Vassals judging him uncapable to succeed from the imbecillity of his understanding a defect very ordinary in the Carolovinian Race Henry left all his Three Sons under the Guardianship of Baldwin Earl of Flanders who had Married his Sister and likewise entrusted him with the Regency of the Kingdom Queen Anne his Widdow retired to Senlis where she was building a Church in Honour of the Martyr St. Vincent Her Solitude was not so Austere but she could listen to the Addresses of Rodolph Earl of Grespy who was of that neighborhood She made no difficulty to Marry him and this Second Flame had like to have kindled a Civil War not for the difference in their Qualities for the Grandees went almost equal with their Kings but because Rodolph was of Kin to the First Husband for which reason the Bishops Excommunicated that Lord but nothing could make him let go his hold of her save death which untied him from his Princess Ann. 1066. Being a Widow and destitute of support she returned to end her days in her own Countrey Philip I. King XXXVIII Aged Seven or Eight years POPES Vacancy of Three Months Alex. II. Elect 1 Octob. 1061. S. Eleven years and neer Seven Months Gregory VII Son of a Carpenter Elect in April 21. 1073. S. Twelve years One Month. Victor III. Elect in May 1086. S. about One year Four Months Vacancy Five Months Urban II. Elect in March 1088. S. Eleven years and Four Months Paschal II. Elect 12. August 1099. S. Eighteen years and Five Months Year of our Lord 1060 61 and 62. ALL quietly gave Obedience to the Regency of Baldwin the Gascons only refused to submit themselves apprehending said they lest by that Title he should destroy his Pupil to invade the Crown upon pretension that he was Married to the Daughter of King Henry He wisely dissembled this injury but two years after marched an Army towards the Pyreneans giving out it was to make War upon the Saracens in Spain and when he had passed the Garonne he stopp'd in the Rebels Countrey and brought them to their Duty without striking a blow Year of our Lord 1062 Guy Gefroy-William Duke of Aquitain believed that Gefroy Martel Earl of Anjou being dead without Children his Nephews Sons of his Sister had no right to Xaintongne He would therefore seize it and besieged Xaintes his Army was defeated by the two Brothers neer Chef-Boutonne but the following year he got another Army and took the Town from them Year of our Lord 1062 and 63. The two Brothers minded not the relieving it they were at mortal feud amongst themselves Foulk le Rechin the younger of the two gained the Lords of Touraine and Anjou who betraid his Brother Gefroy and unfortunately deliver'd him up with the City of Anger 's In the mean while the Duke of Aquitain having re-conquered Saintongne led his victorious into Spain where he forced the City of Barbastre at that time very rich and renowned The Zeal of Religion did often lead the Princes and Lords of Aquitain and Languedoc into Spain to succour the Christians against the Saracens and their assistance raised and very much supported the petty Spanish Kings Year of our Lord 1064 Edward King of England whose Christian Virtues have placed him in the number of Saints dying without Children left his Kingdom by Will and Testament to William the Bastard Duke of Normandy in consideration of the good Reception and Treatment he found in the House of Robert his Father when he was driven out Year of our Lord 1064 of his own Countrey as likewise because he was neer of Kin. But the English not affecting the Government of a Stranger gave the Crown to Harold Son of Godwin one of the great Lords of the Kingdom The Bastard on his side sought from all parts the assistance of his Friends and Allies to get himself into possession of his Right insomuch as having got by his large promises a powerful Army of Normans French Flemmings and others together he landed in England gave Battle to Harold the 14th of October who was slain in the Fight with his chief Commanders and left England to the discretion of the Conquerour A Revolution thought to be presaged by a terrible Comet which for Fifteen days blazed with three great Rays over-spreading almost all the Southern parts of the Heavens Before William past the Sea hapned the death of Conan Duke of Bretagne it was said he caused him to be poysonn'd because he claimed the Dutchy of Normandy as belonging to him by his Mother Daughter of Duke Robert Hoel who was Married to his Sister succeeded him Year of our Lord 1067. and the following The English ill-Treated by Williams Lieutenants and Officers Revolted the following years and called in the Danes to their aid but that only increased their misery and yoak for he took from them almost all their Lands and even their antient Laws introducing and imposing those of his own Countrey as he did that Language in all Courts of Justice and instruments of Law withal putting such Lords as follow'd him in possession of English Mens Estates the greatest part of them being punished or slain Thus ended the Reign of the English in that Island which hath notwithstanding retained their Name but in effect hath ever since been sway'd and is still by the Norman Blood their Kings and the greatest of the Countrey being descended and holding their Rights of this William the Bastard to whom was given the Surname of Conquerour Year of our Lord 1067 Baldwin Regent of the Kingdom of France and Earl of Flanders ended his days An. 1067. He had Two Sons Baldwin called of Monts who was Earl of Flanders and Robert who was Surnamed the Frison as being Lord of that Countrey of Friesland Year of our Lord 1069 It is observed that in the year 1069. Arnold Lord of Selne began to build the City of Ardres upon the ruines of his Castle of Selne A War did soon break out between Baldwins two Sons the Eldest thinking to devest the Younger was by him beaten and slain in the field of Battle leaving two Sons Arnold and Baldwin very young The Guardianship of these begot a bloody contest between Robert their Uncle and Richilda their Mother This Princess supported by Gefroy Crook-Back Duke of the lower Lorrain defeated Roberts Army and thrust him out of a part of his Countreys This happy success made her so haughty Year of our Lord 1068 towards her Subjects that the Flemmings Flammengant forsook her and she had none left but the Walloons and the Hennuyars The King would have made himself Judge and Arbitrator between both parties but Richilda coming to Paris with great Presents gained his Counsel and engaged him openly to take her quarrel Year of our Lord 1070 The King inflamed with the heat of Youth would needs go in person to make his first Essay in War and Arms. It proved not very successful for he was beaten and pursued Richilda taken and carried
to which he replied that Soldiers could not be kept without Money They soon understood what he desired and the mischief pressing hard upon them they were constrain'd to give and immediately the Lords desisted from plundering Year of our Lord 1191. and the following In the interim John King of England summon'd for three several times to answer the accusation in King Philips Court endeavour'd to gain time and made all delays But Philip finding himself strong in Men and provided with Money having no counter-poise in his Kingdom because he held in his own hands the Garde-noble of the potent House of Champagne and the Earl of Flanders was gone into the Levant had resolved to push on against him He therefore gave some Forces to Prince Arthur to pursue his Right having before betrothed his Daughter Mary to him At the same time he entred upon Normandy where he forced five or six places and received the most considerable Lords of the Countrey into favour amongst the rest Hugh de Gournay and the Earl of Alenson who assured him of their Service and their Towns Arthur on his side attaques Poitou the Earls de la Marche and d'Eu Gefroy de Luzignan and their friends being joyned with him His Grand-Mother Alienor had Year of our Lord 1201 put her self into Mirebeau he besieges her there King John hastens thither with so much diligence that he surprizes him one fair Morning napping in his Bed takes him prisoner and sends him to the Castle of Falaize Normandy and Poitou being shaken in this manner comes a Legat from the Pope who ordains the two Kings to assemble the Bishops and Lords of their Countreys Year of our Lord 1202 and by their Consultations put an end to these Disputes John would readily have consented to this Order but Philip who was not willing to give over so fair a Game obliged his who were assembled at Mantes to throw in an Appeal from the Sentence of the Legat to the Pope himself which was to gain time and continue his progress Year of our Lord 1202 The respect for Queen Alienor had still with-held King John from staining his hands in the Blood of the unfortunate Arthur Soon after her death he caused him to be brought to the Castle of Rouen he kept his Court in that City and in a very obscure night he drew him forth thence and led him to such a place that afterwards he was never seen It being justly presum'd that he had murther'd him Constance the Mother of that young Prince demanded Justice of King Philip for that parricide committed in his Territory and upon the person of one of his Vassals He caused John therefore to be summoned before his Peers or Pairs where not appearing nor sending any to excuse him he was by judgment of that Court Condemned as attainted and convicted of Parricide and Felony to lose all the Lands he had in France which should be consiscated and forfeit to the Crown and all such as should defend them reputed Guilty de Laesae-Majestatis Year of our Lord 1203 In prosecution or rather execution of this Decree Philip partly by force partly by intelligence took from him this year almost all the higher or upper Normandy whilst this unworthy lazy Man pass'd away the time with his Wife at Caen as if all had been in a profound Peace We may imagine that if he would have taken some care of his Affairs Philip could not so easily have conquer'd so many places since the single Castle de Gaillard neer Andeley situate on a Rock both very high and steep on all sides endured a Five months Siege but both Heaven and Earth had declar'd against him his friends betray'd him his Subjects became unfaithful and he meanly abandonn'd himself Year of our Lord 1204 The following year Philip made himself Master of all the Cities of the Lower Normandy almost without a blow Rouen it self which was the Capital of the whole Province environ'd with a double Wall and very affectionate to her natural Dukes After a Siege of forty days being informed by the Deputies sent to King John that no Relief or assistance could be had from him surrendred to the Conquerour upon condition he should maintain the Citizens in their Franchises and Priviledges which he agreed to and they obtained Letters or a Charter to secure it a procaution as feeble against an absolute Power as Paper is against Steel Year of our Lord 1204 Two or three other places which yet defended themselves followd the example of Rouen and so it was that in less then three years he gained all Normandy which had had Twelve Dukes of that Nation whereof John was the last who had Govern'd them about Three hundred and sixteen years At the same time William des Roches who had quitted John's party to joyn with Philip secured the Counties of Anjou du Maine and de Touraine and Henry Clement Mareschal of France conquer'd all Poitou for him excepting only Niort Touars and Rochel Year of our Lord 1205 The next year the King himself having gotten a great Train of Artillery forced the Castle des Loches and some places that remained in the hands of the English in Touraine Year of our Lord 1203 The French and the Venetians sailing to Constantinople with only 28000 Men forced the Harbour and afterwards the City though there were above Threescore thousand Fighting Men there deliver'd Isaac out of prison and caused the young Alexis his Son to be Crowned The Tyrant Alexis and his Brother-in-law Theodorus Luscaris having made their escape over the Walls retir'd to Adrianople Year of our Lord 1204 Whilst this Army of the Cross wintered about Constantinople and Isaac and his Son endeavour'd to make good what they had promis'd them for their reward the people upon whom they Levied very great sums of Money mutined One certain Alexis Ducas surnamed Murzufle Great Master of the Wardrobe to young Alexis headed the sedition seized on that Prince whilst Isaac was in his last Agonie and strangled him with his own hands Then caused himself to be Declared Emperour and went forth with the City Militia against the aforesaid Army but they were presently beaten back Constantinople besieg'd and within Sixty days taken by Storm swimming in Blood and a great part consumed by Fire The Conquerours gave power to Twelve of the chief amongst themselves to elect an Emperour upon condition That if he were a French man the Patriarch should be a Venetian and so on the contrary The intrigues of the Venetians for whose interest Boniface Marquis of Montferrat was not so convenient though he seemed most worthy of the Empire manag'd it so that the Electors conferr'd it upon Baldwin Earl of Flanders and the Patriarchat upon Thomas Morosini a Venetian After they had setled things in order within the City they easily conquer'd all what the Grecian Empire possess'd in Europe and formed several Principalities there of which the Marquis de Montferrat who married Isaac's
from the good of the Subjects and who Establisht this Maxime so false and so contrary to Natural Liberty Qu'il nest point de terre Sans Seigneur i. e. That there is no Land without its Lord. The Office of Chancellour was given to Antony du Bourg who was likewise a Native of Auvergne and President in Parliament As to the Emperor he having foreseen that Clouds and Storms were gathering together from all Quarters against him by the King the King of England the Princes of Italy and those of Germany that he might have some pretence to Arm himself Powerfully he gave out that he was going to make War upon the Famous Year of our Lord 1535 Chairadin Surnamed Barbarossa who Infested all the Coasts of his Kingdoms of Naples and Sicilia That Pyrate was a Native of Metelin he had a Brother named Horue their Father a Christian Renegade and Poor From their Youth these two Bothers had used Piracy having but one Brigantine between them both then Increasing in Vessels in Men and Money they passed into Mauritania where engaging themselves in a War that was made betwixt two Brothers for the Kingdom of Algiers under pretence of Assisting the one they made themselves Masters of both the City and Country Horue being the Eldest bore the Title of King and Conquered Circella and Bugia likewise and Dispossessed the King of Tremisen but in the conclusion he was Vanquished and Slain in the Rout by the People of that Country joyned with the Spaniards with whom that King was allied Chairadin Barbarossa his Brother Succeeded him and became very formidable in the Levant Seas in-so-much that Sultan Solyman gave him the Command of his Naval Forces There were two Brothers at Tunis Sons of King Mahomet who disputed for the Crown Araxide and Muley-Assan this last although the younger had taken the Scepter by his Fathers appointment the other to avoid his Cruelty fled to Constantinople and Implored the Protection of the Grand Seignor Barbarossa taking advantage of this occasion appears before Tunis pretending he had brought him back to restore him though indeed he left him in Prison at Constantinople By this wile he so deceived the People that he was received into the City and drove Muley-Assan thence This man had recourse to the protection of Charles V. who undertook to re-establish him Charles landed therefore in Africk with an Army of above Fifty Thousand Men took the Fort of Goletta which he kept for himself setled Muley-Assan in Tunis beat Barbarossa at Land gave him chace by Sea and delivered Twenty Thousand Christian Slaves then upon the fourteenth of August he Weighed Anchor and set Sail for Sicily where in few days he Arrived Having so journed there neer three Months he passed to Naples about the end of November Year of our Lord 1536 From thence he wrote to his Brother-in-Law the Duke of Savoy to comfort him for the losses he had sustained by the French and of his eldest Son Lewis who died in Spain These words were but a weak support against those evils which encreased upon him every day For the Bernois having declared War in January 1536. drove out the Bishop of Lausanne Seized upon that City the Country of Vund Gex Genevois and Chablais as far as the Drance the Valesans on their side Invaded the rest of Chablais from that River all above Those of Friburgh got Possession of the County of Romont and the French Army Marched at the same time to enter into Piedmont John de Medequin Captain of the Castle of Muz afterwards Marquess of Marignan and some other of the Emperors Commanders whom the Duke had sent to Guard the Pass of Suze came there too late Antonio de Leva having visited Turin and found it was not yet Tenable was not of opinion that the Duke should venture to wait for the French there He went out therefore on the twenty seventh of March with his Wife and his Son and having Embarqued his richest Goods and Artillery â—n the Po retired to Vercel Turin Surrendred the third of April Whilst the Emperor was yet in Sicily he had News of the death of Duke Francis Sforza which hap'ned in the Month of October not leaving any Children by his Wife who was the Daughter of Elizabeth his Sister and Christierne II. King of Denmark Now the Dutchy of Milan being under the Power of the Emperor knowing the great Passion the King had for so excellent a Dutchy he made use of it as a Lure to amuse and lead him in a Slip if we may so express it all the rest of his Life Gravelle his Chancellour had told Vely the Kings Ambassadour that his Master would not dispose of that Dutchy till he had received Information from him how he intended to demean himself in these three particulars the first was in the War against the Turk the second the reduction of all the Christian Princes to the Catholick Religion and the third the setling of a Firm Peace throughout all Christendom He added that the Emperors desire was rather to bestow that Dutchy upon the Kings third then upon his second Son and demanded that the second might accompany him to the Siege of Algiers These two last Conditions did not please the King Upon the other three Heads he made such Replies as ought to have Satisfied the Emperor He demanded the Dutchy for Henry Duke of Orleans his second Son and offer'd to give four hundred thousand Crowns of Gold for the Investiture On this Foot he Year of our Lord 1536 sent to Vely that he should press the Emperors Resolution But that Prince gave only general Words and in the mean time put his Affairs in good Order for he made the Marriage between his Bastard and Alexander de Medicis who was one likewise and Confirmed him in the Government of Florence He made a new Confederation with the Venetians induced thereto by the Fame of his Victories in Africa and by the perswasions of the Duke of Vrbin General of their Armies He sent to his Sister Mary Widow Queen of Hungary to whom he had given the Government of the Low-Countries after the death of Margaret Widow of Savoy his Aunt as likewise to those with whom he had left that of Spain to make the greatest Levys of Men and Moneys they possibly could and himself on his part labour'd to get store of Money in Sicily and Naples and to encrease those Forces he brought out of Africa Now with promising hopes he led on Vely and the Kings Envoys even to Rome In the Month of April he made his Triumphant entrance and Sojourned there thirteen days There it was they Discovered his ill intentions and inclinations towards the King for after the Pope and he had conferred together about their Affairs he prayed him to Assemble his Cardinals and before them with Hat in hand he made a long harangue full of Invectives Complaints and Menaces against King Francis and would needs give them an account of all
the Daughter of Theodoric was yet in his insancy The Fame of Clovis his Valour spread even to the East The Emperour Anastasius thereby to engage him the closer to the Empire sent him Consulary Honorary Letters and the Imperial Ornaments viz. The Purple Robe the Mantle and the Diadem Clovis having put them on in St. Martins Church Mounted on Horseback in the Portall and bestowed a Largess on the People after that day he was ever Treated with the Title of Consul and August which were not altogether useless to him towards the bringing the Gauls to better Obedience by those Titles for which they had still some reverence Theodoric King of the Ostrogoths jealous of his success takes in hand the Defence Year of our Lord 508 and 509. of his Grand-Son and sends a great Army on this side the Mountains made up of Goths and of Gepide and Commanded in Chief by the Count Ibba The French held then the City of Carcassonne besieged and the Burgundians that of Arles the first quitted their Siege and joyned the others at Arles to hinder him from passing the Rhosne There hapned many Combats and at last a bloody Battle the Count gained it having killed 30000 French and Burgundians and afterwards wrested from them all Year of our Lord 510 they had conquer'd in Provence and in Languedoc excepting Thoulouse and Vzez After this advantage Theoderic remained King of the Visigoths and having taken away the Crown and Life of Gesilac joyned what they held in Gaul and in Spain to his Kingdom of Italy till his Grandson Amalaric should be come of age Clovis fretted at these losses distemper'd with a long Fever and having the Spirit Year of our Lord 510 and 511. of a Conqueror that is to say Unjust and Sanguinary lays snares for the other petty Kings of the French who were his Kindred and rids himself of them by methods full of Cruelty and Treachery He incited Chloderic Son of Sigebâ—rt King of Colen to kill his Father and caused him afterwards to be Massacred by his own Domestiques He compelled Cararic and his Son we know not in what Countrey they Reigned perhaps it was at Triers or Arras to enter into Holy Orders and being informed that the Son expressed some threatnings he sent and caused the Throats of both to be cut He cleft in two the Heads of Ragnacaire King of Cambray and Riquier his Brother with a Battle-axe they being both delivered into his hands by their own Subjects and his Satellites assassinated Rignomer King of Mans in his own City He dyes himself at Paris the 26 th of November in the year 511. and is interred Year of our Lord 511 in the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul which he Built and where St. Genewiefue had been buried the same year his Reign was 30 years and his Age 45. Some have made him parallel with Constantine the Great and find great resemblance betwixt them both for Good and Evil. He had four Sons living Thierry Clodomir Childebert and Clotaire the first by a Concubine the other three by Clotilda and by the same also a Daughter named Clota or Clotilda who Sixteen years afterwards married Amalaric Ring of the Visigoths in Spain Under his Reign the French wholly freed themselves from the Roman Empire and became their Allies on equal terms till then as I believe they had been stipendaries or tributary to them That part of Gall which reaches from the Rhine to the Loire was called France The French measured those Lands and took the third or fourth part which they shared amongst themselves There were but two sorts of People or Conditions amongst them the Free-men and the Slaves all the Free-men bore Arms. Gall which was almost a Desert began to be re-peopled and to rebuild their Towns The Galls paid a Tribute to the French but the natural French paid hardly any thing but their personal Service These lived according to the Salique Law the Galls Conformed to the Roman Institutions These were called Romans all the other Nations which flocked thither from beyond the limits of the Empire were named Barbarians They were bred to the exercise of War from their greenest years of a good shape and stature enured to Labour strong and so nimble that they were upon the Enemy almost as soon as the Dart they had thrown against them They had left off the use of Arrows and employ'd in their stead for offensive weapons the Sword the Angon which was a Dart of moderate length having an Iron bearded Head and cheeks of Iron and the two-edged Axe which they called Francisque This might be darted as well as the Angon but neerer at hand For defensive Aâ—ms unless it were their Commanders they had only the Buckler which they managed very dextrously to shelter and Tortoise-like cover themselves when they went to make a Charge or an Assault Their whole Armies were Infantry or if there were some few Horse they served only to attend the General and carry his Orders They retained a good part of the establishment made by the Romans as the manner of raising Imposts but much lesser of providing Magazines for the subsistance of their Forces of maintaing Horses and Carriages for Travellers on the great Roads of publick Sports Horse-racing and combats of wild Beasts and their Kings believed themselves as absolute as Emperours created Dukes Counts and great Masters of their Militia nay even Patricians and perhaps the Mayers of the Palace held the Office of Praefecti Praetorii In the Fifth and Sixth age the Gallican Church received few into the Church for Bishops but Saints or such as they made so They were for the most part the greatest Lords of the Countrey who to secure themselves from the suspicions and Year of our Lord 400. unto 500. or thereabouts jealousies the Visigoths and French might have against them cast themselves into the Church as a safe Harbor or Asylum They reckon amongst the most Holy Honorat d'Arles being of the Monastery of the Isle of Lerins which bears his Name to this day Hilary his Successor and Eueheres of Lyons coming from the same place German d'Auxerre and Loup de Troyes Palladius or Palais de Bourges Brice de Tours Agnan d'Orleans Simplicius de Vienne and Mamertus his Successor This was he who instituted or rather revived those Processions or Litanies we call Rogations which all the Church hath received All these did not survive the one half of this Age unless Loup or Lupus who lived a long while after In the Second lived Apollinaris-Sidonius of Clermont Alcimus Avitus the Successor to Mamert Eleutherius of Tournay Remy de Reims the true Apostle of the French and Vaast of Arras these three survived a long time after Clovis We should not omit the illustrious Virgin Geneviefve who even in her life time was the Patroness of Paris and remaineth so still nor St. Maximin or Mesmin Abbot of Micy near Orleans which Place now bears his Name
Nine years JOHN I. The 23 August 423. S. Two years nine Months and a half BONIFACE II. The 15 th Oct. S. One year JOHN II. In Decemb. 431. S. Three years four Months AGAPETUS In July 534. S. One year SILUERIUS In June 536. S. Four years VIGILIUS In 540 S. 15 years Thierry King of Meâ—z or of Austrasia aged between 28 and 30 years Clodomir of Orleans aged 16 or 17 years Childebert of Paris aged 13 or 14 years Clotaire of Soissons aged about 12 years Year of our Lord 511 THese four Brothers divided the Kingdom betwixt them and drew their shares by Lot Thierry had all Austrasia and the Countreys beyond the Rhine the other Three had Neustria they were all equally Kings and without dependence upon one another yet nevertheless all these parts together made but up the body of one Kingdom The Historians count their Succession by the Kings of Paris because that City hath since been the Capital of all France Year of our Lord 512. c. Five or six years successively these Princes lived in quiet the three Sons of Clotilda being yet young and perhaps the two last under the Government of their Mother it seems a little after the death of their Father the Visigoths regained from them the Countrey of Rouergne and some other Lands in the neighborhood of Languedoc France then began to be divided into Oosterrich or the Eastern part called by corruption Austria and Austrasia and into Westrich or Western part and by corruption Neustria Austrasia comprehended all that is between the Meuse and the Rhine and even on this side the Meuse Rheims Chalons Cambray and Laon. Besides antient France and all those people subdued beyond the Rhine as the Bavarois the Almains and a part of the Turingians depended upon it Neustria extended from this side the Meuse unto the Loire Aquitain was not comprised under the name of France nor Burgundy not even after it was conquer'd nor Bretagne Armorick at least the lower because it was an independent Estate Year of our Lord 516 Gondebaud King of Burgundy dyed in the year 516. He had compiled or written a Law called by his Name the Law Gombete which was long in use amongst the Burgundians as the Salique was amongst the French He had two Sons Sigismond and Gondemar The first succeeded him in all his Dominions and having been Converted many years before by the Instructions of Avitus Bishop of Vienne he abjured Arrianisme at his first coming to the Crown and brought all his People over with him to the Orthodox Faith A Danish Captain named Cochiliac exercising Piracy had made a Descent on the Year of our Lord 518. towards 519. Lands belonging to Thierry 's Kingdom near the mouth of the Rhine when he would have gotten on Ship-board again with his Plunder comes the Prince Theodebert eldest Son of Thierry who assaults him kills him and having stained both Land and Sea with the Blood of those Pirats regained all what they had seized and stollen Sigismond bad at his first Marriage espoused Ostrogotha Daughter to King Theodorick of Italy by whom he had a Son named Sigeric After the death of that Queen he took one of his Servants into his Bed who having conceived a Step-mothers hatred against the young Prince made him seem criminal in his Fathers Eyes by her frequent calumnies who caused him to be strangled with a Napkin as he was sleeping but immediately he was so struck with Remorse that he retired himself for a time to weep for this Year of our Lord 522 crime into the Monastery of d'Agaune which he himself had built or much enlarged in Honour of St. Maurice and his Companions The Divine Justice as may be well believed stirred up the French Kings to chastise him though he had married his Daughter Sister to Sigeric with King Thierry the other three Brothers forbore not to conspire his ruine being incited thereto by Year of our Lord 523 their Mother Clotilda who yet cherished in her bosome the desire to revenge her Fathers death If at least we may suspect such a thing from so pious a Princess In few days they made themselves Masters of a great part of Burgundy either by the gaining of some Battle or the defection even of the Burgundians Sigismond fearing to be delivered up by his own Subjects disguises himself like a Monk and retires to the top of an inaccessible Mountain he had not long been there but some of those he thought his most faithful Servants went and found him and advised him to quit that place as not safe and betake himself to St. Maurice's Church the most Sacred Asylum of all those Provinces when he was come almost to the Gate of that Monastery the Traitors delivered him into the hands of the French Clodomir carries him away with his Wife and Children and shuts them in a Castle not far from Orleans As for Gondemar having saved himself by flight he awhile afterwards gathers Year of our Lord 524 up his Brothers Wrecks and puts himself in possession of the Throne Clodomir could not endure it and Leagued himself with Thierry his elder Brother to compleat his overthrow Before he set forth he was resolved to rid himself of Sigismond St. Avy Abbot of Micy endeavoured in vain to prevent him by his Pious Arguments adding In the Name of God the threats of a Reprisal on his Head and his Family but he Treated him in Ridicule and caused Sigismond to be cruelly Massacred with his Wife and Children and their Bodies to be thrown into a Well The prophetick threatnings of the Holy Abbot soon had their effect It was impossible but Thierry must in his Soul have a just Resentment for the death of Sigismond his Father-in-law so that when he beheld Clodomir far engaged in the medley which was in a Battle they fought against Gondemar near Autun he forsook him and suffer'd him to perish The Burgundians knowing him by his long Royal Locks cut off his Head and fixed it on a Lance but that spectacle instead of terrifying the French inflamed their Courage and Fury they revenged his death by a horrible slaughter of the Burgundians and conquer'd a part of that Kingdom to wit that which lay nearest the Kingdom of Orleans Clodomir was aged some Thirty years he left three Sons then but Children Theobald Gontair and Clodoaldo whom Clotilda their Grand-mother took care to breed hoping that when they came to be of age their Uncles would restore their Fathers Kingdom to them Clotaire his younger Brother presently married his Widow she was named Gondiocha so little the Princes of this First Race had any consideration for their Blood being as bruitish in their Amours as in their Revenge THIERRY in Austrasia at Mets. CHILDEBERT in Neustria at Paris CLOTAIRE in Neustria at Soissons The Kingdom of Burgundy was not shared amongst these Brothers till some years afterwards and Thierry had no part of it Theoderic King of the Ostrogoths
in hand the Defence of King Hilderic whose Kingdom Gilimer had usurped sent the great Captain Belisarius thither who made an end of that Conquest in less than Six Months having happily overthrown those Arrian Barbarians in some Battles taken Carthage and received the Tyrant Gilimer upon Composition who had sheltred himself in a Fortress The Visigoths during the Wars of Burgundy and Turingia had taken divers places of Septimania The Princes Gontier and Theodebert who were Sons the former of Clotaire the latter of Thierry had Orders from their Fathers to recover them Goutier returned without doing any thing Theodebert took some Castles in the Countrey of Beziers but suffered himself to be taken also by the Beauty of the Artificious Deuteria Lady of Cabriere who received him into her Castle and into her Bed From Septimania he carried the War to Provence reckoning to have a better Market of the Ostrogoths When he had sorely snaken it and already received some Hostages from the City of Arles he received news that his Father was very sick at Mets he goes away in all diligence and arrived there some few days before he died Year of our Lord 538 Thierry Reigned a little more then 23 years and had lived about 55. He had no Son but Theodebert but a Learned Historian gives him likewise a Daughter named Theodechildus he believes it to be her that was Married to Hermegisile King of the Varni of whom Procopius relates a memorable Adventure and who being returned into France amongst many pious Works built the Monastery of St. Pierre le Vis near Sens. It is fit we observe that the Bavarois or Bojarians were under his obedience since in their Estates or General Assembly at Chaalons he put their Laws in Writing They were originally of Germany it is not certain of what Canton but that they had the same Language as the Lombards About the time of the death of Odoacer King of Italy they were come to possess that part of the Norica which lies on the Banks of the Danube and in time they also gained the Mediterranean part and Rhetia Secunda which was situate betwixt the Rivers L'Oein and the Lec so that they were bounded by Panonia Swevia Italy and the Danube Perhaps Clovis subdued them at the same time he subdued the Almains but they had always retained their Laws and a Duke of their Nation who was confirmed by the King of Austrasia he was to be of the Race of the Agilolfingues or Descendents of Agilolfe who in all appearance brought them into that Countrey CHILDEBERT in Neustria at Paris CLOTAIRE in and Neustria at Soissons THEOD'EBERT aged about 30 years in Austrasia Burgundy betwixt both  Year of our Lord 534. and 535. The Uncles of Theodebert were prepared to invade the Kingdom of his Father his diligence broke their measures After he had agreed with them by a Peace which he bought and that he in appearance had tied the knot of a strict amity with Chlidebert who promised him the Succession because he had no Children he sent for Deuteria and publickly Married her despising Wisgard the Daughter of Wacon King of the Lombards whom he had betrothed in the life time of his Father Thierry Year of our Lord 534 In this year they place the Erection into a Kingdom True or Fabulous of the Countrey of Yvetot in Normandy which was done say they by King Clotaire in satisfaction for his having with his own hand in the very Church and on a Holy Friday Killed one Gautier who was Lord of the Mannor Athalaric King of Italy dies in the age of Adolescency Amalasuinta his Mother espouses Theodad Son of Amalafrede Sister to King Theoderic and sets him on the Throne but shortly after the Ingrateful makes her away upon a suspicion of Adultery The death of Amalasuinta caused the ruine of the Ostrogoths Justinian with whom she had always kept in amity gave Command to Belisarius to revenge her death and to recover Italy At first Dalmatia the Islands of Sicily and Sardinia after that Abbruzza and Lucania the Campagnia or Terra del Lavor surrenders to him without any resistance and the City of Naples is surprized by a way thorough an Aqueduct Theodad sends an Army under the Conduct of Vitiges his Officer but the Ostrogoths who had a hatred for him elect this Vitiges who to secure the Diadem for himself puts Theodad to death and Marries Mattasuinta Daughter of Amalasuinta Year of our Lord 536 When Theodad dyed he was in Treaty with the French and proffer'd them Provence and Two thousand pound of Gold if they would embrace his Defence Vitiges being pressed by Belisarius and finding himself not strong enough to resist the Imperialists and the French put in execution what his Predecessor had projected and deliver'd Provence and the Money to the French If we must believe Procopius Justinian confirmed this Cession by his Letters Patents It seems they divided it into two Provinces that of Marseilles and that of Arles Year of our Lord 537 Theodebert made no scruple to take off both Parties that he might be the better enabled to ruine them both He had caused Ten thousand Burgundians to slip into Italy who having joyned with Oraia one of Vitiges Chiefs had helped him to retake Milan Year of our Lord 539 When he believed both parties to be much weakned he entred the Milanois with Two hundred thousand Men. The Roman Army and that of the Ostrogoths were encamped one just over against the other neer Pavia either of them thought he came to their assistance and his design was to surprize them both He therefore Assaults and Defeats the Ostrogoths and then comes thundering upon the Romans and cuts them all in pieces But a Plague and Famine soon revenged them upon him for this perfidiousness When he found his Men perished by thousands he repassed the Mountains with all speed for fear lest Belisarius who was in Tuscany should come and attaque him Year of our Lord 539 Afterwards Vitiges being Besieged by Belisarius in Ravenna omitted not to crave help of the French who promis'd to come to his assistance with Five hundred thousand Men but before they were arrived he had compounded with Belisarius and was gon to Constantinople where of a King he became an Officer to the Emperour The Visigoths in his stead chose Theodobaldus Governour of Verona and he being slain three years after they substituted the famous Totila who Took and Sacked the City of Rome twice in 547. and in 550. Year of our Lord 540 The Queen Deuteria became so furiously jealous of her own Daughter because the King her Husband began to look on her that she made her away in a cruel and ingenious manner having caused untamed Bulls to be harnassed to draw her Chariot who precipitated her from off the Bridge at Verdun into the Meuse The French who during the Two first Races and a good while in the Third had
of Soissons and Paris in Neustria CHILDEBERT II. called the Young aged Five years in Austrasia Year of our Lord 575 The death of Sigebert was followed with a suddain and general Revolution the Austrasians raised the Siege of Tournay and having joyned with those who were at Vitry they retired in confusion the Neustrians returned to the Obedience of Chilperic and Brunehaud found her self surrounded and cooped up in Paris where she then was with her Children and knew not how to get thence But the wisdom of the Duke Gombaud the greatest Lord of Austrasia found out a way to save the Pupil Childebert having let him down over the Walls in a Basket and put him into the hands of a faithful Person who himself carried him into the City of Mets. Already some of the Austrasians had made their Composition with Chilperic but the rest being assembled together in great numbers according to their custom set the young Prince upon the Royal Seat on New-years-day and put him under the protection of Gontran so that Chilperic lost his hopes of invading that Kingdom but he seized upon that of Paris and banished Brunehaud to Rouen and her two Daughters to Meaux Year of our Lord 576 He had sent Meroveus his eldest Son by Queen Audovere to seize upon Poitou which belonged to the Kingdom of Childebert Meroveus instead of putting this design in execution went to Tours and from thence to Rouen where he suffered himself to be so much surprized with the charms of Brunehaud as then aged at least 28 years that he Married her Pretextat Bishop of Rouen God-father to the young Prince making the Marriage The Father hastens thither and having by deceitful words drawn those so newly Wedded out of a Church where they had taken shelter he set a Guard upon Brunehaud and carried his Son away with him Mean time the Austrasian Lords who were come to submit to him returned again to Childebert Godin amongst others who to carry somewhat with him that might bid him welcom armed the Champanois and made himself Master of Soissons where he wanted but little of surprizing Fredegonda Chilperic was quickly there vanquishes him and re-takes the Town but Fredegonda believing that Godin had not undertaken so bold an enterprize without the participation of Meroveus and Brunehaud obliged her Husband to confine that young Prince and a while after to force him to turn Priest and send him to the Monastery of Aunisse which is called now St. Calas the name of its first Abbot The Austrasians demand their Queen Brunehaud with so much earnestness that Year of our Lord 576 he sent her to them and yet he could not forbear to invade the Lands of Childebert His Son Clovis took the Town of Saintes but the Duke Didier going to besiege that of Limoges met in his way the Patrician Mummole whom Gontran sent to Year of our Lord 577 defend the Country belonging to his Pupil the Fight was so obstinate that there were slain Thirty thousand on both sides three parts of them were Didier's who saved himself with much ado About the same time Meroveus escaped from the Monastery and secured himself in the Church called St. Martins of Tours prompted thereto by Gailen his most intimate Confident who was come to visit him and drawn by Gontran-Boson who had sheltred himself in that place as we have related The Step-Mother Ferdegonda favoured this Boson for the same reason that Chilperic would put him to death and maintained a private Commerce with him that he might destroy Meroveus as he had made his Brother Theodebert to perish The young Prince having notice that Fredegonda sought by all means to take away his life did not find himself there in security He goes out from thence accompanied with this Boson whose treachery he knew not of and would go to find out Brunehaud but the Austrasians refused to admit him he remained then some time concealed and a Vagabond in Champagne After which this Boson and Giles Bishop of Rheims upon the pretence of delivering up the City of Teroüenne to him made him fall into their Ambuscades surrounding and taking him Prisoner in a Village of which they gave immediate notice to Chilperic he went thither with Year of our Lord 577 all diligence but found that his unfortunate Son was dead he had been Poynarded by the order of Fredegonda who made him believe that apprehending he should be put to tortures he had borrowed the helping hand of Gailen his favourite to dispatch him A while before the Bishop Pretextat his Godfather was accused before the Bishops assembled in Councel at Paris where no proofs appearing strong enough against him touching what was alledged he suffers himself to be induced by two false Brothers upon an assurance the King would pardon him to confess more than they could desire for which he was banished to an Island near Coustances but with hopes of returning because he pretended he had not been degraded though they had placed Melantius in his See Death having snatched away the two Sons which Gontran had by Austrigilda his second Wife although he were not above the age of getting Children not being above Fifty he desired the Austrasians to bring his Nephew Childebert to him and Adopted him having placed him in his Royal Seat These two Princes being thus allied sent to Chilperic to demand their part of the Kingdom of Paris and declared War against him Chilperic did but scoff at them diverting himself in building of Cirques or places for publick Spectacles at Paris and at Soissons where he would have entertained the People with Chariot-races could he have found Charioteers that had skill enough The Bretons about the year 441. had possessed themselves of Vannes afterwards Year of our Lord 578 Clovis had taken that place again and likewise the Cities of Nants and Rennes at that time governed by Roman Captains This year 578. Waroc or Guerec a Count of Bretagne had the boldness to seize again upon Vannes which appertained to the Kingdom of Chilperic and march up to the French who were encamped on the Banks of the River Vilain They had some Companies of Saxons or Sesnes-Bessins in their Army one night he passes the River and beat up their Quarter but three days afterwards finding himself too weak for so potent an Enemy he desires Peace swore fealty to the King and renders up the City of Vannes upon condition he should remain Governor A short while after he again seizes it and so long as he lived put the French to a great deal of trouble Chilperic and his wicked Wife Fredegonda over-burthened the People with Imposts they had taxed an Amphore of Wine upon every half Acre of Vineyard several other Charges upon things of another kind and a Tribute upon the head of every Slave and indeed a kind of Poll-money for every Freeman insomuch that their Subjects ran away out of the Kingdom as a place of Torment and peopled
that of Gontran and Childebert Wiser in so doing than those of Limousin who having opposed a Referendaire or Lord Chancellor so named in those times who was going to settle the Taxes or Duties in that Country and Year of our Lord 579 having burnt his Registers left themselves exposed to the Sanguinary Avarice of an Intendant or Judge whom Chilperic sent thither to chastise their Sedition Year of our Lord 597 This year Sampson eldest Son of Fredegonda died the following year Chilperic was tormented with a long and continual Fever as he was upon Recovery two Year of our Lord 580 other Sons whom he had by that Woman were afflicted with a Dissentery which was rife all over France and affected Children most generally Fredegonda believed this Sickness of her Children was inflicted by Heaven who thus avenged the Sufferings of the oppressed People she was stricken to the heart and wrought so far upon her Husband by her arguments and intreaties that he threw the Lists of all the Tax-gatherers into the Fire and recalled those that were sent abroad to collect them Year of our Lord 580 But this forced Repentance did not save the life of her two Sons as on the other hand these Afflictions laid upon her only made her the more wicked she was pierced with sorrow for the loss of all her Children and with jealousie that there was one of her Husbands yet alive begotten on Queen Audovere his name was Clavis This Prince seeing himself necessarily the Successor let fall some words of Resentment and Threatning imprudently By this she well foresaw what must become of her if he Reigned and resolved to prevent it she therefore accuses him to his Father for having poysoned her two Sons and pre-possessed him so far with this Calumny that he gave up his only Son to her Vengeance The wicked Woman causes his Throat to be cut and the Body to be cast into the River and afterwards the unfortunate Audovere to be Strangled though she wore the Sacred Vail and her Daughter Basina to be locked up in the Monastery of Poitiers after her Sattelites had deflowred her A Fisherman having found the Body of the young Prince and knowing it to be his by the long Hair buried it under a Monument of Turf from whence King Gontran afterwards transferr'd it to St. Vincents Church in Paris Two years before Chilperic had sent Ambassadors to the Emperor Tiberius to congratulate him as I believe upon his promotion to the Empire and make up some kind of League with him against the Lombards This year they brought him back all imaginable satisfaction and very rich Presents amongst others were Medals of Gold a pound in weight Year of our Lord 581 The Kingdom of Austrasia and Childebert's Person being under the Government of Queen Brunehaud the Lords of the Country despised the Commands of a Woman and lived in excessive Licentiousness Those that gave her the most trouble were Ranchin and Gontran-Boson Vrsion Bertefrey and Giles Bishop of Rheims who associated together and oppressed whom they pleased Loup Duke of Champagne a faithful Servant to his Prince and Master as Wise as Just was insufferable to them because of his good qualities they took up Arms to destroy him and he got his Friends together to defend himself The Queen had all the trouble imaginable to prevent their coming to blows even to the enduring outrageous words from Vrsion but after all she could not so well secure the Duke from their fury but he was forced to quit the Kingdom and take refuge with Gontran Year of our Lord 581 The most dangerous of these Factious Spirits was the Bishop of Rheims as he was secretly engaged and wedded to Chilperic of which he had given testimonies having formerly treacherously delivered up the City of Rheims and drawn Meroveus into the fatal snare he caused his Faction to act so powerfully that the Austrasian Lords to the prejudice of the Alliance their King had made with his Uncle Gontran obliged him to make a League with Chilperic against him The Lure was That Chilperic having at that time no Son promised the Succession to him This League being made Childebert sent to demand the half of Marseilles of his Uncle who very far from restoring it made himself Master of the other by the treachery of Dynamius Governor of Provence for Childebert After this feat Dynamius goes over to Gontran as in revenge the Patrician Mummole pushed at by some intrigues of Court ever satal to great Commanders forsakes Gontran to be of Childebert's side and sortifies himself in the City of Avignon which that King without doubt had put into his hands for his security and that from thence he might make incursions in the Enemies Country The business of Marseilles caused an absolute Rupture betwixt the two Kings Chilperic who desired this presently falls upon Gontran's Countries and the Duke Didier by his order invades Perigord and Agenois without much opposition Another of his Dukes by name Bladastes was not so fortunate against the Gascons Year of our Lord 581 or 82. For having undertaken to seek them out in their own Country to chastise them for the frequent Irruptions they made into the third Acquitaine he was hemm'd in and his Forces cut in pieces The Gascons then inhabited upon the Confines of Cantabria between the Countries of the Visigoths and the French and by their Excursions made themselves formidable both to the one and the other carrying away whatever they could meet withall and afterwards sheltring themselves again on their Mountains There was only Chilperic that made open War upon Gontran but the Patrician Mummole with the secret support of the Lords of Austrasia was contriving a dangerous Design against him There was a certain Person named Gondebaud who pretended to be the Son of King Clotaire and he might well be so considering the multitude of Wives that King had This Gondebaud not having been able to get Year of our Lord 583 his pretended Brothers the Kings to acknowledge him had retired himself to Constantinople Tiberius the Emperor then living It happened that Gontran-Boson made a Voyage into those parts it is not mentioned upon what account and he persuades this Man so much that the French wished for him and that Gontran and Chilperic having no Children he might safely come to the Succession that he resolved to return into France Tiberius having a prospect of what he might possibly attain to one day assisted him with great Sums of Money he comes ashore at Marseilles was received by the Bishop and afterwards Entertained at Avignon Year of our Lord 583 by Mummole But the same Gontran-Boson who had persuaded him to return having set himself now to persecute the Bishop and such as favoured him he wisely withdrew himself into an Island at the mouth of the Rhosne and then the Traitor seized on all his Moneys and took a Commission from King Gontran to besiege Mummole in Avignon Childebert being
was kindled betwixt the two Brothers Theodebert a Prince more stupid and cruel then valiant began it to his own misfortune having taken Alsatia and the Countreys of Suntgow from Tergow and Thierry alledging for a pretence that her reassumed them as pieces belonging to the Kingdom of Austrasia They had been so indeed but Childebert had cut them off by his Testament to joyn them to Burgundy The Lords of both Kingdoms prevailed with the two Brothers to meet with Ten thousand Men apiece at a Castle situate on the Rhine between Savern and Stratsbourgh to refer all the differences between them to the French Thierry came innocently Year of our Lord 610 thither with the numbers agreed to but Theodebert brought a great Army and beset his Brother insomuch as he was constrained that he might get himself out of this Net to yield up to him that Countrey which was in question After this Thierry inflamed with a desire of Revenge which was more blown up by Brunehaud easily perswaded himself that he was not his Brother and vowed to pursue him to the death Year of our Lord 610 The end of this detestable War was that Thierry having vanquished his Brother in two Battles the most bloody and furious that can be imagined the First hard by Toul the Second at Tolbiac he destroyed him with his whole Race Some say that the Ribarols when he had made his escape to Colen cut off his Head and stuck it on the top of a Pike to get the better Composition from the Conquerour others tell that he was taken beyond the Rhine and carried to Brunehaud who having first caused him to be shaved Murthered him some few days after as well as his two Sons Clovis and Meroveus which last she brained against a Wall He Reigned 16 years and Lived 25. When Thierry had resolved first upon this fatal War he made an agreement with Clotaire that he might have no Enemy behind his back and promised to restore the Dutchy of Dentelen to him upon condition he would not concern himself in this quarrel CLOTAIRE II. in one part of Neustria and THIERRY in Austrasia Burgundy and part of Neustria Year of our Lord 612 This War finished Clotaire according to the Treaty put himself in possession of the Dutchy of Dentelen but Thierry naturally violent and grown more insolent by his Success and Victories sent to him to withdraw his Garrisons otherwise he would ove-run his whole Countries with Armed Soldiers And indeed Clotaire having scoffed at his threatning words he made all his Forces march that way when a sudden death put a period to all his Designs and made his Armies retire again into their own Provinces Year of our Lord 612 His Brother had left a Daughter named Bertoaire who was about Twelve years old he took a fancy to Marry her Brunehaud strove to disswade him shewing him that it was not lawful to Marry with his Neece upon this he flies out into fury even to the reproaching her that she was then a wicked and unnatural Woman who had caused him to Murther his Brother and Nephews and had he not been with-held had at that time run her through with his Sword but she cunningly dissembling it took a fit opportunity to give him poison which brought a Disentery upon him whereof he dyed in violent Torments He is allowed 17 years Reign and to have lived 26 years He had Six Sons all Bastards Sigebert Childebert Corby Meroveus and two others whose Names are not known Sigebett was I leven years old and Childebert Ten. He left Austrasia to the First and to the Second he gave Burgundy CLOTAIRE II. in Neustria SIGEBERT in Austrsia aged Eleven years CHILDEBERT in Burgundy aged Ten years Brunehaud imagined that she should Reign still under the name of her Great Grandsons and to this end she would needs make one King of Austrasia and the other King of Burgundy But the Austrasian Lords amongst others Arnulph and Pepin who could no longer endure this abominable Conduct were more willing rather to submit to Clotaire who much unlike his wicked Mother had many Virtues of a good Prince Those of Burgundy were likewise drawn into the same Conspiracy by their Mayer Varnaquier Clotaire assured of their Suffrages pushed forwards with his Forces into Austrasia as far as Andernac which is betwixt Bonne and Coblents She sends to warn him out of the Territories of her Grand-Son and he answers that the Succession after Thierry 's death belonged to him to the exclusion of Bastards and protests to stand to the Judgment and Award of the Lords of those Kingdoms But she being rather willing to trust to the chance of War then their Judgment caused Sigebert to mount on Horseback who got together those People beyond the Rhine as Varnaquier who had not declared himself did those of Burgundy Sigebert was advanced to defend the Frontiers of Austrasia as far as the Plain of Chaalons near to the River d'Aisne there when the Armies were in a posture ready to come to blows Sigebert's Men upon a signal given instead of Sounding a Charge Sounded a Retreat Clotaire pursues gently without pressing upon them and when they were got to the Banks of the Soan they delivered up to him Sigebert and his Brothers Corby and Meroveus Childebert saved himself on a nimble Horse it is not known what became of him a brave subject for the Genealogists who would oblige some Family with his illustrious Pedigree Year of our Lord 613 When Clotaire had got these Children he went and encamped at Rionne upon the brink of the Vigenne which disgorges into the Soane Brunehaud was retired with Theudelain Sister to Thierry to the Castle d'Vrbe in the Countrey of the Transjurains she was immediately taken and brought to Clotaire the same moment he had her in his power Sigebert and Corby had their Throats cut Meroveus who was his God-Son had his Life spared but he must dye as to the world by taking Sacred Orders upon him That done the French were called together in a Military Assembly to judge the miserable Brunehaud Clotaire himself became her Accuser and represented all her Crimes my even more then ever she had committed for he reproached her even with the death of Ten Kings though he himself had killed two of them that very hour and his Mother at least four All cried out aloud that she deserved death and the most exquisite Torments and this voice of the French Nation formed her Sentence She was wrackt three days together afterwards they led her through the whole Camp upon a Camel then they fastned her to the Tail of an unback'd Mare who beat out her Brains and dragging her over Stones and Briars tore her in pieces Others say she was drawn in pieces by four wild Horses the Flames consumed Year of our Lord 613 her Carkassthat was left and the Wind sported with her Ashes A terrible Judgment which God the Sovereign of Kings caused these Men to
Militia of Burgundy and several Counts without Dukes to bring them to their Duty They fallied forth out of their Rocks and their Fastnesses and set upon the French with wonderful alacrity but after all they found it better to make use of their agility to save themselves then to Fight They were pursued without stop or stay and Fire and Sword flew after them even into their strongest Retreats till there being no other security left them but the Mercy of their Prince they promised to sall down at his Feet and submit to all his Commands I know not where some Authors have found how Aquitania Secunda was concerned in their Revolt and that Dagobert having gone thither in Person razed the City of Poitiers and sowed it with Salt in token of its Desolation If this were true it must have been because of the too heavy Imposts upon Salt that the Poitovins Rebelled Year of our Lord 635 The lucre of Plunder had likewise incited the Bretons to run upon the French Territories Eloy who was since Bishop of Noyon went and demanded Reparation of their King Judicael or Giquel Son and Successor of Jukel He found it no difficult thing to persuade that Prince that he were better come and wait on the King then have his Country over-run and plundred by the Forces that were returning Victorious out of Gascongne he brought him to the Palace of Clichy where he humbly craved pardon of Dagobert promised him for the future to prevent the like Disorders and submitted both himself and Kingdom to his disposal Year of our Lord 636 The Gascon Lords with their Duke Aighina came to the same place as they had promised the foregoing year to surrender themselves up to the mercy of Dagobert and because they dreaded his wrath they had recourse to the intercession of St. Denis and put themselves into Sanctuary in his Church The King in honour to that Saint gave them their Lives and Fortunes and they in acknowledgment laying their hands up on his Altar swore an eternal Fidelity to him to his Sons and to all his Successors Kings of France Year of our Lord 636 The whole Kingdom was in peace both within and without at this time Dagobert did not enjoy this Repose very long for the Second year he was taken with a Dysentery at Espinay which was one of his Royal Houses upon the Seine a little below St. Denis His Sickness increasing he made them carry him to that Abby where he dyed the 17th of January in the year 638. being very neer 38 years of age He Reigned in all but 16 years as I think that is Six in his Fathers life time and Ten after his death At his dying he earnestly recommended his Wife Nantilda and his Son Clovis to Ega Mayre of the Palace of Neustria and to such Grandees as were then present The great Donations he made to the most famous Churches of France deserve the unparallell'd Encomiums of the Clergy who have allowed him all the qualities of as Virtuous as Wise as Valiant and as much accomplish'd a Prince either for Peace or War as any that ever Reigned over the French The Chronology begins to be very confused and uncertain in this Reign for some will have it that he dyed An. 639. others that it was in 643. Some reckon the Sixteen years of his Reign from the death of his Father others from the year that he made him King of Austrasia I am of the opinion of the latter Gold and Silver had been very scarce and rare in France in the Reign of Clovis and his Children but since then the Expeditions they made into Italy the Pensions they drew from the Emperours of the East and as it is credible the Commerce they setled with the Nations in the Levant brought great quantities of those precious Mettles as likewise precious Stones and rich Vasa's and Ornaments insomuch that the Bravery and Luxury of the Court of France was not inferiour to the Emperours Clovis II. King XII POPES SEVERIAN Elect in 639. S. some Months JOHN IV. Elect in Decemb. 639. S. One year nine Months THEODORE Elect in Novemb 641. S. Seven years and half MARTIN I. Elect in July 649 S. Six years three Months EUGENIUS I. Elected in August 654 S. One year PEPIN and then GRIMOALD Maire SIGEBERT in Austrasia aged 8 or 9 years CLOVIS II. in Neustria aged 4 years EGA then ERCHINOALD Maire Year of our Lord 638 WE shall now henceforward behold the Royal Power in the hands of the Mayres of the Palace and all the affairs of State governed according to their capricious Fancies and their Interests Pepin delivered by the death of Dagobert who had always kept him near himself upon some Honourable pretence got again into the administration of his Office of Mayre of Austrasia Dagobert having committed the Government of that Kingdom to Duke Aldagise that Lord gave it up to him either willingly or by compulsion and he gave notice thereof to Cunibert the Bishop his old friend who was Governour to Sigebert It was perhaps for his sake that he transferr'd the Court and Royal Seat of Austrasia from the City of Mets to that of Colen Year of our Lord 638 At the instance of the Governours of Austrasia who required that the Fathers Treasures should be divided betwixt the two young Kings the Grandees both of the one and the other Kingdoms assembled at Compiegne to make the estimate and to share it Year of our Lord 639 A year after Pepins return into Austrasia he fell sick and dyed having held the Office of Mayre Seventeen years a Man as great for Honesty as Policy being one according to the Heart of God and Man By his Wife Itta whom some do name Juberge he had three Children a Son named Grimoald and two Daughters Begghe and Gertrude The First Married Ansegise the Son of St. Arnold and Father of young Pepin and being a Widow Devoted her self to God in the Monastery of Nivelle with her Mother who built it and her Sister Gertrude Grimoald with the assistance of Cunibert got himself into possession of the Office of Mayre of the Palace but Otho who was Bail or Fosterer of the young Prince and for that reason very powerful in the Kings House disputed it with him for three years In fine Grimoald to enjoy it quietly caused him to be slain by Leutaire Duke of the Almains This is the First time that Office descended from Father to Son hereafter we shall sind it Hereditary Year of our Lord 640 During this Discord and the minority of Sigebert Radulfe or Raoul Duke of Turingia sets up for Sovereign having allied himself with the Sclavonians and made a League with Fare who would needs revenge the death of Chrodoald his Father whom King Dagobert had caused to dye for his Crimes The Austrasian Lords led the Forces of their Kingdom and the King himself thither to chastise their Rebellion At first Fare having dared to come and meet
did Erect one there whence it took the name of Noir-moustier The Exemplary Vertue and Christian Liberty of a few Prelats made the Tyrants Process he undertook to make theirs and dishonour them to justifie his own Conduct which they had condemned This could not be without the Sentence of their Brethren To this purpose he therefore calls an Assembly of some that were most devoted to him in one of the Kings Palaces in the Country They began thereby to gain a good opinion of their Justice and Impartiality with two Bishops who deserv'd it very well These were Didon and Vaimer who had offended the Tyrant it is not said wherein Both these were Degraded and afterwards delivered over to be put to Death Didon perished by the Sword and Vaimer by the Cord. That done they proceeded against Amat de Sens Lambert de Tougres and Leger d'Autun the two first retired into Monasteries but as for the other the Fathers of the Council or rather the Slaves to that Tyrant tore his Garment from top to bottom that was the manner of Degradation then he was put into the hands of Crodebert Count of the Palace who having with grief carried him into the Forest Year of our Lord 679 d'Iveline caused his Head to be cut off Year of our Lord 680 About this time died Dagobert King of one part of Austrasia I know there are some Authors that make him live many years longer and bestow a Son and many Daughters upon him but in my mind it is upon very doubtful proof and if he had any Son we cannot say that he outlived his Father unless some Modern Genealogist have need of it to make up his Account A little before or a little after him Wlfoad his Mayre ended his days having enjoy'd that Office near twenty five years The Austrasians having no Prince of the Blood and refusing to obey Thierry out of hatred to Ebroin put the whole Government of the Kingdom into the hands of Martin and Pepin They were Cousin-Germans issued from two Sons of St. Arnolds the first from Clodulph the second from Anchisa and Begga the Daughter to Pepin de Landen To distinguish these some of our Historians call this Pepin the Gross others Pepin de Herstal which is a Village upon the Meuse between Jupil and Liege where he had been brought up THIERRY in Neustria MARTIN and PEPIN Princes in Austrasia THe two Cousins foreseeing Ebroin would come upon them went out to attaque Year of our Lord 681 him first and gave him Battle near the Forest of Locafao at the entrance into Neustria The Tyrant gained the Victory and they escaped by flight Martin to the City of Laon and Pepin a great way in the Kingdom of Austrasia Ebroin with his Army approaches Laon and finding the place impregnable by force gives out Propositions of Accommodation Two Bishops Engilbert of Paris and Rieul of Rheims would needs be Instruments of the fraud They persuaded Martin to go and meet him in his Camp and for security gave him their Oaths upon the Shrines of some Saints which they carried about them but out of which they had taken the Relicks Martin having forgotten the Example of Leudesia relies on the Faith of these Prelates When he was come into the Camp Ebroins Soldiers surrounded and cut him off with all his Men. Thus all the Government of Austrasia remained in Pepin who made advantage of his Enemies Crime and the defeat of his Cousin Year of our Lord 682 This great success pushed the insolence of Ebroin to the highest degree But Treating the French more tyrannical then ever a Lord named Hermenfroy whom he had stripp'd of all his Estate and whom he threatned with Death delivered France from that Monster He watched him one Morning before break of day at his going from home to the Church and cleft his Head with a Sword afterwards he made his escape into Austrasia Year of our Lord 683 In his place the French made choice of Varaton a wise old Man who immediately Treated with Pepin and gave him Hostages He had joyned with him in that Administration a Son of his named Willimer able crafty and undertaking but rough cholerick and one that had nothing more in view then the honour of Commanding This unnatural Child grew weary of being his Fathers Companion he would be his Master and dispossess'd him of his Employment Presently after he breaks the Treaty with Pepin and having raised a great Army marched as far as Namur where he catches some of his Enemies with the lure of an Hipocritical Faith and caused them to be slain At his return from thence he was seized with a Distemper whereof he died not without Divine Punishment being Year of our Lord 684 but entred upon the second year of his Office The old Man was restored to the Place and Death dispossessed him again a year after Berthier who had Married a Daughter of his Wives succeeded him by Election This was a little fellow Ill-shaped Hair-brain'd Unjust Proud Covetous and in fine much the same as Willimer only he had neither Wit nor Judgment The greater part of the Neustrians finding themselves despised and controuled by so contemptible a Creature conceived so much scorn and hatred for him that they forsook Year of our Lord 685. 686. 687. 687. him the very next year to Ally themselves with Pepin This Lord both Generous and Politick took in hand the Cause of those that had been banished by Ebroin and whom Thierry treated still as Criminals that he might have some colour to detain their Estates He advised them to send to that King to implore an Amnesty and Pardon for what was past in the most submissive manner and after their Supplications had been rejected he brought them back into their own Country with an Army and spared not to assault Thierry and his Mayre He fought them at Tertry which is between St. Quentin and Peronne Heavens having favoured him with a compleat Victory he seized on the Royal Treasure then on the City of Paris and Thierry 's own Person who had sheltred himself there After which Berthier whose evil Counsels had occasioned all these mischiefs was knocked on the Head by Combination of almost all the Neustrians and the instigation even of his Wives own Mother Some not without reason do here put an end to the Reign of the Merovignians because in truth and in effect they never had after this but only the vain and empty Title of Kings their whole Kingdom and even their Persons being in the Power of Pepin and his Children He was owned Mayre of the Palace through all France and he took the Title of Duke or Commander of the French according to the ancient usage of the Germans that is to say they gave him all Authority in the Armies without dependance upon the King but under whose name notwithstanding all Acts were passed and that was the sole honour that remained still in him
convey'd to the Abbey of Fleury upon the Loire which from thence was named St. Bennets but it was to oppose the endeavours of the Pope and countermine his Designs in those Undertakings In effect the Monk pleaded the Cause of Astolphus so stoutly in the Parliament of Crecy that it was agreed some Ambassadors should be dispatched to Astolphus to endeavour an accommodation The Lombard received and treated them as coming from a Great and Potent State He was willing to lay aside his pretences to the Soveraignty of the City of Rome and its dependences but would reserve the Exarchat he had conquered by the Sword The Pope on the contrary maintained that it belonged to him aâ— being the spoiles of an heretick and he sollicited Pepin so effectually that that King promised to assist him in the conquering of it Year of our Lord 754 Mean time Carloman for having espoused the Interest of the Lombard too far brought himself to an ill pass for the King and the Pope consulting and contriving together shut him up in a Monastery at Vienne where he dyed the same Year and his Sons were shaved for fear they should one day claim the Estate their Father had once possessed Year of our Lord 755 The great Preparations for War and a second Embassy being not sufficient to remove Astolphus from his firm resolution of detaining the Exarchat and the Pentapole Pepin caused his Army to march that way His Van-Guard having seized the Cluses or the Passages of the Alps and beaten off those Lombards that thought to defend them Astolphus retires into Pavia where presently afterwards he was shut up by Pepin The havock the ruine and firings the French made use of round about that City could not draw him into the Field The Pope in the mean while grew weary and melancholy at the desolation of Italy and he also feared lest Pepin should make himself absolute Master if he took that Place by force He therefore condescends to an Accommodation at the earnest intreaty of the Lombard and it was easily obtained for he then promised him to give up the Exarchat and the Justices of Saint Peter which in my apprehension were certain Lands within the Bishoprick of Rome Year of our Lord 756 So soon as the French-mens backs were turned the Lombard instead of performing those hard Conditions resolves to revenge himself upon the Pope and the following Year went and laid Siege to Rome where he made such spoil as declared his cruel resentment This infraction obliged Pepin to repass the Mountains Upon the noise of his March he decamps from before Rome which he had much straitned and retreats the second time to Pavia Pepin besieges him and presses on so close that having no other means to save his Life and Crown he is compell'd to take himself for Judge and Arbitrator of the differences between him and the Pope It was not possible but Pepin must judge in favour of the last And indeed he would grant no Peace to Astolphus but upon condition he should make good his former Years agreement and moreover give up Comachio This was treated and negotiated in the presence of the Emperour's Ambassadours who being come to that Siege to demand those Countries for their Master the Lombards had taken suffered the displeasure and shame of a refusal The Exarchat comprehended Ravenna Bologna Imola Faenza Forly Cesenna Bobia Ferrara and Adria The Pentapole held Rimini Pesaro Conca Fano Senigalia Anconna and some other lesser places Year of our Lord 756 A Chaplain of King Pepin's received all these Towns brought away Hostages and laid the Keys upon the Altar of St. Peter and St. Paul at Rome with the draught of the Treaty to signify that Pepin made a donative thereof to those Holy Apostles Some do imagine he did it in the Name of the Emperour Constantine Copronimus who indeed would not consent to it and they believe that it is upon the equivocation of this name that the Popes have founded their fabulous donation of Constantine the Great Astolphus dyed the Year following by a Fall from his Horse Didier his Constable had a Party strong enough to Elect him King But those for the Monk Rachis Brother to King Luitprand who had left his Cloister puzled him very much He betakes himself to Pope Stephanus promising him to make good the restitution Astolphus had agreed to Pepin's Ambassadours were of Opinion that he should assist him in it so that he constrained Rachis to return and betake himself agen to his Monastery Stephanus dyes some Months after Paul I. succeeded him Didier and he lived well enough with each other Year of our Lord 757 The Emperour Constantine had not yet lost all hopes of recovering the Exarchate by means of the French and he endeavoured to regain it by the force of Presents and fair Words Amongst other things he sent a pair of Organs to the King who was then at Compiegne These were the first that had been seen in France Tassillon Duke of Bavaria Son of Duke Vtilon or Odillon came to the same place to take his Oath of Fidelity to King Pepin rendring Homage to him his hands within the Kings and promising him such Service as a Vassal oweth to his Lord which he confirmed by Swearing on the Bodies of St. Denis Saint German of Paris and Saint Martin at Tours Year of our Lord 758 This Year they changed the time of the General Assembly which was held in March and was now put off till May. And so it was no longer called the Field of Mars but the Field of May. Pepin thought to take some rest this Year when Intelligence was brought him that the Saxons were revolted Though they were embodied in an Army and had made Retrenchments upon all the Passages into their Country he gained them all at the first attempt and forced them to give him their Oaths and to pay Tribute The Kings of this Second Race Celebrated the Festivals of Christmass and Easter with great Solemnity cloatbed in their Royal Ornaments the Crown upon their heads and keeping open Court and for this reason the Authors of those times never fail to put down every Year the place where they solemnized those holy Feasts Year of our Lord 759 The City of Narbonna was yet held by the Saracens This Year Pepin having besieged it the Citizens who were Visigoths and Christians slew the Infidel Garrison and delivered the place up to him upon condition that he should suffer them to live according to their own Laws that is to say the Roman Law which had ever been observed by the People of Septimania and is yet to this day Year of our Lord 760 There remained of all the Countries that had been subject to the Kingdom of France none but Aquitain that was not brought to their duty Their Duke Gaifre did not acknowledg Pepin and moreover he or the Lords of his Country retained what belonged to those Churches the French had in Aquitain
some other Barbarians In the time of the Emperour Justin they were even then so potent that they over-awed the Avari and other Neighbouring people The Emperour Heraclius made use of them against Cosroes and they made a mighty diversion being entred into Persia a great part whereof paid them Tribute divers Years afterwards But in the Year 763. they fell upon Armenia and so spread themselves very far into Asia where they subdued even the Kingdom of Persia An. 1048. Nevertheless they had no Soveraign nor Chief General but only many Colonels till the first Croisado of the Christians in 1196. at which time they made choice of one to be the better united for their own defence and preservation CHARLES I. CALLED The Great OR CHARLEMAINE King XXIII Aged XXIX Or XXX Years POPES STEPHANUS III. S. Three Tears and Three Months ADRIAN I. Elected in Feb. 772. S. neer 24. Years LEO III. Elected in Decem. 795. S. Twenty Years Five Months of which Eighteen under this Reign Charles in Neustria and Burgundy Aged 29. or 30. Years Carloman in Austria Aged 22 Years Year of our Lord 769 DUring the Discord between the Two Brothers which lasted some Months Old Hunoud the Father of Gaifre who had put himself into a Monastery throwes down his holy Frock to take up the Title of Duke of Aquitaine and endeavoured to make that Province Revolt by the assistance of his Friends and a League he made with Loup Duke of Gascongny Charles to whose share this Province fell intreated his Brother to help him in quenching this Flame of Rebellion Carloman joyns Forces with him but in the mid-way either of himself or by the suggestions of some busy-bodies he conceives a Jealousie against his Eldest Brother and leaves him there Charles however continues on his March Year of our Lord 770 Upon the noise of his approach Hunoud flies and goes to hide himself in the farthest parts of Gascongny where he thought to find an Asylum But there is none against too great a Power The Duke of Gascongny fearing the Threatnings of Charles proved no more a Faithful Ally then he had been a Faithful Vassal but comes to meet Charles submits intirely to him and delivers up that Unfortunate Man to his disposal who notwithstanding a short while after having made his Escape got into Sanctuary at Didiers King of the Lombards Thus ended the Dutchy of Aquitaine which about Eleven years afterwards was Erected to a Kingdom by Charlemaine for Lewis the youngest of his Sons In this Expedition he built Franciac which is to say the Castle of the French upon the River Dordogne It is now called Fronsac Pepin in his Life-time had married his two Sons it is not mentioned to whom perhaps they were only betroathed but if they were compleatly married we must say they afterwards were divorced for their Mother obliged them to take other Wives Carloman espoused Berthe or Bertrade whom the old Annals make to be the Daughter of Didier King of the Lombards Charles likewise was married to Hildegard another of that King's Daughters notwithstanding the great opposition the Pope made even so far as to represent to him how the Lombards stunk and were infected with the Leprosie Carloman his Brother was of an odd humorous spirit which gave him a great deal of trouble But death happily delivered him in the Month of November of this Year 770. having cut the thrid of his Life in the Palace of Montsugeon nigh Year of our Lord 770 Langres at the beginning of the Third year of his Reign and the 28th of his Age. His Brother caused his Corps to be conveyed to the Abbey of St. Remy of Reims which he had greatly endowed He had one Wife named Berthe and two Sons While Charles held a General Assembly at Carbonnac most part of the Lords and Austrasian Prelats came thither to acknowledg him for their King They might do so and it must be granted that if he had not had that right he had been an Usurper The Widow of Carloman apprehending they might proceed further Year of our Lord 771 took her Children and went her way to Tassillon Duke of Bavaria Some Spanish Chroniclers to whom I know not what faith we are to give have written that besides Gaifre and Hatton Eudes Duke of Aquitaine had a Son named Aznar who considering the misfortune of his Brother passed the Hebre and having in Battle slain four petty Kings or Saracen Generals became the First Earl of Arragon It was at that time but a small Territory between two Rivers of that name whereof the City of Jacque was the Capital Charlemaine alone in all the Kingdom ONe cannot hear the Name of this Prince without conceiving some great Idea He was of a tall and becoming stature seven foot in height well shap'd in all his Limbs unless his Neck which was somewhat too thick and short and his Belly strutting out a little too much His gate was grave and firm his voice of the shrillest His Eyes were large and sparkling his Nose high and long his Countenance Gay and Serene his Complexion fresh and lively nothing of effeminate in his gesture and carriage his humour sweet facile and jovial his conversation easy and familiar He was humane courteous and liberal active vigilant laborious and very sober although fasting were prejudicial to him an enemy to Flatterers and vanity who hated huffing and new modes that were strange cloathing himself very modestly unless it were on some publique Ceremonies where the Majesty of the Kingdom ought to appear in their Soveraign At his Meals he made some read to him the History of the Kings his Predecessors or some Works of St. Augustine's took two or three hours repose after Dinner interrupted his sleep in the Night rising three or four times heard all Complaints did Justice at all Seasons even at his time of dressing himself The Spring and Summer time he spent in War part of Autumn in Hunting the Winter in Counsels and the Management of his Government Some certain hours both of the day and night in the Study of Learning as Grammer Astronomy and Theology And in truth he was one of the most Learned and most Eloquent of that Age the Works he left behind him to posterity are undeniable proofs of it With all this clement merciful charitable who maintained the Poor even in Syria Egypt and in Africa who employ'd his Treasure in rewarding Soldiers and Schollars in building publique Structures Churches and Palaces repairing of Bridges Cause-ways and great Roads making Rivers Navigable silling Sea-Ports with good Vessels civilizing Barbarous Nations and carrying the Honour of the French Nation with much Credit and Lustre into the remotest Kingdoms And who above all other things had the greatest care to regulate his People with good and wholesome Laws and bent all his Actions and Endeavours to the Welfare of his Subjects and the advancement of the Christian Religion Amongst the rest he had four very Potent Enemies to
fidelity We must know that till this time the Christians on all those Frontiers as well as those of Spain had been subdued by the Saracens to whom they paid a Tribute Charlemain delivered them from that Slavery and made them joyn in a League with these petty Moorish Princes who had put themselves under his Protection It is said that he also sent some Forces to Alphonso the Chaste to help him to throw off the Yoake of Vassallage and Tribute to which he had been hitherto compelled Which these Divisions of the Moors made the more easie to be effected Thus do the Spaniards owe their first Enfranchisement to the Assistance of the ☜ French The Gascons about the Pyreneans who carried on the Trade of Theft rewarded him but very ill for all his generous help As he returned into France passing by Pampelune which he dismantled these Banditi lying in Ambuscade in the narrow Passages about Roncevaux took all the Baggage which was in his Rear and slew many of his brave Lords amongst the rest that Famous Rowland his Nephew his Sisters Son who was Marquess of the British Seas that is to say Governour of the French Coasts along that shoare The Lords of those Countryes fearing his just Anger delivered up many of those Robbers to him that they might suffer such punishment as he would have inflicted on them Year of our Lord 780 Year of our Lord 780 The Spanish Authors triumph of this Defeat and cry they have Vanquished Charles the Great and his Twelve Peers But certain it is that Navarre Arragon and all that is between the Pyreneans and the Hebre was at that time brought under the dominion of this King and that he placed Counts at Girone Ampuries Vrgel Barcelonna Ribagorra and other places This Extent of Land was called the Marches of Spain When he returned he placed French Counts in all the Cities of Aquitain and of Septimania to keep those People the better in obedience Some others will have this Establishment to have been in 781. at the time when he bestow'd the Kingdom Year of our Lord 778 of Aquitain upon Prince Lewis Year of our Lord 778 In his absence Vitikind had re-inflamed the Fury of the Saxons who made most terrible havock as far as Ments and Colen As soon as he was come back he sent away Three Squadrons of his Army who soon beat them off and the following year went thither in Person They had the confidence to wait for him near the Year of our Lord 779 River of Lipp and to give him Battle but he overcame them and afterwards reduced Westphalia Eastphalia and Angria and the next year went outwards as Year of our Lord 780 far as to that place where the River Hore meets and joyns with the Elbe and received many of their People amongst others those that are called Nordleudes and Bardogaves Then having given the necessary orders to secure these new Conquests and bridle the Sclavonians who were on the other side of the Elbe he returned into Neustria Now fearing left Italy wont to have a King and who besides were molested with the Huns by Land and the Saracens at Sea should receive Adalgise or give the Crown to some other He makes a third Journey to Rome under colour of Devotion He celebrated the Feast of Christmas at Pavia and that of Easter at Rome The Pope baptized his second Son Pepin and was his God-father and afterwards Year of our Lord 781 Crowned him King of Italy and Lewis his younger Son King of Aquitain This last was scarce three years old His Kingdom contained the Dutchy of Aquitain that of Gascoyne and the Marca of Spain The King gave not any to Charles his eldest Son because he would keep him near himself to manage the Affairs of France and of Germany Charlemaine King of France     Pepin King of Italy And Lewis King of Aquitaine Year of our Lord 781 HE sent Lewis to Orleance under the Tutelage of a Bail or Governor named Arnold and left Pepin in Italy where he kept his Royal Seat at Milan but yet was frequently at Ravenna Though he had been already Crowned at Rome yet he would be again Crowned at Modece Tassillon Duke of Bavaria had suffered his Faith to be shaken by Luitperge his Wife Daughter of King Didier Whilst Charles was at Rome the Pope had agreed Year of our Lord 781 with him to send a couple of Bishops to that Duke to put him in mind of his Oaths The Pope failed not and Tassillon having taken Hostages for his Security comes to Wormes and gave Twelve on his behalf Year of our Lord 782 For some Years Charles held his General Assembly in Saxony This was held at the Spring-head of the Lippe where he gave Audience to the Ambassadours of Sifroy King of Denmark and those from Cagan and Ingurre Princes of the Huns. The Assembly being ended he repassed the Rhine and then Vitikind who upon his former approaches had saved himself in Denmark returned to his own Country and caused part of the Saxons to rise up again The Sorabi a People that inhabited the Country between the Elbe and the Saal were of the Confederacy Three of the Kings chief Commanders who were ordered to observe and oppose them leaves them and goes against the Saxons and falling rashly and disorderly upon them without staying for Count Thierry who was of Kin to Charlemaine because they thought all the honour of the Victory and Success would be attributed to him they were surrounded and most of them cut off and destroy'd The shame for this rebuke and loss inraged the King so highly that for this time he would not forgive the Saxons unless the Country would deliver up Four thousand of the greatest Mutineers to him all whose heads he caused to be struck off upon the Banks of the River Alare Year of our Lord 783 This Severe bleeding did not yet qualify them so much as to hinder them from rising in Arms again the next Year not one part of them but all as one Their Courage was so undaunted that they gave him Battle and their Forces so numerous that having lost it they had yet enow left to sight him the second time wherein they were as unsuccessful as at the first Before he took the Field Charles had the unhappiness to lose a very good Wife Queen Hildegard who died on the last of April on the Ascension Eve The very same Year he married another who was named Fastrude Daughter of a French Count called Raol All the following Year the King with a Flying Army and Charles his Eldest Son with another did only scowre and make Incursions upon the Saxons sometimes upon Year of our Lord 784 one side of the Country sometimes on another and it was resolved in Councel That he should never give over till he had wholly subdued them Year of our Lord 785 Though he had much broken them yet they failed not the Year
the Lordship of the City of Rome Year of our Lord 796 The Two most potent Princes of the Avari-Huns were so strangely bent to destroy one another that both of them perished in that Civil War Henry Duke of Friuli taking his opportunity when that Nation was weakned by so much loss of Blood enters the Country and makes himself Master of their principal Ringue where he sound Vast Treasures which those Robbers had heaped up out of the plunder of all their Neighbouring Provinces for at least two Ag s. He sent all to Charlâ—â—aine and Theudon one of their Princes came to him almost at the same Year of our Lord 796 797. time and was Baptised but being sent again to Rule in these Countries along the River Raab he did not keep his Faith long And so he was slain by the French and Bavarians Year of our Lord 796 The other Avari thinking to restore themselves Elected a Kan that is to say a Commander for so they called all their Princes but he was likewise Slain in a Battle by King Pepin all the Country conquer'd from the River Raab to the Dravus and from thence to the Danube and all those Barbarians put to the edge of the Sword or driven over the River Tissa Year of our Lord 797 There was a continual War between the French and the Moors beyond the Pyreneans The City of Barcelonna which was sometimes the ones sometimes the others fell into the hands of Zad a Saracen Prince who fearing he should not be able to keep it came and paid Homage to King Lewis but upon the first occasion broke his Faith with him Charlemaine spent this Year and almost the two following in compleating the Conquest of the Saxons who broke all Agreements as soon as they had made them and sometimes signalized their Treachery by some base and mean Cruelties As they did Anno 798. having killed the King's Commissaries or Judges who did not Year of our Lord 798 leave that Crime unpunished He built some Cities within their Country amongst Year of our Lord 799 others Heristal upon the Weser The Astronomers of those times observe that the Planet Mars was not visible in the Heavens from the Month of July in the Year 797 untill the same Month of the Year 798. Some Roman Officers Kindred of the deceased Pope Adrian and Enemies of Pope Leo having made a great Faction fell one day upon him whilst he was at a Solemn Procession and endeavoured to tear out his Eyes and cut out his Tongue afterwards dragging him to a loathsom Prison But he scaped being so mangled as they supposed him to be and he found friends that contrived his escape to the French Ambassadors who were lodged at Saint Peters they conducted him to Spoleta and thence sent him to the King well guarded who at that time was in Saxony The King having heard his sad complaints sent him back again to Rome with the same honour as he had received him promising he would soon be on the place to do him justice The Islands called Baleares gave themselves up to France that they might be protected against the Saracen Pyrats Year of our Lord 799 The Saracen Aza who had made himself Soveraign of Huesca that he might have the protection of the French sent the Keys of his City with Presents to Charles the Great proffering to deliver it up to him when ever he desired it But when they would have taken him at his word he failed them and they did very well in keeping the Forts in their own hands which were erected opposite to Huesca and Sarragossa Count Aureolus Commanded them Year of our Lord 799 The Avari after several vain attempts to recover their Liberty were entirely subdued all their Nobility cut off in the several Battles that had been fought and the remainder of their Wealth carried away by the French who became very rich and began to adorn themselves with Ornaments of Gold even to the very common Soldiers Year of our Lord 799 Guy Count of the Marches of Bretagne wholly submitted that Country and brought the Shields and Arms together with the Names of all the Lords and Commons that were become Subjects to the King So that all that Country was for a time under the Dominion of France Year of our Lord 800 The Danes Normands and Saracens began their Pyracy and robbed the Coasts of France these in the Mediterranean the others in the Ocean Charlemaine Visited them all gave Orders to build Vessels and to raise Forts in several places and amongst others to repair the Tower d'Ordre at Boulogne an ancient Building which had been erected by the Romans The Pyracy of those Insidels was not only an effect of their inclination to get Wealth and Plunder but like wise of their false Zeal against the Christian Religion Idolatry being hunted and pursued from one Country to another and drove beyond the Rhine had taken refuge in Saxony with her false Priests together with all those that struggled in their defence And then being hotly attaqued by the French had thrown themselves beyond the Elbe and in Denmark as their last Bulwark From whence those Exiles and their Off-spring burning with the cruel desire of avenging their Gods and their loss of Liberty made perpetual Excursions and principally exercised their bloody malice upon such Priests and Monks aâ— they could light upon as being those that had destroy'd their Superstitious Temples and false Gods Luitgard fourth Wife of Charlemaine dies at Saint Martins de Tâ—ars whither she was gone to pay her Devotions From Ments where he had called a Parliament he went into Italy as well to take cognisance of those Outrages committed against the Pope as upon some vehement suspitions that they were contriving with Grimoald Duke of Benevent not well affected and the Inhabitants of Friuli who had â—lain their Duke Henry to revolt from the French Year of our Lord 800 Passing by Friuli he punished the Authors of that Murther Being at Rome he admitted Pope Leo to justify and purge himself by Oath no body then appearing to accuse him He afterwards ordered Process to be made against those that had attempted him so basely who were all condemned to death but the Pope imitating the Mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ interceded and obtained that both their Lives and Limbs should be spared For in those times it was so common a punishment to Mutilate that even some Abbots used it towards their Monks The Pope in retribution of so many favours which this King his Father and Grand-father had conferr'd upon the Holy Chair and to gain that protection which the Grecian Emperours were uncapable to give obliged the Romans to demand him for their Emperour and Crowned him upon Christmass Day in Saint Peter's the People crying aloud three times A long and happy Life and Victory to Charles the August Great and Peaceable Emperour of the Romans Crowned by God This was in the
his accuser and should have shamefully forfeited his life according to the Law had not the Emperor changed his Sentence of Death for banishment Year of our Lord 819 It was ill counsel made the Emperor give his Sons their shares so young as he had done But it was worse after he had done so to Marry a second Wife But being resolved notwithstanding his Devotion to taste again the pleasures of the Nuptial Bed he made choice of Judith Daughter to Helpon Duke of Bavaria so much the more a trouble to his repose as she was Beautiful Witty and Gallant The Truce between the French and Saracens of Spain is broken and the Saracens begin to range about the Coasts of Italy Sardinia and Corsica Year of our Lord 820 Thirteen Normand Vessels having attempted to make a descent in Flanders at the Mouth of the Seine went and pillaged the Island of Amboum upon the Coasts of Poitou So great a Mortality hapned amongst Bulls and Cowes that it almost destroyed the whole Race of that sort of Cattel thorow all France Year of our Lord 821 The Emperor confirmed the partition he had made amongst his Sons and obliged all the Lords that were present to Swear they would maintain them therein and as though he feared his Family might want Princes he made hast to marry them Lotaire with Hermengard Daughter to Count Hughes and the year after Pepin with Engheltrude Daughter of Thietbert Earl of Matrie Lotaire when his Marriage was consummate went into Italy where the Pope Crowned him Emperor and Pepin returned into Aquitaine We omit several minute things as the Negotiations of Ambassadors from divers Princes little exploits in War against the Abodrites Bretons Saracens and others But it is a very memorable thing that Louis the Debonnaire touched with remorse for having put his Nephew to Death and Cloister'd all his Brothers and natural Cousins against their wills made his confession to the Bishops and did publick Pennance before all the People at the general Assembly of Attigny After which he gave liberty to all those he had caused to be shaven to quit their Cloister and recalled Valac and Adelard to be of his Councel Year of our Lord 823 Birth of Charles the Bald and with him a world of Michiefs Which one may say had been presaged by many terrible prodigies hapning this year an Earthquake which shoke the Palace of Aix la Chapelle Furious Stormes which spoiled the Corn and Fruits of the Country a showre of huge Stones which fell together with Prodigious Hail many Men and Beasts in divers places struck with lightning a Girl that lived ten Months without eating and after all these a most raging Pestilence Year of our Lord 823 The Authority of the French at Rome did much incommode the Pope He knew what Emperors he had to do with and sought under-hand to weaken them and to render them odious and contemptible It hapned that Theodorus Prmicere of the Church and Leon Donatour his Son in Law were killed in his House for no other reason but because they had too much affection for Lotaire He purged himself by Oath that he had not consented to this Murther but however he would not deliver up the Murtherers saying they were of the Family of St. Peter And Louis too Debonnaire or meek puts up this injury whereas he should at least have required Justice upon them Year of our Lord 824 Shortly after the Pope comes to die Eugenius II. his Successor made some satisfaction to the French and there were Judges establisht in Rome all of the Emperors Palace none of the Popes The Bretons as obstinate for their Liberty as the Saxons for their Religion assayed to withdraw themselves from the obedience of the French and Elected a Lord of their Country to command them He was called Wihormac or Guyormac and was Vicount of Leon. The Emperor being entred into the Country with three Armies whereof he commanded one and his two Sons the two others made so great waste in the parts belonging to those Rebels that about the end of ten or twelve days they were glad to come and fall at his Feet and give up the Children of the most Noted Families for a Pawn of their Submission The following year the Principals and Guyomare their Chief came to the general Assembly at Aix as making up now a part of the French Monarchy The Emperor rewarded them all with rich Presents but when occasion offer'd they made it appear they could swallow the Bait and yet avoid the Hook The Peace being broken with the Saraeens of Spain the French Earls Guardians of the Frontiers had in An. 822. passed the Segre and going a great way into the Country brought thence very rich booty The King of Cordona would needs have his revenge upon Navarre and those Neighbouring Countries that were under the French Those People could hardly receive any assistance For the Saracens held Sarragossa and Huesca which hindred the passage of any succours that would go the lower way I mean Catalonia and the way thorow Gascony by Aspe and Ronceveaux was very incommodious insomuch that the Emperor could send only the Gascons unde r command of the Counts Ebles and Azenar or Aznar who were of that Country When they had taken care to secure Pampelonna and thought to retreat they found the Saracens had cut off their way back So they were forced to get the assistance of the People Inhabiting those Mountains to shew them some Year of our Lord 824 bye unknown ways but those treacherous Villains led them into places where the Saracens lay in Ambuscade so that they were cut in pieces and Ebles sent in Triumph to Cordoiia but Aznar set at liberty as being of Kin to some of those false-hearted Robbers The Bulgarians had already signalized themselves by their Incursions into the Territories of the Eastern Empire The French began to know them when they came to be their Neighbours Omortag their King sent Ambassadors to the Emperor to settle the Limits between the two Nations He detained them above two years with him and then sent them back without any answer By the assistance of the French Heriold was received in part into the Kingdom of Denmark with the Sons of Godfrey But those Princes out of hatred for that he Year of our Lord 825. and the following and all his Family had received Baptism drove him out of the Country which broke the Truce made with the Dane Soon after it was renewed and Heriold forced to content himself with the Earldom of Riusty which the Emperor had given him in Frisia Year of our Lord 826 The Normands Scowring the Coasts of Spain took Sevil which they held a whole year The Affairs of France being in a declining condition towards the Marches of Spain since the defeat of Ebles and Aznar a Lord named Aizo who had left the Emperors Court in discontent seized by a wile upon the City of Ossonna in Catalonia and made
prisoner But soon after having made his escape out of their hands he takes Shipping and Lands in Provence whence he was conducted to Lyons From that place always defrayed in his expences by the Bishops of France he came to Troyes where he held a Council the King came likewise thither and by his hands was Crowned Emperor the seventh of September Year of our Lord 878 In this Council the Pope Excommunicated Hugh Bastard Son to King Lotaire II. and Valdrade who pretended to be Legitimate and had collected together some herds of Robbers to regain the Kingdom of Lorrain He likewise restored Hincmar Bishop of Laon permitted him to say Mass though he were blind and bestowed one half of the revenue of the Bishoprick upon him Year of our Lord 879 After the Popes departure the Stammerer going towards Lorraine conferred about Marsenne upon the Meuse with Louis King of Germany They made a Treaty by which they divided Lorrain betwixt them as it had been betwixt their Fathers and the Stammerer promised him part in Italy Neither the obedience nor affection of the Lords was firm towards him they gave little heed to his Orders and it hapned that having taken up Arms to suppress Bernard Marquiss of Gothia whose Government he had given to Bernard Earl of Auvergne he fell sick in his passage by Autun in Burgundy not without suspicion he was poysoned wherefore he sent for his Son Louis whom he put into the hands and keeping of Bernard Earl of Auvergne Thierry his great Chamberlain the Abbot Hugh and some other Lords This Hugh or Hugues was very powerful towards the latter part of the Reign of Charles the Bald under Louis the Stammerer and likewise under his Children The Stammerer being with much difficulty brought to Compeigne gave up his Soul upon Holy Friday the 19 th of April He was buried at the same place in the Abbey-Church of St. Cornille his Age was 30 or 35 years of which he had Reigned only Year of our Lord 879 one and seven Months Before his death he sent the Crown and other Regal ornaments to his Son Louis by the Bishop of Beauvais and an Earl with order to have him annointed King as soon as possible He was in his youth married to Anâ—â—arde by whom he had had two Sons this Louis of whom we speak and Carloman but as she 〈◊〉 of mean extraction the King his Father without whose consent he married her obliged him to put her away For this reason it is that some Historians say that these two Princes are Bastards After this divorce he took another named Adelaid or Alive Daughter of some English Prince and Sister to Wilfrid Abbot of Flavâ—gny in the Dutchy of Burgundy She was with child when he died and brought a Posthumus Son into the World Born the 17 th of September following He was named Charles the Year of our Lord 879 Simple The Western Empire remained vacant two whole years and Italy in an extreme confusion thorough the discords of the Lords and the spoil and ravages of the Saracens to whom the Pope was fain to pay Tribute We may in this Reign place the Original of the Earls of Anjou from a Lord named Ingelger the Son of a Breton named Torquat or Tortulfe on whom Charles the Bald had bestowed some Lands in Gastinois and Perretta Daughter of Hugo Labbe in marriage This Ingelger was the Father of Fulke le Roux who being made Earl of Anjou by Charles the Simple valiantly defended that Country against the Normans LOUIS III. AND CARLOMAN King XXVII At the Age of Adolescency POPES JOHN VIII 3 Years and half in this Reign MARTIN Elected in January 883. S. one Year and 20 days ADRIAN III. Elect. in January 884. S. One Year 3. Months whereof Six Months in this Reign LOVIS III. And Carloman his Brother Kings of West-France Burgundy and Aquitain CARLOMAN King of Bavaria Louis the Young King of Germany or East-France Charles the Fatt of Germany properly so called   Lorrain to both Year of our Lord 879 TO the very end of this Race we shall find nothing but factions the Kings being but their May-games and even their Creatures Thierry and the rest to whom the Stammerer had recommended his Son sent to the other Lords to meet at the general Assembly at Meaux And they reconciled the quarrels between Thierry and Boson Gauzzelin one of the Princes or great Lords of Neustria Abbot of St. German des Prez forgot not the injuries he had received by the preceding Government and having made his Party with some Bishops and Lords proposed that to heal the distempers of France they ought to bring it all under one head and for that purpose call in Louis of Germany with whom he had contrived and held intelligence as having formerly been taken Prisoner by him at the Battel of Andernac promising to bring him in and make the French accept and own his Title to the prejudice of the Bastard Sons of Louis the Stammerer For thus he called them The greatest Friends to these two Princes could no other way divert this Storm but by yielding up to the German King that part of Lorrain which the Bald and the Stammerer had possessed And ever since that Kingdom though disputed and divers times resumed by the Kings of West France yet remained at last with the Germans or Kings of East France Year of our Lord 880 Louis would not have been satisfied with less than the whole Monarchy had not his affairs pressed him to return home in hast For being informed at Mâ—ts of the sickness of Carloman his eldest Brother who was Seized with the Palsie he posted to Bavaria to prevent him from giving the Kingdom to Arnold his Bastard Son Now Carloman died soon after and was Interred at Ottinghen in Bavaria in St. Maximilian's Monastery founded by him He had no Legitimate Children but two natural ones Arnold to whom he could leave only the Dutchy of Carinthia King Louis having even in his life time received the Oaths of his Subjects and Gisele who An. 890. married Zuendipold King of Moravia whom for that reason some have called Carloman's Son Louis III. and Carloman as beforesaid Louis and Charles the Fatt as abovesaid Year of our Lord 880 In the mean while Gauzelin and Conrard fearing to be oppressed by the other Neustrian Lords applied themselves to Lewitgarde the wife of Lewis of Germany a very ambitious Princess who sollicited her Husband so earnestly that she over-persuaded him to return once more into France with much greater strength then he at first carried Year of our Lord 880 Upon the rumour of this second Irruption the Lords caused not only Louis eldest Son of the Stammerer but also Carloman his Brother to be both Crowned in the Abbey of Ferrieres in Gastinois Year of our Lord 880 Some while after these two Brothers being at Amiens divided their Fathers Kingdom betwixt them Lewis had Neustria and Carloman the
feared an absolute re-union between the King and his Subjects or whether the Tears of his Daughter Gerberge and compassion to behold a King so ill treated by his means moved his heart he roughly refused Hugh who sought his amity and Year of our Lord 946 profer'd Louis his assistance to revenge himself Year of our Lord 946 Lewis accepted it and soon after he was out of his imprisonment went to Otho at Cambresis where Arnold Earl of Flanders had joyned Forces with him So that they had together above thirty Legions And which is remarkable all these combatants except the Abbot of Corbie in Saxony had all Straw-hats without doubt to defend their heads from blows or from the cold Year of our Lord 946 One would imagine such a prodigious Army must overwhelm Hugh and all his Allies but after they had tried Laon driven away Arch-Bishop Hugh from Reims and restored Artold to his See having shewed themselves before the Gates of Senlis and the Suburbs of Paris they ran themselves on ground and Shipwrackt against Rouen The death of Otho's Nephew and a great number of Saxons who were slain there the autumnal Rains the approaching Winter Arnolds desertion who withdrew in the night time with his Forces apprehending to be delivered up to the Normans constrained Otho to raise his Siege and retire Year of our Lord 947 Afterwards Hugh besieged Reims and King Lewis Monstreuil held by Rotgar Son of Count Herluin but both without success In August the two Kings Louis and Otho conferred together on the Kar or the Cher concerning their affairs This River which coming from the Country of Luxemburgh falls into the Meuse between Sedan and Mouson hath ever since made the bounds or separation of the Kingdoms of France and Lorrain as it did heretofore of Neustria and Austrasia Year of our Lord 947 Anno 947. Italy suffer'd a New change Auscare and Berenger one Brother and the other Son of Adelbert Marquiss of Ivrea having ingratefully conspired against King Hugh that Prince put Auscaire to Death and Berenger escaped to Herman Duke of Suabia Now this man having good information that Hugh had rendred himself very odious to the Italians having sounded their affections repassed the Alpes He was received in Verona and in Milan and seemed welcom to most part of the Nobility Nevertheless the People moved with pity towards Lotaire the Son of Hugh a handsom young Prince not above 14 or 15 years old would have the Title of King to be preserved for him And Berenger consented for that time the more willingly because all the Authority was in him The agreement made Hugh returned into Provence with his Treasure where he died the same year Lewis in France Conrad in Transjurane and Arles Otho in Germany Lorraine LOTAIRE and Berenger in Italy The dispute for the Arch-Bishoprick of Reims between Hugh of Vermandois and Artold was a mighty business It was first treated of at Douzy by some Prelats Year of our Lord 948 who having not power to determine it referr'd it to a Synodical Assembly of Gallican and German Bishops which was held at Verdun in the middle of November Robert Arch-Bishop of Triers presided there Hugh appeared not but having sent thither certain Surreptitious Letters from the Pope which they little valued the enjoyment of the Arch-Bishoprick was awarded to Artold and Hugh was excluded for his contumacy till he should appear before the General Council in the Month of August following and had purged himself of the crimes imputed to him Hugh makes complaint to the Pope who sent a Legat to Otho to injoyn him to Year of our Lord 948 call a general Council of the Gallicans and Germans to determine this difference as also to decide the quarrel between King Lewis and Hugh le Blanc He convocated them at his Royal Palace of Ingelheim he and King Lewis assisting there and sitting on the same Bench. The Council heard the Kings complaint and then Artold's Petition The King declared all the mischiefs Hugh had done him even ☞ to the detaining him a Prisoner a whole year and offered if any one could reproach him that the troubles and calamities of the Kingdom were by any fault of his to justify himself in such manner as the Council should advise even by personal proof in the Field of Battel Upon these complaints they wrote Letters to Hugh le Blanc and his adherents to admonish them to return to their duty under pain of an Anathema and doing justice upon the Petition of Artold they confirmed the Arch-Bishoprick to him and excommunicated Hugh his competitor till he duly repented With this Otho assisted Lewis with good Forces the Lorrain Bishops his Vassals took Mouson and razed it excommunicated Thibault who maintained the City of Laon for Hugh and caused Hugh himself by vertue of the Legats letters to be cited to appear before the Council of Triers to give satisfaction for the damage he had done the King and the Church Who not appearing was excommunicated Year of our Lord 949 The War was not abated by this and divers Castles were taken by the two rivals for the Arch-Bishoprick of Reims as well as by the Kings Forces and those that belonged to Hugh This year hapned the death of Fulk the Good Earl of Anjou a mighty Religious Prince and a lover of Learning who being one day informed that the King scoffed at his going so often to Sing in the Quire wrote only these words to him Know Sir that a Prince without Learning is a Crowned Ass Year of our Lord 949 The Hungarians being fallen An. 949. upon Lombardy Berenger compounded with them for eight Bushels of Silver and upon pretence of raising that money committed violent extortions About that time Lotaire either out of grief to find himself despised or by some poyson fell into a Phrensie and died without Children towards the end of the same year Berenger immediately caused himself to be proclaimed King and was Crowned together with his eldest Son Adelbert Year of our Lord 950 Otho very glad of the disturbances in France gave slight assistance to Louis who in the necessity of his affairs relied much upon him and often went to him or sent his wife Gerberge He also made cessations from time to time In one of which he and Hugh meeting by consent at the Marne the River between them Year of our Lord 950 they patched up I know not what Peace upon which Hugh was to surrender up to him a great Tower which he held in the City of Laon. Peace being made on this side Lewis takes his progress towards Aquitain to secure himself of the Fidelity of the Lords of that Country For during these revolutions the Subjects faith was grown so wavering that often in less then a years time they swore obedience and fealty to three or four several Kings Which was indeed because they would have had none had it been in their power This year 951. Ogina Mother to
King Lewis Aged above 45 years went Year of our Lord 951 from Loan where her Son kept her as a Prisoner and married Hebert of Vermandois Count de Troyes Son of that Traytor Hebert who made her Husband die in Prison She thus satisfied her revenge to the prejudice of her honour or perhaps made that only a cover for her incontinence LOUIS Transmarine in France Otho in Germany Lorrain Conrad in Burgundy Arles Berenger II. and Adelbert his Son in Italy Year of our Lord 950 Adeleida the Widdow of Lotaire was Beautiful and Charming she had the City of Pavia in Dowre and besides great riches and possessions much credit and many Friends as well in that Country as on this side the Mountains being the Daughter of Rodolph II. and Sister to Conrad Kings of Burgundy For these reasons Berenger sought to gain her for his Son but she couragiously rejected the proposition Upon her obstinate refusal he besieges her in Pavia took her and sent her Prisoner to the strong Castle of Garda whence the Lake hath borrowed its name She notwithstanding made her escape by the help of a Priest reduced after she was got out to live upon such Alms as the Priest begg'd for her Then retired to the Marquiss Athon her Kinsman who undertook to protect her in his Fortress of Canossa Year of our Lord 950 Presently Berenger besieges it with all his Forces The second year of the siege and the end of their provisions drew near when that Queen sent to implore the aid of King Otho and to offer him with her self the Kingdom of Italy The Love of Honour more then Love to that Lady drew this Prince thither He Year of our Lord 951 delivered her Married her because he could not otherwise enjoy her and carried her into Germany leaving his Army with Conrad Duke of Lorrain to finish that War Year of our Lord 952 This Conrad prosecuted the War so briskly against Berenger and his Son that both of them laying down their Arms came to a Conference with him and thorough his persuasions went both of them into Germany to King Otho who having treated them magnificently and taken their Oaths and made them do hommage restored to them all that Kingdom excepting only Veronnois and Friuli which he bestow'd upon his Brother Henry Duke of Bavaria The contest about the Arch-Bishoprick of Reims and some other particular Lordships had brought King Lewis and Hugh le Blanc again to Daggers-drawing But Hugh in fine whatever motive prompted him desired to confer with Queen Gerberge his wives Sister who came to meet him And afterwards treating with the King personally in Soissons he made Peace about the end of March in this year 953. Year of our Lord 953 This re-union perhaps pleased King Otho but little but he found himself not in a condition to disturb it He was too much troubled with the Civil-War made against him by his own Son Luitolf incited by Conrad Duke of Lorrain who made him jealous of a Son as yet in the Cradle which his Father had by Adeleida his second wife Otho thrust Conrad out of his Dutchy and at length brought his Son to his duty not without much hazard fighting and labour Year of our Lord 954 But Conrad obstinately rebellious turned every stone to be revenged He made a League with Berenger King of Italy as ingrateful as perfidious against Otho and drew the Hungarians in twice first into Lorrain An. 954. whence they over-run even to Champagne and Burgundy and having done a world of mischief were beaten back into Italy the second into Bavaria where a most dreadful multitude got in Year of our Lord 955 together Yet Otho fought them and cut them all off after Conrad had been killed in the scuffle This was in Anno 595. Year of our Lord 954 During these troubles in the year 954. King Lewis died by a strange accident As he was going from Laon to Reims spurring to ride after a Wolfe which he met in his way his Horse stumbled and threw him so rudely on the ground that he was bruised all over These bruises turned into a kind of Leprosy which caused his death the 15 th of October in the City of Reims whither he would be carried and where he lies buried in the Church of St. Remy His Reignwas 18 years three Months and his Age 38 or 39 years Of five Sons which he had by Gerberge there were but two remaining Lotaire and Charles whereof Lotaire the eldest was about 14 or 15 years old and Charles but 15 or 16 Months The small Age of this last the poverty of the Kings who had scarce any other Towns in propriety but Reims and Laon and perhaps the interest of Hugh le Blanc were the reasons why he did not share the Kingdom with his elder as had been ever almost the Custom in the first and second Race or Line Since this time it was never equally divided amongst the Brothers the eldest alone hath had the Title of King and the cadets or younger have only had some Lands in appennage and under an entire Subjection And even of these the Kingly power being increased hath taken the Reversion for want of Heirs-males which hath not a little contributed to restore the Grandeur of the Monarchy LOTAIRE King XXXIII POPES AGAPET II. above a year in this Reign JOHN XII who was the first that changed his name introduced An. 955. S. 9 years within some Months is deposed BENEDICT V. put in by the Romans An. 964. S. some Months JOHN XIII nominated by the Empp. Otho in 964. S. almost 7 years DOMNUS Elect in 972. S. 3 Months BENEDICT VI. in 972. S. one year 3 Months BENEDICTUS VII in 974. S. 9 years and some Months JOHN XIV Elect. in July 849. S. one year one Month. Lotaire in France Otho in Germany Lorrain Conrad in Burgundy Arles Berenger and Adelbert his Son in Italy THE greatest part of the power being in the hands of Hugh he might have taken the Crown had he not feared the Forces of King Otho maternal Uncle to the Sons of the deceased King and the jealousy of the other French Lords For these reasons Queen Gerberge his wives Sister being come to him to take his Counsel he chose rather to preserve his Authority by protecting a Widdow and a Minor then by oppressing them Having therefore carried Lotaire to Reims he caused him to be Crowned the 12 th of November by the Arch-Bishop Artold Upon this occasion the young King gave the Dukedoms of Burgundy and Aquitain to Hugh le Blanc and to Hugh Capet his eldest Son who being satisfied and the Duke of Normandy likewise for their sakes it was not difficult to calm the other Lords who were less considerable These Dukes in my opinion were of two sorts in those times the one held the Cities and Lands and were become Hereditary the other were general commands over a whole Kingdom as well
them to retire Then made himself Master of Reims and Soissons But suffering this heat of good success to grow cool few People declared for him and even the Archbishop of Reims whom he importuned to Crown him told him that he could not do it of his own head and that it was a publick Business that is to say it required the Consent of the Lords of the Kingdom Year of our Lord 989 It was greatly Hugh's interest to gain Arnold Bastard Brother of Duke Charles to his Party To this end he gives him the Archbishoprick of Reims which was vacant by the death of Aldaberon having first taken an Oath from him in Writing but six months after his being in that Town Charles his Brother was introduced there and made himself Master by means of a Priest named Aldager and in Confederacy as was thought with the Archbishop who notwithstanding ever denied it and remained Prisoner in the hands of Charles either really or at least pretended Year of our Lord 990 At the same time William III. Earl of Poictou and Duke of Aquitain refused to acknowledge the two Kings Capet and Robert though he were Uncle to Robert by the Mother openly accusing the French of Perfidiousness and their having abandoned the Line and Blood of Charlemaine Both the Kings marched that way to bring him to Obedience and besieged Poitiers He repulsed them smartly pursues them to the Loire and there happens a bloody Engagement but the conclusion was to the Advantage of the French Year of our Lord 991 The year ensuing this Duke made War upon the Count of Anjou for Mirebalais and Loudunois and did so roughly handle him that in the end he was constrained to acknowledge him and hold them in Fief of him Year of our Lord 991 Charles living in too great security at Laon and with too much confidence in Ancelin King Hugh gained that Traitor who like another Judas upon Holy-Thursday-night opened the Gates and delivered the poor Prince and his Wife up to him He sent them away Prisoners to Senlis and from thence to Orleance where they were shut up in a Tower Year of our Lord 992 The Archbishop Arnold his Brother was taken with him The Bishops of France Assembled in Council at Reims made his Process as one that was guilty of Perjury and who had broken his Faith to King Hugh and therefore degraded him of his Prelature after which the King sent him Prisoner to Orleance to keep his Brother company Gerbert a Benedictine Monk who had been Tutor to the Emperor Otho III. and to King Robert was chosen in his place He was so Learned for those times particularly in the Mathematicks that it gave him the Reputation of a Magician amongst the ignorant Year of our Lord 993 Anno 993. William III. Duke of Aquitain made Peace with the King and owned to hold his Lands of him But another William Duke of Gascongne kept himself still independent He it was who having gained a memorable Battle against a Fleet of Normands landed in Gascongny towards the end of this Century and believing he obtained that Advantage by the intercession of St. Sever who was said to have appeared that day on a white Horse with glittering Arms fighting against the Barbarians put his Dukedom under the protection of that glorious Martyr and Erected a Church and Abby over his Tomb round about which Edifice is built that City called St. Sever Cape of Gascongny Many believe but without any certain proofs that Hugh Capet confirmed the Inheritance of all the great Estates Dutchies and Earldoms to those Lords that had usurped them and it is probable that they themselves had first given such as depended upon them to their own Vassals thereby to engage them to maintain and justifie them in their Usurpations It is certain he annexed to the Crown which had scarce any thing left in Propriety the Earldom of Paris the Dukedom of France containing all that is between the Loire and Seine and the Earldom of Orleance Amongst a very great number of Lords who enjoy'd of the Regal Rights the Eight most considerable were the Dukes of Burgundy Normandy Aquitain and Gascongne Bretagne then held of Normandy the Earls of Flanders of Champagne and Thoulouze This last was likewise Duke of Septimania and Marquiss of Gothia the Earl of Barcelonna in the Marches of Spain and the Earl of Anjou on the Frontiers of Bretagne this held of the Dutchy of France All these Lords had a great many more besides who took upon them to be Soveraigns I do not speak of the Estates that were set up in the Kingdom of Lorrain amongst others the two Dutchy's that bare that name to wit the higher or Mosellanick which retains it to this day and the lower which is Brabant Nor of those that were framed out of the Ruines of the Kingdom of Arles and that of Transjurane as the Earldom of Burgundy those of Viennois Provence and Savoy Daufine the Dukedoms of Zeringhen and Alman and divers others because those Countries were not of France but held of the Emperors of Germany who were Titularies of those two Kingdoms The Grandees of the Kingdom thought that Capet ought to suffer all from them because they had set the Crown upon his Head His Patience and Courage which he exercised diversly according as occasion required kept them from running to extremity and maintained him in his Throne One Adelbert Count de la Marche and Perigord was one of the most unruly and concerned himself in all their Quarrels Fulk Nerra had some Pretensions to the City of Tours he besieged it in his behalf The King sent and commanded him to desist Adelbert would do nothing and asking him Who was it that made you a Count He insolently replied Those same that made you a King continued the Siege and took the Town Year of our Lord 993 This year was memorable for the death of Conrad King of Burgundy William III. Duke of Aquitain and Hebert Count of Meaux and Troyes Conrad left his Estate to his Son Roldolph called the Faineant or Do-nothing William left his likewise to his Son of his own name but surnamed Fierabras and the third dying without Children to Eudes his Brother Earl of Chartres and Tours who was the first that intitled himself Earl of Champagne William IV. of that name Earl of Toulouse and of Arles turned Monk and his Son William V. succeeded him After the death of the Count of Poitou his Son being yet but young found his Country in Combustion by the Rebellion of many of his Vassals especially Adelbert who besieged Poitiers and made divers other Enterprizes but in the end he met with that fate which attends the Factious being slain at the Siege of a small Castle Boson his Fathers Brother succeeded in his Dominions Year of our Lord 994 95. The Pope could not suffer their having Deposed the Archbishop Arnold without his Authority which the Bishops of France believed to
Bishops together who having heard his Reasons were of opinion upon consideration of the publick good that he might take her for his Wife notwithstanding the Canonical Obstructions which was a kind of Dispensation Abbon who was Abbot of Fleury a vehement Man not having been able to dissuade him from this match bestirr'd himself with much heat to have it dissolved The Pope to whom Robert had made no Application Excommunicated the Bishops that had authorized it and the two Parties that were Contracted if they did not separate forthwith Year of our Lord 1003 The King not giving Obedience to a Sentence which appeared to him contrary to the good of his Kingdom the Pope by an unheard-of Proceeding put the whole Nation under an Interdiction To which the People so humbly submitted that all the Kings Domestick Servants excepting only two or three forsook him and they threw whatsoever was left at his Table to the Dogs no body thinking it lawful to cat of that Meat he had but touched These Severities and not a Monstrous Birth by his Wife whom the Miracle-mongers say was delivered of an Infant with the Neck and Feet resembling a Goose constrained him to part from her but that was not till two or three years after and we find that they made a Journey to Rome either to defend their Cause before the Pope Year of our Lord 1006 or to crave his Pardon However it were the Marriage remained Null I cannot forget one memorable Example of the Soveraign Power and the extream Rigour of the Pope it was Silvester II. Guy Vicount of Limoges was cited to Rome by the Bishop of Angoulesme because he had detained him Prisoner in a Castle The two Parties appeared The Cause pleaded upon the very Easter-day the Pope pronounced that Guy for Reparation of his Crime should be tied to the Necks of two Wild-horses and his Body thus torn and bruised thrown on the Dung-hill which was to be put in Execution three days after In the mean time Guy was delivered up into the hands of the Bishop but the Prelat being moved with pity pardoned him and stealing away in the night generously brought him thence into France again with him About this time Henry Duke of Burgundy Brother of Hugh Capet died without Children Now by the induction of Giselle his Wife Widow of Adelbert as above King of Italy and Son of Berenger II. he left his Dakedom by Will and Testament to Otho-William surnamed the Stranger issue of that Woman by her first Husband Year of our Lord 1003 who finding himself already Earl of Burgundy beyond Soane named Franche-Comte and besides assisted by Landry Earl of Nevers his Son-in-Law and Brunon Bishop of Langres whose Sister he had Married took possession of all Burgundy by vertue of that Grant But King Robert to whom this Dukedom belonged lawfully as Heir to his Uncle led a powerful Army thither with the aid of Richard II. Duke of Normandy suppressed the Usurpers Faction took Auxerre by Composition and Avalon by Battery the Walls as 't is said falling down miraculously before him and at length forced out Otho-William and confined him beyond the Saone where he became the Stock of the Earls of Burgundy Year of our Lord 1004 Otho Son of Prince Charles Duke of the Lower Lorrain being dead without ever Marrying King Henry gave his Dukedom to Godfrey Count of Verdun Bouillon and Ardenne without any regard to the Sisters of the Defunct who were Married Gerberge to Lambert Earl of Brabant and Hermengarde to Lambert Earl of Namur From these issued the Dukes of Brabaut and the Earls of Namur Year of our Lord 1005 c. Baldwin Earl of Flanders already an Enemy to the Emperor undertook the Quarrel of these Daughters The Emperor came to the Relief of Godfrey whom he had invested with this Fief and the King of France embraced Baldwin's Party who was his Vassal The Emperor in vain besieged Valenciennes and then Gaunt Finally this War being made at the Charge and Expence of the Flemming he agreed with the Emperor and restored Valenciennes Year of our Lord 1008 Afterwards the Emperor desiring to make use of his Valour in the great Troubles brought upon him by the Rebellion of the German Princes gave him that City again and withall the Island of Walcheren being part of Zeland whence proceeded a long and bloody Contest between the Flemmings and the Hollanders these pretending that Zeland appertained to them by vertue of a certain Grant which they alledged had been made to them by the Emperor Lotrire Son of Lewis the Debonnaire Year of our Lord 1007 I think we ought to place in the year 1007. the Marriage of Robert with Constance surnamed Blanch Daughter of William V. Earl of Arles Provence and Toulouze a Beautiful Princess but Haughty Capricious and Insupportable We must observe that the Authors of those times frequently called Provence Aquitain whether out of ignorance or because of its City of Aix Aquae Sextiae Year of our Lord 1009 The Saracens at the instigation of the Jews in France demolish the Temple of Jerusalem and the Holy Sepulchre which re-inflames the Devotion of the Western Christians and their hatred against the Jews whom they Banish or knock on the Head every where Year of our Lord 1009 10 c. The good King Robert addicted himself intirely to works of Piety Charity Mercy and Justice re-edified old Churches or built new ones and fed great numbers of poor People in all the Cities throughout his Kingdom He kept above Two hundred in his House whom he led every where having no aversion to see them even under his Table to touch their Ulcers and make the Sign of the Cross over them whereby they were oftentimes made whole He delighted to Sing in the Quire and Compose Words and Notes for the Songs and Responses in honour of God or his Saints The Church hath preserved some of them which they make use of to this day This year 1012. was seen towards the farther Southern parts a Star of an extraordinary magnitude which seemed to dart its bright Rays into the beholders Eyes It appeared for three months together sometimes contracting its self other while seeming much greater as if it took new Fire then again as it were quite extinguished Anno 1003. a Comet had likewise been observed which kept near the Sun and appeared but seldom which was about the break of day Eight years before viz. Anno 995. another had been observed upon St. Laurences-day And in 981. also another yet about Autumn Which I take notice of to shew that these Phenomena are not so rare as to make so much noise about them Year of our Lord 1013 The King having bestowed the Archbishoprick of Bourges upon Goslin his Natural Son Abbot of Floury the Clergy of that Church made great opposition saying That the Holy Canons admitted no Bastards to the Prelacy Which occasioned many Tumults that were not allaied till five
to St. Omers But as he was retreating towards Monstreuil Eustace Earl of Boulogne who had a great Body of Reserves took Robert and carried him to St Omers He that Commanded the place surrendred it to deliver Richilda for which the King was enraged that he sacked and burnt the City Year of our Lord 1071 The same year Richilda though still assisted by the French lost another Battle in which Eustace Earl of Boulogne being made prisoner his Brother Chancellor of France and Bishop of Paris to obtain his freedom obliged the King to intermedle no more in that dispute Nay which was more he made him Marry Bertha the Daughter of Florent I. Earl of Holland and Gertrude of Saxony who had taken Robert for her second Husband By this means he was engaged to maintain the Cause for his Father-in-law who by his assistance defeated Richilda's Army the Fourth time and so remained Master Year of our Lord 1071 of Flanders Roger Brother of Robert Guischard Duke of the Normans in Puglia was by his Brother sent into Sicilia which was possessed by the Saracens he conquerd d the City of Panormus and Messina which opened him a way to become Master of the whole Island Year of our Lord 1073. and 4. After the death of Baldwin the Regent King Philip being arrived to the age of Adolescency ran into many disorders and vexations with his Subjects Whereupon Pope Gregory VII who sought but the occasion to constitute himself the Judge and Reformer of Princes wrote to William Duke of Aquitain that together with the Lords he should make him some Remonstrances and Declare that if he did not amend he would Excommunicate both him and all the Subjects that obey'd him and would place the Excommunication upon St. Peters Altar to re-aggravate it every day Year of our Lord 1076 The death of Robert I. Duke of Burgundy his Son being deceased before him had left two Sons Hugh and Otho the first of these succeeded his Grandfather Year of our Lord 1077 After William the Conquerour had entirely subdued England suppressed the Rebellion of his Son Robert and quelled the Manceaux he went into Bretagne to reduce them to his Obedience and laid Siege to Dol. The Duke or Earl Hoel implored the Kings help who marching in person to his assistance made them raise their Siege A Peace immediately follow'd but was broken almost as soon again upon another Year of our Lord 1076 score which was for that the Conquerour in the Kings Presence having given the Dutchy of Normandy to his Son Robert before he went to invade England Robert would take possession of it the Father hindred him and the King justified the Son in his demands This was the subject of a new War The Father besieges his rebellious Son in the Castle of Gerbroy near Beauvais In a Sally the Son wounds him and turned him off from his Saddle with his Lance but Year of our Lord 1077. 78. and the following coming to know who it was by his voice he helped him up again with Tears in his eyes and the Father at length overcome by the sentiments of nature and the intreaty of his Wife and Barons gave him his pardon and quitted the Dutchy to him then returned into England Gozelon Duke of the Lower Lorrain who in favour of Baldwin Earl of Monts Year of our Lord 1077. and 78. the Son of Richilda had fought and defeated Robert the Frison being a while after this Victory assassinated in Antwerp the Emperour detained the Dutchy of the lower Lorrain and gave only the Marquisate of Antwerp to Godfrey Duke of Bouillon the Son of Adde Sister of Gozelon and Eustace Earl of Boulongne but Twelve years after for his great Services he gave him the said Lorrain Year of our Lord 1080 The Lords of Touraine and of Maine extreamly pressing Foulk Rechin by force of Arms to set Gefroy his Brother at liberty this barbarous Man rather then release him chose sooner to give the County of Gastinois to King Philp that he might maintain him in his unjustice Some time after his own Son named Gefroy likewise and surnamed Martel moved Year of our Lord 1080 with the miseries of his Uncle forced his Father to set him free but whether it were the Melancholy he had contracted or some Drink they had given him he could never relish the sweetness of his liberty The famous Robert Guischard Prince of the Normans in Puglia after he had gained Year of our Lord 1085 two Naval Victories one over the Venetians and the other over the Greeks died this year 1085. He had two Sons Boemond and Roger the eldest being then upon the coasts of Dalmatia with a Navy his younger Brother seized on the Dutchies of Pouille and Calabria for which the Brothers were contending till the time of the first Croisado or Holy War when the French Lords passing that way to the Holy Land brought them to an agreement Their Uncle Roger held Sicily with the Title only of Earl Year of our Lord 1085 Upon complaints about the vexations and ill Treatment Duke Robert shewed to his Norman Subjects his Father the Conquerour comes over out of England to chastise him but his paternal tenderness did easily admit of a reconciliation The death of Guy-Gefroy-William his Son William VIII aged but 25 years succeeded him Year of our Lord 1086 King Philip a very voluptuous Prince being disgusted with Berthe his Wise made use of the pretence of Parentage which was between them and having proved it according to the course then in use caused his Marriage to be dissolved by authority of the Church though he had a Son by her named Lewis about Five years old and a Daughter named Constance He banished his Divorced Wife to Monstreuil upon the Sea-side where she lived a long time poorly enough Year of our Lord 1087 This Divorce according to Rule and a judicial Sentence being made he demanded the Daughter of Roger Earl of Sicilia named Emma who was conducted as far as the coasts of Provence however he did not Marry her the reason is not given Year of our Lord 1088 William the Conquerour become crazy was under a strict regiment of Dyet at Rouen to pull down his over-grown fatness which did much incommode him The King rallied at him and asked when he would be up again after his Lying in the Duke sent him word that at his Uprising he would go and visit him with 10000 Lances instead of Candles and indeed as soon as he could he got on Horseback he destroy'd all the French Vexin and forced and burnt Mantes But he over-heated himself so much in the assaulting of that place that it set his own Blood and Body on fire and brought a fit of Sickness so that he returned to Rouen where he dyed in a few days By his Will he gave the Kingdom of England to William called Rufus who was bat his Second Son Normandy to Robert who was
they held as what they produced how situated or some particularities of their Castles or such Office they bore Some there were that chose such things as preserved the memory of their brave Feats of Arms or some singular Adventure which had hapued to them or theirs and others in fine would have such as betokened their inclination not to mention those that would needs have their Coats out of a meer fantastical Humour and without any design These glorious Marks and Badges belonged otherwhile only to the Nobility and was not the least illustrious part of the Succession of their Noble Families Now at this time every one hath them the meanest villains are the most curious herein they have not only brought the ✚ Rebus's of the little Citizens Merchants Cyphers Shop-keepers Signs and Artists tools and implements into their Coats under the shadow of Crowns Helmets and Supporters but likewise by a confidence not to be endured they have made choice of the most illustrious things and given occasion to observe that there are no better Coats then the Arms of a Villain or Plebeian Year of our Lord 1096 97 98 and 99. From the first Croisade William Rufus King of England taking the opportunity of his Brothey Roberts absenc had seized on the Dutchy of Normandy Swoln with this increase of Power he promised himself to invade France because he saw the Excommunicated King languishing in the Arms of his Concubine who besides had but one lawful Son of 15 or 16 years of age and was destitute both of Money and Friends Nevertheless this young Prince surpassing his age did by his Courage and Virtue defend himself so well three years together that Rufus was forced to leave him in Peace and retired again into England In that Countrey letting himself loose to all sorts of infamous pleasures tiranny Year of our Lord 1100 and execrable wickedness both towards God and Man he perished in a tragical manner being as he was Hunting shot with an Arrow either designedly aimed at ☞ him or by chance which pierced his very Heart Henry his younger Brother got into the Throne during the absence of Duke Robert who was still in the Holy-Land Notwithstanding the Popes Excommunications the King had renewed society with Bertrade by the consent even of Foulk her Husband being so infinitely enchanted with that Woman that he was often seen at her Feet there to receive all her Year of our Lord 1098 99 and 1100. Commands as if he had been a Slave Some of the Belgick Bishops honour'd the Kings Adultery with the name of Marriage and on their great Feasts according to ancient custom placed the Crown upon her Head to shew or signifie they did not hold her to be Excommunicated but the Popes Legats denied to communicate with him and conven'd a Council at Poitiers in July where he was Excommunicated once more William Duke of Aquitain who feared the like Treatment having committed the like fault for he entertained a Concubine and had forsaken his lawful Wife affronted and abused the Prelats greatly and perhaps his Sorrow and Repentance for it afterwards prompted him to go to the Holy Land as we have observed The King constant in his Affections solicited the Popes Favour so earnestly that he sent some Legats to re-view the Cause Year of our Lord 1101 They assembled a Council at Baugency The King and Bertrade promised to abstain from each other till the Popes Dispensation and thus the Council broke up Year of our Lord 1102 without giving any Judgment The King continued with the recommendation of the Bishops to endeavour the obtaining a Dispensation in the Court of Rome in the end he had it he was Absolved in the City of Paris and his Marriage confirmed so officacious is constancy even in things not commendable The opposition of the Bishops served only to authorize the use of Dispensations from Rome which since have been very common in all matters and occasions Young Lewis whom they named the Prince of the Kingdom and was designed King by his Father it is not specified in what year took the Government of Affairs Year of our Lord 1102 3. and the following PHILIP LEWIS Surnamed the Gross designed King aged 19 or 20 years In those times the Rights of the French were such that they could not legally arrest the Lords nor punish them with death unless it were for Treason but only deprive them of their Lands I mean those they held of the King they called them Honours This was it that gave them Licence to arme to oppress the weaker to rob and plunder and above all usurp the Goods of the Church Year of our Lord 1100 Lewis had to do first with Bouchard Lord of Montmorency against whom he embraced the Cause of the Monks of St. Denis whose Lands that Lord had pillaged and having appeared according to an assignation in the Kings Court of Justice refused to obey the Sentence or Judgment given against him therein He forced him by destroying and burning all his Villages and his Castle it self to submit to Reason In like manner he chastifed Droco or Dreux de Mouchy and Lionnet de Meun who tyrannized this over the Churches of Orleans the other over those of Beauvais Also he humbled Matthew Count of Beaumont upon Oise Son-in-law to Hugh Earl of Clermont in Beauvoisis who having half of the Lands of Luzarches in Dowry had seized upon all and had devested the good Man his Father-in-law Year of our Lord 1103 He durst or would not intermeddle with the quarrel between the two Norman Brothers Robert and Henry The First upon his return from the Holy Land demanded the Kingdom of England of his younger Brother who had usurped it after the death of William Rufus The business after three years Negotiation and War was determined in this manner Robert An. 1107. having lost a Battle at Tinchâ—bray in Normandy was made prisoner by his cruel Brother who deprived him of Sight by placing a burning Bason of Brass before his Eyes whereof he dyed in Prison Thus the whole Succession of William the Conquerer remained in Henry the youngest of his three Sons Year of our Lord 1103 In the year 1103. Lewis passed into England to King Henry I cannot tell upon what design Bertrade his Mother-in-law who could willingly have sent him out of the World sollicited Henry to make him away and this Artifice failing she caused poison to be given him at his return into France which put him in great hazard of his Life Year of our Lord 1104 The King to rid himself of the trouble brought upon him by the Family of Montlehery agreed upon a Marriage with Guy Troussel betwixt Philip his Son and bertrade to whom he gave the Earldom of Mantes on condition that Guy should deliver him the Castle of Montlehery which he did Year of our Lord 1104 At the same time or a little after Guy Lord of Rochefort Uncle of Troussel entirely possessing the Kings
Popes Legat. Afterwards the Archbishop of Sens gave him leave to explain and make good his Propositions against St. Bernard But being come for that purpose to the Council of Sens he would or durst not dispute there but appeal'd to the Pope Being on his way towards Rome to pursue his Appeal he stopt at the Abby of Clugny and there led a holy Life in the Habit of St. Bennes which he had long before taken upon him These Prosecutions were carried on by the Zeal of St. Bernard Abbot of Clervaux a Burgundian Gentleman who had raised himself to so high an Esteem for several years before amongst the Clergy the Nobility and Common People that there hapned no Cause in Matters Ecclesiastical no considerable Contest no important Enterprize wherein his Judgment was not required together with his Counsel and Mediation To shew us that the Wise and Virtuous have a more natural ☞ Empire then that which proceeds from Power or the Institution of Man Year of our Lord 1141 The Clergy of Bourges had elected for their Archbishop one Peter de la Chastre a Person of singular Learning and Piety The King whether he did not like him or desired that Benefice for another refused to give his consent Peter would therefore have desisted but Pope Innocent enjoyned him to perform his Duty which the King obstructing it bred a great deal of trouble and grew to that height that the Pope Excommunicated the King and put the King under an Interdiction Thibauld Earl of Champagne a Lord of great Authority as well for his Power as his Vertues having intermedled somewhat too much about this business offended the King whose anger was yet more inflamed upon another occasion which was this Rodolph de Vermandois who was in effect the first Prince of the Blood but in those days that Title was not known those Princes being considered only according to the Year of our Lord 1141 42. dignity of their Lands caused his Marriage with Gerbete Cousin German to Thibauld to be dissolved upon pretence of Parentage that he might have Alix-Pernelle the Sister of Queen Alienor for his Wife The Pope at the instigation of Thibauld Excommunicated Rodolph and interdicted the Bishops that had pronounced the Divorce Lewis lays all upon Thibauld and enters his Lands in Hostile manner Thibauld has recourse to the Pope who to deliver him from that War which oppress'd him takes off the Excommunication but as soon as that was over he thunders it a second time and then the King more exasperated then before turns his Army into Champagne They take Vitry by force putting all to the Sword and setting Fire on the Church wherein three hundred poor innocent People were burnt who were got in to secure themselves Year of our Lord 1143 and 1144. At the recital of this Cruelty the Kings Bowels yearned and his Conscience was mightily troubled He mourned and dispairs St. Bernard had much ado to persuade him that he might obtain Mercy from God upon his Repentance In this Condition it was easie to persuade him to restore the Archbishop of Bourges to his See and procure a Peace for the Earl Year of our Lord 1143 and 1144. Fulk King of Jerusalem being dead Anno 1142. the Government being in the hands of Melisenda his Widow his youngest Son Baldwin and the Christians of that Country worse then the Turks their Affairs ran all into confusion so that Sangnin Sultan of Assyria tore the Principality of Edessa from them one of the four Members of the Kingdom of Jerusalem The King had before Vow'd a Voyage to the Holy-Land these sad Tidings moved both him and the other French Princes to carry them Relief St. Bernard the Oracle of those times being consulted with herein refers the business to the Pope who sent him orders to Preach the Croisade over all Christendom Year of our Lord 1146 Beginning with France he Conven'd a National Council at Chartres by whom he was chosen for Generalissimo of that Expedition but he refused the Sword and was content to be the Trumpet only He proclaim'd it every where with so much fervour so great assurance of good success and as they believed with so many Miracles that the Cities and Villages became Deserts every one listing themselves for this Service Year of our Lord 1147 The Emperor Conrad and the King were the first that took the Badge of the Cross with an infinite number of Nobility Each of these Princes had a Legat from the Pope in his Army Conrad led threescore thousand Horse he went away first and arrived at Constantinople about the end of March in the year 1147. Year of our Lord 1147 The King staid some while in France after him to receive Pope Engenius who by the Revolted Romans was forced to quit that Country He set forwards a fortnight after Whitsontide in the same year and having marched thorough Hungary and Thrace passed the Bosphorus so that the following Lent in Anno 1148. he got into Syria whilst on the other hand his Naval Force was put to Sea to meet him there Year of our Lord 1147 By Advice of his Parliament held at Estampes he left the Regency of the Kingdom to Rodolph Earl of Vermandois and Suger Abbot of St. Denis who was in great Credit at Court even from the time of Lewis the Fat. Before his departure he went according to the usual Custom into St. Denis Church to receive his Staff and Scrip the Badges of Pilgrimage and the Standard de L'Oriflamme on the Altar of the Holy Martyrs It is fit we should tell you the Kings of France of the Second Race display'd at the head of their Armies St. Martins Cope or Mantle But Capet and his Line after their great Devotion to St. Denis made use of the Banner belonging to his Church which they called Oriflamme It had wont to be carried or born by the Count de Vexin-Francois who was Hommager to the Church of St. Denis After the Kings had possession of this County they appointed some Person of great Merit and Illustrious Birth to carry it There is not that wicked or mean Artisice and Treachery but the perfidious Manuel Emperor of Greece put in practise to destroy both the Emperors and the Kings Armies Against the first he had his will by Poysoning their Meal he was to furnish them withall with Lime and Plaster and appointing such Guides as having led them a long way about which made them waste all their Provisions at last delivered them half dead and languishing into the hands of the Turks who cut them all in pieces so that there was not a tenth part of them escaped Year of our Lord 1148 The King being likewise gotten into Asia found the Emperor Conrad at Nicea where he comforted him in the best manner he could Then he marched along by the Sea-side and ran the same hazard as the other had done however he saved himself more by good fortune then
de Creme who named himself Paschal and was confirmed by Frederick But Alexander III. recalled by the Romans left France the year following and returned to Rome to put an end to that Schism Year of our Lord 1165 In the year 1165. Lewis had a Son born whom he believed Heaven had sent him in return of his Prayers For this reason he was surnamed Dieu-Donne i. e. Gift of God or God-Gift and after for his brave Acts the Conqueror which Paul Emilius has rendred by Interpretation Augustus and is followed in the same by all the Modern Historians Year of our Lord 1166 The Life of Conan the Little Duke of Bretagne which had been ever full of trouble ended Anno 1166. to make room for Gefroy of Normandy his Son-in-Law This Prince being yet but Fifteen years of Age remained together with his Datchy under the Guardianship of the King his father for some time after which being at liberty he begins a War against him because he would make him do Hommage for his Dukedom a Duty he required by vertue of a Treaty made by Charles the Simple with Rollo Duke of Normandy Year of our Lord 1168 Thierry of Alsatia Earl of Flanders dies at Gravelin Philip his Son governs after him Year of our Lord 1169 70. The Feud was renewed between the two Kings upon several occasions one was the Earl d'Auvergne whom Lewis as Soveraign Lord took into his protection and safeguard against Henry to whom the Earl was a Vassal holding of him in Aquitain the other the support he gave to Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury The War thereupon breaks forth and lasted for two years however it was carried on but slowly and so as the Respect either of them had for Pope Alexanders Mediation brought them to an Agreement for some time Year of our Lord 1170 These two Princes having Conferr'd together at Saint Germain en Laye concluded the Peace betwixt them and there the King of England's Sons rendred Hommage to Lewis for those Lands their Father assured to them by advance of Inheritance Henry of the Dutchy of Normandy the County of Anjou and the Office of Grand Seneschal joyned thereto from the time of Grisegonnelle as also the Earldoms du Maine and de Touraine and the second named Richard of the Dakedom of Aquitain as for the third which was Gefroy he had Bretagne by his Wife and ow'd Hommage to none but the Duke of Normandy The Kings Intercession obtained of Henry that Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury might return into England but he continuing to act with the same heat four Gentlemen of Henry's Court out of Complaisance as mean as detestable having plotted and contrived to deliver their King of him entred the Church at Canterbury where that Holy Prelat was reading Service it was on the Christmas Holy-days and Murther'd him at the foot of the Altar Year of our Lord 1171 Though the King disown'd this Murther and shewed an extream grief nevertheless Year of our Lord 1172 having given cause to commit it if perhaps he did not command it the Pope Year of our Lord 1173 made a mighty business of it from which he could not get clear without submitting to great Pennance and such Reparations and Satisfactions as was ordained by his Legats The Holy Archbishop revered as a Martyr was Canonized the following year and the frequent Miracles wrought on his Tomb attested his Holiness Year of our Lord 1173 Every year almost there was some Rupture then a Peace or Truce between the two Kings either concerning their own proper Interests or that of their Friends and Vassals Lewis had this advantage that being the Soveraign Lord he had a right of hearing the Complaints of Henry's Vassals and of making himself his Judge Year of our Lord 1173 He had stirred up many in Aquitain and Normandy but this year he Armed his own Children against him The eldest with Margaret his Wife being gone to Visit him and having staid some time in that Court had a fancy put into his Head that since he was Crowned he ought to Reign and to demand of his Father the enjoyment either of the Kingdom of England or the Dukedom of Normandy With this disposition and fretted for that his Father had taken some young People from about him who gave him such like ill Counsels he stole away one Night from him and came and cast himself into the Arms of the King Immediately all the young Nobility follows him Queen Alienor favours him his two Brothers Richard Duke of Aquitain and Gefroy of Brâ—tagne joyns with him and those whole Provinces follow their Motions The King of France takes them into his protection William King of Scotland declares for them and attaques England whither at the same time went some French Forces under the Command of Robert Earl of Leicester Year of our Lord 1174 It seemed therefore as if the unhappy Father must needs be overwhelm'd on a suddain but he overthrew all the Enemies Lewis having taken Verneuil au Perche durst not hold it and retreated before him The Earl of Leicester is defeated in England and all those that followed him either slain or taken then all the Kingdom reduced in less then Thirty days by old Henry who went thither presently after this defeat Year of our Lord 1175 The following year whilst he was doing Pennance at St. Thomas Becket's Tomb William King of Scotland his most capital Enemy loses a Battle against his Lieutenants and was taken Prisoner The Fleet of young Henry is dispersed and disabled by Tempest King Lewis who had carried Philip Earl of Flanders with him is rudely repulsed from Rouen so that finding Henry who was come over-Seas again to Relieve this City made ready to give him Battle he hearkens to a Truce for some Months Year of our Lord 1175 Whilst that lasted old Henry going into Poitou and subduing Richard the worst of his three Rebellious Sons who held that Country all the others returned to their Obedience and he enters upon a Treaty of Peace with Lewis who gave him Alix his Daughter for his Son Richard and put her into his hands to compleat the Marriage when she should be Age for it Year of our Lord 1177 The two Kings now grown old were weary of so many Wars and Disturbances Either of them had cause to fear the one the activity of his three most valiant Sons the other the weakness of his only Heir as yet too young so that they confirmed the Peace by new Oaths promised mutual friendship against all others and took up a resolution to go joyntly into Languedoc to extirpiate those Hereticks already mentioned by us But they thought it more convenient first to send the Popes Legat thither with three or four other Prelats to endeavour to reclaim them by Exhortations and Anathema's which converted and brought back a great many and kept the rest within bounds for some time These Hereticks were all called Albigensis because they propaged
Boulogne had served Philip very well since his Reconciliation and had likewise been very well recompenc'd by a great deal of good Land bestow'd upon him in that Country Nevertheless the King suspecting him of holding Correspondence with the King of England demands his strong Holds of him and upon his refusal to deliver them he attaques them and press'd upon him so briskly that he durst not defend them but went away to the Earl of Bar his Kinsman and from thence to Flanders Year of our Lord 1212 Although King John had been Excommunicate the precedent year by the Popes Legat he scoff'd at those Censures But he was hugely astonished when he understood that by a more terrible Sentence the Pope had absolv'd his Subjects of their Allegiance and expos'd his Kingdom as a Prey and that King Philip made great preparations to invade it having already a prodigious number of Vessels ready at the mouth of the Seine The Legat by secret Informations increases his fears and disturbs him to that height as he promises to make his Kingdom hold of the Holy See and to pay a thousand Mark of Silver as a yearly Tribute besides the Peter-Pence When the Legat had wire-drawn all he desired from him he tries to persuade Philip to wave his Enterprize but he was too far engag'd in Honour and Expence to break off so Year of our Lord 1213 All the Lords of the Kingdom in a Parliament held at Soissons the Morrow after Palm-Sunday had promis'd to assist him with their Lives and Fortunes There was only Ferrand Son of Sancho I. King of Portugal Earl of Flanders that refused to accompany him in this Expedition unless he would restore the Cities of Aire and St. Omer which he had gotten from him to have his consent that he might Marry the Heiress of Flanders who was the eldest Daughter of Baldwin V. The King thought that his approach might bring him back to his Duty when he should see him on those Coasts ready to Embarque Therefore when he was at Boulogne he sent him order to come and meet him at Graveline The Earl made them wait for him but he appeared not so that the King resolv'd before he took Shipping to put him in a Condition not to be able to hurt him Year of our Lord 1213 The Towns of Ipres Cassel and all the Country to Bruges submitted to his Sword His Naval Force consisting of One thousand seven hundred Sail having cast Anchor at Dam. While the greatest part were in the Road with scarce any Men comes the English Fleet Commanded by the Earls of Boulogne and Salisbury who took and sunk a great many and laid Siege to the place Philip decamping from before Ghent routs those they had sent on shoar and slew two or three thousand Nevertheless they keeping the Seas and his Vessels not being able to get out without falling into their hands he took out all their Furniture and caused them all to be burnt and the City of Dam afterwards Year of our Lord 1213 Then having wasted and plundred the Territory of Bruges squeezed great Sums of Money from those Citizens as likewise from the Inhabitants of Ghent and Ipres sack'd and dismantled L'Isle he left his Son Lewis and Gaucher Count de Saint Pol in that Country with a strong Body of Horse and Garisons in the Cities of Doway and Tournay only When he was retir'd out of Flanders the Earl Ferrand re-entred and soon Master'd Tournay and L'Isle which Lewis was beginning to repair as in revenge Lewis sack'd and burnt Courtray Philip for the second time goes into Flanders to secure his Conquests and presently Ferrand withdraws but as soon as Philip was gone Renauld Earl of Boulogne took the Field with some Forces he brought out of England But without doing any Exploit only after he scowred about the Country once or twice and attempted two or three Sieges in vain he forced Henry Earl of Louvain and Duke of Brabant who had Married one of the Kings Daughters to joyn with him On the other side King John landed at Rochel with a great Army and having patch'd up again with the Earls de la Marche d'Eu d'Angoulesme de Lezignan and other Poitevins who assisted him with their Forces crosses Poitou made himself Master of some places in Anjou and began to rebuild the Walls of Anger 's his Native City To hinder this Progress the King recall'd his Son out of Flanders and sets him in opposition This Prince takes his head Quarters at Chinon and was seconded with the Forces of Bretagne by Peter de Dreux who this year had Married the Heiress of that Dutchy It was Alix or Alice Daughter of the Dutchess Constance and Guy de Touars Year of our Lord 1213 In the mean while the English wrought diligently about the fortifying Anger 's and enclosed that part towards the River of Maine with a Wall His Soldiers made excursions to the very Suburbs of Nantes on the other side of the Loire surpriz'd Robert the eldest Son of the Earl of Dreux in an Ambuscade who was got over the Bridge to attaque them cut his Men in pieces and made him Prisoner Peter King of Arragon having gotten into his League and under his Protection the Earls of Toulouze de Foix and de Comenges the Vicount de Beziers and others whose Lands Montfort had usurp'd sâ—â—t his Heraulds to deâ—ie him Montfort had left a strong Garison in Muret to make waste in the Neighbourhood of Toulouze This King lays Siege to it in the Month of September His Army consisted of an Hundred thousand Men almost Montfort who was at Castlenaudry having hardly drawn together a thousand or twelve hundred got into the place From whence making a furious Sally upon the King who slighting so small a number set down to eat at the beginning of the Fight cut all his Army off threw him on the ground where his Throat was cut by a private Soldier took his Royal Standard which was carried in Triumph to Rome and cover'd the Field with dead Bodies without the loss of Year of our Lord 1213 above eight Men. The weighty blow of this Club made the Earl of Toulouze and the Inhabitants of that great City fall down at the Legats Feet they offer'd to submit to whatever Conditions he would impose but they could not get off with words it was resolv'd they should be plum'd of all Year of our Lord 1214 This year 1214. France was shrewdly attaqu'd by King John and on the Flanders side by the Emperor Otho and the Counts Ferrand of Flanders and Renauld de Boulogne but both in the one and the other part his Arms remained Victorious Prince Lewis having drawn his Forces together at Chinon march'd resolutely against King John who besieged the Castle de la Roche au Moine upon the Loire between Anger 's and Nantes Being within a days Journey of that place that King was frighted repasses the River in such great haste
Gibbelins of Tuscany especially those of Florence and restored all the Guelphes to their Lands and Dwellings In the mean time the young Conradin had sent a Manifesto to all the Princes of Europe declaring himself to be the rightful Successor to the Kingdom of Sicily and imploring their assistance to recover that Succession of his Fathers Insomuch that with the aid of the antient friends of the House of Souaube or Scwaben and some Year of our Lord 1267 adventurers that sought their fortunes he gathered a huge Army and came into Italy about the end of October observing and giving ear rather to the importunities of the Gibbelines who pressed him to march on then the wise Counsels of his Mother who feared the unexperimented Youth of her Son scarce Sixteen years of age would be Ship-wrack'd against the fortune and courage of Charles He had brought with him out of Germany the young Frederic Son of Herman Marquiss of Baden who said likewise he was Duke of Austria being Son of a Daughter of Henry Brother to Frederic last Duke of those Countreys and withal he held himself certain of the assistance of Henry and Frederic Brothers of Alphonso X. King of Castille who upon his arrival in Italy were to declare in his favour Those Brothers having been driven out of Spain by the King Alphonso had retired themselves into Africk to the King of Tunis where they had acquir'd a great deal of reputation Money and Friends Henry having information of the progress of Charles in Italy was come to proffer him his Service with Eight hundred Horse and had lent him a considerable sum of Money In requital Charles had gotten him to be chosen Senator of Rome hut because he afterwards thwarted him in his designs of obtaining by the Pope the Kingdom of Sardinia that Spaniard was alienated from him and secretly conspired with Conradin so that he disposed the City of Rome to receive him driving thence or imprisoning all those that contradicted and when he saw him approaching near he set up his Flags and Arms upon the Gates and joyned openly with him Conradin having spent the Winter at Verona despising the Popes Thunders embarqued at the coast of Genoa on some Vessels belonging to Pisa Being landed in Tuscany he surprized and cut in pieces those Forces that Charles had left there and Year of our Lord 2268 at the same time Conrad being come from Antioch caused all Sicily to Revolt except only Messina and Palermo These prosperous beginnings betraid young Conradin and flattered him to bring him to his death while he was entring into the Kingdom of Sicily Charles quitted the Siege of Nocera and came to meet him resolved to decide the quarrel by a Battle it was fought the Five and twentieth day of August near the lake Fucin now Year of our Lord 1268 called the lake Celano the French gained it but not without much hazard and much blood Conradin Frederic Duke of Austria and Henry of Castille saved themselves by flight but being discover'd they were taken and brought back to the Conquerour After this Victory he took upon him again the dignity of Senator of Rome which he had been obliged to lay down and by the Pope was constituted Vicar of the Empire in Tuscany His Fame would have been beyond a parallel had he been but as merciful as valiant and had not exercised such mortal feverities upon his prisoners of War and such people as revolted from him Year of our Lord 1269 They were so great that being resolved to pass into Africk with St. Lewis the King not knowing what to do with Conradin and Frederic whom it was very dangerous to keep and more to set them free in a Kingdom full of Factions and Rebellion he caused their Process to be made by the Syndics of the Cities of that Kingdom Those Judges having condemned them to death as disturbers of the Churches quiet their Heads were cut off upon a Scaffold in the midst of the City of Naples the Twenty seventh day of October an execution which makes posterity tremble yet with horror but which seemed a retribution of the Divine Justice for those yet more horrible barbarities which Frederic the Grand-father of Conradin had used to all the Family of the Norman Princes Henry de Castille had his Life given him but was confin'd to a prison from whence he got not out till Five and twenty years after to return into Spain Almost at the same time this Conrad Prince of Antioch Son of one Frederic a bastard of the Emperour Frederic II. who was come from the East to the assistance Year of our Lord 1269 of Conradin and had contributed to make the Island of Sicily revolt being taken by some belonging to Charles was hanged and thus ended by the Hangmans hands that famous and glorious Race of the Prince of Scwaben of whom there have been so many Kings and Emperours I should have told you before that Conradin being upon the Scaffold after he had made bitter complaints of his misfortunes and the cruelty of his Enemies threw down his Glove in the Market-place as a token of the investiture of his Kingdoms to such of his kindred as would prosecute his quarrel a Cavalier having taken it up carried it to James King of Arragon who had Married a Daughter of Mainfroy's The abuses and the designs of the Court of Rome were grown to such a height and come to that pass that the King St. Lewis though very devout to the Holy See made this year a Pragmatique to stop the current of them in France especially touching the dispensation of Benefices This same year the Marriage of his Daughter Blanch was made with Ferdinand eldest Son to Alphonso X. King of Castille the Pope having given his Dispensation for the near consanguinity between the parties The Nuptials were celebrated at Year of our Lord 1269 Burgos Philip Brother to the Bride Edward Prince of England James King of Arragon the Bride-grooms Grand-father Alhumar King of Granada and divers other Princes and great Lords honoured the Solemnity with their Presence and it was expresly said in the Contract that if Ferdinand died before his Father her Children should represent him and succeed to the Crown The affairs of the Christians in the Levant being reduced to the last extremity by Bendocabar Sultan of Egypt the exhortations of the Pope and the zeal of St. Lewis stirred up those of the West to make one more great attempt to support them The King of Arragon and Edward eldest Son to the King of England promised to Second St. Lewis and his Brother Charles to go thither with all the force of Italy The number of Adventurers of the Cross consisted of Fifteen thousand Horse and Two hundred thousand Foot which were divided in two Armies to attaque the Saracens in two several places at once Year of our Lord 1270 The Arragonian and the English undertook to go and make War in the Holy Land the Arragonian
same day which was the Six and twentieth of August His too hasty March and three long Leagues of way had made the French lose both their breath and strength before they engaged the enemy On the contrary the English were fresh and recruited and dispair re-doubled their courage The Genoese the chief strength of Philips Infantry who were commanded by Antony d'Oria and Charles Grimaldi did nothing to the purpose their Cross-bow strings being made useless by a deluge of Rain that fell just upon the first beginning of their Service they retreating from before a showre of the English Arrows the Count d'Alenson who suspected it to be Treachery rides quite over them with his Cavalry and so began the rout We must also take notice that in this famous Battle the English had four or five pieces of Canon which gave much terror for that was the first time they ever saw those thundering in our Wars To all this add that some amongst the Grandees very glad to see Philip engaged upon this occasion made more shew then they did service These causes chiefly gave the victory to the English The Battle lasted from four in the Afternoon till Two the next Morning A great flight of Ravens which a little hefore the Fight were observed to hover over the French Army were esteemed as a presage of their defeat Of the French side there remained dead upon the place Thirty thousand Foot Twelve hundred Knights and Fourscore Banners taken John King of Bohemia Charles Earl of Alenson Brother to the King Lewis Earl of Flanders and Twelve or Fifteen of the most illustrious Counts lost their Lives King John stark blind as he was fought very valiantly having caused his Horses Bridle to be sastned to the Bridles of two of his bravest Knights horses His Son Charles King of the Romans was hurt with three wounds but it is not true that the Kings of Majorca Scotland and Navarre were in this Engagement the two first were in their own Countreys busie enough about their own concerns and the other not above the age of Thirteen or Fourteen years under the tuition of his Mother The King this time Vnfortunate retired out of the Battle under the favour of the night and saved his Person in the Castle of Broye from thence got to Amiens and so to Paris to raise another Army The next day another slaughter twice greater then the former was made by Five hundred Lances and two thousand Archers amongst the common People who being ignorant of what had hapned were marching to the French Camp The English having ravaged all Boulonois at their pleasure went and laid Siege to Calais about the Eighth of September and stuck close to it with the more security upon the news that David King of Scotland was vanquish'd and made prisoner by the Queen of England upon his falling on the Frontiers Year of our Lord 1346 Before the Battle of Cressy the Emperour Lewis was Excommunicated by the Pope and degraded by Five Electors who in his stead placed Charles the Son of John King of Bohemia This Prince after the death of Lewis which hapned in October the following year got his Election confirmed and bought the Claims of two or three others who disputed their Title to the Empire with him because they had been named by some of the Electors Year of our Lord 1347 After the Duke of Normandy had raised the Siege of Aiguillon the Earl of Derby remained Master of the Field regained all that part of Guyenne which lies beyond the Dordogne and having passed the Rivers ravaged and burnt Saintonge and Poitou took St. John d'Angely and kept it sacaged the great City of Poitiers and quitted it after he had refreshed himself there for Twelve days together Year of our Lord 1346. and 47. The Flemmings having lost their Earl at the Battle of Cressy sent a Deputation to the King to re-demand his Son who was their natural Prince Whilst he was in their power they had assianced him to King Edwards Daughter but that Alliance being contrary to his inclination he escaped from them and returned to the Court of France After he had staid there a year he made a particular peace with the English by the consent of Philip his Sovereign It was agreed that he should permit the Flemmings to give them assistance but as for himself he should not intermeddle with the Affairs either of the one or other of the two Princes Year of our Lord 1347 The Flemmings being at Edwards Devotion made great inroads upon Artois and on the other side John de Montforts party got the upper hand in Bretagne by the help of the English For Charles de Blois going to besiege la Roche de Rien Montfort gave him Battle the Twentieth of June vanquish'd him and took him prisoner with his two Sons John and Guy and most of the Lords of his party His Wife whom ambition and the Royal Blood she came of inspired but with too much courage gathered up the fragments and maintained the business so well that he recover'd once more Year of our Lord 1347 It was but in vain that Philip advanced between Wissant and Calais with an Army of One hundred and fifty thousand Men to relieve the City the English had enclosed his Camp with such good Trenches that he could find no way to attaque him The besieged driven to the severest extremity of Famine were forced to surrender the last day of August Fame shall never forget the name of Eustace de St. Pierre the most noted Citizen of Calais and his heroick generosity to save his fellow Citizens Edward mortally enraged at their long resistance would not receive them on composition unless they would deliver up to him six of their principal Burghers to do what he pleased with them The Council not knowing what to resolve and the whole City remaining Year of our Lord 1347 exposed to the revenge of a cruel Conquerour Eustace freely proffer'd to be one of those Six By his example there soon follow'd enough to make up the number who went out in their Shirts with Ropes about their Necks to deliver the Keys to Edward He was so obstinately bent to put them to death that the Queen his Wife had all the trouble imaginable to obtain his pardon for their Lives He drove out all the Inhabitants of the place even the Ecclesiastiques and repeopled it with natural English Robert King of Sicilia having no Heirs of his own Body but Jane the Daughter of his Son Charles Duke of Calabria had Married her Anno 1333. to Andrew Second Son of Carobert King of Hungary the eldest of these two being then but seven years of age It hapned Twelve years afterwards Andrew not being enough to Jane's liking and having been Crowned King by the Pope pretending that the Kingdom did delong to him certain Conspirators made him rise one night out of the Bed where he was lying with her and hanged him at a
Besieged on the other hand reduced to Famine Betrand de Guesclin found an expedient to save the Dukes Oath which was That he should enter the Town with nine more and his Colours should be set up on the Gate for some hours To conclude this Treaty they made a Truce between the two parties which was to last till the year 1360. Year of our Lord 1357 The bands of Soldiers being neither cashier'd nor paid the Robbers flock'd together with all sorts of other rasâ—ally people and scowred all the Countreys about without any fear or punishment all the open Countrey lying exposed to their merciless mercy There were five or six several Gangs but the most dreadful crew of them was Year of our Lord 1357 that of one Arnold de Ceruoles who called himself the Arch-Priest he entred into the County of Avignon forced the Pope to redeem the plunder of his Lands at the price of Forty thousand Crowns and afterwards to give him Absolution and Treat him at his own Table with as much Honour as if he had been a Sovereign Prince Year of our Lord 1357 The persons Commissioned by the Estates for the administration of the Treasury made it soon apparent that they had not taken it in hand to dispossess Knaves but to have a share in that prize and pillage themselves so that their corrupt dealing no less criminal then that of the former Officers so much cried out upon did much blemish their choice and by consequence the authority of the Estates The Dauphin being therefore better fortified by the arrival of the Earls of Foix Year of our Lord 1357 and Armagnac and a great number of the Nobility did at length shake off their Tutelage and making le Coq return to his own Bishoprick his party became the strongest in Paris But immediately afterwards the Navarrois was set free from his imprisonment by the intrigues of his people who escalado'd the Castle wherein he was detained which was not done without connivance of the Lord de Pequigny to whom King John had committed the keeping of this Prince Then le Coq returns and the Council resumed greater power then formerly The Dauphin apprehended nothing so much as the malignity of that Prince exasperated by a long imprisonment nevertheless the importunities of the Council establisht by the Estates and the intercession of the two Queens Dowagers Jean and Blanch obliged him to give him a safe Conduct with which he came and lodged in the Abbey of St. Germain des Prez accompanied with a huge number of his friends Some while after having caused it to be proclaimed about the City That he would entertain the People upon St. Andrews day there came above Ten thousand Men to the Tilting-place which was between the Abbey of St. Germains and the Pré aux Clercs He mounted the Scaffold from whence the King was wont to behold Combats or Duels and there with a most pathetical Eloquence declared the injustice of nis tedious Confinement the tyrannical execution of his friends the zeal he had for the good of the Nation and above all express'd his mighty affection for the defence of Paris which was the capital City His flattering harangue tickled the People the more by reason that for some time they had met with nothing but severities The next day he was received into the City the Dauphin and he had an enterview in an indifferent place Le Coq Head of the Council the Prevost des Merchands nay even the University pressed the Dauphin so home to give him satisfaction that he was sain to agree to all he pleased However when he would have gone into his Towns thinking to take possession those that commanded there for the King refused to deliver them up to him or his Commissaries Year of our Lord 1358 Upon this refusal he begins the War anew Had the English assisted him considerably he would have over-turned the whole Kingdom but having dropt an expression in his speech to the People That he had more right to the Crown of France then those that disputed for it they lent him no more assistance then to enable him to draw the War to a great length that so each party weakning and tiring the other might both of them be forced to submit to that yoak the English designed to lay upon them Year of our Lord 1358 That zeal the Prevost des Marchands had for the publique liberty meeting with too great oppositions degenerated perhaps in despite of him into a manifest and most pernicious faction The mark or distinction was a kind of a Hood party-colour'd Red and Blue which he bestow'd for New-years-Gifts upon the People of Paris Who being divided and wavering in their Affections applauded sometimes the Dauphin who made Speeches in publique to them then straightway wheel'd about to their Magistrate whom they judged to be honest in his designs and anon they became indifferent to either Year of our Lord 1358 For the third time the Estates were called together at Paris the Dauphin designing to make himself Master of them drew some Forces about the Town the Navarrois had some likewise who kept the Field This troublesome neighbourhood did greatly incommode the City of Paris and all that lay neer it Marcel cast the fault upon the Dauphin and he discharged himself and laid it on the Navarrois Upon this brangle a Partisan of Marcels named Perrin Macé a Changer belonging to the Treasury Massacred John Baillet Treasurer of France and the Deed being done retired into the Church St. James de la Boucherie The Dauphin commanded the Mareschal de Clermont John de Chaalons Seneschal of Champagne and the Prevost of Paris to drag him thence by force and put him into the hands of Justice They haled him out and the Prevost of Paris caused his Hand to be cut off and sent him to the Gibbet The Churches were then inviolable Sanctuaries the Clergy and People grew into heats because they had pluck'd a Criminal from the feet of the Altar and the Bishop of Paris Excommunicated those that had committed this attempt After this Marcel having armed Three thousand Trades-men who all wore those party-colour'd Hoods entred into the Palace where the Dauphin Lodged and caused those three Lords to be murther'd in his presence This was not all he compell'd him to own the Fact in an Assembly of the Estates which was held at the Augustins and in Parliament to suffer the Navarrois to return to the City and to give him Lands and great satisfaction for damages notwithstanding the other Cities refused to joyn with Paris in any thing otherwise then for the Kings service Year of our Lord 1358 After the Navarrois had remained for some time in Paris and thought he had well secur'd himself of them going forth again to give some Order touching his Affairs he was no sooner out of Town when the Dauphin to lose no time caused himself to be declared Regent by the Parliament After that
all Acts were passed in his name without any mention of the Kings the little Seal du Chastelet which they used in his absence was laid aside and they had a great Seal made purposely for the Regency He would be no longer at the mercy of the Parisians nor the general Estates he found it better to hold with particular ones those of Champagne at Vertus and those of Picardy at Compiegne consented to some Contributions The Parisians offended that they were despised endeavoured to seize upon the Posts about their City not being able to effect it they proceeded to enclose it with Walls from that part where the Bastille is even to the Wooden Tower near the Louvre filled up all their Gates towards the University excepting that called St. James's and from that Gate to that de Nesle caused Ditches to be made before the Walls for till this time they had not any Year of our Lord 1358 During this Anarchy the Nobility and other Men of the Sword exercised all manner of violence upon the poor Countrey people Those unfortunate wretches beaten plundred hunted like savage Beasts having for the most part no other places of retreat but Woods Caves and Boggs did like those hunted Beasts who being at the last gasp fly at the Greyhounds throats they muster'd together in great companies and were resolv'd to destroy all the Gentry This fury was begun in Beauvoisis and for their chief Leader they took one named Caillet a Peasant They called it La Jacquerie because the Gentlemen when they pillaged the Peasant called him in raillery Jacques bon homme Had the Citis joyned with these Rustiques there had been an end of the Nobility and Monarchique Government as well as in Swisserland but not one of them open'd their Gates for fear of being ransack'd they attempted divers to no purpose destroyed all the little Castles in the Countrey amongst the rest that of Beaumont upon Oyse and made themselves masters of Senlis but besides all this they committed so many more then brutish cruelties that the Nobility of all parties French English and Navarrois rallied themselves unanimously against them The King of Navarre defeated Caillets crew who being taken was beheaded The Dauphin cut off more then Twenty thousand and so this insurrection was quashed on a suddain In the time the Dauphin was gone towards Senlis having left the Earl of Foix in that part of the City of Meaux named le Marche the Parisians who were much concerned to secure that Key of the Marne sent out some Forces under the command of a Grocer to seize upon it The Mayor of Meaux open'd the Gates to them but as they were attacquing the Market the Earl sallied out with Horse and Foot and cut them all off The Grocer was slain the City sacaged and burnt the Mayor and some of the Citizens beheaded Year of our Lord 1358 Against his promise made to the Dauphin the Navarrois drew near to Paris and having conferr'd with Marcel at St. Ouin entred the City and harangued the People who declared him their General but the Nobility affronted to see him caresse them less then he did the Citizens forsook him and in an Assembly which was held at Compiegne promised the Dauphin all their assistance for the besieging of Paris The Factious party having notice of it engaged the University to go and beg their pardon of that Prince offering such satisfaction as he pleased saving their Lives and Honours to which not condescending unless they would deliver up to him Twelve of the principal Mutineers they united themselves together again as firmly as ever they possibly could and stuck close to the King of Navarre Year of our Lord 1358 The Dauphins friends having gotten some credit amongst the People of Paris insinuated a jealousie into their minds for that the King of Navarre had brought some English thither they massacred a great many of those strangers Marcel to save the remainder clapt them all in prison then let them make their escapes they retired to St. Denis from whence teey cruelly revenged the deaths of their compagnons upon all those of Paris that they could light upon The People whatever the Navarrois could urge in his florid Speeches against it forced both him and Marcel to lead them thither that they might make a final end of them but whether by the treachery of those two Commanders or otherwise the English drew them into an Ambuscade and slew above Six hundred of them in the night as they were returning home all in disorder Year of our Lord 1358 This bloody check redoubled their suspicions and the Peoples out-cries Marcel and his associates fearing to be at length deliver'd up to the Dauphin conspired to deliver up the City rather to the Navarrois by letting him one night into the Bastille But as the Dauphins friends had their Eyes and Ears in every corner one John Maillard and one Pepin des Essards who were the Chiefs contrived their business so well that having got their friends together just at the nick of time as Marcel was to put his plot in execution they kill'd both him and all those that accompany'd him before he could get the Gates open Year of our Lord 1358 His Corps were dragg'd thorough the Streets and his death attended with the Massacre the execution and the banishment of many of his friends amongst others Ronsac the Sheriff Josserand the King of Navarre's Treasurer and Caillard who had delived up the Castle of the Louvre all which lost their Heads in the place of Execution called the Greeve After this the face of Affairs was wholly changed the party-colour'd Hoods were thrown into the Fire and the Dauphin returned to Paris the Twenty fourth day of August Year of our Lord 1358 But the Navarrois fretted beyond all patience for the death of his Friends and his Officers protested he would never have peace with the Princes of the House of Valois nor did he any longer own them for Sovereigns In this heat he got his Forces together from every quarter sent to desie the Dauphin block'd up Paris both by Land and Water and called to his assistance the Captal de Buch and Robert Knolles an English Captain This Man notwithstanding the Truce made horrible depredations every where particularly in Auxerrois and in Champagne Now having been forced away from before Troyes by the Count de Vaudemont he came and joyned with the Navarrois in hopes to plunder Paris It was at this time they burnt the City of Montmorency which was none of the least as may be guess'd by its ruines while in the mean time Philip de Navarre ran about Picardy and made several attempts upon many Cities which all miscarried Year of our Lord 1359 The Dauphin durst not stir out of Paris for fear they should recall the Navarrois who had yet good store of friends remaining amongst them In the mean time as he could settle nothing in order in no part
Forces belonging to the Navarrois continued their Incursions in Normandy Year of our Lord 1365 it was believed they might be drawn from thence by a Diversion towards Navarre A League was therefore made with the King of Arragon his Capital Enemy who immediately fell with an Army into that Kingdom The Navarrois had the more apprehension because he knew that France was necessarily obliged to joyn with that Prince the King of England having made a League with Peter King of Castille an Eternal Enemy to the Arragonians Wherefore Captal de Buch and the rest of his Friends applied themselves with so much zeal that they made his peace with the King By this Treaty he renounced all his rights to Champagne and to Burgundy upon condition he should have the Lordship of Montpellier in Languedoc which was given him The Habits of Men of Quality and honest People dwelling in Cities was a long Gown and a Hood almost of the same fashion as the Monks sometimes they threw these back upon their Shoulders and made use of a Cap or Bonnet for their Heads Now luxury and folly had shortned their long Robe so much that their Thighs and the whole motions of their Bodies from their Reins was plainly Year of our Lord 1365 seen They had likewise brought in use a certain sort of Shoes the Toes whereof were turned up with a long neck they named them Poulenes and at their Heels a kind of Spurs The King by his Edicts banished these ridiculous Modes after the example of his Holiness who but a while before had by his Bulls condemned the dissoluteness of Apparel both in the one and the other Sex France could not rid her self of those droves of Robbers that knawed her to the Year of our Lord 1365 very bones The English tolerated them that they might have their help upon occasion and there were not Forces enough besides to suppress them Gueselin found out a way to carry them all off into Spain upon this occasion Alphonso XI King of Castille had had by his lawful Wife a Son named Peter who succeeded him and by a Mistress five Natural Sons the eldest of whom was called Henry and was Earl of Tristemare This Peter was rightly surnamed the Cruel and the Wicked for he shewed himself more a friend to the Alcoran then to the Gospel having alliance and amity with the Moorish Kings He overturned all the Laws and committed all the Injustice and Cruelties that Tyrants can commit He lived in publick Adultery with Mary de Padilla and had in Anno 1361. caused his Wife Blanch to be poyson'd who was Daughter to Peter Duke of Bourbon and Sister to the Queen of France a Princess as vertuous as fair after she had endured all the outrages imaginable for ten years together He put the Lady to death that had been his Fathers Mistress and shed the blood of the greatest in his Kingdom almost every day nor did he spare his own Brothers having Murthered Frederic one of the five who was Grand Master of St. James and often attempted against the lives of the other four Henry being thereâ—ore prompted by a just Resentment for the death of his Brother and his Mother and besides authoriz'd by the Law of Nature which allowed him to defend his life rose up against him with the greatest part of the Nation Leagued himself with the Arragonian and made War upon him for some time Year of our Lord 1365 His Cause in the beginning had not so much success as justice he was overmatch'd and worsted by the Tyrant and took shelter in France The King gave him protection the more willingly because it offer'd a fair occasion to employ his Soldiery It was thought fit for the better countenance of it to let John de Bourbon Count de la Marche Cousin German to the late Queen Blanch have the chief Command in appearance but for their true Conductor Bertrand du Gueselin who was delivered out of the hands of Chandois the Pope the King and Don Henry having paid down his Ransom Year of our Lord 1366 With these Forces and great numbers of the Nobility Volunteers even out of those Countries under the obedience of the English the Count de la Marche and Gueselin carried Henry back into Spain The Pope fearing this Army might approach near Avignon sent them Two hundred thousand Livers with Indulgences The King of Arragon gave them passage and the Dutchy of Borgiae to Gueselin and before they entred upon Castille they regained all those places Peter had taken from him and put them honestly again into his hands Upon the arrival and sight of Henry all the Nobles of Castille excepting one single Knight abandoned the Tyrant They all cry'd out Long live King Henry and open'd their Gates to him in a word he was Crowned at Burgos about the end of March. That done he liberally rewarded with Estates in Lands all such as had follow'd him and thinking himself secure upon the Tyrants flight he discharged the most part of his Forces who would have lain too heavy on his new Subjects reserving only Fifteen hundred Lances with Gueselin and Bernard Bastard of the Count de Foix. Year of our Lord 1366 The Tyrant made his escape first towards Portugal but the King of that Country having refused to allow him any retreat there he got into Galicia and from thence by Sea to Bayonne to implore the assistance of the Prince of Wales The jealousie that Prince had for the fame of du Gueselin made him give an ear to his supplications he promised to restore him and to act Personnally in the Employment To this end he retains the Gascon Lords and the same Companies that had served du Gueselin who were disbanded by Henry but the Arragonian keeping the passages shut and well guarded they could not get to him but with a great deal of difficulty Year of our Lord 1367 There was no other way but by Navarre King Charles the Bad having made a League with either Party found himself perplexed In the end he leans towards the Tyrant and gives him passage and three hundred Lances Whilst he was wavering betwixt both Parties and endeavoured to delude them both he was made Prisoner by Oliver de Mauny who held the Castle of Borgia upon that Frontier It was imagin'd he had contriv'd it so himself to keep his Faith with Henry but Oliver treated him as a real Prisoner and got a good Ransom from him When Henry knew that his Enemies had taken the City of Navarrette he came to meet them and instead of stopping their passage and hindring their having Provisions brought to them which he might easily have done being above three times more numerous then they he gave them Battle This was the Fourth of April between Nagera and Navarrette but he lost it through the Cowardize of his Brother Teilo who betook himself to flight upon the first Charge Gueselin was made Prisoner with the Mareschal d'Endreghen and some
kept the Field some time but being less crafty he fell into an Ambuscade near Alexandria and was wounded to death after which his whole Army was dispersed and dwindled to nothing Year of our Lord 1392 The great desire the two Kings Charles and Richard had to joyn their Forces against the Turks brought the Duke of Lancaster to a Conference with King Charles at Amiens but the Propositions were so high on the English side that the result at last was only a Truce for a year The more the authority of the Constable and his three dependants was confirmed the more grievous was their power to the People The King's Uncles fretted and grew enrag'd the Clergy betraid by some of the Chief of their own Body were on the brink of losing their immunities had not the University from whom they were also taking away all their Priviledges bestirr'd themselves and put a stop to all School-Exercises and Preaching When they observed that all Foreigners went away from Paris and that such an Interdiction made a great noise all over Europe even those that had undertaken the ruine of that Body would needs have the honour of procuring them an Audience of the King who did them justice upon their Complaints The Support and Priviledges the Kings ever since the time of Lewis the Gross had granted to this famous University the Mother of all the rest that are in Europe the infinite numbers of Students that came thither from the remotest Countreys the strict adherence of the whole Clergy to them to whom they were a Nursery and Seminary and the Authority their Faculty of Divinty had acquired to judge of Doctrine and Matters thereto relating had rendred them so considerable that in times of confusion they were called to consult in all Affairs of Importance if not they took upon them to make Remonstrances and knew how to oblige others to follow them Year of our Lord 1392 Peter de Craon was notoriously guilty of the loss of Lewis Duke of Anjou his Lord the Duke of Berry had threatned to have him hang'd for it yet he was no less regarded at Court where the splendor of Birth and Riches easily covers baseness and crimes It hapned that he fell into disgrace with the Duke of Orleans he fancied the Constable had done him that ill Office he resolved upon revenge and one Evening the Thirteenth of June as he was coming from the King Assassinates him in St. Catherines street being assisted by Twenty Russians whom he had gotten together in his House He alterwards easily escaped out of Paris the Gates having been always left open ever since the Constable had caused them to be taken down upon his return from Flanders These wounds did not prove the death of the Constable but they were the ruine of Craon Three of the Murtherers being discover'd and taken were beheaded his Goods confiscated and given to the Duke of Orleans his House turned into a Churchyard for St. John's in Greve and his stately Seats in the Countrey demolished He could save nothing but his Person by flying to the Duke of Bretagne who kept him carefully conceal'd Some years after the King granted his Pardon upon the request of the Duke of Orleans When the Constable began to recover of his wounds both those that were his friends and such as were no way concerned called earnestly upon the King to punish this attempt There was upon this Command sent to the Duke to deliver up the Assassin he denies him to be in that Countrey the Ministers exasperate the King and perswade him to march towards Bretagne to destroy the Duke In vain did his Unclâ—s urge that this was but a private quarrel which ought to be legally determined by the ordinary ways and methods of Justice and that it was against the common Rights of Mankind to fall upon the Duke of Bretagne before he was proved Guilty or Condemned they could not alter that Resolution Year of our Lord 1392 Marching in the Sun-shine and great heats of weather in August his Brain already much weakned with the debauchery of his youth was discomposed with black and noxious vapours Two unexpected but frightful objects heightned and hastned his phrensy One day as he was going out of Manse passing thorough a Wood there came forth a tall black fellow all weather-beaten and ragged who laid hold of his Horses Bridle bawling out Stop King Whither goest thou thou art betray'd then vanish'd Soon after a Page who carried a Lance sleeping on horseback let it fall upon a Helmet which another carried before him At this shrill noise and the sight of the posture of the Lance the Apparition or Fantasme and its threatnings came fresh into his mind his Fancy was disturbed he imagines they were going to deliver him up to his enemy and believed all those that were about him to be Traitors This puts him into a violent fit of Fury he runs strikes kills without Rime or Reason till he fell into a Swoon They carry him bound in a Chariot back to Manse Witchcrafts and Poysonings were so frequent in those days that it was believed his malady proceeded from some such Cause The third day he recover'd his Sences and by little and little his Strength which was attributed to the publick Prayers made for him but not the full vigor of his understanding In this disorder his Uncle resumed the Government conducted him back to Paris seized upon the three Citizen Favourites who having undergone three Months imprisonment with the continual fear of being led to execution as was threatned were set at liberty by the Kings Command who ordered the greatest part of their Goods to be restored but declared them for ever incapable of holding any Office-Royal The Constable was so fortunate as to make his escape to his own Countrey in Bretagne where he most bravely defended himself against the Duke by the assistance of the Duke of Orleans and the rest of his friends The Princes gave his Office to Philip of Artois Earl of Eu. All Offices being as then but Commissions which were revocable Year of our Lord 1390 Vrban the Pope of Rome died in the Month of October Anno 1389. Boniface IX succeeded him this Pope shewed himself to be very much inclined to re-unite the Church dispatched a Frier to Clement to consult of some method to bring it about Clement puts him in prison but the University exclaimed so that he released him Clament was therefore compell'd to feign that he had a desire to put an end to that Schism But when the University had declared it was impossible to be effected without the renunciation of both Competitors he and the Duke of Berry who took his part highly broke off the Proposition But they could never stop the mouth of that Mother of all Learning and Piety from crying out against that scandal which so afflicted the whole Church Year of our Lord 1393 The 29th of January at the Nuptials of a Lady
to be carried in Bennets Artifice and his Money had gained some of the Grandees who contrived this for him Year of our Lord 1398 The Earl of Perigord Archambauld Taleyrand tormenting the Countrey with the help of the English to whom he had ally'd himself and especially the City of Perigueux which belonged to the King was forced in his Castle of Montagnac brought to the Parliament and condemned to death The King gave him pardon for his life but bestowed his forfeited Estate upon the Duke of Orleans Archambauld de Grailly Captal de Buch having a Right to the Earldom of Foix as having married the Sister of Earl Matthew dead without Children got into possession of it by the Sword The King would not endure this because he was a Vassal Year of our Lord 1399 to the English and from Father to Son very affectionate to that party He therefore sent the Mareschal de Sancerre who pursued him so close that he was compell'd to desire a Cessation during which he came to the King and submitted himself to the judgment of the Parliament giving up in the mean time his two Sons in Hostage The Parliament declared in his favour conditionally he would relinquish the English and the King put him in possession This was in the year 1400. Year of our Lord 1399 Constantinople was invested by the Turks and in the greatest danger Pera which is as the Suburbs to it and from whence they fetched all their Provisions was very likely to be taken It belonged to the Seignory of Genoa the Mareschal de Boucicaut going thither with only Twelve hundred Men secured it and by consequence the City After he had disengaged all the parts round about and made the Turks retire whom he worsted in several Rencounters his Pay and Soldiers failing him he came into France to sollicite for a greater reinforcement bringing the Emperour along with him leaving the Lord de Chasteaumoran in Constantinople to defend it The discords in the Court of England caused by the ill Government of Richard and the ambition of his Uncles ended in a most Tragical Catastrophe Henry Earl of Derby became Duke of Lancaster by the death of his Father puts King Richard prisoner in the Tower of London Deposed him by the Authority and Consent of Parliament who degraded and condemned him to a perpetual imprisonment Then he took the Crown the Eighteenth day of October and was anointed with a Holy Oyl which some English say was brought by the Virgin Mary to St. Thomas of Canterbury whilst he took refuge in France This Ampoulle or Bottle that contains the Oyl is of Lapis and on the top stands a Golden Eagle enriched with Pearls and Diamonds Notwithstanding this Unction some while afterwards he gives way to the out-cries of the People who demanded that the unfortunate King might be strangled The London Citizens held Richard in execration because he had deliver'd up Brest and Cherbourg to the French The Duke of Bretagne who enjoy'd some repose after the many traverses which Year of our Lord 1399 had disturbed him from his Infancy died the First day of November in the Castle of Nantes He left his Children to the custody not of his Wife Jean of Navarre but of the Duke of Burgundy and Oliver de Clisson who alone were able to trouble them He had three John Arthur and Giles In the Month of November of this year 1399. a Comet was seen of an extraordinary brightness and darting its train towards the West It appeared only for one weeks time and was by Prognosticators held as a sign of those great Revolutions Year of our Lord 1399 that hapned all Chistendom over especially in the Kingdom of Naples and the Empire Lewis of Anjou had peaceably enough enjoy'd the better part of the Kingdom of Year of our Lord 1399 Sicilia when Thomas de Sanseverin Duke de Venousia offended for that he did not conclude upon the Marriage of his Brother Charles Earl of Mayne with his Daughter made him odious to the Neopolitans and introduced Lancelot and his Mother into the City where he was Crowned King and invested by the Pope of Rome So that Lewis having only some Castles left returned into France to crave assistance The Electors could no longer endure the Vices and brutish drunkenness of Year of our Lord 1400 Wenceslaus they degraded him and in his stead elected Henry Duke of Brunswic a generous Prince and great Captain and this Henry being basely assassinated upon his return from the Diet by the Count of Waldeck they substituted Robert Duke of Bavaria and Count Palatine who was of the Electoral Colledge The Duke of Milan fearing left he might dispossess him shout up all the passages and hindred him from going to take the Imperial Crown at Rome and Sigismund King of Bohemia having procured himself to be chosen Guardian to Wenceslaus his Brother under this Title made many of the German Princes of his party who adhered to the House of Luxemburgh or rather made this a colourable pretence to avoid the owning any Sovereign Year of our Lord 1400 This year 1400. the Court of France received Emanuel II. Emperour of Greece who came to give the King thanks for his assistance and to crave more help of him He met with all manner of good Entertainment but nothing else unless it were an annual Pension for his subsistence He remained almost two years in France at the and whereof news being brought of the defeat and taking of Bajazeth by Themir-Lanc the King lent him the Lord of Chasteaumorand with two hundred Men at Arms and gave him a sum of Moneyto re-conduct him to Constantinople There was not any thing of advantage presented it self which the Duke of Orleans did not embrace with passion he undertook the quarrel of degraded Wenceslaus Year of our Lord 1401 and raised a good force to restore him but being informed of the ruine of his whole party he came back again The desire to Rule and ambition for Government grew hotter every day betwixt him and the Duke of Burgundy Twice had they displaced each other from that advantageous Post and besides the Burgundian resented it highly that the Duke of Orleans would have the Duke of Bretagne to be thrust out of all who was his Wives Cousin-german and his own surest friend The frequent punctillo's between their Wives exasperated them more than their own true interests the Duke of Burgundy's being the elder Heiress of a vast Estate and sprung from very Noble Blood despising the other who in truth had been much beneath her had she not been considered as Wife of the Kings only Brother Year of our Lord 1401. and 2. The Duke of Orleans had then the upper hand and was seized of the management of Affairs the Burgundian could not quit his part both the one and the other got their friends together and Paris was surrounded with Soldiers The Orleannois had called in the Duke of Guelders with Five hundred
the Fortunate Islands a little Island which they named Madera because it was full of Wood or Materials fit for building From thence steering along the exteriour coasts of Africa they there discover'd several large Countries and in time sailed to the East-Indies which till then were unknown at least those parts towards the Sea Pope Martin and after him his Successors bestowed upon the Portugals all those Lands by them discover'd or to be discover'd from the Cape which lies at the end of Mount Atlas to the Indies When the King of England had sojourned some weeks at Paris he laid Siege to the City of Meaux the only place the Dauphin had left upon the Rivers of Seine and Year of our Lord 1420 Marne After a three Months brave defence the Besieged capitulated the ninth of May the Inhabitants had their lives and liberties but all the Soldiers were sent Prisoners to divers places where they let them cruelly perish for hunger The Bailiff named Lewis de Gas had his Head cut off in the Halles at Paris The City taken King Henry went into England to draw over a new supply of Men and Money So great was the fondness of the French for the Conquest of the Kingdom of Naples that Lewis Duke of Anjou forgetting those disasters of his Father and Grandfather and abandoning his own Country to the mercy of the English suffers himself to be cajolled by the promises of the Pope and Sforza who called him to dispossess Queen Jane a Princess lost in her Reputation by her continual Galantries Year of our Lord 1421 or Amours The Affairs of Lewis being in a pretty good posture in that Country Alphonso King of Arragon who held the Island of Sicilia undertakes the protection of Jane she having adopted him her Son Sforza does reconcile himself to her and in a word there was nothing left for the poor Angevin but the way to walk home again Year of our Lord 1421 One of the first seeds of division between the English and the Duke of Burgundy was about Jacqueline Countess of Hainault Holland Zealand and Friseland After the death of John Dauphin of France they had Married her to John Duke of Brabant Son of Anthony and Cousin German to Duke Philip but the young Gossip not being satisfied with her second Husband a Man of little merit prosecuted for a Divorce and consederated with some Captains to carry her away as it were by force into England where she Married Humphrey Duke of Gloucester Brother of King Henry This undertaking turned much to the contempt of Philip who besides observed that the English began to treat him with more pride and endeavour'd so to settle their affairs as they might have no further need of him Year of our Lord 1421 The War was very hot in every Province on this side the Loire particularly in Champagne Picardy and in the Countries of Perche Maine and Anjou The Duke of Clarence Brother to King Henry having got together eight or ten thousand Men went and besieged Bauge in Anjou John Earl of Bouchain a Scot and the Mareschal de la Fayette marched to its relief gave him battle and won it He was slain upon the place with two thousand of his Men the rest escaped through the Country of Mayne into Normandy This Earl of Bouchain had brought three or four thousand Men from his own Country to the Dauphins service in recompence he gave him the Constables Sword Year of our Lord 1421 The Field being clearly left to the French the Dauphin accompanied with his new Constable and the Duke of Alenson regained some places in the Countries of Perche and the Chartrain In the mean time Henry being come back from England with a great reinforcement and in a rage and fury for the defeat and death of his Brother did endeavour all that was possible to meet with the Dauphin He marched by Chartres and Chasteaudun lodged in the Suburbs of Orleans and not meeting him in the Field but a violent Dysentery that took off three thousand of his Men he falls upon the City of Dreux which being surrendred upon Composition he goes to rest himself at Paris and sends over his Queen who was great with Child to be deliver'd in England Year of our Lord 1421 Whilst he lay at the Siege of Dreux an honest Hermit unknown to him came and told him the great evils he brought upon Christendom by his unjust ambition who usurped the Kingdom of France against all manner of right and contrary to the will of God wherefore in his holy name he threatned him with a severe and suddain punishment if he desisted not from his Enterprise Henry took this exhortation either for an idle whimsey or a suggestion of the Dauphinois and was but the more confirmed in his design Year of our Lord 1422 But the blow soon followed the threatning for within some few Months after he was smitten in the Fundament with a strange and incurable Disease the acuteness of its pain made him go to Senlis to seek for cure The Queen his Wife was a while before this returned out of England having brought forth a Son to whom they gave the same name as his Fathers Both she and her Husband made their entry with great splendour into Paris and kept open Court at the Louvre upon the Feast of Pentecost each Crowned with their Royal Diadems but the People that went to see the Ceremony had cause to regret regret the liberalities of their ancient Kings and detest the niggardliness or pride of the English who gave them none of their good Cheer nor did vouchsafe to profer them one Glass of Wine The Dauphin in the mean time had besieged the City of Cosne on the Loire and the place had capitulated to surrender if they were not relieved by a prefixed day with an Army able to give them battle The Duke of Burgundy got a great number of Men to go thither the Dauphin being informed of his march did not think fit to stay for him but raised his Siege Year of our Lord 1422 The King of England though already indisposed was gotten into his Litter that he might be present at this memorable Action While he was at Melun his distemper encreased so much that he could proceed no further but made them bring him back to Vincennes where he died the eight and twentieth day of August He had only one Son who was named Henry he left him to the education of the Cardinal of Winchester his Uncle who bred him in England gave the Government of that Kingdom to the Duke of Gloucester and the Regency of the Kingdom of France to John Duke of Bedford to whom he recommended above all things to give content to the Duke of Burgundy never to make any Peace with the Dauphin unless Normandy were yielded to be left in full Soveraignty to the English and not to release those Prisoners that were taken at the Battle of Azincour till his Son were
honour Those were the four heads of her Accusation but which they proved very ill as being unable to make out any thing clearly against her but only that she cloathed her self in the habit of a Man and had taken up Arms which they imputed a Crime because said they that change of habit stained the modsty of her Sex and flatly contradicted the express command of God against it Peter Cauchon Bishop of Beauvais in whose Bishoprick she was taken the Vicar to the Inquisition some Doctors in Divinity and Canon Law were her Judges the Chapter of Rouen during the vacancy of the See lending them place After divers captious interrogatories they condemned her to perpetual imprisonment the bread of sorrow and bitter water of affliction but the English not being satisfied with moderate injustice pressed them so earnestly that some days afterwards they said she had relapsed in putting on the Habit of a Man again Excommunicated her and delivered her over to the Secular Power who burnt her alive the Thirtieth day of May in the Market place of Rouen Being on the Pile of Faggots she foretold the English that the hand of God was lifted up to strike them and that his Justice would not only drive them out of France but pursue them even into England and make them suffer the same calamities and mischiefs they had inflicted on the French It is related that her heart was found entire amongst the ashes and that a milk white Dove was observed to fly out of the midst of the flames a token of her innocency and her purity Year of our Lord 1431 Charles Duke of Lorrain died in the year 1430. without any Male Children There was a debate for the succession between Antony Earl of Vaudemont his Brother who pretended that Dutchy was Masculine and Rene d'Anjou already Duke of Bar who had Married Isabella who was but the third Daughter of Duke Charles but the two elder had renounced the Dutchy The Burgundian in hatred to the House of Anjou the capital Enemy to his and the Duke of Savoy his Allie assisted Antony and fortune was kind to him in the Battle that was fought between Bullegueville and Neufchastel in Lorrain For Rene's Army was totally routed Lord Bazan a great Soldier slain and Rene taken and led away to Dijon to the Duke of Burgundy who detained him till the year 1437. Year of our Lord 1431 After the death of the Pucelle the English Affairs went still worse and worse To remedy this they brought their young King to Paris and Crowned him with a double Crown in Nostre-Dame the Twenty seventh of November and withal the better to retain the Duke of Burgundy who was ready to start from them they confirmed the donation of the Countries of Brie and Champagne to him Year of our Lord 1431 The Lord de la Trimouille made ill use still of his favour and interest against the Constable and the rest of the Lords One day he being with the King at the Castle of Chinon they by confederacy brought two hundred Men in thither who took him in his Bed gave him a wound in the Belly and led him Prisoner to the Castle of Montresor The Queen her self consented to it and therefore soon appeased the King and that his fancy which never could be satisfied without some particular favourite might not be left unfurnished she helped Charles of Anjou Earl of Mayne to gain the Kings good will and more then ordinary kindness La Trimou I le was not set free till he deliver'd up the City of Touars which he had usurped and the King in an Assembly of the Estates at Tours owned all that had been done in respect to him Year of our Lord 1431 By vertue of what had been ordained at Pavia by the Council and the Pope the Council of Basle began this year upon the Three and twentieth of July under Engenius IV. who newly succeeded to Martin V. There was never any good correspondence between him and the Fathers of this holy Assembly For if on their part the Fathers at the very first gave him to understand that they would put some curb to his Authority by stoutly maintaining that ancient rule That the Council is above the Pope he on his part made them know that his greatest desire was to dismiss or dissolve them But as he could not so suddenly do it because the Emperor upheld them he was obliged to confirm the Council after two years of Controversies Year of our Lord 1431 32 33 and the following The War was carried in all the Provinces of France with various success but very feebly Do not wonder to see it languish in this manner for seven or eight years together the weakness of both Parties was the cause thereof they wanting Money could set no great Armies on foot Add to this the weakness of the two Kings Henry of England for his minotity and Charles of France for the easiness of his mind still held in leading-strings by his Favourites and Mistresses Year of our Lord 1431 The Twenty fourth of November in the year 1431. Lewis of Anjou King of Naples died at Cosenza in Calabria without any Issue The Second of February the year following Queen Joan or Jane ended her life also and left Rene the Brother of Lewis to inherit her Kingdom The Pope confirmed this Institution but as Rene was yet a Prisoner to the Duke of Burgundy Alphonso King of Arragon had full leisure to seize upon the Kingdom In this Jane ended the first Branch of Anjou which had produced above thirty other Sprigs furnished Hungary and Poland with Kings and lasted near two hundred years Year of our Lord 1434 Ame VIII Duke of Savoy wearied with the noise and perplexity of Soveraignty had made his retreat to the delicious Hermitage built by himself at Ripailles and taken on the habit of a Hermit with two more Gentlemen his Confidents having resigned his Estates to Charles his Son Earl of Geneva whom he had Married some years before to Anne Daughter of Janus King of Cyprus Year of our Lord 1435 Amongst an infinite number of petty Combats hapning within these two or three years I do not meet with any that was considerable but that of Gerbroy a little City near Beauvais Saintraille and la Hyre had undertaken to fortifie it and the English to hinder them These although three times more in number were beaten the Earl of Arundel their Achilles mortally wounded with a Culverin Shot in his Heel and eight hundred of their Men left dead upon the place Year of our Lord 1434 and 35. The earnest intreaties of the Council and the Pope to the Duke of Burgundy did at length incline his good nature to shew his just resentment and to take pitty of the miseries of France His Treaty had been first begun and rough drawn by Ame Duke of Savoy who in the year 1423. had mediated a Truce between the King and him for the Dutchies of
on all hands crying out a la queue Many had their Brains beaten out in the Streets the rest escaped to the Bastille where they made composition All the little Neighbouring Forts were an Accessory to this Reduction In the Month of August following the King recalled the Parliament the Chambre des Comptes and the University thither The English had declared themselves Enemies to the Duke of Burgundy by all Acts of Hostility upon his Countreys and by underhand-dealings to stir his Subjects up to Rebellion in those days very much knit to and concerned for England as well by Commerce and Trade as out of a real hatred they had towards the French He would therefore needs revenge himself by taking of Calais which he esteemed no great difficulty and laid Siege to it with a numerous Army In the midst of this Enterprize the Flemmings finding it spin out to a great length fell into an imagination that they were betray'd and herding together in several small parcels on a suddain made up all their packs in great confusion leaving their Provisions and Artillery behind for want of Waggons to carry them off All that their Duke could possibly do for them was to cover them with his Cavalry leâ—t the English should have charged them and after that to follow them The Duke of Gloucester who had sent word that he was coming to give him Battle not finding him there entred into Flanders where he increased their former jealousie by his burning all those places he came near Year of our Lord 1437 It was impossible for Rene of Anjou to obtain his liberty of the Duke of Burgundy without paying him an extraordinary Ransom yielding up several places and consenting to a Marriage between his eldest Daughter whose name was Yoland as then but nine years old and Ferry eldest Son of Anthony Earl of Vaudemont the means whereby Lorrain returned to the Males of that House Year of our Lord 1437 In the interim they carried the King into Lyonnois and Dauphine to make Moneys in those Countries and the following year he went even to Languedoc for the same end Upon his return he laid Siege to Montereau Faut-yonne which submitted not till after a long resistance From thence he came to make his entrance into his good City of Year of our Lord 1437 Paris the fourth of November and then he might truly call himself King of France having replanted his Throne in the capital City of his Kingdom Year of our Lord 1438 These long and tedious Wars did necessarily produce great licentiousness and daily Robberies The Soldiers not being paid lived at discretion and the extream scarcity of all things rendred them most inhumane There were divers Bands commanded even by the Kings best Officers who under colour of seeking for subsistence ran from Province to Province rifling all they could lay lands on Those called Escorcheurs and then the Redondeurs committed strange disorders By these ravages the flight of the Husbandmen and Peasants who neither ploughed nor sowed and the continual Rains during two years 1437 and 38. ensued a great Famine and then a horrible Mortality over all France especially at Paris and its Neighbourhood That City was so depopulated the Wolves came and devoured Children even in the midst of the Street St. Anthoine They were forced that they might rid themselves of those Beasts greedy of humane Flesh to make Proclamation that any one should have twenty Solz a piece for every head of a Wolfe they brought to the Magistrate Pope Eugenius and the Council of Basil were imbroiled to that height that Eugenius declared the Council dissolved and called another to Ferrara and on the other hand the Prelats that were at Basil having summon'd him divers times to come thither began to think of deposing him with the greater confidence for that the Most Christian King seemed then to favour them having forbid the Prelats of the Gallican Church from going to Ferrara Year of our Lord 1438 This Discord in the end turned to a Schism he that might have extinguisht it hapning to die I mean the Emperor Sigismond who ended his days in Moravia the Eighth of November 1437. Albertus Duke of Austria his Son in Law succeeded him in the Kingdoms of Hungary and Bohemia and the year following in the Empire by the suffrages of the Electors The Clergy of France ever since the translation of the Holy See to Avignon had suffered infinite oppressions by the Court of Rome And therefore the King having assembled them at Bourges to find out some way to reconcile the Pope to the Council who had each sent their Legats they embraced the opportunity which they could never have since the Council of Constance and made their remonstrances touching those insupportable abuses The King desiring to provide against it order'd them to apply the most convenient remedies To this end by advice of his Council they framed that so celebrated Reglement called the Pragmatique which preventing any the like Enterprizes of the Court of Rome might well be termed the Bulwark of the Gallican Church Year of our Lord 1439 Eugenius transferr'd his Council of Ferrara to Florence where they treated concerning the uniting the Greek to the Latine Church their Emperor John VI. assisting with a good number of his most illustrious Prelats But in the mean while those who were assembled at Basil though reduced to a small number and not well agreed amongst themselves deposed Eugenius and elected Ame VIII Duke of Savoy who had retired himself as was before related to the solitude of Ripaille France Germany and most part of the West paid their obedience to him during the life of Eugenius but after his death all of them almost turned to Nicholas V. Two years after Rene was delivered from captivity he went into his Kingdom of Naples where according to the example of his Predecessors his entrance was very happy but his exit very different Year of our Lord 1439 The Siege of Meaux by the Constable although long and full of difficulty succeeded happily for the French but that of Auranches in the Lower Normandy being ill managed by the same Person and the Duke of Alenson brought them nothing but shame the English having made them raise it and taken part of their Bagage and their Ammunition At the Sollicitation of the Dutchess of Burgundy and the Popes Legats a great Conference was held between Graueline and Calais the Deputies of France England and those of Burgundy meeting to treat about a Peace The English not receding from that Condition that Normandy and their other Conquests should be left to them in full Soveraignty they parted without doing any thing in it Year of our Lord 1440 The King by inclination was well enough disposed for the good of his Country and we observe that from this very time even to the Reign of Henry II. the Kings did often and willingly make use of this term The Publick Concerns of Our
Kingdom This year he held a great Assembly of Notables and Deputies of the Lords of the Estates at Orleans where it was resolved that a Peace should be endeavoured without which all designs for reformation would be useless and indeed impossible and that in the mean while the Souldiery should be all reduced into Companies established and well regulated every Gentdarm to three Horses who should be paid every Month. Before this they had seven or eight and a great number of Roguy-boys who devoured all the Country where-ever they passed Year of our Lord 1440 This reform could not be pleasing to the Grandees nor Captains who grew fat by eating up the People whose misery was their happiness They interrupted it by a dangerous Commotion which was named La Praguerie The Dukes of Alenson Bourbon Vendosme the Bastard of Orleans and divers others had a hand in it They complained that the King allowed no share in his Government but to three or four private Persons and thereupon entred into a League against his Ministers La Trimouille who was in disgrace joyned also with them that so he might by any means whatever be brought into play again at Court Year of our Lord 1440 The Conspiracy being made the Duke of Alenson hies to Niort to debauch the Dauphin who was his Godson aged but Sixteen years but Married already to Marguerit Daughter of James I. King of Scotland and turned away the Count de Perdriac his Governor and all those the King had placed about him The King ran immediately to quench this new lighted Fire after he had well provided his Frontiers against any attempts of the English he takes the Field accompanied with his Constable the Earls de la Marche and Dunois whom he had drawn off from that League with eight hundred Men at Arms and three thousand others He pursued the Leagued so smartly into Poitou and from Poitou into Bourbonnois taking all the places where they thought to stand at Bay and make Head that they were forced to give up his Son to him and come and beg his pardon on their knees Year of our Lord 1440 A marvellous change Charles Duke of Orleans who was detained Prisoner in England for five and twenty years was delivered from captivity by that hand from which he had the least hopes in the world to expect it It was by Philip Duke of Burgundy who desiring to put a final end to the mortal quarrel between his Family and that of Orleans by a principle of goodness as generous as it was politique contrived the deliverance of this Prince and helped him to pay his Ransom which was three hundred thousand Crowns These two Princes by a sincere and cordial Reconciliation quenched the mortal Enmities their Fathers had begot Philip received Charles with great honour in his Year of our Lord 1440 City of Graveline the Twentieth of November gave him his Order of the Fleece and accepted the Order of the Porcupine from him Moreover Charles Married his Niece Daughter of his Sister and of Adolph first Duke of Cleves In fine each strove to shew the other all the marks and tokens of the most sincere and perfect amity Amongst the Mareschals of France there was one Giles Lord de Raiz of an illustrious House and very valiant but a great squanderer of Wealth whose mind was so depraved that he addicted himself to all sorts of Vice and Sins both against God and Nature entertaining Sorcerers and Enchanters to find out Treasures and corrupting young Boys and Girls whom he afterwards Murther'd that he might have their Blood to compound his Charm and Spells This being a publick Scandal he was put into the hands of Justice the Bishop of Nantes made his Process the Seneschal of Renes Judge-General of that Country assistant the Cause being of a mixt nature He was condemned to be burnt alive in the Field of Nantes The Duke was present at his Execution but mitigating the Sentence he permitted them first to strangle him and then to bury his Body not much consumed by the Flames I think I do remember in his Process that there was some Crime of State against the Duke who was glad he had this occasion to revenge that offence in punishing those hainous offences against Almighty God Year of our Lord 1441 The King had laid Siege before Pontoise which charge the Parisians were to defray The City having been re-victualled three or four times by Talbot the honour of the English Commanders his heart seemed to fail and he withdrew to Poissy but observing this retreat despicable he courageously returns commanded a general assault and by his presence so animated his People that he carried it by main strength That done he went to clear all the Country of Poitou and Angoulmois of those Robbers that infested them and to effect this he turned all the pilfering Captains out of their places and put honest Men in their steads Returning thence he came to keep his Court at Limoges during the Feast of Pentecost where he received the Duke of Orleans and his Wife and gave him 160000 Franc's towards the payment of his Ransom and six thousand Livers Pension From thence he went to Gascongne saved Tartas which had Capitulated to surrender to the English if they were not relieved by a prefix'd day He presented himself Year of our Lord 1442 before the place on the Eve of St. John's day with so considerable an Army that the Enemy durst not appear St. Sever was forced Dacqs compounded so did Marmande and la Reole But so soon as the King had but turned his back the English by correspondence regained Dacqs and St. Sever. The King spent the Winter at Montauban Year of our Lord 1442 which was so sharp that all the Rivers in that Country were frozen up and kept the Soldiers in their quarters not able to stir abroad Year of our Lord 1442 Whilst he was there he secured himself of the succession to the Earldom of Cominges Matthew de Foix had for his fourth Wife Married Jean who was the Countess of it As she was very aged and had no Children by him he kept her Prisoner in a Castle to compel her to make a donation of all she had to him The King having received the good old Womans complaint fails not to take this advantage for himself and at the same price delivers her and brings her into his Court. Year of our Lord 1443 Dying shortly after in Poitiers the Earl of Armagnac who had at his second Marriage wedded a Daughter of hers by another Husband seized upon her Lands He did not hold them long the Dauphin Lewis going into that Country ensnared him with fair words and clapt him in Prison as also his Wife and his Children The Earl of Foix by his intercession got him out again but not without much trouble and a surrender of all the Lands he had usurped Year of our Lord 1443 The Eight and twentieth of the Month of August John V.
his Councel to hearken to an accommodation The procedure of the Burgundian who had made them expect too long and which was worse the double persidious dealing of the Constable and the approaching Winter they having no one place to shelter themselves in gave them a plausible pretence to do so In few days the Deputies for the two Kings agreed upon conditions It was a Merchandized Truce for nine years the Burgundian and the Breton to be comprized if they would 73000 Crowns of Gold ready Money for the English and the Marriage of his Daughter with the Dauphin for whose maintenance King Lewis would allot the Revenue of Guyenne for nine years or 50000 Crowns ayear which should be carried to the Tower of London to the King of England Year of our Lord 1475 When the Duke had notice of what was treating he came in great hast he being the Sixteenth of his Company to find Edward He spake loud he thundred and braved him But neither his fury nor his reproaches having done good he turned short home again The Truce agreed whilst the Kings were to sign the Treaty the King of England came with his Army to lodge within half a League of Amiens The King sent him 300 Waggons laden with the best Wines and gave order they should permit as many English as desired to come into Amiens and that nothing should be spared to make them welcome Which lasted three or four days It was afterwards resolved the two Kings should have an enterview on a Bridge which was erected at Pequigny upon the Somme with a Barriere grated betwixt them And there they ratified the Peace the 29 th of August That done the King of England with all the Lords of his Retinue repassed the Sea very well satisfied with the good Wines and the sine French Gold there having been 16000 Crowns distributed in Pensions amongst such as had most Credit with their King The Burgundian shewed himself a little refractory till in the Month of October he accepted of a Truce In the mean time his Choler discharged it self upon the young Rene Duke of Lorrain whom he stripp'd of his Dukedom all but Nancy which defended it self above two Months Then the Constable who thought to have plaid upon all the three Princes promising to each of them his Town of St. Quentins found himself exposed as the Butt for all three to Shoot at and unhappily for him his Wife who was Sister to the Queen hapned to Die This Lord so powerful who wanted neither for Servants nor Money nor strong Holds wanted both Courage and Brain all of a sudden and fearing all the World durst not Trust any one In fine he retired into the Burgundians Country whom he guessed the most exorable and who in effect gave him security to go thither He was no sooner gone out of St. Quentin but the King Seized it and gave notice of it to the Burgundian Summoning him to deliver up that Infidel in Exchange of that place conformably to an Article of the Truce between them The Burgundian was then before Nancy which was necessary for him to keep Lorrain in awe and to joyn the Low-Country to the Dutchy and County of Burgundy For fear therefore lest the King should disturb him in that Conquest he caused the Constable to be Seized at Mons whence he was transferr'd to Peronne and ordered his People to deliver him but not till a certain day remote enough in which time he believed he should take Nancy and then promised himself by that space he might revoke his order But the place defended it self so well that he could not master it within the said time and nevertheless his people delivered up the Constable with his Letters sealed Writings and other pieces to convict him Year of our Lord 1475 They gave him not leasure to bethink himself he was led to the Bastille the 2 d of December examined by some Commissary's condemned to Death by the Parliament and Executed in the Greve the 19 th of the same Month. A Lesson Written in Letters of Blood for such as would make themselves a Terror to their Princes Year of our Lord 1475 After the City of Perpignan had endured a year and a halfs Siege and a Famine to the very Eating of Leather it Surrendred to the French about the end of this year and thus the Country of Roussillon remained once more in the French hands Year of our Lord 1476 The eighth of January following was Published an Edict of the Kings which enjoyned all the Bishops to go to their Diocesses on pain of a Seizure of their Temporals to prepare themselves for a Council which he said was necessary He likewise Ordained that all such as came from Rome should be obliged to shew the Papers they brought All this to frighten the Legat the Popes Nephew it was John de la Rovere who would undertake too much Lorrain being Conquer'd the Burgundian cast his thoughts upon many other Provinces King Rene made him hope for Provence he disposed of the Estates of Savoy almost as much as of his own the Dutchess adhering to him fearing lest he should bring the Uncles of her Pupil to invade that Dutchy From thence he went into Italy where he had an Alliance with the Duke of Milan and a great ascendant by Fame over all the petty Princes of that Country But before this he would needs compel the Swissers to stoop to his Laws where he went so much resolv'd hating them besides already that he refused their most humble Submissions and the offers they made to enter into his alliance and to renounce all others even that with the King An Invasion they had made upon the Lands of James of Savoy Count de Romont served him for a pretence to Attack them the quarrel between them and that Count proceeded from a very small occasion which was for a Cart Load of Sheep Skins he had taken from them Against this Rock it was then that his querellous Ambition went to make Shipwrack and dash it self in pieces They were as yet but Peasants and very little known but who had all the Strength and Force of a Natural Valour never yet softned by the Luxury of their Neighbours Year of our Lord 1477 To tell it in few words the 5 th of April he lost his Infantry and his rich Equipage at Granson the 20 th of June all his Forces even to the number of 18000 Men before Morat and in fine the 5 th of January being the Eve of Twelfth-day his own life and the Grandeur of his House before Nancy Year of our Lord 1476 After the Battel of Morat Duke Rene who was come thither with the Swisse and the Germans and by his Valour had contributed much to the Victory went and retook his City of Nancy The Burgundian after that unfortunate day finding all his Allies abandon'd him and his Subjects began to despise him was fallen sick with Spite and rage from which not being
in one of his Houses The Bishops were set at Liberty at two years end by the intercession of the Legat. At the same time the Earl of Angoulesme and the Lord de Ponts made Guyenne to rise where Odet-Daydie Brother of Odet Earl of Cominges held Saintes Fronsac la Reoule Dags and Bayonne and the Duke of Orleans Levied Forces in Bretagne The Towns in Guyenne surrendred at the first sight and naming of the King the Lord d'Albret had got some Men together to assist them but he durst not appear The King having made his entrance into Bourdeaux the Seventh of March returned to Poitiers Partenay capitulated as soon as they were Summon'd That done he divided his Army into four who fell upon Bretagne in as many several Quarters and himself in the mean time remained at Laval to see what progress they could make Year of our Lord 1487 Upon the arrival of these Forces three times more numerous then was agreed to by the Treaty the Duke withdrew into the Center of his Country During this astonishment of the People and the division amongst the Nobility they took from him Ploetmel Vannes and Dinan and then it was that the Lords too late perceived the error they had committed in bringing them into their Country After this they laid Siege to Nantes The Duke was in the place with all the Soldiers he had left him and had dispatched the Count de Dunois to the King of England to crave assistance This Count being twice or thrice forced back by tempestuous weather Armed the common People of the Lower Bretagne the number of them amounting to above Sixty Thousand Men and was so fortunate that with this confused multitude he terrified the French and put a Relief into the Town which afterwards valued not the Siege about six Weeks after they were wholly delivered from them The Lord d'Albret had likewise raised three or four Thousand men to aid the Breton whose eldest Daughter they had promised him But the Lords of the Royal Party block'd him up so closely in his Castle of Nontron upon the confines of Limosin that he was fain to capitulate and Disband his Forces The King conceiving he had absolutely gained him to his Service gave him a Company of an hundred Lances Year of our Lord 1487 During these Transactions Desquerdes by correspondence surprized the Cities of St. Omer and Terouenne and defeated the Forces of Philip de Cleves Ravestein whom they had drawn thither by a pretended bargain for the City of Bethune the Duke of Cleves and the Count de Nassaw fighting on Foot were taken Prisoners In the foregoing Month of March the Lord de Montigny Brother of Count Horn the bravest of his Captains thinking to take Guise by assault was wounded with a Pike in the Suburbs of which he Died in a few days Year of our Lord 1487 The City of Ghent had declared themselves Capital Enemies to Maximilian because he had taken his Son from them and removed him to Malines By their example Bruges and most of the Towns in Flanders rose up against him because he burthened them too frequently with his exactions Year of our Lord 1487 In the Month of July of this year 1487. Charlota Queen of Cyprus Widdow of Lewis of Savoy who was Son of Lewis and Brother of Ame IX Dukes of Savoy ended her miseries with her Life at Rome where she had subsisted twelve years on the Bounty of the Popes She was Daughter and Heiress of John II. King of Cyprus after whose Death her Husband and her self enjoy'd that Kingdom three years but his Bastard James drove them out thence with the help of Melec-Ella Sultan of Egypt to whom this Crown was Tributary All the endeavours they could use to regain it proved vain and unsuccessful Lewis Died the first in the year 1482. Charlota retired to Rome After her Death the right to that Crown fell to Charles II. Duke of Savoy her Cousin and so passed to all his descendants not only because she Adopted him and made him a Donation of her Kingdom but because he also was her next of Kindred and Heir being the Son of Anne of Cyprus Daughter of King Janus or John I. But Catharine Cornaro a Venetian Widdow of the Bastard who Died in the year 1473. had given and resigned that Kingdom by what Tittle I do not know to the Seigneury of Venice The Great Turk wrested it out of their possession in the year 1557. Year of our Lord 1488 The disorders were so great in Flanders that on the second of February Maximilian being at Bruges the Inhabitants ran to their Arms made him Prisoner and put divers of his Creatures to Death The Pope Excommunicated the mutineers but the Kings Attorney General stood up against it maintaining that the Flemmings had no other Soveraign but the King who owned them in what they had done Neither the threats nor Forces of the Emperor Frederic did avail for the delivery of his Son they had resolved to give him up to the King of France when they were just upon the point to do it this poor Princes Tears and the Solemn Oaths himself made to them and which were confirmed by several Lords that he would forget all their injuries did at last subdue the fury of the Brugois so that they set him at Liberty When he was out of their hands he retired into Germany to his Father and left the Government of his Son Philip and his Lands to Albert Duke of Saxony The Emperor Frederic desiring to render him more fit to take in second marriage one of the Daughters of Ferdinand and Isabella who had interceeded for his Liberty at Bruges dignified Austria with the Title of Arch-Dutchy which till then was a Stranger and unknown in the Western parts Year of our Lord 1488 Besides the Force of Arms they proceeded by way of Justice against the Princes that were Leagued with the Breton In the Month of February the King sitting in Parliament ordered a Summons for the Duke of Bretagne and the Duke of Orleans to appear at the Table to Marbre Which was sent by the Provost of Paris accompany'd with a Counsellor of that Court and the Prime Usher and all advantages of defaults were taken against them The Mareschal de Rieux and some Barons of Bretagne finding he went much farther then the terms of the Treaty did allow Petitioned him not to go on and profer'd to send the Duke of Orleans out of the Country together with all the French belonging to him who in effect shewed themselves willing to lay down their Arms and retire to their own dwellings provided they might be left in Peace The Dame thinking she was now above all danger imprudently replied that the King would have no Rival or Equal that he would not stop there but proceed to the end of his enterprize This discourse laying his intentions clearly open they took another resolution and reconciled themselves with their Duke who gave them an
Ports of Brest and Conquet and it was put to the question in the King's Council whether he should compleat the Conquest of that Country by force of Arms. The Courtiers did all advise and desire it the Chancellor Rochefort alone disswaded them representing that a Most Christian King ought not to measure his Conquests by his Sword but his Justice That it were most shameful to dispoil a Pupil one that was innocent of his Kindred and his own Vassal in that Dutchy which he might have by Marriage a much more honest and more easy Method to obtain his desired ends This remonstrance and perhaps the Arrival of six thousand English with whom she garrison'd her Towns put a stop to their present acting to the great regret of the Dame de Beaujeu who had already got a Grant of the County of Nantes Year of our Lord 1489 Innocent VIII Successor to Sixtus IV. whether out of a design to make a Holy War against the Turks or perhaps to draw a good Pension from Bajazeth obtained of the King's Council that Prince Zizim should be put into his Hands upon a condition he should not send him out of Rome but should always have him guarded by some Knights of Rhodes Peter Vaubusson Grand Master of the Order had a Cardinals Cap for managing this Affair For some time after the King had delivered him up to the Popes Agents came an Embassy from Sultan Bajazeth to demand him offering in exchange all the Relicks that were at Constantinople to recover the Holy Land at his own Expences and to pay him a very great Pension Year of our Lord 1490 As for the Affairs of Bretagne upon divers Ruptures there were divers Negotiations There had been some French and Breton Arbitrators appointed but they being thought too much interested or dependent it was judged fitter to make choice of two that were not so and to this purpose the King and the Dutchess agreed upon Maximilian of Austria and the Duke of Bourbon a Prince of great Integrity and withal no great Friend to the Dame de Beaujeu The Deputies of both Parties being met at Francfort it was agreed by Provision that the King should restore all the Places to the Dutchess excepting Saint Aubin Dinan Fougeres and Saint Malo which were to be put under Sequestration into the Hands of the two Arbitrators who should surrender them up to those to whom the Dutchy should be adjudged to belong of Right That in the mean time they should put out all the Soldiers both French and English That the two Parties should produce their Titles before certain Lawyers appointed to examine them in Avignon and that the Deputies should meet again at Tournay the five and twentieth of March following to hear the definitive Sentence which should then be given by the Arbitrators In the midst of all these Goings and Comings there was another secret Treaty carrying on of which the King's Council had not the least suspicion which was the Marriage of Maximilian with the Dutchess and this was so far advanced that in the Year 1489. this Dutchess married him by his Proxy who was the Earl of Nassaw The thing was kept secret a long time and yet nothing of what they agreed on at Francfort was put in Execution So that the King whether he had discovered the Marriage or was tyred at the tedious delay of the Arbitration took up Arms again and caused his Forces to March to besiege the Dutchess in Renes but they were countermanded for what Reasons I know not Year of our Lord 1491 In vain the Princess presses for Assistance from England and Germany she had but very weak returns Maximilian a Poor and a Cold Lover did not bestir himself as he should have done for so fair a Mistriss he never furnish'd her with above two thousand Men. In the mean time Bretagne was invaded on all Hands by the French and the Lord d'Albret enraged to see himself supplanted by a German gave them up the City of Nantes upon condition of some compensation promised him for those Pretensions he had to the Dutchy This claim was derived from his Wife Frances of Bretagne Daughter of William Vicount of Limoges youngest Son of the House of Pontieure During these Disorders nothing could be more facile then for the King to have taken away the Dutchess by force However he was advised to try Maximilian's way rather then force and to Marry the Princess and so gain her by composition Of an Enemy therefore he became her Lover and sought to win her by Courtship and Allurements but she was haughty in her Misfortune she could not resolve to break her Faith nor bestow her Heart upon a Prince that had treated her so ill and who had too much Power not to violate in a short time the Laws and Liberties of Bretagne The Duke of Orleans had acquired a great deal of Credit with her the King desiring to make use of him to conquer her high Spirit and besides being perswaded thereto by some of the Gentlemen of his Chamber goes one Day and takes him out of the Tower at Bourges without consulting the Dame de Beaujeu who had kept him Prisoner two Years and some Months This Duke by the Mouth of the Count de Dunois and with the help of Prince of Orange and the Mareschal de Rieux who was reconciled to the Dutchess omitted no Courtship nor Reasons of State to perswade her in favour of the King She resisted for a while but in fine the great negligence of Maximilian and he pressing necessities added such force to their Arguments and Reasons that she yielded and with a Sigh gave her self up a Sacrifice for the Safety of her Country Year of our Lord 1491 Wherefore after the deliberation of the Estates of Bretagne the Contract of Marriage was perfected at Langeais in Touraine the sixteenth of December and the Nuptials consummated the same Day By the Contract either of the Parties in case of Death did reciprocally yeild up all the Rights each of them had to the Dutchy and the King made a Separate Treaty with the Estates of that Country for the Preservation of their Laws and their Priviledges Some time before this Marriage was spoken of the great Authority of the Dame de Beaujeu diminished a little and gave way to the favour of some of the young King 's Domestick Officers which she did the more cheerfully undergoe because her Husband was become Duke of Bourbon by the decease of John his eldest Brother which hapned in 1488. Year of our Lord 1490. And 1491. The young King now become Master of his own Will and Desires did endeavour to form himself to Goodness by his own inclination addicting his Mind to the Study and Reading useful Books and delighting in the Conversation of knowing Men as much as his former neglected Education and narrow Breeding could give him Light to do but the flattering Courtiers to whose Humors a wise serious Prince proves but a
in his City of Ast with orders to bring him a re-inforcement of eight or nine Thousand men But Lewis who had some pretensions to the Dutchy of Milan having found a fair opportunity to surprize the City of Novarre had amuzed himself there leaving the King exposed to great danger And indeed it Succeeded but ill with him for Ludovic Besieged him in it before he could have time to furnish it with Victuals Though the Kings Army were very weak yet being on it's March he sent a re-inforcement of some Companies which came to him from France commanded by Philip de Savoy Earl of Bresse and another besides who were in eight Galleys to execute an enterprize upon the Genoese The Fregoses Enemies to Ludovic and the Adornes made him believe it very easie but it fell out very ill the Genoese Year of our Lord 1495 taking his Galleys in the Port of Rapalo and the Earl of Bresse who was advanced into the very Suburbs retreating with a great deal of shame The Confederates had in their Army neer forty thousand sighting Men Francis Marquiss of Mantoua commanded them in Chief the King had not above nine thousand at most yet they durst not attack him in the Mountains but waited for him at his descent neer the Village of Fornoua in a Valley of about a Mile and a half wide where he was necessarily to pass Fornoua is a Village about nine Miles on the other side of Piacenza The King being come to Lodge there the little River of Tar was between the two Armies sent to the Confederates to demand Passage and receiving no Answer he resolved to make Way with the Sword Theyca me to Blows on the Sixth of July the Confederares in less then a quarter of an Hour were beaten back to their very Camp with the loss of three thousand of their Men The Field was the Kings and this important Victory which did not cost him above fourscore Men and a small part of his Baggage secured him the Way to Ast He arrived there the Fifteenth of the Month very much harassed and tyred not so much by the Enemy who followed him at a great distance as the Difficulties of the Ways and the Scarcity of Provisions Year of our Lord 1495 Whilst he refreshed himself and walked from Ast to Quiers and to Turin the Florence Ambassadors solicited him for the Restitution of their Towns He commanded those Captains that held them to surrender them but he was so easy and so little absolute that very far from obeying him they presumed to sell them some to the Pisans and the rest to the Venetians The Confederates after the Battle of Fornoua had sent part of their Forces to the Siege of Novarre The Duke of Orleans had not turned out the useless Mouths soon enough and had suffer'd himself to be coop'd up in hopes the King would soon come and deliver him But as he had not oblig'd him over-much and besides had more Passion for a new Amour he had begun at Quiers then for the War he made no great haste but left him to suffer the extremest Famine Year of our Lord 1495 At length however he resolved to disingage him and came to Vercel with that Design His Army encreasing every day the Enemies were afraid and hearkned to a Treaty Whilst that was concluding they permitted the Duke of Orleans and three Days afterwards his whole Garrison more then half Hunger-Starved to crawl out of the City which was left to the Charge of the Inhabitants upon condition that if they did not agree upon the Treaty the Duke should return and put himself into the Castle which some Men of his had still in their keeping Some few Days after the Treaty being almost perfected there arrived a Party of sixteen thousand Swisse who came to the French Army The Duke of Orleans insisted highly to give Battle to the Enemy the gaining of it would at least have been so of all the Milanois He had been satisfied in his Desires had there not been more apprehension of the boldness of the Swisse then the Enemies Army for being double their own Number they might have seized the King's Person if they would This consideration made them think it more Prudence to conclude with Sforza They restored Novarre to him and the Port de la Spezzia and he promised to furnish a certain number of Ships and Men for the Conquest of Naples to give Passage through his Countries to pay the King four score thousand Crowns and fifty thousand to the Duke of Orleans to make Restitution of the eight Galleys taken by the Genoese at Rapalo and to admit the French to Equip their Fleets in that Port. The King's impatience was so great he had not leisure to stay till the Execution of this Treaty as soon as it was Signed he went away with all speed to Lyons to Dance Masquerade and make Love Sforza observing him so wholly taken up with his Pleasures not in a likely-hood of returning thither suddenly did not perform one Article of the Treaty Ferdinand King of Naples did for his part take the Advantages he ought of his Absence and his Carelesness All the Princes that were in the Italian League contributed to restore him to his Kingdom The Pope and Cardinal Sforza practised to gain the Cities for him by their Intrigues especially that of Naples The King of Arragon his Relation sent him two Armies One for the Land-service commanded by Ferdinand Gonzales the Vulgar called him Gonsalvo who assumed the Name of the Great Captain the other for Sea-service by Villamiarmo The Venetians did likewise set two Armies on Foot Grimani was Chief of that at Sea and Francis de Gonzague of the other but this arrived not till the end of the Year These crafty Politicians imagined that this conjunction would in time give them the whole Empire of Italy for Ferdinand engaged Brindes and Otranto to them and soon after Grimani seized upon Monopoli Mola Siponte and Trani The French could hardly save Tarenta the City of Cajeta revolted and penn'd them up in the Castle On the other side Frederic and Gonsalvo made themselves Masters of Regio of Saint Agatha and Seminaro Aubigny shut them up in Seminaro they sallied forth to remove him and lost the Battle This might have proved the Total ruine of Frederic had Aubigny pursued his Point home but he fell Sick by the intemperance of the Climat or his own Intemperance and the French Affairs languished with him Ferdinand was more Fortunate at Sea So soon as he appear'd upon the Coast with some Ships of his own and some belonging to the Spaniard Salerna and Malfus set up his Standard the Citizens of Naples who had not dared to stir for three Days together upon the fourth besought him to send some Men on Shoar Montpensur was so imprudent as to March out of the Town to attack them No sooner was he out but they shut the Gates at his Heels and scarcely
the Kingdom of Arragon the ancient Laws thereof not allowing the Daughters nor any descended from them to come to the Crown durst not hinder him in this Enterprize and would even be obliged to let him have the Kingdom of Naples But he did not know that though Charles himself should have consented the Politicks of Italy could never suffer it what Affection soever they might seem to shew him In effect the Pope under-hand procured the English the Swisse and the Medicis to break his Measures The Emperor on his side being entred into Milanois with twenty thousand Swisse of the five Cantons ten thousand Germans and four or five thousand Horse amongst whom were the Cardinal of Sion and the banished Milaneses after the having refreshed and relieved Bress and Verona which were straightned by the Venetians and the French joyned together passed the River Addo in the beginning of the Spring ravaged all the Country between that River and those of the Po and Olli and gave so much Terror to the French that they were ready to abandon Milan and likewise fired the very Suburbs by the malicious advice of the Venetians who ever hated the Milanese rather then out of any real Necessity Year of our Lord 1516 Had he gone on directly perhaps they would have given ground his slowness gave the Constable time to provide himself so well that they startled not upon his approach But himself being informed of twelve thousand Swisse who were come to the Constable knowing the brutish Avarice of that Nation and that he had no Money to pay his own he on the sudden decamped and repassed the River Addo He remained there some Weeks giving still much dread to the French because their Swisse refused to Fight the Swisse that were in his Army and at length even retired but at three Weeks end most of his Troops moulder'd to nothing for want of Pay his Swisse returned by the Valtoline and three thousand of the Germans and Spaniards went over to the Constable It was not doubted but the Pope had been of intelligence with the Emperor for this irruption since Marc Anthony Colomna appeared in his Army Notwithstanding the King could not believe it so well was he persuaded of his Affection and faithfully observing the Treaty permitted him 〈◊〉 dispossess Francis Maria of the Dutchy of Vrbin to bestow it on 〈…〉 Medicis his Nephew although he had put himself into his Protection If the Grandeur of King Francis Young War-like and Rich◠were formidable to the Italians they beheld another Springing up now who astonished them much more I speak of Charles Heir to Spain Naples Sicilia and the Low-Countries and who being in a fair Way of succeeding to the Empire after his Grand-father could not fail when once he had attained to it of desiring to re-unite Italy to the other as being indeed the Head Now they found that to drive out those two great Powers who held it at both ends there was no way to do it That to keep the Ballance steady between them was to undertake an impossibility and besides it were to expose themselves to be the Theater and Prey to Forreign Arms and to cast themselves all on one side were to bring in an Absolute Master and slavery beyond all redemption That it might not look as if the Concordat made between the King and the Pope were a simple convention between two particulars the Council of Lateran having caused it to be read in their last Session which was the fifteenth of December confirmed it by their Authority but the Clergy of France the Universities the Parliaments and all understanding and good Men opposed it by their Complaints Remonstrances Protestations and Appeals to future Councils However at two Years end they were fain to submit to absolute Authority and Register the Concordat in Parliament Thus under Colour of taking away the Inconveniences of Elections which might well have been remedied they authorised others which are insinitely greater and can never have any Redress The Councel of Charles of Austria found it was necessary for his Affairs that he should renew the Alliance with King Francis thereby to have free Passage into Spain This was done by the Treaty of Noyon the sixteenth of August between the Lords Arthur de Goussier Boisy and William de Crovy Chovres who had been Governors of two Kings and the first Grand Maistre of the Royal House It was agreed amongst other Articles That Charles should marry Louisa the Kings Eldest Daughter or upon her default the second if another were born or if no other were born Renee the Queens Sister who for her Dowry should have that part the King pretended to the Kingdom of Naples with reversion in his Favor in case of want of Issue That Charles should pay an hundred thousand Crowns yearly for the maintenance of this Daughter That he should give up Navarre within six Months to Henry d'Albret If not that after the expiration of that term the King should be permitted to assist him That the Emperor should be admitted into this Treaty if he would come in That if he rendred Verona to the Venetians they should pay him two hundred thousand Crowns and that the King should give him an Acquittance for the three hundred thousand which King Lewis XII had lent him to make War upon them Year of our Lord 1517 Though the Emperor had again made an Attempt with Success enough by General Rocandolf to revictual Verona which the French and Venetians blocked up he dispaired nevertheless to keep it any long time because all the Avenues were shut For this reason he rather chose according to his covetous Humour to surrender it to Lautree who restored it to the Venetians for the Summ mentioned by the Treaty After this he wholly laid aside the Fancy of further Conquests in Italy and he moreover permitted the five Cantons who had refused the Confederation with France to accept of it as well as the other eight By all ways and means the King desired to gain the Pope for his Designs in Italy And for this reason he assisted him with his Forces against Francis Maria de la Rovere who made War upon him to regain his Dutchy for this Lord upon the hopes of Booty had drawn into his Service the Troops of either Party that had been disbanded after the giving up of Verona Moreover his Wife being deliver'd of her first Son the last day of February he would needs have Laurence de Medicis who was come into France to marry Margaret Daughter of Year of our Lord 1517 John Earl of Auvergne Boulogne and Laraguez hold it at the Font in the Name of the Pope his Uncle This Couple died both within the Year and yet left a Daughter named Catharine who afterwards was Queen of France The War of Vrbin lasted some eight Months the Spanish Troops having been regained by force of all-powerful Money by the Medicis Francis Maria was apprehensive left they would deliver him
the one and then with the other In the midst of all these a young King as weak in mind as in body exposed to the first occupier and the prize contended for the Government of the Kingdom As for the Guises they were Five Brothers the Duke the Cardinal de Lorraine the Duke d'Aumale the Cardinal de Guise and the Marquess d'Elbeuf we are not to make any reck'ning of the three last because they acted nothing but by the inspiration and motion of the other two The Duke drew his Party to him by the Reputation of his Valour his Liberality and his Affability the Cardinal de Lorraine by his Eloquence and his Learning They were notwithstanding of very different humors the Duke moderate just undaunted in dangers the Cardinal hot undertaking and vain puffed up with good success but trembling and faint-hearted at the least frowns of Fortune Amongst the Princes of the Blood there was Anthony King of Navarre Lewis Prince of Condé the Duke of Montpensier and the Prince de la Roche-sur-yon Anthony was a voluptuous and fearful Prince and more considerable for his Quality then his Power Lewis was Valiant Hardy and one the greatness of whose Courage and meanness of whose slender Fortune made him fit to undertake every thing Anthony did not stand firm but abandoned his younger Brother to his Year of our Lord 1559 very death he fluctuated in doubts of Religion and was neither a good Catholick nor right Lutheran His Brother followed the Opinions of Calvin The Guises seized upon the Kings Person because he had Married their Niece Mary Steward Queen of Scotland and upon the favourable pretence of the Catholick Religion The others made sure of the Male-contents the disbanded Souldiers and the protection of the Religionaries whose dispair was yet much greater and stronger then their numbers The Mareschal de Saint André a Lord as brave as witty and polite but very Luxurious and over-head and ears in debt devoted himself wholly to them and promised the Duke to bestow his Daughter upon which of his Sons he pleased with all the Estate belonging both to him and his Wife reserving only the clear revenue during their term of Life This he did fearing to be devoured by his Creditors should he ever happen to be expell'd the Court. The Constable a great temporiser and who had wont to be prime Minister of State could not stoop now to be Inferior He admitted the flatteries and caresses of both Parties but at length adhered to the Guisians in hatred to the novel opinions being perswaded by his Wife and second Son that the Title he bare of the first Christian Baron would not allow him to linck himself with those who did impugne the Catholick Religion The Duke of Montpensier and the Prince de la Roche Sur-Yon though both of the House of Bourbon were led by the same motives and did not so much respect the proximity of Blood as the name of the Ancient Church and the King from whom they would not start aside for any other Consideration whatsoever A motive directly contrary to the Constables cast the Admiral de Coligny and his Brother Dandelot Colonel of the French Infantry on the side of those Princes who favour'd the new Religion of which they were thoroughly convinced and perswaded besides that they had the Honour to be Allied to the Prince of Condé For he had Married Elenora de Roye Daughter of one Magdelain de Mailly who was their Sister by the Mothers side she and they being Born of Louisa de Montmorency who was first Married to Frederic du Mailly Then to the Mareschal de Chastillon Father of these two Lords When King Henry II. received his hurt the Queen Mother was in suspence a day or two whether to joyn with the Constable or the Guises She looked upon both the one and the other as her Enemies being all Allied to the Dutchess of Valentinois whom she hated mortally though in her Husbands Life-time she feigned to love her even to the height of confidence But she thought her self much more affronted by the Constable then the Guises because it was he that had last adventur'd to contract an Alliance with that Woman Besides the Guises utterly abandoned her notwithstanding the repugnance of the Duke d'Aumale who was her Son in Law and withal they promised this Queen so much Service and so great Submission that she resolved to stand by them To which me may add that being Uncles to the young King as they were it might perhaps have been out of the reach of her power or interest to have set them aside When the Constable perceived his Game was near lost he sent in all post hast to the King of Navarre to press him to come and take that Place and Authority his Birth justly claimed under the young King but that Prince who was slow and irresolute and who withal did not much confide in him because he had once advised the deceased King to seize upon the remainder of his petit Kingdom did not make much hast This signal fault and after this his strange irresolutions and the weakness of his Conduct during all this and the following Reign may be accounted indirectly amongst the principal and main causes of all the Troubles and Misfortunes that befel the Kingdom of France Wherefore the Guises having gained the Mastery at Court the King declared to the Parliaments Deputies when they came to wait on him That he had committed the direction of his Affairs to them that is to say the Intendance or Over-sight of all the Affairs of War to the Duke and that of the Finances or Treasury to the Cardinal Being thus establish'd they consider'd of removing out of the way all those that might be obnoxious They left the Constable and Mareschals of France no more Commission but to Bury the late King and sent the Princes of Condé and de la Roche Sur-Yon into Spain the first to carry the Coller of the Order to King Philip the other to get the Treaty of Peace confirmed They likewise banished the Dutchess of Valentinois from the Court but first obliged her to restore and deliver up the Jewels and the rich Furniture and Year of our Lord 1559 Goods the late King had bestowed upon her and took away her fair House of Chenonceaux to accommodate the Queen-Mother in exchange for the Castle of Chaumont upon the Banks of the River Loire Desiring by embellishing the face of their new Government with a shew of Goodness and Justice towards the publick to condemn the Government past they took the Seals from Bertrandi Cardinal and Archbishop of Sens whose reputation was not of the best and restored them to the Chancellor Ol vier a person really of a much more then ordinary merit and of great probity but who soon perceived they had recalled him to servitude rather then to a freedom of function in the highest Office of the Kingdom The Queen-Mother in the mean time
them that they made a Decree quite contrary Whereupon the King made another in July referring the Cognizance of all Crimes of Sedition and unlawful Assemblies to the Presidial Courts and those of Heresie to the Judges Ecclesiastical by whom the Parties convict should be delivered up to the Secular Power who should not however condemn them to any thing above banishment Year of our Lord 1561 They had often discoursed of a National Council till that could be called it was thought convenient to have a Colloquy or Conference between the Catholick Priests and the Huguenot Ministers The Cardinal de Lorrain was one of the chief Promoters whether to hinder the National Council which did not at all please the Court of Rome or to make ostentation of his learning and eloquence The Ministers did likewise promise much advantage to themselves for by this means they were made equal with Bishops whereas in a Council they could have had no place Besides they thought themselves able enough to throw Dust in the Catholicks Eyes and they reckon'd they must needs have the better of it seeing the two Bishops of Sées and of Valence who were of the most knowing Prelates leaned towards them Year of our Lord 1561. in May. In the interim the Assembly of the States which had been adjourned to Pontoise in May began to fall to work Whatever the Regents Emissaries had been able to do there was yet so much of the ancient French spirit left in the heads of the Deputies as would not suffer them to let a Woman have the Regency the King of Navarre was forced to go thither himself to let them know he had yielded up his right and together with the Mareschal de Montmorency Governor of the Isle of France intreat them they would speak no more of it This was not sufficient but for fear they should bring it again upon the Stage it was judged necessary to dismiss the Assembly till the Month of August and to appoint it might be held at Saint Germain en Laye where they did meet The King was present there sitting on his Throne the Queen-Mother at his left hand with her Daughter Margaret and somewhat lower the King of Navarre the Cardinal de Bourbon and the Prince of Condé before these on the right hand were the Constable on the left the Chancellor the Duke of Guise as grand Chamberlain lay at the Kings Feet The Cardinals pretended to take place before the Princes of the Blood and had often had it in other Assemblies but it was now judged otherwise in favour of those Princes The Cardinals de Chastillon and d'Armagnac did acquiesce and the old Cardinal de Bourbon remained there also who having the right of birth before the Prince of Condé had likewise the precedence but the Cardinals de Tournon de Lorrain and de Guise would not submit to it and so withdrew The Admiral being the person that had persuaded the King of Navarre and the Deputies of the Estates to confirm the Regency to the Queen-Mother She would in recompence whilst She stood in need of him favour the Huguenot party and according to that Air wherewith She had inspired the Court or to intimidate the Clergy and incline them to give Money it was observed that in this Assembly every thing was turned against the whole Body of them Those that spoke in the name of the third Estate and the Nobility mentioned no other thing but their irregularities and disorder and concluded as the Hereticks ever do and all such as have more Policy then Religion not so much to reform them as to retrench their vast Riches and take away their Temporal Jurisdiction and adjudg the possessions of Religious Rents to the King They added that a National Council ought to be called and in the mean time did tolerate the Religionaries to Preach with all freedom in such Temples where the King should appoint and give leave After these Harangues they considered and debated the propositions contained in the Deputies papers and instructions wherein some Reglements were made by way of satisfaction But the Regent did not forget to take those advantages which the Council of Kings is ever wont to draw from such Assemblies that is to say great Sums of Money For the Clergy having a hot Allarm gave consent they should raise four Tenths in Six years and the third Estate five Solz upon every Tierce of Wine that was carried into any Walled Town An impost that hath encreased ever since that time to this very day The day for the Colloquy being come there met six Cardinals and four Bishops at Poisy with a good number of the Most Learned Theologues amongst others Claude d'Espences and Claude de Saintes that which made the number of these Prelates there so great was their being sent for to advise about the place and time for a Council and to deliberate concerning the publick Affairs of the State Now before the Ministers were come they had propounded several things amongst themselves in order to restore the Discipline supposing as it was true that the corruptions thereof had given rise and birth to the present heresies but they came to no result of any importance Year of our Lord 1561 Some days afterwards ten or twelve Ministers arrived there the most famous of them were Theodore de Beze Augustin Marlorat Francis Morel who compiled the first Articles of their Religion Peter Martyr and John Viret The King and the Regent were present with the Royal Family the Princes of the Blood the Bishops Cardinals Council of State and the Grandees of the Kingdom both of the one and the other Religion all seated according to their Qualities and Degrees within a place enclosed with rails the Doctors were behind the Bishops upon low Forms The Ministers would have gone within the Enclosure but they were excluded and remained without and standing Though the Colloquy was appointed upon the Tenth of August it did not however commence till the Fourth of September After the Chancellor had open'd it the Cardinal de Tournon desired since the thing was new and without a President he might deliberate or consult of it with the Clergy The Queen-Mother would not allow it and commanded de Beze to speak for they had resolved to treat of and handle the questions by discourses and harangues not by argumentations month September and syllogismes which suited very well with the desire the Cardinal de Lorrain and Beze had to shew their Eloquence We may say of de Beze on this occasion to say no worse that he had neither the prudence nor the moderation he ought to have shown For upon the point touching the Holy Sacrament his zeal transported him to such expressions and discourses as horribly grated the Catholick Ears saying that the Body of Jesus Christ was as far distant from the Eucharist as Earth is from Heaven The Prelates trembled with horror of the expression the Cardinal de Tournon made a great deal of noise and
some noble inclinations for great things he easily addicted himself to shew his State Year of our Lord 1577 and Grandeur in those pomps and vanities which carry some outward appearance of Greatness His Favourites had possess'd him with the opinion that all his Subjects wealth was his own and that France being an unexhaustible Fountain of Riches the greatest prodigality could never incommode him It is almost incredible what excessive Sums he lavishly squander'd away and in what magnificent wantonness he wasted them He plaid and lost one night Fourscore thousand Crowns he went often in Masquerade he was seen to run at the Ring in a Ladies Dress with all the trinkets and gew-gaws of a proud gossip he made one Feast amongst many others where the Women waited and served at Table in the habits of Men clad in Green all the Guests wearing the same Livery and the Queen his Mother requited him with another in the same kind where the fairest Ladies about the Court acted the like parts with their white Bosoms open and their Hair dishevel'd The poor People paid for all these follies and mourned many years for a divertisement that lasted perhaps but some few hours The Kings Coffers were empty and they must have recourse to the worst methods for the filling them again particularly the creation of new Offices which the Italian furnished with Titles and perswaded him that such a multiplication was an excellent means to get Money without violence to any man and to render the Kings power more absolute by filling every City with Creatures of his own and such as would be tied fast to his interests thorow fear of losing their employments and so aid him in suppressing his Subjects and force them to lie quiet and submissively under the feet of Power ☜ This luxurious humour which travelled into every Countrey for divertisements brought from the furthest parts of Italy a band of Comedians whose Plays consisting of amorous intrigues and agreeable inventions to stir up and soothe the softest passions proved most pernicious corrupters of Modesty and Virtue and Schools of impudence They obtained Letters Patents for their establishment as they had been some excellent Society The Parliament rejected them as vagabonds or such Cattle whom good Morality the Holy Canons the antient Fathers and even our own Kings had ever esteemed infamous and forbid them to act or endeavour any more hereafter the obtaining of such License or Patent and notwithstanding no sooner was the Court returned from Poitiers but the King would have their Theatre open'd again month October This year appeared the greatest Comet that had been ever seen it took up Thirty degrees in length embracing the Signs Sagitarius and Scorpio the Tail turned towards the West it was observed from the Eighteenth of October till about the end of November An Astronomer found it to be of the same height as the Planet Venus Year of our Lord 1577 In the preceding Month of March John de Morvilliers Bishop of Orleans a great Statesman died at Blois and in the Month of July the Mareschal de Montluc at his House of Estillac in Agenois Armand Gontaud had the Mareschals staff vacant by the death of Montlue and quitted his Office of Great Master of the Ordnance which was given to Philibert de la Guiche one of the Kings Favorites There was open enmity between the King the Duke of Anjou and the Duke of Guise The great courage of this last and weakness of the other two made him almost their equal Their hatred broke into quarrels between their Favorites Quelus who was one of the Kings Darlings challenged Entroguet who was the Duke of Guises and took for his Seconds Livarrot and Maugiron who was likewise in favour ✚ His adversary chose Rybeyrac and Schombert Till this time Seconds had only served for witnesses of a combat but an itch of fighting came upon these and this one bad example has lasted to this very day Maugiron was killed upon the spot Quelus was brought back wounded in Sixteen places whereof he died in a Months time The King loved both these so infinitely that he kissed them when dead caused their flax-Locks to be cut off and treasured them up carefully assisted Quelus to his very death serving him with his own hands and erected a stately Mausoleum for them both in St. Pauls Church Some time after he likewise caused the Body of St. Maigrin to be interred there and Statues of all the three to be set upon their Tombs the rabble broke them down and dragg'd them to the River on the day of the barricades This St. Maigrin was also one of his Minions whom the Duke of Mayenne caused to be pistoll'd at his coming out of the Louvre for having vaunted he was in favour with the Dutchess of Guise For this reason the other Minions who apprehended the like Treatment if they plaid with such rough Gamesters never ceased exasperating the King by their stories and reports concerning these Princes and seeking by all manner of ways to ruine them Being thus pusht at they consider'd how to defend themselves and when they had examin'd and found their own strength and the Kings softness they did not stop at the defensive but carried things to a far greater height then their most daring thoughts durst ever make them hope to attain Whilst the Queen-Mother was in Guyenne whither she went to confer with the King of Navarre under pretence of carrying his Wife to him whom he little valued and by whom he was not esteemed much more the Duke of Anjou Treated with Year of our Lord 1577 the States-General of the Vnited-Provinces this was on the Tenth day of August and was assured moreover that Charles de Ganre Inchi Governour of Cambresis would deliver up to him the Citadel of Cambray for the Queen of Navarre his Sister had gained that Lord the year before in a journey she made to the Spaa Year of our Lord From Anno 1568. to the year 1578. We must now relate what had been transacted in those Provinces for some years past The Duke of 〈…〉 them near Five years during which time he exercised most unexpressible cruelties insomuch that he bragg'd that the very Confiscations of the Estates of those he had butcher'd amounted to Eight Millions of Gold yearly and the number of People who had suffer'd by the hands of the Hangman was Eighteen thousand He was recalled in the year 1513. by King Philip and Lewis dé Requesens Grand Commander of Castille put in his place This last gained a Battle at Mouker-Heyde near Nimeghen wherein Ludovic de Nassau was slain this was in Anno 1574. He afterwards assembled the Estates-General to raise some Moneys but far from granting any they firmly united together to desend their liberty and they took so much hearty grace upon his death which hapned some Months afterwards as to seize upon the Government which was then left in the hands of the Council of State till the
but he drew Vitry thither with an hundred and fifty Masters and Berdnrdine de Mendoza Ambassador from Spain sent for a hundred Horse In the City were the Princesses of Nemours Montpensier d'Aumale de Guise with her Daughter and some other Ladies of Quality the Spanish Ambassador the Archbishop of Lyons Keeper of the Seals for the League the Legat with all his Train and divers French Prelats besides the Cardinal de Gondy who though more Royalist then a Leaguer would not however forsake his Flock in their necessity but very charitably relieved them It would be very difficult to say which was greater either the vigilance and cares of the Governor or the zeal of the Parisians In a short time they had made great quantities of Powder repaired the breaches in their Walls cast up Breast-works and Mounts cover'd the Suburbs with great Intrenchments fixed Chains in every Street filled great numbers of Barrils with Earth to make Barricado's planted Posts Year of our Lord 1590. May. and Bars at all the Avenues cast seventy five pieces of Cannon wherewith he furnished the Rampiers and secur'd the River both above and below with Massive Chains which were held up by strong Estacado's and defended by Forts built on either hand The Parisians on their part gave the very Furniture of their Kitchins to found their Cannon each House provided a Labourer to work upon their Fortifications paid all the poor that put their helping hand exercised their Soldiery three times a week and which is more considerable admitted a Garison amongst them and saw their Country Houses ransack'd and destroy'd without murmurring Most of the Handicrafts-men and all Forreigners were gone out of the City the great Hostels were empty the substantial Citizens had sent their Families away yet there remained two hundred thousand Souls and but Provisions for one Month only at the rate of a pound of Bread a day for each Person besides fifteen hundred Muids of Oats and an hundred Muids of Pulse The King in the first place master'd the Bridges of Charenton and Sainct Cloud six young Parisians defended themselves three whole days in the Bridge-Tower of Charenton took Vincennes besieged St. Denis and placed Garisons of Light-Horsemen in all the strong Houses for seven or eight Leagues round about whence they beat the Roads night and day that nothing passing by the City might in short time be reduced to Famine This method after seven or eight days trial seeming too tedious he endeavour'd to draw the Besieged to a Battle and for that purpose order'd an attaque upon the Fauxbourg Sainct Laurence but there experimenting their brave defence and by some other great Skirmishes observing they had yet too much vigour to be forced within their Barricado's and their Commanders too much prudence to hazard themselves in the Field he returned to his former design of famishing them The Duke of Mayenne was gone to beg some assistance in Flanders where he had enough to do to endure the pride and affected slow pace of the Spanish Council In the condition he left Paris he did not believe it could hold out one Month and not being able to relieve it but by the aid of the Spaniards he feared he should lose it in saving it and that they would deliver it only to get it for themselves At the same time also happens the death of the old Cardinal de Bourbon who ended his days the Ninth of May at the Castle of Fontenay in Poitou under the guard of the Year of our Lord 1590. May. Lord de la Boulaye The King had put him into this Lords custody after the taking him out of the hands of the Lord de Chavigny who was both old and blind at the very time when the Lords of the League were bargaining with that good Man to set him at liberty This fresh accident put him to great trouble he was in need of a King to fix the Eyes and Veneration of the People he foresaw the Spaniard would press him to chuse one and he knew the difficulties that would arise on that side as also from the Chiefs of his own Party who hindred him from attaining it all his study was therefore to find out plausible delays to put off this Election and he did succeed therein as he desired but such proceeding ruin'd his Party The Heads of the League had wisely before-hand disposed the People so as that this death should cause no alteration The Faculty of Divinity consulted by the Prevost des Merchands and by some noted Bourgeois had made Answer That Henry of Bourbon could not because of the scandal and danger of his relapsing be admitted to the Crown if King Charles X. or any other lawful Successor should happen to die or yield him up his right or if even the said Prince should obtain Absolution and that those who died for so holy a Cause should gain the Palm of Martyrdom and be Crowned in Heaven as brave Defenders of the Faith At five weeks end the Duke of Mayenne could get of the Duke of Parma but four thousand Foot and two hundred Lances with which having joyned some two thousand month June French whom he pickt up or who were sent him by Balagny he advanced as far as Laon. Immediately the King goes from his Camp with five and twenty hundred Horse thinking to meet him in the Field and charge him the Duke had a hint of it and making use this time of great celerity got under shelter of the Walls of Laon. Whilst the King was harrassing him St. Pol being detached privately with eight hundred Horse and some Foot and having gotten together a pretty good Convoy of Provisions conducted it along the Banks of the Marne and put it into Paris before the King could get back to his Camp to prevent him During the Siege the War went on variously in the Provinces I shall mention only the most remarkable passages Francis de Roussel May-David surprized the Castle of Year of our Lord 1590. April May c. month April May c. Verneuil and likewise made himself Master of the City after a very bloody sight in which John de Dreux Morainville was slain who was said to be the last Male of the House of Dreux Issue of Lewis the Gross by Robert fifth Son of that King Lansac had a design upon Mans which was discover'd and his Troops defeated at Memers where they waited to see the event by Hertre Governor of Alencon He was more unfortunate yet in another Enterprize upon the Town of Mayenne having taken it and holding the Castle besieged the same Hertre and Montataire put him to the rout and cut off or took above twelve hundred Men of two thousand he commanded The Leagued Gentlemen of Bretagne surprized the City of Sable and attaqued the Castle Rambouillet whose Wife had been taken Prisoner in that place intreated the Nobless of the Country to assist him His two Brothers with as many as they could get together fell
day the Three and twentieth of April gives three Assaults The Besieged sustained two not without great loss Bidossan was kill'd in the second After this it was time to yield but Campagnoles by an excess of bravour would needs stand a third His Soldiers did not second his Resolution they gave ground and threw away their Arms to save themselves some here some there Such as could get into the Sanctuary of the Churches or avoid the first fury saved their Lives all the rest to the number of above seven hundred were put to the Sword It had been no great difficulty for the King to have made the Spaniards perish for want in Calais had he been assured the English would have served him faithfully but as he had not too much reason to confide in them he returned to the Siege of la Fere having first re-inforced the Garisons of Ardres Monstreuil and Boulogne La month April Fere might have held out much longer by the ordinary rules had it not been for the Consideration of Colas the King of Spain had given Order to Osorio not to stay till the utmost extremity for fear he should be obliged to deliver that Man up to the King so that although he had nothing to fear for at least a Months time he made Year of our Lord 1596 his Capitulation the Fifteenth of May to which Colas Signed Count de la Fere. month May. But in the interim the Archduke marching out of Calais the Third day of May to compleat his Exploits attaqued Ardres a little place but very strong and very considerable for that it covers Calais The Count de Belin and Montluc had shut themselves in to defend it and there were Fifteen hundred fighting Men nevertheless the horrible Slaughters of Dourlens and Calais had so much terrified those Soldiers that they trembled even while they defended themselves It hapned likewise by misfortune that Montluc in whom they had some confidence was slain by a Cannon-ball and afterwards the Basse-Ville was gained and most of those in it knock'd on the Head in heaps just at the entrance into the Upper-Town by reason those that stood there to guard it being more affrighted then the others had let down the Port-cullice and exposed them to the fury of the Besiegers Afterwards Rosne begins to thunder upon the Bastion with his great Artillery which begot so horrible and universal a dread amongst the Soldiers that they even leaped over the Walls or ran and hid their Heads in Cellars Belin himself most extreamly affrighted demanded Composition and surrendred the place the One and twentieth of May. Which having done maugre the Governor named Isambert du Bois-Annebout and without taking advice of the other Captains he ran great hazard of his Life at Court This was the sixth place the Spaniards conquer'd in one year from the French not so much by their own as the Valour of Rosne and about a hundred desperate Frenchmen more who knowing themselves utterly excluded from all pardon and favour endeavour'd to make the King regret them and the Spaniard consider them Now it fortun'd happily for France that the Archduke at his return to Flanders besieging Hulst in the Country of Waes Rosne was there kill'd in an Assault which hapned in the Month of August month August So many losses on the neck of one another the Frontier laid open in four or five places the Sea shut up the robberles of the Soldiers the surcharge of Tailles and Imposts caused an incredible consternation in the minds of the People awakened the Factions of the League and favour'd the Contrivances of the Grandees These well foreseeing that the too sudden establishment of the Regal Power would be the month June ruine of their own suborned the Duke of Montpensier a young and easie Prince to propound to the King That it would do well to give the Governments in propriety to those that held them thereby to engage them to contribute with all their might to the defence of a State in which they really had a share One may well imagine that this Expedient did not over-much please the King nevertheless he treated this Year of our Lord 1596 Prince in such a manner as seeming angry rather with those who had engaged him month June to deliver this Message then with him he put him first into a confusion and then furnish'd him with Reasons enough even to confound them likewise if ever they made mention again of the like to him The Huguenots gave him no less disquiet then did the Grandees of his Kingdom he could not grant them the Edict they craved without offending the Pope and they month July and Aug. to secure themselves deliberated to chuse them a Protector and establish an Order amongst them which realy would have formed as it were another State in the heart of the Kingdom After his Conversion they look'd upon him as a Prince whose interest was to destroy them they interpreted all the Excuses he made for not yet being able to satisfie them as studied Artifice and the remembrance of things past gave them just apprehensions for the time to come And indeed they forsook him in the midst of the Storm and held more Synods and Assemblies in these three last years then in the thirty five precedent The King was labouring at that time to re-unite all the Protestants his Allies in one League against the House of Austria these discontents of the Huguenots cast great coldness and suspicion upon their Spirits so that the German Princes did all excuse month September and October themselves excepting the Count Palatine and the Duke of Wirtemberg who notwithstanding gave him only good words Bouillon and Sancy had much ado to engage the Queen of England who at length made it Offensive and Defensive The King and she obliging themselves reciprocally to send four thousand Men into eithers Country if they were assaulted and to make no Peace or Truce with the Spaniard but by mutual consent The Hollanders entred into it likewise with great willingness and alacrity by a Treaty made the last day of October and promised to march into the Field upon the Frontiers of Artois or Picardy with Ten thousand Foot and fifteen hundred Horse The Kings Army was so tired with the Siege of la Fere that he was fain to send them to refresh themselves in the Provinces reserving only some Troops with which the Mareschal de Biron made three several irruptions into Artois He made horrible devastation in that Country by Fire and Sword as well in revenge of the cruel spoil month June July c. the Archduke had made in Boulonois after the taking of Ardres as to teach him hereafter to make a fairer War In the Month of July a Comet was discover'd in the Heavens whose light appeared sometimes pale and faint otherwhile more clear and lively it had a long Train that did extend towards the East and South Another Prodigy appeared in France at the
took part with him and had the generosity to console him The Council of Spain were in dispair for that the French passed in great numbers to the Service of the Hollanders and every year the King furnished those Provinces with six hundred thousand Livers in ready Money These succours had put King Philip to so great an expence that not knowing where to get any more Cash he laid an Impost of thirty per Cent. upon all Goods imported into his Dominions or exported thence The King could not suffer such exaction which enriched his Enemies to the loss of his Subjects he prohibited all Commerce to the Low-Countries and Spain and observing that the appetite of gain tempted the Merchants who for the most part value no other Soveraign but their Interest to infringe his Laws he added great penalties to it This was to begin a rupture the Spaniard set a good face upon it as if they much desired it but under-hand sollicited the Popes mediation who put an end to this dispute by perswading them to take off the new impost oâ— the one hand and the prohibition on the other Not daring openly to revenge himself upon the King he endeavoured at least to contrive some private means to perplex and displease him Taxis his Ambassador had concern'd himself in the intrigues of the Morchioness de Vernevil Balthazar de Suniga who succeeded him follow'd his Foot-steps and held secret correspondence with five or six Italians who absolutely governed the Queen particularly Conchino Conchini a noble Florentine and Leonora Galigay a Bed-Chamber woman to that Princess whom Conchini had Married She was the homeliest Creature about the Court and of very abject birth but that great Empire she had over her Mistress repaired all the defects both of her person and condition The King as weak in his passions and domestick Affairs as valiant and rough in War had neither the heart to reduce his Wife to obedience nor to rid his hands of his Mistresses who were cause of all his Domestick broils Those little Italian people to render themselves more necessary exasperated the spirits they should have allay'd and by the malignity of their Reports and Councils encreased the Queens discontents so that instead of reclaiming the King by alluring Caresses for he would be flattered and endeavouring to regain his affection with the same Arts others made use of to steal it from her she made him loath her Society with her Eternal grumblings and bitter reproaches This contest betwixt Man and Wife was the perpetual business of the Court their Confidents were no less busily employ'd in these Negociations then the Council was in the most important Affairs of State and this disorder lasted as long as their Marriage being sometimes quieted and laid asleep for a few days then wak'd and rouz'd agen by fresh occasions and accordingly as those Boutefeux thought fit month March April c. The Marchioness on her part crafty and coquette used all her artifice to maintain those fewds which maintain'd her felicity Amongst her Jests with which she made the King merry she often mixed some insolencies against the Queen and upon divers occasions would make her self her equal spake meanly of her extraction and then would counterfeit the Gate her gestures and her way of speaking These offences did so much heighten the resentments of this Princess that she with outragious Language threatned a severe Revenge the Marchioness having reason therefore to apprehend more then a bare affront and withal displeased with the King for not taking her part made use of an artifice common enough amongst those Female Politicians when designing to revive a dying passion She feigned to be touched with a remorse of Conscience and Christian sorrow the fear of God said she would suffer her no more to think of what was past but only to do penance for it and that of her own life and Childrens forbid her to see the King in private She went yet farther and begged leave of him to seek a Sanctuary out of the Kingdom for her and hers This Artifice had not at first its effect for the Holy time of Easter approaching he was resolved to take her at her word and to give her leave to retire into England where she might have the Duke of Lenox her neer Kinsman to support Year of our Lord 1604 her but not to carry her Children As to the rest to qualifie the Queens discontent he desired she should surrender up the Promise of Marriage he had given her and with which she made so much noise shewing it to any one that had the curiosity to see it His intreaties were not prevalent enough he was obliged to make use of his Authority together with Twenty thousand Crowns in Money and the hopes of a Mareschal's Staff for the Father Upon which Conditions she deliver'd it in the presence of some Princes and Lords who verified and witnessed in Writing that it was the Original After all this the Queen being satisfied and the Marchioness appearing no more the Tempest seemed to be allay'd when the King discover'd that Entragues Father of the said Lady and the Count d'Auvergne had contrived a dangerous design with King Philip's Ambassador It was to convey the Marchioness into Spain with her Children which was negociated with Balthazar de Suniga Ambassador from the Catholick King by the management of a certain Englislr Gentleman named Morgan It was reported whether true or false how the Count d'Auvergne having acquainted the Spaniards with the Promise of Marriage the King had given the Marchioness had made a seoret Treaty with them by which King Philip promised his assistance to set her Son in the Throne And to that purpose would furnish them with Five hundred thousand Livers in Money and order the Forces he had in Catalogne to March and second the Party who were to Cantonize in Guyenne and Languedoc Nay much more was mention'd month June c. but few believed it as that the Count had framed an Attempt upon the Life of the King and that he was to dispatch him when he came to visit the Marchioness then seize upon the Daufin Now after the Death of l'Hoste the Count finding the Intrigue began to be discover'd retired into Auvergne upon pretence of a Quarrel which hapned to him at Court The Business being taken into Deliberation by the Council some gave their Opinions he ought to be treated like the Mareschal de Biron but the King would by no means proceed after that manner The example would have been of Consequence to his Bastards So that the Constable and the Duke de Ventadour the former Father in Law to the Count and the other his Brother month July in Law found it no difficult matter to get a Pardon for the Life of that wretched Man upon condition however that he should Travel three years in the Levant When he thought himself out of Danger he offer'd the King if he would he pleased to give him