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
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
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
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
Kings owne mouth Clemency Clemency This goodly Pearle is not seene in his Crowne b The vertue which rayseth Kings to heauen is Clemency Consulere patriae pâ—rcere afflictis fera Caede abstinere tempus arque ira dare Orbi quietem saeculo pacem suo Haec summa virtus petitur hac coelum via Sen. in Octau this great and royall vertue which pardons the afflicted rayseth vp them that are deiected Lewis the 11. knew not how to pardon and breakes the current of choller was vnknowne vnto him Yet neuer Prince found more occasion to winne himselfe honour but that deceitfull Maxime that a Princes iustice may alwaies and in all cases dissemble c A Prince may mingle prudence with Iustice he may bee a Doue and a Serpent with these three conditions that it be for the necessary apparant and important good of the State that it be with measure and discretion and that it be for an offence and not to offend and sow the Foxes skinne vnto the Lyons fil'd his raigne with tragicall examples of seuerity and gaue him in dying that contentment not to haue left any offence vnpunished Phillip de Commines being to liue vnder the sonnes raigne hath not written all he knew and could haue spoken vpon the fathers and yet he saies but too much to shew his rigour Hee was these are his words suspitious as all Princes bee which haue many enemies and which haue offended many as he had done Hee was not beloued of great men nor of many of the meaner sort and had charged his Subiects more then euer King had done If Commines would haue painted out a cruell Prince hee could not haue imployed other coulours then those wherewith hee sets forth his rigorous prisons his Cages of Iron and his fetters d Cardinall Balue inuentor of these Cages of Iron was lodged there with the first and continued 14. yeares Lacum fodit aperuit eum incidit in foueaÌ„ quam fecit He digged a pit and opened it and fell into the Ditch whicâ— hee had made Hee saith That they were of wood couered with plates of Iron that he had caused Germanes to make most heauy and terrible fetters for mens feete Rigorous prisons of Lewis the eleuenth and there was a ring to put vpon the legge very hard to open like vnto a choller the chaine was great and waighty with a great bullet of Iron at the end much more weighty then was fit and they were called the Kings Snares Although that punishments be the effects of Iustice and very necessary for that hee hurts the good which pardons the wicked yet it caries some shew of cruelty when as the Prince himselfe seemes more carefull thereof then he ought and that hee doth employ them as well against innocents as those that are guilty e The more rare executions bee the more profitable is the example Remedies which curemildly are to be preferred before theÌ„ which burâ—ne mutulate To affect new punishment and against accustomed manners of the Country are markes of cruelty I haue seene saith Phillip de Commines good men prisoners with fetters on their feete who afterwards came forth with great honour and receiued great fauours from him amongst others a sonne to the Lord of Gruture of Flanders taken in battell whom the King married and made his Chamberlaine and Seneschall of Anjou and gaue him a hundred Lances Also the Lord of Pieâ—â—es a prisoner in the warre and the Lord of Vergy For hee found in the end that vigour doth but distract mens minds the violent gust of the Northen wind cannot make a passenger to abandon his Cloake whereas the Sunne casting his beames by little and little doth heate him in such sort as hee will bee ready to strip himselfe into his shirit Generous horses obey the shaddow of a small Wand whereas Asses tell their paces by the number of their blowes The raigne of this Prince was wonderfull stormy they could not say of him as of Antonyn that hee had shedde no bloud f The raigne of the Emperour Antonyn was so good as Herodian called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say without bloud Tristan his great Prouost who for his barbarous and seuere behauiour did as iustly as Maximin deserue the name of Sowre was so ready in the execution of his rigorous commandements as hee hath sometimes caused the innocent to bee ruined for the offendor Hee alwaies disposed this Prince rather to vse a sword to punish faults then a Bridle to keepe them from falling A more temperate Spirit would haue staid him and Princes in these stormes doe but what pleaseth them which guide the effects of their Wils A Prince is no lesse dishonoured by the multitude of executions g A multitude of executions saith Seneca breeds as bad a reputation to the Prince as a multitude of Burials to a Physitian too great rigours makes the paines contemptible augments the number of offendours and makes them to become wicked through despight then a Physitian receiues blame by the death of his Patient Claud of Seyssell could not say any thing more bitter to the memory of this Prince then that which hee writes That there were seene about the places of his abode many men hanged vpon Trees and the prisons and other houses neere full of prisoners who were often heard day and night crying out for the torments which they endured besides others which were cast into the Riuer Many great Princes haue felt the seuerity of his humours Iohn Duke of Alençon had in the end as much cause to murmurre against his iustice as hee had to commend his Clemency in the beginning of his Raigne Hee had beene condâ—mned to loose his head vnder Charles the seuenth The King restored him to his liberty and honour to make him some yeares after vndergoe the like censure h The Duke of Alençon being prisoner in the Casile of Loches was led to Paris the sixt of Iune 1473. by the Lord of Gaucort Chaletiere Steward of the Kings house with 24. Gentlemen and 50. Archers Hee caused him to bee apprehended and carried to the Towre at the Louure His Processe was made in the yeare one thousand foure hundred three score and foureteene and a Sentence pronounc't the eightenth of Iuly in these termes Sentence against the Duke of Alençon The Court hauing seene the Charges Informations and Confrontations of witnesses against Iohn of Alenâ—con his voluntary confessions the Processe and other things which were to bee seene touching the great and heynous crimes committed by him by the conspiracies practises and treaties which hee hath many and sundry times had and made with the English the ancient enemies and aduersaries of this Realme and other Rebels disobedient to the King and to the great preiudice of the King and subuersion of the publique good of the Realme forgetting through ingratitude the great grace that the King had done
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