disposition suspitious h Suspition and facillistie is to beleeue all things Suspitionum credendi temeritas Taâ— ruins friendships and the most firmest affections and boyling made them of Croüi to feele the indignation which hee durst not euaporate against Lewis who fauoured them It burst forth at such time as they setled the estate of the Earle of Charrolois house The Duke would haue Philip de Croui Sonne to Iohn de Croui set downe for the third Chamberlaine in the absence of the Lord of Auchy the first and of the Lord of Formelles the second Chamberlaine The Earle of Charrolois entred Anthony Raulyn Lord of Eimeries The house was diuided some followed the Fathers will and others the Sonnes i A controuer sie between two priuate Noblemen is able to diujde the opinione of a whole Court That which was betwixt Chimay of Emeries who should haue the first place in the absence of the L. of Auchy first Chamberlaine to the Duke was so affected as the father was for the one the son for the other The Duke seeing the danger which might grow by this adoration of the sunne rising made it knowne that he was both master and father commanding his Sonne to bring him the Rowle and in his presence cast it into the fire and then willed him to goe forth Monstrelet saith that the Duke commanded the Earle of Charolois to cause Croui to martch in his ranke I will not answered the Earle they of Croui shall neuer gouerne as they haue done and that the Father being offended at an answer so bold and of so little respect he would haue fallen vpon his Sonne but not able to get him he commanded him to auoid the country The Sonne departs full of murmuring and despite the Father comming to himselfe and seeing that his Sonne returned not Displeasure of the Duke of Bourgundy to his Sonne goes to horseback all alone sad and pensiue in a raynie night rides through the country to let the Dauphin know the griefe hee had and his Son the choller wherin disobedience had drawen him k Whatsoeuer the Sonne doth yet must the Father alwaies show himselfe a Father matters are very foule strange when as hee is forced to forget the dutie of a Father He lost himselfe in a wood and lay all night in a Collyars cabbin with hunger in his belly and choller in his head He came the next day to Seuenbergh a little towne of Brabant whereas he found one of his huntsmen who conducted him to Guinneppe where as the Dauphin the cause of all this trouble besought him to pardon the Earle of Charrolois The Duke would haue held the refusall of so iust a request cruell being made by and for a person so neere vnto him l As it is vnpleasing to intreat a stranger so is it a very sensible discipleasure to bee refused of his owne for he could not but loue his onely Sonne in despight of his youthfull wayward affections He required no other satisfaction but that hee should dismisse two seruants William Bithe and Guiot of Vsie who retired themselues into France Soone after the Earle of Charrolois bred another subiect of choller in his fathers hart Wandring of the Dauphin being a hunting he was come from hunting without the Dauphin and had suffered him to wander in a wood thinking that hee had been before When the Duke saw him returne alone he blamed him sharpely and commanded him to goe presently to horsebacke to seeke the Dauphin They sought him long by torch-light and found him on the way to Bruzells conducted by a Pesant m The Dauphins wandring was in the night abeue eight leagues from Brussels The Duke caused him to bee sought for with torches the next day hee gaue a crowne to the Pesant which had conducted him The Duke was exceeding glad to see him returne for he knew that he should be alwaies bound to yeeld an account of so precious agage and that he might be assured whilest he held him he might haue what he desired from the King Birth of Mary of Bourgundy the 13. of Feb. 1457 God sent the Earle of Charolois a Daughter for the first fruits of his marriage the Duke intreated the Dauphin to christen her Mary This birth did moderare the grief which the Lady Isabel of Bourbon her Mother had conceiued six monthes before for the death of her Father Charles Duke of Bourbon n Charles the first Duke of Bourbon dyed in the end of the yeere 1455. he was Sonne to Iohn the first Duke of Bourbon and of Boâ—na of Bourgundy daughter to Philip the hardy Hee married Agnes of Bourgundy Daughter to Iohn Duke of Bourgundy and had fiue sonnes and fiue daughter His sonnes were Iohn the second Duke of Bourbon Lewis who died yong Peter Lord of Beauien Charles Cardinall of Bourbon Archbishop of Lyon and Lewis Bishop of Liege The Daughters were 〈◊〉 Princesse of Orange Catherine Dutchesse of Gueldres Margaret Countesse of Bresse and Dutchesse of Sauoy Isabel wife to Charles Duke of Bourgondy and Mary married first to the Duke of Calabria and afterwards to Gaston de Foix. The King was offended for that hee did not yeeld him his Sonne and desired some occasion to let him know his discontent the which hee did not dissemble when as the Duke sought to punish the Gantois for a rebellion commanding him to suffer them to liue in peace as being vnder his protection The Dauphin thought the time of his returne into France long and had sworne that he would not make that voyage vntill his Father were past vnto another world 1459. The first yeare of his abode there Charlotte of Sauoy Daughter to the Duke of Sauoy was brought to Namur to consumate the marriage which had beene concluded fiue yeares before o One of the goodliest parts of ciuill society is marrage the first gate to enter into it is loue there is none to go out of it but that of death And for that in the marriages of Princes they regard more the interest of subiect estates then their own content It happens that their loues are not so pure and free A marriage which being made vnwillingly was continued without loue When the Duke of Bourgundy gaue the Dauphin his pension of 12000. Birth of the Dauphins sonne at Gnenneppe in Iune 1459. Crownes Oliuer de la March writes that it was vpon condition that he should marry her which shewes that he had no great desire She was deliuered of a sonne who was named Ioachim the Duke of Bourgondy was so glad of this newes as he gaue a thousand Lyons of gold to Ioselin du Bois which brought it He was the Godfather and the Countesse of Charrolois the Godmother The Insant dyed presently after and left the father very sorrowfull who being not then in those distrusts which age brings desired to see him great knowing well that the Children which were
made his Brother the packhorse of his passions sought to put him out of hope to marry his daughter Marriage sought in Castille and perswaded him to seeke the marriage of the King of Castiles daughter f The K. desired the Marriage of Isabella Infanta of Castile with his brother but she was married to D. Fernando Prince of Arragâ—n King Henry treated for his Daughter D. Ioane Monsieur submitted his will to the Kings and Deputies were sent into Castille to King Henry the fourth The King had for his part the Cardinall of Alby and the Lord of Torcy The Duke of Guienne gaue his procuration to the Earle of Bolloigne and to the Lord of Malicorne to consent vnto this marriage and had neuer beheld the Bride Princes drinke these waters without seeing them This poursute was pleasing to the King of Castile who was offended that his Sister D. Isabella had married to Ferdinand of Arragon without his consent The King sends Ambassadors into Castile and tooke it for a great honor that shee whom the Grandes of Spaine held and who in effect was the supposed Daughter of Castile should bee wife vnto the French Kings brother hauing no meanes to lodge her in a better house Hee commanded the Archbishop of Seuill the Bishop of Siguenç and the master of the order of S. Iames to treat the marriage with the Embassadors of France All being concluded the King would haue the promises made in a great Plaine g The Princesse D. Ioane was brought into the field by the Marques of Santillana who had her in charge and to whom the King gaue in recompence of his seruice three Townes of the Infantasgo Alâ—ocer Valdolinas and Salmeron neere vnto the Monasterie of Paular enual de Locoia in the view of an incredible multitude which came thither The K. hauing renued his declarations against his sister D. Isabella and confirmed to his Daughter D. Ioane the title of Princesse and heire of Castille the Cardinall of Alby addressing himselfe to the Queene her mother besought her to sweare whether D. Ioane were the Kings daughter or not She sweare that she was He made the like adiuration vnto the King who affirmed the same They had not any need to seeke for the Iewes waters of probation h The Iewes to proue adultery had probation waters as they caled them The adulterous woman drinking therof did burst The Geâ—mans tried if their Children were lawfull making them swim vpon the riuer of Rhin nor to make this Virgin swim vpon the Riuer to know the truth of her birth And yet vpon this affirmation all the Grandes at that time kist her hands and she was againe sworne Princesse of Castille In this qualitie the Cardinall of Alby made her sure to the Duke of Guienne the Earle of Boulongue promising and receiuing the promises for him Whilest the King laboured to prouide a wife for his Brother Birth of Charls the 8. God sent the King a Sonne i Charles Dauphin of France was borne at Amboise the 14 of Iuly or as the Annales of Aquitaine report the last of Iune 1470. Charles of Bourbon Archbishop of Lion was Godfather and gaue him his name This birth reuiued the King who began to grow old his Maiestie was more respected factions were weakened Monsieurs hopes recoyled and France wholly preserued by these two great and speciall fauours of heauen valor and prosperitie or vertue and fortune which haue made her reputation to passe through so many ages k Valour without the which a great enterprise cannot bee ended laied the foundation of the Monarchy of France and prosperity withâ—out the which the best setled estates are not assured preserues it The Constable seeing that by Monsieurs marriage with the Daughter of Castille Constables new practises all his designes vanished into smoke labors with all the capacitie of his iudgement to disswade him from this alliance letting him know that it was dishonorable by reason of the vnlawfull birth of Bertraiamina for so they called her and dangerous for the hatred which he should purchase of D. Ferdinand and D. Isabella declared Kings of Castille with the like Art he represented vnto him the greatnes he should expect by the marriage of the Princesse of Bourgundy Death of Pope Paul the second Pope Paul the second died l Paul the second dyed of an Apoplexie the 28. of Iuly 1471. hauing raigned 6. yeers ten moneths during this poursuite and after that he had yeelded vnto it hee was sodainly surprised by death hauing held a Consistorie and eaten two melons at his dinner His election was as vnexpected as his death Cardinall Scarampi who was his enemie m Cardinall Lewis Scarampy Patriarke of Aquilea was enemie to P. Paul the second being yet a Cardinal Lewis reproched to Peter the sumptuousnes of his buildings and Peter said that he had rather exceed in that then in dice playing wherein Lewis tooke great delight did in the beginning of the Conclaue breake off the proposition which was made and yet contrarie to the ordinance of elections the suffrages agreed vpon the same subiect which they had reiected and the contention which had begunne the Conclaue ended This Pope shewed a great generosite for beeing chosen and seeing that the gowt or rather shame and discontentment hindred this Cardinall from comming to the adoration hee went to meete him imbraced him assured him of his loue and to forget all matters past This Pope augmented the pompe of the Court of Rome hee gaue Scarlet foot-clothes to the Cardinals Mules Platina saith that he loued not learned men and called all them hereticks that made profession and therefore he supprest the Colledge of Abreuiators which was full of great excellent spirits The feeling which Platina seemed to haue of this iniury did wholly ruine his fortune in the affliction whereof he wrote a letter vnto the Pope n â—latinas letter had thâ—se words Si tibi lâ—cuit indicta causa spoliare nos â—mptione nostra iusta eâ— legiâ—ima debet nobis licere conqueri illatam inâ—uriam inâ—â—stamque ignominiâ—m eiecti a te ac tam insigni coÌ„â—umelia affâ—cti dilabemur paâ—sim ad reges ac Principes eosque adhortabimur vt tibi consilium indicanâ— in quo potissimuÌ„ rationem reddere cogatis cur nos legitima possessione spoliaueris full of bitternes and without respect This Pope was also taxed to be very greedy of money Paul the secoÌ„d a great builder and not to haue held the iustest meanes to get it and yet his magnificence in the sumptuous building of the Pallace of St. Mark and in the reparation of that of S. Peter freed him from blame with such as know that magnificence is the daughter of liberalitie The promises beeing broken in the Castille the poursuite of the marriage with the Duke of Bourgundies Daughter was followed by the Constable with great vehemencie who could not endure
dispose thereof by Testament h When as they say that women are incapable of dignities it is to be vnderstood of charges which consist in Functions and Offices A Woman cannot be a Consull a President or a Chancellour but when the dignity is patrimoniall and annexed to the Fee such a dignity may belong vnto a woman as wel as the iurisdiction The King caused a Consultation to be made of all the learned Lawyers of his Realme to know what his Neeces right was They found that it depended vpon this Maxime That the Nephew or Grand-childe represents his Father and Grand-father in the right of Primogeniture or first borne That this right is transferred to the children of the elder although hee die before the Father and holds the place of lawfull heire They did also consider the custome and common obseruation of this Realme where the eldest sonne dying and leauing a sonne hee succeedes the Grand-father as his Father should haue done The Grand-fathers second-sonne being excluded from all pretention for the Nephew excludes the Vncle and representation hath place in this Realme in Fees which are not diuisible In the time of King Charles the fifth his Maiesty sitting with the Peeres of France in his Court of Parliament Ioane of Brittany married to Charles of Blois i Charles of Blois and the Lady Ioane of Brittaine his wife did enioy this Dutchy fiue twenty years or thereabouts vntil that Iohn of Montford being succoured by the Forces of England slewe Charles of Blois in battle and expelled his wife out of the Dutchy was declared heire to the Dutchy of Brittany as representing her Father against Iohn Earle of Montfort her Vncle. She was daughter to the Duke of Brittanies second brother and the Earle of Montfort was the third brother Allain Lord of Albret as sonne vnto the eldest Vicount of Tartas who was deceased succeeded his Grand-father in the Landes of Albret and excluded from the succession the Lord of Sancte Bazille his vncle and the Lord of Oruall his Grand-fathers yonger brother k In the house of Albret there are many Earledomes The Earledome of Gaure the Earledome of Dreux the Earldome of Peyragore and many Vicounties and Baronies They held that house in the time of King Lewis the eleuenth to haue sixe thousand pound sterling of yearely rent King Philip in the yeare 1314. did iudge the suite betwixt Maud daughter to the Earle of Artois and Robert of Artois her Vncle and by his iudgement it was decreed that the daughter should succeed as the neerest vnto her father Lewis Earle of Flanders had but one daughter the richest heire of Chrstendome the which succeded her father in the Earledome of Flanders excluding the Duke of Brabant her Vncle and was married to Philip of France sonne to King Iohn and first Duke of Bourgondy l The Treaty of Marriage betwixt the Duke of Bourgondy and Margaret Princesse of Flanders was made the twelfth of Aprill one thousand three hundred sixtie nine the Dutchy of Guienne which comprehends all Gasconie as well that which is of the iurisdiction of Tolouse as of Bourdeaux and more was carried to the Crowne of England by the marriage of the daughter of William Duke of Guienne with Henry King of England m Elenor the onely daughter to William Duke of Guienne and Earle of Poitiers was married to Lewis King of France and beeing put away by him shee married againe to HENRY sonne to the King of England and Duke of Normandy Henry King of Nauare Earle of Champagne left one daughter who was married to K. Philip the Faire and succeded her Father in the Earledome of Champagne The last Earle of Poictou n The County of Poictou and the Towne of Poitiers were vnited to the Crowne by King Charles the seuenth in the yeare 1436. had one daughter named Margaret who was married to the eldest sonne of France and succeeded her Father notwithstanding that the Earle of Saint Valier her Vncle was then liuing Raymond the fifteenth and last Earle of Tolousa dying without Issue Male Ioane his onely daughter succeeded him and was married to Alphonso of France brother to the King Saint Lewis o The marriage of Alphonso of France and Ioane Coumtesse of Toâ—ouse was treated in the yeare 1228. Matthew Earle of Foix dying without children in the yeare 1398. his sister surnamed Isabel succeeded him and was married to Archambaut of Grailly Lewis of Luxemburge Earle of S t. Paul had many children but his eldest sonnes daughter who was married to to the Earle of Vandosme was sole heire of all his lands as representing her Father who was the eldest p They hold that the Countesse of Vendosme did not succeede in the Earledome of Saint Paul by right of succession but by a Treaty of peace and that her Vncles were all incapable of this sucession for that the Landes of Lewis of Luxemburg her father had been confiscate The Earle of Lauragais left but one daughter who succeeded in the Earledome whereof she made donation to the French King The Earle of Castres had one daughter who was married to a yonger sonne of the house of Bourbon Earle of Marche who after her fathers decease succeeded in the Earledomes of Castres and Vandosme and excluded them of Montfort who were her Vncles from the succession Of this marriage were borne two sonnes Iames of Bourbon the elder who was Earle of Marche and of Castres and the yonger who was Earle of Vandosme Iames of Bourbon married Beatrix of Nauarre q Iames of Bourbon Earle of Marche married with Beatrix daughter to Charles the second King of Nâ—uarre the fifteenth of August one thousand foure hundred and fiue Elenor their onely daughter was married to Bernard Earle of Armaignac and Perdiac who after her fathers death succeeded as well in the Earledome of Marche as of Castres and excluded the Earle of Vandosme from the succession True it is that these Earledomes haue remained in the house of Bourbon by transaction r The King made Donation of the Earledome of March to Monsieur de Bourbon and his wife The Duke of Nemours children beeing restored to their Landes there was a sute to ouerthrow this Donation and then an Accord was made by the which the Earledome of Marche remained to the house of Vendosme and Bourbon the Duke of Nemours children being otherwise recompensed William Vicount and Lord of Mountpellier although hee had many kinsmen of his name had no other heire but his daughter Mary wife to Peter King of Arragon Peronelle s Du Tillet saith that this Peronella of Bigorre had fiue husbands 1. Gaston of Bearne 2. Ninion Sance Earle of Sardaine 3. Guy of Montford 4. Raoâ—l Tescu 5. Boson of Mathas daughter to the Earle of Bigorre succeeded her father in the Earledome of Bigorre in the yeare one thousand two hundred sixty foure and was married to Boson of Mathas Vicount of Marsan and
Peter Lord of Beaujeu Lewis Bishop of Liege and Iames who dyed at Bruges and to the Lady Ioane of Bourbon married to the Lord of Arlay Prince of Orange and Margaret of Bourbon wife to Phillip Earle of Bresse and from that time resigned his aboade at Court vnto his brethren After the Duke of Bourgundies death hee would not bee an actor in the warre which the King beganne against his daughter and with a discourse free from all flattery a vice vnworthy of a great courage q A great courage speakes frâ—ely but without btterner or slander Fattery is the marke of seruitude and slaunder deth falsely vsâ—rpe that of liberty Adulationiâ—oedum crimen seruitutis malignitati falsa specieâ— libertatis in est Tacit. Hist. Lib. 1. hee did not dissemble his opinion saying that the King should haue giuen it a better and a more reasonable Title then a simple desire to ioyne the Low Countries to his Crowne this so free and true a iudgement did much offend the King who from that time resolued to let the Duke of Bourbon know that this last offence had renewed the feeling of the first He caused secret informations to be made against him yet doubting his courage reputation he would not haue the rigor of his iustice aime directly at him Hee beganne with his Officers and gaue commission to Iohn Auin Councellour in the Court of Parliament and to Iohn Doyac to enforme against him thinking that to free themselues from trouble they should bee forced to engage their Lord r Claude of Seyssiell saith that King Lewis the eleuenth sent vnto â—he Duke of Bourbon some of his ministers men of base condition to doe him some intollerable wrongs vnder colour of Iustice thinking for the great spirit which hee knew to be in him to prouoke him to offer some violence or to make resistance but the Duke knowing to what end all was done endured it with patience and escaped by sufferance dissembling they decreed a personall adiournement against his Chancellour his Atturny the Captaine of his Guard and many others who appeared with more confidence to defend themselues then slander had assurance to accuse them vpon their answere the Commissioners knew not what to say and the Court of Parliamen which knew well that it was a practise to trouble the Duke of Bourbon whose probity and integrity two rare qualities in that age had purchased him the surname of Good and the affections of all the people enlarged them The Chronicle saith that this proceeding was against God and Reason It was a very sencible griefe vnto him to see his loyalty called in question and his seruices contemned But hee considered all these occurrents with an open eye and a resolute brow with the a â—uantages which a good conscience gaue him and did iudge thereof with a setled spirit lamenting the bad counsell which entertained the King in his great rigours in an age which was not fit for it s Seuertty is not good in a Prince whose age is declining It is needefull to purchase loue Galba knew it well Some other would not haue forborne teares for so peircing a griefe he would haue lost his sleepe and his body should haue found no other rest but that which disquietnesse brings by the agition of the mind but afflictions which assaile good men do them no other harme but burne the bonds which hinder them to lift their hands with their hearts vp to heauen They blesse the name of God in the midst of flames Imprisonment doth not depriue him which suffreth for iustice of the sweetnesse of a profound sleepe His rest is so sound as the Angell of the Lord which comes to deliuer him must awake him It is now time that Lewis go the way which these great Kings haue traced vnto him There wants nothing but this peece to the triumphant Charriot of death and hee could not desire better company then of these three Kings his neere kinsmen who were there already t Hauing passed through all the charges of life we must not refuse that of death Seneca said to him that was loath to leaue the charges and offices wich he had exercised in his life time Quid tu nescis vâ—um esse ex vitae officijs mori Dost thou not know that to die is also one of the duties of life Sen. Epist. 77. he had passed by all the offices of life there remained nothing but the last but it is the most difficult and would bee lesse if he had thought on it in time if going by the way of life he had thought of the lodging of death those feares which hold him in worse estate then death it selfe should be dispersed Accidents foreseene a farre off considered without amazement and attended with resolution do not trouble the minde like vnto those which surprise it His thoughts were ingaged in so many mortall and perishable things as he had small care of Immortall and yet these went before him and attended on him and the others followed after him and abandoned him He hath busyed himselfe to gather vp Attlantas Apples and hath so much the more hindred the fruite and prise of his course In the way of health he that staies retires and hee that retires looseth himselfe and goes astray There are three sorts of men whom God loues not they that stay they that turne backe and they that wander Wee must giue courage to the first call on the second and direct the others Lewis found himselfe to be in so difficult a passage as he had need to be encouraged Lewis fals into new apprehensions of death supported and directed u It is a sweete consolation to a Princes minde among the trances and feares which are found in the passage of life and death when hee hath not to doe with any but himselfe that all his enterprises are ended and that he may say I die content hee could not but murmurre against the Law of Nature which did not suffer him to glut himselfe with the pleasures of life But to haue content of the rest at the point of death hee must make prouision thereof throughout the whole course of his life That word I dye content is not alwaies found in the mouth nor proceeds not from the heart of Princes who haue had so much paine to content theÌ„selues in whose liues as in those of other men we finde Vanity weakenesse inconstancy and misery The great oppositions which Lewis makes against the decree of death shew that he is not yet content with the fruits of life He complaines that he hath discouered the Port and desires to thrust himselfe againe into the violent waues of the world He thought that a little more life would haue made him reape the fruites of so many designes which hee had sowne in diuers places and did grieue that death would not suffer him to see that ended which he had begunne Yet it is a very remarkeable thing
of Chastel a He was one of the Commissioners whom the King appointed for the accusation and Imprisonment of the Cardinall of Balue one of the Architects of the league found in the end that there was no better lodging then at the kings armes His fortune was ruined in Brittany and raised in France Hee did negotiate the enter-view of the King and Duke of Bourgondy at Peronne he was imployed in the Truce of nine yeares 1475. and was aduanced to the gouernment of Rousillon The Lord of Nantoillet had for a time the authority ouer all the Armies of France Lord of Nantoillet he wanted nothing but the name of Constable for he did exercise the Functions the King hauing made him his Lieutenant Generall throughout his whole Realme and afterwards Lord Steward of France He was so fauoured as the King gaue him often the moity of his bed This fauour lasted not long The Chronicle of the Kings library saith That the King could not pardon any one of whom he had suspition Death of the Lord of Nantoillet He caused his head to be cut off in the yeare 1468. and that the Hangman hauing cut off but a peece at the first blow hee lest him force and courage enough to stand vp and to protest before heauen and the people that hee died an Innocent After that Philip de Commines had said that he had serued the king well in Paris in the warre of the Common-weale he addes In the end he was ill rewarded more by the pursuite of his enemies then by the Kings fault but neither the one nor the other can well excuse themselues Anthony of Chabannes Anthony of Chabannes Earle of Dammartin brother to Iames of Chabannes Lord Steward of France saw the ship of his fortune cast vpon the shelfe in the beginning of this Princes Reigne His good fotune drew him out of the Bastille to go to the warre of the Common-weale in the end whereof hee was made Lord Steward of France hee had the chiefe charge of the Kings Army in Guyenne and was then much fauoured by this Prince with whom hee was so inward as when hee meant to marry his second Daughter to the Duke of Orleans hee discouered his secret affections vnto him by a letter which hee did write vnto him vpon that subiect wher of the Chronicle in written hand of King Lewis the twelfth makes mention hee sent him word that whatsoeuer they said hee was resolued to giue his daughter to the yong Duke of Orleans but no man should bee troubled to nourish the Children that should bee borne of that marriage Peter of Termouille Peter of Tremouille Lord of Croan saw not his life to end with the fauours and honors hee had had of this Prince His Predecessors Guy of Tremouille and Iohn of Tremouille Lord of Ionuelle were made great in following the Duke of Bourgondies party The eldest of this house married Ioane Countesse of Boulleyn and Comminges Widow to Iohn of France Duke of Berry b K. Charles 〈…〉 yeare 1430. King Charles 7 supported George of Tremouille Lord of Craon in the quarrell which he had with the Earle of Richmont for the Lands of Thouars and Benon Peter of Tremouille defeated the troopes of the Prince of Orange before Gy in the Franch-County but hauing beene repulst from the siege of Dole hee was disgraced by Lewis the eleuenth who loued the seruices better then the seruants Hee was saith Philip de Commines a very fat man who being reasonably well content and rich retired himselfe to his house Charles of Ambois did long feele the disgrace of Peter of Chaumont his father Charles of Ambois who retired himselfe in the begining of the reigne of Lewis with the Duke of Berry c The House of 〈…〉 by the Kings Commandement in the 〈◊〉 1465. He was afterwards imployed in great affaires and continued vnto the end His brother was Bishop of Alby and then Cardinall and the greatest fauourite of Lewis the twelfth who called him M r. George Philip de Commines calleth Charles of Ambois a most Valiant Wife and Diligent Man Peter of Rohan Peter of Rohan Lord of Gy did gouerne his fortune happily amidst the waues and stormes of this Princes reigne who made him Marshall of France He was one of the foure which vndertooke the gouernment of affaires during the Kings infirmity and disability d 〈…〉 the Bishop of 〈◊〉 the Lord of Châ—umont the Marshall of Gye and the Lord of Lude gouerned the Estate for 10 or 12 dayes Hee continued this great Authority vnder the reigne of Charles the eighth for the respect whereof the Lady Anne of France Regent to the King and Wife to Peter of Bourbon offended that the Duke of Orleans attempted vpon her Authority would haue taken him prisoner by the Marshall of Gye The Duke of Orleans retired himselfe and hee that was chosen to stay him was the Instrument of his returne and made his peace with the Regent Iohn of Chalons Prince of Orange Iohn of Chalons left the Duke of Bourgondy to serue Lewis the eleuenth then hee left Lewis to serue Mary daugther to the Duke of Bourgondy This first discontentment against his first maister grew for that disputing the succession of Iohn of Chalons Prince of Orange his Grand-father e Iohn of Chalons sonne to Lewis Margaret of Vienne was married to Mary of Baussac heire of the principalitie of Orange by whom hee had Lewis surnamed the Good Lewis first maried Ioane of Montbelâ—art by whom hee had William and then hee maâ—â—ied Elenor of Armagnaâ— by whom hee had Lewis and Hugh Williaâ— was married to Katherine of 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Iohn of Chalons was borne of whom wee now make mention against Lewis and Hughe his vncles the Duke of Bourgondy being President in his Councell when as the cause was pleaded made a Decree against him This despight drew him to the Kings seruice who promised to restore him to his lands and to giue him the gouernment of Bourgondy but when as he saw that he had but the name and that the Lord of Tremouille had the command of all the forces he returned to the seruice of the Princesse of Bourgondy and caused the whole Countrey to reuolt from the King He troubled him much and let him see that a great Prince hath no small enemies that a Hornet is able to put a Bull into fury Iohn of Esteteuille Iohn of Eâ—â—teuille Lord of Torcy gouerned his fortune amidst so many rockes and shelues vnto a safe port The King made him maister of the Cross-bowes and committed vnto him the guard of the Cardinal of Balue in the Castell of Montbason It was he that came and aduertised the King of the danger in suffering such numbers of English to enter into Amiens during the Treaty of Piquigny Philip of Creuecoeur Philip of Creuecoeur Lord of Esquerdes or Cordes Marshall of France He had great
as it seemed he would canonize him before his f Flattery giues honors to mortall men which belong not vnto them Tertullian reprocheth the Pagans of lying and flattery which made them declare men Gods and Tacitus saith Deum honor Principi non ante habetur quam agere inter homines desierit Tac. An. lib. 15. The honor of the Gods is not to bee giuen vnto the Prince vntil hee hath left to liue among men death after this followed an accord by the which the Duke of Burgundy should for a reparation aske pardon of the King vpon his knee The Queene the Dauphin the Kinges of Sicile and Nauarre the Duke of Berry making the like request for him in the presence of the Children of the Duke of Orleans melting with teares and weeping with sobs to see the bloud of their Father put to compromise and themselues forced to forget so sencible an Iniurie France was presently deuided into two factions of Orleanois and Burgundians A league of Armagnacs Th' one taking his fauour and authority from the ruines disgrace of the other The Duke of Burgundy hath the soueraigne gouernment of affaires and forceth them of the howse of Orleans to make an offensiue and defensiue league against that of Burgundy g League of Orleanois at Gâ—en the tenth of March 1410. the heads were Charles Duke of Orleance and his brethren Iohn Duke of Berry Lewis Duke of Bourbon Iohn Earle of Alanson Francis Earle of Clermont Bernard Lord of Armagnac and Charles of Albert Constable of France The heads of the Bourgundy faction were Iohn Duke of Bourgundy his brethren Charles King of Nauarre son to Charles the bad the Dukes of Lorraine Brabant Brittaine the Marques of Pont the Earles of Neuers Vaudemont St. Paul Ponthure The name was of Armanacks the marke a white scarfe the cause the Kinges liberty who was in captiuity vnder the law and will of the Duke of Burgundy Challenge sent to the Du. of Burgundy and to the end the quarel might be ended with lesse danger losse of men and time Charles Duke of Orleans sent a challenge to the Duke of Burgundy to fight a combate with him and to be reuenged of his fathers death The Duke of Burgundy who had drawn the Queene vnto his party had noe great dificultie to perswade the King that the designe of the howse of Orleans was nothing but ambition and rebellion in denying him to demaund succors from Henry the fourth king of England The Dolphin being of yeares able to iudge of the intentions of the one and the other The sonne in lawe against the father in lawe found that the interest of the house of Orleans was that of the Crowne and that the ambition of the Duke of Bourgondy his father in law h Queene Isabel being banded against her nephewes of Orleans adhered to the Duke of Burgundy made the marriage of his daughter Catherinâ— with the Dauphin Lewis was the cheefe motiue of those troubles wherefore he vndertooke to crosse his designes and to make a peace this soule was seasond with good thoughts at the siege of Burges for when they told him that in a salley which the besieged had made some of his seruants were slaine and that the souldiers dyed of poisoned waters he said vnto the King his Father and the Duke of Burgundy That this warre lasted too long and that he would make an end of it Iohn of France Duke of Berry and i Enguerand of Monstrelet notes in what manner the Duke of Berry came to this treaty in his armes notwithstanding that hee was 70. yeares old for he llued aboue 80 hauing vpon theÌ„ a Cassocke of purple with a band poudred with marigolds and so he is painted in the gallery of the â—oâ—ure Philebert of Lignac great master of Rhodes employed themselues vertuously to reconcile the nephewes and the vnckle The conditions of this peace were concluded at Burges Peace of Burges sworn in a great assembly at Auxerre the names of that fatall faction of Armagnac and Burgundian were comprehended in the forgetfulnes of things past and Philip Earle of Vertus was married to the Duke of Burgundies daughter But all the parts of France recouer not their former health The warre renues againe and the Dauphin is no more for the Burgundian whose principall force consists in the sedition of Paris and the succours of the English who making their profit of ciuill diuisions win the battell of Azingcourt which was called the vnfortunate day of the 25. of October 1415. The battle of Azing-Court The Duke of Orleans armed to reuenge his fathers death and the libertie of his country was led prisoner into England and if religion had not comforted him he had no lesse reason then Pompey k The Mitcleniens came to salute Pompey after the battel intreating him to land which he refused and aduised them to obey the victor and not to feare any thing for that Caesar was a iust man and of a mild nature and then turning to the Philosopher Cratippus who was also come to see him he complained and disputed a little with him touching the diuine prouidence wherein Cratippus yeilded mildly vnto him putting him still in better hope to be amazed at the prouidence of God which seemeth to fauour the most vniust party tyranny against libertie and couetousnes against freedome Death of the Dolphin and Duke of Turraine This losse was followed by the death of Lewis the Dauphin and of Iohn Duke of Touraine the Kings second sonne By the death of these two Charles Earle of Ponthieu saw himselfe in the first degree of the Princes of the bloud and presently made show that he had been bred vp to apprehend the iniury which the Duke of Burgundy had done vnto his vncle All the Princes and Noble men which had followed the house of Orleans came vnto him and among others the Constable of Armagnac but his greatest affliction was for the vnnaturall hatred which the Queene his mother bare him who declared her selfe against him Regent of the Realme was maintained in that quarrel by the Duke of Burgundy vnder her was that cruell massacre committed the 12. of Iune 1418 whereas the l Amassacre at Paris vpon the Armagnacks from 4 of the clock in the morning the 12 of Iune vntil the next day 10. of the clock To note the Constable by the scarse which he carried they flead a bend of his skin and tyed it crosse his body his office was confirmed to the Duke of Lorraine and the Chancellors to Eustace de Lastre Constable of Armagnac and the Chancellor de Marle were slaine and the Dauphin ranne a daungerous fortune if Tanneguy du Chastel Prouost of Paris and his faithfull seruant had not saued him in the Bastille Paris saw it selfe reduc'd to that miserable estate as it seemed a retrait for Beares and Tigers During this fatall diuision the English
the good or ill do easily concerne and Deane of the Peeres of France e The Duke of Bourgondy is first Peere of France in this quality hee made a protestation to King Charles the sixth saying that hee might not asist at the iudgement of the K. of Nauarre vvhich did onely belong vnto the Peeres a Prince renowned for honor and iustice as it appeareth by your great deedes conduct and gouernment of your great signories knowing that the disorders of the said Realme haue and doe displease you as reason is I would desire with all my heart to haue an assembly with you and other noblemen my kinsmen that by your counsell we might prouide for all matters which for want of order Iustice and policy are at this day in all the estates of the said Realme His designe of arming to reforme disorders and for the ease of the poore people f The opression of the people was not great being only for matters which were not accustomed who can beare no more and to set such an order in all places as it may be pleasing vnto God to the honour felicity and good to the said Realme and to the retribution of honour and perpetuall commendation of all those that shall imploy themselues I do intreat you most deere and louing vncle that in this matter which is great for so good an end it would please you to aid and assist me and to cause my brother in law of Charolois your sonne to imploy himselfe in my ayd as I haue alwayes assured my selfe he will doe And to the end that you and I may meet which is the thing I most desire for that my intention is shortly to enter into the Country and to keepe the fields with the other Princes and noble-men g The Princes and Noblemen of this party were Charles the Kings brother Phillip Duke of Bourgondy Francis Duke of Brittaine Charles Earle of Charolois Iohn Duke of Bourbon Iohn Duke of Calabria Peter of Bourbon Lord of Beauieu Charles Cardinall of Bourbon The Earle of 〈◊〉 the Duke of Nemours The Earle of Armagnac The Earle of Albretâ— The Earle of Dammartin The Earle of St. Paul The Prince of Orange The Earle of Newchastell The Bastard of Bourgondy which haue promised to accompany and ayd me I intreat you that you will be pleased to leuy and draw forces out of your Country towards France and in case you cannot doe it that you would cause my said brother in law of Charolois to come with a good power of men and withall to send vnto me one of your Counsell which is faithfull to assist for you in all matters which other Princes of the bloud shall think fit to be done for the good of the said Realmeâ— And by whom you may be stil informed of my good and iust intentions the which I will gouerne by you and other Princes of the bloud and no otherwise And that which my said brother in law in your absence shall doe or say for the publique good of the Realme h Vnder the Consideration of the publique weaâ—e many which had beene put from their places made vse of their interests Nâ—w Princes doe commonly fâ—ile in these changes If the Prince succeeds a good Prince whose raigne hath beene iust and happy then needs no chaÌ„ge if hee were not so he must not imploy such as wee his Ministers and therfore Galba was blamed to haue imployed the chiefe councellors of Neroes cruelties wickednes and ease of the poore people I will maintaine vnto the death and thereof you may bee assured Most deare louing vncle let me alwaies vnderstand if there be any thing wherein I may pleasure you and I will do it willingly praying God to giue you a good life and that which you desire Written at Nants in Brittany the 15. day of March the subscription was Your Nephew Charles and on the top To mine Vncle the Duke of Bourgondy Such was the language which they that were about this yong Prince made him to hold Death of Pope Piuâ— the second who knew well how to commend the good and to excuse and flatter the euill which he did and who indiscreetly drew him to designes whereas the danger was certaine and the profit doubtfull The Pope had made his profit of this diuision if death i Pius the second died at Ancona Platina saith that bee spake vnto the last gaspe and dispuâ—ed long with Lawrence Rouerella Bishop of Feâ—ara a learned Diuine Licerit ne extremam vnctioneÌ„ iterare qua semel invnctus fuerat Dum Basileae pestilentia grauissime egrotaret Whether hee might reiterate the extreme vnction wherwith hee had being anointed being sore sicke of the Plague at Basill had not disappointed a desseine which he had to reduce Francâ— wholly vnder the obedience of the Sea of Rome and to depriue it of the rights and priuiledges which doth free it in temporall things for in those which concerne the spirituall and orthodoxall Faith she hath alwaies been a dutifull and obedient daughter This Pope was lamented of all Christendome for he had great conceptions for her glorie and libertie in those places where shee was opprest vnder the tyranny of the Ottomans Beeing at Ancona to imbarke himselfe for the voyage of the Croisado after that hee had giuen audience to the Embassadors of France and of the Duke of Bourgundy who excused themselues that they could not serue in person in this voiage a slow continuall Feuer which had long held him depriued him of life He had no cause to grieue that hee had liued for that his life had been honored with so great and worthy actions as he might rightly say he had not been borne in vaine They onely blame him for that being Pope he had contradicted that which he had written being a priuat person His birth and fortune with so great Passion as hee discribed Pope Eugenius to bee the wickedst man in the world k AEneas Siluius in the beginning of the second booke of his Comentaries of the Councell of Basill saith that MeÌ„tita est iniquitas Gabriell Eugenius was called Gabriel Condelmar et perdidit cum Dominus in malitia sua quosynodali sententia ex Apostolica sâ—de precipitato factus est Dominus in refugiuÌ„ Ecclesiae suae And in the end of the first Necessarium fuit illud decretum ad reprimendam Romanorum Pontificum ambitionem vt deâ—â—ceps animam a temporalium rerum sollicitudiâ—e retraherent and his deposing a profitable and fit action for the church He was issued from the Picolhomini of Sienna and seeing that his father had beene expelled the Citie with many others of certaine families reuolted by the mutiny of the people he resolued to seek his fortune at Rome where shee hath alwaies done great miracles He was first of all Secretary to Dominike Grap and followed him to Basill when as he came to complaine that Pope Eugenius refused him a
the reproch of flying desertioÌ„ horses the honor to remaine in the fight when as they stale away The Earle had none but horsemen he wanted footmen slings f For the inhabitants of the Islands Baleaâ—res called now Maiorca and Minorca had been held most cunning with slings Hee sola gentiâ—rmâ— sunt et vnum ab Infantia studium cibum puer am tre non accipit nisi quem ipsa monstrante percussit Flo. lib. 3. cap. 8. or bowmen to dislodge the French from the hedge and ditch The King retires to Câ—rbeil A hundred men had beene able to force them He had whole troupes remaining neither were the Kinges all broken If hee had Eagles remaining so had hee not to doe with pies g We must alwaies consider in comparing of forces with whom we haue to deale and not regard the number Nonius after the Battell of Pharsalia said vnto Pompey We haue yet seuen Eagles that were good said Pompey If wee were to fight with Parrats or Popingaies but the night made them take another resolution The King was conducted by the Scottish men to Montlehery there to refresh himselfe for hee had past the day without meat or drinke as hee had done some nights before without rest Hee went to Corbeil to his bed the Earle thought that hee would remaine vppon the field and this beleefe was confirmed by the light of fiers which hee saw there long after for the fire falling into a barrell of poulder had burnt some Cartes along the hedge The disorder was great of either side as it happens alwaies in these incounters Inequality of Recompences after the Battell sooner seene then foreseene What victories were gotten and what battells wonne in those dayes without disorder h None but the Romans could brag that they neuer committed error is warre Absit inâ—â—dia verbo et Ciuilia Bell a sileant nunquam ab equite hoste numquaÌ„ a pedite nunquaÌ„ aperta Acie nunquam equis vrique locis laboraâ—imus Tit. Liâ— lib. 9. The king Lost of his horsemen and the Earle footmen and the number of the dead were 3000. Goodmen were honored cowards blamed and runawaies punished But as Princes are men as well in the distribution of Cowards as in the distinction of punishments i In the recompence of merits as well as in punishing of faults Princes doe not alwaies obserue such Iustice and equalitie but they make it knowne that they are men and no Angels some lost their offices for flying who saw others rewarded which fled twenty miles farther There was a man of quality noted in the kings Army who fled to Lusignan and neuer rested and a Bourgundian as farre as Quesnon The field was couered with 3600. men slaine Repast of the Earle of Charolois among the dead bodies They were faine to remoue foure or fiue bodies to set the Earle downe vpon two bottells of straw and to giue him meat It was a Princely table and a millitary feast which he should desire that will iustly and gloriously carry the title of Generall of an Army k Sobriety is one of the parts necessaâ—y to the peâ—fection of a great Captaine The frugality of Iulian the Emperour is much commended in the History Mamertinus in his Panegyric saith that be tooke delight to eat of the prouisions of the Army to bee sâ—ruca by the fiâ—st that came and to drinke of any cup Gaudebat Castrensi cibo ministro obuio et poculo fortuito Amian Marcelinus saith that hee did sometimes eat such things as would haue dist fled a Pioner Et â—mperatori non eâ— pediae ciborsi ex â—egio more sed sub columellis tabernacuâ—is cenaturo pultis pottio pâ—rabat exâ—goâ— etiam munifici fastidienda Gregatio Hee that is called victorious hath nothing about him but bodies dead or dying among which there are some that call for drink What good cheere could he make in a place all couered with horror in an vnseasonable time and in so generall an amazement To them that said hee had the field and that he held it all night He had reason answered the King to lye vppon the field seeing he had neither Towne nor Castell for retreat A word spoken wittily and to purpose did shew wisedome necessary in the Generall of an Army to disguise the aduantages which the ennemy may haue ouer him to make them lesse and to turne them to another sence then they are commonly taken l It is an Argumâ—nt of a settled iudgement to haue wâ—rds able to disguise accidents which happe in such sort as the amazement which may grow may bee turned into resolution The earth trembles an armie is amazed See you not said Sempronius Gracchus how our enemies are amazed the earth shaâ—â—es vnder their feet At the battell of Cerignoles fire fell among the munition The great Captaine taking it for a good presage said Noi habbiamâ— vinto Idâ—io eâ— annuncia manifestamente la victoria dandoci segno che non ci bisogna piu doperare laâ—tilleria Guic. lib. 5. Many thinges obserued in this Incounter shew that executions are not answerable to Councells Obseruations of this Battell and that there is a great difference to fight by discourse and to command in field The order of the battell was changed m The Conduct of warre how discreet and indicioâ— soeuer it bee cannot command accidents But they must haue a care neuer to change the order of the Armie Philippe of Valois lost the battell of Crâ—cy for that he changed the order the Earle of Alencon tooke it ill that the footemen of Genoua were put in the formost rankes It was said they should take breath on the way and the Earle made them to march speedly through the Corne which was high and strong so as his men were so wearied as they had more need to lye downe then to stand And although the Princes had disputed the victory vnto the last point of valour yet knew they not to whom the trophee did belong and they might say that the Earle of Charolois had lost the Battell but the King had not wonne it Night increased the Bourgondians amazement seeing themselues to haue no defences nor trenches Counsells in perplexity but dead carcasses They were in a great perplexity what they should doe euery man found difficulties and o Feare is a Christall glasse which represents all things to be greater more doubtful and difficult and holesome counsels are not well executed by men that are troubled and fearefull Adde this reason of Guiccâ—ard Nelle coâ—e auerâ—e diuenta ogni di maiore ill timore et le diâ—ficulta di chi estato vnâ—o In aduerse fortune the feare grows alwaies greater the difficulties of him that is vanquished feare made them greater then they were They held a Councell along the hedge vppon a peece of timber The Lords of Crequy and Hautbourdin spake of Duke Phillips the Earles father first carying armes at
His bad conduct vnsortunate end well in France ill in Flanders and as the cloudes turne alwayes either into wind or to raine his enterprises ended alwayes in teares or sighes In a word he made a trade of the profession of armes and did not take them to haue peace but to make the warre continue m Whilst that Rome was well gouerned which was vntill the time of the Gracchi there was neuer Captaine nor Souldier which made a trade of war when it was ended euery man returned to his first exercise Aâ—tilliâ—s Regulus being Generall of the Army in the last war against Carthage demanded leaue of the Senate to returne vnto his houses to manure his grounds which his farmors had left wast When as he saw that Councells are not esteemed by Princes but according to the euents He kindles the firebrands of warre hee desired to make his to be allowed by some fauorable occasion He sees the Duke of Bourgondy busie in war against them of Liege he knowes how much the King is offended at the practises and Intelligences which the Dukes of Normandy and Brittaine had with his enemie hee therefore Counsells him to make warre against them to make worke in their owne estates and to kindle a fire in their owne houses to the end they should not haue leisure to cast it against their Neighbours These two Princes in the beginning were great friends n Of great friends are made the greatest ennemies hatred folowes and accompanies friendship Chilon could him that vanted he had no enemies That he should also haue noe friends Plut. but as great hatred growes from great friendship they did so iarre in the diuision of the fruites of the peace as they continued not long together The Duke of Normandies seruants who had serued King Charles the seauenth could not indure the Brittons for companions The Duke of Brittaine would bee respected as the instrument of their good fortune Seeing these two Princes could not remaine Neighbours they would neuer haue beene associated in the Empire o An admirable and sole example of trufriendship Dioclesian and Maxim Emperors entred the Empire together commanded together and lefâ— it with one accord The Duke of Normandy was aduertised that the Duke of Brittanie had a designe not to leaue him and that the Earle of Dammartin vndertooke to lead him into Brittaine Hee was then at Mont St. Catherines attending vntill the preparation which they made for his entry were finished but when hee had sent notice thereof to them of Rouen they would not deferre his entry a minute They set him on horseback without a foot-cloth and led him to the Cathedrall Church in a black veluet gowne where they sware obedience vnto him the Brittons were out of countenance to see their designes made frustrate The King made his profit of this bad intelligence He came into Normandy Normandy yeelded to the King and within few daies forced his brother to depart The Earle of Charrolois was much greeued that this diuision had lost Normandy p Ruines caused by diuision are reparied by coÌ„cord The Dukes of Normandie and Brittanie câ—sidering that they had lost Normandie by their had intâ—lligence reconcile themselues It is impâ—ssible saith Phil. de Com. by this diuisiâ—n that many Noblemen can long liue together if theâ—e be not one head aboue them A Prince hauing command ouer 10000. men and meanes to entertaine thÌ„ is more to bâ—e feared then ten allâ—es confederaâ—s hauing euery one six thousand for that they haue so many things to accord betwixt them as halfe the time iâ— spent before they conclude any thing for hee beleeued that that Prouince being out of the Kings handes hee was weakned a third part Monsieur had no other refuge then Brittaine being poore naked and dispossest which mooued them to pitty that were too weak to releeue him and support him against a Brother who was so great and mighty The Earle of Charrolois was not long in suspence whether the King would hold all that he had promised for hauing sent Imbercourt and Carondolet vnto him to put him in minde of the promise of marriage of his daughter they found that shee was promised to Peter of Bourbon Lord of Beaujeu The King told them that hee would marrie her better cheape then the Earle of Charolois would take her and that Champagne and Brie were too good to bee dismembred from the Crowne If men could iudge as truely as sodainly of all things What should remaine for the prouidence of God to decide Euery man thought that France would neuer escape this Apoplexie which if it did not bring death would at the least end with a Palsey but her destinies were otherwise set downe in the eternall tables of the great God the father of time the true Saturne q The Romans held Sat-rne to bâ—e the God and father of truth and did sacrifice bare-headed vnto him to shew that there is not any thing hidden froÌ„ him which must bee worshipped bare-headed and knowes onely the periods and ends of Estates After the glorie which belongs wholly to his bounty We must commend the Kings wisedome and iudgement who remained so staied in occasions where as the coldest spirits would haue been inflamed to runne vpon their enemies He plaied Sertorius against Metellus r Metellus sought onely to fight Sertorius refusing the Battel cut of his victuals tooke his water froÌ„ him kept him from forrage When he thought to march he staied him when he was lodged he annoyed him in such sort as he forced him to dislodge if he layed siege to any place hee found himselfe besieged through want of victuals France neuer saw so many men assembled to ruine her but she shewed that her foundations were good The forces that were before Paris were so great and so many as they might well be admired both of friends and enemies for it was an apparent demonstration what this Crowne can doe against the conspiracie of all others Yet Paris did feele of this storme long after and was so vnpeopled by this warre and by a plague which happened in August 1467. as the king to repeople it drew strangers thither with great priuiledges as such as had been condemned by iustice Vnpeopling of Paris by the assurance of impunitie and all as the Chronicle saith according to the priuiledge giuen to all banished men remaining in the Townes of S t. Malo and Valenciennes The fidelitie of Paris saued the Estate for if shee had refused entrie vnto the king he was resolued to retire into Suisser-land or to the Duke of Milan It is true that as it happens alwaies in Ciuill warres s In ciuill wars there are but to many occasions offred to be iealous of them of whose loyalty they shâ—ld least doubt Kinsmen grow faithlesse Your seruant may be of that party which you feare M. de M. whereas distrusts and iealousies grow without sowing the religion of secrecie
Aduise my Lord if there bee any thing whereof you repent y A breach in the obseruation of forced promises is not dishonorable and hee wants force that obserues them it is at your choise to doe it or leaue it I desire to adde one Article in fauour of the Lords of Lau Vrfet and Poncet of Riuiere that they may bee restostored to their lands and offices I am content replyed the King so as the Earle of Neuers and the Lord of Croui may bee also restored The Duke who bare a deadly hatred to these two spake no more of the rest and the King declared that he would obserue the Treatie z In Treaties which are made by equals impertinent demands are choked with the like demands Hee had so great a desire to be farre off as to make no stay of his departure he made no show of discontent Hee concealed his griefe so cunningly as it was impossible to iudge that hee felt any The Duke vsed some complements to excuse himselfe for that hee had drawne him to the warre of Liege Excuses of the Duke He had need of very artificiall poulders a Words of excuse and complements in actions which caÌ„not be excused are like spices and sauce of a delicat taste to meate which is tainted to make this sauce pleasing the gilding tooke not away the bitternes of these pilles Hee did accompanie him a mile at their farewell and imbracings the King to shew his affection and trust Words of the K. at his departure said vnto him Sir if my Brother which is in Brittanie were not contented with the portion which I giue him for your sake what would you haue me doe The Duke answered if hee will not accept it I referre my selfe to you two and care not so as he be satisfied These words beeing spoken somewhat roughly were well considered by the King who from that time resolued not to lodge his Brother in Normandie too neere to England nor in Champagne too neere to Bourgundy The Duke continued the rigour of warre vpon the country of Franchemont Warre in Franchimâ—nt leauing the Towne of Liege on fire b The Duke appointed three thousand foote to burne the Town of Liege and to desend the Churches It was fired thrice in three seuerall quarters They reserued three hundred houses for the Priests with whom many inhabitants lodged Phil. de Com. not excepting any thing but Churches and the houses of such as attended the diuine seruice c Impiety respects sacred things after that liberty hath profaned them Fab. Maximus hauing spoyled Tarentum and made it desolate with all kindes of cruelties When his Secretary came to aske him What shall we doe with our enemies Gods he answered let vs leaue the angry Gods vnto the Tarentins Plut. in Fabio They respected the Temples after they had offended him who was worshipped there by all sorts of impieties Whilest that the souldiers warmed themselues at this fire the rest endured incredible cold in the Mountaines of Franchemont whereas the wine being frozen in the hogs-heads Sharpe Winter it was cut in peeces with Axes and carried away in hats and baskets without decrease Oliuer de la March writes that the Dukes tysan was frozen in siluer flagons and that the force was so great as they brake At the same time the death of the King of Albania was spred ouer all Europe Death of the King of Albania Lewis was much grieued for that hee alone stayed the Turkes furie who were cruell scourges to punish the disorders of that depraued Age. He was the yongest Sonne of nine children to Iohn Castriot d Voysane daughter to the King of the Tribâ—leâ— a part of Macedonie Bulgaria hauing conceiued George Castriote drempt that shee was deliuered of a serpent of such greatnes as he spred ouer all Epirus who commanded at Croy the chiefe Towne of Albania who gaue him with his Brethren to Amurath to assure the faith of his promises beeing forced to yeeld vnder the yoke of that command Amurath George Castriot circumcised caled Scanberbeg the Nabuchodonosor e God hath vsed the power of infidels to punish his people and by diuers meanes he hath giuen them power to trouble them He raised Nabuchodonosor to ruine the Israelits therefore leremie calls him his seruants although he were most cruell of the Israelites made them all be circumcised and change their names George was called Scanderbeg that is to say Alexander Lord and as Alexander he began betimes to make such proofes of his valour f Scanderbeg was instructed in all the exercises of war before the force of his body could shew what his courage was He also learned the Turkish Sclamonian ArabiaÌ„ Greeke Italian tongues as euery man thoght that his militarie toyles would make him worthy of that name that he would end more Battels in effect then the Princes of his time had seene painted g When Cicero spake of PoÌ„pey he said that he had brought more battels to a happy end theÌ„ others had read in Histories conquered more Prouinces then any one before him had conceiued in his wishes that hee had triumphed almost as many times as he had followed the warre yeares that he would winne more victories then others had encountred dangers He was Sangiac the first dignitie next vnto a Basha then was he sent into diuers expeditions and knowne to be the sole authour of all the good successe which happened in Greece Asia and Hungarie there being nothing in the Art of warre but in the end came to his knowledge But this great valour had almost vndone him Amurath apprehended it to haue such a Prince neere him and the enemies of his courage but more of his hopes said that he nourisht a domestick enemie to weaken his intentions and disappoint his intelligences He put his Brethren to death beeing resolued to make him runne the like fortune if he had not made it knowne by his cariage that he had no other thought nor passion but that of his seruice and that his Father h After the death of Iohn father to Scanderbeg Amurath seazed vpon the Realme of Epirus and put a garrison into Croy. Scanderbeg dissembled the griefe of his fathers death the taking of his estate the murther of his Brethren so from that time he resolued to pull that Crowne from Amurath and his Brethren did reuiue in the affection which he bare vnto him Amurath puts Scanderbegs brethren to death And when as Amurath to sound him had offered him the crowne of Albania he said that he preferred the honour of his seruice before all the Scepters and Empires of the world and that he felt his hand fitter for a sword then his head for a Crowne This answere pleased Amurath He grovves fearfull of his valour but it freed him not from all his feares which the greatnes of his spirit imprinted in his
belong vnto the Earle of Armagnac If he tooke his part as some taxed him he did contrary to the duty of a Generall who should content himselfe with the glory of the command and execution c The glory honor of well executing the coÌ„mandements of his Prince serues for a booty in the distributioÌ„ wherof he that commands must consider that there is not any thing for himselfe Themistocles seeing a great nuÌ„ber of Collers chains in the enemies Camp said vnto him that did accoÌ„pany him Take off theÌ„ for you are not Themistocles and leaue vnto the soldier that which concernes profit The Earle of Armagnac seeing that hee must haue time to cleere these brutes He retires to Fonteraby and that oftentimes Innocency is forced to yeeld vnto a sodaine euent d We must giue time to broyles to make them vanish away when there is no meanes to resist Innocency it selfe is troubled when she is surprized Relinquenda rumoribus tempus quo senescant innocentes recente inuidiae impares Tac. An. Lib. 2. was aduised to goe out of the Realme and to retire to Fonteraby with his wife being loth that his person should be at the Earle of Dammartins discretion who beeing aduertised of his flight past on and seazed vppon the towne of Lestoré The Court Parliament of Paris vppon the informations of the Intelligences which the Earle of Armaignac had with the enemies of the Realme decreed a personall adiournment against him His processe was made by reason of his contumacy e The first default was obtained the 24. of Nouember 1469. the second the 19. of February 1469 the third the 6. of August 1470. and before that the E. of DaÌ„martin had seazed vppon all the County of Armagnac and by a sentence giuen the 7. of September 1470. he was condemned to loose his head But he was in a place of safety whereas the sentence could not be executed hauing an intent to let them know which had condemned him that he was aliue After that he had for two yeares space indured the miseries and discommodities which they suffer which are expelled from their owne houses and liue in a strange country hauing tryed that the wandring starres were as vnfortunate as the fixed f There is no such sweet abode as ones owne house They which bold them happy that runne from Prouince to Prouince are like vnto those saith Plutarch which iudge the wandring flâ—rres more fortunate then the fixed and sought by all meanes to returne into the Kings fauour Returnes into Guienne vnder the Dukes protection when as he saw that by the resolution of the Estates held at Tours the Kings brother left Normandy and tooke Guyenne for his portion and that hee was arriued at Bourdeaux he thought that he could not find a better refuge nor portion then with him he acquaints him with the misery of his life which was such as liuing his life was nothing but a liuing death g It is not life to stand alâ—waies in feare â— fall in to the handes of a mighty enemy which hath long armes Ita viuere vt non sit viuendum miserimuÌ„ est Cic. and the power which his enemies had against his innocency The Duke of Guienne pittied his estate and gaue him prouision to be restored to all his lands This displeased the King who saw that the Duke of Guienne ioyning with them whom hee held enemies to the Crowne aud continuing his poursute of marriage with the Duke of Bourgondies daughter Army of the King in Guienne might reuiue the League which he had smothered This feare h A Prince can make no greater shew that he feares his vassall then when â—hee retires from him Alexander by bis proclamation gaue leaue to all bannished men to returne into their Contries except the Thebanes and therefore Eudamidas said that Alexander feared none but the Thebans Plut. caused him to send 500. Lances with Foot-men and Canon vnto the fronter of Guienne deferring a more priuate reuenge against the Earle of Armagnac vntill another time He felt it cruelly after the death of the Duke of Guienne when as the King sent the Lord of Beaujeu Brother to to the Duke of Bourbon Seege of Lestore the Cardinal of Alby Bishop of Aras the Seneshals of Tholousa and Beaucaire the Lord of Lude with many other Captaines and a great nomber of Soldiers with Artillery who laid siege to Lestoré and contiâ—â—ed it sixe or seauen monthes The Earle of Armagnac sent them his Chancellor being Abbot of Pessant i The Deputies for the Earle of Armaâ—gnac were the Abbot of St. Denis and Bishop of Lombes with the Lords of Barbasan Raulsac and Palmarieux to tell them that it was not needfull to imploy such great forces against him The Earle desires a safe Conduct to iustifie himselfe that the Kings commandements should find no resistance in his contry that all was vnder his obedience and disposition yea his person so as it would please the King to giue him good security that he might go vnto him to iustifie his life and loyalty The offers were not accepted k It hath beene alwaies found strange that a subiect whose will should be conuerted into obedience and his reasons to humility should capitulate with his Prince The Duke of Nemours the Earle of St. Paul the Duke of Brittaine and the Earle of Armagnac repented it to late the Capitulations of an Inferiour beeing then more odious then they haue been since with Kings Al the Contry was ouerrunne spoiled and ruined and yet the Earle would not suffer his people to defend themselues declaring alwaies that he was the Kings seruant desiring nothing more then to iustifie himselfe offering to deliuer vp the Towne of Lestoré and for a greater declaration of his will hee caused the white Crosse and the Armes of France to be set vpon the Towers and Walles The Lord of Beaujeu and the Cardinall of Alby seing that without hazarding the Kinges forces they might enter the place Accord made with the E. of â—rmagnac by an accord which the King was not bound to keepe l This Maxime That a Prince being forced to make a peace or treaty to his disaduantage may fall from it at his pleasure had already taken footing in the councells of Princes they entred into treaty with the Earle of Armagnac and it was agreed That the said Lord of Beaujeu as Lieutenant to the King hauing speciall power soe to doe did pardon all crimes and delicts which he might haue committed against the King as wel in adhering vnto the Duke of Guienne m The Earle of Armagnac had followed the D. of Guienne in the warre of the Common weale and since had termed him selfe his Lieutenant Generall as otherwise That noe trouble nor hinderance should be giuen to himnor his seruaÌ„ts going nor comming That he might goe safely vnto the King with a hundred or sixe-score Horses
The Kings intention was that the Riuers should returne vnto the Sea from whence they came and his reason was grounded vpon the Law of the Realme which giues no part of Reuenues of the Crowne in propriety to the Females and portions giuen to the Princes of France passe not to their daughters when as they leaue no sonnes s In old time the Infants of the House of France had their Portions in Soueraignty This was abbrogated in the third race and so ordered as the yonger sonnes could not pretend any thing to the Succession of the King their Father but a prouision for their entertainement the which hauing no Heires Males returned to the Crowne Heereupon there was a Sentence giuen to the benefite of King PHILIP the third for the Earledome of Poitiers and Lands of Auuergne against CHARLES the first King of Sicile brother to Saint LEVVIS in the Parliament of Tousaints 1283. Finally vpon that Maxime That the reuenues of the Crowne are Inalienable and not subiect to prescription For men cannot prescribe any thing against God nor priuate men against the Estate To apply the square vnto the stone and the Hypothesis vnto the Thesis the Kings Deputies did shew that the Dutchy of Bourgondy the Franch-County with the Earledomes of Flanders Artois and Henaut were peeces of the Crowne If their discourse was not in these tearmes it was so in substance The beginnings of the diminution of Flanders as they of all the great Empires of the world haue beene weake vncertaine and fabulous t Estates as all other things in the world haue three times the beginning the decrease and the declining The Countrey was peopled by a Colony of Saxons whom Charlemaigne brought thither gouerned vnder the authority of the Crowne of France by their Lords Forresters u The Gouernors and Guardiâ—ns of Flanders saith M r. du 〈◊〉 before Baldwin surnamed Iron-Arme were Officers mutable at the will of the Kings of FraÌ„ce although that some sonnes haue succeeded in their fathers Offices for that that they were heires of their vertues were called Forresters not that their charge was onely vpon the land being fall of Forrest for coles but the guard of the sea was also commutted to them The Estate began by Baldwin suruamed Iron-arme and continued in his posterity but as it ended by Maud daughter to Baldwin the fifth Flanders past vnder the commands of the Dukes of Normandy then of Thierry Earle of Alsatia who married Sibilla daughter to Foulques of Anjou King of Ierusalem and had but one daughter who was heire to the Earledome of Flanders and married to Baldwin the fourth of that name Earle of Henaut of this marriage came Baldwin Earle of Flanders the eighth of that name who was Emperour of Constantinople who died at Andrinopile who left but two daughters Ioane who died without children and Margaret Countesse of Flanders x Margaret Countesse of Flanders who raigned thirty yeares had two husbands the first was Bourcher an Englishman by who she had one sonne which dyed yong and William of Dampierre second sonne to Archambauld Lord of Bourbon Father to Guy Earle of Flanders Father to Robert of Bethunes who married William of Bourbon Guy Earle of FlaÌ„ders sonne to Archambâ—uld Lord of Bourboun He was father to three sonnes William who died without children Guy Earle of Flanders and Iohn Lord of Dampierre Guy Earle of Flanders married Maud daughter and heire to Robert others named him Fegard of Bethunes Robert of Bethunes by whom hee had fiue sonnes and three daughters Robert of Bethunes his sonne who hath deserued the surname of Great as well for the greatnesse of his vertue as his fortune succeeded him Charles of Anjou King of Sicile brother to Saint Lewis gaue meanes to acknowledge his valour more gloriously hauing set two Crownes vpon his head by the Victory of the battell of Benevent y Battle of Benevent the 10 of February 1565. where as Manfroy bastard to Conrade whom he had poysoned was slaine whereas the Parricide Manfroy ended his tyranny honour and life Hee had enioyed them longer and more happily if hee had followed the councell of this Prince z Robert of Bethunes Earle of Flanders did not allow of the death of Conradyne The History which detests it reserues him this honour Vtrique nouâ— ac regio nomine indigno crudelitatis in or be Christiano exemple fecuri vitam eripit frustra Flandriae Comite monente generosum victorem decêre moderationem clementiam Sed vicit vox cruenta vita Conradini mors Caroli mors Conradini vita Caroli Hee tooke away both their I was by an example of cruelty which was new in the Christian world and vnworthy the name of a King the Earle of Flanders â—â—lling him in vaine that moderation and clemency did become a generous victor but that cruell voyce preuaâ—â—d The life of Conradine is the death of Charles and the death of Conradine is the life of Charles who found the death of Conradine and Frederick of Austria Prisoners taken in the warre barbarous and inhumane Of this Marriage Charles was borne who dyed yong a Charles of Bethunes son to Robert Earle of Bethunes dyed at a eleuen yeares of age They write that he brought from his mothers wombe the figure of a Crosse betwixt his shoulders and Lewis who was father to Lewis the second Lewis the second of Bethunes Earle of Flandes Hee married Margaret of France daughter to Phillip the Long who treating of the conditions of this Marriage would that Robert of Bethunes his Grand-father should declare the children that were to be borne of this marriage Earles of Flanders This Lewis of Bethunes surnamed of Cresse for that he dyed at the battell of Cresse Lewis the third of Bethunes left one some called also Lewis and surnamed of Mallaine These so diuers names haue but one Spring Mallaine is Bethunes and Bethunes is Flanders The greatest Families of Europe haue forgotten their first names to continue them of their portions and successions So we see Bourbon for France Austria for Habspourg and in this Genealogy of the Earles of Flanders Dampierre for Bourbon Bethunes for Flanders and without any other distance but from father to sonne Neuers and Mallaine for Bâ—thunes Lewis of Bethunes or of Mallaine married Margaret daughter to the Duke of Brabant and had his onely daughter Margaret who was first married to Phillip Duke of Bourgundy and afterwards to Phillip the Hardy sonne to King Iohn From this truth we must conclude that the Crowne of France had the right of homage and of Soueraignety ouer the Earledome of Flanders before this marriage The like is said of the Townes of Lisle Douay Orchies and Bethunes Consequently Artois cannot bee separated from France no more then the Earledome of France from whence it is come County of Artois for the parties follow the nature of their whole King Lewis the ninth performing the will of
most famous actions As there are iniuries which are repaired by the quality only of them that doe them y The basenesse of him that doth a wrong defaceth the fearing of the iniurie Crates hauing receiued a blow on the face by Nicodromus a Man of base condition was contented for revenge to set these words vpon his wound Nicodromus faciebat so we see writings of so poore a fashion as it is indiffrent whether they be inserted or not But how comes it to passe that so diligent so exact and so iuditious a Writer had neuer cast his eyes vpon this house which had held all them of France in admiration and had not spoken of the actions of Iohn the second Earle of Vendosme which were no workes of ambition but of vertue and had not glory for their simple obiect but the contentment of his owne conscience desiring rather they should be grauen in the memory of good men then vpon the front of publicke workes An Historian that doth surpasse honour wrongs the publicke and as a sacriledge doth rauish the recompence of vertue z The sweetest fruit of a great and heroicke action is to haue done it they are deceiued which thinke to giue any other glory vnto vertue then it selfe She cannot finde out of her selfe any recompence worthy of her selfe and doth enuy the fruit that may grow thereby For although that men may be borne generous and full of heate for the loue of vertue yet it is needfull that the precepts and Images be often represented vnto them and that the statues which 〈◊〉 set vp in the Temple of memory grauen with the sciffers of eternity should bee shewed them yet it is not sufficient to shew them adorned with the Palmes and Crownes of their Triumphes they would haue them represented in such sort as they may seeme to breath speake and say vnto them a Mens mindes are excited to the loue of vertue by the examples of glory honor which adornes the memory of men whom she hath made famous werefore Polybius saith that they did represent to the youth of Rome their Images as liuing breathing to encourage them to that desire of honour which doth accompany good men Poly. lib. 6. You shall be as we are if you will liue as we did This labour may haue great defects they are found in the most perfect A History should be free from loue or hatred but they shall rather seeme to come from want of Iudgement then of will the which I finde free in this kinde of writing from hatred and loue furious passions which disguise both truth and false-hood They shall rather reproch me with ignorance then with lying and my writings shall alwayes haue more salt then spleene with what face shall they appeare in this age so much bound vnto the Kings glorious actions if they were dishonored as the rest with so iniurious a forgetfulnesse of his Predecessors Iohn Earle of Vendosme great great Grand-father to Henry the fourth King of France and Nauarre was sonne to Lewis Lord Steward of France and Gouernour of Picardy sonne to Lewis Earle of vendosme sonne to Iohn Earle of Marche sonne to Iames Constable of France the yonger sonne of Lewis of Clermont Duke of Bourbon eldest sonne to Robert of France second sonne to S. Lewis His Grand-mother was Katherine heire to the house of Vendosme his mother Ioane of Lauall daughter to Guy of Lavall surnamed dé Gaure b The Signiory of Laual was erected to an Earldome by K. Charles the seuenth at the instance of Lewis of Burbon Earle of Vandosme was the first act of Soueraignety which he did after his Coronation His father dyed in the yeare of our Lord 1447. and this death happened in a time so full of troubles as hee was forced to gird his sword vnto him more for the necessity of common defence then by reason of his quality or for seemelinesse Hee past his first Apprentiship in Armes vnder the braue Achilles of France Iohn of Orleans Earle of Dunois and was at the siege of Rouen Bourdeaux and Fronsac with Iohn Earle of Clermont sonne of Charles Duke of Bourbon and Carles of Bourgondy Duke of Neuers He serued King Charles the seuenth in all occasions that were offered to restore France and to free it from the oppressions of her enemies and did merit the Title of Most faithfull seruant of his Kings will and an inuincible companion of his dangers These two qualities which should haue purchased him loue with his successor Loialty of the Earle of Vandosme were the cause of his disgrace wherein hee did comfort himselfe by the knowledge he had of this Princes humor who did not loue any of his bloud nor them whom his Father had loued This was not able to withdraw him from his duty for hee still preserued the reputation of the ancient fidelity of them of his house vnto the Crowne c This branch of Vandosme hath that of glorious that it hath neuer left their kings in a maner all the Princes of France were of the league of the Common-weale yet Iohn Earle of Vandosme would not hearken to it When as the Duke of Orleans tooke Armes against the Lady Anne of France he drew vnto his party Charles Earle of Angoulesme the chiefe Noblemen of France onely the house of Vendosme remained with the Kings Gouernesse And although that Iohn the second Duke of Bourbon had declared himselfe of the league of the Common-weale for that the King had dispossest him of the gouernment of Guienne from whence he had expelled the English and had reduced it vnder the obedience of the Crowne yet would he not imbark himselfe in the same ship and for that he would not looke vpon this storme from a safe shore he was present at the battell at Montlehery with Francis and Lewis his children one of which was prisoner to the Earle of Charolois As the example of the head of his house did not make him reuolt so the feeling of his owne interest did not make him discontented His father had carried the Staffe of Lord Steward and his great grand-father the sword of Constable of France King Lewis the eleuenth disposed of the one and the other in fauour of men as farre inferiour in comparison of his merites as in qualities of his birth yet he did not murmure nor seeme discōtented considering that it is no more lawful for the greatest Prince of the bloud then for the least Officer of the Crowne to prescribe a law to the Soueraignes will to make it yeeld vnto his passions and that the elections of Kings in the distributions of honors are not subiect to the rules of distributiue Iustice which obserues a proportion betwixt recompence and merit d The King of France holding his Crowne of God only the ancient Law of the Realme distributes honors as he pleaseth It is a great violence to force a a minde full of courage to hate
that which hee loues and to ruine that which he hath raised In the end this charge of Lord Steward is returned into the house from whence it went It did honor others Charles of Bourbon Earle of Soissons doth honor it at this day by the great and goodly qualities which heauen addes to the greatnesse of his birth he restored order in the kings house and reuiued the glory of his Maiesties seruice With the same courage that Iohn the second followed the King against his rebellious subiects he serued him against forraigne enemies e He was present at the great Assembly at Ambois with all the Princes of the bloud and the chiefe Officers of the Crowne to resolue a warre against the house of York in England against the duke of Brittanie where there was a league made for the defence of the house of LaÌ„caster and Edward sonne to King Henry the sixth was married to the Earle of Warwicks daughter and was imployed with the Duke of Bourbon to disperse the storme wherewith King Edward the fourth threatned France being come thither not so much to fight as to receiue the triumph which the vanity of his ambition promised him The proofes of his seruice are not verified by those of recompence and wee may say that this Prince beeing not present at the distributions of the great honours of the Realme had no great share in the Kings fauours and bounty Wee see him hold his ranke at the Coronation and in the Assembly of the Estates but being none of those that were honoured with the first colours of the Order of Saint Michael hee hath remained in the ranke of those great Spirits whose contentment dependes onely of themselues All the Princes of the bloud cannot haue all the honours of the Realme All Planets make not a shadow the refusall of a dignity augments the glory of him that hath well deserued it and the concession doth not make him famous that is vnworthy f They ordained statues for them that had made war in Affricke against Tacfarinates though they did not vaÌ„quish him Dolabella went thither defeated him slue him he demanded the same honours which had been giuen to others which Tiberius refused Taciâ—us thereupon said Sed neque Blesus illustrior huic negatus honor gloriaÌ„ intendis He had sixe daughters Ioane of Bourbon married to Iohn the second Duke of Bourbon Catherine married to Gilbert of Chabannes Ioane wife to Lewis of Ioyeuse Charlotte married to Engelbert of Cleues Earle of Neuers René Abbesse of Paintes and then of Fonteuerard and Isabell Abbesse of Caen and two sonnes Lewis Earle of Vendosme g Lewis of Burbon haâ— 2 sons Iohn Earle of Vendosme and Lewis of Roche-sur you head of the house of Montpensier who married Mary of Luxemburg and Charles his eldest sonne the first Duke of Vendosme married Frances of Alençon and had by her seuen sonnes and six daughters the second of his sonnes was Anthony who married Ioane of Albret Queene of Nauarre and heire of the house of Foix Albret Bearn and Armagnac Of their marriage was borne Henry the fourth king of France and Nauarre their third sonne was Lewis of Bourbon Prince of Condé father to Henry Prince of Condé to Henry Prince of Conty to the Cardinall of Vendosme and to Charles Earle of Soissons and Grand-fahter to Henry Prince of Condé first Prince of the bloud The yonger sonne of Iohn the 2 d Earle of Vendosme was Lewis head of the branch of Montpensier and of Roche-sur-yon whom death hath cut off from this great tree There remains one daughter promised to the Duke of Orleans the Kings second sonne Death freed the Earle of Vendosme from the cares which a longer life had augmented by the iealousies and distrusts which the King conceiued of all the Princes of his bloud which kept him continually in the diuers agitations of hatred and feare It is impossible but that he who by his extreame rigors seuerities hath offended many should feare alwayes hee cannot trust his subiects as his Children seeing he hath not entreated them as a Father h Loue is a strong guard of a Princes person Agesilaus said that he wold liue safe without gardes if he coÌ„manded his Subiects as a good father doth his children He must be beloued of his subiects and feared of strangers Amorem apud populares meâ—â— apud hostes quaerat Tacit. he hath his share of the feare which hee hath made common Wheresoeuer hee casteth his eyes he seeth markes of his seuerity so hee findeth not any one but puts him in feare hee hath feare of his Children feare before him and feare behind and as in his life hee had alwayes desired more to be feared then loued so in the end he found himselfe composed of the same humor fearing more then he loued Hitherto it seemeth he did not trust any man but Peter of Bourbon Lord of Beaujeu his son-in-law in whom he had so great a confidence as he referred vnto him all the care of his affaires when as the pleasure of hunting entertained him in the Forrests not for some few dayes but whole moneths The Author of the Annals of the house of Bourbon who hath seene the originals of many great treaties speakes after this maner This Peter of Bourbon Lord of Beaujeu was in such fauour with the king as his Maiesty desiring to retire himselfe from affaires kept commonly at Chamois and places thereabout a Countrey at that time full of wood and wilde beasts causing the said Lord Peter of Bourbon his son-in-law to remaine at Montereau-faut-yonne to bee chiefe of the Councell to whom all men repaired for their dispatches which had any businesse in Court i A Prince must be feared and loued but for that it is difficult to haue these two things concurre together it were better and more safe to be feared for that Princes which haue grounded themselues vpon the loue of the people haue found that there is nothing more inconstant men do sooner offend him that makes himselfe to be loued then hee that is feared yet must they not in seeking to bee feared make themselues odious The King loued the woods and hunting to free himselfe from cares reposing all vpon the said Lord of Beaujeu His Maiestie also said That hee did hate deadly them of Bourgondy Aniou Alençon and the Dukes of Brittanie for their pride And contrariwise that hee loued Charles of Artois Earle of Eu for that hee retained nothing of the arrogancy of his predecessours and them of Bourbon more for their mildnesse and humility k It is not the first testimony which the kings of France haue giuen of the mildnesse wisedome and moderation of the Princes of the house of Bourbon When as King Charles the â—sâ—h passed from Auâ—gaon where hee had seene Pope Clement the sixth iâ—to Laâ—gueclock to settle an order for the coplaints of the Countrey against the oppressions which they
yeeld to any thing contrary to the dignity of his Crowne which cannot endure to be forced and doth neuer shew himselfe in publicke actions but with what is fit and necessary for his greatnesse and power e The words and actions of Princes are so considered and the people iudge of them as they vnderstand them and therefore should alwayes appeare Maiesticall and if it may bee Diuine And ancient Grecian said That a Prince should not speake before the people but as if hee were vpon a stage in a Tragedy This Maiesty is like vnto Moses Rod Maiesty compared to Moses rod. the which being held in the hand was the Instrument of admirable things but creeping on the earth there was nothing but horror and contempt Lewis the eleuenth was alwayes very carefull to maintaine this Maiesty being wonderfull desirous of reuerence respect and reputation and yet his priuate and familiar actions were very contrary This care was the last garment he put off hee shewed it vpon the tigpe of his lippes when as hee thrust forth the last words of his life He gaue it two supporters Feare and Admiratition f 〈…〉 that greâ— God who the Prince doth represent It is the support and protecâ—sion of an estae and confâ—â—â— bee contemned nor wronged but the whole body will be distempered maiestas Imperij solutis tutela Maiestly is the guardian of the Empires health another would haue maintained it with Loue and Authority but hee mist this first way at his comming to the Crowne and could neuer after recouer it hee found such sauadge humors and so accustomed to liberty that as the intemperance of the Patient iustifies the seuerity of the Physitian he was forced to vse fury to make mad men wise Thus his Maiesty was feared of the greatest Princes of Europe it was not contemned of any man without punishment and it was reuerenced of all his subiects This Maiesty was like vnto those Pictures which seemed fairest farre off It was admired in forraine Prouinces but it was something blemished by his carelesnesse and facility wherewith he did often wrong his greatest actions The Castillians at the voyage of Bayone scoffed at him to see him with so little pompe and maiesty Custome of Lewis 11 at ceremonies Vpon dayes of great shew hee caused some one to bee attired like himselfe g At the enterview of King Lewis the eleuenth and Edward the fourth at Piquigny Philip de Comines was attâ—â—ed like the King And yet a Prince should neuer doe any thing that should cause him to bee sought for among his subiects and seruants the brightnesse of his Maiesty must shine like vnto a Planet ouer the lesser starres Great men which inuiron a Prince giue a lustre to the greatnesse of Maiesty Offices of the crown The Offices of the Crowne are ordained to that end and the great dignities which France doth impart to great merites addes reuerence and doth incite their mindes to merit them It is like vnto the Garden of Phaeaces which abounds with all sorts of fruites It is not vnfitting to set downe heere who tasted of them during this Reigne h When as king Lewis the eleuenth came vnto the Crowne there was no Constable Arthur Duke of Brittanie Earle of Richmond was vnder the Reigne of Charles the seuenth Constable Lewis of Luxembourg Earle of Saint Paul no other carried the Sword during this Reigne Chancellour Peter of Moruilliers Iuvenall of Vrsins Lord of Treynell and Peter of Oriole Lord Steward The Lord of Nantoillet IOHN of Croi CHARLES of Melun ANTHONY of Croi sonne to IOHN of Croi and ANTHONY of Chabannes Earle of Damartin Chiefe Chamberer IOHN the second Duke of Bourbon i The Office of chefe Chamberer or Gentleman of the Chamber continued long in the house of Bourbon The King Saint Lewis gaue it to Robert of France his sonne Lewis the first Duke of Bourbon Charles the first Iohn the second Peter the second Dukes of Bourbon Lord Chamberlaine IOHN of Orleans Earle of Dunois ANTHONY of Chasteauneuf Lord of Lau. Marshals of France ANDREVV of Lauall Lord of Loheac IOHN Bastard of Armagnac Earle of Comminges Ioachim Rouant Lord of Gamasche of Boismenard and Peter of Rohan Lord of Gye There were but two vntill King Francis the first Admirall Iohn Lord of Montauban Lewis Bastard of Bourbon Earle of Rousillon Lewis Lord of Grauille Maister of the Crosse-bowes k The maister of the Ordinance of France or the Coâ—oncll of the Infantery haue succeeded in this charge Iohn of Estouteuille Lord of Torcy Great Butler the Lord of Lau. Wee finde not that hee had any Maister of his Horse or Maister of the Pantry Ioachim of Rouant was Maister of the Horse at his Coronation Yuon of Fau his chiefe Hunts-man Lewis of Lauall Lord of Chastillon was maister of the Waters and Forrests The ancient order of France was that Knights Banneret the Maister of the Pantrie the chiefe Caruer and the chiefe Cuppebearer should serue the King at the foure Annall Feastes and to either of them was giuen foure poundes sterling but when as Lewis the eleuenth neglected this Gratuity they forgot the Dutie It is one of the precepts of Maiesty that the markes of Soueraignty bee not imparted to any l A prince shold not be more sparing of any thing then of honours which depend of his maiesty yet hee suffered the Prince of Orange to stile himselfe Prince by the grace of God Here P. Mathew is deceiued and to René King of Sicile to seale in yellow Waxe in the yeare one thousand foure hundred sixty nine the which doth onely belong to the Kings of France other Princes of Christendome seale in waxe of diuers colours and to Charles Earle of Angoulesme to release prisoners when hee made his first entry into any Towne where he commanded m In this priuiledge but for once to Charles Earle of Angoules me prisoners for high Treason were excepted It was granted in the yeare 1477. Hee was very staied in giuing Titles of Honour and Dignity to great Families a Prince cannot bee too warie therein for it falles out often that the considerations which fauour the priuate merite of any one end with him when hee dies but when the dignitie is tyed vnto the person as the feodall titles of Dukes Marquises Earles and Barons bee the Family for the which the gratification was made is dispossest thereof when as the Landes goe away n Many disallowed that the feodall Titles of Dukes Marquises c. should bee giuen in France to the Land and not vnto the Bloud for it happens that some one loosing the land doth also loose the meanes to maintaine the Title which remaines Hence it comes that in England such dignities are not annexed to the Landes and Fees Policy in England for the titles of Houses but to the Bloud and the Descendants of the Familie The German doth not impart it to the
him i The King going into Touraine about the end of the first yeare of his raigne found Iohn Duke of Alençon prisoner at Loches and set him at liberty infringing the conditions for the which the King had pardoned him and likewise the quality of other crimes which hee had committed Hauing also seene and considered all that was to bee seene in this party with mature deliberation It hath beene said that the Court declares the said Iohn of Alençon guilty of High Treason Crimes wherewith the Duke of Aleniçon was accused and Murther and to haue caused counterfeit Money to bee quâ—ined with the Kings stampe and Armes k Coyning of money is one of the rights of Soueraignety It is treason to make any be it good or bad Many NoblemeÌ„ in France had the priuiledge to coine but they were reuoked by an Edict made by King Francis the first and as such a one the said Court hath condemned him to receiue death and to bee executed by Iustice and with all hath declared all and euery his goods forfeited to the King the execution notwithstanding of the said Iohn of Alençon reserued vnto the Kings good pleasure The King freed him from the paine but hee left him one more tedious then that of death Ignominy and Imprisonment Hee did not also suffer René King of Sicile his Vnkle by the mothers side to liue in peace Hee commanded his Court of Parliament to make his Processe But it made him answere that hee could not bee iudged of Treason but in the Kings presence l Bodin in the fourth booke of his Common-weale the sixt Chapter saith that the Court of Parliament made this answere the twenty sixth of April one thousand foure hundred three score and fifteene It had done the like in the Duke of Alençons Processe in the time of King Charles the seuenth In the yeare 1458. Hee had the courage to withstand this brunt and as wee haue seene attended vntill that time had cured the vlcer of the Kings hatred against him The Duke of Nemours could not escape the seuerity of his Iustice the which hee had contemned by great relapses into the same faults If the Duke of Bourgundy had returned a Conquerour from the Suisses and Lorraines the King would haue beene no lesse troubled to put him to death then to set him at liberty m Captiuity is a meanes to free the soule from the tyranny of the body It is an act of çenerosity to contemne death more then to hate life Fortium virorum est magis mortem contemnere quam odisse vitam Q. Cur. lib. 5. The tediousnesse of his prison had disposed his soule to leaue that of the body without griefe to contemne death and to hate life Princes finde the offences of them they haue bound vnto them more sencible and lesse pardonable The King had erected the County of Nemours into a Dutchy Relapses of the Duke of Nemours he had pardoned him his felony of the League of the Common-weale and yet forgetting the effects of such a bond and his oath of fealty presently after the Duke of Guienne was retired into Brittany hee sent a man vnto him disguised like a Frier to offer him both his body and goods protesting to serue as hee did against the King his Soueraigne Lord. The Duke of Guiennes death forced the Duke of Nemours to flye the second time to the Kings mercy for a second pardon which the King granted him vpon an oath which hee tooke neuer to conspire against his Prince n The extract of the Processe sent to the Prouines and Parliaments shewes that this oath was taken in the presence of sixe Apostolike Notaries and sixe Royall Notaries and vpon the Crosse end Crowne of our Sauiour soone after hee assisted the Earle of Armagnac and renewed the practises and intelligences which he had with the Duke of Bourgundy All these inconstant actions weere degenerated into so many crimes which might not remaine vnpunished and which did assure him that death could not surprise him His soule was bound to resolue the same day that hee entred into resolutions which could not be otherwise expiated o Innocency may bee surprized crimes cannot for the offence and the punishment are Twinnes it is also a kinde of content to foresee which way wee must passe Iulian dying did thanke the Gods for that they had not kild him by surprize The King caused him to bee taken at Carlat and sent him prisoner to the Castle of Pierrescise which was then without the walles of Lyon A while after hee caused him to bee conducted to Paris where his Processe was made by the Court of Parliament p By an accord made betwixt King Lewis the eleuenth and Iames of Armagnac Duke of Nemours the 17. of Ianuary in the yeare 1469. the said Duke did renounce his place of Peere being content to be tryed as a priuate person if hee did faile in his obedience to the said King who did not shew that rigour but did furnish his Court with Peeres for his iudgement made at Noion the fourth of August 1477. Du Tiller The Lord of Beaujeu Earle of Clermont was President by the Kings Commission Hee confest all that hath beene formerly spoken and moreouer that hee had had intelligence with the Constable of Saint Paul to seaze vpon the King and Dauphin Confessions of the Duke of Nemours That the Duke of Bourgundy had sent him word if hee could take them hee should haue the Citty of Paris and the I le of France for his part That the Dauphin should be deliuered into the hands of Monsi r de Bresse and the King transported out of the Realme of France q The Duke of Nemours confessed more that hee had consulted and giuen credit to a Frier a Doctor of Diuinity whose bookes had beene burnt in the Bishops Hall at Paris Vpon these occasions he was condemned to loose his head at the Hales in Paris the fourth of August one thousand foure hundred three score and seuenteene Hee was a Peere of France but this quallity was omitted in his Sentence for that by an accord made the seuenteenth of Ianuary in the yeare one thousand foure hundred three score and nine hee had renounced his place of Peere and was content to bee tryed as a priuate-person in case of relapse The sentence of death was pronounced vnto him by Peter of Oriole Chancellour of France r A Prince shold alwaies keepe his word inuiolably and hold faith the foundation of Iustice. It is a great glory for a Prince when his tongue and heart agrees Mira est in principe nostromeÌ„tis linguaeque concordia noÌ„ modò humilis pâ—â—ui animi sed seruile vitium scit esse mendacium The vnion of mindle tongue is admirable in our Prince hee knowes that lying is not onely the signe of a base and abiect mind but that it is a seruile vice Hee had no refuge to his
from him for they are supernaturall and his sodaine punishments and especially against them that vse violence and cruelty Who commonly are no meane men but great Personages either by their owne absolute power or by the Princes authority When God meanes to change the fortune of a Prince Lib. 1. chap. 3. from good to bad or from prosperity to aduersity he prepares him enemies of no force suffers his seruants to become treacherous and makes him distrustfull and iealous of them that are most faithfull Example of Charles Duke of Bourgundy God giues the Prince as he meanes to punish Subiects Lib. 5. chap. 9. and to Princes Subiects and disposeth of their affections towards them as he meanes to raise or ruine them God hath not created any thing in this world Lib. 5. chap. 18. neither men nor beasts but he hath made him some thing opposite to keepe him in feare and humility God speakes no more to men neither are there any more Prophets which speake by his Mouth For his Faith is ample and plaine to all those that will heare and vnderstand it and no man shall be excused for Ignorance at least they which haue had hope and time to liue and which haue had their naturall wits The misery of Princes is when as God is so offended as hee will no longer endure them Lib. 5. chap. 18. but will shew his force and his Diuine Iustice and then he doth first of all take away their iudgements which is a great wound for them it toucheth He troubles their house and suffers them to fall into diuision and murmure The Prince fals into such indignation with God as hee flies the counsell and company of wise men and doth aduance Vp-starts Indiscreete Vnreasonable Violent men and Flatterers who applaud whatsoeuer he saith If he must impose a peny they say two If he threatens a man they say he must be hanged and in like manner of all other things And that aboue all things they cause themselues to be feared They carry themselues insolently and proudly hoping that they shall be respected and feared by this meanes as if Authority were their inheritance Princes THere is good and euill in Princes In the Prologue for they are men like vnto vs and to God onely belongs perfection When as the vertues and good conditions of a Prince are greater then his vices In the same he deserues great praise for that such personages are more inclined to all voluntary things then other men as well for their breeding and little correction they haue had in their youth as for that comming to the age of man most men seeke to please them and to applaude their humours No man should attribute any thing to himselfe Lib. 1. chap. 4. especially a great Prince but should acknowledge that grace and good fortune comes from God Great Princes are much more suspitious then other men Lib. 1. chap. 5. for the doubts and aduertisements which are giuen them and oftentimes through flattery without any necessity Princes and they which rule in great Estates should bee very carefull not to suffer any faction to grow in their house from whence this fire flies throughout the whole Prouince But this happens not but by a Diuine instigation For when as Princes or Realmes haue beene in great prosperity and wealth and haue forgotten from whence that Grace did come God hath raysed them enemies of whom no man doubted God doth a great fauour vnto a Prince when he makes him capable to winne men Lib. 1. chap. 9. and it is a signe that he is not infected with the odious vice and sinne of pride which doth purchase hatred with all men Princes and great men that are proud and will not giue eare to any Lib. 1. chap. 10. are sooner deceiued then they that are affable and heare willingly God shewes a great grace vnto a Prince Lib. 1. chap. 10. when he knowes good and euill especially when the good precedes Aduersity teacheth a Prince to be humble Lib. 1. chap. 10. and to please them that he hath need of Example of Lewis the eleuenth expelled from his fathers Court in his youth A Prince which hath entred into league with others Lib. 2. chap. 12. should dissemble many things which may breed diuision betwixt them and as he is the stronger so should hee bee more wise It is the counsell which the Lord of Contay gaue vnto the Earle of Charolois who was discontented for that the Dukes of Berry and Britany held councels in his chamber and presence diuided from him I neuer knew Prince that could discerne the difference of men Lib. 2. chap. 12. vntill he had beene in necessity and in action Princes haue sometimes need of them whom they haue contemned Example in King Lewis the 11. Edward the 4. and the Earle of Charolois Princes impart their authority to them that are most pleasing vnto them both for the age which is most sortable vnto them and for that they are well conceipted of them or sometimes they are led by them who know and gouerne their delights But they which haue vnderstanding returne soone when there is neede I haue seene Princes of two humours some so subtile and suspitious Lib. 1. chap. 16. as no man knew how to liue with them and they did still imagine that they were deceiued the others trusted enough in their seruants but they were so grosse and vnderstood their owne affaires so ill as they could not discerne who did them good or euill And these are presently changed from loue to hatred and from hatred to loue And although that of both sorts there are few found good nor any great assurance in them yet I had rather liue vnder the wise then vnder fooles For there is more meanes to purchase their fauour but with the ignorant there is no meanes to be found for that there is nothing done with them but with their seruants whom many change often Yet euery man must serue and obey them in the Countries where they are for they are bound vnto it To pardon to be bountifull or to do any other grace are things belonging to the Office of Princes A Prince or any other man that was neuer deceiued cannot be but a beast nor haue knowledge of good and euill nor what difference there is Men are not all of one complexion Lib. 1. and therefore the Prince for the lewdnesse of one or two should not forbeare to doe pleasure to many For one alone being the least of all those to whom he hath done any good may happily do such seruice as it shall recompence all the villanies which the others haue committed Example in the Hostages of Leige whom the Duke sent away free contrary to the opinion of the Lord of Contay who concluded to put them to death some made the Liegeois grow obstinate in their reuolt others were the cause of their reduction and the instruments
delight to be what he appeares and to appeare what he is wise and fore-seeing without deceit iust without rigor couragious without feare or indiscretion courteous milde magnanimous without pusillanimitie liber all with iudgement and religious without hypocrisie Lewis the eleuenth contemned the Sciences and learning Henry fauours them makes choise of the best wits to restore the exercises peoples the Colledges and labors to make the famous Academies of France to flourish and the Vniuersitie of Paris the eldest daughter of Kings the Queene of the Academies of Christendome Lewis was blamed for the little care he had in the breeding and institution of his son Henry considering how much it doth impâ—rt that the generous inclinations of my Lord the Dauphin should be seconded with good instruction hath committed the care to a Noble-man which abounds in wisedome generositie experience and fidelitie for the greatnes of that charge Hee doth alwaies hold the minde of this Prince elleuated to things worthy of his birth and courage France is bound vnto the King who could make so good a choice the election proues the dignitie of the person chosen makes the excellencie of the choosers iudgement to bee seene and shewes that heauen hath conspired with him to make so happy an accord of two such different ages Lewis would not suffer his sonne to vnderstand aboue two words of Latin Henry wils that his deare sonne should haue as much knowledge as a Prince ought to haue he causeth his yonger yeeres to be instructed in learning by the diligence of a great and excellent wit who carefully and indiciously doth shew him vvhat he should know and vvhat he should be ignorant of he giues him the whole vvorld for a lesson for companions the study of Emperors and Kings for a table the image of glory for Philosophy the knowledge of humors and manners and entertaining him sweetly in the varietie of Historie vvhich is onely the Booke of Kings frames his mind to a knowledge vvhich should shew it selfe more by actions then by discourse for as he himselfe saies For one that 's not wedded to Arts nor of them is vnknowing T is skill enough to render them such honor as is owing Lewis had more care then his predecessors to fortefie his frontiers and forts Henry hath made great workes for the beautifying of his royall houses and for the commoditie of his people he makes his forts vnexpugnable and hath freed his affaires from the outrages and violence of necessitie Lewis was inconstant in his resolutions and did sometime impaire them by change Henry in his greatest affaires saies nothing but vvhat he does and doth nothing without premeditation calling vppon God in his thoughts That vvhich is framed in his minde remaines firme He hath so much foresight as he preuents all impediments and hath so great power as nothing is impossible vnto him Lewis loued a country ruined rather then lost Henry giuen from heauen for the generall good of the earth hath saued enricht and preserued the townes which by the iustice of his armes he might haue spoiled and ruined Lewis neuer left offences vnpunished Henry hath lost no part of his memory but iniuries Lewis tooke a delight to cut off the heads of poppy and eares of corne which doe ouertop the rest the torrent of his iustice hath often carried away the innocent with the guiltie Henry hath so vsed his clemencie towards his greatest enemies as if the Iustice of God should demand of him the number he would easily giue him an account Lewis left France so weake so ruinous and so deiected as it had nothing remaining but the tongue to complaine Henry hath chased neâ—de idlenes and pouerty out of France and from the necessitie of his affaires and to conclude the paralel there is not any nation which doth not reuerence the name admire the fortune extoll the vertues enuie the triumphs sing or vveepe for the victories loue the gouernment and feare and redoubt the power of this great and incomparable Prince This Historie doth truely show the diuersitie of the two portraits and giues the King an incredible content to see that the raigne of a great mighty redouted and wise King may not enter into comparion with his by the difference which hee hath set in the order of his treasure in the number of his forces in the force of his armes in the fortification of his frontiers in the structures of his great buildings and in the restablishment of the publike safety and felicitie As for the other obiection which I haue made as done it is true that Philip de Commines hath related the life of this Prince so exactly and iudiciously as if Statius who hath written the life of Achilles after Homer did not maintaine my designe by his example I should yeeld my selfe vanquished of indiscretion and presumption Quamquam acta Viri multum inclita cantu Moeonio sed plura vacant nos ire per omnem Sic amor est heroa velis Sciroque latentem Dulichia proferre tuba nec in Hectore tracto Sistere sed tota iuuenem deducere Troia Though his great deeds by Homers lofty vaine Be highly sung yet much is left vnsaied Wee le trace him all and in Dulichian straine Sound how this peere was close in Scyros laid Nor in his dragging Hector stop our verse But his yong Acts in all Troyes siege rehearse Iudgement must be the poulder of separation to reduce euery thing to his element and will show that he hath not so reapt his field but he hath left some eares to gather In like manner I doe not thinke that I haue spoken all things so fully and cleerely after him but there will yet remaine something to exercise others after me The huntsman is commended that hunts and takes but he is not blamed if hee hath not taken all We must yeeld something to the curiositie and diligence of others He teacheth not well that teacheth all Another spirit will happily finde somethings wherewith to please himselfe in this goodly ample field of the life of this Prince I confesse I haâ—e drawne the principall pieces of this building from Philip de Commines but the order of the work the Architecture and the Ornaments are mine owne He could not speake of his owne knowledge of the affaires of Lewis the eleuenth but from the yeare 1472. when as he left the D. of Bourgundy to serue him but this History speaketh of the infancy of this Prince of his retreat into Flanders and of all that had happened memorable throughout the world during the three and twenty yeeres of his raigne and besides many manuscripts I haue seene the forraine Histories of those times The ten bookes are extended vpon that which concernes his life and the eleuenth vpon the obseruation of that which was done in those times and of that which is done now to show that Lewis hath been as much inferiour to Henry as he was held superior to other Kings If all things
they were able to resist the most violent stormes of Enuie Vertue and good fortune had alwaies held the helme and sailes of his nauigation The troupes which he led had been well beaten vpon the fronter of Bourgundy The Dauphin said vnto him by way of iest yet without bitternes for he knew that this spirit would be easily moued g Euery iest that containes truth in it offends although it he spoken by a superiour The more mens cour ages are raised vp the lesse they endure and the longer they remember it 〈…〉 facenis irridete follius quarum apud praepotentes in longâ—â—â— memoria est Tac. An lib. 5. 〈…〉 wont to scoffe at Tiberius 〈…〉 neither did he dwell vpon it for iests should end when as they begin to moue laughter How now Earle of Dammartin by the faith of my bodie the Marshall of Bourgundy hath vnshod you he doth contrarie to other Smithes who shooe horses and he vnshooes them You say well answered the Earle but I haue gotten ten thousand crownes to make new shooes for my horses He was very inward with him and of that credit as meaning to be reuenged of any one that had offended him Reuenge against the Seneshall of Normandy he imparted his deseine vnto him and gaue him mony to execute it h The Chronicle Martinienne speakes plainely of this proceeding A rack which euery Prince should shun if hee will not make shipwrack of his reputation To cause an enemy to be slaine is an act of feare and not of brauery It is a proud abstinency to refuse his prince but a great misery when it is for the recompence of a seruice which subiects the consience vnder the tyranie of repentance and remorse Iames of Chabannes Lord Steward of France blamed his brother for this match making by the which he gaue his friends cause to repent themselues for the esteeme they had made of him i He that doth an act to ruine his reputation forceth many to repent themselues of the admiration esteeme they haue had of him The King was aduertised and not able to dissemble an Act so vnworthy the generosity of the blood of France Excuse of the Dauphin to accuse Chabannes which knoweth not how to shed blood neither for delight nor reuenge but onely for necessity k Tyrants saith Seneca shed blood for pleasure and Kings for necessity reprehended him bitterly The Dauphin to excuse himselfe accused the Earle of Dammartin saying that it was by his counsell The Earle desuring rather to wrong his fortune then his honour did not accord with the Dauphin but tolde the King that therein he had but giuen eare and obayed The Dauphin seeing himselfe discouered and contradicted saide vnto the Earle reseruing my duty to the King my Lord you haue lyed The reproch of a lye is the most sensible offence that may be done by words but it is neither weaknes nor basenes to endure it of his prince it were indiscretion to be moued therewith Yet the Earle of Dammartin sought to reueÌ„ge those words with this speach Reseruing the respect I owe vnto the King if you were not the Kings sonne I would make answer with my person against yours The Dauphin leaues the Court. but if there be any gentleman of your howse that will charge me with this matter I will make him say the contrary The King iudging by their countenances the truth of their intentions commanded the Dauphin to absent himselfe for fower Monthes l A Prince which hath many Children great capable to command should not keepe them about him hee must giue them some obiect to consume their ambition The idlenes of Court giues them vitious inclinations had deseignes Wherefore Tiberius absented himselfe Vrbano â—uxu laseiuientem His spirit began to grow disordered by the excesse of the City and idlenes which make men humerous from Court and to go into Dauphine The Dauphin going out of the Kings Chamber bare headed and his heart full of reuenge and collor spake these words By this head which hath no hood I will be reuenged on those that haue cast me out of my howse And he kept his word for he was too true in his threats and promises of reuenge He did neuer loue that which he had hated and his disposition was far from that generous precept that wee must hate to loue more ardently m We must not 〈◊〉 hate but we wâ—st so dispose of hatred as it may be conuerted into more ardent friendship Whether the Kinges iealousie or the dislike of faire Agnes the wordes of the Earle of Dammartin or spies or flatterers had caused the absence of Lewis the father bare it with much greefe and repented himselfe that he had no more regarded his owne age then the age of his sonne and that he had neuer showed him his face but fraught with waiwardnes not opened his heart but full of wrath and disdaine n The youth of Primers hath their lawes and priuiledges The fathers seuerity should not seeke to breake them quite but to bend them gently He that had nothing refused to his owne youth should not deny all thinges to his sonnes Time which should haue cured this wound The Kings griefe for the Dauphins absence did but augment the griefe He is victorious ouer forraine enemies but he hath in his heart ciuill war which is more cruell He hath giuen peace vnto France and his soule is in trouble It was a great griefe not to see himselfe assisted and serued by a sonne so great and so valiant in those goodly occasions which hee ended so happily to make all France French Battell of Firmigny The siege of Rone and the reduction of all Normandy in one yeare and sixe dayes hauing remained English the space of 30. yeares the battell of Firmigny o The Battell of Firmigni the 15. of Aprill 1450. whereas there were slaine in the place and put into 14. pits 4574. english except 12. or 13. that were prisoners Our Histories report this battel diuersly we must giue credit to that geadly ould peece of tapestry which is at Fountainble au whereas the whole is represented A thousand fighting defeated 6000. English which for the death of 8. or 10. Frenchmen gaue the victory against the English of whom there were 4574. slaine vppon the place The Conquest of all Guienne The siege of Chastillion whereas Talbot p The English called Iohn Talbot their Achilles Hee is interred at VVhitechurch to whom they haue giuen this Epitaph Orate pro anima praenobilis Domini D. Iohannis Talbot quondam Comitis Saloprae D. Talbot D. Furniual D. verden D. Strange de Blaemere at Marescalli Franciae qui â—biit in bello apud Bourdeaur the 7. of Iuly 1453. the Achilles of the English was slaine whose name doth yet terrifie the little children in Guienne The taking of Bourdeaux with other great and goodly occasions which should haue beene as
so many fields of Marathon to Lewis The king seeing that he made no hast to returne Complaints against the Dauphin grew easily into a conceit that he had some desseine he is glad they should flatter his iudgements and allow of his apprehensions Princes haue alwaies about their eares men-pleasers which haue wordes for all incounters and know how to make maskes for all faces and buskins for all feete They make complaints vnto him of the rigorous commands of his sonne oppressing his people with all sorts of charges to haue wherewith to maintaine himselfe They told him that hee sent aduertisements to the Dukes of Bourgundy q The Counrty of Dauphiny did long feele of the discommodities of the Dauphins abode there for the King held him short and would not heare of the complaints he made of his necessities so as for his entertainement he drew rigorous subsideis out of Dauphine Alençon and Bourbon and that he receiued from them that the cloudes were gathered together for some great storme The poore father beleeues all and feares all making proofe that there is nothing more insupportable then the infidelity of his owne blood and as the Lyon is neuer mooued more furiously then at the sight of his owne blood so when this yong Prince sees his bloud r Conspiracies which passe beyond the respects of nature are cruell Of mans blood may be made a most violent poison against man diuerted from the veines and spirits which nourish the hart he enters into extreame passions of greife the which he doth hold cruell for that they do not cause him to dye soone enough He is aduertised that the Dauphin hath sent into Sauoy for men and money The Earle of Dammartin sent into Sauoy He sent the Earle of Damartin to the Duke to let him vnderstand that he would hold the succours which he should giue him for an iniury The Duke answered s The Annulles of Bourgandy report that King Charles being at Feurs in Forest Levvis Duke of Sauoy came to see him where there were two marriages concluded the one of the Dauphin and the Lady 〈◊〉 of Sauoy the other of the Lady 〈◊〉 of France the Kings daughter with Ame Prince of Piemont That he did not carry his affections against his duty and knew how to order his desires to his power and that he had no other but to his maiesties contentment The Dauphin had married his daughter and yet the Kings respect was greater with the Duke then the consideration of this alliance The King sends to the Dauphin to haue him come and the Dauphin promiseth at a certaine time but the terme being come the effects of his promise are excuses and delayes The King sends the Earle of Damartin to seaze on his person and the Lord Chastillon to comand in the Prouince The dilligence in the execution of this comandement put the Dauphin in danger to be taken at Oranges but hauing made shew to go a hunting he deceiued the ambush which the Earle had laid for him t The Dauphin did rely in two noble men who did counsell conduct him Lewis of Chalons and Iohn de Lestore a bastard of the house of Armagnac He was at Oranges when hee was aduertised of the Earle of Dammatius comming and escaping their snares he tooke another way and with sixe or seauen gentlemen recouered St. Claud. If he had fallen into his fathers collor hee would haue vsed him with more rigour then he thought But he went nor without making it knowne that hee would one day make the Earle of Dammartin repent it u The offence which Princes receiue are deeply ingrauen in their memories in brasse gratia onori vltio in quaestu habetur The Dauphin had a feeling of that which the Earle of Dammartia did him in executing his fathers comandements and was reuenged so soone as hee came to the Crowne And that it was not the respect of his father made him flye from his fathers wrath but the very weaknes of the Earle of Dammartin saying that if he had had halfe his forces hee would haue met him Being at S. Claude he 〈◊〉 vnto the King that he desired with his permission The Dauphin retires into Flanders and the meanes that he should giue him to make a voyage against the Turke It was at such time as all Christendome did mourne for the losse of that Citty which had beene sometimes the Metropolitane of the world x After the example of Rome Constantinople was called the head of the world and new Rome and was honored with the like dignities and prerogatiues lib. 1. de priuil Vrb. Sid. App. Salue sceptrerum columen Regins orientis orbis Romatui The Emperor Constans nephew to Heraclius resoluing to restore the seat of the Empire to old Rome said that they must honor the mother more them the daughter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zonarasin the life of Constans and the common starre of the vniuerse The Queene of all Realmes the faire daughter of that faire mother Rome the new Rome Constantinople which at the the time of her desolation was nothing but a great masse of stone made subiect to the Tirant of the East who hauing filled it with all impieties and cruelties hath made it the vnexpugnable dongeon of his tirranny and cruelty Charles sends word vnto his sonne that if the desire of glory reputation carried him to this enterprise he had lost great and goodly occasions against the enemies of France the Dutchies of Guienne and Normandy hauing beene reduc'd during his absence as for the voyage of Turkey he might not vndertake it vnlesse he were assisted by his Nobility the which hee had cause to employ elsewhere And to speake the truth Lewis lost much time which hee should haue imployed to serue the King and the Realme or to make new Empires tributary to France Hee should not haue beene in any place but in armies and the father should no more meddle but with the Counsell of affaires and to command bonfires to be made for his sonnes victories Nature gaue vnto the one wisdome and experience for his part and to the other force and execution y Age should resolue youth execute The one hath sorce the other wisdome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist. Polit. 6. Lewis auoiding one danger fell into another and as Caesar found himselfe among Pirats thinking to flye from Scilla He trusts his enemy so he saw himselfe at the discretion of the Marshall of Bourgondy after that he had escapedthe ambush of the Earle of Dammartin who loued him not and had charged his troupes when as they aduanced vpon the marches of Bourgundy whereof the Duke was so iealous as hee could not endure that the French should approch them knowing well that a Prince looseth much of his reputation within which doth not stirre when hee is set vppon without z A Prince which suffers himselfe to bee molested vppon
he was freed from taxes Necessitie in whose schoole hee had learned great experience dispenst with him for the obseruations which are made in the choice of souldiers These were called Franke Archers who being well led did great seruices being able to indure all paine as beeing bred vp in discommodities and wants without cunning or malice They beganne their profession at the siege of Vernon The defects which are obserued in the life of this Prince as the griefes of Kings n The raignes of Princes doe not continue and end alwaies as they haue begdnne The first fiue yeares of Neroes raigne were iust Constant was good ten yeares cruell twelue and prodigall ten doe not alwaies incounter ends like vnto their beginnings His loues and his diuersions could not hinder it but that France hath giuen him the well deserued title of Victorious The end of the first Booke THE CONTENTS OF the Second BOOKE 1 KIng Lewis his going into France His entrie and Coronation at Rheims 2 The Duke of Bourgundy doth him homage and followes him at his entrie into Paris magnificence of the Parisians vpon this occasion 3 Estate of the Kings affaires with Pope Pius the second Reuocation of the Pragmatique Sanction 4 Discontent of the Noblemen of the Realme vpon the Kings first actions An obseruation of his Humors 5 His voyage and designes in Brittanny 6 Oppression of the people by new inuentions of Subsedies 7 Strange and furious reuolutions in England betwixt the houses of Lancaster and Yorke 8 Edward the fourth expels Henry the sixt King of England 9 Hee seeks to marry the Queene of France her Sister and takes a widdow in England 10 The King goes to Bourdeaux and there treates a marriage betwixt his Sister and the Earle of Foix. 11 Troubles betweene the Crownes of Castill and Arragon The Earledome of Rousilion engaged to the King 12 The Kings of Castille and Arragon referre their differences to the King 13 Enteruiew of the Kings of France and Castille vpon the Riuer of Vidaazo 14 The King returnes to Paris redeemes the Townes vpon the Riuer of Somme and visits the Frontiers 15 The Duke of Bourgundy comes to the King at Lisle to demaund his aduise touching a voyage which he pretended to make against the Turke 16 Ariuall of Lewis Duke of Sauoy at Paris 17 The King declareth his pretentions vpon the soueraigne rights of Brittany 18 The Earle of Charrolois stayes the Bastard of Rupembrâ— at the Haage 19 Ambassadors from the King to the Duke of Bourgundy vpon diuers complaints 20 The Duke of Bourbon first author of the league of the common weale Death of Charles Duke of Orleans 21 Charles Duke of Berry the Kings brother retires into Brittany 22 His Letters to the Duke of Bourgundy and his declaration vpon the taking of Armes 23 Death of Pope Pius the second to whom succeeded Paul the second a Venetian THE HISTORY of LEVVIS the XI THE SECOND BOOKE A Death which brings Scepters Crownes 1461 doth not alwaies meete with sorrow and teares When there is a question of the succession of the Realme An heyres teares are sone dried vppe a desire to raigne doth presently dry vp the teares which the law of Nature drawes from the eyes a There is no water whose spring is sooner dryed vp then that which flowes from a profitable mourning Lewis longed too much to be at home to be grieued when as they brought him newes that Charles the seuenth had quit him the lodging Hee had already spent two third parts of his age in obeying hee held the rest very short to command and to end at in great enterprises worthy of his qualitie b Life is very short for great entrriprises and inconstancie makes it much shorter Hee entertained the Iuie of his hopes in the ruines of this old building he did not hope for any light but by the ecclipse of this Sunne and his vowes were no let that his Father was not already among the God c The Romans held their Fathers dead in the number of the Gods and their Images were reuerenced as persons deysied Wherfore among the predictions which Antonin had of his adoption and successim to the Empire they note that In somrio saepe monitus suit penatibus suis Adriani simulacrum inserere Capitol Hee was often admonished in his sleepe that hee should place Adrians Image among his boushould Gods And what can a Kings eldest Son desire but to raigne euery obiect lesse theÌ„ a crown is vnworthy of his birth Lewis comes into France but the wishes are vnnaturall monstrous vpon vniust effects To desire for a crownes cause the death of him of whom he holds his life is ingratitude impiety The same day that Charles dyed Lewis was aduertised of his death d They that haue written that these newes were sent by Charles Duke of Aniou Father in lawe to Charles the seuenth are mistaken both in the name and matter for Lewis Duke of Anion liued since the yeare 1417. He went presently to horse to goe into France fearing least Charles his brother should make his profit of his absence The Duke of Bourgundy and the Earle of Chartolis accompany him with foure thousand horse chosen out of the flower of all the forces of their Estates and the Princes their friends He makes his entry into Rheims Hee entred into Rheims the fourteeene of August e The King arriued at Rheims the 14. August and caused himself to be annointed the next day A remarkable diligence They cannot goe too speedily to so great a Feast The Duke of Bourgundy being followed by the Earl of Charolois the Earle of Neuers the Earle of Estampes the Duke of Cleues the Earle of S t. Pol and many other Noblemen went out of Rheimes to the Abbcy of Saint Thierry to meet the King being attired in white and crimsin damask vpon a white courser caparonessed with the armes of France The next day he was anoynted and crowned The peeres of the Church were there in person The Duke of Burgundy Deane of the peeres The Duke of Burbon held the place of the Duke of Normandy The Earle of Angolesme for the Duke of Guienne The Earle of Eu for the Earle of Tholousa The Earle of Neuers for the Earle of Flaunders and the Earle of Vandosme for the Earle of Champagne The King is anoinâ—ed and Crowned The ceremony of his coronation was beautified with an other which they found very new and strange The King is anointed and Crowned The King drawing his sword presented it to the Duke of Bourgundy and intreates him to make him Knight He gaue this honour of Knight-hood to an hundred and seauenteene Gentlemen the first were the Lord of Beauieu Iames of Burbon the Earle of Geneua the Earle of Pontieu the Earle of Witembergh Iohn of Luxembergh and to the Marques of Saluces Sonne From the Coronation they went to the Royall feast whereas
literae expeditae per Praelatos personas Ecclesiasticas dictiregni receptae non fuerunt nec ipsi Praelati personae Ecclesiastâ—cae illis parere nec monitis Sixti Innocentii Iulii aures praebere sed eidem Pragmaticae constitutioni inhaerere voluerint The Buls of Sixtus the third Innocent the eight Alexander the sixt and Iulio the second were fruitlesse The Decre of the Councell of Lateran serued to no purpose and this Pragmatick Sanction ended not before the Concordants were past at Bolonia betwixt Pope Leo the tenth and king Francis the first They did iudge by the kings first actions 1461. what the manner of his gouernment would be The King discontents the Nobilitie and that he would beautifie the diuinations of his raigne with other trophies then of clemencie t Clemencie is the Ornament of the raigne of Kings they should begin with it Nouuâ— imperium occupantibus vtilis clementiae â—ama Tacit. lib. 4. Hist. Hee disappointed in a manner all the officers and seruants of king Charles his Father taking a great delight to vndoe that which hee had raised and to raise that which hee had puld downe He gaue Berry onely to his brother for his portion vpon condition that it should returne vnto the Crowne if he dyed without issue male u There was a time when as the Kings of France left vnto the Princes of their bloud the proprieties of their portions Philip of Valoiâ— left the Countie of Valois to Charles his younger brother Philip the Faire was the first that ordained by his Câ—dicill that the County of Poictou giuen by him with other lands to his yonger sonne Philip of France who afterwards was K. Philip the Long should returne to the crowne for waÌ„t of Heyres male vpon condition the King which should then raigne should marrie his Daughter Hee tooke the Seales from Iuuenall of Vrsins and gaue them to Peter of Moruilliers The Duke of Alençon was a prisoner in the Castle of Loches whom he set at libertie Hee caused the Earle of Dammartins processe to be made and after that the Court of Parliament had condemned him to dye hee gaue him his life vpon coÌ„dition that he should imploy the remainder in the I le of Rhodes for the seruice of Christendome and should put in caution but not able to find any hee had the Bastil for his prison from whence he escaped in the night by a hole which he had made in the wall at the same time when as the Duke of Berry passed into Brittanny Taneguy of Chastell x Taneguy of Coastel Nephew te him that â—lâ—w the Duke of Bourgunay was master of the horse to K. Charles the seuenth hee retired into Brittany where the Duke made him his high steward Chamberlaine being discontented for that he was not satisfied the money which he had aduanced for the funerals of Charles the seuenth retired himselfe to Francis Duke of Brittany This Prince had succeeded to Arthur of Brittany Earle of Richmond his Vncle Francis the second Du of Brittany and was well informed of the humor and designes of Lewis and therefore in the beginning hee sent his seruants throughout the Realme disguised in the habites of Iacobins and Franciscans to moue the people to looke vnto the beginning of this Raigne and to coniure them to defend their libertie with tooth and nayle y The Embassadors of Sparta beeing sent to Xerxes said vnto Gidarne who commended the felicity of such as serued the King If thou didst know Gidarne what libertie were thou wouldest counsell vs to defend it not with the launce and target onely but with our teeth and nayles aduising them that this King entered into the Realme as into a countrey of Conquest that he held all that pleased him to be lawfull That he forced great men not to obey but to serue The people not to bee gouerned but tiranized and to prepare themselues to liue in such sort as they might say they had not any thing Being aduertised of the Duke of Brittaines practises The Kings voyage into Brittany he went to see him vnder coulour to visit the Church of S. Sauiour of Redon Deuotion was the pretext and a desire to know the Dukes country and forces the cause of this Pilgrimage z It is a great aduantage to know the forces of an estate which one meanes to assaile and to measure them with his It was the aduise of Xenophon Chabrias said that theron consists a part of the Generals dutie He was not resolued to leaue him in peace He knew well that three or foure yeares before hee had sought to make himselfe a companion to King Charles the seuenth hauing refused to doe him homage vpon his knee and without his sword for the Dutchie of Brittanie a In the homage which Francis the second Duke of Brittany did vnto King Charles the seuenth at Moâ—bason in February 1458. Iohn of Estoteuille said vnto him My Lord of Brittanie you should put off your girdle And Chauuâ—n Chancellor of Brittany answered He ought not It were an innouation he is as he should be hee had also discouered that hee and the Earle of Charolois had giuen their faith to runne the selfe same fortune although that the remembrance of the Death of the Duke of Orleans his grandfather by the mothers side had beene able to disswade him from the house of Bourgundy and that it had beene better for him to ioyne with his Cozens the Dukes of Orleans and Angolesme and to continue his designe vpon the Duchie of Milan to recouer his grandmothers inheritance whereof Francis Sforce had ceazed b Francis Duke of Brittanie sonne to Richard of Brittanie and Margaret of Orleans Daughter to Lewis D. of Orleans and Valantyn of Milan had vndertaken to make warre against Francis Sforce Anâ—al of Brittanie The Venetians and Borso of Este Duke of Ferrara gaue eare to the propositions which they made giuing hope to assist the rights of the house of Orleans These first years of the Raigne of Lewis were very sharpe and those which followed altogether insupportable Great men were depriued of their Dignities Rigor in the beginning of Lewis raigne and the meaner opprest with great charges There was couetousnes for men of merite and prodigalitie for the rest c It is good aâ—ter a prodigall Prince to haue one that is couâ—tous who may restraine those excessiue prâ—fusion he that findes not any thing to giue cannot be liberall He said he would gather money together to redeeme the townes vpon the Riuer of Some He had knowne what a crowne was worth and how many peeces would make one They that haue past by the indiscretions of necessitie proceed very discreetely in their expences If all the time that hee had beene banished from the Court he had no want of necessarie things so had he no great abundance superfluous His sparing was the lights which swelled by the leannesse
had troubled They propounded a peace with goodly conditions The Princes make show that they desired not warre but for the publike quiet and to liue without wrong They made many truces to treat that they which lasting but little was not much distinguished from warre d A short truce fauours more of war then peace Ignâ—uum tempus nec pâ—ce laetuÌ„ nec bellis exercitum Cognatae induciis Insidie sunt as the middest doth alwaies leane more to one of the extremes then to the other The treatie was begun by diuers but the King ended it who one morning came by the riuer to Conflans Before he went out of the boat hee said vnto the Earle who attended him on the banke Enteruieâ— of the King Earle of Charolois Brother doe you assure me that to whom the Earle of Charrolois answered I as a brother e The word of an enemie is a dangerous assurance K Lewis the eleuenth had no other to goe into the Princes Army which were iust against him If there coÌ„fidence hath vndone some it hath bin successefull to others and Scipio Africanus went vpon this assurance to Siphax who although he were abaroarian a cruell enemie to the Romane name yet the mildnes and generositie of Scipio made him a friend Ladislaus King of Bohemia went freely to Mathias King of Hungary his capitall enemy to end controuersies which could not be determined at Olmutz they became great friends Dubrau lib. 2â— He receiued the King with much respect and the King spake vnto him with great mildnes which made his heart apt for any impression so great is the force of words and so well hee could handle his tongue the which he vsed as a pensill for all coulours He that will haue effects according to his owne heart must not spare words to his liking that may giue them Mens spirits are gouerned by words as a ship is gouerned by the helme and a horse by the bit and wee cannot say what power the sweetnes of words haue ouer the minde of man f Words are the Instrument by the which the minde of man is animated thrust forward and held backe A Prince that knowes how to vse them hath a great aduantage in all that he treates and when it is acompanied with such sweetnes as grauity is not wronged it workes what it lists in the hearts of men The King framing his speech to this tune said vnto the Earle Brother I know that you are a Gentleman and of the house of France why my Lord answered the Earle For that said the King When the foole Moruillier spake so boldly vnto you you sent me word that I would repent the words hee had spoken before the yeare were past you haue not failed and before the time The King spake these words with a countenance so free and full of affection although his heart were full of indignation and spleene as the Earle tooke delight in it He disauowed Moruillier and tooke the seales from him Princes play with their subiects and disauow them when as their negotiations are not answerable to their hopes He did walke long by the riuers side betwixt the Earle of Charolois and the Earle of S t. Paul and heard their Intentions g The King who thought nothing wel done if he were not an Actor went to the Earle of Charolois preferring the necessity of his affaires before the consideration of his qualiâ—â— for he held that the honor and glory of an action depended on profit Yet they had deputed somâ— of either side to treat For the King were imployed Charles of Aniou Earle of Maine The Signeur of Pressigny President of the Acounts 10. Dauuet President of the Parlament of Toulâ—sâ— For the Princes the D. of Calabria the Earle of Dunois and the E. of S t. Paul The Earle of Charolois demanded the Dutchie of Normandie for the Duke of Berry and the riuer of Somme for himselfe little for the publike and much for priuate men The King told him plainely that he would neuer consent to dismember the Duchie of Normandie but he was content to restore him the Townes of Somme and finding that the Earle of S t. Paul was the Oracle of the Counsels and will of this Prince he offered him the office of Constable By these offers the strict bond of this league began to be dissolued for there is nothing so fast bound but it is vndone when as one string begins to slip The King did and spake all things so cunningly mingly offers with threats and curtesies with braueries as the Earle applied himselfe to his intentions The day after this first conference h This conference of the King and the Earle was the end of the war It was not thought fit the King should seeke vnto the Barle but to do his busines hee past all formalities would not comit that to hope which he might doe by discretioÌ„ What doth it import to ascend to any place to vse staires of wood or ston or whether the key bee of gold or iron so as it open the Earle of Charolois mustred his Armie Muster of the leagues Armie in view of the King whether the King came with thirty or forty horse commending those goodly forces The Earle of Charolois speaking vnto them vsed these words My masters you and I are for the King our Soueraigne Lord to serue him when soeuer hee shall haue need of vs. The Kings offers bred a iealousie betwixt the Princes of the league euery man cared for his owne affaires The Earle of Charolois saw one day vpon his conferences and propositions three Councels and three bands whereat hee was discontented saying that there should not be any thing secret in his presence During these conferences and enteruiewe Isabell of Bourbon Countesâ—e of Charolois died the Earle mourned and the King did comfort him This death gaue some more facilitie to the peace for the marriage of the Earle with the Lady Anne of France the Kings eldest Daughter was propounded with the transport of the Counties of Bry and Champagne i In marriages of the daughters of France Kings haue somtimes giuen money sometimes lands of the Crowne vpon condition they should returne Charles the fift gaue to his two eldest daughters a 100000. franks of gold and to the rest 60000. Charls the sixt gaue eight hundred thousand to Isabell married to Richard the second King of England King Iohn gaue the Contie of Somiers in Languedoc to Isabel his daughter married to the Duke of Milan Lewis the yong gaue to Margaret his daughter married to Henry the third King of England the Contie of Vexin for her dowrie and preferment which the Kings Predecessors had neuer done in marrying their daughters The Earle of Charrolois affected nothing more but vpon the doubt which was made vnto him of the alienation of these two Prouinces he sent William Hugonet and Iohn Carandolet to Paris to know if these two peeces
was not obserued for the Princes were aduertised of all the resolutions that were taken against them yea of the time and of the sally which should be made vpon their Armie in three seuerall places the first and the greatest towards Paris the second towards Pont Charanton and the third by Bois de Vincennes Wherefore all this siege the king was euer in Iealousie t They watch in vaine for the safety defence of a Town besieged if fidelitie sleepes at the gates the gard must bee committed to them whose loialtie is well assured for that one night he found the Bastille gate open towards the field The Chronicle saith it was on Thursday the 29. of September He was conceited it had beene done by Charles of Melun but he made no shew of it Wise Princes should not lightly call in doubt two such deere and precious things as the reputation and loyaltie of their seruants u It is hard to repaire and recompence the iniuries done to faith and reputation Famae et fidei damna maiora sunt quaÌ„ quae estimariqueant Tit. Liu. Phil. de Commines saith notwithstanding that the king had not a better seruant that yeere then this Charles de Melun and the Chronicle attributes to his care the honor to haue saued Paris The best blowes which were giuen at this siege were drawne from his head and from the wise resolution which he tooke not to haue any thought but to diuide the company he had forces sufficient to fight with all the Princes together without paine or perill they had not yet past their Apprentiship in warre Onely the Duke of Calabria knew something hauing learned it vnfortunately in the warre of Naples The Earle of Charolois had in his youth followed his Father in his Armies and Battels but a long peace had made him forget more then hee knew As for the Duke of Berry and Brittanie the amazement wherein they were when as the Canon played vppon their quarter made it knowne that warre was not their Element The Historie hath obserued that after the Armie had past the riuer of Seine the Earle of Charolois and the Duke of Calabria troubled themselues much to haue the souldiers march in order and represents them so well armed as they seemed to haue a great desire to fight But when it describes the equipage of the Duke of Berry and Brittaine it makes a right Prosopopeia seruing onely for the number and pompe They did ride saith Phil. de Commin vpon little nags at their ease carrying for the most part but little light Brigandins yet some said they had nothing but little gilt nayles vpon Sattin that they might not weigh yet I know not the truth He that goes to the warre without his Armes shewes that he hath no desire to come neere blowes FINIS THE CONTENTS OF the fourth BOOKE 1 Entry of Queene Charlot into Paris She is accompanied by Amé duke of Sauoy her Brother and Bonna of Sauoy her sister 2 Rebellion of them of Liege and Dinand Their Insolencie against the Duke of Bourgondy The seuere punishment of their folly 3 Death of Phillip Duke of Bourgondy greatnesse and felicity of his estate his bounty and reputation in Europe his chiefe Actions 4 Entry of Charles Duke of Bourgondy into Gand sedition for the abolishing of customes 5 Wisdome of K. Lewis the eleuenth to descouer the desseines of the Dukes of Brittaine and Bourgondy His Army in Brittany 6 Newe reuolt of them of Liege They consult whether they should put their hostages to death An Ambassage from the King to the Duke of Bourgondy touching that The taking of the Towne of Liege and the desolation thereof 7 The Ganto is acknowledge their errors The Duke makes his entry there armed The King deuides the Dukes of Normandy and Brittaine from all Intelligence with the Duke of Bourgondy 8. Enteruiew betwixt the King and the Duke of Bourgondy at Peronne his perplexity in the apparant danger wherein he was he treats with the Duke of Bourgondy and accompanies him to Liege 9 The Liegeois beseeged by the King and the Duke of Bourgondy their furious sallie they are surprised spoyled and slaine 10 The King returnes to Paris his wordes leauing the Duke of Bourgondy continuation of the warre in the Contry of Liege 11 A breefe recitall of the chiefe actions life and death of Alexander Scanderbeg King of Albania THE HISTORY of LEVVIS the XI THE FOVRTH BOOKE PARIS was all in Feasts and Ioy for the happie successe of the Kings affaires who had so wisely pacified the windes which threatened his ship with shipwracke but much more for the discharge which he made of certaine souldiers and impositions which the people found insupportable a On Saturday the third of August 1465. the King remitted the fourth peny of the wine to the eight tooke away all impositions except of MarchaÌ„dise of the six farmes in grosse These publike ioyes were doubled by the Queenes entrie into Paris Queenes entry into Paris She went by Bote to our Ladies church past to the Celistins and so to the Tournelles She was accompanied by the Duke Amé her Brother and the Lady Bonna of Sauoy her Sister married to Iohn Galeas Duke of Milan The Historie of these times as curious to represent the order of Feasts that were made as that of Battels b Paul Aemilius obserued a wonderfull order and disposition in feasts saying that there was the like suffâ—ciencie of Iudgement to know how to order a Battell fearefull to the enemies and a feast pâ—easing to friends for the one and the other dâ—pend of good iudgment to know how to order things Plut. as if the knowledge of the one gaue as great proofe of sufficiencie as the other reports the magnificence and addes that in the house of Iohn Dauuet the first President they had made foure bathes they were alwaies acknowledged among the delights for the Queene and for the Ladies Her indisposition and that of the time would not suffer her to bathe One of the bathes was for the Ladies of Bourbon and Sauoy the other for the Daughter of the Lord of Monglat married to the sonne of Nicholas Balue brother to the Bishop of Eureux and Perrete of Chalon a Bourgesse of Paris This woman is particularly named in diuers places of the Historie and here shee hath her share in the delights and pleasures of the bathes The Duke of Sauoy procured libertie for his Brother Philip whom the King married vnto Margarete the third Daughter of Charles Duke of Bourbon and of Agnes of Bourgundie but the content of his libertie was not of such force in his remembrance as the distast of his imprisonment the apprehension whereof made him to follow the humors of Charles Duke of Bourgundy against the King Amé dyed three or foure yeares after in the Towne of Orleans of a Flix c Ame the third dyed at Orleans about the end of Iune 1471. he left 2.
white Damask imbrodered thick with fine gold of Cypres with buttons of gold furred with fables a little black hat of his head with a feather of gold On either side of him were the Cardinall of St Susanne Bishop of Anger 's and Rene Duke of Anjou and King of Sicile o At the foote of the Kings scaffold were set The Vicont of Narbonne George of Pem 〈◊〉 the Lords of Tancaruille Chasttillon Buell Longueuille Lauall Aigle Câ—aon Cruâ—â—ol la Forest The Prince of Piedmont a yong Infant was vppon one of the steps Princes which werâ— about the King and of either side stood the Earle of Foix Prince of Nauarre and the Kings brother in law with the Earles of Neuers and Eu The Earle of Dunois high Chamberlaine of France was by reason of his gowt set vpon a little stoole behinde the King of Sicile with many other Noblemen There were two other places rayled in the one in the middest of the Hall neere vnto the Kings for the Princes of the bloud the Constable the Chancellor the Patriarke of Ierusalem the Arch-bishop of Ierusalem the Arch-bishop of Tours and other Bishops p In the second place railed in were the Marquis of Pont the Earle of Perche the Earl of Guise the Earle of Vendosme the Earle Dauphin and the Earle of Montfort The other being great and spacious which did inuiron the first of either side was for the Deputies of the three Estates Betwixt the Kings Theater and that of the Princes were two formes directly against the King on the one were the Peeres of France and on the other were the Officers of the Crowne Euery man being set q It is obserued that the Earle of S t Paul CoÌ„stable of France was at the vpper end next vnto him Monâ—â—urde Trayâ—ell Chancellor of France in Crimson veluet coâ—es and a little beneath theÌ„ on the same forme the Archbishop of Tours the Bishops of Paris Charâ—res Perigueux Valences Limogis Senlis Soissons Aire Anranches Angoulesme Lodeue Neuers Agen Cominges Bayone and others and all the greatest of the State humbled before the Prince like vnto the rods and Maces of the ancient Magistrates of Rome r In the assemblies of the people of Rome the Magistrates did hold downe their rods and Mâ—ces in signe of humilitie and spake standing the people being set shewing that they had no power to command and all Magistrates dealt by Petition vsing these words velitis Iubeatis the Chancellor rose from his place and presented himselfe vpon his kneee on the right side of the King who told him in his eare what his intention was Oration made by the Chancellor Hee made the Estates acquainted therewith in a long Oration the Deputies beeing prepared vpon the Kings instructions finde that they neither could nor ought to grant vnto Charles of France the Duchie of Normandie for his portion It was said that it should remaine vnto the Crowne and the King was intreated to maintaine the auncient lawes of the Realme concerning his Patrimonie holy sacred and inalienable either by contracts or by prescription of time and against any whatsoeuer and that the Princes of the bloud should not therein haue any more fauour nor priuiledge then priuate men s That which may make an alienation perfect and giue â— title of iust possession doth not comprehend those demands which are inalienable may be reunited although the alienation were made for euer yet the purchaser shall not recouer the price of the thing alienated the King himselfe being bound by oath at his Coronation not to alienate any thing and in doing so to giue vnto his Brother a portion with the title of a Dutchy or an Earledome the which should be worth twelue hundred poundes starling a yeare and a yearely pension of foure thousand and eight hundred pounds starling without drawing it to consequence t This clause of coÌ„sequence was superstuous shewes from what respect it came For the portion was so small as no man would make it a President There are houses in France where the yonger sons would not bee so satisfied for the yonger brethren of the house of France The King gaue the Dutchy of Guienne besides the riuer of Charante Guienne giuen to the Kings Brother the countrie of Agenois Perigort Quercy Xanictonge the Gouernment of Rochell and the Bailewike of Auins hee changed the Parliament of Guienne from Bourdeaux to Poitiers This resolution was carried to Monsieur and to the Dukes of Brittany and Bourgundy his confederates Monsieur was so ill and so desirous to change the ayre as notwithstanding that hee found small profit in the change of his condition yet would he not refuse it the Lord of Lescun perswaded him to reconcile himselfe vnto the King and to accept of what he should giue him The Estates did also resolue that the Duke of Bourgundy should be adiourned to appeare in person before the Parliament at Paris Adiournement of the Duke to the Parliament of Paris to doe right vnto the Earle of Eu u Charles of Artois Earle of Eu dyed without children in the yeare 147â— Hee was taken prisoner at the Battel of Azincourt and remained three twenty years in England for St. Valery and other lands which he detained The King was well pleased with this resolution for that he knew well that when the Duke should see himselfe charged in this manner he would make an answer according to his humorfull of contempt and that some grose-headed fellow executing his commission indiscreetly for profit would moue him and prouoke him to do somthing whereat the Court should bee offended and vrged to seeke reparation The same Court of Parliament sent Iohn Loyselier Complaints for the Pragmatike Sanction x The Deputies of the Court of Parliament let the K. vnderstand that the abolitioÌ„ of this Pragmatick was shamefull and iniurious for the FraÌ„ce had neuer had in like causes Ordinances which had taken their authoritie from the vniuersall all Church That as long as she had obserued this Pragmatick she was full of all prosperitie and feared of her enemies whom she had chased out of Normandie and Guienne and had seene Prelates of such holines as they had done miracles and Iohn Henry Councellors of inquests to represent vnto the King to the Estates the great preiudice which France had receiued by the abolition of the Pragmaticke Sanction that it was depriued of a rule which comprehended all the liberties and freedomes of the French Church approued in the Conciles of Basill and Constance That by the cessation of such decrees France must needs looke for some great confusion of the Ecclesiasticall Order and a generall impouerishment by the transport of gold and siluer beyond the Alpes But the King hauing obtained what hee desired against his Brother and the Duke of Bourgundy hee carried his thoughts to other things then to that which the Estates expected for
the good of the publike y In these Estates they did not thinke of the publike good nor of the peoples ease who complained for Lewis leuied much more then King Charles and dismist them giuing order for the intelligences which hee had vpon Amiens Abbeuille and St. Quentin Then representing vnto himselfe how much the discontentments of the great men of this Realme had ruined his affaires hee inuented a meanes to vnite their mindes to his will and to keep them firme by new bonds of honor and fidelitie Institution of the order of S t Michell the which hee found in the order of S t Michael making it not onely a recompence for vertue like to the Consulship of Rome but a marke of the Nobilitie of bloud and extraction z The dignity of Consull at Rome was as Valerius said vnto his soldiers Premium virtutis non sanguinis and went to seek out the vertuous in any house at any age Princes should haue things in their meere disposition which should be out of the commerce of their subiects 1469 and wherevnto they may not aspire but by the degrees of Vertue Honors which may bee recouered for money are no more honors for the sale may make them fall vpon vnworthy heads a The sale of honors makes them to be lesse esteemed vertue to bee contemned sufficiency lesse necessarie euery one thinking that he may attaine vnto it for money It is a great disorder when as such as are aduanced cannot say that they are bound vnto their vertue although they haue glorious shewes and that is not held rare which may be recouered for money b Glory is the desire of great courages Caesar would haue scorned him that should haue giuen him gold but hee dyed with desire to haue a crown of bayes Fortune may impouerish the greatest houses of Christendome but the honour which they hold from their Ancestors remaines for euer and a branch of Laurell which remaines of their fathers Crownes is more deere vnto them then any other thing Wee see not any Prince reduced to that necessitie as hee prefers siluer before honor And that King hath no great power in a Realme wheras they obtaine all for coyne The King making himselfe Generall of this Order The King great master of the order of S t Michel would also haue them that were neerest vnto him honored c By these orders the Prince becomes a companion to the whole Colledge Tiberius made an order of Knights which were caled Augustales and made himselfe grear master to the end it might haue more reputation hee would haue Drusus his sonne with T. Claudius and Germanicus his nephews to be of it Tac. An. Lib. 7. He gaue the first coller of the Order to Monsieur his Brother the second to Charles Duke of Bourbon and Auuergne Hee thought to draw in the Dukes of Bourgundy and Brittany but they would not bee bound to appeare at the Chapter With this Order were also honored the chiefe Noblemen of the Realme First knights of S t Michel d The ancient order of France was of the Knights of the starre institututed by King Iohn surnamed the good in the yeare 1351. the 6. of Ianuary the Knights weare a starre of gold in their hats and vpon their cloakes and the deuice was Monstrant regibus Astra viam A hundred and eight yeares after Lewis the eleuenth made the order of S t Michel the 1. of August 1469. A hundred ten yeares after that Henry the third instituted the Knights of the holy Ghost and in the yeare 1579. After an Age all things grow old Lewis of Luxenbourg Earle of S t Paul and Constable of France Andrew of Laual Lord of Loheac Marshall of France Iohn Earle of Sancerre Lord of Bueil Lewis of Beaumont Lord of Forest and Plessis Lewis of Estouteuille Lord of Torcy Lewis of Laual Lord of Chastillon Lewis Bastard of Bourbon Earle of Roussillon Admirall of France Anthony of Chabannes Earle of Dammartin Lord Stuard of the Kings house Iohn Bastard of Armagnac Earle of Comminges Marshall of France and Gouernor of Dauphiné George of Tremouille Lord of Craon Gilbert of Chabannes Lord of Curton Seneshall of Guienne Charles Lord of Crussol Seneshall of Poitou Taneguy of Chastell Gouernor of the Country of Roussillon and Sardinia The King reserued to make vp the number of six and thirty Knights to his Election at the first chapter The Duke of Bourgundy at the same time receiued the Order of England and the Duke of Brittanie that of Bourgundie the one instituted by Edward the third f Edward the third instituted the Order of the garter of fiue and twenty Knights in the yeare 1348. Philip that of the goldeÌ„fleece in the yeare 1428. of one and thirty Knights Amedee of Sauoy caled the greene Earle that of Anunciado in the yeare 1409. of fourteene Knights the other by Philip Duke of Bourgundy As this Order had one head so had it one certaine and determinate place one habite one marke or Ensigne of Officers one forme of reception one oath and one rule The place was the Church of Mont S t Michel The place for the assembly of the Order transferred since to Bois de Vincennes as well for that the place was then noted to haue neuer yeelded vnto that yoake of the ancient enemies of the Crowne of France as also for the King Charles the seuenth said that beeing vpon the bridge of Orleans when he entred with the Virgin Ioan he saw not by any fantastical visions of Southsayers like to Caesar g Caesar going to the warre against Pópey a South-sayer came vnto him transported said â— Caesar thou shalt ouerecome It was true and Caesar soone after writing vnto his friends sent them this word Veni vidi vici but truely that Arke-angell fighting on his right hand Hee appointed seates for the cheefe of the Order and Knights in the Quier of the Church with their Armes aboue their seates The habit was a long cloake of white Damaske downe to the ground The habit of the order with a border imbrodered with cockle shells of gold interlaced and furred with Ermines all of one length and one fashion with hoodes of Crimson vellet and long tippets the hood of the chiefe of the order was of Murry Skarlet h The Knights aâ—â—ired in this habit are bound on S t Michels Eue to come vnto the Pallace of the chiefe of the Order to conduct him to the Euensong and the next day to Masse whereas euery one offers a peâ—ce of gold for his deuotioÌ„ The marke or enseigne was a coller of Golde Marke of the order i They are alwaies bound to carry the coller but when they trauel remaine in their houses or goe a hunting then they may weare the Image of the Order in a silke ryband in the midest of which vpon a rocke was the Image of Saint Michael
facile puellas oculis adiiceret easque deperiret the Earle of Warwick being wounded in so sensible and tender a part began to distaste the seruice which he did him and repenting him of that which he had formerly done hee retired from Court into his Earldome of Warwicke The Earle of Warwick reuolts whereas his hard fortune made him know the difference of his friends b In the disgrace and crosses of fortune friends are knowne Namertes answered him that required a rule to know them by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut. and where he shews that a great courage had rather die reuenged then liue with the reproch of a wrong or an affront The Duke of Clarence the Kings Brother the Archbishop of Yorke and the Marquis of Montague came vnto him Euery one brought his complaint with him and the vlcer he had in his heart against Edward The Earle of Warwick represented vnto them the miserable estate they ranne into if they did not labour to restore King Henry to his Fathers throne and themselues to libertie To binde the Duke of Clarence to this designe hee giues him his Daughter He makes a league with the Duâ— of Clarence Proximitie of bloud did sufficiently binde the other two being his Brethren whose friendship he might account among the sweet fruits of his felicitie c It is a part of the sweetnes felicitie of life to see Telemachus recounting his miseries amoÌ„g which he reports that he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without a broâ—â—er Plut. The partie was made and the resolution taken vpon the consideration of things present to come was that he should goe to Calice and in his absence they should make some stirres in the Prouince of Yorke to the end hee might haue a subiect to come thither and to arme The pretext of rising was for the deniall of some Corne which they of the Earle of Warwicks faction refused to pay for the entertainment of St Leonards Hospitall in Yorke and there were others which did murmure giuing it out that what should serue the poore was spent by great men d Sedition can haue no iust causes but the most apparant are wheâ— as priuate men make their profit of that which belongs to the publike In a word it is inequalitie and Iniustice This refusall did so incense the people Commotion in Yorkshire as in a short time there were fifteene thousand men in armes which marched directly to Yorke to haue reason of them which refused to pay what they ought vnto the Hospitall But when as they found themselues too weake An Armie at the gaâ—es of London being a multitude of seditious and mutenous fellowes who are naturally cowards and hauing no Canon to force an entrie they past to London to demand Iustice of the King with torches of rebellion in their fists e Seâ—ition is alwaies saint and cowardly and cowards are euer most seditioâ—s QuantuÌ„â—abes ad â—ustinendum laboreÌ„ miles tanto ad discordias proÌ„ptior Tac. Hist. Lib. 2. The Earle of Warwick was no sooner aduertised of these broiles but he parted from Calice with the Duke of Clarence and came and ioined with this multitude who wanted not any thing but a head King Henries presence and the Earles did countenance the faction and increase it with a greater number with the which he resolued to giue Battell to recompence the errors ruines and occasion past f Hee that knowes how to giue a Battell recouers â—is reputation if it were blemished it restores him if he be ruined excuseth all errors which he hath coÌ„mitted in warre for a Battell won defaceth all misfortunes reproch of other precedent actions The Earle of Pembroke whom the King of England had sent not to fight but to punish those rebels was put to route and they had the victory Richard Lord Riuers father to Queene Elizabeth and his sonne Iohn Wooduille with some other Gentlemen lost their heads The King sought to make some accord with the Earle of Warwicke and vpon the assurance which he gaue him neglected to keep good gard in his Campe the which should not bee omitted euen among friends Loue goes naked by day and armed by night g Crates said that loue went al day naked but at night hee caried a Cuirasse that a prince which trusts in the loue of his subiects may by day goe in safety and without feare but by night he should haue his gard The Earle of Warwicke hauing obserued this carelesse guard by his spies he vndertooke to charge him by night â—dward defeated and taken prisoner with so great aduantage as killing all he found in the trenches hee came without any resistance to the place where the King was whom he tooke prisoner and led away But for that they could not make good vse of this fortune they ruined themselues and vndid King Henry for whom they had taken Armes God who hath a speciall care of Kings depriued them of Iudgement for although they knew well that it was impossible to settle King Henry peaceably in the Realme during Edwards life yet could they not keep him so well but hee escaped hauing corrupted his gards with hopes and goodly promises whereof great men are no nigards when they haue need of their inferiors Edward being at libertie recouers Yorke where he was receiued with ioy which was as great as it was vnexpected From thence he went to London to confirme their wils whom his captiuitie had made to wauer and considering that victory doth alwaies fauour them which haue the aduantage both of Councell and force h A prince hath a great aduantage ouer his enemie when he exceeds him in Armes and that hee hath the CouÌ„cels executions sooner readie then he he raised a might Armie and went to seeke out the Earle of Warwicke Earle of Warwick defeated whom he put to rout and returned triumphantly the victorie was made famous by the death of ten thousand men Queene Margaret Prince Edward her Sonne the Duke of Clarence and his wife the Earle of Warwick with their children and friends were forced to flye They came to Calice but the Earle of Warwicks Lieutenant would not receiue them nor scarce suffer them to carrie two bottels of Wine for the Duchesse of Clarence who was deliuered of a Sonne whilest the ship rode at an Anchor This rudenes and indiscretion did so please King Edward and the Duke of Bourgundy as the one sent him authoritie to command as Gouernor of Calais and the other a good pension to increase his entertainement The Earle of Warwicke who was much esteemed in France and in great credit with the King for his worthy deeds which had made his reputation great and not easie to bee shaken i ReputatioÌ„ is a Colosse which is hardly raised by reason of its waight buy wheÌ„ it is vp it staÌ„ds firme and supports it selfe by his owne heauines It is hard to lay the
him for ten thousaÌ„d florins Winter came on the Duke of Calabria retired his troupes to Perpignan hee made a voyage into France to haue new forces and returned with ten thousand men with the which he forced king Iohn to raise the siege from before Peralta the which was wonderfully prest with their Ordinance and hauing made a great breach the assaylants assured themselues to force it at the firt assault The night before it should be giuen the Duke of Calabria entred with such furie into their quarters without discouerie the Sentinels being a sleepe q It is easie to make a surprise when as Sentinels be a sleepe The Romans coÌ„sidering that the safety of the Armie or Camp depending of their vigilancy had cries and trumpets to keep them waking There were some also that went the round with bels to the same end Of all which we finde examples in Tacitus Hist. 5. Polibeus lib. 2. stratagem of Clearchus Thucidid li. 4. as euery man sought how to saue themselues In combats by night the amazement is so great as he that begins first wins The King fled away bare headed towards Figueres France made bonfires for this victorie the which was seconded by the taking of Girona Death of Iohn D. of Calabia but within few daies after they lamented the death of the Duke of Calabria who dyed at Perpignan of a pestilent burning Feuer When as the King of Arragon had ended a Ciuill warre against his subiects he found himselfe ingaged in warre against the French King Lewis the eleuenth being often importuned with the ordinarie complaints which were made of the insolencies of the French r The inhabitants of Perpignan intreated Iohn King of Arragon either to giue the K. other pâ—wnes for the assuraÌ„ce of his money which hee had lent or to suffer them to retire themselues which were at Roussillon and that the inhabitants of Perpignan being reuolted against the garrison had forced them to retire into the Castle he sent the King word that he should pay him his three hundred thousand crownes retire his countrie or that he should make him an absolute sale or giue him caution for the paiment The King of Arragon finding either of these conditions verie harsh answered that he could not yet vngage the country and that it would bee no honour to him to alienate it being a part of the Crowne of Arragon and that it was a matter neuer heard of to presse a King to gaue Caution the pawne being sufficient The King taking this answere for a refusall prepared to warre and made his preparation slowly to haue a more speedy victorie s He that will demand any thing of an enemie must not be disarmed neither must hee prepare hastily to war to vanquish more speedily Diu apparandum est bellum vt vineas celerius quia longa belli preparatio celerem facit victoriam Senec. With the like care as he armed for an offensiue warre against the King of Arragon he gaue order for a defensiue and to furnish the Towne of Perpignan with victuals and necessary commodities to maintaine a siege and gaue the command thereof to the Lord of Lude The Letter which he wrote vnto him vpon that subiect deserues well to be considered of beeing drawne from the originall and full of passages which discouer the humor of this Prince the order and conduct of his affaires and the manner of writing of those times My Lord Gouernor t The Lord of Lude as may be seene by the subscription of this Letter was Gouernor of Dauphiné Chamberlaine to K. Lewis 〈◊〉 the Earle of Cardonna and the Castellan of Emposta are arriued at Paris Kings Letter to the Lord of Lude I haue sent Monsieur Daire and the Sieg r of Bouffille vnto them to know and vnderstand of them if they came to make any good appointment or whether they came to deceiue mee and to dissemble The said Bouffille is returned vnto me and as farre as they can finde they bring not any good newes and their intention is onely to entertaine mee with words vntill they haue gathered in their coine And therefore I must play M r Lewis and you Mr Iohn and whereas they seeke to deceiue vs let vs shew our selues more politick then they In regard of my selfe I will entertaine them heere vntill the first weeke of May and in the meane time you shall part with all the speed you can and shall draw together a hundred Lances in Dauphine to lead with you and cause them to be led by Monsieur de S. Priet or by Pouillalier or by them both together that is to say fourescore Lances by S. Priet and twentie by Pouillalier or all to him alone or to both together as you shal think the matter may be best conducted for my profit for I referre this Article to you I send you a Letter which I write vnto them by Beauuoisin whom I charged to tell them and to doe what you shall thinke fit And for the paiment of the said hundred Lances A hundred pound starling you must speedilie finde a thousand Liuers to giue them at their departure for they shall make but a roade to spoile and burne the corne and then returne which is ten francks a month for euerie Lance And seeing they haue no Archers and continue but eight or ten daies it must suffice them it is fit to finde a meanes to recouer the said thousand Francks either by confiscation of Corne or otherwise And if it should come to the extremitie that you could not finde it before you want take it vppon the accounts of the Treasurer of Dauphinâ— to whom I write expressely but vse such diligence as the said men at Armes may part the 25. day of this month and if you take any money vp in Dauphinâ— I will repay it My Lord Gouernor the greatest seruice you can doe me is to vse such speed as you may burne all their Corne betimes for thereby they shall be forced to speake plainely I haue spoken vnto Captaine Odet Daidre who is well content to goe thither I send him vnto you with his hundred Lances to assist you to make the spoile in my opinion when you are all together you are inough I send Yuon Diliers vnto Monsieur de Charluz to raise an hundred Lances in Lanquedoc I doe also write vnto de Charluz to gather together of his Franc Archers the neerest to those marches to the number of three thousand and that he cause them to march into Roussillon with you and that all be readie to part the 25. of this month of Aprill And for the paiment of the hundred Lances of Lanquedoc and of the said Franc Archers I write vnto the Generall and Treasurer of Lanquedoc that they cause foure thousand Francs to be deliuered vnto them that is to say a thousand Francs to the hundred Lances and to the said Franc Archers 3000. Francs I doe also send Destueille
without Armes to iustifie himselfe of those crimes wherewith he was charged according to the offers made by him That the Lord of Beaujeu and the Cardinall of Alby should obtaine all Letters and expeditions necessary for his better assurance That in the meane time he might remaine in his Countrey of Gascoine in what place he should thinke good except the Towne of Lestoré the which should be deliuered into the hands of the Lord of Beaujeu It was also agreed that in case they gaue him not this assurance n A man of quality should desire nothing more then to make his innocency knowne and to see himselfe purged from all accusaâ—ion For the consideration of their honor many haue desired to be araigned or that the thinges promised were not effected the Towne of Lestoré should be restored vnto him The Lord of Beaujeu hauing receiued the Kings commauÌ„dement vpon this accord the assurance demaÌ„ded Lestore recouered by the E. of Armagnac he sent it vnto Barran whereas he then was by the which it was granted him to goe vnto the King with threescore horse But in steed of going thither he executed an enterprise which he had vpon Lestoré by the meanes of Iohn D. Aymier The younger brother of Albert surprised it o In the Earle of Armagnacs defence it is said that seeing that the Lorde of Beauieu commaunded him to void the Country he required him to restore him the Towne of Lâ—store seing that he had not any Town whether to retyre himselfe and that it was deliuered and tooke the Lord of Beaujeu with the Noble-men and Gentle-men that were with him prisoners D' Aymier was quartred at Tours and the younger brother of Albert being Lord of St. Basile lost his head at Poitiers Hereupon new forces ar sent to the Cardinall of Alby and to the Seneshals of Toulouza and Beaucaire to beesiege Lestoré The siege continued three months and the Cardinall seeing that force would not preuale p To make men subiect either force or fraude must be vsed Sparta was forced by Alexander Siracusa deceiued by Denis he added policy for Townes and Common-weales loose their liberties and are made subiect by the one or the other They propounded againe the precedent condition of the accord A second accord made with the Earle of Armagnac The Abbot of Pessans Bishop of Lombes Chancelor to the Earle comes on his part to treat they granted the assuraÌ„ce which he desired to go vnto the King a bolition of all thinges past of the seruices which he had done in the Duchie of Guienne against the King pardon for the Noble-men Gentle-men of his party of al that had bene done in the surprise of the Town of Lestoré q This treaty iustified the E. of Armagnac if it had bene represented but it was not seene They say that the Earles Secretary who had it in his custody was threatned to be â—ast into a well if he deliuered it not to the Cardinall of Alby In consideration of this he deliuered vp Lestoré vnto the King The articles were signed by the Cardinal Ranfort Balsac Gaston of Lyon Iohn Daillon Lord of Lude on Thursday the fourth of March 1472. In execution of the treaty the Earle of Armagnac deliuered vnto the Cardinall the Castell of Lestoré caused his men to disarme and retired his Cannon making all the ports to be sett open to the Kings men r They that trust are easily deceiued The wise prepare themselues for dangers in assurances In ipsa securitate animus ad difficilia se preparat At this entry there was a great disorder the treaty was broken Earle of Armagnac slaine vnder the assurance of a treaty the Earle of Armagnac was slaine in his house and cast naked into the streets the Townespoiled the Countesse of Armagnac carried prisoner into the Castell and within fewe dayes after was deliuered of a Sonne before her time the Castell and walles of the Towne were razed and it was fiered in euery place and in the end all were intreated with that liberty which the rigor of war permits against Townes and people that rebell s Razing burning and sacking are the ordinary punishments of rebellious Townes Alba was razed Carthage burnt the Vâ—iens were râ—oted out So we finde in the Roman History vpon the punishment of reuolts seditions Muri deiecti senatus abductus Charles of Armagnac the Earles Brother was caried prisoner to the Bastille Charles of Armagnac a prisoner and mad This Imprisonment which continued foureteen yeares bred him wonderfull sorrowes and griefe and as the passage is not great from melancolly to madnes his spirit grew weake and made him incapable to rouse the enemies of his howse They gaue him certaine Noble-men of the Countrey to be his gouernors Many haue written the Taking of Lestoré and the death of the Earle of Armagnac after an other manner and such as if they which had vndertaken to iustifie his memory had held it true it had not beene forgotten in their Apology t The Pagans did so much respect others as they held a Periurâ—d maÌ„ to deceiue the Gods In sui ranâ—um perinde estimandum quaÌ„ si Iouem fesellicet Deorum Iniurias Diis curae Tacit. The more promises are colored with straÌ„ge â—aths and misteries the more they are to be suspected The Accord made betwixt the K. of Nauarre Charles Regent of France was sworne vpon the Sacrament They say therefore that the Cardinall of Alby entred into some treaty with the Earle of Armagnac for the assurance whereof he vsed a damnable pollicy Trechery most damnable for seeing that the Earle feared to fall into the Kings hands he sware his promises by the most sollemne misteries of his Religion giuing halfe a consecrated Hoste vnto the Earle and himself taking the other halfe That in the meane time the soldiers slipt into the Towne and that the Earle meaning to charge them fearing a surprise u Vntill the capitulation be made all pollicies all surprises are alowed They laugh at them who suffering themselues to be surprised in those bargaines cry out of disloialty In courses of hostility there is nothing more excellent then deceipte nothing more safe then distrust they cryed out for succors the Kings Armie entred by the breaches which the cannon had made the Towne was spoiled and ruined all were put to the sword and the Earle slaine The Lord of Beaujeu with the other Gentle-men prisoners were deliuered Such was the Tragicall and fatall end of the Earle of Armagnac Fortune who desired to ouerthrow the greatnes of his house blinded his eyes that hee could not apprehend the dangers which did threaten it She had not a more powerfull instrument then the hatred which the King bare him A hatred conceiued long before nourished and augmented by many free hardy actions He was therfore inuironed with so many perplexities and perturbations as hee needed
his hand which descouered his heart l The discommodities of great Princes cannot be hiâ—den Ariston saith that pouerty is a lampe which doth lighten and make all the miseries of the world be seene The Kings affaires would not suffer him to bee more liberall to this Prince of good effects then of good words Lewis refuseth him succors If he had no other consideratioÌ„ but of the estate of Spaine he had taken an other course but he had alwaies for a perpetual obiect the greatnesse of the house of Bourgondy whereof he durst nor iudge so long as the Duke was armed and therefore he had rather fayle his friends then himselfe To resolue of the succors which the King of Portugall required of him hee consulted rather with reason then affection m Resolutions taken by the Counsell of affection are subiect to change those which are grounded vppoÌ„ reason last perpetually which layed before him his great expences in Germany and Lorraine for the entertainment of his armie which he might not dismisse vnlesse hee would runne the hazard of a surprize and scorne not to haue foreseene that which concerned himselfe n Wise men see all accidents in their thoughts they cannot bee surprized 〈◊〉 word I did not think it coms neuer out of their mouthes Seneca cals it the word of ignorant men Audimus aliquaÌ„do voces imperitoruÌ„ diceÌ„tiumâ— Neâ—ciebam hoc mihi restare sapiens scit sibi omnia restare quicquid fattum est dicit sciebam VVe sometimes heer the words of ignorant meÌ„ saying I did not know that this would haue happened A wise man knowes that all things may happen Hee saith whatsoeuer is done I knew it The King of Portugall thinking that if he might soe reconcile these two Princes affaires The King of Portugal mediats a peace in vaine as they might haue no subiect to doubt one another he should dâ—aw succors from them both he vndertook to goe into Lorraine to perswade the Duke to reconcile himselfe vnto the King His voyage was not long for vppon the first propositions he found that his enterprise was impossible and so returned to the King who continuing the honors which he had done him at his arriuall intreated him to see Paris and in the meane time procured a dispensation for him from Pope Sixtus the fourth o Notwithstanding that D. Ferdinand D. Isabella of Castille made great oppositioÌ„s at Rome against the marriage of King Alphonso of Portugall and D. Ioane his neece his sisters daughter yet the Pope granted a dispensation at King Lewis his instance to marry with D. Ioane his Neece The Chronicle and Martinienne make a curious relation of his entertainement which was the 23. of Nouember 1476. The Lord of Gaucour Gouernour of Paris Reception of the King of Portugal into Paris and Robert of Estouteuille Prouost of Paris went to meet him on the way to Orleance towards the wind-mill The Chancellor of Oriole with the Presidents and Councellors of Soueraigne Courts and many Prelats went forth The Magistrates presented him a Canopy at Saint Iames gate The Rector of the Vniuersity with the Doctor and Regents receiued him at St. Stephens the Bishop and Clergy of Paris at our Ladies Church The short dayes and the long speeches added fire to the greatnes of the ceremony p Fire carried before the Prince was one of the ornaments of Maiestie it was not in a Linke or Torch but in a Lampe or Lanthorne Prenuncius ante Signa dedit cursor posita de more Lucerna Corippus lib. 2. Herodian saith that Pertinax came vnto the Senate not suffring them to carrie fire or any other markes of the Empire before him The President Bertier saith that the same honor was giuen to the Patriarks in the Greeke Church and the tiâ—le of Balsamon In Respons de Patriarch Prâ—uileg They caused fifty torches to march before him to conduct him to a Marchants house called Laurence Herbelot in the street of Prouuelles The shewed him the singularities and beauties of Paris hee saw the Court of Parliament of peeres the most sacred Senate of Europe where he did number as many Kings as Senators Francis Hale Archdeacon of Paris A cause pleaded in Parliament by two 〈◊〉 the Kings aduocate and Peter of Brabant an aduocate of the Court and Curate of S. Eustache pleaded a cause the Chronicle saies that it was a goodly thing to heare Heere the ignorance of those times moues me to pitty few men were learned and few learned men taught in France Italy had gathered vp some wits of that great shipwrack of Greece The tyrant of the East would not allow of any exercise of learning q Greece hath giuen these goodly wits vnto Italy Emanuel Chrisoloras an Athenian George of Trebizoâ—de Theodore de Gaza a Macedonian Ierâ—nimo Spartiate Gâ—egory Typhernas Iohn Argyropile of Constantinople Laoâ—â—â—c Chalcondile Athenian Marcus Musurus of Candie and Iohn Lascaris For they make him beleeue that learned men are soone possest with great and heigh resolutions against the seruitude which keepes them vnder r Books Sciences teach men of iudgement more then any other thing to know themselues and to feele the smart of seruitude the losse of libertie But this light could not passe into France through squadrons of men of war and good books which are not preserued but in the Temple of peace lay yet in the dust of Cloysters they were not made common to the world and they feared much that the masters in speaking well and eloquently in a Chamber would not be so in doing well in field in sight of the enemies s Cato perswaded the Senate to send away Carneades who was come to Rome on the behalfe of the Atheniens for that his cloquence drew the youth of Rome to follow him disposed the rather to immitate to speake well the to doe well in war in the managing of affaires Plut. that all eloquence was growne rusty in Barbarisme These great and goodly actions of those times in the which they must spread the maine failes of eloquence were giuen to Doctors of the Sorbone They vndertooke to make Ouerture at the Estates and to iustifie or condemne Princes before the Kings Councell See heer a Curate of the greatest parish in Paris who makes proofe of the grace and greatnes of the French eloquence in the first Parliament of France before a strange King the Ignorance of those times found none more capable he deserued to haue money giuen him to be silent rather then to speake t The ancient Orators got money both to speak and to be sâ—â—et One demaÌ„ded of Demosthenes what he had gotten for speaking hee answered I haue sold the silence of one day for fiue talents Plut. After that the King of Portugall had stayed somtime in Paris they put into his immagination as iealousie doth easily possesse aflicted mindes that the King who had at the same time confirmed
his owne conscience and tried that villanies are more easily committed then excused q It is a trouble to colour and disguise a villany An ancient Lawyer being importuned by a Tyrant to excuse a parricide which he had committed in killing his owne Brother answered That it was much more difficult to excuse an offence then to commit it hee imbraced the Dukes knees demaunded pardon of him and promised to marrie this woman to repaire the wrong iniurie which he had done her She craues reuenge for the death of her Husband and not the loue or alliance of him that had slaine him those that were present aduised her to accept of the offer seeing the mischeefe was done and Iustice might well reuenge but not repaire the wrong She being forced to fly to forgetfulnesse the Goddesse of the vnfortunate resolued to giue her selfe vnto him who had depriued her both of honour and husband and to binde him vnto her for his life which he could not saue but by her means The promises were written concluded and sworne whereunto the Duke added this Article that the husband and dying first without Children all his goods should remaine to his Wife This concluded their hearts did sacrifice to the concord of marriage and they promised to liue louingly together It seemed there was nothing else to be done nor that so cleare a heauen as was that day should haue any lightning or thunder The Duke turning towards the woman demaunded if she were content I am my Lord answered she by your bountie and Iustice. I am not replied the Duke who wayed how much the Commonweale was wronged in this crime that a Prince may well declare but he cannot make an offender innocent that he is bound to do Iustice r A Prince doing Iustice equally wins more glory then if he had giuen limits to the Sea vanquished Monsters ruined hell and supported heauen to giue an accompt of innocent blood there being no triumph equall to that which a Prince raiseth to his glorie in doing Iustice. He commanded the woman to retire caused the Gouernor to be carried to prison giuing charge that he should loose his head in the same place wher he put the womans husband to death A woman depriued at one time of two husbands and that he should bee also put into a Coffin s D. Ferdinand of Gonzaga Lieutenant Generall to the Emperor Charles the 5. in Italy made the like reparation to an Italian Lady Hee caused his head to be cut off that had committed the rape hauing first made him to marrie her to giue her all his goods Which done he sent this woman to the prison who being amazed at this spectacle to see her selfe the widow of two husbands in so short a time was so violently opprest with greefe as within a short space she followed the way which these two men had made her But to end the life and discourse of Charles Duke of Bourgoundy he died at the age of three and fortie He came into the world at Dijon on Saint Martins Eue in the yeare 1433. The verie daie that he was christned he receiued the choller of the golden fleece and withall the name of Charles which Charles Duke of Bourbon gaue him the title of Earle of Charolois and Lord of Bethunes The house of Bethunes entred into that of Flanders long before the house of Flanders entred into that of Bourgundie Baldwyn Earle of Flanders who purchased the Empire of Constantinople by the force of his Armes and the happie assistance of Anthonie and Coesne of Bethunes had two Daughters Ione married first to Ferdinand Prince of Portugall and afterwards to Thomas Prince of Sauoie and dyed without Children Margaret her Sister married William of Dampierre and had three Sonnes and one Daughter Guy William Iohn and Marie Guy married the Daughter of Fegard of Bethune Robert of Bethune succeeded him to Robert Lewis of Neuers to Lewis of Neuers Lewis of Malain Father to Margaret his only Daughter who was married to Phillip Duke of Bourgondy great Grand-father to Charles This house of Bethunes hath like vnto others t The house of Bethunes hath brought forth many great Captaines vnder this name of Robert Robert who defeated Manfroy in Sicily marryed the Daughter of Charls of Aniou Robert who beseeged and forced Roche vandais Looke in the Duke of Sullys Panegyre felt the iniuries of Time and Fortune Of Time which changeth and rechangeth all things which maketh the grasse to grow vpon the tops of Towers and giues bounds to Empires and Monarchies Of Fortune which makes of houses and men as an Auditor doth of Counters and a Melter of Medalles the first doth value them as he pleaseth and the last doth cast the same Image in Leade and Gold It hath remained in a manner ouerthrowne vnder the ruines of this house of Bourgondie there remained nothing but the remembrance of her greatnesse and a mournefull conference of that which she was with that which she had beene but Vertue would neuer suffer Fortune to deface out of the courage of her descendants the magnanimity which was hereditarie vnto them Valour and magnanimity were as naturall marks in their hearts u Many at their birthes haue carryed marks of their extraction the ChildreÌ„ of Seleucus caried an Anchor vpon their thigh they of Pithon of Nâ—sibe had vpon their bodies the impression of an Axe and the childreÌ„ of Semes founder of Thebes had a Lance. as the Anchor the Axe and the Lance to the Children of Seleucus of Pithon and of Semes But as that riuer which hauing runne farre vnder ground riseth vp more proudly and violentlie so this house continues about a hundred yeares vnknowne and farre from fauours and great dignities it shall be like vnto an example of vertue without fortune of fidelity without credit of merit without recompence it shall not bee but to appeare more glorious more powerfull and more happy then euer At the same time Galeas Duke of Milan was murthered Death of Galeas duke of Milan his in-iustice and crueltie had made him odious and insupportable He caused a Priest to be buried quicke with a dead mans bodie the which he would not interre without money An extreame cruelty and an extreame auarice Nothing did so much hasten his ruine as a disgrace which he had done vnto his Schoole-maister hauing caused him to haue as many blowes with a stirrop leather giuen him in his own presence as he had receiued stripes with a rod from him being his Scholler x Princes doe willingly remember the seuerity which hath beene vsed towardes them in their Inâ—ancies Nero put Seneca to death Arsenius fled into the desart for that Arcadius his Disciple had resolued to kil him To reuenge this affront hee disposed there of his Disciples whom he knew to haue beene wronged in their honours by Galeas to kill him Cruelties and whoredomes of the Duke of Milan
waxt by which hole we did looke into the Castle-yard Hee saith also that Margaret of Clisson Mother to the Earle of Ponthieure came scoft at him vsing these words Deposuit potentes de sede He hath put the Mighty from their seate Hist. of Brit. Lib. 11. it had felt the ruines and desolations which the Iustice of God brings vpon Principalities for the sinnes of the Princes and People The diuision betwixt the Houses of Montfort and Blois had brought it to the last extremity and it had seene an Act of wonderfull presumption of a vassaile against his Lord Duke Iohn hauing beene prisoner to Oliuer of Blois with such vnworthy vsage as hee was in a manner depriued of the aire which all the powers of the world cannot take from Man there beeing nothing but death that can depriue him of breath This poore Prince had no Aire at all but was in darkenesse p When as God saith Epictetes takes from thee necessary things as food raiment and thy sences he sounds a retreat hee opens the doore and commands thee to come and in a little Chamber where hee could not see but by a hoale made with a Pinne the Sunne for the which many haue beleeued they were in the world Anaxagoras said that hee was in the world to admire the Sunne A more tedious kinde of life then death it selfe and hee that is reduced vnto it hath a strong resolution if he doth not murmure that God suffers him to liue so long One of the wise Stoickes thought that hee gaue man leaue to depart this life when as he gaue him no meanes to liue But let vs returne vnto the King Townes vpon the riuer of Somme recouered by the king Before the newes of Duke Charles his death was assured hee brake the Truce which should haue continued seuen yeares longer and seized vpon Abbeuille Dourlans Monstreuil Montdidier Peronne Han Bohain Saint Quintin and the Townes vpon the Riuer of Somme which by the death of Charles the last Male of the House of Bourgondy returned vnto the King Hee wisht hee might haue done as much to all the Low Countreyes and by some iuster meanes then by Armes in marrying his sonne to the heire of Bourgondy Lewis desires to marry his sonne to the heire of Brittain But beside the great inequality of their ages hee had promised him to the Princesse of England and he desired to giue him the heire of Brittaine for she was more sutable to his sonnes age and this Princesse was a Rampart against the fury of the English who being seconded by the Dukes of Brittaine haue entred that way and come into the heart of the Realme He perswaded himselfe to preuaile by other meanes he had good seruants at Gand who had made shew that this kinde of gouernement was against their mindes and that they affected new Maisters q The day after that the Ganto is receiued newes of the Dukes death they put to death 25 men of their Lawe The pretex was for that they had executed a man before they were confirmed in their charge He thought that in taking some of the chiefe Townes of the Countrey the rest in this confusion of Councels and weakenesse of forces would yeeld of themselues and as if there had beene no other difficulty he disposed already of places and gouernments of Prouinces His humor was to imploy meane men in great affaires and to handle great works with small engines He sent Robinet of Odenfort to S. Omer and Oliuer le Dain his Barber to Gand who was of such power and authority euen with the King as the French going out of the Realme they demaunded of them in mockery among other newes of Court Presumption of Oliuer le Daine if Lewis were in good tearmes with Oliuer r StraÌ„gers mock at princes which depend vpon 〈◊〉 companions and giue themseles as it were in a prey to their conduct This man for that hee was borne in a village neere vnto Gand was so presumptuous as hee thought he could make this Towne subiect to the Kings will and tooke this charge vpon him to goe thither vnder colour to carry some message to the Princesse who had called an Assembly of the Estates at Gand s Estates in the Law Countries held at Gand. The Oath of fidelity was renued to the Princesse for it had in already taken by Guy of Roâ—â—fort Lord of PluvaÌ„t her Chamberlain by Guy Perrot her Secretary of state and vnder hand practised men to what he had intended he stiled himselfe Earle of Melun This purple-hue did nothing at all beautifie the Ape but made him more ridiculous to them that knew the basenesse of his breeding t Basenesse of birth is a reproach which is giuen to them that gloriously forget theÌ„selues Iphicrates Tully and Marius endured it Yet the King perswaded himselfe that hee would doe wonders in this Citty telling the chiefe Noble-men of his Court that they whom he had sent to Gand and Saint Omer were able to get the keyes of the Towne and to draw in his Troopes He made account of the one as Augustus did of Mecenas u Augustus Caesar loued 2. men aboue all others Agrâ—ppa for his patience and Mecenas for his secresie and discretion Being in Councell with them after the war of Actium how hee should gouerne himselfe Agrippa aduised him to liue a priuate life but Mecenas wisht him to think of a monarchy Dion Plut. Suet. and of the other as Agrippa Oliuer hauing demanded audience of the Princesse Affront done to Oliuer at his audience with the Princesse and refusing to speake vnto her but in priuate hee caused himselfe to bee scorned and this disgrace concerned him that had sent him who had not considered that such Commissions did properly belong to men of birth or of great merit and that it seemes they contemne the Prince to whom they send Embassadours of base condition x They that carry the Title of Embassadours should be men of credit reputation Caesar said that the Suisses sent Embassadors vnto him the chiefe wherof was Deuico he who in the Cassian warre had bin their Generall The Gantois hauing discouered Negotiation of Oliuer le Dain at Gand and taking of Tournay that hee had some secret practises in their Towne hee was in danger to haue beene cast into the Riuer whereupon hee retired to Tournay and practised thirty or forty men by whose meanes hee brought in Mony with his Company which hee had at Saint Quintin and seized of the Towne sending seuen or eight of the Gouernors to Paris The Princesse Councell seeing that her subiects fidelity was shaken and the Townes of Picardy deliuered vnto the King that she had to deale with a Cyrus Embassage sent from the Princesse of Bourgundy to the King and that she was no Tomyris y Cyrus hauing attempted against the Massagets a people of Scythia Tomyris their
that of Arragon We heare often in their pleadings Id quod nostrum est sinâ— causa nostra à nobis aufeâ—ri non potest and to fill vp the measure of his sorrow hee saw the first Branch of this Powerfull and Royall house of Aniou wither in his sonne and grand-childe René surviuing his sonne and grand-childe dyed in the yeare 1480. A Prince who had great and eminent qualities worthy of a better fortune hee was a great Iusticer and an enemy to long dispatches He said sometimes when as they presented him any thing to signe being a hunting or at the warre that the Pen was a kinde of Armes which a Prince should vse at all seasons u K. René although he were in Armes did not forbeare to doe iustice to them that demanded it saying That the pen of Princes should neuer be idle that long expeditions made them to loose the loue of their subiects They write that he drank not any wine and when as the Noble-men of Naples demaÌ„ded the reason he answered that it had made Tit. Liuius to ly who had said that the good wines caused the French to passe the Alpes The reigne of so good a Prince was much lamented for he intreated his subiects like a Pastor and Father Commendation of René of Aniou They say that when as his Treasurers brought vnto him the Royall taxe which was sixteene Florins for euery fire wherof Prouence might haue about three thousand fiue hundred hee enformed himselfe of the aboundance or barenesse of the season and when as they told him that a * The Northeast wind Mestrall winde had reigned long he remitted the moity and sometimes the whole taxe Hee contented himselfe with his reuenues and did not charge his people with new tributes Hee x Michael de Montagne in the 2 d booke of his Essaies C. 17. of presumption saith that being at Bar-le-Duc he saw presented vnto K. Francis the 2 d. a portrait which René K. of Sicile had made of himselfe spent his time in painting the which were so excellent as they are yet to be seene in the Citty of Aix he was drawing of a partridge when as they brought him newes of the losse of the Realme of Naples yet he would not draw his hand from the worke such pleasure hee tooke therein He liued long A President of Prouence making an Oration before King Charles the ninth in the yeare 1573. said that hee had beene seene by some that were then liuing Hee instituted an Order which hee called of the Cressant The Knights carried a Cressant or halfe Moone vpon their right arme with this Motto l'Os en Croissant encouraging them thereby to seeke and desire the encrease of their valour and reputation Hee dyed at Aix his wife caused his body to bee transported into France and by a witty pollicie deceiued the Prouençals who would haue had it His death made no other change in Prouencae but of the person Charles Nephew to René succeeds him Charles his Nephew sonne to the Earle of Mayne was acknowledged Earle of Prouence but his time was very short for hee dyed before he could finish the second yeare of his reigne Some few dayes before his death on the tenth of December 1481. he made the King his heire and after his decease Charles his sonne and the other Kings his Successors y The institution of the heire is set down in thâ—se tearmes in his Testament Et quia haeredis institutio est caput fundamentâ—Ì„ cuiuslibet testamenti dictus Serenissimâ—s Domiâ—uâ— noster rex in omnibusâ— regnâ—s commitatibus Vicecomitatibus c. fecit instituit ordinauit ac ore suo proprio nominauit sibi haeredem suuÌ„ vniuersalem insoliduÌ„ Christianissimum excellentissimum principem ac dominum Ludouicum Dei gratia Francorum Regem eiusdem consobrinum Dominum chariffimum atque reuerendissimum post eius obitum illustrissimun clarissimum D. Delphinum c. beseeching him with all his heart to suffer his subiects of Prouence to enioy the graces liberties and priuiledges which they held of King René Prouence giuen to K. Lewis recommending vnto him his Cousen Francis Lord of Luxembourg to keepe him in his Court and to maintaine him in the lands of Martigues which he gaue him he did not recommend him vnto any one of his seruants in particular but one Archer of his guard called the great Pickard There was little difference betwixt his Testament and his death K. Lewis takes possession of Prouence and lesse betwixt his death and the taking of possession for on the nineteenth of the same moneth of December one thousand foure hundred eighty one the King sent a Commission to Palamedes Forbin a Knight Lord of Sollier Chamberlaine to the Earle of Prouence to take possession and to command in the Countrey in quality Lieuetenant generall with absolute power to dispose of Offices to place and displace Officers to remit and abolish crimes yea high Treason to confirme or reuoke ancient Priuiledges and to grant new to assemble the Estates to impose Tributes and to leuy Souldiers for to force obedience z This commission was dated at Thouars the 29. of December 1481. in the presence of the Earle of Marâ—e Marshall of of France and of Estellan Bailiffe of Rouen The quality of this Commission was a great Testimony of the seruice which he had done the King hauing solely disposed his Maister to make this goodly present vnto France But as all changes cause amazement there was some trouble to execute this Donation some holding the party of Lorraine and others of France René René duke of Lorraine discontented Duke of Lorraine finding his friends feeble and his power weake against the King was not willing to grow obstinate in Prouence a Hee that encounters one that is more mighty doth but vndoe himselfe More mighty is to be vnderstood in dominions subiects force and treasure A wise Italian saith to this purpurpose Si tu truoui vna machina cresciuta per la felicita disciplina d'ottocento anni discostati da essa che è cosa impossibile quando pur ella cadesse che tu non rouini sotto If thou findest a worke grown by the felicity and dâ—scipline of 800 yeares auoyd it being impossible if it falles but thou shalt bee ruined vnder it He passed the Alpes with an hundred men at Armes and a regiment of a thousand foote The King sent a garrison of Scottish men vnto Bar vnder the command of the Lord of Aubigny hee caused the Walles to bee repaired and the Armes of France to be set vpon the gate such as are yet to be seene Hee remained in Italy till after the Kings death which day hee held to be the rising of his hopes the which were onely supported by the assurance which the Duke of Bourbon b This hope was not vaine for in the first yeare of the reigne
vpon Earth which is the Realme of FRANCE whereof many Princes and Kings our Predecessors haue beene so Great Vertuous and Valiant as they haue purchased the name of The Most Christian King c The Kings of France cary the Title of Most Christian since Clovis Charles the Bald is called Most Christian in his Coronation Pope Innocent Honorius the 3 d. in their Bulles to King Philip Augustus and to Lewis the eighth called them Most Christian. The Apostolike Legate and three Bishops named in their Letters write that the Realme of France is Most Christian. Du. Tillet as well for reducing many great Countries and diuers Nations inhabited by infidels to the good Catholicke Faith rooting Heresies and Vices out of our said Realme and maintaining the Holy Apostolicke sea and the holy Church of GOD in their Rights Liberties and Freedomes as for doing many other goodly deedes worthy of eternall memory so as some are held for Saints liuing in the glorious company of GOD in his Paradise which our Realme and other our Countreyes and Signiories we haue thankes bee to GOD so well entertained defended and gouerned as wee haue augmented and enlarged it of all sides by our great care and diligence and by the aid also of our good faithfull and Loyall Officers Seruants and Subiects notwithstanding that soone after our comming to the Crowne the Princes and Noble-men of our Bloud and Linage and other great Noble-men d The Princes and Noble-men of the League were Charles of France the Kings Brother Iohn of Anjou Duke of Lorraine and Calabria Iohn Duke of Alencon Charles of Bourgondy Earle of Charolois Iohn Duke of Bourbon Francis Duke of Brittanie Iames of Armaignac Earle of Marche and of Castres Duke of Nemours Iohn Earle of Armaignac his vncle Iohn Earle of Dunois and of Longueville Bastard of Orleans Lewis of Luxembourg Earle of S. Pol. Charles Lord of Albert father to great Alain and Anthony of Chabannes Earle of Dammartin of our said Realme or the greatest part of them had conspired plotted and attempted against vs and the Common-weale of our said Realme many great practises treasons and conspiracies so as by meanes thereof there hath followed so great warres and diuisions as it hath caused a wonderfull effusion of humane bloud ruine of Countries and the desolation of multitudes of people the which hath continued since our said comming vnto this present day and is not yet fully quenched but may after the end of our dayes reviue and continue long if some good order and course be not taken Wherefore hauing regard hereunto and to the age wherein wee are and to the certaine infirmity wherein wee are fallen for the which wee haue beene in great deuotion to visite the glorious body of Saint Claude so as with the helpe of our Creator wee are much amended and haue recouered health Wee therefore resolued concluded and determined after the returne of our said voyage to see our most deere and well-beloued sonne Charles Dauphin of Vienna and to instruct him in many notable things e Happy are those Princes which learn the formes of Gouerning well by the examples and instructions of their fathers Leon receiued them from the Emperour Basillius and Philip Augustus from Saint Lewis For if the highest knowledge of a Prince bee to know his Estate the knowledge cannot bee more faithfull nor certaine then from those which haue the experience The Booke of the Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenete for the Instruction of his sonne associated to the Empire the which is now remaining in the Kings Library is onely vpon this subiect and as Monsteur Casaubon who hath it in keeping writes in an eloquent Epistle vpon Polybius Sciebat vetus regnandi Princeps ad negotia gerenda in quibus Repub. salus continetur illud adprimè defiderari vtingenia hominum probè nota sint quibus cum agitur siue illi sint subditi siue amici siue socij siue hostes The Prince who was old in Gouernement knewe well that in matters which concerned the safety of the Common-weale it was chiefly to bee desired that the Dispositions of men with whom they are to deale bee well knowne bee they Subiects Friends Allies or Enemies for the direction of his life in good manners gouernement entertainement and conduct of the Crowne of France if it please God hee come vnto it after vs. For the accomplishing whereof after our returne from our said voyage into our Towne of Ambois wee went into the Castle of the said place where our said sonne the Dauphin was whom we haue alwayes caused to bee kept and bred vp there where in the presence of a certaine number of Nobleblemen and Ladies of our Bloud and Linage and other great Personages men of our Councell Captaines and Officers both to vs and said sonne wee haue called our said sonne before vs and haue caused those words and Remonstrances which followed to be deliuered vnto him First after a recitall made by vs of the aforesaid things or of the greatest part of them to our said sonne wee haue let him vnderstand how much wee desire that after vs he might with the aid of God come vnto the Cromne of France his true Inheritance and that he might so gouerne and maintaine it as it might bee to his honour and praise and to the profite and vtility of the Subiects of his Realme Dauphiné and other Countries and Signiories and of the Common-weale f This Instruction regards onely the setling of the Princes affaires and doth not extend vnto the duties of Conscience nor to those vertues which edifie Kings Piety and Iustice. But to what end so many Instructions To make a Princes conduct happy wee must wipe these wordes out of his minde If it please it is lawfull If it may bee it shall bee A good Prince should not will any thing but what hee ought Caesar◠cum omnia licent propter hoc minus licet vt foelicitatis est posse quantum velis sic magnitudinis velle quantum possis vel potius quantum debeas For that all things are lawfull to Caesar therefore they are the lesse lawfull As it is a happinesse to doe what thou wilt so it is a greatnesse not to will any thing but what thou mayest or rather what thou oughtest Plin. Paneg. Traja Item That if it pleased God to work his will on vs and that our son should come vnto the Crowne of France wee haue commanded and enioyned him as a father may doe his sonne that he shall gouerne himselfe and the said Realme Dauphiné and Countries by the Councell and aduice of our kinsmen Lords of our Bloud and Linage and other Noblemen Barons Knights Captaines and wise men of our Councell and especially of those whom he shall know and finde to haue beene good and faithfull to the deceased our most honored Lord and Father whom God absolue to vs and to the Crowne of France that haue been vnto vs good and
circumstances and dependances not doing or suffering any thing to bee done to the contrary either now or hereafter vpon any cause or occasion what soeuer forcing all them that shall oppose themselues to the contrary by the taking away of their letters granted to the contrary 〈◊〉 thereof seizure and detention of their goods in our hands imprisonment of their persons euen as is accustomed to be done for our own affaires notwithstanding any opposition appeale or complaint or any Ordonance made or to be made by Vs or our said sonne restraint or commandement defences or letters to the contrary for the which wee will not haue the contents effect and execution of these presents in any sort deferred stayed or hindered And for that many men haue need of these Presents in diuers places We will that full credit shall be giuen vnto the Copy therof made vnder the seale Royall or signed by the said Parrent or any other of our Notaries or ordinary Secretaries as to this present Originall In witnesse whereof we haue caused our Seale to be set to these Presents Giuen at our Castle of Ambois the 22 of September in the yeare of grace 1482. and of our reigne 22. By the King my Lord the Dauphin the Earle of Beaujeu the Earle of Marle Marshall of France the Archbishop of Narbona the Signiors of Bouchage Percigny Plessis of Solhes Iohn Doyac Gouernor of Auuergne Oliuer Guerin Steward of his houshold and many others being present Miscounting in the History Signed Parrent The date of this Edict discouers the mis-counting of Philip de Commines n Philip de Comines was sent into Sauoy to set at liberty the Signior of Illins a Dauphinois whom the King had giuen for Gouernour to Duke Philebert his Nephew When as the Earle of Bresse sawe the Kings Armie at Maston hee did what they desired who saith that in the yeare 1483. the King would see the Dauphin his sonne whom he had not seene in many yeares before and that soone after he had spoken vnto him he fell into the extremity of his sicknesse whereof he died for this Remonstrance was made in the Castle of Ambois in September 1482. and the King died not before August the yeare following But to resolue the doubt of times it may be that the King some few dayes before his death had a will to see the Dauphin when as they conducted him to Paris to make his entry and to celebrate his marriage and that Philip de Commines not beeing at Ambois when this first Remonstrance was made beeing stayed in Dauphin or Sauoy whether the King had sent him with Troopes against the Earle of Bresse hee had no knowledge thereof and therefore hath written That the King had not seene the Dauphin in many yeares before If a History bee the Image of Truth o A History is the proofe of time the light of truth the life of memory the mystery of life and the Trumpet of Antiquity It is the Image of truth and as the image is perfect that doth rightly represent the Originall so a History should represent all things in their simple truth and if Truth can haue but one vniuersall face in all things how can it accord the Chronicle with this Edict It writes that the King going to Saint Claude and before his departure out of Tourraine sawe the Dauphin at Ambois and gaue him his blessing That in the moneth of October the same yeare beeing fallen into a Relapse of his sickenesse hee caused himselfe to bee carried to Ambois to exhort him to that which hee should doe which makes mee to wonder if in matters that bee secrete and important Writers doe not alwayes giue full perpetuall and immutable Assurances seeing that in these they dispense so freely with the Certainety The Instructions which the King gaue vnto the Dauphin were found Good and Holy but they could yeeld no good fruits but with a peace All the rest without it had beene of small vse there being nothing whereof a Father who leaues a yong heire should bee more carefull then to leaue him his inheritance quiet and assured Being therefore resolued to giue a peace to France who attended it as a gift from heauen p There can bee nothing giuen more pleasing noâ— more healthfull to the people then a peace Vt circumspiciamus omnia quae populo grata â—â—nt atque iocunda nihil tam populare quam pacem quam concordiam quaÌ„ otium reperimus Let vs looke vnto all things that are pleasing and acceptable vnto the people wee shall not find any thing more popular then peace concord and ease Cicerâ— pro Le Agr. he thought to giue his sonne a wife but not the Princesse of England who was promised him by the Treaty of Piquigny After the death of the Dutchesse of Bourgondy the Gantois had seized vpon Prince Philip Estate of the Low-countries at the discretion of the Gantois and the Princesse Margaret her Children telling the Arch-duke Maximilian that the Guard and Tutele belonged vnto them The King who desired to haue the Princesse Margaret married vnto the Dauphin and knewe well that by the Gantois meanes the Propositions of the Treaty would bee to his aduantage commaunded Des Cordes to make some Ouerture thereof with two or three petty Companions of the Towne of Gand who had purchased some credite in the Seditions and Mutinies of the people These Men sitting their duety to the time and fortune A proposition of a peace and marriage transported with priuate passion a deadly poyson q All passion priuate affection is a poyson in the conduct and managing of affaires Peffimum veri affectus Iuditij venenum sua euique vtilitas Euery mans private interest is a deadly poyson to true iudgement Tacit. in Affaires of importance and distasted with the soft and effeminate commande of Maximilian consent speedily to the Propositions of Des Cordes and promise to make them succeed to the Kings good liking There was little paine in the effecting of this businesse for the Gantois to preuent all difficulties which the Father might propound in the marriage of his Daughter told him plainely that they would haue no more warres with France They insulted ouer him doing and vndoing many thing contrary to his Intentions On the other side Pope Sixtus both by the reason of his Office P. Sixtus mediates a peace as a common Father and by the Law of Religion which doth nothing more Christian r There is nothing more proper for a Christian then to make peace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 BASIL then to make peace solicited the King and the Archduke thereunto to ioyne their forces against the common enemy of Christendome and had sent the Cardinall of Saint Peter ad Vincula to exhort them The Deputies of either side met at Arras A Treatie of peace and marriage they layd open all the Pretences of the Crowne of France to the House of Bourgondy
Gabardan Of this marriage issued D. Mathea married to Gaston Prince of Bearne who succeeding her father and mother brought vnto the principality of Bearne those goodly peeces of Bigorre Marsan and Gabardan In like manner by the daughter of Gaston Prince of Bearne named Margaret married to Roger Bernard Earle of Foix all that is come vnto the house of Foix. Examples which serue to confirme this generall custome obserued within the Realme That in all Dutchies Counties Vicounties Baronies Lands and Signiories the daughters being neerest in degree haue succeded and beene preferred before the Males So as if King Lewis the eleuenth had liued he would haue decided this controuersie in giuing sentence for the Neece against the Vncle His iudgement had beene grounded first vpon the right of the first borne and representation secondly vpon the conuentions of marriage betwixt Gaston of Foix and the Lady Magdalen of France making expresse mention that the children which should bee borne should succeed in all the lands of Foix and Bigorre then held by Gaston of Foix her father Thirdly vpon the ancient customes and obseruances of the Realme Fourthly vpon the testament and last will of the Earle of Foix. Alphonso of Portugall died also at the same time Death of Alphonso K. of Portugall hee had his share in the miseries of Kings hee entred a childe into the Realme t Such as God giues the prince such must the people receiue him but the wisest of all Kings saith Vnhappy is that Realme which is commaunded by a child Metius Falconius Nicomachus approuing the Election which the Senate had made of Tacitus being old and broken vsed these wordes Dij auertant principes pueros pattes patriae dici impuberes quibus ad subscribendum magistri literatij manus teneant quos ad Consulatus dandos dulcia circuli quaecunque puerilis voluptas invitet Quae malum ratio est habere Imperatorem qui samam curare non nouerit qui quid sit Respub nesciat nutritorem time at respiciat ad nutricem manum magistralium ictibus terrorique subiaceat faciat eos Consules Duces Iudices quorum vitas merita aetates familias et gesta non nouerit God forbid the Princes and Fathers of the Countrey should be tearmed children whose hands their maisters must hold when they subscribe and who are drawne to giue Offices with childish delights What a misery is it to haue an Emperour which knowes not how to maintaine his fame nor what a Common-weale is who feares his Tutor and is subiect to stripes and terror and shall make them Consuls Dukes and Iudges whose liues merites ages families and actions hee doth not know which was ill for himselfe and worse for his subiects His mother Elenor sister to Iohn the second King of Arragon was depriued by the Estates of the Regency which her Father had left her Peter Duke of Coimbra caused her to bee poysoned Alphonso tooke Armes to reuenge his mothers death Peter was slaine before Lisbone with a poysoned Arrow They would haue married Alphonso to Ioane the supposed daughter of Henry the fourth King of Castille this Tragedy hath beene formerly plaid He died at Sinta being nine and forty yeares old in the yeare one thousand foure hundred eighty two and the three and fortith of his reigne and was interred in the Royall Monastery of the Battell of the order of preaching Friers After the warres betwixt him and the King of Castille and the vnfortunate voyage which he made into France hee did nothing but languish He saw himself forst to passe into France for succors Fortune could not set him in a more wretched estate for there is nothing so miserable as to see a Prince expeld his Countrey and begging Pitty is presently changed into contempt and the consideration of that which is honest doth not ouer-sway that which is profitable They may well say that kings are brethren that one royall bloud cals another that their interrests are common that Rome is his mother the Senators his fathers their children his brethren yet if the aid which he demands doth not benefit him that giues it he shall returne more discontented then he came u In great deliberations profite goes before honesty Demetrius sonne to Seleucus hauing beene giuen in hostage and bred vp from his infancy at Rome intreated the Romans to restore him to his Realme which was held by the children of Antiochus and to moue them thereunto hee called Rome his Countrey and Nurse the Senators his fathers and their children his brethren But for all this the Senate inclined to that which was most safe and profitable they assisted the children of Antiochus being weake and yong suspecting much the great courage of Demetrius who was in the flower of his age Polib Thus behold three Kings imbarked almost at one instant in the shippe of Death Death of the Dutchesse of Bourbon onely God knowes the port whereunto they are arriued hee did call at the same time the Lady Iane of France Dutchesse of Bourbon to the end that Lewis should not be grieued to leaue the world The Chronicle calles this Princesse Most noble Powerfull Holy and the example of good liuers She died in the Castle of Moulins in May 1482. She had laboured all her life to entertaine loue and friendship betwixt the King her brother and the Duke of Bourbon her Husband knowing that the concord of France and the greatnesse of her houshold depended thereon and we may ascribe vnto her the glory of the peace which was made at Ryon by the which the principall fire-brands of the great fire of the league were quenched Whereupon all they that loued quyet cast their eyes vpon those of this Princesse and held them the Pleiades of France whose sweete Influences made the Oliue-tree of peace to flourish x Princesses by whose meanes peace doth flourish are the Pleiades of Estates wherein they are allied Pliny saith that the Oliue-tree springs vnder the Influence of the Pleiades Conâ—ipiunt oleae virgiliaruÌ„ exortu haec sydus illaruÌ„ est Polybius saith that among the Grecians the Caduce and among the Barbarians the Oliue is a signe of peace friendship At the same time dyed Iohn of Bourbon the second of that name Earle of Vendosme Here amazement stayes me suddenly why in all the History of King Lewis the eleuenth Philip de Commines hath neuer made any mention of that Nursery of Caesars and of Alexanders and of that Royall branch which hath brought forth the greatest King that euer ware Crowne or Scepter He speakes of foure sonnes of Iohn the second Duke of Bourbon of Charles Cardinall of Bourbon of Peter Lord of Beaujeu of the Bishop of Liege and makes no mention of Iohn the second Earle of Vandosme who liued vnder the reigne of Charles 7 and continued vnto the end of Lewis 11. wee must not wonder if the Chronicle hath forgotten it it doth often follow toyes and leaues
about him but Diuines and South-sayers who made prodigies of the lightest things more desirous of the health of his body then of his soule for hauing made a prayer vnto Saint Eutropeus to recommende vnto him the one and the other Claudius of Seissell said that hee caused the word Soule to bee put out saying That it was sufficient if the Saint made him to haue corporall health without importuning him with so many things Hee was growne so confident that his holy man would cure him as hee still sent to Plessis to tell him that it consisted onely in him to prolong his life The more hee trusted this good man the more he distrusted all his seruants b Such extraordinary guards and distrusts were not without cause for as Phil. de Commines saith some had an intent to enter into Plessis and to dispatch matters as they thought good for that there was nothing dispatched but they durst not attempt it wherein they did wisely for there was good order taken The Castle was well guarded the Walles were fortified with great barres of Iron The guard stood Centinell in the Ditches hauing command to shoot at any one that should aproch before the gates were opened Hee would willingly haue drawne the ladder after him going to bed hee daily changed his seruants and depended vpon the austere humors of Iohn Cottiere his Physitian to whom hee gaue monethly ten thousand Crownes not daring to refuse him any thing and promising whatsoeuer hee desired so as hee would chase away that fearfull apparition c Alexander Tyrant of Pherâ—a liued in such distrust as the Chamber wherin he was accumtowed to lye was kept by two terrible dogges hauing a â—â—dder to ascend vnto it of Death at the name whereof hee shrunke downe betwixt the sheetes This Physitian did sometimes braue him saying I know well that one of these mornings you will chase me away as you haue done others but I sweare by God you shall not liue eight dayes after This poore Prince in stead of vsing him as Maximin did his d Maximin the Emperour commanded his physitions to be slain for that they could not cure his wounds gaue him whatsoeuer he would Bishopprickes Benefices and Offices The holy man of Calabria on the other side watcht fasted and prayed continually for the King neither was it euer possible to diuert him from the thoughts of his pouerty The King could not giue enough to the one and could not force the other to receiue any thing e Antipather King of Macedon said that be had two friends at Athens Phocian Demades The one hee could neuer content with giuing and the other he could neuer moue to receiue any thing that bee offered him Plut. He sometimes attired himselfe richly Curiosity of Lewis the 11 th contrary to his custome but it was in a Gallery like to a flash of lightening and as one would say I am yet here or by his rarenesse to procure admiration to Maiesty and Grauity like to to the Kings of Egipt f The ancient Kings of Aegipt shewed themselues seldome vnto the people and alwayes after some newâ— manner carrying sometimes fiâ—e vpon their heads and sometimes a bird or a branch to moue admiration hee had not any in his Court but his Physitian and maister Oliuer Euery man began to bee weary of this solitarinesse The French desire to see and to presse neere their King They doe not Court it in vaine and doe not serue an inuisible maister Hee ordained diuers businesses both within and without the Realme sending to fetch diuers things out of farre Countreyes for ostentation and rarenesse g The more rare and vnknowne things that Princes haue the more apparant is their greatnesse and therefore they cause many beasts to bee kept for shew as Tygres Lyons and Ounces as little Lyons in Affricke Rayne-Deere and Buffes in Sweathland and Denmarke Allans in Spaine Mules from Sicile and little Grey-houndes out of Brittanie Hee changed his Officers cashiered his Captaines tooke away their pensions and all to bee spoken of fearing they should hold him to be dead although it bee very hard to conceale the death of a great King h There is nothing can bee lesse concealed then the death of a prince They might say of his designes as Stratonicus did of the Rhodians buildings That he vndertooke things as if hee had beene Immortall for hee feared that in doing nothing the people would bee curious to know what hee did not apprehending so much the hatred of his subiects as their contempt Stratonicus said that the Rhodians did â—ate as if they should dye soone and did build as if they had beene immortall Plut. In these last and extreame languishings hee caused the peace to be proclaimed at Paris Publication of the peace as the Archduke had done at Brussels for it had bin said that it should be published in the Courts of Parliament of France and in the chiefe Townes vnder the Archdukes obedience and sworne by the Abbots Prelats and Noblemen of the countries of Artois Burgondy to the end it might be known that it was not onely made with the Princes to continue during their liues but with the Princes and people The Princesse Margaret k This marriage was so displeasing vnto the Arch-duke as Phillip de CoÌ„mines saith he would willingly haue taken her fâ—om them if he could before she went out of the Country but they of Gand had giuen her a good Guard was brought to Hedin by the Lady of Rauestien base daughter to Duke Phillip The Earle of Beaujeu and the Lady Anne of France his wife receiued her and conducted her to Amboise whereas as the Dauphin was Shee made her entry into Paris in the beginning of Iune and was married in Iuly The Chronicle reports the pompe of this entry in these termes On Monday the second of Iune Entry of the Lady Dauphin into Paris about fine of the clocke in the euening the Lady Dauphin made her entry into Paris being accompanied by the Lady of Beaujeu and the Admirals wife with other Ladies and Gentlewomen and they entred by Saint Dennis gate whereas were prepared for her comming three goodly Scaffolds in the one and the highest was a personage representing the King as Soueraigne On the second were two goodly children a sonne and a daughter attired in white Dammaske representing the said Dauphin and the Lady of Flanders and in the other vnderneath were the personages of the Lord of Beaujeu and of the Lady his wife and of either side of the said Personages were the Armes of the said Lords and Ladies There were also foure personages one of the Husbandmen another of the Clergy the third of Marchandize and the last of the Nobility euery of which made a short speech at her entry The marriage being celebrated at Paris whereunto all the chiefe Townes of the Realme were inuited The King would haue his sonne
whole posterity but onely to them which descend from the Males There are two houses which bee so great and famous of themselues as they honour the titles which are giuen them King Charles the seuenth his Father hauing made the Earledome of Foix a Pairie for Gaston of Foix hee confirmed this erection but hee made not any new This house of Foix was in those times one of the most famous in Christendome and compare with Soueraigne Princes o We find that in great ceremonies the Earles of Foix are named before the Princes and had precedence of the Earles of Vendosme There is no other reason but that the eldest of Princes houses precede the yonger of other houses and therfore at the Estates held at Tours the Earles of Neuers Eu and Foix had precedence of the Earle of Vendosme Gaston of Foix who liued in the time of King Charles the fifth went equall with Kings when as King Charles the sixth was at Tholousa he sent the Earle of Sancerre Marshall of France and the Signior of Riuiere one of the chiefe of his Councell to the Earle of Foix who was then at Mazere to intreate him to come vnto him or else he would goe to see him He did not excuse himselfe vpon the Indispositions of his great Age and being sorry that hee had not preuented this summons he parted from Mazere with six hundred horse and came to the King to Tholousa Traine of the Earle of Foix. The History saith that presenting himselfe vnto the king hee was followed by two hundred Gentlemen all cloathed in silkes among them there was noted the Vicount of Bruniquet and his brethren Roger of Spaine Lord of Montespan issued from the bloud of Arragon and head of the house of Montespan p Espagno let of Spaine sonne to Roger of Spaine sonne to Leon of Spaine and the Lord of Corras who first raised the honour of the Earles of Caramain a great and rich family Beginning of the houses of MoÌ„tespan Caramain allied to that of Foix and who seeing that Houses and Families haue their periods like to all other worldly things could not desire a more glorious fall then into the house of Monluc where it begins to reuiue King Charles the sixth requited this visite at New-yeares tide in the yeare 1390. q At this voyage the Earle did institute King Charles the sixth his heire the which hee would not accept for that he would not defraud the Vicount of Chastellan his lawfull Heire He fauoured the house of Lauall with the like declarations of honour House of Lauall the which was long before held for one of the worthiest of France hauing neuer wanted children nor the first dignities and alliances of France hauing for their stemme the House of Montmorency r They drawe the beginning of the first house of Montmorency to the time of Saint Denis by whom the first that was conuerted among the French Knights was a Lord of Montmorency and therefore the ancient Deuice of this house is God helpe the first Christians the first Christian of France and there is no difference in their Armes but fiue Cockle-shels Argent to the Crosse. Wherefore he would that Francis of Lauall Lord of Gaure sonne of a daughter of king Charles the seuenths sister should go in rank with the Earles of Vendosme as well in Councell as in Parliament and in all other publike actions and caused his letters to be dispatcht at Mans the nine and twentith day of Nouember 1467. to serue for a speciall and perpetuall priuiledge to his posteritie He had much contemned the glorious and honourable markes of Maiesty s Princes had alwayes men appointed to serue in time of peace and warre for the ornament of their maiesty and royall greatnesse Heralds were instituted in France for that respect in time of peace they carried mayles vpon their breasts and in times of warre their Coat of Armes powdred with Flowers de Luce. I haue obserued in the Church and Cloister of Saint Catherine du Val of the Schollers twenty of their Tombes which shew the forme of their Maces and Scutchions Bodin writes that hauing chased away almost all the Gentlemen of his house hee imployed his Taylor for a Herald at Armes and his Barber for an Embassador and his Physitian for a Chancellor as an ancient king of Syria did Apolophanes his Physitian whom he made the president of his Councell Philip de Commines obserues it when hee shewes how much hee was troubled to furnish out a Herald which he sent to the King of England Heralds were necessary for the Maiesty of a Prince in actions of war and in the most solemne dayes of peace They had diuers names and diuers charges and they either carried the Titles of the Soueraignes Prouinces or of some other famous occasion as in France the Heralds are diuersly named and wee finde often in the History of France these names giuen to Heralds Bosios error in the History of Malta Monjoy e Saint Denis Mont Saint Michel t This word of Monjoy Saint Denis was sometimes the warlicke cry of the French They say it grew vpon that which Clouis said in the battell neere to Colleyn when as fearing to loose it hee promised to beleeue in Iesus Christ worshipped by Clotilde his wife and to hold him for his Ioue Since that time they cryed in their battels Monjoye Saint Denis as if they would say Christ whom Saint Denis hath preached in Gaule is my Ioue that is to say my Iupiter The word of Ioue beeing turned into that of Ioye The Antiquities of Gaule wriâ—ten by the President Fauchet wherein a great man of Italy hath erred and moues them that obserue it to laugh for hauing found in our Histories that King Lewis the eleuenth had sent two Heralds to Bajazeth to complaine that hee had broken the peace with the Venetians hee sets downe their names after this manner Monsieur Gaudio de Saint Denis Monsieur de Saint Michel whereas hee should haue saide The Herald Monjoy Saint Denis and Mont Saint Michel They were created at great and solemne Feasts and when they presented Wine vnto the Prince hauing drunke he gaue the cup to him whom he made Herald wherwith he should make his Scutchion Oliuer of la Marche saith that Philip Duke of Bourgondy did somtimes giue them the name of that Country whereas the Wine which hee then dranke did grow which done the other Heralds gaue him the Coate of Armes charged with the Princes Armes There were more Ceremonies at the Creation of a King at Armes for his sufficiency was to bee testified by all the Kings at Armes Creation of Heralds and Heralds that might bee found and they were distinguished from others by a Crowne croslet which they carried on their heads Their chiefe charge was to make a distinction of the Armes of Families to preserue the ancient and preuent the vsurpation of new
gaine preferre their owne priuate Interest before all publicke consideration The soundest Estates haue alwayes some vlcers to change the remedy and to change the Physition is one thing Wounds haue no time to close vp when they doe often change plaisters Hee dismist the Duke of Bourbon from the gouernement of Guienne Changes in diuers Charges and gaue it to the Bastard of Armagnac c IOHN of Andie Lord of Lescun bastard of Armagnac Earle of Comminges head of the house of Riberac Hee tooke from the Lord of Bueil the Office of Admirall of France and gaue it to the same Bastard and afterwardes to the Bastard of Bourbon his Sonne-in-lawe who did him great seruices yet hauing no consideration thereof hee tooke from him the Gouernement of Picardie to giue it to PHILIP of Creuecoeur Lord of Cordes Hee would haue the Lieutenants in the Gouernement of Bourgondy to hold their places as the Wolfe by the eare Hee tooke it from Des Cordes and gaue it to Chaumont who died in the yeare one thousand foure hundred eighty one d King Lewis the eleuenth being discontented that the Lord of Tremouille had not taken Dole hee tooke from him the Gouernment and gaue it to Charles of Ambois who was gouernor of Champagne Hee tooke the Seales from PETER of Moruillier and gaue them to IUVENEL of Vrsins from whom hee had taken them when he came to the Crowne them hee gaue them to Peter of Oriole Hee tooke the Office of Marshall of France from the Lord of Loheac and to restore it to him againe hee tooke it from the Earle of Comminges bastard of Armagnac Charles of Melun was his Lieutenant in the Citty of Paris hee dispossest him of that charge to giue it the Earle of Eu and made him Lord Steward of his house Entring into Paris hee made Iames of Villiers Lord of Lisle-Adam Prouost of Paris After the Warre of the Common-weale hee dismist him from that Charge and gaue it to ROBERT of Estoteuille His whole Chronicle is full of these changes in all sorts of dignities and Offices Magnificence Magnificence of Lewis 11. The Maiesty of a Prince is followed by his Magnificence which is one of the Flowers of his Crowne It is a Foile which giues lustre to this Dyamond e Iamblicus cals Magnificence the crown of the Empire of princes saith that it is chiefly admired among the principall actions of a Prince it shewes it selfe in many places and vpon many occasions but her Theter is in his House and at his Court shee presides in his expences and appeares in the priuate Ornament of his person Lewis the eleuenth did respect it so little Habit of Lewis 11. as to see his Apparrell you would haue said that he desired to liue poore and to dye rich Hee attired himselfe plainly in course Cloath and tooke no delight to see sumptuous Apparrell His Chronicle saith That hee ware Doublets of Fustian Whether hee did it to make his Fashion more popular or by his example to cut off vaine and vn-necessary expences thinking that a King who should carry nothing that doth sauour of a Woman is more adorned by the Ornaments of the minde then by those of the body f A Princes habit should not be too stately ful of pompe Romulus attiring himselfe in scarlet or purple lost the loue of his people nor lasciuicous and dissolute like to Nero Calligula Commodus and Heliogabalus nor of a strange fashion for the which Hieron of Syracusa was odious vnto his subiects It neuer represents him well apparrelled but once This was when to conclude the Treaty of Conflans hee went to the Mercers Grange with a small Traine and little brute Attired in a long Roabe loose furred with Ermines the which was much more seemely then the other garments which hee was accustomed to weare There is to bee seene at this day in the house of a Councellor of State Bed of Lewis 11. the bed wherein hee lay the which wee cannot behold without admiring the excesse of this Age and the simplicitie of that It is of Yellow and Carnation Damaske without any Lace and the Fringe without fashion Bodin saith That in scorne hee ware a greasie Hat and the coursest Cloath In the Chamber of Accounts there was an Article found of his Expences making mention of two shillings for a newe paire of Sleeues to an old Doublet and another Article of three halfe-pence for a Boxe of grease for his Bootes 300000 L sterling and yet hee raised yearely three millions more then his predecessors had done and did alienate a great part of the Crowne lands The expence of his house was much lesse then that of many Noble men of that time All things were very exact there frugality was recommended in such sort and superfluity so odious as they needed not to passe out of Sclauonia g Dissolution hath been great in priuate persons by the examples which Athens doth produce and among others of Aesope a player of Tragedies who being come into Sclauonia to eate Creuices which were much esteemed in that Prouince when as they told that those of Affricke were better he sailed into Affricke into Affrick to eate creuises By the accounts we find that they increased according to the years voyages and affaires It did not exceed three thousand six hundred pounds starling vntil the yeare 1480 when it amounted to foure thousand three hundred threescore and one pounds eight shillings Sterling In the yeare 1481. it came to sixe thousand sixe hundred sixty and eight pounds Sterling h The expence of the Kings house for that which concerned the mouth onely was in the yeare 1471. two thousand 800. and three pounds two shillings Sterling In the yeare 1472 2900. pounds The yere 1473 3280. pounds In the yeare 1474. 2520. pounds Sterling The yeare 1475. 3020. pounds In the yeare 1476. 3040. pounds in the yeare one thousand 4. hundred seuenty and seuen three thousand 600. and foure score pounds In the yeare 1478. 3480. pounds and in the yeare 1479 3700. pounds sterling And yet hee went not from Plessis from the eight of Nouember vntill the seuenth of September the yeare following that he was carried to be buried at our Lady of Clory The number of Seruants for the ordinary seruice of this expence was not great their wages small in comparison of these times They serued the whole yeare and it beganne in October There are none but these set downe in the rowle of his voluntary pensions Two Chaplins and to either of them twenty shillings a month and to a Clarke of the Chappell tenne shillings A Groâ—me of the Kings Chamber nine pound a yeare Fowre Squires of the Kitchin to either twelue pounds a yeare One Hastler one maker of Brothes a Sauce-maker a Head-cooke a Butler and two Groomes of the Carriages to either of them twenty shillings a month Two Vnder-Cookes of the Kitchin at sixeteene shillings a
innocency for it appeared not nor to the Kings Clemency which was tyred with releeuing him hee appealed to Faith which is the first vertue of a Prince saying That hee had not yeelded but vpon assurance of a pardon which was promised him The King protested that he had not promised him any thing and that he would rather haue forced him in the Castle of Carlat then receiue him to saue his life hauing so often deserued death Hee therefore would haue the chiefe points whereof he was conuicted drawne out of his processe and sent to other Parliaments throughout the Prouinces to the end they might know what had incensed the seuerity of his Iustice. Hee neuer pardoned any that had beene ingaged in the league of the Common-wealth nor those which had banded themselues against him to follow his brothers dessignes His hatred against the Bishop of Paris appeared most after the death of this Prelate for being aduertised that hee was lamented by all the Orders of Paris hee commanded the Prouost and Aldermen of Paris to make him an Epitaph which shewed the bad seruices hee had done his Maiesty by his intelligences with the Princes of the League As they that were neerest vnto his bloud haue felt the effects of his wrath so they which thought themselues to be neerest vnto his heart haue not beene freed s Princes fauors are not immortall Fato potentiae saith Tacitus speaking of Maecenas raro sempiternae an satias cupit aut illos cum omnia tribuerunt aut his cum iaÌ„ nihil reliquum est quod cupiant and haue not growne old before they haue tryed the truth of this old Maxime Fauours of Princes last not That Princes fauours soone grow old For a Prince is weary of giuing or hee that is fauoured being full of fauours doth not care to husband the continuance They make mention of the feare hee put the Lord of Ludé and the Earle of Sancerre in Antony of Chasteauneuf Lord of Lau may well be produced for an example both of his fauours and of the miseries which doe accompany fauorites The Chronicle saith that hee was chiefe Butler of France Seneschall of Guienne Lord Chamberlaine to the King and more beloued of him then euer any one had beene hauing had in lesse then fiue yeares three or foure hundred thousand Crownes in reward from the King But we must attend the end and not iudge of the building before it bee finisht t Aluaro de Luna whoÌ„ Iohn King of Castile aduanced and loued aboue all men of his Realme said to them that admired his fortune Iudge not of the building before it be funâ—shâ— He dyed by the hands of Iustice. behold the backeside of the Medal At his returne from the voyage of Peronne he caused him to bee put in prison in the Castle of Suilly vpon Loire He commanded Tristan to draw him from thence and to leade him to Vsson in Auuergne but he escaped Many were punished for this euasion Charles of Melun a man at Armes of the Admirals company and Captaine of Vsson lost his head at Loches his wiues sonne called Remonet and the Kings Atturney at Vsson This Charles of Melun must not bee taken for Charles of Melun who commanded in the Bastille when as Paris was besieged by the Army of the league and who could not auoyd it but his fidelitie was otherwise censured by his King then it appeared in the proofes of his seruice He felt the stormes of fortune in the disgrace which hee receiued when as the king tooke from him the Office of Lord Steward of France to giue it to the Lord of Craon The ordinary examples of new punishments for old faults made repentance vaine his searches being feared of Innocents did forbid them that were guilty to trust vnto the assurances of his clemency All were in feare and stood vpon their guard not so much for him as against him They knew well that he had his eyes blindfold to strike of euery side according to his choler and the suddennesse of Tristan Seuerity of Tristan the Hermit who had reduced the markes of Maiesty to the Sword and Halter If hee had sworne by as many Gods as the Aegyptians Assyrians Persians and Grecians did worship u The Egiptians did worship as many Gods as the Earth brought them forth fruits the Assyriars as many as they had Town the Persians as many as they saw stars or fires the Gretians as many as they had fountaines no man would haue trusted him wherefore they that followed his brother considering that hee knew not how to forget iniuries and that hee made a iest of that royall precept A Prince that will saâ—e much must pardon much they went to serue them whom they held to bee least reconcileable with him Claude de la Chastre who had left him vpon some discontentment to serue the Duke of Guienne who honoured him with many charges and among others with the guard of his person had retired himselfe vnto his house at Nancy after the death of this Prince x If a Prince hath any subiect of choller it should bee open and soone gone it is not generous to conuert it into hatred and the King who had both his choler sudden and his hatred long against offences of this kinde and who neuer held the smallest that were committed against him to be light sent to take him prisoner by his Gossip Tristan and held him about a moneth in suspence what he should doe with him for hee had committed no fault but in seruing the Duke of Guienne loyally preseruing his faith vnstained amidst great temptations and seeing himselfe a prisoner hee did more glory to bee an Innocent in prison then guilty at liberty y Admirable is â— at faith which amidst great accidents and vehement pursutes remains vntainted hee caused him to come before him and demanded of him if he had a will to serue him as faithfully as he had done his brother He answered that he could neuer do so great seruice vnto his Maiesty but his affection would be greater and that the seruice which he had done vnto the Duke of Guienne was a proofe of the fidelity which he would alwayes shew to him that should be his Maister The King told him that hee would vse his seruice and hauing an intent to make his guard as well of his owne subiects as of strangers z The Infidelity of subiects forceth Princes to imploy strangers for their guards Alex. Seuerus was the first which tooke souldiers of a rough aspect terrible fearfull and therefore Dyon saith that his entry into Rome was odious The Emperours did ordinarily imploy Gaules Italiaâ— Spaniards Germans or Macedonians The Emperour of Constantinople was guarded by Englishmen Tiberius by Germans Nero had Hollanders or Frisons Herod of Iudea Germans hee sent him with a Commission to raise a Company of an hundred Gentlemen for the guard of his person then remembring
Florence after Argyropile Hee went away through the practise and iealousy of Angelus Politianus and retyred to Milan Marcus Musurus a Candiot Iohn Lascaris of the Imperiall race whom the Magnificent Laurence de Medicis employed to get leaue from Bajazeth to visite the Libraries of Greece from whence are come many good books which where so many Lampes â— dispierce the clouds of Ignorance and Barbarisme The Vniuersity of Paris as fruitfull a moâ—â—er of good wits as a carelesse Nurse to cherish them is much fallen from her first glory Her Schooles which were sometimes more famous then those of Athens in Greece are vnpeopled the water of her Fountaines which did water all the youth of Europe is troubled there is no Spring in the yeare for these goodly flowers which are cherished of some for the rarenesse of others for the smell and of all for the assurance of fruites The Northerne blasts of the last troubles haue in a manner withered them and hardly will they recouer their beauty if the same Sunne which hath raised the Flower de Luce doth not reuiue them Hercules after so many glorious labours did not disdaine the name of Musagete y Fuluius caused a Temple to be built in Circo Flaminio at Rome to Hercules Musagete that is to say the conductor of the Muses and Eumonius the Rector giues this reason Quia mutâ—is operibus premijs iuuari ornaâ—ique deberent Musarum quies defensione Herculis virtus Herculis vocâ— Musarum For that they should be releeued and adorned by their mutuall workes and rewards The quiet of the Muses by the defence of Hercules and the vertue of Hercules by the voice of the Muses France dare not hope that any other will finish that which Henry the fourth shall leaue vnperfect he will not suffer that she which carries the glorious name of his eldest daughter and hath purchased it by her immortall watches and by the production of many great personages which haue worthily serued the Church and State shall languish any longer in hope to recouer her first dignity There wants nothing else for the tryumph of his glory Iames Dauid Cardinall du Perron High Almoner of France nothing but that can make his Bayes immortall The Muses haue neede of Hercules valour and the labours of Hercules haue need of the recommendation of the Muses The generous thoughts which our Augustus hath of this restauration are wonderfully reuiued by the liuely and powerfull perswasions of the learned Cardinall the miracle of our daies But where shall we finde so many Bâ—deus Turnebus Cuias Murets and Scales as is necessary to haue the effect answereable to the designe and reputation Temperance Temperance wherein it consists If it were not taken but for the moderation which seasons all things that great temper which he had in prosperities and his constancy in aduersities had purchased him the palme of this vertue but if they take it for the rule and restrainte of voluptuousnesse and of other motions of the minde it is not so apparent in his heart as in that of Alexanders Cyrus and Scipioes The two base daughters which he had shewes that he was not contented with the lawfull intemperance of marriage z After the Battell of Montlehery the King gaue his base daugâ—ter to the Bastard of Bourbon and the assuraÌ„ces were made in the Towne house of Paris Hee married the first to the Admirall of Bourbon and the other to the Lord of Saint Valier The letters which were dispatcht for the declaration of her Armes would not be vnprofitable to insert in this place and they were in these termes Lewis by the Grace of God King of France to all to whom these present Letters shall come greeting Hauing of late treated and accorded the Marriage of our deere and louing Base daughter Mary with our deere and faithfull Cozen Aymard of Poicters Lord of Saint Valier Wee haue thought it expedient to appoint the Armes which it shall please vs our said daughter shall cary Wee therefore giue to vnderstand that being assured that the said Mary is truely our base daughter and desiring to honour her and her posterity that shee may enioy the honours dignities and prerogatiues which belong to the Bastards of Princes for the great loue and affection which we beare her a Du Tillet saith that the Surname of France is allowed to the base daughters of Kings if vpon the aduow there be no other Surname giuen theÌ„ and the Armes of France with the difference of a Bende Some haue beene aduowed by letters Pattents and others by fact being nurst Wee will and ordaine by these presents that the said Mary our base daughter carry the Armes of France and for a difference a Bend Or beginning at the sinister Canton as base children haue accustomed to do for the which wee haue and do giue her power and faculty for euer In witnesse whereof wee haue caused our Seale to be set to these Presents Giuen at Meslay the eleuenth of Iuly 1467. and of our Raigne the sixt By the King the Lord of Crussol Peter Doriole others being present L. Toustain It were a great proofe of Inconstancy Opinion that Charles the 8. was supposed and prophane pollicy if that were true which many haue said that King Charles the 8. was not sonne to Queene Charlot and that the King hauing him by a Mistresse made this supposition They that write things whereof they cannot speake which are not knowne to all men do often erre for that they trust to their owne conduct and turne away their eyes from that which might giue them light in the darkenesse of such difficulties It is the melancholy of men of this profession presumption and vanity b Vanity hath much power among learned men Iustus Lipsius hath obserued it in his time O litterae litterae quam semper à vobis aliqua vanitas quam illud verum oportere omnibus corydalis cristaÌ„â—inesse makes them thinke that they see cleere enough and as the Citties of Greece ruined themselues for that they would do their businesse a part Errour of learned men not to communicate they loose by this disvnion that which they might preserue by conference I haue alwaies held it an honour to learne and a happinesse to bee reprehended A man should hold himselfe more bound to bee warned of a fault in his writings then of a blemish in his face Vpon this supposition I went to Monsieur du Haillan for that in the second booke of the estate of the affaires of France he reports this opinion and promiseth a more ample discourse in the History of this King not yet printed c Many were of opinion that Charles the 8. was supposed others held that hee was the Kings sonne but not by the Queene and that the King to quench the troubles which had beene raysed by his brother made this supposition the which is more amply written in the
the Kings Authority to restraine him from this liberty Hee made of men as an Auditor doth of Counters placing some for hundreds others for thousands some for ten and some for vnits He allowed many petty Companions in his Cabinet who could not remember the condition of their fore-fathers without blushing or disavowing them s Honor meeting with an vnworthy subiect hath lesse luster and esteeme When as the people of Athens saw that Yperbolâ—◠〈◊〉 decayed man and who had nothing to loose was intreatreated equally with good men they dissolued the 〈◊〉 an honorable punishment for those whose vertue was suspected In like manner they tooke it ill at Roma when as Flauius being freed by Appius was made Edilis Curulis But for all that he did not leaue to haue about him and to imploy in great charges Noble-men issued from houses which were then illustrious both by their owne vertues and by those of their fore-fathers Of this number was Iohn of Daillon Lord of Lude The Lord of Lude and Imbert of Baterney Lord of Bouchages They came in fauour with this Prince by diuers meanes and maintained it in like maner The Lord of Lude had been bred vp with this Prince and the affection which begins so soone doth not wither easily Philip de Commines addes this reason that he knew well how to please the King Fortune fauoured the merits of Imbert of Baterney Imbert of Baterney Lewis Dauphin of France retiring himselfe into Dauphiné and going from Moras to Romans hee staied in a valley vnder the Castle of Baterney to take the coole aire and demanding some refreshing in the heate of the season and the tediousnesse of the way the Lord of Baterney sent some things vnto him and came himselfe to doe his duty hee brought with him Imbert of Baterney being then but a youg man who carried a Hauke with the which hee kild some Partridges t The pleasure of hunting which had beene the raâ—ing of his fortune was in a manner the cause of his ruine Claude of Seyell saith that going to 〈◊〉 to see the Dauphin hauing had him to field to see his Haukes flye the king was much incâ—sed thinking that he had a designe to make him see the woâ—ld and to know it The Dauphin tooke pleasure in it and commanded him to come vnto him to Romans for that hee had a desire to see that Hauke flye againe He went and did so please this Prince as he demanded him of his father and from that time he neuer abandoned him vntill his death He made him great in riches and honor as he was in merit and vertue Charles of Artois Charles of Artoix Earle of Eu hauing remained three and twenty yeares prisoner in England returned into France and was much beloued of king Lewis the eleuenth for that he held nothing of the sower arrogant humors of his predecessors he continued in the Kings seruice at such time as the Noble-men left him to follow the Princes Armie He reconciled the King and the Duke of Brittanie and soone after died in Iuly in the yeare 1471. without any children Iohn of Bourgondy Earle of Neuers his Nephew was his heire u The accord betwixt the king and the Duke of Brittany was made at Saumur in the yeare 1469. and the difficulties were decided by the deâ—terity of the Earles of Eu and Dunois Iohn of Orleans Bastard of Orleans Earle of Longueville base sonne to Lewis Duke of Orleans was the greatest and most fortunate Captaine of his time he alone of all the Noblemen of the league of the Common-weale pursued the fruits which France expected of such an enterprise He was chiefe and President of the Commissioners appointed for the reformation of the disorders of the Realme and died before he could see the effects of that which hee had so earnestly pursued in the yeare 1470. Andrew of Laual Andrew of Laual Lord of Loheac Lewis 11. tooke from him the dignity of Marshall of France wherewith Charles 7 had honoured him and rewarded his seruice Hee restored it vnto him againe when as necessity made him know that none was more capable then he For his sake he gaue vnto his brother the Lord of Chastillon the Office of great Maister of the Waters and Forrests Alaine of Albret purchased the surname of Great by the same greatnesse of courage which gaue the sword of France to Charles of Albret his grand-father Alaine of Albret x Charles of Albret was not onely entreated but in a manner forced by the King to receiue the sword of Costable The king pâ—t it into his hand the Dukes of Orleans Burgondy Berry Bourbo girt him with it a little before hee had caried Charles the seuenth vnto the font He left the league of the Common-weale as soone as he was entred into it and remained more constant in the assurance of his word then the Duke of Nemours his great corage found nothing impossible He was often wont to say that he which had force in hand needed no other thing He married Francis Vicountesse of Limoges and was father to Iohn of Albret King of Nauarre Iohn of Bueil Iohn of Bueil Earle of Sancerre presently after the coronation of Lewis the eleuenth was dismist from his Office of Admirally y The Earle of Sancerre was Admirall of France by the death of Pregent of Coitiuy Son-in-Law to Giles of Raix Marshall of France for no other reason but for that he had serued Charles the seuenth He returned to Court and fauour but yet he stood alwayes vpon his guard against that Lyon which strooke with his paw when they least thought of him Iohn of Andie Iohn of Andie Bastard of Armagnac Lord of Lescun and Earle of Cominges was Admiral of France after the dismission of the Earle of Sancerre and then Marshall of France he chased the Brittains from Baieux and was Gouernour of Dauphine Ioachim of Rouvault Ioachim of Rouvault z Hee had done great sâ—ruices vnder King Charles the seuenth and had beene present at the battell of Fromigny and at the siege of Bourdeaux The King gaue him the place of Marshall of France and Monstrelet saith that Charles the seuenth made him constable of Bourdeaux and that hee tooke his oath in the hands of the Chancellors of France Lord of Gamasches serued him worthily and couragiously in the warre of the Common-weale and was the cause of the preseruation of Paris He alwayes coasted the Duke of Bourgondy his Army to keepe it from scattering to the hurt of the Kings subiects and that it should not make profit by the surprise of any places in passing Then he cast himselfe into Paris and by his presence fortified the courages which an accident rather feared then foreseene had much deiected The King gaue him the gouernment with a troope of two hundred maisters and made him Marshall of France Tanneguy of Chastel Tanneguy
the twelue peeres were set on either side the King At the end the Duke of Bourgundy kneeled downe intreating the King to forget the iniuries of such as had offended him during his Fathers raigne f This request is reported by Monstrelet in these termes When the tables were taken away the noble duke of Burgundy vsing his accustomed gentlenes in the nobillity of his courage kneeled downe before the King and intreated him for the honor passion and death of our Sauior that he would pardon all those which he held suspect to haue set discord betwixt his father and him which request he granted reseruing seauen persons He answered there are seauen which I cannot pardon Reuenge had mounted with him to the Royall throne he had not trod it vnder foote he carryed it in his head it was in his mind like vnto those starres that were fixed about the pole Hee findes it not so sweet to recompence the good as to reuenge the bad The King cannot forget the iniuries which they had done vnto the Dauphin g A royalty should make meÌ„ forget forepassed iniuries The Emperour Adrian being come to the Empire said vnto his enemy which was before him Euasisti thou hast escaped Quos in vita priuata â—nâ—micos habuit Imperator neglexit AE Spart And Lewis the twelfth said generously it is not fit that a King of France shold reuenge the iniuries done to a duke of Orleans Two daies after the ceremony of the Coronation the Duke did him homage for his countries which held of the crowne of France and offered him others which he held in Souerainty h The Duke of Burgundy was receiued to fealty and homage by King Lewis the eleuenth and to be Peere and Deane of the Peeres of France by reason of the Dâ—â—â—ie of Burgundy the 17. of August 1461. From Rheims the King went to Meaux then to Saint Dennys and made his entry into Paris where they did number twelue thousand horse which followed him All the pompe and magnifficence which was made at this entry did represent aswell the simplicity and ignorance of those times as the greatnesse and State of Paris Good witts in such occasions do not represent all things so plainely to the eye as there doth not remaine some thing where-with to content curiosity by the paine it hath to seeke and the pleasure to finde and to deuine at the intelligence of their inuentions Brokers were then more necessary then paynters for they did only set persons of diuers ages and sexes for all kinds of histories A Virgin was sufficient to represent the Citty of Paris as we finde not any more in bookes nor in auncient medalls for Rome nor Athens and there were fiue to signifie Paris euery one carrying a letter of it name They were conducted on horsebacke by a Herald towards Saint Ladros Church and there presented vnto the King The Cronicle saith that they had all personages fitted to the signification of fiue letters making Paris and that all spake vnto the King as they were appointed The Frontispice of S. Denis gate was beautified with a great ship in the which were the three Estates in three Persons which made the Prosopopeia Ridiculous representations and Iustce sate in the prow who spake vnto the King On the toppe of the Mast there was a Lilly out of the which came a King conducted by two Angells At the fountaine du Ponceau they gaue wine and Ippocras to them that past i The Chronicle vseth thee wordes in this place A little within the Towne at Foâ—taine du Ponceau were wild men and women which did fight made many countenances and there were also three fairâ— maidens representing mermaides naked where they might see the faire white pap seperated round and hard which was a pleasant sight and they had pretty speechâ—â— and neer vnto them were certaine fâ—ll Instruments which made great melody And to refresh such as entred into the said Towne there were diuers pipes in the said Fountain casting mike wine and lippocras wherof euery man dranke that would And beneath the said Fountain right against the Trinity there was a passion by men without speech Christ being hanged on the Crosse and the two theeues on the right and left hand There were also three Virgins like Mermaides all naked and at the Trinity was the passion of Iesus Christ represented by a liuing man being tyed vnto a Crosse betwixt two theeues At S. Innocents Fountaine there was a Hinde put forth beeing followed by a great cry of Hounds and Huntsmen At the Burchery was the Bastille of Diepe as the most glorious trophee of this Princes youth Passing ouer the Changers Bridge which was couered ouer head they let flye two hundred dozen of small Birdes The King went to pray in our Ladies Church he supt and lodged in the Pallace and the next day he went to the Tournelles in St. Anthonies street where hee made a new world changing his chiefe Officers The Duke of Bourgondy and the Earle of Charolois made a great part of the pompe they and their traines being so ritchly appointed as there were not any more stately The King made shew of great loue both to the father and sonne but there was so great a diuersity of manners and humors betwixt Lewis and Charles as this harmony lasted not long k Enâ—y and Iealousie which trouble great men will not suffer the one to reioyce at anothers good Themiâ—tocles not able to indure Cymons prosperity dyed through Impatiencie Into their most sincerest affections Iealousie which is the poison of friendship did alwaies creepe There was nothing pure nor perfect the prosperity of the one was a troublesome crosse vnto the other The King came vnto the Crowne like a new heire to his fathers possessions Lewis seeks for the rights of the Crown who doth not so much affect his kinsmen and tutors as he desires to see his Registers examine his accompts and know if he doth enioy all the rights of his successions from these first wordes they iudge what his designes and actions would be l Not onely by the first actions but by the first wordes of a Pâ—ince comming to the Câ—owne they iudge of the future so the word which Seuerâ—s spaâ—e Lâ—boremas and that of Pertinax militemâ—s were taken for signes of warre or peace in the Empire AElms Spart The Pompe and magnificence of this publike ioy being ended the Duke of Bourgondy and the Earle of Charolois tooke their leaues of the king to returne The Duke went into Flanders and the Earle of Charolois to Diion Death of Mary of Aniou Queene of France and then to St. Claude the King to Ambois to see the Queene his mother whose dowry he assigned vppon the County to Xaintonge and the Towne of Rochell shee did not long inioy this assignation passing from this life vnto a better Her death aflicted them who knowing that this King did all of his