Lord Lodouic seeing himselfe seized of the castell and all the force of the countrie at his commandement determined to attempt further for he that possesseth Milan possesseth the whole estate both bicause the chiefe of the countrie be resident there and also bicause those that haue the charge and gouernment of the other places be all Milanois borne Sure for the quantitie of this Duchie I neuer saw a pleasanter nor plentifuller peece of ground For if the Prince would content himselfe with the yeerely reuenues of fiue hundred thousand ducats his subiects should be but too rich and the Prince liue in suretie but he leuieth yeerely sixe hundred and fiftie thousand or seuen hundred thousand which is great tyrannie and therefore the people desire nothing more than change of their Prince Which the L. Lodouic considering togither with the other reasons aboue rehearsed and being already married to the Duke of Ferraraes daughter by whom he had many children determined to accomplish his intent and endeuored to win friends not onely in the said Duchie but also abrode in Italie Wherefore first he entred into league with the Venetians for the preseruation of their estate whereunto he was great friend to his father in lawes preiudice from whom the said Venetians not long before had taken a little territorie called the Polesan enuironed with water and maruellously abounding with all kinde of wealth This country being distant but halfe a league from Ferrara the Venetians possesse yet at this day There are in it two prety townes which I haue been in my selfe the one named Rouigue the other Labadie The Duke of Ferrara lost it in the war that himselfe first mooued against the Venetians for notwithstanding that before the end of those wars Alphonse Duke of Calabria his father King Ferrande yet liuing the Lord Lodouic with the force of Milan the Florentines the Pope and the towne of Bolonia came to his aide by meanes whereof the Venetians were brought altogither vnder foote or at the least to great extremitie being vtterly vnfurnished of monie and hauing lost diuers places yet the said Lodouic concluded a treatie to their honor and profit for euery man was restored to his owne saue the poore Duke of Ferrara who was forced to leaue vnto them the Polesan which they yet hold notwithstanding that he had mooued this war at the request of the Lord Lodouic and of King Ferrande whose daughter he had married The report went that Lodouic receiued threescore thousand ducats of the Venetians for making this treatie Whether it were so or no I know not but sure I am that the Duke of Ferrara was once perswaded that it was so for at that time the said Lodouic was not married to his daughter From that day forward amitie euer continued betweene the Venetians and the said Lodouic No seruant nor kinsman of Iohn Galeas Duke of Milan sought to impeach and stop the Lord Lodouic from seizing the Duchie into his own hands saue onely the Duchesse his wife who was yoong but a very wise Lady She was daughter to Alfonse Duke of Calabria before mentioned sonne and heire to Ferrande King of Naples In the yeere 1493. the said Lodouic sent to King Charles the 8. now raigning to perswade him to come into Italie to conquer the realme of Naples and to vanquish and subdue those that possessed it for so long as they florished and were of force he durst neuer attempt that which afterward he accomplished At that time the said Ferrande King of Naples and Alphonse his sonne were puissant rich of great experience in the wars and accounted Princes of hautie courages though afterward their actions declared the contrarie The said Lodouic was also a very wise man but maruellous timorous and humble when he stood in feare and void of all faith if the breach thereof might turne to his profit I speake as one that knew him throughly well bicause I haue dealt with him in many matters But to proceede in the yeere 1493. as before I said the Lord Lodouic began to tickle this yoong King Charles being but two and twenty yeeres of age with the ambition and vaineglorie of Italie shewing him what right he had to this goodly realme of Naples which I warrant you he skilfully blazed and painted foorth In all these negotiations he addressed himselfe to Stephan de Vers then newly made Seneschall of Beaucaire and maruellously enriched though not satisfied and to the Generall Brissonet a rich man skilfull in matters of the receit and great friend at that time to the said Seneschall by whose meanes the Lord Lodouic perswaded the said Brissonet to become a priest promising to make him a Cardinall but the Seneschall himselfe he promised to make a Duke And to set all these practises on foote the said Lodouic sent in the same yeere to Paris a goodly ambassage to the King the chiefe whereof was the Earle of Caiazze sonne and heire to the aboue named Robert of Saint Seuerin who found there the Prince of Salerne his cosin for the said Prince was chiefe of the house of Saint Seuerin as I haue alreadie made mention and liued in Fraunce being banished by King Ferrande of Naples as before you haue heard and therfore trauelled earnestly that this voiage to Naples might go forward With the said Earle of Caiazze came also Charles Earle of Belleioyeuse and Master Galeas Viscount of Milan who were both in very good order and well accompanied but openly they vsed salutations onely and generall speeches This was the first great ambassage that came from the Lord Lodouic to the King True it is that he had sent before this one of his Secretaries to negotiate with the King to send his deputie into Italie to receiue homage of his cosin the Duke of Milan for Genua which was granted him against all reason 8 notwithstanding I will not denie but that the King of especiall fauor might assigne one to receiue it of him for when this Duke Galeas was warde to his mother I being then ambassador for King Lewis the 11. receiued his homage in the castell of Milan hauing an expresse commission from the King so to do But Genua was then out of
sommer his attempts and enterprises were so high and difficult that onely God by his absolute power could haue atchiued them for they passed far mans reach The Notes 1 De la Marche calleth him that deliuered the Earle Robert Couterel or Coutereau a horseman of Bruxels his Phisitions sonne whom for that fact immediately he made knight and feudarie of Brabant Gaghin writeth that the Earle was twice in danger once in the hands of Geffery De S. Bealin and againe in the hands of Gilbert Grassaie 2 For the two places heere named be aboue three hundred English miles asunder 3 There were slaine at the battell of Montl'hery 2000. Annal. Burgund Meyer saith 3000. Gaguin 3600. How the Duke of Berry the Kings brother and the Duke of Britaine ioined with the Earle of Charolois against the King Chap. 5. THe next day being the third after the battell we remooued our campe and lodged at Montl'hery out of the which the people fled part into the Church steeple and part into the Castell but the Earle caused them to returne to their houses neither lost they the value of one penie for euery man paid his shot as truly as if he had been in Flaunders The castell helde for the King and was not assaulted by vs. The third day being passed the Earle of Charalois by the Lord of Contais aduise departed to Estampes a good and commodious lodging and a fruitfull soile meaning to preuent the Britains who came that way and before their ariuall to lodge his men that were sicke and hurt in the towne and the rest abroad in the fields This good lodging and the Earles long abode there saued many a mans life At the said town of Estampes arriued the Lord Charles of Fraunce then Duke of Berry and the Kings onely brother accompanied with the Duke of Britaine the Earle of Dunois the Lord of Dampmartin the Lord of Loheac the L. of Beueil the Lord of Chaumount and master Charles of Amboise his sonne who since hath caried great credit in this realme all the which the King at his first comming to the crown had displaced and put out of office notwithstanding the great seruices they had done the King his father and the realme both in the conquest of Normandie and in diuers other wars The Earle of Charolois and all the noble men that were with him went foorth to receiue them and lodged their persons in the towne where their lodgings were already made but their forces lay abroad in the fields They had with them eight hundred men of armes very well appointed a great number of the which were Britons who lately had forsaken the Kings pay and these made a gallant shew in their campe of archers and other soldiers armed with good Brigandines they had great force so that I suppose they were six thousand men on horsebacke all in very good order and sure this army shewed the Duke of Britaine to be a great Prince for they were all paid out of his coffer 1 The King being retired to Corbeil as you haue heard was not idle neither forgat what he had to do but went straight into Normandy partly to leuy men and partly bicause he feared rebellion in the countrey but a great part of his forces he left about Paris in those places that had most need of defence The first euening that all these Princes met at Estamps they told newes each to other the Britons had taken prisoners certaine of the Kings part that fled and if they had been but a litle neerer the place of the battell they had either taken or discomfited the third part of his army They had first giuen order to sende foorth certaine bands before them to vnderstand how neere the Kings army and the Earles were togither but they altered their mindes Notwithstanding master Charles of Amboise and certiane with him scoured the countrey before their army to see if they could meete any of their enimies and certaine prisoners as you haue heard they tooke and part also of the Kings artillerie These prisoners made report vnto them that vndoubtedly the King was slaine for so they supposed bicause they fled at the very beginning of the battell which newes the abouenamed master Charles of Amboise and they that were with him brought to the Britaines campe who reioiced maruellously thereat supposing it had been true and hoping for great rewards if the Lord Charles were King Further they debated in councell as a man of credit there present afterward aduertised me how they might rid the countrey of the Burgundians and send them home in the diuels name and were in maner all agreed to cut their throtes if they could but this their ioy soone ended wherby you may perceaue what sodaine alterations are in a realme in such troubles But to returne to the campe lying at Estampes when euery man had supped and a great number being walking in the streetes The Lord Charles of Fraunce and the Earle of Charolois withdrew themselues to a window where they entred into very earnest communication Now you shall vnderstand that there was among the Britaines one that tooke great pleasure in throwing squibs into the aire which when they fall to the ground run flaming among men his name was master Iohn Boutefeu or master Iohn de Serpens I wot not well whether This mery companion being secretly hidden in a house threw two or three squibs into the aire from a high place where he stood one of the which by chance strake against the bar of the window where these two Princes communed togither wherewithall both of them started sodainly vp being astonished at this accident and each beholding other suspecting this to be purposely done to hurt them then came the Lord of Contay to his master the Earle of Charolois and after he had told him a word or two in his eare went downe and caused all the men of armes of the Earles house and all the archers of his garde and a number of other to arme themselues Incontinent also the Earle of Charolois mooued the Duke of Berry to command the archers of his garde to do the like whereupon immediatly two or three hundred men of armes stood on foote in harneis before the gate with a great number of archers the which sought round about from whence this fire might come in the end the poore fellow that had done the deed fell downe vpon his knees before them confessing the fact and threw three or foure other squibs into the aire whereby he put diuers out of suspicion each of other thus the matter turned to a iest and euery man vnarmed himselfe and went to bed The next day in the morning they sat in councell to debate what was to be done all the Princes with their principall seruants being there present and as they were of diuers parts and not obedient to one head so were they also of diuers opinions as in such assemblies it cannot be otherwise chosen But among
to diuorce himselfe from the Ladie Iane the Kings sister as forced vpon him against his will by King Levvis the 11. and to marrie with Anne the Duke of Britains eldest daughter and heire the hope wherof was the cause of this his voiage into Britaine but the selfesame hope entertained also Monseur d' Alebret and drew him to the Duke of Britains part the rather bicause he had receiued assurance of the marriage in writing vnder the hands of all the noble men that were about the said D. of Britaine saue of the D. of Orleans alone Of the war the King made in Britaine and of the Earle of Dunois ambassage to the King for peace Chap. 4. THe onely care of the banished nobles of Britaine was to returne and remaine in safetie in their countrie and the Kings onely desire was to be reuenged of the Duke of Britaine for receiuing the Duke of Orleans Wherefore the King as before is said entred into league with these nobles and in their fauour leuied an armie and began war vpon the Duke of Britaine in the yeere 1486. This armie inuaded Britaine three seuerall waies for the 1486 Lord of Saint André with fower hundred launces and fiue or sixe thousand footemen entred on one side the Earle of Montpensier with a great band vpon another side and Lewis of Trimouille Vicount of Touars who had married Gabriell of Bourbon the said Earle of Montpensiers sister vpon the third in such sort that the countrie of Britaine was couered with French soldiers with whom also the barons of Britaine aboue mentioned were ioined who caused diuers castels in Britaine to be yeelded to the Kings armie by those that were of their faction whereat the Duke of Britaine was greatly astonied But the Duke of Orleans the Earle of Dunois and the Earle of Comminges being with him comforted him and vnder colour of a marriage to be made betweene the Lady Anne the Duke of Britaines eldest daughter and the Lord of Alebret who had a hundred launces vnder his charge and was able to leuie great forces of footemen in Gascoine and Guienne where he was mightie and of goodly reuenues the Earle of Dunois wan the said Lord of Alebret to ioine with them who presently forsooke the Kings seruice and tooke part with them accordingly yet that notwithstanding the Duke of Britaine leauing Nantes in the hands of his cosin the Prince of Orenge retired himselfe to the castell of Malestroit being a strong place where he leuied an armie of sixe hundred launces and 16000. footemen to succour Ploermel distant three or fower leagues from Malestroit which the Kings armie then besieged But as this Britaine armie marched thitherward one of the company brake foorth into these speeches and asked what this war meant and what was the end thereof alleaging that their Duke was wholy gouerned by the French and that the French made the Britaines at their pleasure to reuenge French quarrels vpon the French wherefore he perswaded them to returne home to their wiues and children and not to spend their liues for other mens quarrels Whereupon all the armie disparkled and returned home by meanes whereof Ploermel seeing no hope of succours yeelded by composition and yet notwithstanding was spoiled and the rich men taken prisoners and put to raunsome The Dukes of Britaine and Orleans and the other Lords that were with them at Malestroit being aduertised of the departure of their armie and of the taking of Ploermel went to Vennes vpon Whitson euen being the yeere 1487. whither the Kings armie so speedily followed them that hardly they escaped by sea and went to Croisick and from thence by the riuer of Loire to Nantes being constrained to leaue part of their carriage 1487 in the said towne of Vennes which presently after their departure yeelded without any resistance Further not long after the taking of this towne the French in a skirmish at a place called Ioue betweene Chasteaubrian and Nantes defeated a great band of Britaines led by Amaulry of la Mossay towards Nantes at the which time the King in person lay at Ancenix After the taking of Vennes the Kings armie marched to Nantes and laid the siege before the towne the 19. day of Iune in the said yeere 1487. Within the towne were the Duke of Britaine and his two daughters Anne and Isabell the Duke of Orleans the Prince of Orenge the Lady of Lauall and of Chasteaubrian the Bishop of Nantes called du Chaffault a man of holy life the Earle of Comminges and diuers other Lords all the which dislodged out of the castell and lodged in the towne And bicause the companie had some ielousie of the said bishop of Nantes and the Lady of Lauall that they were not thoroughly to be trusted they were put in garde into certaine of the townes mens hands At this siege were ten thousand French men and great store of artillerie wherewith the wals towers and vaumures of the castell and towne were throughly battered but they without were as well plied by them within both with shot and with salies of valiant men where many a goodly feate of armes was done both on the one side and the other Further you shall vnderstand that the Earle of Dunois being in base Britaine there to embarke towards England to haue aide from thence and perceiuing that the winde would not suffer him so to do brought with him to succour the towne of Nantes aboue fiftie thousand of the commons of Britaine which the French suffered to passe supposing them not to be men of seruice But the King seeing the extreme heate of the weather and perceiuing that he could do no good before the towne leuied his siege the sixt day of August and departed Then marched the Kings armie before the towne of Dolle which they tooke without resistance and spoiled and all the Britaines and soldiers that were within it were taken prisoners Further the Kings armie spoiled all the countrie slue the people and draue away their cattell But the Marshall of Rieux and the greatest part of the banished nobles of Britaine that were in the Kings seruice lamenting the miserable estate of their country waxed wearie of the wars and alleaged that their league with the King was onely to this end that they might recouer their countrie and the French that liued in Britaine be constrained to returne home into theirs Wherfore seeing the French nobles being in Britaine protested that they would willingly returne home if the King would pardon their departure to the Duke and that the Duke on the other side with the consent of all his subiects had offered these banished nobles of Britaine pardon and restitution to all their goods and lands they sawe no cause why the wars should endure but that each partie should returne home in peace but the French and diuers also of the Britaines themselues were little mooued with these allegations Wherefore the said Marshal being Lord of Ancenix a towne very
to Venice with certaine conditions of peace which they refused and of the D. of Milans false dealings page 353 Chap. 13 How the king after his returne into Fraunce forgot those that he left behind him in the realme of Naples and how the Daulphin died whose death the king and Queene much lamented page 356 Chap. 14 How the king was aduertised of the losse of the castell of Naples and how the Florentines places were sold to diuers men of the treatie of Atelle in Pouille to the great dammage of the French and of the death of king Ferrand of Naples page 358 Chap. 15 How certaine practises-entertained by diuers noble men of Italy on the kings behalfe as well for the conquest of Naples as of the Duchie of Milan failed for lacke of sending thither and how an other enterprise against Genua sped euill also page 362 Chap. 16 Of certaine controuersies betweene king Charles and Ferrand king of Castile and of the ambassadors that were sent too and fro to pacifie them page 366 Chap. 17 A discourse of the misfortunes that hapned to the house of Castile in the Lord of Argentons time page 370 Chap. 18 Of the sumptuous buildings K. Charles began a little before his death of the great desire he had to reforme the church himselfe to diminish his reuenues to redresse the processes of the law and how he died suddenly in this good minde in his castell of Amboise page 373 Chap. 19 How the holy man frier Hierom was burned at Florence by the procurement of the pope and of diuers Florentines and Venetians his enimies page 375 Chap. 20 Of the obsequies and funerals of king Charles the 8. and of the coronation of king Lewis the 12. his successor with the genealogies of the kings of Fraunce continuing to the saide Lewis page 377 The pedegree of Charles D. of Burgundy page 379 How Elizabeth wife to king Edward the fourth was neece to the Constable of Fraunce page 380 How Brabant Lambourg Luxembourg Namurs c. came to Charles D. of Burgundy 381. page 382 How Margaret of Flaunders was heire of Flaunders c. page 383 How Arthois and the county of Burgundy descended to the said Lady Margaret c. page 384 How the King of Portugale was cosin germaue to the D. of Burgundy page 385 How the D. of Cleues was the Lady of Burgundies neerest kinsman by his mother page 386 How King Henry the 7. was right heire of the house of Lancaster page 387 The title the D. of Lorraine had to the realme of Sicilie c. page 388 Why the Venetians had no right to the realme of Naples page 390 The house of Medices page 391 How Lewis D. of Orleans pretended title to the Duchie of Milan page 392 The pedegree of Hercules D. of Ferrara page 394 The pedegree of Francis Marques of Mantua page 395 How Ferdinand King of Arragon had more right to the realme of Naples than the Kings of the house of Arragon that possessed it page 396 FINIS THE PREFACE OF THE AVTHOR TO THE ARCHBISHOP OF VIENNA in Fraunce TO satisfie your request so often mooued vnto me right reuerend father in God I send you heere a memoriall as agreeable to truth as I can possibly call to minde of all the acts and doings that I haue been priuy vnto of king Levvis the eleuenth our master and benefactor and a prince woorthy of perpetuall memory Of his youth I can say nothing but by his owne report But from the time I entred into his seruice till the hower of his death whereat I was present I was more continually resident with him than any man of my estate that serued him being euer either of his priuy chamber or employed in his weightie affaires I found in him as in all other princes that I haue knowne or serued both good and bad For men they are as we be perfection is proper to God onely But sure that prince whose vertues and good parts surmount his vices deserueth great commendation the rather bicause commonly noble personages are more prone to al kind of wantonnes than other men partly for that in their childhood they are brought vp without due chastisement correction partly bicause when they are grown to mans estate ech man seeketh to seed their humors sooth them in all they say or do But for mine own part bicause I loue not to flatter nor misreport the truth somwhat may happily be found in this historie not tending altogither to the kings praise but I trust the readers will weigh the reasons aboue alledged Sure thus much I dare boldly say in his commendation that in mine opinion he was the prince in his age all things considered least subiect to vice Yet haue I knowne and been conuersant with as many great princes both spirituall and temporall as any man in Fraunce of my time as well the princes of this realme as those also that haue liued in Britaine Flaunders Almayne Englande Spayne Portugall and Italy Diuers others also whom I haue not seene yet haue I knowne partly by conference with their ambassadors and partly by their letters and instructions which are meanes sufficient to enforme men of their natures and inclinations Notwithstanding I minde not by setting foorth his commendation in this worke to detract from the honor and good renowne of others but send you penned in haste all that I could call to minde trusting that you haue required it of me to turne it into some worke that you purpose to publish in Latine to the perfection of which toong you haue atteined whereby may appeere both the woorthines of the prince I now write of and also the excellencie of your owne wit Farther sir if I happen to faile in any point you haue my L. of Bouchage and others who are better able to enforme you of these affaires than my selfe and to couch their words in much eloquenter language Although to say the truth considering how honorablie the king entertained me how great familiaritie it pleased him to vse towards me and how liberally he bestowed vpon me neuer intermitting one of the three till the houre of his death no man hath iuster cause to remember those times then my selfe whereunto I also adde the losses I haue susteined and dangers I haue been in sithence his decease which are sufficient I thinke to put me in minde of the great benefits I receiued at his hands during his life Notwithstanding that I know it to be a matter of course that after the death of great and mightie princes great alterations ensue to the losse of some and gain of others for riches and honors folow not alwaies their expectation that hunt after them To conclude sir the better to enforme you of the time sithence I entred into the kings familiarity which is your desire I am forced first to rehearse what hapned before I came to his seruice and so orderly to proceede from the time I
to receiue him and brought him into the towne and lodged him in a goodly house neere to the castell being the receiuers for the castell was a little old thing naught woorth War betweene two great Princes is easily begun but hardly ended bicause of the number of accidents depending thereupon for each partie dispatcheth messengers to and fro to hurt his enimie which suddenly cannot be staied nor reuoked as appeered by these two Princes who concluded this meeting vpon a sudden not aduertising their seruants thereof who were far from them executing the charge their Masters had giuen them For you shall vnderstand that the Duke had sent for his armie into Burgundie being furnished at that time with a number of gentlemen namely the Lord of Bresse of the house of Sauoy his two brethren the Bishop of Geneua and the Earle of Remont for the Sauoyans and Burgundians haue euer borne great loue one to another In this armie were also certaine Almaines borderers vpon Sauoy and the county of Burgundy Now you shall vnderstand that the King in times past had held the Lord of Bresse in prison bicause of two Knights he commanded to be slaine in Sauoy wherefore there was no good will betweene them two In this armie were also the Lord of Vrfé Master of the horse afterward to King Charles Master Poncet of Riuiere and the Lord of Lau whom the King after speciall good liking of him had also held long in prison but he escaped and fled into Burgundy All this company aboue mentioned arriued neere to Peronne euen at the very instant that the King came thither and the Lord of Bresse with the three aboue mentioned euery one of them wearing the Saint Andrewes crosse entred the towne supposing they had come time ynough to accompanie the Duke when he should go to receiue the King but bicause they came too late they went straight to the Dukes chamber to do their dutie to him where the Lord of Bresse humbly besought him that the three aboue named notwithstanding the Kings comming might be there vnder his safegard and protection as he had promised them in Burgundie at their first arriuall into his dominions adding that they were ready to serue him against all men none excepted which request the Duke granted with his owne mouth and for their good wil thanked them The rest of this army led by the Marshal of Burgundy lodged without the towne as they were appointed The said Marshall hated the King no lesse than the others aboue named bicause of Pinall a towne in Lorraine which the King had once giuen him and afterward taken from him to bestow vpon Iohn Duke of Calabria so often mentioned in this historie The King being foorthwith aduertised of these noble mens arriuall and the apparell they ware 1 fell suddenly into great feare and sent to the Duke desiring him that he might lodge in the castell bicause all these aboue named were his enimies The Duke reioiced to see him in such feare and caused his lodging to be made there willing him to be of good cheere and doubt nothing The Notes 1 He meaneth by apparell the Saint Andrewes crosse A discourse wherein is declared how greatly learning especially in histories profiteth Princes and noble men Chap. 6. IT is greatfolly for one Prince to put him selfe vnder the power of another especially when they are in war togither as those Princes well know that haue studied histories in their youth wherein they finde diuers examples of great falshood and treason vsed in times past at such enteruiewes and of diuers that haue staied as prisoners and slaine those that haue come to them vnder their surety 1 I say not that all haue vsed so to do but the example of one is sufficient to teach a number wit how to looke to themselues I my selfe for my part haue seene some experience in the world hauing been by the space of eighteene yeeres and better emploied continually in Princes seruices and priuy all that while to the waightiest and secretest affaires that haue passed in this realme or the countries bordering vpon it and sure in mine opinion the best way to learne wisedome is to read ancient histories which will teach vs by example of our auncesters wisely to behaue our selues safely to defende our selues and aduisedly to attempt any enteprise For our life is so short that experience cannot sufficiently instruct vs considerlng withal that our yeers are abridged and neither our liues so long nor our bodies so strong as were our ancesters in ages past which way as we are weakned so is our faith also each to other much diminished 2 in such sort that I know not how one man may assure himselfe of another especially great Princes who are commonly inclined to all wilfulnes without any regarde of reason and which is woorst of all haue for the most part such men about them as study onely to flatter them and sooth them in al their dooings be they good or bad and if some one endeuor himselfe to redresse this inconuenience all the rest will straight be vpon his top Farther I must needes blame ignorant and vnlearned Princes in this respect also they haue all commonly about them great clarkes and lawyers as it is requisite they should if they be good but if they be otherwise they are the dangerousest people in the world to be about a Prince for they haue euer a law or an history at their fingers ends which be it neuer so good they writhe and wrest in such sort that they wil make blacke white and white blacke But those Princes that be wise and haue read as well as they will not suffer themselues to be abused by them neither dare they be so hardy as to report vntruths to such Princes Farther thinke you that God hath established the office of a King or Prince to be executed by such beasts as glory in saying I am no scholer I trust my Councell well enough and refer all matters to them and so without farther answer depart to their sports and pastimes No no if they had been well trained vp in their youth they would vse other language and seeke to be esteemed for their owne vertues and woorthines I say not that all Princes are serued by euill conditioned persons but sure the most part of those that I haue seene haue not alwaies had their courts vnfurnished of such although some I confesse I haue knowne that in time of necessitie could make choise of their men and vse the seruice of the best and wisest Wherein sure the King our master far passed all the Princes of his time for neuer Prince aduanced so highly nor made so great account of wise and woorthy men as he did He was himselfe reasonably well learned 3 he was very inquisitiue and desirous to vnderstand of all matters and had an excellent wit which passeth all learning attained to by studie for as reading profiteth two maner of waies the one by
Duke returned to the pallace The King had already dined and seemed greatly to reioice at the taking of the towne and commended also much the Dukes courage and valiantnes knowing that report thereof should be made to him and that these good words would somwhat further his returne into his realme which was his speciall desire After diner the Duke and he met and communed togither very pleasantly and if the King commended his valiantnes behinde his backe I warrant you he dispraised it not before his face which the Duke tooke in very good part I must now returne to speake somwhat of this miserable people that fled out of the city for proofe of a discourse I made in the beginning of this history touching inconueniencies I haue seen ensue a battell lost by a King a D. or a meaner Prince These miserable soules fled through the countrey of Ardennes with their wiues and children But a Knight dwelling in those parts who euer to fore had taken part with them slew now a great number of them and to recouer the conquerors fauor sent word thereof to the Duke reporting the number of those that were slaine and taken to be much greater then in deed it was Notwithstanding that it were great whereby he made his peace with the Duke and saued him selfe Others fled towards Meziers vpon the Maz being within the realme of Fraunce but vpon the way two or three of their Captaines were taken one of the which was named Madoulet who were lead to the Duke and by his commandement put to death Some of these people died also of hunger some of cold and some for lacke of sleepe The Notes 1 Some write that there were slaine in one day at Liege 100000. and Munster writeth 40000. and 12000 women drowned in the riuer which seemeth to disagree with Commines who reporteth not aboue 200. to haue beene slaine notwithstanding our author must heere not be vnderstood so strictlie as though there had not died aboue 200. in all for his meaning is onely that at the entrance into the towne there were not slayne aboue two hundred othervvise considering the number that vvere slaine in Churches houses and flight it cannot be but that manie thousands died neither is our authors meaning othervvise 2 Some copies haue Saint Lavvrence but the old copie Saint Lambert vvhich Annal. Burgund and Guicci report to be the principall Church in Liege 3 The Duke slue before the Church of Saint Lambert tvvo or three archers vvith his ovvne hand La Marche 4 There vvere in Liege to the number of 32. Churches and eight Colleges of priests Meyer fovver abbies fovver frieries three nunneries and vvithout and vvithin the tovvne aboue an hundred Churches Guicci Hubertus How King Lewis returned into Fraunce with the Duke of Burgundies consent and how the Duke proceeded in destroying the countries of Liege and Franchmont Chap. 14. FOwer or fiue daies after the taking of the towne the King began to sollicite such of the Dukes seruants as he held for his friends to mooue their Master for his departure but he himselfe first brake the matter to the Duke after a sage and a wise sort saying that if he could stand him in any more stead he should not spare him otherwise he desired to returne to Paris to cause the treatie to be recorded in the Court of parlament for the maner in Fraunce is to record all treaties there otherwise they are of no force notwithstanding the Kings authority may do much therein He required also the Duke that the next sommer they mought meete againe in Burgundy and make mery a month togither whereunto the Duke in the end agreed mumbling somwhat to himselfe Farther the Duke commanded the treatie to be read againe before the King to know whether ought were passed in it that he misliked putting him to his choise to alowe or disalowe thereof at his pleasure Somwhat also he excused himselfe for bringing him to this siege Lastly he besought him that one article mought be added to the treaty in fauor of the Lords of Lau and Vrfé and Poncet of Riuiere to wit that they mought be restored to all their estates and offices that they enioied before the wars began which request misliked the King for there was no reason why the Duke should require to haue them comprehended in the treaty both for that they were none of his partakers in the wars aboue mentioned 1 and also bicause they serued the Lord Charles the Kings brother not the Duke Notwithstanding the King answered that he would grant his demand vpon condition that he would accord the like to the Lords of Neuers and Croy wherunto the Duke replied nought This was a very wise answer of the King for the Duke hated these Lords by him named so extremely and held so goodly possessions of theirs that he would neuer haue condescended to restore them of the other articles the King answered he would alter none but confirmed the whole treaty as they two had sworne it at Peronne Thus was it agreed that the King should returne home and the Duke accompanied him about halfe a league But at their leaue taking the King said thus vnto him if my brother who is now in Britaine will not accept this partage that I haue giuen him for your sake what will you that I do 1 Whereunto the D. answered thus sodainly without farther deliberation if he will not I refer the order thereof to you two of the which demand and answer sprang a great matter as heereafter you shall heare Thus returned the King in great ioy being safe conducted by the Lords of Cordes and Meriens 2 great bailife of Haynault to the frontiers of the Dukes dominions The Duke abode still in the city of Liege which was extremely handled I must needs confesse but sure they had well deserued so to be delt with bicause of the great cruelties they had cōtinually vsed against the Dukes subiects euer since his grandfathers daies Besides that they neuer performed any promise nor kept any treaty they made and this was the fift yeere that the Duke himselfe had been there yeere by yeere in person and concluded peace which ordinarily the next yeere they brake Farther they had continued excommunicated of long time for their great cruelty against their bishop whereof notwithstanding they made no account neither would obey the commandements of the church on that behalfe Immediately after the Kings departure the Duke with small force determined to go into Franchemont a countrey alitle beyond Liege lying among sharpe rockes and thicke woods From thence came the best soldiers the Liegeois had and of this countrey were they that made the desperate saly aboue mentioned Before his departure a great number of poore prisoners that hid themselues in houses at the taking of the towne were drowned Farther it was concluded that this citie heeretofore so populous should be burned at three seuerall times 3 and three or fower thousand footmen of the
should do no good vnlesse he wan those that were in credit with his brother fell in communication of this matter with Oudet of Rie Lord of Lescut afterwards Earle of Comminges who was borne and maried in the countrey of Guienne desiring him to perswade his master to accept this partage being much better than that he demanded that they mought be friends and liue togither like brethren adding also that this partage should be much more beneficiall both for his brother and his seruants especially for the saide Oudet than the other and farther assuring him that without faile he would deliuer his brother quiet possession of the said countrey By this means was the Lord Charles won to accept this partage of Guienne to the Duke of Burgundies great discontentation and his ambassadors there present And the cause why cardinall Balue bishop of Angiers 1 and the bishop of Verdun were imprisoned was for that the said Cardinal writ to the Lord Charles aduising him to accept none other partage than that the Duke of Burgundy had procured him by the treaty of Peronne which also the King had sworne and promised laying his hand within the said Cardinals to deliuer him alledging withall such reasons to perswade him thereunto as he thought necessary wherein he did cleane contrary to the Kings purpose Thus the Lord Charles was made Duke of Guienne the yeere 1469. and the possession of the countrey togither with the gouernment of Rochell deliuered him and than the King and he sawe one another and were togither a long time The Notes 1 The Cardinals imprisonment was bicause he perswaded the King to go to Peronne and aduised the Duke of Guienne to beware of poison and not to take the partage of Guienne Meyer and for disclosing the Kings secrets by letters to the Duke of Burgundie Gaguin But if the Duke of Guienne had been wise he would of himselfe without perswasion haue refused this partage For when a mans enimie offereth him that that hath an apparance of good let him euer refuse it nam latet anguis in herba as the sequele of this matter well declared for the accepting of this partage which the King alleaged and that truly to be better than the other the Duke demanded cost the Duke of Guienne his life as heer after shall appeere THE THIRD BOOKE How the King tooke occasion to make war anew vpon the Duke of Burgundy and how he sent a purseuant of the parlament of Gaunt to sommon him to appeere at Paris Chap. 1. THe yeere 1470. the King determined to be reuenged of the Duke of Burgundie supposing he had now found a time conuenient so to do for he priuily sollicited and caused also others to sollicite the towns situate vpon the riuer of Somme namely Amiens Saint Quintine and Abbeuille to rebell against the Duke and to send for succours into France and to receiue them into their towns 1 For all great Princes if they be wise will seeke euer some collour for their doings And to the ende you may perceiue what cunnig is vsed in Fraunce I will shew you how this matter was managed for the King and the Duke were both abused whereof arose whot and sharpe war which endured thirteen or foureteen yeeres The King desired greatly to mooue these townes aboue named to rebellion pretending to the end he might haue the better means to practise with them that the Duke aduanced his limits farther then the treatie would beare whereupon ambassadors ran to and fro who vnder colour of their ambassage practised continually as they passed through these townes to the end aboue mentioned In the said townes were no garrisons but all was quiet both in the realme in Burgundie and in Britaine And the Duke of Guien liued to all mens iudgments in great amitie with the King his brother Notwithstanding when the King first mooued this war his meaning was not to take one or two of these towns onely but sought to stir all the Duke of Burgundies subiects to rebellion trusting to atchieue his enterprise by this means Diuers to obtaine his fauor entertained these practises and reported their intelligence to be far greater then it was for one promised to take this towne an other that and yet indeed all was nothing Wherefore notwithstanding that the King had iust cause to be displeased for his euill vsage at Peronne yet if he had thought this enterprise would haue fallen none otherwise out then it did he would not haue broken the treatie nor mooued war for he had made the peace to be proclaimed at Paris three months after his returne into his realme and began this war with some feare but the great hope he had conceiued of it pricked him forward and marke I pray you what cunning was vsed to further it The Earle of Saint Paule Constable of Fraunce a very wise man and certaine of the Duke of Guien his seruants with diuers others desired rather war then peace betweene these two great Princes for two respects The one they feared least their great offices and pensions should be diminished if peace continued For you shal vnderstand that the Constable had vnder his charge 4. hundred men of armes or launces paied by his owne hands euery muster without controuler farther besides the fee and profits of his office he had a yeerely pension of thirty thousand frankes and better and receiued also the reuenews of many goodly places that he kept The other respect was this they sought to perswade the King and talked also to the like purpose among themselues that his disposition was such that his head could neuer be idle wherefore vnlesse he were busied with great Princes abroad he would be in hand with his seruants and officers at home For these two reasons therefore they sought to intangle him with wars whereunto the better to perswade him the Constable promised to take Saint Quintine at all times when him listed bicause his lands lay round about it vaunting further that he had great intelligence in Flanders and Brabant so far foorth that he would make a number of townes to reuolt from the Duke The Duke of Guienne also being there present and all their principall seruants offered very earnestly and promised very faithfully to serue the King in this quarrell and to leade with them fower or fiue hundred men of armes that the said Duke held in ordinary pay but their drift was other than the King supposed as heerafter you shall heare The King bicause he would seeme to proceede with due aduise and deepe consideration called a Parlament of the three estates of his realme at Tours in the moneths of March and Aprill in the yeere 1470. which was the first and last Parlament that euer he assembled But to this Parlament came onely such as were purposely named and such as the King knew would not gainsay him in any point There he caused diuers enterprises to be discouered that the Duke of Burgundie had attempted against the crowne
vse often when money faileth them to leuy an armie and make shewe as though they would inuade Scotland or Fraunce But after they haue receiued money for a yeere they lie abroad in campe three moneths and then returne home and dismisse their army which practise King Edward was well acquainted with and vsed often It was at the least a yeere before this English army could be in a readines but when it was furnished of all things necessarie the King of England aduertised the Duke of Burgundie die thereof who in the beginning of the sommer went before Nuz trusting in short space to put his Bishop in possession and to retaine certaine places as Nuz and others in his owne hands to what purpose you haue heard before I thinke verily that this proceeded of God who beheld with a pitifull eie this realme of Fraunce which vndoubtedly the Duke might shrewdly haue shaken considering that his army was mightie and all of olde soldiers accustomed by the space of many yeeres to enter and spoile this realme without any resistance saue onely by defence of the strong townes True it is that this proceeded of the King who would hazard nothing partly for feare of the Dukes force and partly for doubt of rebellion in his realme if he should receiue an ouerthrow for he knew himselfe not to be beloued of all his subiects especially the nobilitie And if I may vtter all he hath eftsoons told me that he knew his subiects well ynough and should finde them rebellious if his assaires happened to haue hard successe wherefore when the Duke of Burgundie entred into the realme he manned the townes well by the which he passed whereby in short space the Dukes army brake it selfe and the King neuer endangered his estate which vndoubtedly proceeded of great wisedome But all this notwithstanding the Dukes force being so great as it was if the King of Englands army had also entred in the beginning of sommer as assuredly it would had not the Duke so obstinately line before Nuz vndoubtedly the realme had stood in great danger for neuer King of England passed at once with so great force nor so well disposed to fight All the great Lords of England were there none excepted Their men of armes were 1500. at the least which was much for the English men all wel appointed and well accompanied and 14000. archers on horseback besides a great number of foote men that serued in the army and in all their campe was not one Page Further the King of England had in a readines three thousand men to land in Britaine to ioine there with the Duke of Britaines forces I saw my selfe two letters written with the Lord of Vrfés owne hands then seruant to the Duke of Britaine but afterward Master of the horse to King Charles the one addressed to the King of England and the other to the Lord Hastings Lord great Chamberlaine of England 12 The contents whereof among diuers other things were that the Duke of Britaine would do more in Fraunce by intelligence in a moneth than the King of England and the Duke of Burgundie notwithstanding their great forces in halfe a yeere which words I thinke would haue prooued true if the matter had come to execution But God who hath alwaies loued this realme disposed of these affaires as heereafter you shall heare These letters aboue mentioned the King bought of one of the King of Englands Secretaries for three score marks of siluer The Notes 1 This Duke Adolph maried Katherine daughter to Charles Duke of Bourbon and Agnes sister to Philip Duke of Burgundy Meyer 2 Duke Arnold lay in prison sixe yeeres Meyer but he misseth the cushion for other approoued authors and namely Guicciardin agree with Commines 3 The French hath Mambourg or Membourg which is as much as captaine or gouernor looke more heerof in the pedegree of the Dukes of Gueldres 4 Least it seeme strange that this yoong Duke whom our author in this very Chapter reporteth to haue beene well fauored of the Duke of Burgundy should be staied and imprisoned in his dominions you shall vnderstand that the Duke of Burgundy vpon hope to be Duke Arnolds heire himselfe altered his minde and of the yoong Dukes friend became his foe 5 The Emperor stirred not against the Duke of Burgundy for taking by force the Duchy of Gueldres which was held of the Empire bicause the Dukes of Gueldres by the space of thirty yeeres had done no homage to the Empire The Duke subdued Gueldres anno 1473. Meyer 6 It was our author himselfe that gaue the King this aduise Meyer 7 This quarrell began anno 1473. Meyer 8 The Palzgraues name was Robert his Chapter and he were at variance in such sort that they had gotten him excommunicated chosen Harman the Lantzgraue of Hesses brother to gouerne the charge Then the Duke of Burgundy tooke vpon him to place him againe in his Sea which appertained not to him but to the Emperor and the Pope in the end this Robert was taken and died in prison 9 The league betweene the Duke and the Bishop was that these places heere mentioned belonging to the Church of Coulon should haue remained to the Duke for his charges Nuz was besieged the 28. of Iuly 1474. 10 Nuz is beneath Coulon so that if the Duke had held that and three or fower places aboue Coulon the said city of Coulon being on al sides inuironed by him must perforce haue been at his commandement 11 This Lantzgraue was Lodouicus grandfather to Philip that last died 12 The Lord Hastings was indeed but Chamberlaine of the King house How the towne of Nuz was succoured by the Emperor and the Almains against the Duke of Burgundy and of other enimies that the King procured the Duke Chap. 2. THe Duke of Burgundy as you haue heard was now busied before Nuz and found the enterprise of more difficulty than he supposed The city of Coulon situate vpon the riuer of Rhene fower leagues aboue Nuz spent monethly 1 in the wars 100000. golde gildons for feare of the Duke And they and certaine other townes aboue them had already put fifteene or sixteene thousand footemen into the fielde who encamped on the other side of the riuer directly ouer against the Duke and planted great force of artillery vpon the banke thinking thereby to cut off his victuals that came vp the streame out of Guelderland and to sinke the botes by canon shot Moreouer the Emperor and the Princes Electors of the Empire assembled togither about this busines and concluded to leuy an army wherunto the King sent diuers messengers to sollicite them to whom also they sent a Chanon of Coulon of the house of Bauiere accompanied with another ambassador who brought him a roll of the army the Emperor was resolued to leuy if he for his part would ioine in the enterprise It is not to be doubted but that they receiued a good answer with promise of all they demanded
few daies he arriued at the Almaines campe with small force three or fower howers before the battell began which voiage as before I haue said turned to his great honor and profit for if his successe had beene bad I thinke he should haue found but cold entertainment in any place At the very instant that he arriued the battel 's marched on both sides For the confederates had lien in campe three daies or more in a strong place hard by the Duke of Burgundie who was at the very first discomfited and put to flight 4 neither had he so good lucke heere as in the former battell wherein he lost but seuen men of armes which happened bicause the Swissers had then no horsemen but at this battell neere to Morat whereof I now speake they had fower thousand horsemen well mounted the which pursued fiercely the Burgundians that fled Further their battell of footemen ioined also with the Dukes battell which was mightie and strong for besides great force of his own subiects and certaine English men that serued him diuers bands were newly come to him out of Piemont and the Duchie of Milan So that the Prince of Tarente at his being heere with the King told me that he neuer saw in his life so goodly an armie for he himselfe and diuers others by his commandement numbring the force as it passed ouer a bridge had told to the number of 23000. soldiers taking pay besides those that followed the armie and were appointed to serue at the artillerie which force me thinke was great notwithstanding that many talke of millions and report they wot not what making armies fiue times greater than they are The Lord of Contay who came to the King immediately after the battell confessed in my hearing that the Duke his Master lost there 8000. soldiers taking pay besides the straglers so that the wholenūber of the dead for ought I could euer learne to the contrarie amounted to 18000. 5 which is not incredible cōsidering both the great force of horsemen that diuers Princes of Almaine had there and also the great number of men that were slaine in the Dukes campe lying still at the siege before Morat 6 The Duke fled into Burgundie vtterly discomforted and not without cause and held himselfe close in a towne called La Riuiere where he assembled all the forces he could The Swissers followed the chase but that night and then retired without further pursute of their enimies The Notes 1 The Duke after the battell of Granson retired first to Ioingne from thence to Noseret and then to Losanna La Marche 2 This prooueth both Vitia animi scatere ad corpus animam sequi temperaturam corporis which proceedeth of the great sympathie between the minde and bodie Liuie lib. 1. decad 1. writeth thus Longinquus morbus Tulli mores prorsus immutauit 3 The Duke laid his siege before Morat called in Dutch Murten the 9. of Iune 1476. with 40000. men Annal. Burgund and so had the Swissers also Idem Meyer saith the Duke had but 24000. and the Swissers 30000. 4 This battell was fought 22. day of Iune 1476. Annal. Burgund Meyer 5 Others write 17000. others 22700. others 26000. and of the Swissers but 50. Meyer saith the Duke lost 14000. 6 For better vnderstanding of this place we must know that after the Dukes vaward was ouerthrowen they within Morat issued foorth and ioined with the Duke of Lorraine and entred perforce the Duke of Burgundies campe lying before the said towne of Morat where they made a great slaughter as our author heere maketh mention How after the battell of Morat the Duke of Burgundie tooke the Duchesse of Sauoy and how she was deliuered and sent home into hir countrie by the Kings meanes Chap. 4. THis misfortune draue the Duke into vtter despaire for he well perceiued by the sequele of the first battell at Granson between the which and this second there was but three weekes space 1 that all his friends would abandon him Wherefore by the aduise of those that were about him he made the Duchesse of Sauoy and one of hir children now Duke of Sauoy to be led by force into Burgundie but hir eldest sonne was conueied away by certaine of hir seruants for those that committed this outrage did it in great feare and vpon a sudden The cause that mooued the Duke heerunto was partly feare least the Duchesse should retire to the King hir brother and partly bicause all these misfortunes were happened to him as he said for succouring this house of Sauoy Thus was the Duchesse led to the castell of Rouure neere to Dyion where a small garde was appointed ouer hir Notwithstanding euery body that would went to visite hir and among others the Lord of Chasteauguion and the Marquesse of Rotelin that now are betweene the which two and two of the Duchesses daughters the Duke of Burgundie endeuored to make two marriages which afterward were accomplished Hir eldest sonne called Philibert then Duke of Sauoy was led by those that stole him away to Chambery where the Bishop of Geneua lay who was also of the house of Sauoy This Bishop was altogither giuen to sloth and wantonnes and gouerned wholy by a Knight of the Rhodes 2 but the King so practised with him and the Knight his gouernor that they put into his hands the said Duke of Sauoy and a little brother of his called Le Prothonostaire togither with the castels of Chambery and Montmelian and held also to the Kings vse another castell where all the Duchesses iewels lay When the Duchesse was come to Rouure accompanied with all hir women and a great number of hir seruants she perceiuing the Duke of Burgundie to be busied in leuying men and those that garded hir not to stand in such feare of their Master as they were accustomed determined to send to the King hir brother to reconcile hir selfe to him and to desire him to deliuer hir out of this thraldome For notwithstanding that she feared much to fall into his hands bicause of the great and long hatred that had been betweene them yet the miserie wherein she was forced hir in the end thereunto Wherefore she sent to him a gentleman of Piemont called Riuerol being steward of hir house who was directed to me When I had heard his message and aduertised the King thereof he commanded him to come to his presence and after he had giuen him audience answered that he would not forsake his sister in this extremitie notwithstanding their former variance and that if she would enter into league with him he would send for hir by the gouernor of Champaigne called Master Charles of Amboise Lord of Chaumont The said Riuerol tooke his leaue of the King and returned with speede to his Mistres who reioiced much at this newes Notwithstanding she sent yet againe to the King vpon the returne of the first message to desire a safe conduct and assurance therein that she should depart out of
great harme afterward in the two countries aboue named for they spoiled and burned many goodly villages and faire farms more to the dammage of the inhabitants of Tournay than of any other for the reasons aboue alleaged To be short so long they spoiled that the Flemmings arose and tooke out of prison the Duke of Guelderland whom Duke Charles had held prisoner and made him their captaine and in this estate came before the towne of Tournay where they lay not long but fled in great disorder and lost many of their men and among the rest the Duke of Gueldres who had put himselfe behinde to maintaine the skirmish being euill followed was there slaine as afterward you shall heare more at large Wherefore this honor and good successe that happened to the King and the great losse his enimies receiued proceeded of the said Master Oliuers wisedome and iudgement so that peraduenture a wiser man and a greater personage than he might haue failed to atchieue the like enterprise I haue spoken ynough of the great charge this sage Prince committed to this meane person vnfit to manage so waightie a cause onely adding that it seemed that God had troubled the Kings wits in this behalfe For as I said before if he had not thought this enterprise far easier than indeede it was but had appeased his wrath and laid downe his greedy desire of reuenge vpon this house of Burgundy vndoubtedly he had held at this day all those Seniories vnder his subiection The Notes 1 The King claimed this Lady as his vvarde bicause diuers of hir dominions namely Flaunders Artois c. were held of the crowne of Fraunce besides that he was hir godfather which vvas the cause vvhy he commanded this Oliuer to mooue this request Of the ambassadors the Lady of Burgundy daughter to the late Duke Charles sent to the King and how by meanes of Monseur de Cordes the citie of Arras the townes of Hedin and Bollein and the towne of Arras itselfe were yeelded to the King Chap. 15. YOu haue heard how Master VVilliam Bische yeelded Peronne to the King The said Bische was a man of base parentage borne at Molins-Engibers in Niuernois but inriched and greatly aduanced by Duke Charles of Burgundy who made him captaine of Peronne bicause his house called Clery being a strong and goodly castell that the said Bische had purchased was neere vnto it But to proceede after the King had made his entry into the towne certaine ambassadors came to him from the Lady of Burgundy being all the greatest and noblest personages that were able to do hir any seruice which was vnaduisedly done to send so many togither but such was their desolation and feare that they wist not well what to say or do The aboue named ambassadors were these the Chauncellor of Burgundy called Master VVilliam Hugonet a notable wise man who had been in great credit with Duke Charles and was highly adaunced by him The Lord of Himbercourt so often before mentioned in this history was there also who was as wise a gentleman and as able to manage a waighty cause as euer I knew any togither with the Lord of la Vere a great Lord in Zeland and the Lord of Grutuse and diuers others as well noble men as church men and burgesses of good townes The King before he gaue them audience trauelled both generally with them all and apart with euery one of them to draw them to his seruice They all gaue him humble and lowly words as men in great feare Notwithstanding those that had their possessions far from his dominions in such countries as they thought to be out of his reach would not binde themselues to him in any respect vnlesse the mariage betweene his sonne the Daulphin and the said Lady their Mistres tooke effect But the Chauncellor and the Lord of Himbercourt who had liued long in great authority wherein they still desired to continue and had their lands lying neere to the Kings dominions the one in the Duchy of Burgundy the other in Picardy neere to Amiens gaue eare to his offers and promised both to serue him in furthering this mariage and also wholy to become his the mariage being accomplished which course he liked not though it were simply the best but was displeased with them for that they would not then absolutely enter into his seruice Notwithstanding he shewed them no countenance of displeasure bicause he would vse their helpe as he might Moreouer the King hauing now good intelligence with Monseur de Cordes captaine and gouernor of Arras by his counsel and aduise required these ambassadors to cause the said de Cordes to receiue his men into the city of Arras 1 for at that time there were wals and trenches betweene the towne and the city but the towne was then fortified against the city 2 and now contrariwise the citie is fortified against the towne After diuers perswasions vsed to the said ambassadors that this should be the best and readiest way to obtaine peace in shewing such obedience to the King they agreed to his demaund especially the Chauncellor and Himbercourt and sent a letter of discharge to the said de Cordes wherein they aduertised him of their consent to the deliuerie of the citie of Arras Into the which so soone as the King was entred he raised bulworks of earth against the gates of the towne and in diuers other places neere to the towne Further bicause of this discharge Monseur de Cordes and the men of war that were with him departed out of the towne 3 and went whither them listed and serued where them best liked And as touching the said de Cordes he now accounting himselfe discharged of his Mistres seruice by the ambassadors letters aboue mentioned determined to do homage to the King and to enter into his seruice both bicause his house name and armes were on this side the riuer of Somme for he was called Master Philip of Creuecoeur second brother to the Lord of Creuecoeur and also bicause the territories so often aboue mentioned which the house of Burgundie had possessed vpon the said riuer of Somme during the liues of Duke Philip and Duke Charles returned now without all controuersie to the crowne For by the conditions of the treatie of Arras they were giuen to Duke Philip and his heires males onely Wherefore seeing Duke Charles left no issue but his daughter the said Master Philip of Creuecoeur became without all doubt the Kings subiect so that he could commit no fault by entering into the Kings seruice and restoring to him that which he held of him vnlesse he had done homage anew to the Lady of Burgundie Notwithstanding men haue reported and will report diuersly of him for this fact wherefore I leaue the matter to other mens iudgements True it is that he had beene brought vp enriched and aduaunced to great honor by Duke Charles and that his mother for a certaine space was gouernesse of the Lady
of captiuitie apprehended their Senators being to the number of sixe and twenty and put them all or the greatest part to death pretending that they did it bicause the said Senators the day before had commanded one to be beheaded though not without desert yet without authority as they said their commission being determined with the Dukes death by whom they were chosen into that office They slew also diuers honest men of the towne that had beene the Dukes freinds amongst whom were some that when I serued him disswaded him in my presence from destroying a great parte of the towne of Gaunt which he was fullie resolued to haue done Further they constrained their Princes to confirm al their ancient priuileges both those they lost in the time of Duke Philip by the treatie of Gauures those also that Duke Charles tooke from them The said priuileges serued them onely for firebrands of rebellion against their Princes whom aboue all things they desire to see weake and feeble Moreouer during their Princes minoritie and before they begin to gouerne they are maruellous tender ouer them but when they are come to the gouernment they cannot away with them as appeereth by this Ladie whom they loued deerely and much tendered before hir comming to the state Further you shall vnderstand that if after the Dukes death these men of Gaunt had raised no troubles but had sought to defend the countrey they might easily haue put men into Arras and peraduenture into Peronne but they minded onely these domesticall broiles Notwithstanding while the King laie before the towne of Arras certaine ambassadors came to him from the three estates of the said Ladies countries For at Gaunt were certaine deputies for the three estates but they of the towne ordered all at their pleasure bicause they held their Princesse in their hands The King gaue these ambassadors audience who among other things said that they made no ouerture of peace but with consent of their Princesse who was determined in all matters to follow the aduise and counsell of the three estates of hir countrie Further they required the King to end his war in Burgundie and Artois and to appoint a day when they might meete to treate friendly togither of peace and in the meane time that he would cause a surcease of armes The King had now in a maner obtained all he desired and hoped well of the rest For he was certainly informed that most of the men of war in the countrie were dead and slaine and knew well that a great manie others had forsaken the said Ladies seruice especiallie Monseur de Cordes of whom he made great reckoning and not without cause for he could not haue taken by force in long time that which by his intelligence he obtained in few daies as before you haue heard wherefore he made small account of these ambassadors demaunds Further he perceiued these men of Gaunt to be such seditious persons and so inclined to trouble the state of their countrie that his enimies by meanes thereof should not be able to aduise nor giue order how to resist him For of those that were wise and had been in credit with their former Princes none were called to the debating of any matter of state but persecuted and in danger of death especially the Burgundians whom they hated extremely bicause of their great authoritie in times past Moreouer the King who sawe further into these affaires than any man in his realme knew well what affection the citizens of Gaunt had euer borne to their Princes and how much they desired to see them affeebled so that they in their countrie felt no smart thereof Wherefore he thought it best to nourish their domesticall contentions and to set them further by the eares togither which was soone done for these whom he had to do with were but beasts most part of them townes men vnacquainted with those subtill practises wherein he had been trained vp and could vse for his purpose better than any man liuing The King laide hold vpon these words of the ambassadors that their Princesse would do nothing without the consent and aduise of the three estates of their countrie and answered that they were euill informed of hir pleasure and of certaine particular men about hir for he knew very perfectly that she meant to gouerne all hir affaires by the aduise of certaine particular persons who desired nothing lesse than peace and as touching them and their actions he was well assured they should be disaduowed Whereunto the ambassadors being not a little mooued as men vnacquainted with great affaires made a hot answer that they were well assured of that they said and would shew their instructions if neede so required Whereunto answer was made that they should see a letter if it so pleased the King written by parties woorthie of credit wherein the King was aduertised that the said Lady would gouerne hir affaires by fower persons onely Whereunto the others replied that they were sure of the contrarie Then the King commanded a letter to be brought foorth which the Chauncellor of Burgundie and the Lord of Himbercourt deliuered him at their last being with him at Peronne The said letter was written partly with the yoong Ladies owne hand partly by the Dowager of Burgundie Duke Charles his widow and sister to King Edward of England and partly by the Lord of Rauastain brother to the Duke of Cleues and the said yoong Ladies neerest kinsman so that it was written with three seuerall hands but signed with the name of the yoong Lady alone for the other twaine set to their hands onely to giue it the greater credit The contents of the letter were to desire the King to giue credit to those things whereof the Chauncellor and Himbercourt should aduertise him And further it was therein signified vnto him that she was resolued to gouerne all hir affaires by fower persons namely the Dowager hir mother in law the Lord of Rauastain the aboue named Chauncellor and Himbercourt by whom onely and none others she humbly besought him to negotiate with hir bicause vpon them she would repose the whole gouernment of hir affaires When these citizens of Gaunt and the other ambassadors had seene this letter it heated them throughly and I warrant you those that negotiated with them failed not to blowe the fire In the end the letter was deliuered them and no other dispatch of importance had they neither passed they greatly of any other for they thought onely vpon their domesticall diuisions and how to make a new world neuer looking further into this busines notwithstanding that the losse of Arras ought to haue greeued them much more than this letter but they were townes men as I said before vnacquainted with these affaires They returned straight to Gaunt where they found their Princesse accompanied with the Duke of Cleues hir neerest kinsman and of hir blood by his mother 1 he was an ancient man brought vp continually in
put from the crowne vnder colour of adulterie committed by hir mother But the matter ended not without great contention and war for the King of Portugale tooke part with his neece and diuers great Lords of Castile ioined with him yet notwithstanding the said Dom Henries sister wife to the son of Dom Iohn King of Arragon obtained the crowne and possesseth it yet at this day and thus this partage was made in heauen as diuers others are Further you haue seene of late daies the King of Scotland and his sonne being thirteene yeeres of age in battell the one against the other the sonne and his faction preuailed and the King was slaine vpon the place 13 This King murthered his owne brother and was charged with diuers other crimes namely the death of his sister and such like You see also the Duchy of Gueldres out of the right line and haue heard what impietie the Duke last deceased vsed against his father Diuers other examples I could rehearse which should manifestly appeere to be punishments and scourges of God which scourges are the principall cause of wars whereof insue mortality and famine all the which euils proceede of lacke of faith Wherefore I conclude considering the wickednes of men especially of great men who know not themselues neither beleeue that there is a God that it is necessarie for euery Prince and gouernor to haue an aduersary to keepe him in feare and humilitie otherwise no man should be able to liue vnder them or neere them The Notes 1 He meaneth that this towne of Gaunt is situate where it is for a plague to the whole countrey of Flaunders which otherwise bicause of the great abundance thereof would soone forget God 2 Fregosi and Fregosini in other histories 3 This diuision began anno 1309. betweene the Abbot of Einsidlen and the village of Suitz and the said Abbot demanded aide of Leopolde Duke of Austrich 4 As for example Leopolde Duke of Austrich brothers sonne to the former that began this diuision whom they slue at the battell of Sempache 9. Iulij ann 1386. 5 The reason heerof reade in Aristot Politic. lib. 1. cap. 2. Problem Anthonii Zimarae 12. 6 Shame commeth of knowledge so that if a man do a fault and for lacke of learning know not that it is a fault he can neuer be ashamed of it nor seeke to amend it 7 1800000. franks are 225000. pound starling after eight souse to the English shilling and the French liuer at two shillings sixe pence starling 8 4700000. franks are 587500. pound starling 9 That is 2500000. franks which amounteth to 312500. pound starling 10 For it was due by the conditions of the treatie 11 How King Henry the seuenth was next heire of the house of Lancaster the pedegree in the end of the worke will declare where also Philip de Commines error is controlled 12 Our Chronicles say but 3000. and some 5000. 13 This King that slue his father in battell was Iames the 4. who married Margaret sister to King Henry the 8. THE SIXT BOOKE How the Duchie of Burgundie was yeelded to the King Chap. 1. NOw to returne to the principal matter and to proceede in this historie written at your request my Lorde of Vienna while the King brought vnder his subiection the places and townes aboue named in the marches of Picardie his armie lay in Burgundie the generall wherof in apparance was the Prince of Orenge 1 that now is who was borne in the countie of Burgundie and a subiect thereof but lately reuolted the second time from Duke Charles wherefore the King vsed his helpe for he was a great Lord well friended and well beloued both in the said countie and also in the Duchie of Burgundie But the Lord of Cran was the Kings lieutenant and he it was in truth that had the charge of the whole armie and in whom the King reposed his principall trust and sure he was a wise man and faithfull to his Master but somwhat too greedie of his owne gaine The said Lord of Cran when he drew neere the countrie of Burgundie sent the Prince of Orenge before him with certaine others to Digeon to perswade with the citizens to become the Kings subiects which enterprise so well they atchieued by the said Princes meanes that the towne of Digeon and all the other places of the Duchie of Burgundie yeelded to the King Aussonne and certaine castels excepted which held yet for the Ladie of Burgundie The King had promised the Prince of Orenge many goodly estates and to restore him to all his grandfathers inheritance in the countie of Burgundie for the which he was in sute with the Lords of Chauuerguion his vncles 2 whom as he said Duke Charles had fauored to his preiudice For this cause had been often pleaded before him with great solemnitie and once the Duke being accompanied with a number of lawyers gaue iudgement against the Prince at the least thus he reported wherefore he forsooke the Dukes seruice and went to the King But Monseur de Cran after he was entred into all these townes aboue mentioned and had gotten into his hands all the best places that should descend to the said Prince by right of inheritance refused to yeeld them to him notwithstanding both the Kings promise and the said Princes request The King also wrote often to him about this matter without all collusion knowing that he much misused the Prince notwithstanding he feared to displease the said de Cran bicause he had the charge of the whole countrie neither thought he that the Prince either would or could haue caused the countrie of Burgundie to rebel as afterward he did at the lest the greatest part therof But I will heere leaue these Burgundies affaires till another conuenient place shall serue to speake further thereof The Notes 1 This Prince of Orenge was Iohn de Chaslons the Prince of Orenge that now is is of the house of Nassaw 2 The olde copie hath Chasteauguion Annal. Burgund Chaumergnon Annal. Franc. Chauuerguion and so vndoubtedly it is to be read for Chasteauguion was brother to this Prince of Orenge Gaguin How the King entertained the English men after the death of Charles Duke of Burgundie to the end they should not hinder his conquest of the said Dukes dominions Chap. 2. THose that heerafter shall reade this historie and happily vnderstand the affaires both of this realme and the countries bordering vpon it better than my selfe will maruell that since the death of Duke Charles I haue hitherto by the space almost of one whole yeere made no mention of the English men and will woonder that they suffered the King to take the townes bordering so neere vpon them namely Arras Bolloin Ardres and Hedin with diuers other castels and to lie so long with his campe before Saint Omer 1 But you shall vnderstand that the reason thereof was for that our King in wisedome and sense surmounted far Edward King of England then
ciuill dissentions and factions among themselues encreased daily in the great townes especially in Gaunt which bare the greatest sway in the countrie as you haue heard For the Lady of Burgundie diuers marriages were mentioned for all men were of opinion that either she must get hir a husband to defend that she yet held or marrie the Daulphin thereby quietly to possesse all Some desired greatly that this marriage with the Daulphin might take effect she hir selfe especially before the King deliuered the letters aboue mentioned sent vnto him by hir Chauncellor and the Lord of Himbercourt but others disallowed of this marriage both bicause of the said Daulphins yoong age for he was but nine yeeres olde and also bicause of the marriage promised in England and these labored for the Duke of Cleues sonne Others there were that trauelled for the Emperors sonne Maximilian now King of Romans The said Lady had conceiued extreme hatred against the King for the deliuerie of the letters aboue mentioned which was the onely cause of the two noble mens death and of the dishonor she receiued when hir letters were openly redeliuered hir before the assemblie whereof you haue heard Further the deliuerie of the said letters seemed also to be the onely occasion that mooued them of Gaunt to banish so many of hir seruants from hir to remooue from about hir hir mother in lawe and the Lord of Rauastaine and to put hir women in such feare that they durst not open a letter before they of Gaunt had seene it nor commune with their Mistres in hir eare Wherefore she began now to remooue from about hir the Bishop of Liege who was of the house of Bourbon and an earnest suter for hir marriage with the Daulphin which sure had been a very honorable match for hir had not the said Daulphin been so yoong notwithstanding the Bishop had no regarde thereof To be short the said Bishop departed to Liege whereupon euery man gaue ouer that sute It had been hard to deale in this busines to the contentation of all parties and I thinke who so should haue intermedled in it should haue had but small thanke for his labour in the end wherfore euery man forbare to speake therin Notwithstanding before hir marriage was fully concluded there was an assemblie held about it wherat the Lady of Halleuin the Princesse of Burgundies principall woman was present who said as I haue heard reported that they had neede of a man not a child and that hir Mistres was a woman growen and able to beare children which should be the onely stay of the countrey This opinion tooke place notwithstanding some blamed this Lady for speaking thus frankly but others commended hir saying that she had spoken but of such mariage as was most necessary for the estate of the countrey There was now no more to do but to finde a fit man And I thinke verily if it had so pleased the K. she would willingly haue married the Lord of Angoulesme that now is 1 so much desired she to continue hir alliance with the house of France But God was minded to make another match wherof peraduenture the sequel is yet vnknown Notwithstanding this we are able to say by that is already past that of the said marriage many great wars haue arisen both heere and there which perchance had neuer happened if she had married the Lord of Angoulesme wheras by reason of this other match both the countries of Flaunders and Brabant haue suffered great afflictions The Duke of Cleues was at Gaunt with the said Lady making friends there in hope to conclude a marriage betweene hir and his son but she had no fansie therunto for both she those that were about hir misliked much his sons conditions Wherfore some began to motion a marriage betweene hir and the Emperors sonne now King of Romans the which in times past had been so far foorth treated of betweene the Emperor and Duke Charles that it was concluded betweene them two Further the Emperor had a letter written with the Ladies owne hand by hir fathers commandement and a ring set with a diamond The contents of the which letter were that according to the pleasure of hir Lord and father she promised to the said Duke of Austrich the Emperors sonne to accomplish the marriage concluded betweene both their parents in such manner and forme as hir said Lord and father should appoint From the Emperor came certaine ambassadors to the said Lady being at Gaunt who receiued letters at Bruxels commanding them to stay there bicause Commssioners should be sent thither to treat with them which was the Duke of Cleues doing who was loth of their comming and sought to send them home discontented But the said ambassadors passed foorth that notwithstanding for they had good intelligence in the Ladies court especially with the Dowager of Burgundy who was remooued from the said Lady as you haue heard bicause of the letter aboue mentioned She aduertised them as it was reported that they should not stay at Bruxels notwithstanding these letters instructing them further what they should do at their comming to Gaunt and assuring them that the said Lady and diuers about hir were well disposed to their sute The Emperors ambassadors followed hir aduise and rid straight to Gaunt notwithstanding the message aboue mentioned Wherewith the Duke of Cleues was not a little discontented but he was not acquainted with the disposition of the said Lady and hir women The Councell concluded that these ambassadors should haue audience their message being heard the Princesse should bid them hartily welcome tell them that she would take aduise with hir Councel which words being vttered she should withdraw hirselfe without farther communication Whereunto she agreed The ambassadors when audience was giuen them presented their letters and declared their message which was that hir mariage had been concluded betweene the Emperour and the Duke of Burgundy hir father with hir consent as appeered both by hir letters written with hir owne hand which they there shewed and also by the diamond which they said she had sent and giuen in token of marriage Moreouer the said ambassadors required hir on their Masters behalfe that it would please hir to accomplish the said marriage according to the will and promise both of hir said Lord and father and also of hirselfe Further desiring hir to declare before the assembly there present whether she had written the said letter or not and whether she minded to performe hir promise Whereunto the said Ladie without further deliberation answered that she had sent the saide diamond and written the letter by the commandement of hir Lord and father and would performe all that was conteined therein Then the ambassadors gaue hir humble thanks and returned with ioifull minds to their lodging But the Duke of Cleues was highly displeased with this answer being cleane contrary to hir councels resolution and told hir that she had done vnaduisedly
this mariage was accomplished in August 1477. Introduct de la Marche so that he was eighteen yeeres old and sixe moneths when he was married 3 This is Philip father to the Emperors Charles the fift and Ferdinande he was borne the 23. of Iune 1478. and died the 25. of September 1506. 4 This Margaret is she whom they of Gaunt against hir fathers will betrothed to King Charles the 8. as Commines writeth in this booke cap. 9. The said King Charles neuer accomplished the mariage with hir but being growen to mans estate sent hir home to hir father as Commines writeth lib. 7. cap. 3. Afterward she married the Prince of Castile as is mentioned lib. 8. cap. 17. and lastly Philibert Duke of Sauoy She was borne anno 1480. de la Marche 5 This Frauncis was borne anno 1481. Introduct de la Marche he died a childe and another sonne also as other historiographers report named George 6 Or rather the fift for she was married anno 1477. and died 1482. as our author in the 7. chapter of this booke reporteth She was borne anno 1457. and King Lewis christened hir Meyer Annal. Burgund 7 She died 2. of March an 1482. by reason that through womanly bashfulnes she would not suffer hir thigh vvhich vvas broken vvith the fall from hir horse to be cured but chose rather to die How King Lewis by the conduct of Charles of Amboise his lieutenant recouered diuers townes in Burgundie which the Prince of Orenge had caused to reuolt from him Chap. 4. THe war endured still in Burgundy where the King could not atchieue his enterprise bicause the Prince of Orenge being reuolted from him was made lieutenant of the Burgundians and had some aide of the Almaines for his money but not in fauor of Duke Maximilian for as touching him there neuer came man into the countrey for his seruice at the least during the time I now write of But these Almains were certaine bands of Swissers that serued the Prince of Orenge as aduenturers but not as Maximilians waged soldiers for the Swissers are not friends nor well willers of the house of Austrich other aide this countrey of Burgundy had little notwithstanding inough it might haue had if their paiment had been good And as touching aide no man might better haue giuen it than Duke Sigismunde of Austriche Duke Maximilians vncle 1 whose dominions bordered vpon these countries of Burgundy especially the County of Ferrette which a fewe yeeres before 2 he sould for 100000. gildons to Charles Duke of Burgundy and tooke it afterwards againe without paying backe the money 3 by the which title he yet possesseth it He was a man of small wisdome and little regarding his honor and in such friends men finde small helpe Further he was one of those Princes aboue mentioned that vnderstand nothing of their owne affaires further then it pleaseth their seruants to acquaint them with who are euer plagued for their beastlines in their age as this Duke Sigismunde was For his seruants during these wars made him take part with whom them listed so that for the most part he ioined with the King our Master against his nephew and would haue giuen his inheritance being very large from his owne kindred to a strange house for he neuer had childe notwithstanding that he were twise married But now within these three moneths by the perswasion of another faction of his seruants he hath conueied a present estate of his whole patrimony to the said Maximiliam his nephew King of Romaines reseruing to himself a pension onely amounting to the third part of his reuenues without any further power or authority in the countrey But as I haue heard he hath often repented him thereof and if I haue heard a lie yet it is like inough to be true Such is the end of all Princes that liue like beasts against whom I inueigh thus vehemently bicause of the great office and charge that God hath giuen them in this world Notwithstanding those that are bereft of their wits ought to be free from all reproch but sure those that haue good wits and healthfull bodies and yet employ their time in nothing but folly and idlenes are not to be moaned when any misfortune falleth vpon them as on the other side those that spend their time according to their age somtime in wisdome and councell and somtime in honest ' recreation are greatly to be commended and happie be the subiects that liue vnder such a Prince This war in Burgundie endured long bicause of the Swissers small aide aboue mentioned notwithstanding the Kings force was much too strong for them besides that the Burgundians lacked monie for the which cause the garrisons that were in the strong places turned by intelligence Monseur de Cran the Kings lieutenant there laide the siege before Dolle the chiefe citie of the countie of Burgundie the force within it being so small that he despised it which turned to his losse for they salied foorth and assaulted him on a sudden and tooke part of his artillerie and slue certaine of his men which was a great dishonor to him and put him also into the Kings disgrace who being troubled with this accident determined to send a new gouernor into Burgundie partly bicause of this misfortune and partly bicause of the great pillings and pollings the said de Cran had vsed in the countrie which were in deede too excessiue Notwithstanding before his departure he ouerthrew a band of Almains and Burgundians and tooke prisoner Monseur de Chasteauguion 4 the greatest Lord in Burgundie Other exploit none was done that I haue heard of notwithstanding the report went that the said de Cran behaued himselfe there very valiantly as touching his owne person The King as before I said determined for the reasons aboue alleaged to place a new gouernor in Burgundie not diminishing any whit of the said de Crans profits offices or estates saue onely that he tooke from him all his men of armes except halfe a dosen or a dosen archers left to accompanie him home This Monseur de Cran was a very grosse man and willingly departed to his owne house where he liued at ease The King placed in his roome Master Charles of Amboise Lord of Chaumont a valiant wise and diligent gentleman Moreouer he practised to win all the Almaines that made war against him in Burgundie to his seruice not so much to vse their helpe as thereby to conquer the easilier the rest of the countrie The King sent also to the Swissers whom he called the Lords of these Almaine leagues making them many goodly offers for he promised a yeerely pension of 20000. franks 5 to their townes which be fower Berne Lucerne Zurich and I think Fribourg was the fourth Their Cantons also as I suppose receiued part of this pension which be three villages situate in the mountains namely Swisse whereof the whole countrie is named Soleurre and Ondreual other 20000. franks he
notwithstanding the Earle of Dunois ambassage in such sort that the towne began to be greatly distressed wherefore the Duke of Orleans and the rest of the noble men of Britaine fearing the losse of the towne departed from Nantes and went to Rennes where they assembled their forces to leuy the siege Their men of armes were fower hundred and their footemen of their owne countries twelue thousande as some write as others but eight thousand besides three hundred English men and eight hundred Swissers and of artillerie they had great plentie Then in very good order they encamped abroad in the fields The names of the noble men of the armie were these the D. of Orleans the Lord of Alebret the Marshall of Rieux the Lord of Chasteaubrian the Lord of Scales an Englishman the Lord of Leon the Lord of Rohans eldest sonne the Lord of Crenettes the Lord of Pont l'Abbe the Lord of Plessis the Lord of Balynes the Lord of Montigny the Lord of Montuet all the which Lords with their companies whole forces encamped at a village called Andouille the wednesday being the 23. of Iuly the yeere 1488. aboue mentioned in the night there was an alarme among the Gascoins whereof it was feared some quarrell would haue growen betweene the Duke of Orleans and the Lord of Alebret but the matter was soone pacified In the mean time came newes to these Lords at the said village of Andouille the saterday the sixe and twenty of the said moneth of Iuly that the French had taken Fongieres by composition with these conditions that the soldiers should depart in safety with bag and baggage vpon which newes the Britains army determined to march to Saint Albin hoping easily to take the towne bicause the French garrison within it was but small and that in the meane time the soldiers that were departed out of Fongieres should ioine with them and increase their forces On the other side the French army marched also towards Saint Albin meaning to be there before the Britains but it so fell out that neither of them entered the towne bicause before they came thither they met fought For you shall vnderstand that the same saterday that the Britains receiued newes of the taking of Fongieres they marched to a village called Orenge two leagues from Saint Albin where they were aduertised that the Kings army marched against them with a ful resolution to fight with them The sunday morning the Britaines consulted of the order of their battell and bicause the footemen were iealous of the French horsemen that were in their campe and namely of the Duke of Orleans himselfe it was thought good that he and the Prince of Orenge should leaue their horses and put themselues on foote in the battell among the Swissers and so they did The vaward was lead by the Marshall of Rieux the battel by the Lord of Alebret and the rereward by the Lord of Chasteaubrian vpon one of their wings was placed their artillerie and their carriage And the more to terrifie the French with the great number of English men whereas there were in truth but three hundred English men lead by the Lord Talbot seauenteen hundred Britain footemen were ioined to them armed with iacks and red crossâ—s English like and the monday morning they raunged themselues in battell in this order aboue rehearsed hard by a groue of wood attending the French army The Kings army whereof Master Lewis of Trimouille Vicount of Touars being fiue or sixe and twenty yeeres of age was generall departed out of Fongieres with a full resolution to fight with the Britains The vaward was lead by Adrian de l'hospitall and Gabriell of Montfalzoys before the which ten or twelue valiant French knights aduanced themselues to discouer the Britains actions whose good order when they had viewed they retired to their company theÌ„ being in troupe al close ioined togither approched the Britaines army the artillerie in the meane time playing on both sides and greatly endammaging both the parties The French marched very couragiously and charged the Britaines vawarde where the Marshall of Rieux valiantly receiued them and acquit himselfe so well both he and his companie that the French left the vaward marched straight vpon the Britaines battell where the Britaine horsemen recoiled by meanes whereof their rereward being discouraged fled Then the French pursued them and slue all the footemen they could ouertake which disorder when the Britaine vaward perceiued they also disparkled and sought to saue themselues To conclude the French obtained the victorie and slue all those that bare the red crosse supposing they had beene all English men togither with twelue or thirteene hundred Britaines as well horsemen as footemen The Duke of Orleans was taken by the footemen and likewise the Prince of Orenge who had pulled away his blacke crosse from him and had laid himselfe flat vpon the ground among the dead bodies faining himselfe to be slaine but he was knowen by a French archer and both he and the Duke of Orleans led prisoners to Saint Albin vnder sure garde The Lord of Alebret seeing all ouerthrowen fled away and escaped The Marshall of Rieux also saued himselfe and retired to Dinan The Lord of Leon the Lord du Pont l'Abbe the Lord of Montfort and diuers other noble men of Britaine were slaine and of other soldiers to the number of sixe thousand of the Kings part was slaine Iames Galeot a valiant and a renowmed captaine and to the number of a thousand or twelue hundred common soldiers This battell was fought vpon monday the 28. of Iuly the yeere 1488. Soone after the Duke of Orleans was led to the castell of Luzignen and from thence to Poictiers where he remained a certaine space and lastly to the great tower of Bourges The second day after the battell the Lord of Trimouille sent certaine heraults to Reims to summon the towne to yeeld to the King who after consultation had answered the said heraults that the King had no right to the towne and that wrongfully and without cause he made war vpon the countrie of Britaine and that notwithstanding his great armie he could not ouerrun the countrie as he hoped for God who defended the Britaines right was able to do as much to him as he did to King Iohn before Poictiers and to King Philip of Valois at Crecy adding further that they would not yeeld the towne and that if Monseur de la Trimouille came thither he should finde fortie thousand men in the towne whereof twenty thousand were men of defence This answer was reported to the said Trimouille who staied a long time without replying one word thereunto and afterwards by the same heraults aduertised the King thereof being at Angiers Whereupon the King assembled his Councell to determine what was to be done in this case Some yea almost all were of opinion that the towne should be besieged but Master VVilliam of Rochfort Chauncellor of Fraunce held the contrarie opinion
the feast of Saint Iohn Baptist in the yeere 1498. at which time he was bound to restore them also to the said Archduke and so he promised and sware to do Whether the alteration of these mariages agreed with the lawes of holy Church or no let others iudge for many Doctors of diuinitie said yea and many nay but were these lawfull or vnlawfull sure all these Ladies were vnfortunate in their issue Our Queene had three sonnes successiuely one after another in fower yeeres one of them 3 liued almost three yeeres and then died and the other two be dead also The Lady Margaret of Austriche was afterward married to the Prince of Castile onely sonne to the King and Queene of Castile and heire both of Castile and diuers other realmes The said Prince died the first yeere of his marriage in the yeere of our Lord 1497. leauing his wife great bellied 4 who immediately after hir husbands death fell in trauel before hir time and was deliuered of a dead borne childe which misfortune the King and Queene of Castile and their whole realme lamented a long time The King of Romanes immediately after this change aboue mentioned married the daughter of Galeas Duke of Milan sister to Duke Iohn Galeas before named the which marriage was made by the Lord Lodouics onely procurement but it displeased greatly both the Princes of the Empire and many also of the King of Romanes friends bicause she was not of a house noble ynough in their opinion to match with their Emperor For as touching the Viscounts of whom the Dukes of Milan are descended small nobilitie is in them and lesse yet in the Sforces for the first of that house was Francis Sforce Duke of Milan whose father was a shoomaker 5 dwelling in a little towne called Cotignoles but a very valiant man though not so valiant as his sonne who by meanes of the great fauour the people of Milan bare his wife being bastard daughter to Duke Philip Marie made himselfe Duke and conquered and gouerned the whole countrie not as a tyrant but as a good and iust Prince so that in woorthines and vertue he was comparable to the noblest Princes that liued in his daies Thus much I haue written to shew what followed the change of these marriages neither know I what may yet heerafter ensue further thereof The Notes 1 Annal. Burgund vvrite vvith Philip the King of Romaines sonne but the best vvriters agree vvith our author 2 Maximilian vvas chosen King of Romaines anno 1486. Funccius 3 Of this childes death he vvriteth lib. 8. cap. 13. 4 Of this Princes death he vvriteth at large lib. 8. cap. 17. 5 Francis Sforces father as some write vvas first a cooke in the campe after he became a soldier and lastly for his valor vvas made a captaine and a knight How the King sent to the Venetians to practise with them before he enterprised his voiage to Naples and of the preparation that was made for the said voiage Chap. 4. NOw to returne to the principall matter you haue heard of the Earle of Caiazzes the other ambassadors departure from the King at Paris and of diuers practises entertained in Italy and how the King as yoong as he was greatly affected this voiage notwithstanding that as yet he discouered his meaning but to the Seneschall and generall onely Further he required the Venetians to giue him aide and counsell in this enterprise who answered him that he should be welcome into Italy but that aide him they could not bicause they stood in doubt of the Turke yet were they in peace with him and as touching counsell it should be too great presumption in them to giue counsell to so wise a Prince hauing so graue a counsell about him but they promised rather to helpe him than hinder him This they tooke to be a wise answer and so was it I confesse But notwithstanding that they gouerne their affaires more circumspectly than any Prince or commonaltie in the world yet God will alwaies haue vs to know that wisedome and forecast of man auaile nought when he is purposed to strike the stroke For he disposed of this enterprise far otherwise than they imagined for they thought not that the King would haue come in person into Italy neither stoode they in any feare of the Turke notwithstanding their forged excuse for the Turke then raigning was a man of no valor 1 but they hoped by this meanes to be reuenged of the house of Arragon which they hated extremely both the father and the sonne bicause by their perswasion as they said the Turke came to Scutary 2 I meane the father of this Turke called Mahumet Ottoman who tooke Constantinople and greatly endammaged the said Venetians But apart to Alphonse D. of Calabria they had many other quarrels for they charged him first as the onely author of the war the D. of Ferrara mooued against them wherin they consumed such infinit treasure that it had well neere cleane vndone them of the which war a word or two hath been spoken before Secondarily that he had sent a man purposely to Venice to poison their cesterns at the least as many as might be come vnto for diuers of them be enclosed and locked They vse there none other water for they are inuironed with the sea and sure that water is very good 3 as my selfe can witnes for twice I haue been at Venice and in my last voiage dranke of it eight moneths togither But the chiefe cause of their hatred against this house of Arragon was none of these aboue rehersed but for that the said house kept them frō growing great as well in Italy as Greece on both the which countries they had their eies fixed notwithstanding they had lately conquered the I le of Cyprus vpon no title in the world 4 For all these considerations the Venetians thought it their profit that war should arise betweene the King and the house of Arragon but they supposed that it could not haue ended so soon as it did that it shuld but weaken their enimies not vtterly destroy them and further that if the woorst fell either the one partie or the other to haue their helpe would giue them certaine townes in Pouille lying vpon their sea coast as also in the end it hapned but they had well neere misreckoned themselues Lastly as touching the calling of the King into Italy they thought it could not be laid to their charge seeing they had giuen him neither counsell nor aide as appeered by their answer to Peron of Basche In the yeere 1494. the King went to Lyons to attend to his affaires but no man 1494. thought he would passe the mountaines Thither came to him the aboue named Master Galeas of Saint Seuerin brother to the Earle of Caiazze with a goodly traine sent from the Lord Lodouic whose lieutenant and principall seruant he was He brought with him a great number of braue horses and armours to run in
To be short their behauiour was such on both sides that their amitie could not long endure but we babbled much more than they not the King himselfe but certaine of his neerest kinsmen 3 In this castell of Pauie was Iohn Galeas Duke of Milan and his wife daughter to King Alphonse in very pitious estate for hir husband being sicke was held in this castell as vnder garde and hir sonne who is yet liuing with a daughter or two The childe was then about fiue yeeres old and him euery man might see but no man might see the Duke for my selfe passed that way three daies before the King and could by no meanes be suffered to come to him Euery body said he was extreme sicke notwithstanding the King spake with him for he was his cosin germane 4 and he hath told me that their communication was onely generall talke bicause he would in no wise offend the Lord Lodouic notwithstanding that he were very desirous to haue aduertised his said cosin of diuers matters At the same time the Duchesse fell vpon hir knees before the said Lodouic desiring him to haue pitie vpon hir father and brother He answered that it could not be But to say the truth she might better haue intreated for hir husband and hir selfe being at that time a goodly yoong Lady From thence the King remooued to Plaisance where the said Lodouic receiued letters that his nephewe the Duke Milan lay at the point of death wherefore he tooke his leaue of the King to go to him The King desired him to returne and so he promised to do Before he came to Pauie the Duke died whereupon he rid incontinent as it were in poste to Milan Al these newes I vnderstood by a letter that the Venetian ambassador resident with the said Lodouic sent to Venice wherein also he aduertised the Seniorie that he meant to make himselfe Duke whichboth the Duke of Venice and the Seniorie vtterly misliked so far foorth that they asked me whether the King would not defend the childe which though reason required that he should yet I made the matter doubtfull considering how necessary an instrument the said Lord Lodouic was at that time for the Kings affaires To be short he made himselfe to be receiued at Milan as Duke which was the onely end as some said why he had caused vs to passe the mountaines Manie also charged him with his nephewes death whose kinsfolkes and friends in Italy were in armes to haue taken the gouernment from him which they would easily haue done had not the Kings comming stopped them For they were already in Romaine as you haue heard But the Earle of Caiazze and the Lord of Aubigny made them to retire For the said Lord of Aubigny had with him a company of a hundred fifty or two hundred men of armes French and a good band of Swissers Dom Ferrande and his forces retired towards their friends dislodging euer halfe a daies iourney before our men and marched towards Furly 5 which belonged to a Lady being a bastard of Milan and widow of the Earle Hieronime nephew to Pope Sixtus 6 This Lady fauored them as the report went notwithstanding after our men had taken by assault a little towne of hirs being first beaten halfe a day with the canon she reuolted to vs being indeed well affected to vs before Further the people of Italy began in all places to take hart and to desire change and alteration for they sawe that which before they had neuer seene I meane the feate of artillerie which they were vnacquainted with which in Fraunce was neuer more practised than at that time The said Dom Ferrande approched still neerer and neerer to his realme and went to Sesenne a faire citie of the Popes in the Marque of Anconne but the people spoiled his carriage stuffe whensoeuer they tooke his men at aduantage And through all Italy they would haue rebelled if the wars had been ordered on our side without spoile but all was done cleane contrary to my great griefe bicause of the honor and renowme the French nation might haue obtained by this voiage For at our first arriuall the people honored vs as saints supposing all faith and vertue to be in vs but their opinion endured not long partly bicause of the disorder and spoile our men vsed and partly bicause of the slanderous reports our enimies made of vs in all places charging vs that we forced women and robbed and carried away money and whatsoeuer we could lay hands on of heinouser crimes they could not haue accused vs in Italy for no nation is so ielous and couetous as the Italian As touching women they belied vs but the rest was not altogither vntrue The Notes 1 He meaneth bicause he vvas a man of no vertue as before is said 2 VVhat right the Duke of Orleans had to it the petegree in the end of the booke will declare 3 He meaneth the Earle of Ligny the King and vvho vvere sisters children 4 King Charles his mother vvas Charlotte and this Dukes mother Bonne both daughters to the Duke of Sauoy 5 It vvas corruptly in the French Sorly for Furly vvhich the old Romaines called Forum liuii 6 Octauian sonne to Hieronime of Riare vvas Lord of Furly and Imola vvith title of Vicar of the Church but he vvas vnder the gouernment of Katherin Sforce his mother heere mentioned Guicciar How Peter of Medices yeelded fower of the Florentines strongest places to the King and how the King restored Pisa being one of them to their ancient liberty Chap. 7. THe King as before you haue heard was at Plaisance where he caused a solemne funerall to be made for his cosin germaine the Duke of Milan for other thing wist he not what to do the new Duke of Milan being departed from him They that best vnderstood the course of these affaires haue told me that the whole cōpany desired to returne home aswel for that they were vnprouided of all things necessarie as also bicause of diuers doubts that were arisen for certaine that at the first seemed to haue great good liking of this voiage began now vtterly to disallow thereof namely the Lord of Vrfé Master of the horse who was not with the King but lay sicke at Genua whence he wrote him a letter giuing him therein to vnderstand of diuers doubts and iealousies whereof he was aduertised But as before I haue said in diuers places God manifestly declared that he himselfe gouerned this enterprise For suddenly in the necke of this letter newes came to the King that the Duke of Milan would shortly return and that the Florentines began to fauor vs in hatred of Peter de Medicis who gouerned them as if he had been their Prince to the great discontentation both of many of his owne neere kinsmen and of diuers also the best citizens namely the Capons the Sonderini 1 the Nerly and in maner the whole citie Wherefore the King departed from
able to succour the castle without these two ships for the enimies lay before it with a great Nauie as well of their owne as of the Venetians and the King of Spaines Three daies I abode with the Duke and one day he sate in counsell with me seeming to be discōtented that I misliked his answer touching the said ships and alleaged that by the treatie of Verceil he had promised to serue the King with two ships but not that they should be manned with French men Whereunto I answered that this seemed to me a verie slender excuse for if he should lend me a good mule to passe the mountaines withall and afterward make me lead hir in my hand and not to ride vpon hir but looke vpon hir onely what pleasure did he me After much debating he and I withdrew our selues into a gallery where I declared vnto him what great paines both I and others had taken to conclude this treatie of Verceil and into how great danger he brought vs by contrariyng thus his promise and causing the King by that meanes to lose these castles and consequently the whole realme whereby he should also ingender perpetuall hatred between the King and him Further I offered him the Princedome of Tarente and the Duchie of Bary the which Duchie he held already Lastly I shewed him the danger he put both himselfe and the whole estate of Italy into by suffering the Venetians to hold these places in Pouille 2 And he confessed I said true especially touching the Venetians but his last resolution was that he could finde no faith nor assurance with the King After this communication I tooke my leaue of him he accompaning me vpon the way about a league But euen at our very departure he deuised yet a cunningerly than all the rest if a man may vse such termes of a Prince for bicause I seemed to depart sad and Melancholick he said vnto me as a man suddenly altered that he would do me a friendly turne to the end the King might haue good cause to welcom me for the next day he would send Master Galeas to Genua more I could not wish when he named him to me to cause the two ships to depart and ioine with our armie by meanes whereof he would saue the King the castle of Naples and consequently the whole realme as he should indeed if he had done as he promised He said further that immediately after their departure he would aduertise me thereof with his owne hand to the end I might be the first man that should bring newes to the King of this great seruice that I had done him adding also that the Courrier should ouertake me with his letters before my arriuall at Lyons In this good hope departed I and tooke my iourney to passe the mountaines thinking euerie Poste that came after me to be the same that should haue brought me these letters Notwithstanding I doubted somewhat thereof knowing the nature of the man so well as I did But to proceed in my voiage I came to Chambery where I found the Duke of Sauoy who honorably entreated me and staied me with him a day Afterward I arriued at Lyons without my Courrier to make report to the King of all that I had done whom I found banketting and iusting and wholy giuen to sport and pastime Those that had misliked this treatie of Verceil were glad that the Duke of Milan had thus deluded vs for their credit increased thereby but me they potted at as in such cases is vsuall in Princes courts greatly to my griefe and discontentment I made report to the King by mouth and shewed him also in writing the Venetians offers aboue rehearsed whereof he made small account and the Cardinall who gouerned all much lesse But that notwithstanding I mooued it to him afterward againe for me thought it better to accept this offer then to lose all Besides that the King had no men about him able to deale in so waightie an enterprise 3 for those that were able and of experience they that had all the credit neuer or very seldome called to counsell in any matter The King would gladly they should oftner haue beene called but he feared to displease those that were of authority about him especially those that gouerned his treasure namely the said Cardinall and his brethren and kinsmen Wherefore let all other Princes learne by the example of this how fit and conuenient it is for themselues to take paines in the gouerning of their owne affaires at the least sometimes how requisite it is to call more than one or two to counsell according to the varietie of the matters that are debated and how necessarie it is to hold their counsellors almost in equall authority for if one of them be so great that the rest feare him as one was both then and euer since about King Charles he is King and Lord in effect and the Prince himselfe is euill serued as this King was by his gouernors who sought onely their owne profit and little regarded his whereby himselfe was the lesse esteemed and the worse thought of The Notes 1 The Venetians hauing sent aide to King Ferrand had won Monopoly and Pulignane Guicciar 2 For King Ferrand since King Charles his departure had in ingaged to the Venetians 6. townes in Pouille vnder certaine conditions which are rehearsed heerafter cap. 14. 3 He meaneth the enterprise of succouring the castle of Naples How the King after his returne into Fraunce forgot those that he left behinde him in the realme of Naples and how the Daulphin died whose death the King and Queen much lamented Chap. 13. I Returned to Lyons the yeere 1495. the twelfe of December where the King was already arriued with his army a yeere and two moneths after his departure out of his realme The castles of Naples held yet for him as before you haue heard and Monseur de Montpensier his lieutenant there was yet at Salerne in the realme of Naples with the Prince of Salerne likewise Monseur de Aubigny was yet in Calabria where he had done great seruice notwithstanding that he had been sicke almost euer since the Kings departure Master Gracien des Guerres was yet also in l' Abruzzo Dom Iulian at Montsaint-Ange and George of Suly at Tarente but they were all so distressed as a man would not beleeue Besides that they could hardly receiue any newes or letters out of Fraunce and those few they did receiue were but lies and faire promises without effect For the K. as you haue heard they dispatched nothing himselfe and if it had beene furnished in time but of the sixte part of the money that was spent afterward they had neuer lost the realme But in the end when all was yeelded they receiued forty thousand ducats onely for part of a yeeres pay already passed and yet if this small summe had come but a moneth sooner the miseries and diuisions they afterward fell into and the dishonor they receiued
purged him fower daies before he died bicause they sawe in his bodie the occasions of his death Euery man ran to the Duke of Orleans who was to succeede him as next heire to the crowne But King Charles his chamberlains caused him to be richlie buried and immediately after his death began solemne seruice for him which continued both day and night for when the canons ended the friers Franciscans began and when they ended the Bons-hommes 1 which was an order founded by himselfe his body remained at Amboise eight daies partly in his chamber which was richly hanged and partly in the church All solemnities belonging to his funerals were more sumptuous than euer were any K. of Fraunce for his chamberlains officers those that were neere about him neuer departed from his body till it was laid in the ground which was about a moneth after his death al the which space this solemne seruice continued so that the charges of his funerals amounted to fiue and fortie thousand franks as diuers of the receit haue informed me I arriued at Amboise two daies after his death and went to say my praiers ouer his body where I abode fiue or sixe howers And to saie the truth I neuer saw so great mourning and lamentation nor that continued so long for any Prince as for him and no maruel for he had bestowed vpon those that were neere about him namely his chamberlaines and ten or twelue gentlemen of his priuie chamber greater offices and gifts than euer did King of Fraunce yea too great to saie the truth Besides that he was the mildest and courteousest Prince that euer liued for I thinke he neuer gaue foule word to any man wherefore in better hower could he not die both to leaue his fame behinde him in histories and to be bewailed of those that serued him And I thinke verily that my selfe am the man whom of all other he vsed roughliest but bicause I knew it to be the fault of his youth and not to proceede of himselfe I could neuer loue him the woorse for it After I had staied one night at Amboise I went to the newe King with whom I had been more familiar than any man and further for his sake had susteined all my troubles and losses which now he seemed little to remember notwithstanding with great wisdome he tooke possession of the crowne for he changed no pensions that yeere though halfe the yeere were yet to come neither displaced many officers but said that he would maintaine euery man in his estate whereby he wan great honor Moreouer with all speede possible he went to his coronation whereat my selfe was present And these that follow represented the peeres of Fraunce The first was the Duke of Alençon who represented the Duke of Burgundie the second the Duke of Bourbon who represented the Duke of Normandie the third the Duke of Lorraine who represented the D of Guienne The first Earle was Philip L. of Rauastaine who represented the Earle of Flaunders the second Engilbert of Cleues who represented the Earle of Champaigne the third the Earle of Foix who represented the Earle of Tholouze And the said King Levvis the twelfth now raigning was crowned at Reims the 27. of Maie the yeere 1498. and is the fourth that hath come to the crowne by collaterall line The two first were Charles Martell or Pepin his sonne and Hugh Capet who were both of them Masters of the pallace or gouernors of those Kings whom they deposed from the crowne which afterwarde themselues vsurped the thirde was King Philip of Valois and the fourth the King that now raigneth but these two latter came to the crowne by iust and lawfull title The first genealogie of the Kings of Fraunce beginneth at Meronee two Kings had raigned in Fraunce before the said Meronee namely Pharamond who was first chosen King of Fraunce for his predecessors were called Dukes or Kings of Gaule and his sonne Claudio The said Pharamond was chosen King the yeere of grace 420. and raigned ten yeeres and his sonne Claudio eighteene so that these two Kings raigned eight and twentie yeeres and Meronee who succeeded next after was not sonne but cosen to the said Claudio Wherefore it seemeth that the right line of the Kings of Fraunce hath failed fiue times notwithstanding as before I said men begin the first line at Meronee who was crowned King in the yeere of our Lord 448. from the which time to the coronation of King Levvis the twelfth are numbred 1050. yeeres But if you reckon from Pharamond you must adde eight and twentie more which make 1078. yeeres since there was first King of Fraunce From Meronee to the raigne of Pepin when the line of the said Meronee failed are numbred 333. yeeres From Pepin to Hugh Capet raigned the true line of the said Pepin and Charlemaine his son the space of 237. yeeres The right line of Hugh Capet raigned 339. yeeres and ended in King Philip of Valois and the right line of the said King Philip of Valois continued till the death of King Charles the eight which hapned in the yeere of our Lord 1498. The said King Charles was the last of this line the which had continued 169. yeeres during the which space these seuen Kings raigned in Fraunce Philip of Valois King Iohn Charles the fift Charles the sixt Charles the seuenth Levvis the 11. and Charles the eight in whom the right line of Philip of Valois ended The Notes 1 This vvas an order of religion deuised by the King How Charles Duke of Burgundie was of the house of Lancaster as Commines mentioneth lib. 1. cap. 5. and in other places Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster m. Blaunch daughter and heire of Henry Duke of Lancaster and Darby Philippa m. Iohn the tenth King of Portugale bastard to King Ferrande of Portugale Isabella m. Philip Duke of Burgundie Charles Duke of Burgundie of whose wars and death this history treateth How Elizabeth wife to King Edward the fourth was neece to the Constable of Fraunce as mentioneth Commines lib. 4. cap. 5. Peter of Luxembourg m. Margaret Countesse of Saint Paul Conuersane Briane Lignac c. Petrus Earle of Saint Paul c. m. Margaret daughter to William D. of Andre in Prouence Iaquelna or Iaquette m. Iohn Duke of Bedford m. Richard Wooduile Earle of Riuers Elizabeth m. Sir Iohn Gray Thomas Marques Dorset m. Edward the fourth King of England Edwardus quintus R. Ang. Lewis of Luxembourg Earle of Saint Paul Constable of FrauÌ„ce m. Iane daughter heire to Robert Earle of Marle c. Anthonie Earle of Roussv mentioned by Commines lib. 2. cap. 11. lib. 4. ca. 4. Iohn Earle of Marle slaine at the battell of Morat Peter Earle of Saint Paul and Brienne m. Margaret daughter to Lewis D. of Sauoye Marie Francis m. Marie daughter to Lewis Duke of Sauoye Lewis Eaâ—â— of Ligny How Brabant Lambourg Luxembourg and Namurs came to Philip Duke of Burgundie as mentioneth Commines lib.