Dukes of Lorrain the indisputable Heirs of the House of Ardenne were engaged to a necessary absence by the Holy War But when and by whom it was aâ—orned with the Title of an Earldome certain it is that of an Earldome it was erected to a Dukedome by the Emperour Frederick Barbarossa Anno 1172. Henry one of the Dukes hereof Matched his Daughter Margaret to Godfrey the third Duke of Brabant which suggested to his Successors some specious Colour to pretend unto it supported with a Title of more Authority which came in to reinforce the former on the Decease of another Henry the last Duke of Limbourg whose next Heir Adolph conveyed it to John Duke who fortified his Claim and Title to it by a colourable Pretence and Right derived from the former Match Anno 1293. But Reynald Earl of Guelders being blown up with an over-weening Conceit that his Title was established and erected on a better Foundation than that of Adolph in Right of Ermingrade his Wife Daughter to Herman a late Duke thereof cast in his Challenge to this Dukedome and attempted to evict the Title by the power of the Sword but this was ruinous and destructive to him for being subdued and made Captive by the said Duke John in the Battel of Worancan he was forced to redeem his Liberty by no lesse a price or Ransome than his total Release to all Title or Claim that he or his Successors might pretend to the Dukedome of Limbourg after which it was so folded up in the Interest of the Dukes of Brabant that it came over with it to the House of Burgundy and from that again to own ever since the Dominion of the Spanish Monarchy Guelders Zutphen and Groning GUELDERLAND is shut in on the East with Cleve and the Earldome of Zutphen on the West with Holland and Utrecht on the North with Over Issell and the Zuyder-Sea and on the South with Brabant and the Land of Gulick The ancient Inhabitants of Guelderland were the Menapii and Sicambri People very eminent in ancient Record for their Magnanimity and Courage In Ages of a more modern Inscription these Sicambri mingled with the French and under that Name and notion were entitled to the spreading Empire of the West In the partage thereof by the Posterity of Charles the Great this Province was knit to the Kingdome of Austrasia or East-France and afterwards being broken off was united to the German Empire At the beginning of its Government the Publique Astâ—iâ—s were swayed and weilded by some who enjoyed no other Title but Guardians and Protectors and were advanced to that Dignity by the People in the Raign of Charles the Bald the first who were embellished with this Title were Wickard and Leopold two Brethren who fixing their Chief Residence in the Castle of Guelders gave an occasion to future Ages to impose the Name of Gueldâ—rland on the whole Province but they and their Successors were supported by a Power of so narrow a circumscription that in effect their Office was but Provincial they themselves being accomptable to the Emperours how they managed the publique Concernments of this Province The first Prince who disengaged from the Shackles of these Restraints was Otho of Nassaw who Matched with Aleida Daughter to Wickard the last Guardian and was by the Emperour Henry the third made the first Earl of Guelderland and under this Style and Title his Successors continued until the Emperour Lewis of Bavaria improved this Dignity in the person of Reynold the second to the Degree of a Duke about the Year 1339. and from him did it descend to his Son Edward the Offspring of his second Wife Eleanor Daughter of Edward the third King of England and he deceasing without Issue Mary his Sister by Matching with Williamâ—arl â—arl of Gulick brought both the Patrimony and Ducal Crown of this Province to be possest bâ— him and his two Sons William and Reynold the fourth successively enjoyed it but they dying without Issue Arnold of Egmond Son of John Lord of Egmond and Mary his Wife Daughter of Joan the Sister of William and Raynold the two last Dukes as Heir General possest himself of Guelderland but in the declension of his Age being worried by his unnatural Son Adolph with War and Imprisonment he was in this agony supported by Charles the Warlike Duke of â—urguâ—dy who rescued him from his Son and released him â—rom his Fetters and he to Ballance â—o signal a favour conveyed his Interest in Guelderland and Zutphen to this Duke which Contract was after much Contest and Effusion of Blood ratified to Charles the fifth by his second Son Arnold and accordingly the Provinces of Guelderland and Zutphen were by a voluntary Resignation surrendred to Charles the fifth and from him the Title devolved to his Son Philâ—p the second King of Spain in whom it was lodged until the Barbarous Cruelty of the Duke of Alva engaged most of the Belgick Provinces to a Revolt or defection and the Prudential Conduct of Maurice Prince having much extended the Conquests of the Confederate States most of this Province was by his successful Atchievements annexed to their United Patrimony Zutphen ZUTPHEN was anciently an Earldom of it self without any Connexion or dependance on the Fortune or Seignory of Guelderland and remained in this Capacity until it devolved to be the Patrimony of Wickman the last Earl who determined in Sophia his sole Daughter and Heir who by Matching with Otho first Earl of Guelderland fastned it to that Province annd so it continued after this subservient to the Command of the Successive Earls and Dukes and when Arnold the last Duke of Guelderland conveyed all his Interest to Charles the fifth this was wrapped up in the Purchase and remained under the Dominion of the Scepter of Spain until the Defection of Holland and other Provinces from that Crown and then about the Year 1590. it was by Prince Maurice and the Army of the United States by Conquest torne from the Spanish Patrimony and hath ever since remained linked in Confederacy with those Combined Provinces Groining GROINING both City and Province did in elder Times confesse no other Seignory but of that of the Bishop of Utrecht but he either by want of Power of Inadvertency being remisse in Asserting their Liberties against Forraign Eruptions they submitted to the Protection of the Dukes of Guelderland But these Princes were disturbed in their new Acquists by the Dukes of Saxony who by a pretended Claim entitled themselves to the Propriety of it during which disorder and emotion it was surprized by Ezardus the Earl of East-Frizeland who about 1514. conveyed his Usurped Interest here to the Duke of Guelders the just Proprietary of it Afterwads they resigned themselves up with a Reservation of their ancient Liberties to Charles the fifth which being menâ—ced to be overwhelmed by the Fury of the Spâ—niard they Combined 1594. with Holland in â—â—ion and remain yet wrapped up in that Confederacy Holland Zealand and
concentered in her was now lodged on him which Bernard King Henry the second the more by some solemn Obligations to endear and fasten to himself adorned with the Title of Earl of Medinâ— Câ—li and his Son Gastoâ— the better to enforce and propagate the memory of the Noblenesse of his Antiquity and Extraction discarded the Name of Foix to embrace that of De la Cerda which hath ever since been transmitted with the Title bestowed on Lewis Grandchild to this Gaston and to his Posterity though there hath not wanted a successive regret and murmur in this Family to be thus excluded from the Spanish Diadem It is customary for this House at the Coronation of the Kings of Spain to put up a Petition to the Prince wherein they exhibit their Claim to the Spanish Scepter that at the least upon the Defailance of this Family now Reigning the stream of Soveraignty might flow back into this House to which demand the King subscribes this Answer Despois Nos Voâ— After Us You And sometimes No est lover There is no place for him Thus have I in a compendious Prospect represented the Fate which attended on the Stock and Lineage of Ferdinand de la Cerda I shall now trace out what Vicissitudes waited on Sancho the third from whom the Scepter of Castile and Leon by the unbroken Thread of Succession came to be swayed by the Hand of his Grandchild Pedro the Cruel who was expulsed out of the possession of his kingdoms by the procurement and influence of his natural Brother Henry Earl of Transtamare because of that havock and ravage his savage Executions had acted both on the Nobility and Populacy who after the discarding and Renunciation of him was by the Favour of the People advanced to the Crown of Castile and Leon but his Son John the first finding that his Title was established but upon a crazie Foundation unlesse there were some more powerful Buttresses to sustain more to fortifie his claim matcht his Son and Heir Prince Henry to Catharine Daughter to John of Gaunt by Constance one of the Daughters of Pedro the Cruel and so twisted the two differing Titles into one and from him did the Diadem devolve to his Great Grandchild Henry the fourth who going out without Issue Male Isabell his Sister and sole Inheritrix being Wedded to Ferdinand Son to John King of Aragon incorporated it with the Patrimony of his Crown and Scepter but both these Princes dying without Issue Male Joâ—n their onely surviving Princesse of Castile Leon Granadâ— c. and of Aragon Navarre Sicily Naples c. by espousing Phillip Arch-Duke of Austria and Lord of Belgium fastned these vast Territories into one Body the Ciment which knits them together hath been in subsequent Ages so closely united by the combination of many reciprocal Leagues and Marriages that they are still the Demeasne of the Austrian Family and particularly the Scepter of this Kingdome is lodg'd in the Hands of Phillip the fourth now Monarch of Spain PORTUGALL PORTUGALL is bounded on the North with the Rivers Minio and Avia which seperate it from Gallicia on the South with Algarue on the West with the Atlantick Ocean on the East with the two Castiles and Estremadura The ancient Inhabitants were the Lusitani and from them the Name of Lusitania was imposed upon it but though these were the principal yet the Celtici and Turditani who dwelt on the South-side of Tagus and the Gallaici Braccarii so styled from the Gallaici Lucenses who were Proprietaries of Gallicia and who inhabited on the North of Duero were entitled to a considerable part of the possession of it It was at first by the successful Sword of the Romans made Subject to their Empire but when their Power began to sink under the Impressions of those barbarous Nations who had so fatally assaulted them this was extorted from their Jurisdiction by the Alani but continued not long twisted into their Acquists for the Suevians breaking in upon them supplanted the Contexture of their newly obtained Conquests and forc'd them to dislodge and tamely to surrender their Interest here to them but a usurped Right can have no solid Foundation to establish itself upon for not long after these new Invaders were cast out from their new encroachments by the prosperous Attempts of the Goths but they again sunk in ths Ruins of Spain particular Lamentations are not distinguishable in universal Groans when the Moorish Invaders by a publique Conquest made the Liberty of Spain stoop to their Commands and Successe and after it had for some Ages groaned under those Fetters they imposed upon it it was rescued from its servitude by the noble Conduct of Henny of Lorrain to whom as a just Recompense of his Vertue and exemplary Services Alsonso the sixth King of Leon espoused his base Daughter Teresa and with her to improve her Fortune transmitted that part of Portugall which he and his Ancestors had by some auspicious Conquests rent from the Moors and and to make his Bounty more conspicuous he Invested him with the Title of Earl from whom it came by Descent to his Son Alfonso who by the Soveraigns of Leon was as Guerdon to poize both his Valour and his Virtue and that testimony of an excellent Courage he exhibited at the Battle of Obriquâ— Anno 1139. he Governed as Earl and King seventy two years and managed his Scepter with that Art and Prudence that at his Decease he made his Exit with the Fear and Reverence of his Enemies and the Adoration of his Friends And from him did the Diadem of this Kingdom descend to Alfonso the Wise who by a successful Conquest inlarged the Dominions of Portugall and wrung the Kingdome of Algarue from the Moors of Morocco who had before supplanted the Moors of Sevill and so broke the Power of Aben Mefad one of the most Puissant Princes of this Track that most of the Towns and petty Governours became by a subordinate Vassalage subject to the Scepter of Portugall and having thus entwined the Right of these two Provinces he transmitted them to his Grandchild Pedro who left Issue Ferdinand the first in whom the Male Line of Hen. of Lorrain determined so that the Right both of Portugall and Algarue was concentered in Beatrix his Daughter who was disseised of her Title to the Crown by her Uncle John Natural Son to Pedro above mentioned who having thus dislodged her from the Throne by ill Arts and dark Stratagems disdaining to be tir'd down by any bordering Title by an unlawfull Disherision diâ—carded and cast out the remaining Lawful Issue of his Father Pedro and having thus by these crooked Designs grasped the Scepter and empaâ—'d his Temples with the Diadem of Portugall and Algarue he to fortifie and support his unjust pretensions Match'd with Phillippa Daughter to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster with whom so many noble English Families enter'd Portugall that most of the Eminent Houses of this Nation spin out their
Malain and from him again did Margaret his sole Heir carry the united Titles and Interest of all these Provinces to Philip the Hardy to whom she was solemnly Wedded at Gaunt in the Year 1369. Having thus in a Compendious Discovery represented those Revolutions which annexed Artois to the Burgundian Stem I shall now in as narrow a Volume pursue and trace out the Fate of Flanders and it stood thus Theodorick of Elsas Earl of Flanders above mentioned had Issue Philip surnamed of Elsas and Earl of Flanders likewise who dying without Issue Baldwin the eighth Earl of Hanault who had Espoused Margaret his Sister and Heir in her Right was entituled to the Earldome of Flanders and left his new Acquists to his Son and Heir Baldwin the Ninth a man of that Latitude of Power in the Age he lived in that he was not only Earl of Flanders and Hainault but Emperour of Constantinople also but he and his Greatnesse found one Sepulchre together in two Daughters and Coheirs Joan the eldest was first Matched to Ferdinand Son of Sancho King of Portugal and secondly to Thomas third Son of Thomas Earl of Savoy by whom having no Issue surviving Margaret her second Sister Wedded to William of Dampiere became Heir to her Concernment in Flanders and Hainalt by her Husband abovementioed she had Issue William of Dampiere whom even in her Life Time she admitted to the Title of Earl which he continued until his Death which was divers years before her own Decease and Guy of Dampierâ— who was not only Dignified with the Title of Earl on the Death of his Brother but invested also in the Estate on the Exit of his Mother and from him did the steps of several Descents conduct it down to his great Grandchild Lewis de Malain Earl of Flanders Hainault Artois and both the Burgundies but expiring without Issue Male Margaret his sole Inheritrix by Matching with Philip the Hardy fourth Son of John King of France brought them not only to improve the Grandeur of his Family but likewise to swell and inforce his Patrimony and from him did the Title of these Provinces flow down to his great Grandchild Charles Duke of Burgundy surnamed the Warlike who being unfortunately cut off at the Battle of Granson and expiring without Issue Male his Interest in Flanders Burgundy and many other Provinces came to be enjoyed by Maximilian the Emperour and his Son Philip having Wedded Joan Daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella Monarchs of Spain so twisted the Title of Flanders and Burgundy with that of Spain that it is still subservient to the Dominion and Empire of Philip the fourth who now weilds the Scepter of the Spanish Monarchy Hainault HAIN AULT is bounded on the East with Namur on the West with Flanders on the North with Brabant on the South with Picardy and Champaigne It was in elder times called Saltus Carbonatius by some Writers the Lower Picardy In Latine Records of a more modern Inscription Hannonia It borrows this Name from the River Haine or Hania which glides through it and the Word Holt which imports a Wood this Province being almost clouded and over-spread with Forrests so that the Etymologie will be Hainault quasi Hain-holt a Country replenished with Woods on the River of Haine Thus it is represented in French but in Dutch it is best known by the Name of Henegou that is a Country consining on the River Haine as the signification in that Language does intimate The ancient Inhabitants of this Province were the Nervii so eminent in History for their Valour and Prudence who after Bloody Contests were supplanted by the Romans but they again being dislodg'd by the Prench it became a Limb of the great Earldome of Ardenne and remained so until the Death of Brunulph who was subdued and slain in Battel by Dagobert K. of France which Brunulph his Father in his Life Time had invested with the Title of Duke of Ardenne and designed unto the Conquest of it but the Fury of War being allayed and the parts of Flanders and Brabant which were parcels of that Dutchy being enstated on other Houses this by the Indulgent Magnificence of Sigebert King of Metz or Austrasia was setled on Alberic surnamed the Orphelin one of the younger Sons of Brunulph and was likewise adorned with the Name and Title of Earl of Hainalt and from him did both the Title and Estate by the Thread of Descent come down to Walter the third by whose eldest Daughter it was brought to confesse Albon both for Earl and Proprietary and from him the Clew of Paternal Descent transported the Title to his Successor Reigner the third who determined in a Daughter and Heir called Richild who by Matching with Baldwin the Fifth of that Name Earl of Flanders added so strong a Right to this Alliance that he became Earl of Hainalt by the Name of Baldwin the first and left it to his Son Arnulph who was Barbarously robbed of his estate by his unnatural Uncle Robert who not glutted with this Ruin ravished away likewise the Earldome of Flanders by an unjust and Usurped Surprizal into which he succeeded though his Nephew Baldwin Brother to the infortunate Arnulph was repossest of Hainault by the Name of Baldwin the second and styled himself likewise Earl of Flanders and from him by a continued Channel of worthy Successors did the Title of this Earldom flow down to Baldwin the eighth of that Name in Hainault and the Ninth in Flanders who went out in two Daughters and Coheirs Joan who dyed without Issue though twice married and Margaret who being entrusted to the care and Tuition of Buschart her Guardian he by ill Arts and worse Stratagems so seduced and charmed her Affections that she was made a prostitute to his Lust and by those unlawful Embraces had a Natural Son called John de Avesnes Prior of St. Peters in L'isle who by the Designs of Force and Fraud by an unjust intrusion extorted Hainault from his two Brothers William and Guy of Dampierre both being Sons of William of Bourbon Lord of Dampierre and this Margaret both the Issue of Lawful Sheets and this John being thus swoln with an Increase of Patrimony and made tall in Title Matched with Aleida Daughter and Heir of Florence the fourth Earl of Holland and so by the Authority of this Alliance was not only Earl of Hainault but of that Territory also of whose Descendants and how both Hainault and Holland came to devolve to the House of Burgundy I shall discover when I come to treat of Holland Namur NAMUR hath on the East Hainault on the West the Bishoprick of Leigh on the North Brabant and on the South Luxenbourg The ancient Inhabitants of this Country were the Nervii It was first erected into an Earldom by some of the Descendants of the Sons of Clodion second King of the French who being by a violent Usurpation devested of their Fathers Diadem by Meroveus Master of his Horse to whose
ingrateful and unworthy Tuition they had been entrusted by their confident but unwaâ—y Father were forced to seek shelter in the most desencible places of the great Forrest of Ardenne where they established the great Earldomes of Ardenne and Mosell Divided in succeeding Generations into many parcels of which this was one Who the first Earls were because Ancient Records are dim in that particular is incertain Albert who was Co-temporary to Hugh Capet and Matched with Irmingrade Daughter of Charles of France and first Duke of Lorraine is represent in very old Registers to have been Earl of this Province and he was Grandfather and as some Authors assert Father to â—eter Earl of Namur in whom the Male Line determined so that his Daughter and Heir by Espousang Henry the second Son of Baldwin the eighth Earl of Flanders and Hainault which Henry was Emperour of Constantinople likewise after the death of his elder Brother Baldwin the ninth Earl of Flanders and Hainault brought this Earldom into that Family and from him it descended to Yoland his Daughter who Wedded Peter Earl of Auxerre who also succeeded his Father in Law Henry in the Empire of Constantinople and he supported by a Right derived from Her was entitled to this Earldome and upon his Decease Philip his younger Son as being then in the Netherlands entered upon it as Earl but he dying without Issue John his elder Brother who at his Fathers Decease was at Constantinople and there made his Claim was entitled to it but he likewise making his Exit without Issue it devolved to Philip the second Brother to Henry the Emperour above mentioned and the likewise determining without Children it was transmitted to Margaret one of the two Daughters and Co-heirs of Baldwin the ninth as Heir General to this Philip and she setled it on her third Son John sirnamed of Dampierre upon whose Decease his elder Brother Guy of Dampierre entered upon the Earldome and left it to his Son by his second Wife by the Name of John the third upon whose Exit his Brother who was one of the Sons of Guy de Dampierre above mentioned by his first Wife was invested in the Earldome by the Style of John the fourth but he expiâ—ing without Issue his Brother by the whole Blood entered upon the Possession by the Name of Guy the second and from him it Descended to his Grandchild John the sixth who in the Year 1429. passed away his Estate here in Reversion to Philip the Good to be enjoyed by him on the Decease of his next Heir Theodore who being Infirm and going out without Issue it accordingly augmented the Revenue of Philip the Good and from him hath the steps of several Descents carried down the Title and Propriety to Philip the fourth now King of Spain Luxenbourg LUXNBOURG is environed on the East with the Moselle and the Land of Triers on the West with the Maes and the Forrest of Ardenne on the North with Luick-land Namur and a part of Hainault and on the South with the Dutchy of Lorraine It hath borrowed this Name from the Castle near the Town of Luxenbourg selected by Sigifride the first Earl hereof for his Seat and Residence The whole Dutchy is resolved into two parts that on the East having borrowed the Name of Famenne that on the West having the Appellation of Ardenne imposed upon it This Province was at first a Limb of the great Earldome of Ardenne rent from it in the Raign of Otho the first by Sigifride the Son of Ricâ—inus Prince thereof who in the breaking the Estate by Division into paâ—cels had this consigned for his Portion with the Title of Earl Of his Successors Gilbert Godfrey and Conrade there is little represented to us by ancient Record in a constant order of Succession until the Time of Henry the first who being slain in the Cause and Quarrel of Renald Earl of Gueldres contending with John Duke of Brabant for the Dutchy of Limbourg this Province descended to his Son and Heir Henry the second who by the Influence and procurement of his Brother Baldwin Elector of Triers Emperour of Germany and he had Issue John who Matched with Elizabeth Daughter of Wenceslaus the Elder King of Bohemia the Respect had to that Alliance was so operative upon that Nation that he was in the Life Time of his Father by their Election advanced to the Scepter of that Nation And he had Issue Charles who was Emperour of Germany the fourth of that Name and likewise King of Bohemia and Wenceslaus the first who was created Duke of Luxenbourg by his Brother Charles the Emperour to inlarge and multiply the Grandeur of their Family but he Deceasing without a Successor this Dutchy again was united to the Patrimony of Wenceslaus who was eldest Son to Charles the fourth and was Emperour and King of Bohemia also and to him Succeeded his Brother Sigismund who was invested in all his Estates and adorned with all hâ—s Titles as namely Emperour King of Bohemia and Duke of Luxenbourg but grew more considerable when he Matched with Mary Heir of Lâ—wis the first King of Hungary by which Alliance that Diadem likewise encircled his Temples and he the better to fortifie his own Family with external Butteresses by a munificient Donation enstated this Dutchy on Elizabeth Daughter to his younger Brother John Duke of Gortlitz which endowment of his fitted her for the Bed of Anthony of Burgogn Duke of Brabant after whose Decease she was remarried to John the third Earl of Hainault and Holland but having Issue by neither of them she by Sale conveyed her Concernment in this Dutchy to Philip the Good Duke of Burgundy 〈◊〉 whom several Descents hath conducted the 〈◊〉 down to Philip the fourth now King of 〈◊〉 Brabant BRABANT is bounded on the East with Luickland on the West with the River Scheld and a part of Flanders on the North with the Maes which separates it from Holland and Guelderland and on the South with Hainault Namur and a branch of Guelderland The ancient Inhabitants of this Province were the Aduatici and some part of the Tungri by the Romans reputed a Limb of that Province called Germania Secunda and by the French a Province of the Kingdome of East-France or Austrasia the Southern parts thereof Confining on Hainault were subservient to the Command of the Earls of Ardenne the Northern parts extending towards the Sea were miserably harrassed with the Depredations of the Danes and Normans and therefore for their future Indempnity were committed to the Custody and Protection of one who had the Title of Lord Warden of the Marches But long these Robbers had not laid this Province Desolate with their wilde Depopulations when their Rapine met with a just Expiation for Theodebert Son of Theodorick first King of Austrasia accompanied with Utilo a Boiarian Prince so check'd their Insolencies and retrenched their Eruptions by seve al Defeats that Theodorick at the request of his Son Theodebert to ballance
was subservient still to those who had the Empire of the West But when the House of Charleâ—aigue degenerated and suffered the Imperial Diadem to be ravished from their Heads after the Year 900. an eager Dispute was managed by the Continuance of Fifty years betwixt the Italian and German Princes in relation to the Possession and Soveraignty of the Empire In Fine the Germans prevailed in the person of Otho the first and his Successors having designed and fixed their Seat of Power and Government in the Empire they afterwards were entangled in several Contentions with the Papacy which so much retrencheâ— and contracted their Authority that their Power in Italy began sensibly to crumble away and a considerable part of Lombardy slipt out of their Dominion and some Seignories chose to themselves Italian Lords and some elected Liberty and a Popular Government In these Confusions Milan and its Appendant Territory put it self under the Patronage and Protection of Otho its Arch-bishop Descended from the Viscounts of Angleria a place of a narrow Circuit in this Dutchy But after his Decease Matthew Brothers Son to this Arch-Bishop was confirmed in the Government of Milan by Albert Emperour of Germany but under no other Notion or Title than that narrow one onely of Commander for still it seems the Skeleton of Soveraignty was deposited in the Hands of the Emperours though those Nerves and Muscles which should make it act vigourously and move regularly were rent off and from him did the same Command devolve to his Son Galeazzo Visconti who because he exercised this Authority without the Approbation of Lewis of Bavaria the Emperour he was disseised of his Power and expulsed but his Son Actio Visconti was reinvested in that Command from which his Father had been dislodged by the same Lewis but after his Exit the same Command was successively Managed by his two Uncles Luchino and John Visconti younger Brothers to his Fâ—ther Galeazzo and after their â—xtinction the Government of this State was dispensed and swayed by Galeazzo the second Son of Stephen who likewise was a younger Brother of these two but embellished with no other Title but that of Commander of Milan and here this Appellation expired with him and was entomb'd in his Urne for after his Decase John Galeazzo Visconti Son of Galeazzo the first above-mentioned coming to graspe the Command of this Province by the Benefaction and Munificence of the Emperour Wenceslaus about the Year 1395. as some compute or about the Year 1397. as others calculate received his Investiture into the State of Milan with the more splendid Title of Duke which was successively enjoyed by his two Sons John Maria who in a popular Sedition fell an early Oblation to the Disorder and Fury of the Vulgar and Philip Maria who likewise made his Exit without Issue so that the Right of Inheritance was lodged in Valentina their Sister and Heir who about the Year 1398. was Matched to Lewis Duke of Orleans Son to Charles the fifth King of France and by the Contract of Matrimony it was manifested and declared that upon Defailance of the Masculine Line of Galeazzo the Children of Valentina should be invested in the Succession of this Dutchy notwithstanding this Clause had this emient Defect that this Dutchy being established a Masculine Fee Galeazzo could not make it Feminine without the Emperours Grant or License which was not demanded or required because the Empire was then vacant by the Degradation of Wenceslaus whom the Electors had devested and deposed because of his dull and sluggish Administration of the Affairs of the Empire but it is asserted by the French that Pope Benedict the thirteenth who then held his See at Avignon ratified and approved the above-mentioned Contract for that Right the Popes challenge in the Vacancy of the Empire But this Succession falling in the Confusions of France under Charles the seventh when the two Sons of Valentina Charles Duke of Orleans and John Count of Angoâ—lesme were Captive in England where the first continued twenty five years and the last almost thirty It was a Design of not much difficulty for Francis Sforza a man of a vigorous Resolution and a deep speculation who had Wedded Bona Natural Daughter to Philip Maria the last Duke of Milan above-mentioned in that interval of Time and the Desolation of the House of Orleans to surprize and seize the Dutchy of Milan of which he had procured and obtained an Investiture of the Emperour Frederick the fourth But this did not so supersede the intâ—insique Right of the House of Orleans but Lewis the twelfth coming to be King of France about the Year 1498. so powerfully prosecuted his Right that he expulsed Lodowick Sforza who hâ—d by a claâ—destine Assassination destroyed his two Nephews the Sons of his Brother Francis abovesaid entrusted to his Guardianship and Protection and violently ravished away the Possession of this Dutchy and having made him his Prisoner carried him into France where he dyed in Captivity in the Tower of Loches Lewis remaining thus Master of this Dutchy to secure his Claim and fortifie his Title he obtained two Investitures of the Emperour Maximilian the first in the Year 1506. and the second in the Year 1509. But this did not so support his Possession but that towards the latter end of his Government he was supplanted by Maximilian Sforza Son to Lodowick and the Concomitant Succours of the Suisse with the Consent of Maximilian the Emperour who was disgusted because Claude eldest Daughter to Lewis who had been promised to his Grandchild Charles was â—spoused to Francis afterwards King of France by the Name of Francis the first which Francis after Decease of Lewis being empâ—l'd with the Diadem of France so Successfully vindicated his Claim and Title that he regained this Dutchy and rendered Maximilian his Prisoner but he either neglected oâ— the dâ—dained to do Homage to the â—mperour for a new Investiture which Contempt of his Charles the fifth who succeeded his Grandfather Maximilian re ented with so much Regret that his Animosity against Francis grew inveterate and implacable which blazed out in the Flame of a Publique War in which Francis was made Captive at the Battel of Pâ—via and from thence transported and put under Restraint at Madrid and there remained until he purchased his Enfranchisement with a plenary Release and Surrender of his Right to this Dutchy into the Hands of Charles the fifth though the French affirm this could onely prejudice himself but not the Children of Claude his Queen who were entitled to a Right by Descent from their Mother and that this Concession of Madrid is null by the Fundamental Laws of France which will not permit the Alienation of the Soveraign Rights of the Crown without the Consent of the Estates General and they never ratified this Concession but the actual Possession of the Spaniard hath been more strong than these Pretences who have so secured their Interest in this Dutchy against