made his Brother the packhorse of his passions sought to put him out of hope to marry his daughter Marriage sought in Castille and perswaded him to seeke the marriage of the King of Castiles daughter f The K. desired the Marriage of Isabella Infanta of Castile with his brother but she was married to D. Fernando Prince of Arragâ—n King Henry treated for his Daughter D. Ioane Monsieur submitted his will to the Kings and Deputies were sent into Castille to King Henry the fourth The King had for his part the Cardinall of Alby and the Lord of Torcy The Duke of Guienne gaue his procuration to the Earle of Bolloigne and to the Lord of Malicorne to consent vnto this marriage and had neuer beheld the Bride Princes drinke these waters without seeing them This poursute was pleasing to the King of Castile who was offended that his Sister D. Isabella had married to Ferdinand of Arragon without his consent The King sends Ambassadors into Castile and tooke it for a great honor that shee whom the Grandes of Spaine held and who in effect was the supposed Daughter of Castile should bee wife vnto the French Kings brother hauing no meanes to lodge her in a better house Hee commanded the Archbishop of Seuill the Bishop of Siguenç and the master of the order of S. Iames to treat the marriage with the Embassadors of France All being concluded the King would haue the promises made in a great Plaine g The Princesse D. Ioane was brought into the field by the Marques of Santillana who had her in charge and to whom the King gaue in recompence of his seruice three Townes of the Infantasgo Alâ—ocer Valdolinas and Salmeron neere vnto the Monasterie of Paular enual de Locoia in the view of an incredible multitude which came thither The K. hauing renued his declarations against his sister D. Isabella and confirmed to his Daughter D. Ioane the title of Princesse and heire of Castille the Cardinall of Alby addressing himselfe to the Queene her mother besought her to sweare whether D. Ioane were the Kings daughter or not She sweare that she was He made the like adiuration vnto the King who affirmed the same They had not any need to seeke for the Iewes waters of probation h The Iewes to proue adultery had probation waters as they caled them The adulterous woman drinking therof did burst The Geâ—mans tried if their Children were lawfull making them swim vpon the riuer of Rhin nor to make this Virgin swim vpon the Riuer to know the truth of her birth And yet vpon this affirmation all the Grandes at that time kist her hands and she was againe sworne Princesse of Castille In this qualitie the Cardinall of Alby made her sure to the Duke of Guienne the Earle of Boulongue promising and receiuing the promises for him Whilest the King laboured to prouide a wife for his Brother Birth of Charls the 8. God sent the King a Sonne i Charles Dauphin of France was borne at Amboise the 14 of Iuly or as the Annales of Aquitaine report the last of Iune 1470. Charles of Bourbon Archbishop of Lion was Godfather and gaue him his name This birth reuiued the King who began to grow old his Maiestie was more respected factions were weakened Monsieurs hopes recoyled and France wholly preserued by these two great and speciall fauours of heauen valor and prosperitie or vertue and fortune which haue made her reputation to passe through so many ages k Valour without the which a great enterprise cannot bee ended laied the foundation of the Monarchy of France and prosperity withâ—out the which the best setled estates are not assured preserues it The Constable seeing that by Monsieurs marriage with the Daughter of Castille Constables new practises all his designes vanished into smoke labors with all the capacitie of his iudgement to disswade him from this alliance letting him know that it was dishonorable by reason of the vnlawfull birth of Bertraiamina for so they called her and dangerous for the hatred which he should purchase of D. Ferdinand and D. Isabella declared Kings of Castille with the like Art he represented vnto him the greatnes he should expect by the marriage of the Princesse of Bourgundy Death of Pope Paul the second Pope Paul the second died l Paul the second dyed of an Apoplexie the 28. of Iuly 1471. hauing raigned 6. yeers ten moneths during this poursuite and after that he had yeelded vnto it hee was sodainly surprised by death hauing held a Consistorie and eaten two melons at his dinner His election was as vnexpected as his death Cardinall Scarampi who was his enemie m Cardinall Lewis Scarampy Patriarke of Aquilea was enemie to P. Paul the second being yet a Cardinal Lewis reproched to Peter the sumptuousnes of his buildings and Peter said that he had rather exceed in that then in dice playing wherein Lewis tooke great delight did in the beginning of the Conclaue breake off the proposition which was made and yet contrarie to the ordinance of elections the suffrages agreed vpon the same subiect which they had reiected and the contention which had begunne the Conclaue ended This Pope shewed a great generosite for beeing chosen and seeing that the gowt or rather shame and discontentment hindred this Cardinall from comming to the adoration hee went to meete him imbraced him assured him of his loue and to forget all matters past This Pope augmented the pompe of the Court of Rome hee gaue Scarlet foot-clothes to the Cardinals Mules Platina saith that he loued not learned men and called all them hereticks that made profession and therefore he supprest the Colledge of Abreuiators which was full of great excellent spirits The feeling which Platina seemed to haue of this iniury did wholly ruine his fortune in the affliction whereof he wrote a letter vnto the Pope n â—latinas letter had thâ—se words Si tibi lâ—cuit indicta causa spoliare nos â—mptione nostra iusta eâ— legiâ—ima debet nobis licere conqueri illatam inâ—uriam inâ—â—stamque ignominiâ—m eiecti a te ac tam insigni coÌ„â—umelia affâ—cti dilabemur paâ—sim ad reges ac Principes eosque adhortabimur vt tibi consilium indicanâ— in quo potissimuÌ„ rationem reddere cogatis cur nos legitima possessione spoliaueris full of bitternes and without respect This Pope was also taxed to be very greedy of money Paul the secoÌ„d a great builder and not to haue held the iustest meanes to get it and yet his magnificence in the sumptuous building of the Pallace of St. Mark and in the reparation of that of S. Peter freed him from blame with such as know that magnificence is the daughter of liberalitie The promises beeing broken in the Castille the poursuite of the marriage with the Duke of Bourgundies Daughter was followed by the Constable with great vehemencie who could not endure
THE HISTORY OF LEWIS THE ELEVENTH VVITH THE MOST MEMORABLE accidents which happened in Europe during the two and twenty yeares of his Raigne Enricht with many Obseruations which serue as Commentaries Diuided into eleuen Bookes Written in French by P. MATHIEV Historiographer to the French King And Translated into English by EDVV GRIMESTON Sergeant at Armes †LEWIS ✚ THE ✚ XI ✚ FRENCH ✚ KING ✚ At London printed by GEORGE ELD 1614. SEMPER · EADEM TO THE MOST NOBLE AND WORTHY OF ALL HONORS THOMAS Earle of Suffolke Lord Chamberlain to his Maiestie WHO begins my most Noble Lord and not ends the Race receiues no Crowne I haue begunne to submit to your Patronage my former endeauours And therefore thus continue their grace with prescription of your honorable name Your most Noble disposition neuer giuing ouer free and honest seruices T' were inconstancie respectlesse and rude to relinquish or not euer to celebrate you Or to an encreasing Nobilitie and merit to decrease in obseruance and Tribute I haue chosen now to present your Lordship with the Life of one of those Kings which my former French disfranchisements and makings free in our English haue in other sort toucht at Now selected augmented and more particularly illustrated by the neerer and more labor'd insight of one of their learned'st and most profit-making Obseruers All obiections to his labours he hath answered himselfe in Sequell my paines being onely to render him truely and with as much grace of our English representation as I might Nought rests but your Lordships leasurable perusall and examination of both Together with my zealous desire of your honorable conceit that all Offices performed on my part in this or any other worthy subiect shall euer be particularly confined to your chosen seruice and noble acceptance So euer remaining in all things Your LL. most deuoted EDVV GRIMESTON AN ADVERTISEMENT ALthough that all Bookes which are presented vnto the King proceed not from those excellent pens which haue taken life vnder his raigne to aduance the French eloquence to the height of glory no more then all Statues which were dedicated to Apollo in Creet Rhodes and Cypres were not made by the hands of Zeuxis or of Phidias nor the wine which was offered to Iupiter in his sacrifice did not alwaies come out of the cup nor grew in those Vines which he desired yet this History being but in her Infancy hath merited the fauour of his iudgement and of the greatest of his Court who haue taken delight to see as in an Astroâ—ab the rising and fall of those which are on earth as the Sunne is in Heauen This is the rampier wherein shee fortifies her selfe against so many affronts wherewith she hath been threatned for curious spirits are not pleased with all kinds of writing no more then the Planets feed vpon all sorts of vapours The most difficult to please will obiect against her and mee thinkes I vnderstand these words proceeding out of their mouthes or from their thoughts why the History of Lewis the eleuenth more then of any other can they giue vs a better then that of Philip de Commines to all these exceptions she hath but one answere What though I giue not all humors content A worke that 's great cannot please eu'ry taster But of so many tasts so different Let it suffice me that it likes my Master I haue not affected in this worke the glory of mine owne wit I haue contented my selfe with that of obedience I haue made it such as you see it his commandement carries his reasons and staies the curiositie of such as desires others This great Prince who entertained himselfe and slept sometimes vpon the actions of this King as Alexander did vpon those of Achilles and who made no lesse esteeme of Phil. de Com. then the Emperor Charles the fift had done would haue his History beautified and illustrated in the same manner that I present it vnto you to the end that being compared with his Iudgement might make the difference and that of two they might frame a liuely Image of that which might serue for the conduct of a Prince The brightnes of truth appeares by the opposition of her contrary and shadowes giue grace to liuely coulours examples are of more force then precepts Cowards instruct the Couragious and lyars make Men speake the truth He that turnes from vice encounters vertue Ismenias mingled both good and bad Flute-players together to the end that the diuersitie of their musick might be a lesson to imitate the one and leaue the other and that comparison might make the difference There is nothing so difficult as to paralel Princes if there be any conformitie in their fortunes it is found in their vertues if they haue attained to one end it hath not been by the same course and therefore they say there are a hundreth yeares required to breed a great Prince or a great Captaine Lewis hath carried and Henry doth yet carry the glorious Title of the most renowned and magnanimous Princes of their ages but they haue not purchased it by the selfe same meanes the difference hath beene great in their humours and in their kinde of gouernement Both had one kinde of beginning the one of the house of Valois the other of that of Bourbon two branches of S. Lewis There was some conformitie in their first fortunes being both retired from Court and both instructed in patience in the schoole of necessitie The beginning of their reignes had some resemblance for both had seene a great and mighty faction raised against them vnder two goodly pretexts the one of the Common-weale the other of Religion both haue been in paine to expell forraine enemies to pacifie domestique and to diuide their humors but what the one hath done by policie and force the other hath effected by the iustnes of his armes and the mildnes of his clemencie Both were troubled to moderate those spirits which had yet a feeling of ciuill diuisions they haue tried the infidelitie of their seruants and haue made themselues to bee feared and redoubted but the one hath maintained the respect of his Maiestie by feare and seueritie and the other by wisedome and loue The raigne of the one was a Sea of stoâ—mes and tempest the other a calme milde and cleare hauen Lewis of much did little Henry of nothing did wonders Lewis thrust himselfe into apparant dangers to reap doubtfull fruits Henry was neuer seene in any place but fortunate and victorious Lewis medled with all things and would see and know all Henry is a Prince of all howers and for all affaires Lewis feared the fat of his people Henry beleeues that the felicitie of the subiect is the glory of the Prince Lewis the eleuenth had royall vertues but they were not all pure his wisedome had a touch of ounâ—ing his iustice of seueritie his valour of rashnes his clemencie of feare his liberalitiâ— of profusion and his pietie of dissimulation Henry takes
and without condition C. Blosius said that he would do all that Tiberius Gracchus should coÌ„mand him yea hee would burne Iupiters Temple if â—e would Val. Max. lib. 45. 7. if he pleased He should not haue perswaded the Duke of Bourgondy to this marriage with reasons of feare and amazement A great courage doth neuer any thing to shew that he feares This course was odious vnto the Duke but much more vnto the King being offended that the Constable would make such an alliance and not acquaint them with it for the same fault a Nobleman of the same quality dignity lost his head in Spaine u Amongst the causes for the which the Coâ—stable of Aâ—alos was beheaded at Vailledâ—lit in the yeare 1453. They marke for that he presumed to make the marriage of the Sonne of D. Pedro of Portugal without the permission of the K. of Castile his maister The Duke had other thoughtes then to marry his Daughter Many beleeued that he would not do it whilst hee liued contenting himselfe to leaue her pleased in this liberty Desseins of the Duke vppon his Daughters marriage to hold many hopes in seruitude for he entertained them that might assist him or anoy him with goodly discourses of this allyance The Daughters of Soueraigne houses are not married to all them they are made sure vnto x When as they wondred why Hercules of Este Duke of Fâ—rrara had married Lucretia daughter to Pope Alexander the sixth hauing been made sure to three husbands was then widdow to Gismond Prince of Bisselli whom the Duke of Valentinois had â—â—aine the only coÌ„sideration of the safety of his estate and of his affaires tooke away the amazement Guichard Lib. 5. Princes in marrying do not regard their pleasure but the necessity and profit of their affaires But seeing the Constable propound no other remedy but this marriage of Monsieur and his daughter and that yeelding vnto it hee should fill the world with a beleefe that hee had consented for feare of his enemies y A free spirit cannot indure â—o bee forced Vt in Principaâ—â— beatisâ—imum est non cogi ita miserrimum non suaderi he beganne then to hate him deadly and to sweare his ruine The King who iudged of the future by the knowledge of things past z Things past carry a light before iudgment which searcheth into the obscurity of future things The world goes alwaies after his manner There is not anything spoken or done but hath some ancient example Thinges goe and come vnder diuers names and other coullers â—â—ut a wise man doth discernâ— them trusted him no more for he had discouered that in this war he regarded his own priuate interest more then the good of his seruice that hee had made himselfe the instrument of an allyance which was so much the more vnpleasing vnto him for that hee ment to keepe him in Iealousie with his brother and to hold his greatnesse suspect Although the Duke of Brittany did still intertaine the Duke with feares and amazements sending him word that the King had desseins vpon Amiens Bruges and Brussells that hee was resolued to beseege him a These aduertisements were deliuered vnto the Duke of Bourgondy by mouth by a footman of the Duke of Brittaines To whom the Duke answered sodainely that his maister was ill aduertised and that the Townes whereof he spake were too great to bee beseeged where hee should find himselfe deceaued euen in Gand The King discouers the Constable yet hee went to field with his Armie beeing resolute to passe the riuer of Somme vppon a bridge which hee had made at Piqueny and to fight with the King if hee sought to hinder him Hee remained sixe weekes before Amiens saying that hee attended vntill the King who was then at Beauuais should come and force him to dislodge But the King by his temporizing let him know that hee did not fight by the fortune of his enemies but by his owne b A Prince should not suffer himselfe to be driuento that extremity as his eâ—nemy should prescribe him a Law and bind him to fight Biorix King of the Cimbrians seeing the Consull Marius to lye still offred him Battell But Marius answered that the Romans were not accustomed to fight at their enemies pleasures Romanorum reos est suo non hostrium Arbirrio dimicare The Towne was fortified with the presence of the chiefe men of the realme the Constable the Lord Steward the Admirall and Marshall were within it with one thousand and foure hundred men at Armes and foure thousand franke Archers They had resolued to sally foorth vppon the Duke and to ingage him betwixt the king and them Seâ—ge of Amens but the King would not his mind was so resolute to end or to continue the warre as any wauering might cause his will tend to the one side or the other c When themind is in suspence betwixt doing and not doing a small matter turnes the ballance A lâ—ght reasonor any president makes the waight but there is a great difference betwixt the irresolution and suspencion of the mind which growes by the concurrence equality of reasons When as a mighty Prince doth not all he can vnto his inferiours it argues that eyther hee hath some great desseine to circumuent him or that warre is vnpleasing vnto him Wherefore the Duke beeing aduertised that the King had not allowed of this desseine sent Simon of Quingey with a letter of six lines written with his owne hand in tearmes of great humility and exceeding greefe to see that warre begun vnder coullor of his seruice to satisfie another mans passions adding that he beleeued if the King had beene well informed of all things hee would not haue done it The King who would not doe all hee could for oftentimes hee that would haue all looseth all d A Prince should not desire to haue the extremity of all things The wise men of Italy say Volere ostinatamente ill sommo di turte cose Somtimes in thinking to draw more frute from an occasion then it can in honesty yeeld it ruines the affaires tooke delight in this letter hauing discouered the practises of his Brother of the Duke of Brittany and the Constable wherefore hee sent backe Simon of Quingey with good words and granted a truce to the Duke of Bourgondy which sent euery man home A Truce granted dissolues the Armies the King into Touraine Monsieur into Guienne the Duke into Flanders and the Constable to Saint Quentin where he still continued his practises and not onely tormented himselfe with his owne discommodities but with that which succeeded happily to either of these two Princes e A miserable folly and a foolish misery of those which ar not content to torment themselues with their owne miseries which are but too great but they aflâ—ct theÌ„selues with the felicities of other men The King who knew well that the Duke of Bourgondy
day The Chronicle reports an example which shewes the little industry and addresse that was euen in the Maisters of this Art for all the Officers of the Ordinance being gathered together on Munday before Twelfth day Bombard made at Tours in the yeare 1448. in the field before Saint Anthonies Bastille to try a great Bombard which the King had caused to bee made at Tours At the first shot it carried an Iron Bullet of fiue hundred pounds weight vnto the Gibbet at Pont Charenton They thought it was not well boared and therefore they would haue it cleansed and charged againe The Caster playing the Gunner scoured it so carelesly as hee left fire in it so as hauing charged it anew and put in his Bullet the Bombard hauing no fire set to the touch-hole discharged of it selfe blowing vp the Caster ino the Aire into many peeces which slew neere and farre off two and twenty men and burnt and maimed many others g The Chronicle addes that the peeces of the Casters body were gathered together and buried in the Church of S. Merry and that they cried in the streets Pray vnto God for I. Maugue caster of the Bombard who is newly dead between heauen earth in the seruice of the king our Lord. Our age more industrious Ordinance of Brasse and subtile hauing caused Brasen Ordinance to bee cast that is to say a mixture of Tinne and Copper softer and more flexible then Iron Artilery beganne to be good in the warres of the Emperour Charles the fift and of Francis the first and better vnder the raigne of Henry the second King Henry the fourth hath brought it to perfection France could not carry the title of Inuincible before her Arsenals were filled with that whose want maketh the mightiest Empires weake Shee may now bragge to haue the keyes of all the forts of Europe and that there is not any one but will stoope and humble it selfe at the sight of this Thunderbolt when as at the first word of Iupiter it shall be cast forth by the Eagle which carieth it and which onely demands where is it If Christian Princes would haue vented out in any other place then in Europe Death of Mahomet 2. that warlike heate which turmoyled them to their owne ruines God had giuen them a goodly occasion to employ both the Camping Troupes of Lewis the 11. and all the forces of other Christian Princes to the ouerthrowing of that of the Turks which was wonderfully shaken by the death of Mahomet h Mahomet the second Emperour of the Turkes dyed the the 3 d. of May 1481. in the 52. yeare of his age Hee dyed at that time in Nicomedia Pope Sixtus was so glad as he appointed three festiuall daies Sixtus the 4. reioyceth at the death of Mahomet in Rome to thanke God for that the Church was deliuered from such a scourge dying hee cursed Rhodes thrice he was a wiser and more polliticke Prince then any of the house of the Ottomans as he who in all his conquests added pollicy to force Hee was thicke synowy and strong of body he had an Aquiline nose and so crooked as the end hung ouer his lip Being yong he beganne to take delight in the actes of Alexander the Great promising himselfe to surpasse or equall him i Mahomet propounded no other patterne vnto himselfe then that of Alexander not to imitate him in his vertues but in his ambition The first day he sate in the Throne of Amurath k Amurath dyed before the Castle of Croy in the yeare 1450. his father who raigned 32. yeares Mahomet surnames himselfe the Great a Prince much beloued of his owne and iust vnto his enemies he would be surnamed the Great In shew he held Mahomets Religion but hauing beene bred vp as a Christian by his Mother who was daughter to Lazarus Prince of Seruia instructed by her in the Prayers Confession of the Christian Faith when he came to the Empire he found himselfe in so great a doubt distraction what he should beleeue as he resolued not to beleeue any thing caring no more for the Gospell then for the Alcoran making a scoffe at Mahomet whom he termed to be a Slaue a Thiefe holding his Prophecies for Fables and his Lawes for Impostures The father dying had recommended vnto him his yong sonne Turcin being but eighteene Monthes old and he had promised not to make him feele the rigor of the house of the Ottomans But as he had no faith towards God so he kept none with men l Wee must not expect any obseruation of faith from a Prince that hath no Religion he forgat this promise for death had no sooner closed vp his fathers eyes but he drew this poore Infant out of the Nurses armes to beate out his braines against the wall saying that hee would not haue his father interred alone Moses one of his chiefe seruants entreated him not to defile his hands in his owne bloud This reason did not moue him but onely to change the executioner for he commanded him to kill him Moses caused water to bee brought and powred such aboundance into the mouth of this infant as he did both smother him and drowne him The mother seeing this Inhumanity fild the house with fearefull cryes and made terrible imprecations against Mahomet who to comfort her said That she sought in vaine to reuiue her sonne with teares that she should conforme her selfe vnto the Law m This custeme is inhumane and vnnaturall But we must not expect iust Lawes in a 〈…〉 it is better to murther some few then to expose a million to death by the warre which should grâ—w in the house of the Ottomans if the great Senior should suffer the Princes of his bloud to liue But where is the Law of the God which they adore that approues a Parricide It is a tyrannous custome but yet ancient The sâ—ccessors of Alexander saith Plutarch did commonly kill the mothers wiues and children with their brethren it was an ordinary custome which would not that a Prince comming to the Empire should suffer his brethren to liue for that there could be but one Head in the Empire nor but one Sunne in Heauen but if shee desired any other thing whatsoeuer it were she should be sure to obtaine it This woman changing her griefe into reuenge demanded the heart of Moses Reuenge of a woman Mahomet instantly commanded that he should be bound hand and foote and with the same knife which she thrust into his body she opened his side pulled out his heart cast it to the dogs and was therewith pacified n The Author of the History of Scandeberge relating this History in the 7 th book addes these words A profitable instruction for those corrupted spiâ—its which prostitute their consciences to the furious passions of great men Amurath had another sonne of sixe months old called Calepin and foreseeing it would be
as it seemed he would canonize him before his f Flattery giues honors to mortall men which belong not vnto them Tertullian reprocheth the Pagans of lying and flattery which made them declare men Gods and Tacitus saith Deum honor Principi non ante habetur quam agere inter homines desierit Tac. An. lib. 15. The honor of the Gods is not to bee giuen vnto the Prince vntil hee hath left to liue among men death after this followed an accord by the which the Duke of Burgundy should for a reparation aske pardon of the King vpon his knee The Queene the Dauphin the Kinges of Sicile and Nauarre the Duke of Berry making the like request for him in the presence of the Children of the Duke of Orleans melting with teares and weeping with sobs to see the bloud of their Father put to compromise and themselues forced to forget so sencible an Iniurie France was presently deuided into two factions of Orleanois and Burgundians A league of Armagnacs Th' one taking his fauour and authority from the ruines disgrace of the other The Duke of Burgundy hath the soueraigne gouernment of affaires and forceth them of the howse of Orleans to make an offensiue and defensiue league against that of Burgundy g League of Orleanois at Gâ—en the tenth of March 1410. the heads were Charles Duke of Orleance and his brethren Iohn Duke of Berry Lewis Duke of Bourbon Iohn Earle of Alanson Francis Earle of Clermont Bernard Lord of Armagnac and Charles of Albert Constable of France The heads of the Bourgundy faction were Iohn Duke of Bourgundy his brethren Charles King of Nauarre son to Charles the bad the Dukes of Lorraine Brabant Brittaine the Marques of Pont the Earles of Neuers Vaudemont St. Paul Ponthure The name was of Armanacks the marke a white scarfe the cause the Kinges liberty who was in captiuity vnder the law and will of the Duke of Burgundy Challenge sent to the Du. of Burgundy and to the end the quarel might be ended with lesse danger losse of men and time Charles Duke of Orleans sent a challenge to the Duke of Burgundy to fight a combate with him and to be reuenged of his fathers death The Duke of Burgundy who had drawn the Queene vnto his party had noe great dificultie to perswade the King that the designe of the howse of Orleans was nothing but ambition and rebellion in denying him to demaund succors from Henry the fourth king of England The Dolphin being of yeares able to iudge of the intentions of the one and the other The sonne in lawe against the father in lawe found that the interest of the house of Orleans was that of the Crowne and that the ambition of the Duke of Bourgondy his father in law h Queene Isabel being banded against her nephewes of Orleans adhered to the Duke of Burgundy made the marriage of his daughter Catherinâ— with the Dauphin Lewis was the cheefe motiue of those troubles wherefore he vndertooke to crosse his designes and to make a peace this soule was seasond with good thoughts at the siege of Burges for when they told him that in a salley which the besieged had made some of his seruants were slaine and that the souldiers dyed of poisoned waters he said vnto the King his Father and the Duke of Burgundy That this warre lasted too long and that he would make an end of it Iohn of France Duke of Berry and i Enguerand of Monstrelet notes in what manner the Duke of Berry came to this treaty in his armes notwithstanding that hee was 70. yeares old for he llued aboue 80 hauing vpon theÌ„ a Cassocke of purple with a band poudred with marigolds and so he is painted in the gallery of the â—oâ—ure Philebert of Lignac great master of Rhodes employed themselues vertuously to reconcile the nephewes and the vnckle The conditions of this peace were concluded at Burges Peace of Burges sworn in a great assembly at Auxerre the names of that fatall faction of Armagnac and Burgundian were comprehended in the forgetfulnes of things past and Philip Earle of Vertus was married to the Duke of Burgundies daughter But all the parts of France recouer not their former health The warre renues againe and the Dauphin is no more for the Burgundian whose principall force consists in the sedition of Paris and the succours of the English who making their profit of ciuill diuisions win the battell of Azingcourt which was called the vnfortunate day of the 25. of October 1415. The battle of Azing-Court The Duke of Orleans armed to reuenge his fathers death and the libertie of his country was led prisoner into England and if religion had not comforted him he had no lesse reason then Pompey k The Mitcleniens came to salute Pompey after the battel intreating him to land which he refused and aduised them to obey the victor and not to feare any thing for that Caesar was a iust man and of a mild nature and then turning to the Philosopher Cratippus who was also come to see him he complained and disputed a little with him touching the diuine prouidence wherein Cratippus yeilded mildly vnto him putting him still in better hope to be amazed at the prouidence of God which seemeth to fauour the most vniust party tyranny against libertie and couetousnes against freedome Death of the Dolphin and Duke of Turraine This losse was followed by the death of Lewis the Dauphin and of Iohn Duke of Touraine the Kings second sonne By the death of these two Charles Earle of Ponthieu saw himselfe in the first degree of the Princes of the bloud and presently made show that he had been bred vp to apprehend the iniury which the Duke of Burgundy had done vnto his vncle All the Princes and Noble men which had followed the house of Orleans came vnto him and among others the Constable of Armagnac but his greatest affliction was for the vnnaturall hatred which the Queene his mother bare him who declared her selfe against him Regent of the Realme was maintained in that quarrel by the Duke of Burgundy vnder her was that cruell massacre committed the 12. of Iune 1418 whereas the l Amassacre at Paris vpon the Armagnacks from 4 of the clock in the morning the 12 of Iune vntil the next day 10. of the clock To note the Constable by the scarse which he carried they flead a bend of his skin and tyed it crosse his body his office was confirmed to the Duke of Lorraine and the Chancellors to Eustace de Lastre Constable of Armagnac and the Chancellor de Marle were slaine and the Dauphin ranne a daungerous fortune if Tanneguy du Chastel Prouost of Paris and his faithfull seruant had not saued him in the Bastille Paris saw it selfe reduc'd to that miserable estate as it seemed a retrait for Beares and Tigers During this fatall diuision the English
He assembled all the Princes The King rewards his serâ—ants Noblemen and Captaines he commended them that had done well z After a victory a Prince must take knowledge of such as haue done him good seruice honor recompence valor blame cowardize Luce orta saith Liui. in his 6. Booke vocatis clafico ad concilium mili tibus Manlius primam ob virtutem Jaudatus donatusque and thanked theÌ„ for the fidelity and proofes which they had showne he made many knightes and gaue to the Lord of Iâ—longe the place of marshall of France and a pension to him that entred first into Pontoise by the breach If the History knew his name she would giue him a murall Crowne and would doe him the like honor as the Parthians did to him that mounted first vpon the walls of Seleucia a The names of such as go to apparant dangers for the publicke safety should not be forgotten in a history and yet they remaine vnknowne 〈◊〉 they be not noted by some other quality then a simple soldier Plutarch remembers the name of Surena who first sealed the wall of the great Citty Seleucia the reason is for that hee was the second among the Parthians next the King The King led the Dauphin to Tartas being assieged by the English and then to Limoges teaching him stil that wisdome and temporising surmount all difficulties The Dauphin besiegeth Tartas and that it is a more excellent thing to settle his estate in peace then to spoile and wast his enemies contry With the instructions and maximes of his father who had giuen him in his infancy good gouernours and in his youth good councellors b Great Princes hauing had good maisters beeing little wise Counsellors being great haue effected great matters he made him capable of the actions of a Prince to command well and to cary the commandements of the King his father into Languedoc to frustrate the practise of the Earle of Armagnac Bastard of Armagnac fauord by Lewis the eleuenth The Bastard c This Bastard was made Admirall of France by Lewis the eleuenth who gaue him the Earledome of Comminge and the gouerment of Guienne whereof bee disposest Iohn Duke of Bourbon his Brother in law of this house aduertised him that the Earle of Armagnack treated of some alliance with the English Ielousie vpon such aduertisements are alwayes excusable and there is nothing that doth so much bind the wisedome of Princes as to foresee that great houses doe not ally themselues against their liking and transport vnto strangers the goods which should remaine in their estates which cannot be carried away without preiudice vnto them Such practises are more easily preuented then broken when they are made The house of Armaignac is ancient ritch and mighty in Guienne and her beginning is found in that of the Crowne of d D. Sancho surnamed the great King of Naturre hauing conquered some land in Gascogne on this side the Pyrenees gaue it vnto Garsias his sonne Earle of Armagnâ—c in the yeare 1013. he made his second sonne Arnold Garcias â—arfe of Estarac whose dissent is entred into the house of Foix and a branch of Candalle Nauarre Iohn 4. Earle of Amagnac Constable of France had bought of Iohn Duke of Bourbon the Earledome of Lisle Iourdain in the yeare 1421. for 38000. crownes of gold of 64. to the marke He had married Isabell of Nauarre The greatnes of his house and that of his alliance made him presume during the troubles of France when as euery man cast his eyes vppon the peeces of her shipwrack to qualifie himselfe Prince by the grace of God and to seeke the allyance of the English by the marriage of his daughter The King who made no difference betwixt treason and such allyances sent Commissioners to make the Earles processe as guilty of high treason hauing offended against the Lawes of France e Marriages treated with strangers without the Kings permission haue been dangerous for them that treates it Valeran of Luxembourg Constable of France was disgract by King Charles the fifth and King Charles the sixth dislikâ— the treaty of the Duke of Berries daughter with the Duke of Lancaster Philistus for this reason was banished out of the estates of Denis King of Sicile which forbids any Nobleman to make any marriage with strangers without the Princes consent The King sent the Dauphin thither who besieged Lisle Iordain and tooke the Earle of Armagnac Earle of Armagnac a prisoner at Lisle Iourdain His sonne fled into Spaine Iohn de Meaux second President of the Parlament of Toulouse had heard the Earle of Armagnac vpon his practise and had drawne from his owne mouth the truth of the principall points He thought that he should be quit for this confession f Natures wel bred are â—asily bound by fauors they would haue corâ—upted Lewis King Charles his father giues him part of the gouernment of the estate and of his affaires by which meanes he was drawne from thoughtes contrary to his duty and the peace of the estate and that the President hauing no other force then that of Iustice could do him no great harme but when hee saw himselfe a prisoner in the Dauphins power hee said that whatsoeuer hee had confest was against his owne conscience and the truth hauing onely spoken it with a desire to recouer his goods which the King had seazed on After hee had expiated this offence in prison the King restored him his liberty giuing the Earledome of Foix for a caution The Dauphin at his returne from this voiage was sent into Normandy with the title of Lieftenant Generall But we must obserue that he was twenty yeares old before he had any gouernment and that the King gaue it him only to disappoint the deseignes of such as would haue drawne him elce-where and did busie themselues more then he himselfe did in the estate wherein he was He chased the English from Deepe The Dauphin takeâ— Deepe and this victory did presently carry the generosity of his courage and the happines of his conduct throughout all the Prouinces of France whereas nothing did diminish the greatnes of this growing reputation but this reason that being sonne to so braue a father it was not strange to see him so valiant The French said that the father had need of such a sonne and the sonne had need of such a father The King glories to haue made him with his owne hand and to see his instructions so well followed he augments his authority and praiseth his command and sends him into Languedoc The Dauphin goes into Languedoc with a thousand Lances whereas his sword made his way He staid not his courage at small g A Prince must flye vanity and seeke the effâ—ct â—f a soâ—lid and true glory nam vt â—â—uitatis est in mem aucupart rumorem omnes vmbras etiam falsae gloriae consectari sic ieiuni est
many in their obedience and dutie who suffering themselues to be carried away with this torrent of the league Sedition must be bee smothered in the beginning had become fooles for company and by infection For the people is a sea which moues with the winde yet neuer followes if some one goes not before b This beast the people have so many beads that although it hath great terrible forces yet it is base cowardly if it bee not stirred vp and led vultus sine rectore praeceps pauidum socors Tacit. but the number seemed but too great and it had multiplied speedily if the Kings wisedome had not foreseene it Conspiracie in the beginning is like vnto raine which enters into a small cranny on the top of the house and beeing neglected in the end expels the master thereof The King did consider hereof for being aduertised of his brothers retreat he knew well that the partie was made against him if hee did not oppose himselfe That what appeared not might be greater then what was in show and that besides the Princes of his bloud many Catylines had drunke in the same cup the wine and bloud of this conspiracie c Euery conspiracie hath crueltie and bloud hath been taken for the seale oath that bind the conspirators Salust saith that Catylâ—n mingled wine with bloud in a cup and presented it to his associates Iâ—de 〈◊〉 post execrationem omnes degustauissent sieuti in solemnibus sacris fieri consueuit aperuit consiliuâ—â—â—â— His first resolution was to diuide that which hee could not breake Hee sent to the Duke of Bourbon to come vnto him Who for that hee would vse no dissembling a great and powerfull vertue in these corrupted ages would not disguise his intentions nor represent them otherwise in words then they were in his heart He was the first mouer of all these spheares he had first giuen his voice and vowes to this generall reuolt of France he had offered to hang a bell at the Cats necke d In great resolutions there is danger to giue the first voice and hazard to execute that wâ—ich is resolued It is more safe to follow then to leade Insiita mortalibus natura propere sequi quae piget inchoare Tacit. And if they bee reduced to the conduct of an other it must be wâ—th the restraint of his owne wisdome Ne consilâ—is alterius regi recuses Est illius atque esto tuus tuumque serua In poste tuo velle modum in velle alieno when as euery man expected who should dare to doe it and had more desire to end then to begin If hee had made any show of repentance or feare in this beginning the rest which had martcht in his steps would soone haue turned their backes He answered that he had the same designe with the other Princes for the good and profit of the publike weale intreating the King to excuse him if hee came not to Court and for a greater declaration of his will he ceazed vppon the reuenues of Bourbonois and stayed Iuuenall des Vrsines Lord of Traynill Peter of Oriola and the Lord of Crussoll prisoners making it knowne that Ambition hath no other Law then the fancie of the Ambitious and takes away the maske from all respect When the King saw that there was no meanes to reclaime these Princes and that the Duke of Bourgundy was in armes he aduertised all the chiefe noble men of his Realme and wrote vnto the Clergie to the gouernours of Prouinces Letters froÌ„ the K. to the gouernors of the Prouinces and townes to the Magistrates and townes who faint and lose their courage for a little e As a little feare makes the people to faint so a weake hope makes them returne by nature they are fearefull and do not think what they shall doe to indure but to flye the danger that they should not suffer themselues to bee carried away with the false showes of the enemies of the estate who had suborned his brother to ingage France in those desolations from the which it was but newly freed That if they which had suffered themselues to bee abused in this reuolt did not bethinke themselues there wilfulnes would make them vnworthy the clemencie which he offered them That with the grace of God and the fidelitie of his good subiects hee assured himselfe to abate and disperse these bad designes Then considering that this league did consist of those who had sometimes called the English into France f He that hath two enemies must agree with the one the better to preuaile ouer the other The RomaÌ„ns did neuer fight against two Hercules could not do it After the Parthian warre they began that of the Marcomanians They would not breake with Antlochus who had wronged them before they had ended â—ith Philip. to haue a share of the shipwracke The King seeks to the King of England that the old enemies fauouring the new he might fall betwixt the Anuile and the hammer hee sent to the King of England dissembling cunningly the wrong which hee had done him when as in demanding Bonnâ— of Sauoy k Richard Earle of Warwick was sent into France in the yeere 1464. to demand Bonna of Sauoy in mariage of King Lewis the eleuenth for K. Edward The King granted it but during this negotiatiâ—n the King of England fell in loue with a meane gentlewoman widdow to one Grey a Knight Daughter to Richard Riuers and â—aqueline eldest Daughter to Peter of Luxemburgh Earle of S t. Paul the Queenes sister for his wife he had married an other He intreates and coniures him not to assist this new rebellion the which like to a puffe of smoke would vanish as soone as it should begin to rise Edward beeing already engaged to the Duke of Bourgundy let the King vnderstand that he was a sharer with him Edward the fourth declares himselfe for the Burgundian Hee sent the same letters which the King had written vnto him to the Duke of Bourgundy promising to assist him as constantly as his forefathers l Edward the third King of England wâ—nne the battell of Cressy the 26. of August 1346. France lost 1500. Gentlemen all were not slaine but all were defeated The Prince of Wales his Sonne wonne the battell at Pâ—icters ten yeeres after the 9. of September 1356. had done This young Prince felt a boyling desire in his heart to performe that in France which other Kings of his name had done He was glad to finde without the Iland an exercise for turbulent spirits to entertaine and quench that furious heate of fighting m He that commands a warlike Nation must finde exeâ—cise for his soldiers abroad if hee will not suffer them to take it at home There is not saith Tit. Liu. in â—is thirteenth booke anâ— great and mighty Potentate that caâ— leâ—g continue in peace for if â—ee hath not sâ—me enemie abroad hee shall finde
might be seperated from the Crowne The King gaue them all the assurances they could desire but he shewed that his intent was not to lodge his daughter in a house which he could not loue The conditions of the accord being treated after this manner with the Earle Charolois as hee who had all the power in his hands euery man stood vpon his gard The Earle was aduertised of the kings designes and there was still some one which discouered the Earles vnto the King k In ciuill warres Councels are not secret and the most hidden are diuulged euery one hath some friend on the contrarie partie A page came at midnight to the riuer side crying that they should be set vpon by all the forces that were in Paris Dukes of Berry and Brittanie armed once during this warre This cry gaue so hot an Alarum as no man doubted it Monsieur and the Duke of Brittanie shewed themselues armed which else they had neuer done and so past through the armie to finde the Earle of Charolois and the Duke of Calabria who had sent skouts to discouer These men troubled with the darknes of the night and the generall feare l Caesar sent Consydius at the break of day to discouer the enemy and going feare surprised him so as he returned with all speed and although hee had not seene any thing yet hee said that the enemy had already gotten the top of a mountaine wheras Caesar ment to loâ—ge and that hee knew that by their Armes Caâ—â—s with knowldege of the Gaulâ—s Caesar â—ib 1. of the wars of Gaule beeing neere vnto Paris tooke thistels for the pikes and lances of an Armie put in Battell and so returned sweating to tell them that all Paris came vppon them Iohn Duke of Calabria came vnto the Dukes standard who like a couragious Prince beleeuing that which hee desired spake after this manner Now we are come to that which we haue alwaies desired behold the King and all the people sallied out of the Cittie and marching as our skouts report and to the end euery man may haue courage euen as they sallie out of Paris wee will measure after the Cittie Ell which is the greatest measure The Duke of Bourgundy vppon some aduertisement that the Duke of Berry and Brittanie might make their accord apart as the Kings designe was onely to diuide them he held it not fit to leaue his Sonne in that Estate as he should bee forced to doe any thing vpon necessitie m He that suffers himselfe to bee surprisâ—d by necessitie dâ—th no more any thing freely his councels actions sauor of a troubled iudgement and that if he were fortified with men and Armes he should keep his confederates in awe Succors of men and money sent to the Earle of Charolois and make his conditions more assured n To make a peace honorable and with aduantage it must be done in arms and that hee whom they will wrong may say boldly I will not doe it He sent him a hundred and twenty men at Armes led by the Lord of Saueur a thousand fiue hundred Archers and sixscore thousand crownes the which would haue made him more difficult in the Treatie if they had come before the conclusion It had been concluded that Monsieur should resigne Berry vnto the King Dutchie of Normandie giuen to the Kings brother and haue the Duchie of Normandie that Iohn Duke of Bourbon should enter into the Castle of Rouen o The Duke of Bourbon entrâ—d into Rouen by the Castle the widdow to the signior of Brezay Sâ—nâ—shal of Normandie fauoured this entrie contrary to the â—ingâ— intention The Bishop of Bayeux and Iohn Hebert Generall of the Finances of France aduanced the same designe All offended the K. and repented the displeasure they had done him during the treatie but hee entred also into the Towne When as the King saw that the Normans had allowed of this change without those difficulties and moderations which he expected he sent word vnto the Earle of Charolois that he desired to meete with him neere vnto Conâ—â—ans Hee came and the King said vnto him that the Peace was made seeing his Brother was in Rouen This did so please the Earle of Charolois Earle of Charolois in a danger not foreseene as vnwittingly hearing and speaking with affection of this accord hee found himselfe at the entry of the Bulwarke which was at the end of the trench which the King had caused to be made by the which they might enter into the Towne The long black cloake which he carried for the losse of his wife seemed in a manner to mourne for his libertie He was much amazed but hee dissembled his feare and his amazement all hee could fearing that if the King perceiued it he would hold himselfe wronged and it may bee proceed farther The chiefe men that were in the Armie held their master lost and represented vnto theÌ„selues that which had hapened to his Grandfather at Montreaâ— Faut Yonne p Aniâ—iury must bee dissembled when as he that receiues it is not in case to reuenge it and that he is in daÌ„ger to receiue a greater if hee make show of it So Agripina seemed not to perceiue that Nero would haue slaine her Choller forced the signior of Neufchastell Marshall of Bourgundy to vse these words If this foole and mad man hath vndone himselfe we must not follow him nor ruine his house nor his fathers affaires let euery man thinke of his owne safety and of an honorable retreat No man can hinder vs from recouering of the frontier The ioy was exceeding great when they saw him returne This Marshall seeing him said vnto him that he was not at his seruice but by loane so long as his father liued q A young Prince must bee reprehended by such persons whose age experience and authoritie giue power to speake freely but the acknowledgement of the error must cause the reprehension cease the which must not be done publikely least it breed contempt and that they which should bee confirmed in an opinion that their commanmander hath nothing imperfect grow doubtfull of his conduct So all hold speeches free aduertisements to a delicate Prince that cannot endure to be grieued by hearing are dangerous Chide mee not answered the Earle Heacknowledgeth his error and is ashamed I confesse my great error but I found it so late as I was neere vnto the Bulwarke The Marshall of Bourgundy added you haue done it without me The Earle of Charolois held downe his head and made no answere for that which he had done exceeded the bounds of all iudgement The King was commended to haue dealt so iustly and the Earle of Charolois to haue committed himselfe so freely into a strongers hands The conditions of the peace beeing all concluded the King gaue to the Earle of Charrolois the Castle of Bois de Vincennes for his assurance promising to come thither the
next day Hee came where also were the Dukes of Berry and Brittanie and the Earle of Charolois the ports were well garded and the approches fortified and the King was in the like feare in the Castle as the Earle of Charolois had beene in the Bulwarke Euery man thought that the Publike weale Treatie of peace concluded at Bois de Vincennes which had beene so much exalted in this league should be preferred before all other conditions of the Treatie But it is a folly to thinke that what is desired of many can succeed when it depends of the affections of few men r Matters done hardly succeede but according to the intent of the first mouers Priuat interests and designes bande against publike intentions and seldom is it seene what all desire is executed by few which haue diuers designes They talked thereof when as all was done The Earle of Charolois had the Townes of either side the riuer of Somme Amiens St. Quentin Corbie Abbeuille the countie of Ponthieu Dourlans St. Requier Creuecaeur Arleux Monstreuil Croton and Mortaigne to bee redeemed for two hundred thousand crownes after the death of the Earle of Charolois The King to retire these Townes had nine monethes before paied foure hundred thousand crownes Monsieur did homage vnto the King for the Duchie of Normandy s Election of thirty six Dâ—â—uties to consult of the remedies of the common-weale and the ease of the people the King promising to coÌ„firme all that should be done by them The Duke of Brittaine held some places in Normandy which he kept still for he said he had contributed more for the charges of the warre then all the rest The Conuocation of the estates was resolued and in the meane time it was held fit to chuse 36. persons Reformation of the disorders of the realme of all the orders of France to prouide with the Earle of Dunois for the disorder of Iustice and the reformation of the estate The King made no difficulty to grant all they demanded reseruing vnto himselfe the liberty to hinder it His intent was to diuide the forces of the league and then to turne ouer his bookes of the sword and dagger t The Emperor Caligula had two secret bookes the one was called the sword and the other the dagger wherein they were noted that should be put to death with those kind of Armes Suet. cap. 49. where were written in red letters their names which had offended him during his retreat into Flanders and his fathers raigne which had followed his brother and the Princes of the league and especially they that had receiued him so easily into Normandy u King Lewis the eleuenth held Normandie the most important Prouince of his Realme he gaue it to his Brother but to delay him it was to faire a peece to giue for a portion Philip de Commines saith he had seene raised in Normandie fourescore and fifteene thousand pound sterling for he would not for any thing haue consented to giue him that Prouince if he had not beene assured of their constancy that held the chiefe places But the Normans who did alwaies thinke that their Country did well deserue a Duke consented to this change for the desire they had to haue a Prince which should remaine within the Prouince There were but three which desired rather to leaue their houses then to change their maister Iustice had greater power in their soules then wisedome The Seneshall of Normandy the Balyfe of Rouen and one named Picard who was afterwards Generall of Normandy The History owes them this testimony of honor x To doe well among men of honor is easie and ordinary but not to suffer himselfe to be transported with the coruptions of the time nor to follow the violent passions of a multitude but to desire the good to dare vndertake it and to effect it in a bad season in the which vice is honored with the recompence of vertue it is an infallible argument of a spirit wonderfully disposed by nature to all good and commendable thinges the which is the more considerable for that there is some difficulties to retire ones selfe out of a presse that runs headlong and that the imitation and example of ill presents it selfe alwaies with much heat At their departure from Bois de Vincennes Departure of the Earle of Charolois euery one to tooke his course the Dukes of Normandy and Brittaine went to Rouen the King did accompany the Earle of Charolois to Villiers the faire They lodged together for a proofe of the confidence they had one of another The King was the weaker hauing but a small troupe but there was order that 200. men at armes should come to accompany him to Paris An act of wisedome as commendable as those of precedent conferences and trusts had beene dangerous for in such occasions there is nothing more safe then not to giue any aduantage to his aduerse party to wrong him y All assurances of friendship faith and promises which may be drawne from an enemy are good and profitable but by reason of the inconstancy of men and time there is none better then so to fit himselfe as he may haue noe meanes to hurt him The Earle of Charolois hearing thereof was troubled and caused his men to arme and stand vpon their gardes z Vppon the suspitioÌ„ which the Earle of Charolois had of this ' troupe Phil. de Com. speaketh thus It is almost impossible that â— great Noblemen can agree together for the reports and iealousies which they haue continually And two great Princes that will entertaine friendship should neuer see one another but send honest and discreet men who shall entertaine them and repaire their errors Morning being come the King bad the Earle farewell and returning with them that came to fetch him he freed him from al subiect to distrust his intentions He entred gloriously into Paris The Kings returne to Paris to haue so happily calmed the storme which threatened him and two daies after his arriuall hee caused them to feast him at supper in the Townehouse The greatest personages were inuited with their wiues hee thanked the Parisiens for their fidelity and constancy in so important an occasion he commended them that had done him good seruice a It is a great content for good men to see how the Prince esteemes their courage and fidelity and among others Robert of Estouteuille to whom he restored the Prouostship of Paris which he had taken away he hauing held it during the raigne of King Charles his father He displaced the first President of Nanterre b When as Lewis II. came vnto the Crowne he made Helias of Tourette first President who dyed soone after and this place was giuen to the President of Nanterre at the suit of Iohn of Bureau a Knight Segneur of Mâ—nglat and gaue that charge to Iohn Dauuet first President of Tholousa he tooke the seales from Moruillier
and restored them to Iuuenall of Vrsins from whom he had taken them The treaty c Treaty of Conflans proclaimed at Paris the 28. of October 1465. signed and sworne was proclaimed and thereby the warre for the publicke weale was ended Contentment of priuat men maks them forget the publike contenting the interests of priuate men The King desired to quench the fire of this deuision rather with siluer then with blood and teares of his subiects To the Duke of Bourbon was assigned the like pension that he receiued of Charles the seauenth Anthony of Chabannes Earle of Dammartin was restored to his landes and soone after made Lord Steward of France in the place of the lord of Crouy d Ther was neuer so great a marriage but some dined ill some did what they listed and others had nothing Phil de Com. lib. 1. Cap. 14. Many others suffered themselues to bee vanquished by the King thinking themselues more happy to fall vnder his power then to escape e Those that were subdued by Alexaâ—der were more happy 〈◊〉 they that escaped his power for these had not any one to free theÌ„ from their misery the others were made happy by the Victor Plut. for they were freed from miseries and such as remained with the Earle of Charolois could not hope for any great felicity knowing his Councells and designes to be vnfortunate and it seemed his head was not made but to aflict ruine his body Earle of S t. Paul made Constable of France And for that the Earle of St. Paul was as it were Arbitrator of all the Earles Councels the King wonne him offring him the sword of France which Valeran or Luxembourg f Valeran of Luxembourg Earle of St. Paul was made Constabâ—e of France Anno 1411. two yeares after be yâ—elded vp the sword to Charles Earl of Albret Suylly from whom Kiâ—g Charles the sixth had taken it had sometimes carried It is the first dignity of all the orders of France First dignity of the State hee carries the sword not in a scabberd behind the King as they do before the Duke of Venice to shew that the vse and authority depends of them that follow it but naked before the King who alone commands to draw it and to put it vp when he pleaseth as hauing the only power of the sword ouer his subiects That of his Iustice remaines in the hands of his soueraigne Courts for the punishment of Crimes wherewith he meddles not Iupiter doth not strike hurt nor condemne any man Not only the Princes eyes but his pictures and his statues g A Prince should abhorre all that is inhumane and cruel The Emperor Claudius caused Augustus Image to bee taken froÌ„ the place wheras slaues were punished which had slandered their Maisters vnder the Empire of Caius or Tiberius to the end it should not be violated nor behold those punishments Dion should be farre from executions The Kings of France haue held this course to reserue vnto themselues pardons benefits and rewards leauing the distribution of punishments to their officers Lewis of Luxembourg was declared Constable at the marble table he tooke his oath and his authoritie was verified by the Court of Parliament As Arthur h Arthur of Brittaine was chosen Constable of France by the suffrages of all the Princes and great Counsell and although the King was then troubled in his iudgement and the seales of France stampt with the Queenes picture yet by letters of prâ—uâ—sion But the keeping of the Kings sword is giuen for the Kings sâ—rvice in fealty and homage and to be the chiefe in warre aboue all next vnto the King of Brittanie Earle of Richmont was the first whose letters of Constable were there published so Lewis of Luxembourg was the first that tooke his oath there We must not iudge of a mans fortune by the glorie of such dignities they bee peeces of Christall which as they glister so they will breake To hold a man happie that enters into great charges is to giue the name of the image to the mettle which is not yet molten Wee must see him come liue and runne to the end of the course to know what the issue will be With this charge Lewis of Luxembourg was wedded to his own ruine and did himselfe adde much vnto it for notwithstanding that he were bound vnto the King both by reason and oath Affection of the Constable S t. Paul yet as it is hard but the tree will retaine something of the soyle where it first tooke roote i Strangers 〈◊〉 not at the first leaue their affection to their party although they quit it Solon would not allow a stranger to be a Bourgesse in Athens if he were not banished from his Country the affections of men beeing like vnto a streame which ouerflowes and waters a field and is nothing the cleerer He still kept a naturall inclination to the seruice of his first Prince grounding his affections vpon one maxime in the which hee found his ruine in stead of greatnes whereunto he aspired k Theramenes an Atheâ—â—an the sonne of Aignon for that he was not firme in his opinions holding sometimes one party somtimes another was called Cothureue which is a kind of buskin vsed in Tragedies fit for either foot Pluâ— in the life of Niceas He thought to play k Theramenes an Atheâ—â—an the sonne of Aignon for that he was not firme in his opinions holding somtimes one party somtimes another was called Cothureue which is a kind of buskin vsed in Tragedies fit for either foot Plut. in the life of Niceas Theramenes in this Tragedie to remaine a neuter betwixt these two great Potentates to make them quarrell when he pleased to iudge of the blowes and to keep himselfe from danger thinking to be alwaies supported by the one when the other should seek to ruine him and to make both of them depend so vpon his will as as hee should prescribe them a lawe of warre and peace when hee pleased nt considering that newtrality which may bee commended in a prince when by reason of wisedome or weaknes he cannot doe otherwise is meere trechery and treason in a subiect who can haue but one maister It was a great miserie for him to be betwixt two Princes which could not agree He that is in this estate is not like vnto the towne of Siria l Pliny saith that the towne of Palmira in Syria remained without touch amidst the powers of the Romane and Parthian Empires which was nothing anoyed being inuironed by the Armies of the Romans and Parthians Hee finds his condition oftentimes like vnto the miserable marriner of Tire whom one waue cast out of the ship and another brought him in againe His humor did fauor his bad fortune wauering alwaies amidst the vncertainty of his resolutions and a spirit of contradiction When he was freed from one businesse he intangled himselfe with another
the good of the publike y In these Estates they did not thinke of the publike good nor of the peoples ease who complained for Lewis leuied much more then King Charles and dismist them giuing order for the intelligences which hee had vpon Amiens Abbeuille and St. Quentin Then representing vnto himselfe how much the discontentments of the great men of this Realme had ruined his affaires hee inuented a meanes to vnite their mindes to his will and to keep them firme by new bonds of honor and fidelitie Institution of the order of S t Michell the which hee found in the order of S t Michael making it not onely a recompence for vertue like to the Consulship of Rome but a marke of the Nobilitie of bloud and extraction z The dignity of Consull at Rome was as Valerius said vnto his soldiers Premium virtutis non sanguinis and went to seek out the vertuous in any house at any age Princes should haue things in their meere disposition which should be out of the commerce of their subiects 1469 and wherevnto they may not aspire but by the degrees of Vertue Honors which may bee recouered for money are no more honors for the sale may make them fall vpon vnworthy heads a The sale of honors makes them to be lesse esteemed vertue to bee contemned sufficiency lesse necessarie euery one thinking that he may attaine vnto it for money It is a great disorder when as such as are aduanced cannot say that they are bound vnto their vertue although they haue glorious shewes and that is not held rare which may be recouered for money b Glory is the desire of great courages Caesar would haue scorned him that should haue giuen him gold but hee dyed with desire to haue a crown of bayes Fortune may impouerish the greatest houses of Christendome but the honour which they hold from their Ancestors remaines for euer and a branch of Laurell which remaines of their fathers Crownes is more deere vnto them then any other thing Wee see not any Prince reduced to that necessitie as hee prefers siluer before honor And that King hath no great power in a Realme wheras they obtaine all for coyne The King making himselfe Generall of this Order The King great master of the order of S t Michel would also haue them that were neerest vnto him honored c By these orders the Prince becomes a companion to the whole Colledge Tiberius made an order of Knights which were caled Augustales and made himselfe grear master to the end it might haue more reputation hee would haue Drusus his sonne with T. Claudius and Germanicus his nephews to be of it Tac. An. Lib. 7. He gaue the first coller of the Order to Monsieur his Brother the second to Charles Duke of Bourbon and Auuergne Hee thought to draw in the Dukes of Bourgundy and Brittany but they would not bee bound to appeare at the Chapter With this Order were also honored the chiefe Noblemen of the Realme First knights of S t Michel d The ancient order of France was of the Knights of the starre institututed by King Iohn surnamed the good in the yeare 1351. the 6. of Ianuary the Knights weare a starre of gold in their hats and vpon their cloakes and the deuice was Monstrant regibus Astra viam A hundred and eight yeares after Lewis the eleuenth made the order of S t Michel the 1. of August 1469. A hundred ten yeares after that Henry the third instituted the Knights of the holy Ghost and in the yeare 1579. After an Age all things grow old Lewis of Luxenbourg Earle of S t Paul and Constable of France Andrew of Laual Lord of Loheac Marshall of France Iohn Earle of Sancerre Lord of Bueil Lewis of Beaumont Lord of Forest and Plessis Lewis of Estouteuille Lord of Torcy Lewis of Laual Lord of Chastillon Lewis Bastard of Bourbon Earle of Roussillon Admirall of France Anthony of Chabannes Earle of Dammartin Lord Stuard of the Kings house Iohn Bastard of Armagnac Earle of Comminges Marshall of France and Gouernor of Dauphiné George of Tremouille Lord of Craon Gilbert of Chabannes Lord of Curton Seneshall of Guienne Charles Lord of Crussol Seneshall of Poitou Taneguy of Chastell Gouernor of the Country of Roussillon and Sardinia The King reserued to make vp the number of six and thirty Knights to his Election at the first chapter The Duke of Bourgundy at the same time receiued the Order of England and the Duke of Brittanie that of Bourgundie the one instituted by Edward the third f Edward the third instituted the Order of the garter of fiue and twenty Knights in the yeare 1348. Philip that of the goldeÌ„fleece in the yeare 1428. of one and thirty Knights Amedee of Sauoy caled the greene Earle that of Anunciado in the yeare 1409. of fourteene Knights the other by Philip Duke of Bourgundy As this Order had one head so had it one certaine and determinate place one habite one marke or Ensigne of Officers one forme of reception one oath and one rule The place was the Church of Mont S t Michel The place for the assembly of the Order transferred since to Bois de Vincennes as well for that the place was then noted to haue neuer yeelded vnto that yoake of the ancient enemies of the Crowne of France as also for the King Charles the seuenth said that beeing vpon the bridge of Orleans when he entred with the Virgin Ioan he saw not by any fantastical visions of Southsayers like to Caesar g Caesar going to the warre against Pópey a South-sayer came vnto him transported said â— Caesar thou shalt ouerecome It was true and Caesar soone after writing vnto his friends sent them this word Veni vidi vici but truely that Arke-angell fighting on his right hand Hee appointed seates for the cheefe of the Order and Knights in the Quier of the Church with their Armes aboue their seates The habit was a long cloake of white Damaske downe to the ground The habit of the order with a border imbrodered with cockle shells of gold interlaced and furred with Ermines all of one length and one fashion with hoodes of Crimson vellet and long tippets the hood of the chiefe of the order was of Murry Skarlet h The Knights aâ—â—ired in this habit are bound on S t Michels Eue to come vnto the Pallace of the chiefe of the Order to conduct him to the Euensong and the next day to Masse whereas euery one offers a peâ—ce of gold for his deuotioÌ„ The marke or enseigne was a coller of Golde Marke of the order i They are alwaies bound to carry the coller but when they trauel remaine in their houses or goe a hunting then they may weare the Image of the Order in a silke ryband in the midest of which vpon a rocke was the Image of Saint Michael
foundation and to raise it for it canâ—otlast vpoÌ„ light actions That of the E. of Warwiâ—k must needs be great hauing twise changâ—d the estate of EnglaÌ„d and as it were disposed of the Crowne sent vnto the King to receiue him The King seemed to haue a great desire to see him and succour him He landed at Diepe and was conducted with all his troupe to Amboise The people flockt vppon the high-wayes to see those mournefull relikes of Troy Euery man had heard speake of the desolation of the house of Lancaster they did regard them as Prodigies of fortune whom she had chosen to be pittifull examples of her inconstancie Within six monethes the King gaue them meanes to returne into England The K. giueâ— succors to K. Henry with such forces as Edward durst not affront them Hee was forced to quit the partie and seeing how dangerous it was to stay vntill the Earle of Warwick came vnto the gates of London hee retired into Holland to the Duke of Bourgundie carrying nothing with him but a hope to returne k It is a poore equipage for a Prince which goes out of his estate with hope to returne but a retreat of this sort against a Prince that is stronger is honorable Valentinean the second left Aquilea to Maximin and fled into Thessalonica with Iustina his mother where he obtained succors of the Emperour Theodosius who restored him to the Contrie Sigon Lib. 9. Imp. Occident Behold Henry the sixt drawne out of prison and set in the royall throne Henry the sixt 〈◊〉 it lâ—bertie and Edward expelled but he continued but six monethes for Edward being relieued with ships and men from the Duke of Bourgundy returned into England and presented himselfe before the gates of London where he entred victorious The Duke of Clarence left the Earle of VVarwick l The Duke of Clarence being in France was sollicited and wonne by a Gentlewoman which came out of England from the King his Brother and he 〈◊〉 that belong in England he would turne to his side side King Henry was murthered in the Tower his sonne was detained prisoner Death of King Henry the sixt and soone after slaine The Earle of VVarwicke was slaine vpon the place and the Queenâ— was a prisoner Thus the Realme which Edward had lost in eleuen dayes was recouered in one so true it is that Estates change in a moment m The euersions and conuersions of the estates are most commâ—â—ty 〈◊〉 Breui bus momentis suÌ„ma verti possunt Tac. lib. 8. An. that it is hard to make good vse of things ill 〈◊〉 During these Tragedies the King who wisht they had continued longer the more to weaken the Dukes designes and to humble his thoughts continued the warre which he had begun in Picardie The Constable who would needs be a necessarie euill n Hibrea a wise Cittizen of Messala a Towne in Caria said smiling to Eutidianus a man very profitable but difficult and insupportable in the gouerment of publike affairs that hee was a necessary euill to the Towne for that noâ— manâ— could indure him for his roughnes nor â—liue without him for his good gouermeÌ„t to these two Princes was glad to let the Duke vnderstand what he could doe Amiens S t. Quentin taken He took S t Quentin Amiens opened her gates vnto him Abbeuille the Cittadell of Picardy had entred into the same partie if Philip of Creuecaeur Lord of Cordes had not entred The Duke not holding himselfe safe in the middest of the Constables friends retyred to Dourlans and from thence to Arras Being there he receiued a letter from the Duke of Guienne containing these wordes Labour to content your subiects and then care not for you shall find friendes The Duke seeing himselfe thus surprised and dispossest of the Townes which he did so much esteeme intreated the Constable not to presse this warre so hotly nor to doe the worst he could and to consider that the King without any precedent offence had taken armes and broken the treaty of Peronne before that he had disclaimed his friendship o The Romans before they made war Renunciabant amicitiam Germanicus being wronged by Piso Gouernour of Soria sent him word that he was no more his friend The Constable beeing glad to see the pride of his first maister humbled Pollicy of the Constable of S t. Paul makes the danger greater then it was hee threatens him with an ineuitable ruine if he did not open his eyes to those expediments which he propounded vnto him letting him know that in the darknes of his infidelity he did alwaies reserue a good day for his seruice p I neuer knew saith Phil. de Commines that man haue a good end that sought to terrifie his Maister and keep him in Iealousie Yet will he not declare himselfe to be other then a good Frenchman for to mannage his busines with honour the leape was too dangerous from S t. Quintin to Brussels The passage from one contrary to another is neuer made without violence q MeÌ„s thoughts passe not sodainly from one extreame vnto an other they goe by degrees there must be a meane betwixt both to vnite the two extreames He promiseth to serue the Duke in effect in seruing the King in shew and to make knowne the fruites of his seruice by the bad intelligence and diuision which hee would still entertaine and was already framed betwixt the two brethren the King and Mounsire the only means for him to be in safety and his estate in peace r The hatred and discord of brethren is the ruine of States all well as of priuate families This mischeefe hath bin long in the world the examples are borne with it And if two brethren could not agree together in their mothers womb it is no wonder if two brethren being armed quarrell But to end this war which was begun and would continue with such cruell effects Hee councells the Duke to giue his daughter to the Kings Brother against him there was no other help but to win Monsieur in giuing him his daughter in marriage that all his desires should ayme at this marke as the true end of his contentment from the which he might wander by many waies s They say we may come to one end by diuers meanes But to hit one marke there is but one direction the straightest lines are the shortest we may misse by diuers meanes ayming too high or too low on the right hand or on the left It is euen so in the actions of men and could not attaine vnto it but by this Allyance that if he were so resolued hee would follow his party and bring his head to his seruice with the Towne of S t Quentin and a good number of his seruants In a word that he would doe any thing yea set fire of the Temple of peace t There are seruants â—ound sit for all assaies
intent and that the place deserued some ceremonies that he would not purchase that reproch to haue yeelded at the first sight of the enemy and that he knew his humor not to attempt any thing but when he may doe it safely profitably and honorably He thought otherwise in his heart and Edward knowing well that the Constable deceiued them The K of England repents that he beleeued did not conceale it that the duke had done him wrong to imbarke him vpon his assurances The Duke take his leaue vnder a pretext to goe fetch his forces and retired into Brabant to passe at Mezieres into the Dutchie of Bar. The King of England did not like of the reason of his sodaine departure knowing well that the Dukes affaires were in no good estate and might impaire The English were amazed and discouraged as they are commonly which ground their enterprises vpon the promises and passions of strangers z They that haue needs of forraine succors promise wonders to ingage them and doe not commonly performe halfe their promises Their wils wauered betwixt hope and repentance For all the Townes whereof they promised themselues the conquest and which they had sometimes held they had onely Perronne and that was but by way of passage to refresh them The season was incommodious The Duke of Brittanie remained quiet to see the game and who should win He had incensed the King too much who had new drawne from a Secretarie of England two Letters written by Vrse a The Duke of Brittanie promised to loyne his forces with those of England and to receiue 3000. English This designe was discouered by two letters written by Vrse who then serued the D. of Brittany the one vnto the King of England and the other to Hastings his Lord Chamberlaine which discouer his practises and the promise which he had made to ioyne with the English All these reasons make Edward incline to a peace he hath some about him would gladly haue re-past the sea His chiefe seruants were not very eager of warre and remembring the entertainment at S. Quentin they found that the English were too blame to trust in the French against the French and to beleeue that Rauens will pick out one anothers eyes The Ceremonie was who should speake first there was not any one betwixt these two Princes that would attempt this mediation they thought that hee which should first demand a Peace had confest himselfe vanquished There is a great disparitie betwixt the affaire of Princes and priuate men their rules and Maximes are very different like to the Kings of Thrace whose Gods which they serue are not the Gods of the common people b The dissemblance of the affaires of great men shâ—wes it selfe in many respects and ceremonies which are not considered among priuate persons The King of Thrace is distinguished from his suâ—iects by the difference of the sâ—ruice of his Gods he hath his apart which his subiects are not suffred to worship Haward and Stanley Occasion which caused an ouerture of a Peace who were neerest about the King of England offred an occasion to breake this Ice They had taken a Groome of the Kings Armie who was sent back without ransome as the first prisoner of the English Being at libertie and readie to depart Haward and Stanley said vnto him Recommend vs to the good grace of the King your Master if you may speake vnto him He failed not and the King remembring what Garter had said vnto him found that his veluet had wrought These salutations draue him into a great perplexitie Whatsoeuer comes from an enemie is to be suspect He caused the messenger to be put in Irons fearing that he was a spie he is sounded into and curiously examined by his most confident seruants hee himselfe speakes vnto him and findes him constant without varying This perturbation of minde held him vntill the next day with the which he sate downe pensiue to his meate Posture of Lewis the eleuenth when hee was pensiue When as he was in his deepest cogitations the minde did so neglect the actions of the bodie and left them in such disorder as no man would haue taken him for a wise man c Phil. de CoÌ„ represents in these world 's the grace of K. Lewis when hee had any fantasie in his head As soon as he was set at the table and had studied a little as you know he did in such sort as it was very strange to them that did not know him for without knowledge of him they would haue held him vnwise but his deeds witnes the contrary After that he had been a while pensiue hee told Philip de Commines that hee should take away the table and went to dine in his chamber causing the seruant of the Siegneur of Halles to come vnto him of whom he demanded if hee would goe into the King of Englands Armie in the habite of a Herauld He had bethought himselfe of this man to whom hee had neuer spoke but once and notwithstanding that Phil. de Commines told him that in his opinion hee had neither stature nor grace yet would hee not any other Iudgement of the King to distinguish spirits He had made choise of him as of a man of good vnderstanding and who had as the Historie saith a sweet and pleasing voice He considered that if the charge hee gaue him did not succeed he should quit in disauowing him and make it knowne that he was but in a disguised habite like vnto Comediens d They demanded of Polistratidas Embassador of Sparta if he came in the behalfe of the commonweale or of himselfe hee answered eloquently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If you grant me that which I demand said Polistratidas I will cause my selfe to be aduowed if not I let you vnderstand that I haue no charge He would not accept this charge for any thing that Philip de Comines could say or promise him he fell vpon his Knees as if hee had beene condemned to die e When as the King thought this man was in a good humour he sent the master of his horse for the banner of a trumpet to make him a coate of Armes for the K. was not curious nor accompanied with Heralds and Trumpets as many princes be Phil. de Com. l. 4. c. 7. The King came and spake with him and wonne him at the first word A Herald sent to the King of England promising him mony and the office of an Esleu in the I le of Rez Hee must be attired and there was some trouble to make him a coate of armes and more to send him away secretly and not to seene but most of all to instruct him in that which he should say His coate of armes was in a bouget behind his saddle hauing commandement not to put it on vntill hee did enter into the English army Philip de Comines obserues in this place the little care and
obserue the entrie of the souldiers The King of England being aduertised of this disorder sent to intreat the King not to suffer them to enter That shall not be answered the King but if it please him to send some Archers of his gard to the Port they shall let in whom they will This was done the King hauing by his dissembling obtained that which some greater brute had made difficult But Lewis had no money in his Coffers to pay the summes that were agreed vpon He found how difficult it is to draw money from a multitude in an vrgent necessitie a Although they say that a Prince should haue no other treasure then in subiects purses yet there may fall out such vrgent occasions as if behaue it not in his owne Coffers he is in dangerous estate His Treasurers refused him Paris furnisht this summe vpon assurance to bee repayed within three monethes There remained nothing but to choose a place for the enteruiew of the two Kings Piquigny noted by the Predictions of England This was at Piquigny a towne which the Sibilles of England had long before noted for so great and happie an action They made a barre vppon the bridge of the riuer of Somme in such sort as they might passe their Armes freely yet without any wicket for their bodies the King remembring that he had heard say b That which is past teacheth the present In the like occasion Duke Iohn was slaine at Monter eaufaut Yonne whether he was come vnto the Dauphin who since was Charles the seuenth to treat an accord that the doore which was left at the Barre at Montereau Faut-Yonne did serue to aduance the execution which caused so many calamities in France For Duke Iohn being inuited to passe with three more not two paces off receiued the mortall blow from Taneguy of Chastell The 29. of August 1478. the King came first vnto the Barre for that he was in his owne house Enteruiew of the two Kings at Piquigny and receiued a strange Prince c Many take this ceremonie otherwise and that it is for the greater Prince not to come first vnto the place but to be stayed for He was accompanied by the Duke of Bourbon and the Cardinall of Bourbon his Brother In these actions of shew hee tooke delight to haue some one attired like himselfe Phil. de Commines was so that day He had eight hundred men Edward came thither after being aduertised by a Gentleman of the Kings arriuall The Duke of Clarence his Brother did accompanie him thither The Duke of Glocester would not bee there for this Truce discontented him he had behinde him all his Armie in Battell either of them had twelue Noblemen d Princes shold neuer meet at a Parle but with equall assurances of either side Philip K. of Macedon would not goe to land but did parle from the prow of his galley with I. F. who was vpon the shore and beeing demanded by him of whom he stood in feare I feare not any man answered Philip but the immortall Gods but I trust not them I see with you Tit. Liu. lib. 32. to accompanie him There were foure English Lords on Lewis side and as many French of Edwards to see if there were any practise to the preiudice of their master Edward ware a Cap of blacke Veluet Edward a goodly Prince with a great Iewell of stones made like a Flower-de-Luce a goodly Prince and of a gallant stature but began to grow grosse e Phil. de Cō saith that Edward was one of the goodliest Princes of that age but at this enteruiew hee began to grow grosse Beauty is a qualitie which doth adorne the rest which are necessarie in a Prince But this is vaine without the rest it is more fitting for a woman and serues but to please Maximin son to the Emperor Maximin was so fair as the women desired to be beloued of him and that hee would make them mothers Iul. Cap. Comming within two or three paces of the Barre he put off his Cap and made two or three low reuerences before hee came vnto the King who attended him leaning vpon the barre after very kinde imbracings to make the heart speake by these demonstrations of loue and affection the Peace was sworne vpon the Masse-booke and the Crosse. The King who knew Edwards humor fitted his Discourse to entertaine him with a content which cost him nothing entermixing still some merry speech among their most serious affaires And for that Edward had youth beauty and loue in him hee intreated him not to returne into England before he had seene the Ladies of Paris and that the Cardinall of Bourbon who was their present should giue him absolution Edward shewed by his eyes and his silence that this Sumons was pleasing vnto him The King prest him no farther The King offers that which hee would not haue accepted remembring that his Predecessors had beene too familiar there These two Princes were so cunning as it was hard for the one to haue any aduantage of the other the policy of the one appeared outward and the other kept his close within f Some shew their Art at the first incounter others hold it secret and there the deceit is not discouered before one is deceiued Heerevnto is applyed the controuersie which was betwixt the Foxe and the Leopard for the variety of their skinnes The Leopard bragd that his was fairest without being marked with diuers spots that is nothing said the Foxe my variety is within They conferred long together to open their hearts one vnto an other or rather for Lewis to discouer Edwards thoughts who for that he was not like vnto him in iudgement and experience was not so warie The King found that hee had an extreme desire to assist and defend the Duke of Brittany and that hee held himselfe bound vnto it saying that hee had neuer found a better friend at need As for the Duke of Bourgundy hee did not seeme to bee so carefull of his fortune for when as the King said vnto him What shall wee doe if my Brother of Bourgundy will not enter into the Truce The King of England answered Lewis soūds K. Edwards thoughts I will summon him againe and if he will not hearken to it I referre my selfe to you two The Constables fortune remained In the first conference of the Treatie the King of England being highly offended that hee had fayled of his word had said that hee could let the King know his bad seruants and how to conuict them of treason towards his Maiestie The Deputies had not much regarded it holding it to be a pollicie to terrifie the King with such practises and Intelligences and although there had been some thing yet the estate of the Kings affaires did not allow of too curious a search of the fidelity of his subiects g There are seasons when as it is not good to discouer all diseases
which he ware about his neck and which resisted poyson but the Chancellor kept it to present it vnto the King This disposition beeing made they led him to a great seaffold from the which they did ascend to an other which was lesse but higher where he should receiue an end of his life u Death is sweet when it is the end not the punishment of life And they say it is a troublesome thing to die before one be sick for a punishment Vpon the greater were the Chancellor the Siegneur of Gaucourt and some other of the Kings Officers all the place and all windowes were full euen to the tops of houses He went vp vnto the Scaffold with his hands vnbound He is executed at the Greue the executioner bound them with a little cord They presented him a Cushion of other stuffe then those be wheron the Constables x The Chancellors Constables of France take their oth vnto the King kneeling vpon a cushion of veluet here they offer the Constable one of wooll with the Armes of the City of Paris of France take their oth vnto the King He remoued it with his foote and set it right and then he kneeled downe with his face towards our Ladies Church There in the sight of heauen and of two hundred thousand people the fire-brand of warre was quencht the 29. day of December 1475 He dyed much amazed but full of deuotion and repentance He dyed trembling To dye trembling after that manner was not to dye like a man who had carried the sword of France The executioner should not haue been more hardy to strike y In what place soeuer death assailes a generous man hee should die generously The generosity of courage doth something abate the infamie of the punishment Rubrius Flauius being condemne thy Neâ—o to loose his head when as the executioner said vnto him that he should stretch forth his neck boldy he answered Thou shalt not strike more boldly then I will present my head then he to offer his neck to receiue the blow Thus he who had no care nor thought but of diuision had his head diuided from his sholders the which as full of winde goes into the Ayre and the bodie fals to the earth the life which remained caused some little motion which makes the head to moue apart and the bodie apart but it is without soule for that is not diuided The Franciscane Friars carried the bodie to their Church and they said then vpon the dispute which they had with the Curate of S. Iohn at the Greue that two hundred Friaâ—s had had their heads cut off Wee must conclude this discourse with so certaine a Maxime as whosoeuer shall affirme it cannot lye Neuer any one that dealt craftily with his Prince but in the end he was deceiued and there is nothing more certaine by considerations of presidents experience and reason that who so keepes his Master in feare forceth him to free himselfe This place remained vnsupplyed aboue fortie yeares ImportaÌ„ce of the office of Constable for the command is so great ouer all the forces of the Realme and the name of such lustre as if it fals into the hands of an ambitious man that is able to make his authoritie march equall with the Kings if of a Prince of the bloud he is the Kings King if of an other the Princes and great men of the Realme will not obay him and his commandement as Bertrand of Gueschin said z Berâ—rand of Gueschin refused to accept the Office of Constable for that he was but a simple Knight and durâ—t 〈◊〉 presume to command the kings bâ—others Câ—zins 〈…〉 not your selfe by this meanes for I haue neither Brother Cozin nor Nephewes Earle nâ—r Baron within my realme but shal obay you willingly if any one should doe otherwise hee should displease me Froislard doth concerne the great rather then the lesse The Constables goods beeing forfeited were restored to Francis of Bourbon Earle of Vendosme marrying Mary of Luxembourg Her slender and small stature brought into this house the smalnes of bodies of those great Princes who before were of that goodly and rich stature The first beauty of men admired and desired in Kings As the King had shewed an example of his Iustice in the Constables death Duke of Alencon set at libertie so did hee one of his bounty to the Duke of Alençcon a The D. of Alencon was coÌ„ducted from the Louure to the house of Michel Luillier on Thursday the 28. of December 1475 at six of the clock at night by Iohn Harlay Knight of the watch with foure torches as the Author of the Chronicle doth obserue whom he suffred to go out of the Louure where he was a prisoner and to be lodged in a Burgesses house of Paris The fortune of this Prince was to be pittied and the consideration of his birth bound the Princes to commiseration Hee was of the bloud of France and the house of Alençon was a branch of that of Valois Charles of France Earle of Valois had two sonnes Philip of Valois King of France and Charles of Valois b Charles of Valois Brother to Philip of Valeis King of FraÌ„ce had four sonnes by Mary of Spaine his second â— wife Charles who was a Iacobin and then Archbishop of Lyon Peter Earle of Alencon Philip Archbishop of 〈◊〉 and Robert Earle of Perch Earle of Chartres and then of Alençon who dyed at the Battell of Crecy He was father to Iohn first Duke Duke of Alençon who married Marry of Brittanie and by her had this Iohn the second of that name Duke of Alençon his sonne Rene Duke of Alençon married Margaret of Lorraine by whom he had Charles the last Duke of Alençon married to Margaret of Orleans the onely Sister of King Francis the first and died without children By the Constables death the Duke of Bourgundy receiued from the King St. Quentin Profit and blame of the Duke for the Constables death Han and Bohain and the spoiles of the dead which might amount to fourescore thousand crownes He was sorie that he had lost him who had made him haue so good a share in France He was blamed to haue giuen him a safe conduit and then c Behold the iudgment which the Lord of Argenton makes vpon this deliuerie There was no need for the D. of Bourgundie who was so great a Prince of so famous and honorable a house to giue an assurance to the Constable to take him which was a great crueltie the Battel where he was certain of deth and for couetousnes deliuer him 1476. and to deliuer him to him that pursued him after the assurances of Protection and defence This breach was noted for an infallible presage of the ruine of his house The Annales of the Franche Contie of Bourgundy adde an other cause which was that the Duke had seazed of a great sum of money at Aussone
which was leuied by the publication of the Croisadoe and appointed for the warre against Infidels From that time he approched still neere vnto this precipice making his graue in his owne designes as Silke-wormes die in their owne workes Hee began to distrust his owne subiects and to take strangers When a d A Prince is much weakned that it forced to distrust his subiects to imploy strangers whose obedience affection and fidelitie is not tyed to any other respect but their pay They think they are freed from their saith wheÌ„ as mony failes Prince is brought to that miserie all goes to ruine He reuiues in his soule all the thoughts which he formerly had to be reuenged of them that had offended him He will dispatch them first whom he holds the weaker and remembring that being before Nuz Rene Duke of Lorraine had defied him spoiled the Duchie of Luxembourg and razed Pierrefort in reuenge for that after the death of Iohn Duke of Calabria and Lorraine The Duke of Bourgundy declares war against the Duke of Lorraine hee had taken him prisoner he resolued to make him repent it wherevpon he armed for the conquest of Lorraine by the which besides the hereditarie Titles of King of Ierusalem and Sicile which are in this house he promised to make himselfe so mighty against the Germans as he would make the Emperor repent that hee had denied him the title of King Ambition troubles his imaginations it represents vnto him all that in possession which he hath but in hope he beleeues that all the ships that goe vppon the sea are his Ambitions great designes e Ambition represents things as the ambitious man desires or propounds them It troubles the imagination Trasillus thinks that aâ— the ships which are in Pyrce haue seâ—sayle for him he keepes a Register of them and is sory that his brother Caton seekes to disswade him for hee is neuer better content then with these imaginations but as the moone is ecclipsed when she is full so fortune which had so much fauoured him grew darke when as he thought it had bene compleat He thought to haue his triumphant chariot drawn not by Lions like to Marc Anthony nor by Elephants as Pompey nor by stags like Aurelian but by Princes like Sesostris f The insolency of Sesostris King of Egipt in prosperity 〈◊〉 so great and disordred as he caused foure Kings to draâ— his Chariot in stead of horse the one of them fixing his eyes still vppon the turning of the wheele burst out in laughter and being demanded bg Sâ—sostris why he laught This wheele said this poore Prince turning that vp which was below makes me remember my Condition and to thinke that yours may be the like He is as neere as Sesostris to try the instability of this wheele and that the fauours of fortune are no presents but baites The Earle of Campobach passing by Lion to goe into Italy had made offer vnto the king to deliuer vnto him the Duke his master Attempâ— against the Dukes life discouered by the King eyther a prisoner or dead assuring that hee could doe it easily the one by poyson and the other when as the Duke should be riding vppon a nag to view his Army as he was accustomed He discouered this ingratefull damnable Intention to Simon of Pauia a Phisition of Lion to S t. Pry the Kings Ambassadour in Piedmont The king did abhorre and detest such a wickednesse to the which the generosity of the bloud of France would neuer haue suffered him to consent to gaine the monarchie of the world g The answer was noble of Alphonso the first King of Naplês to Roger Earle of Pallanza who offred to kill the King of Castile If it were said he to be King of all the world I would neuer consent â—o such a wickednes A prince that seekes to ryd himselfe of an enemy otherwise then by the course of Armes is wicked All treason is cursed and execrable Hee aduertised the Duke h It is an act of a free and generous spirit to reiect those that offer to betray their maisters Fabricius sent him to Pyrâ—us who had offered to poison him by the Siegneur of Contay but he contemned this aduice being vnable to iudge of the intention of him that gaue it and thinking that it was to draw the affection of a profitable necessary seruant into iealousie he seemed to make more esteeme of this Traitor then he had done euer The â—ame yeare 1476. in October Iohn Bon a Welch-man borne and a houshold seruant to the King was punished at Paris for that he had conspired to poison the Dauphin He was condemned by the Prouost of the Kings house to loose his head being ready to be executed the King sent vnto him to know whether he had rather loose his eyes then his head hee answered yea then the executioner put out his eyes and deliuered him to his wife The Duke was then very busie at the siege of Nancy Campobache who was very confident to Rene disswaded this enterprise The Duke not able to taste the reasons which he represented vnto him suffred himselfe to be so transported with Choller as he strooke him and yet against all reason and the rules of wisedome which doe not allow any trust i A man of courage which hath receiued an indignitie or outrage desires to bee reuenged doth long harbour this desire in his heart after which they must discharge him and nâ—uer trust him more It is the precept of Thucidides whosoeuer finds himselfe vniustly wroâ—ged by him that had no occasion if he can once get from him he will seeke to haue a more sharpe reuenge then an open enemie to bee giuen to seruants that haue been so intreated he kept him still about him He preuailed ouer Nancy and Lorraine yeelded to the yoke This was not sufficient The Duke of Bourgundy seazeth vpon Lorraine Ambition prescribed him new designes He remembred that whilst he was incamped before Nuz the Suisses entring into Bourgundie had taken Blasmont besieged Hericourt and defeated two thousand Bourgundians in Battell He remembred the complaints which Iames of Sauoy Earle of Romont brother to the Duke of Sauoy had made vnto him he desires to reuenge it in his reuenging humor Duke armes against the Suisses and with it the Soueraigne Maiestie of Princes which was wronged by the rising of this people who being in league to become masters of themselues said that the troupe was better kept by many then by one alone k They that prefer the gouernment of many before that of one say that a flock is better kept by many dogs then by one alone They are answered that a ship which hath many Pilots or Masters is in mâ—re danger theÌ„ that which hath but one good one and in lesse then an hundred yeares had extinguished in their countrie the memory of those which had commaunded ouer them
his life Hee liued six yeares eleuen monthes Philip Earle of Bresse sonne to Lewis and great Grandfather to Charles Emanuel who had been prisoner at Loches succeeded him a great Prince as all they haue been whose fortunes haue been tost and crost z They whom a variable vnconstaÌ„t fortune hath exercised and tryed gouerne theÌ„selues better then others Tacitus speaks it of Caractatus QueÌ„ multa ambigua multa prospeta extâ—lerant vt câ—teros Britannorum Imperato resprâ—mineret Whom many crosses and many good fortunes had raised vp that he might exceed the rest of the Brittish commanders After that Iustus Lipsius to confirme this truth hath spoken of Charles the fiâ—t and Lewis the eleuenth he addes Emanuel Philibert Duke of Sauoy and concludes that the Greeke word is true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I haue learned of them that haue hurt me Miseria brudentiae bona mater Misery iâ— a good mother of wisedome At the Kings returne from Lyon Alfonso K. of Portugal comes to demand succors in France Alfonso King of Portugall came to salute him being at Tours hee came vnto him as to his last refuge being no longer able to resist the power of King Ferdinand and Isabelta The cause of their contention is well worthy the knowing and to vnderstand it wee must remember that it was formerly said that by the peace made betwixt Iohn King of Castille and Iohn of Nauarre Blanche the eldest Daughter of Nauarre was married to Henry of Castille Prince of the Asturies and that the marriage was not consummated by reason of the disabilitie and coldnes of the husband a Pope Eugenius the third gaue a dispensation for the degree of proximitie that was betwixt the married couple and the marriage was celebrated at Madrid in the yeare 1440. The bashfulnes and modestie of this Princesse made her dissemble her misfortune Disabilitie of Henry K. of Castillâ— whereof no man might inconsiderately grow in doubt for the Prince was of a manlike and braue aspect but his actions were faint and languishing They were but fiue and twentie yeares old when they were married At one and thirty he succeeded to his father who died in the yeare 1454 of a quartaine Ague after that he had put Aluaro de Luna b Dom Aluato de Luna abusing the greatnes of his charge and the great loue the King bare him was hated of the Princes Noblemen of Castille they forced the King to banish him six yeares from the Court His faction won the Prince D. Henry who armed against his father wroght so as he was restored to fauor and made Master of the Order of S. Iames but seeking to be reuenged of his enemies and making many enterprises against them Queene Isabel fauoring them made the King resclue to put him in prison to haue him exâ—cuted at Vaile dosâ—t The King did forfeit al his goods they did set a siluer Basin whereas his head was to receiu that which passers by would giue for his entertainment A remarkable example of the inconstancy of Kings and fortunes fauours Al sin 〈…〉 vita a la tarde loa el dia. The life is commended by the end and the day by the Euening his Constable to death and had raigned nine and forty yeares and six monethes Henry succeeded him and Alfonso his second sonne was great Master of the Order of St. Iames hee would willingly haue giuen him his Crowne for the griefe he had conceiued for Henries disobedience His Daughter Isabella was but three yeares old to whom he gaue the Towne of Cuellar and a great summe of money for her mariage All things succeeded otherwise then he had proiected The eternall prouidence which hath written in his tables of Diamond the aduentures of things which are haue been and shall be had disposed after another manner But as the most constant patience is tired at length this Princesse The Pope dissolues the mariage for sterilitie hauing for a long time endured her husbands disabilitie began to murmure and he preuented her complaints presenting a request vnto the Pope to bee seperated from her and shewed that she was barren and could not be a mother and that the affaires of Castille required an heire The Pope dissolued the first marriage and suffered him to marry againe with Ione Infanta of Portugall Sister to King Alfonso and Daughter to King Edward a Princesse exceeding faire who more desirous to bee a Queene then a wife consented to this marriage notwithstanding that shee was fully aduertised of the disabilitie of the husband which she tooke who although he were a great Prince could not haue found a woman where as euery one may haue for his money But shee made it knowne that a politick woman neuer dyes without an heyre On the other side the King held the blemish of disabilitie to be so dishonourable as to make the contrarie knowne and to haue children to succeed vnto his Crowne he consented that Bernard de la Cueua one of his fauourites c Some write that D. Ioane consented therevnto by force but when she had once made this leape she had more need of a bridle then a spurre A wonderfull incontinency and impudency Being at it were confined to the Castell of Alacaes vnder the custody of the Archbishop of Seuelle she had by D. Pedro the Archbishops Nephew two children D. Ferdinand and D. Apostol should lye with the Queene who presently conceiued with child and to the end it should not bee thought to be done by supposition he would haue her deliuered in the presence of Henry Earle of Alba de Lista the Archbishop of Toledo and the Marquis of Vellena It was a Daughter which had for her Godfather the Earle of Armagnaâ— who was at that time Embassador in Castille to King Lewis the eleuenth Wisedome and discretion might haue made this deceit more fortunate then it was Henry the king of Castille degraded for all Spaine made demonstration of incredible Ioy for the birth of this Daughter but there was follie and indiscretion of all sides The King who would confirme this opinion that he was a gallant man sought the loue of other women who soone discouered the deceit The Queene made shew to be iealous entertained her loue securely with D. Bernard so as the great familiaritie he had with her made the world doubt of her chastitie and when as they saw that the King honored him with the chiefe charges of the Realme making him master of the order of St Iames and then Duke of Albuquergue they did imagine that he made him play his part in this Comedie which ended with cruel tragicall effects for the Great men of the realme made a league to seaze vpon D. Alfonso and D. Isabella brother Sister to the end that this Bastard should not depriue them of their rights Alfonso being about twelue yeeres old was proclaimed K. of Castille by them and then did D. Henry shew
the imbecillitie and weaknes of his Nature for whereas hee should haue opposed himselfe against those mutinies he suffred them to get such credit and authoritie as the Archbishop of Toledo being sent for to come vnto him to the end hee might pacifie those troubles he said vnto him that brought him this charge Tell your King that I am weary of him his affaires and that he shall shortly see who is the true King of Castille The Grandos of the Realme assembled in a great plaine neere vnto Auila to degrade the King from the royall dignity That which they could not doe vnto his person Alfonso proclained K. of Castille they did vnto his statue d When as King Henry vnderstood of this degradation which was in Iune 1â—65 he said I haue bred vp children and they haue contemned me I came naked from my mothers wombe and the earth atâ—ends me naked No man can liue so poorely as hee is borne and it God expels mee now for my fins he wil comfort and preserue mee afterwards for his infinite power is that which kils and restores to life which wouÌ„ds and cures that which giues Siegneuries takes them away which raiseth vp Kings puls them downe when he pleaseth which they presented vpon a scaffold when as the Herad said that D. Henry was degraded from the royall dignity the Archbishop of Toledo tooke the Crowne from his image the Earle of Plaisance the sword and the Earle of Beneuent the Scepter this done Diego Lopes cast it out of the royall seat Alfonsos standard was aduanced and poore Henry shouted at and contemned They would end the quarrell by a battell before Olivedo e The Battell of Oluiedo was in the yeare 1467. They doe not agree who had the victory D. Alfonso was seen armed aâ— all peeces incouraging his men D. Henry appeared not in the fight but entered triumphing towards night into Medina del Campo The two Armies fought by order one squadron against another The Archbishop of Toledo led his army hauing a white stole vpon his armes The combat continewed three houres and ended with so great disorder of either side as both parties made bonfiers for the victory The Pope sent his Legat f Anthony de Veneris Bishop of Lyon the Popes Legate being in Spain coÌ„manded them to lay downe Armes vpon paine of excommunication the great men of Spaine opposed themselues said that they appealed to a Councill The Licentiat Iohn D. Alcacer and Doctor Alphonso of Madrigall were committed for this appeale to pacefie these troubles during the which King D. Alfonso hauing raigned three yeares died of the plague at Cardegnosa Death of Alfonso King of Castille The League would haue declared Isabella heire of the Realme the which she would not accept the King her brother lyuing wherevpon a peace was made by which she was declared Princesse of Castille the nineteenth of September 1468. vpon condition that she should not marry without the consent of the King hir brother They would haue married her to Alfonso of Portugall who was a widower and D. Ioane to Iohn the eldest Sonne of Portugall vpon condition that if there came no children of the marriage of the Pincesse Isabell g D. Isabella was sought for in marriage by the brother of King Lewis by the King of Englands brother She made choise of D. Ferdinand Prince of Arragon He came to see her vnknown D. Guttiere of Cardona who coÌ„ducted him shewed him her saiing in Spanish Esse es It is he To whome the Princesse answerered sodenly and S. Shal be thine armes vpon this cause the family of this knight doth at this day carry an S in tâ—eir armes and deuice those which issued from the marriage of D. Ioane should succeed to the realme Castille But D. Isabella had other thoughts she loued Ferdinand sonne to Iohn King of Navarre and Arragon whome shee caused to come to Vaillidolet in a disguized habit and marryed him the eighteenth of October 1469. Isabella of Castille marries Ferdinand of Arragon King Henry was so incensed at this marriage as hee declared his Sister fallen from all the rights which shee might pretend to the crowne of Castille and caused Ioane his daughter to be proclaymed his true heire who was married to Charles Duke of Guienne as hath beene formerly said This treaty of marriage was broken by the death of the Dukd of Guienne King Henry died also h The death of Henry the 4. King of Castille was in the yere 1474. the one and forty yeare of his age and the on twenteth of his raign Hee was interred in the great Chappell of the Monastery of Guadalupe He appointed 52. lampes of siluer to burne day night vpon his tombe And notwithstanding that the Crowne were assured to Ferdinand and Isabel yet Ioane continued the title of Queene of Castille Troupes sent out of France into Castille and in this quality she married with Alfonso King of Portugall which was an occasion of great warres The French King being discontented with the house of Arragon and the warre of Pergignan sent troupes to the King of Portugal vnder the command of Aman of Albret i Ambassadors haue oste ingaged their Maisters in very ruin ous voiages Philip de CoÌ„mines who had treated with them of the K. of Portugall saith that if they had beene well aduised they would haue informed themselues better of matters here before they had councelled their Maister to this voiage wâ—ich was very preiudiciall vnto him But the King of Portugal hauing lost his enterprises and his Partisans was forced to retyer himselfe into Portugall carring away no other triumph of the warre of Castille but the Princesse D. Ioane his wife whome notwithstanding hee would not mary before hee were assured of the Realme of Castille and therefore he went into France to implore ayde from King Lewis with whome he had treated an alliance by his Ambassadors who vnder the good chere which was made them and the good words which were giuen them during the treaty without any other intent perswaded their Maister to come into France assuring him that he should doe more by his presence for the succors which he demanded then by the mediation of his servants and that there might bee a marriage made betwixt the Dauphin and D. Ioane his Neece He landed at Marseille Alfonsâ— K of Portugall comes to Tours came to Lyons and so went downe the riuer of Loire to Tours where he acquainted the King with the cause of his voyage k Necessity â—orceth Princes euen to things vnworthy of their quality They write that this Prince besought the King to succor him with such vehemency and humanity as hee fell on his knees at his heete It had not beene secret though he had beene silent Kings come neuer to the gates of other Kings to offer or to giue but to demand and entreat He carried a Lampe in
all them that fled had reserued one of the Dukes pages who did serue to finde out his body z The Duke of Burgundies bodie was known by a Porâ—ugall Phisition by the basâ—ara of Bourgundy by Oliuer of La March and by the Grâ—omes of his Chamber the which he knew by diuers markes the wanting his teeth of the vpper Iawe which he had lost in his youth with a fall by the scarre of a wound which he receiued in the throate at the Battell of Montlehery by the withering of the skin vpon his shoulder which a cole had made by a Fistula which hee had vnder his nauell and by his nailes which he ware longer then any one of his Court. The Dukes Ensignes and coulours were presently carried to Rene who obseruing the Fuzils or Irons to strike fire which they carried said The Duke interred at Nancy What a Pittie when this Prince would warme himselfe hee could not make vse of these Fuzils to strike fire a The duke carrie 〈◊〉 his coulours an iron to strike fire betwixt two trenchers of wood meaning that it was in his power to make a great fire of warre when he pleased The bodie was drawne from among the dead and carried to Nancy where after they had washt it and attired it in a poore weed of linnen cloth they layed it vpon a table vnder a cloth of Estate of black Veluet the chamber being hanged with the same The Duke mourning in his outward habite for this death and carrying ioy in his heart for his victory would needs see him and was not so scrupulous as Pompey who turned away his eyes from the dead body of Mithridates King of Pontus least he should prouoke the reuenging wrath of the Gods against him At this sight the Duke was moued to pittie and sorrow as compassion is not lesse naturall in great courages then crueltie euen against the dead is proper to base and cowardly mindes b Great mindes are moued at the spectacle of the ruines of nature and at the â—ragicall effects of fortune Alexander felt his â—ies to swell with teares when he read these words in Persian vpon Cyrus tombe I am Cyrus who conquered the Empire of the Persians let no man enuy this little ground which couers my poore carkasse Taking him by one hand he said God receiue your soule you haue caused vs much trouble and sorrow He caused him to be interred with all kindes of Funerall Pompe finding no expence so pleasing as that which is made to interre an enemie It is strange to reade what is written and credited K. Lewis aduertised of this death the next day that the day after the Battell King Lewis being at Masse the Archbishop of Vienna said vnto him presenting him the Pixe Reioyce S r your enemy is dead The Posts which brought this newes so speedily might truely be called windes like vnto those of Elius Verus c The Emperor Aâ—lius Verus gaue wings and the names of winds vnto his Posts calling one the North another the great wind an other the South c. And as the people beleeue not that which they desire not his subiects were long doubtfull of the truth of his death They said that the griefe of this losse kept him hid and that he had been seen in a Pilgrims weed It is troublesome to beleeue the death of Princes whom they loue who haue won their hearts by mildnes and affabilitie This Prince said and his tombe speakes it yet that he neuer had any rest in his life He would be the Eagle of Princes in designe and execution and as Eagles haue alwaies in their nests stones which sound hee had alwaies some designe in his head which disturbed his rest Hee that did inherit the matteresse whereon he slept might well keepe it to cause sleepe seeing that a man so distempered did sleepe little Wee must not suffer honor to grow old Humor of the D. of Bourgundy nor to weare like a garment it must be renued by some goodly action He sought by new designes and new enterprises to maintaine the brute of this reputation which he thought did passe away presently if some other couragious action did not renew it and hee feared nothing more then that his idlenes should giue the people occasion to demand what he did Meane men are not to giue an account of all their actions but will know what great men doe or doe not d A Prince should neuer giue the people occasion to inquire of his idlenes Cato had reason to say Non minus otii quam negotii clarorum virorum rationem extare oportere The reason of famous mens Idlenes must be apparent is wel as of their imployments His great courage was giuen him to afflict his bodie to torment his spirit His force was not equall to his Ambition lesse pride or more power His life was too short to goe that great way Hee would not haue been satisfied with halfe Europe Excesse the Dukes Ambition All or nothing Hee had more valour then gouernment Of this King this D. might haue bin made the composition of a great and absolute Prince e Who so could haue takeÌ„ some of the King our Masters conditions and some of his might well haue made a perfect prince for without doubt the King exceeded him much in iudgement and the end did shew it by his workes Phil. de Com. for the two essentiall parts necessarie to make a great Captaine Wisedome and Valour he had but one and would make himselfe to bee esteemed by actions which were rather animated by courage then guided by Counsell But he was laborious and diligent two qualities f He is a good Captaine that is both wise valiant Hanniball was valiant Fabius wise This man by his wâ—sdome vndermined the heat courage of the other Guiechiardin saith That it is no lesse the dutie of a valiant Captaine to doe â—he workes of a wise man then of a couragious Paulus Aemilius did perswade Marcus Varro his Colleage to temper the hot fumes of his courage by the coolenes of his vvisedome requisite to make a Captaine He would be euery where himselfe did view the scituation of his Campe with the aduantages and discommodities about it he obserued who went and came who entred and who went forth g Charles D. of Bourgundy vvas called by many the toiling for that he vvould see all and doe all toiling himselfe extraordinarily in all occasions He was still walking among the souldiors reprehending the Captaines priuately and the soldiors publikely when he found them to neglect their duties The meanest fortune requires wisedome to guide it and the greater it is the more it is enuironed with difficulties This Prince grew so insolent fell into so great a conceit of his own valour after his first deeds of Armes that although his naturall inclinations were not meerely warlike yet hee tooke delight in no other
with the Spaniards 24 Blanch Countesse of Foix Queene of Nauarre the mother of many children 25 Battell of Guinegast 26 Siege of Rhodes by Mahomet the second and the valiant resistance of the great Master ⧠THE HISTORIE Of LEWIS the eleuenth THE EIGHTH BOOKE TWO great occasions presented themselues vnto the King to augment his Empire 1477. after the death of the Duke of Bourgondy In the first it seemed that Italy was not diuided but to vnite it againe vnder the gouernment of one alone and that not any one but the French King might vndertake it or hope for it They councelled him to make his profit of these diuisions K. Lewis councel'd to make his profite of the diuision of Italy and to renue the right which the Crowne of France had to the Realme of Naples since Charles Earle of Aniou a Pope Vrban the third called Charles of Aniou against Māfroy and promised him the Inuestiture of both Siciles Charles came to Rome in the yeare 1264. in May and receiued it frō Clement 4. and from the same hand the Crown at S. Iohn de Latran the 28. of Iune Prouence brother to the great King who renowned by the power of Armes and much more by the holinesse of his life deserued to be declared a Saint Robert of Saint Seuerin came vnto the King b Robert of S. Seuerin came to the King to make him resolue to come into Italy Paulus Aemilius saith that the King answered him that he had learned frō his Predecessors that the Frēch could neuer keepe any thing in Italy and made him diuers ouertures to moue him thereunto but he who was a Prince which made more account of the essence then of the appearance of things would not hearken to it The Geneuois intreated him to take them vnder his command hauing liued happily vnder King Charles the 7. He was contented that Iohn Galeas Duke of Millan c Iohn Galeas Duke of Millan did homage for his mother for the Dutchy of Genoa to the Lord of Argenton returning from his Embassage to Florence in the yeare 1476. should do him homage and whē they said that they gaue themselues vnto him he gaue them vnto the Diuell refusing a command so ill grounded as vpon the quicke-sand of the will of a multitude He was also resolued not to meddle with the affaires of Italy hauing learned from his fore-fathers that to send Armies beyond the Alpes was nothing but to purchase repentance with much charge and great difficulties d The Geneuois haue often sought a Maister Guichardin saith that desiring with great instance to giue themselues to Lewis the eleuenth he did not accept the donation and had often refused Dimescolarsi in Italia come cosa piena dispese difficulta all vltimo perniciosa al regno di Francia to meddle with the affaires of of Italy as a thing full of charge and difficulties and in the end dangerous for the realme of France Guic. l. 1. He sent the Signior of Argenton to Florence Troubles at Florēce being full of troubles for a conspiracy made against the house of Medicis Laurence de Medicis liued in that Common-weale as a Cittizen and commanded as a Prince for alwaies in states which depend of the authority of many heads there are some which excell the rest e In popular Estates there hath alwayes beene some priuate man more eminent then the rest Pericles at Athens Epaminondas and Pelopidas at Thebes His Grand-father the great Cosmo Cosmo de Medicis surnamed the Great had laid the foundation of a great authority which did threaten the Common-weale with a new forme of gouernement vnder the power of one alone He was in such reputation through fauour of his wisedome as he began to terrifie the liberty of the Citty and as Machiuel saith the other Citizens held it dangerous to offend him and most dangerous to suffer him The contrary faction attempted to stoppe the growing of this designe the which they thought they could not effect but in killing Laurence and Iulian de Medicis brethren who were not odious vnto great men but for that they had too great credite and their vertue too much reputation and applause f In a free Cittye the great vertue and reputation of one alone is alwaies suspected Cato said against Scipio that a Citty could not termed free in the which the Magistrate did respect feare a priuate man Heauen which reserues vnto it selfe the disposition of States and which aduanceth or staies the Destinies as it pleaseth had resolued to raise the house of Medicis by the same meanes that their enemies sought to ruine it g Conspiracies do many times succeed happily for them against whom they are made Brutus in his History of Florence the 6. Booke saith Consilia quae à coniuratis ad Medicum potentiam euertendam inita fuerant ad eorū principatum stabiliendum mirifice contulerunt The councels which the Cōspirators had taken to ouerthrow the house of Medicis did wonderfully serue to settle their power and authority It was already growne to that splendor and raised so high as the fight of the vulgar sort was dulled and could not discerne it The Lords which carried this Name being hardy and couragious knew their owne merit and knowing themselues capable to reigne worthily past all difficulties to reigne assuredly The Conspiracie was executed vpon Iulian being at Masse in Saint Reparees Church but Laurence saued himselfe in the Vestry The Conspirators were hanged at the Palace-windowes and the Conspiracie held so execrable throughout all the world as Mahomet h All Princes are interessed in the punishment of traytors When as Mahomet vnderstood that one of the Conspirators was in Constantinople he caused him to be apprehended and sent bound to Florence would not suffer one of the Conspirators to liue safely in Constantinople Pope excommunicates the Florentines The Archbishop of Pisa was among them that were hanged Nicholas Cardinall of Saint Georges was put in prison Pope Sixtus the fourth was offended and fauoured all those that had beene dealers in this Conspiracie he did excommunicate the Florentines Army against the Florentines and caused Ferdinand of Arragon King of Naples to Arme against them the Duke of Vrbin was Generall of the Popes Army and of the King of Naples and with him the Kings two sonnes they did ouer-runne the Territories of Florence yet they spared that which did belong to Laurence de Medicis to bring him into suspition and to make the people beleeue that he had intelligence with them i So Hanibal spoiling and burning the houses which were about Rome forbad the Souldiers to touch any thing that did being to Fabius Maximus This Common-weale was in deadly conuulsions of her liberty Changes of gouernment at Florence scarce knowing what should become of her Her Physitions had rather see her rot with languishing then to cure her or bury her
Frontier I finde that Guerin le Groin Baliffe of Saint Peter le Moustier and Robinet of Quesnoy Either of them Captaine of a hundred Lances tooke a great Conuoy of Money which came to Doway and with a small Troupe defeated a great number of Horse which did gard it If the King of England had declared himselfe for the Princesse of Bourgundy there had beene a great alteration and she had lesse apprehended the power and hatred of the French King who had wisely preuented it Lewis entertaines friendship with the English He knowing that King Edward loued his ease and that he would not shew himselfe too passionate in his Neighbours quarrels caused his Embassadours to obserue him and entertained him often with Visits and Presents d To send wise and polliticke Embassadours to Princes whoÌ„ they feare vpon diuers pretexes is the true meanes to preuent their designes but especially with the hope of a Marriage betwixt his sonne and his daughter Whom in England they called the Dauphine He caused the fifty thousand Crownes due by the Treaty of Piquigny to be paied at the day in the Citty of London which the English called the Tribute of France He gaue great Pensions to the Chancellor Chamberlaine Admirall and Maister of the Horse in England This made some to speake and others to hold their peace touching the affaires of France e To cast Gold into a Princes Councell is a great charme for greedy minds Gold is a medecine which at one instant workes two contrary effects To speake and to be silent There neuer came any Embassadours but commended his bounty at their returne and held themselues in a manner bound to fauour his intentions by which proceedings hee held himselfe in a manner assured on that side This made the Princesse of Burgundy resolue to marry to follow the counsell of the Lady of Haluin Princesse of Bourgundy wil haue a maÌ„ to her husband her first Lady of Honour which was to take a man and not a child for she was capable to beare them f There was a great disparitie of age betwixt the Dauphin and thus Princesse who was mother of three children before the Prince was a eleuen yeares old Shee refused the king of Englands brother It was thought that if they had propounded the Earle of Angolesme father to King Francis the 1. she would haue hearkened vnto it g The Annales of Aquitane speake thus vpon this occasion King Lewis wanted indgment in this action for if he had not hee wold haue married her to Charles Duke ef Angolâ—sme father to King Francis that now is her affections inclining to haue a Prince of France although she were much discontented for that the King had beene the cause of the death of her two good seruants Hugonet and Imbercourt The Emperour Frederick sent his Embassadours vnto her to put her in minde of the letter which she had written by the commandement of Duke Charles her father carrying a promise of marriage to the Arch-duke Maxamilian his son The Duke of Cleues who had another designe instructed her to referre her selfe to her Councell h In a Councell held vpon the reception of the Embassadours the Duke of Cleues said that after they had deliuered their message the Princesse of Burgundy should say vnto them that they were very welcome and that shee would referre it to her Councell and no more Phil. de Com. and not to say any thing to the Embassadours but at the sight of this Letter and a Diamond which did accompany it she declared that she had written the Letter and giuen the Diamond Princesse of Bourgundy marries Maxmilian by her fathers commandement The marriage was treated and Maximilian came into Flanders to consomate it and before the yeare was expired Philip father to Charles the 5. was the first fruits of this marriage Maximilian was then but twenty yeares old i When as Maximilian came into Flanders he was but twenty yeares old Hee was borne in the yeare 1458. Elenor daughter to Edward king of Portugal was his mother desiring to shew that the loue of the Princesse of Burgundy was not blind in choosing him among so many Corriuals he sought to recouer that which she had lost The King sent Craon into Bourgundy Kings Army in the French County k Peter or George of Tremouile Lord of Craon Liuetenant of the Kings Army in Bourgundy who hauing a power and being assisted by Iohn of Chalons Prince of Orange reduced the Towne of Dijon vnder the Kings obedience The Prince of Orange seeing himselfe deluded by him and that he did not deliuer vp the places vnto him which he had taken according to the Kings commandement grew discontented reuolted and recouered in a manner all that Craon had wonne in the County and then cast himselfe into Gy. From thence Craon besieged Dole Dole besieged contemning them that were within it as men whom he held to be without courage or defence This contempt accompanied with carelessenesse made him to loose his honour the Kings fauour and the Towne which he might haue taken for the besieged made a sally in a night that was windy darke and rainy with such aduantage as they surprized him and forced him to ritire with the losse of some of his Ordinance and of three thousand men l The fault of a Generall of an Army is sufficiently punished by the losse of his honour and his Princes loue and fauour The Romanes had no punishment for such errours to the end their Commanders should not haue their minds troubled with the dangers and ordinary Inconueniences in such charges and with the examples of such whose faults had bene punished with death For it is impossible to resolue iudiciously betwixt feare and suspition Charles of Amboise Lord of Chaumont was substituted in his place who aduised the King to renew his aliance with the Suisses and thereby to weaken the house of Bourgondy The perswasion of this counsell was not difficult the King thought nothing more fit for the safety of his estate then to make his enemies weake of Intelligence and Friends He sent some to practise this league and pursued it with great vehemency He had receiued so great content in the ruine of the most obstinate of his enemies as after the Battels of Granson and Morat hee did nothing but speake of the Suisses valor m Lewis the â—1 greatly aduaÌ„ced the reputation of the Suisses After victories which they had wonne against Charles Duke of Bourgondy he caused them to bee much esteemed Hee sent Embassadours with rich presents hee gaue them after the battell of Granson vntill his death aboue a million of Florins of the Rhin and esteeme their Friendship He put them in greater reputation then euer they had beene although they had much honoured the establishment of their liberty with a triumph of nine or ten Battels and that we may say of them as Titus
The great Maister whose prudence was without feare and valour without rashnesse would not neglect it he was as couetous of his peoples bloud as he was prodigall of his owne he could not see them die miserably but provided a good remedy r To feare to loose his men to spare their liues is the duty of one that commands Fortes paratissimi effundere sanguinem suum alienum videre non possunt Valiant men are ready to powre forth their own bloud but they cannot see anothers Sen. commanding the Women Children and vnable persons to leaue the houses causing them to be lodged in a void place betwixt the houses and the Towne-wall vnder Tents supported with great peeces of timber The stones they shot out of their Bombards alwayes past ouer them for the Turkes shot onely at the houses and at the places most frequented and if any stone fell there it found resistance and did no harme At night the people retired into Churches that were vaulted He commanded publicke prayers to be made euery man casting his eyes to heauen hauing no other hope of helpe it was impossible to defend the wall and therefore hee made intrenchments where the Women laboured with a wonderfull affection they would haue giuen their haire s Women haue often giuen their haire to make Instruments for the warre or strings for bows the examples are reported by Vegetius lib. 4. The Senate of Rome in remembrance thereof did dedicate a Temple vnto them called Venus without haire In honorem Matronarum Templum Veneri caluae senatus dicauit Iâ—l cap. to haue made ropes against the Turkes more willingly then euer the Dames of Rome Aquilea or Bizantium did to make bow-strings against their enemies When as the Bashaw saw that the sole presence of the great Maister was the chiefe force and defence of Rhodes The Bashaw seeks to poyson the great Maister he set two men to poyson him the first being surprized and trembling at the first demaund they made him entring into Rhodes discouered the second Saint Nicholas Tower did so command the Port as the enemy thinking that all the defence of Rhodes depended theron gaue an assault by night when as they thought that the besieged tired with the continuall toyles of the day had neglected the defence they made their troopes to land secretly and marched directly to the Mole it is the Port whereas sometimes the Colosse one of the wonders of the world stood u The Colosse of the Sunne at Rhodes was 70 cubits high of brasse set vpon the port all ships past betwixt the legges It was ouerthrowne by an Earth-quake and laie long vpon the shore Mabia a Captaine of the Sarazens hauing defeated Constant the son of Constantine and nephew to Heraclius in a battell at sea seized vpon Rhodes and sold the mettall of this Colosse to a Iew who laded 900. horse and sent it to Alexandria in the yeare 614. that is to say 1460 yeares after that Charles the Indian an excellent Grauer had made it but found them that attended them who repulst them in such sort as they lost a great number of their companions The Bashaw by these first attempts did iudge of the Issue of the siege thinking that he did beate in vaine against this rocke and that he might win the great Maister by some other meanes he demaunded to speake with him vpon the ditches banke where hee told him that hee wondered at his presumption and rashnesse in seeking to resist so mighty a Prince and obstinately to refuse him tribute x It is a troublesome and importune demand to require a tribute of free-men yea it is insupportable to them that are born to seruitude The King of Castille demanded from Muly Alboacen King of Granado the Tribute and Arrerages to whom the Embassadors answered that the Kings of Granado tributaries to them of Castille were dead and therefore their bond was voyd and that in Granado they carried no more gold nor siluer but heads of Lances Arrowes and such like Armes to turne them against their enemies and to free themselues from seruitude and charge seeing that he could not receiue more honor then to be Tributary to a Prince to whom the greatest of Asia Affricke and Europe paid tribute Although the great Maister did not thinke it fit to spend time in words and answeres for that in such occasions a Generall should not haue his hands on his tongue but his tongue in his hands yet would he not suffer the Bashaw to returne without an answere as without any profite of his discourse and therefore he said vnto him Know that thou hast not to doe with base and effeminate Asians Generous answer of the great Maister but with Christian Knights who are ready to burie themselues in the ruines of this Towne rather then once thinke of yeelding The walles of Rhodes had in few dayes endured 3500 Cannon shot the Towers the Bastions with the goodliest buildings were beaten downe and ruined there was a breach on all parts but in the knights hearts who were resolued to loose themselues rather then to leaue it y Constancy and courage is neuer beter tryed then in Townes besieged whereof there haue been admirable examples seene Some more through obstinacy then reason haue first slaine their wiues and children and then killed one another to win the honour to be constant The Bashaw the more to incourage the Souldiers to an assault gaue them the spoile of the towne and caused it to bee proclaimed by Trumpet declaring that nothing should bee saued but the Infants to bee conducted to the great Turkes Serrail that all the rest should bee put to the Sword hauing caused 8000 stakes to be made to impale them that should be taken aliue All things beeing ready forty thousand Turkes came vnto the assault towards the Iewes wall and the quarter of Ierusalem with such fury as if their Prophet had beene behinde them like vnto the Egyptian Gods z King Amasis making warre against the Arabians caused the statues of the Aegyptians gods whiâ—h they did worship to bee carried after them to the end they might goe more cheerefully to dangers remembring that they had behinde theÌ„ their Gods for spectators and that they were bound to saue them and not to leaue them in their enemies power Polioenus lib. 7. The attempt was so great as the Christistians could not hinder them from planting of their ladders the wall was wonne and their Ensignes set vp in signe of victory but they continued not long the great Maister and Anthony of Aubusson Vicount of Montelier his brother came to succour them they finde many Turkes within the Towne Scalodoe repulst whom they cut in peeces repulst the rest and follow them euen to the Bashawes Pauillion where they take the Turkes standard Royall and carry it to Rhodes They say that in this assault the Turkes saw a This vision is related at large by I. Bosio
got made him contemptible for they knew well that the place of battell was not left him but to present vnto him the inequallity of the losse hauing lost a greater number of men then the King who was still Maister of Artois without the which the Earles of Flanders are but petty Princes Those Estates are vnhappy which are forced to seeke strange Maisters they are like vnto counterfeite legges and armes set on to naturall bodies It fareth not much better with Princes which are alwaies hated who being not loued cannot bee well obeyed b It is a glorious Title for a Prince when hee can say that hee is well beloued of his subiects It cannot be purchased but by royall vertues which are more to be esteemed then Kingdomes Iâ— regnare depende spesso della fortunà ma il Re che si proponga per vnico fine la salute la felicità de populi suoi depende solamente da se medesimo della propriavirtu To raigne depends often vpon fortune but that King which propounds vnto himselfe for his onely end the health and felicity of his people depends â—oly of himselfe and his owne vertue Guic. lib. 1. Maximilian had not beene bred vp in affaires His age without experience his youth could not be ripe before his time The Emperour Fredericke his father one of the most couetous Princes in the world had neither giuen him men nor mony sufficient to performe those wonders which were expected from him before they saw him In a word hee had not done sacrifice to reputation c By the first iudgements which are made of a new Prince his reputation is weake or strong and therefore the wise aduise Instandum famae nam prout prima cedunt censentur vniuersa We must stand vpon fame for as the first succeed all the rest are censured entring into the Country Moreouer as men are more grieued for the fayling of things promised then for those which are but in expectation they saw the Emperour Fredericke did not care to assist him nor to releeue him with forces equall to the subiect which did presse him For he had written vnto the chiefe Townes that as soone as he had setled the affaires of the Empire he would follow his sonne and yet he left him in a confusion of miseries d By the Emperor Fredericks letters written to the Towne of Dole bearing date the 12. of February 1477. wee see that hee promised to follow him presently Nos vero coÌ„positis paulisper negotijs nostris eundem fillium nostruÌ„ ducem Maximilianum illico subsequemur ad vos in propria persona accedere volumus parati inclinati vt ad omnem gratiam fauorem quos vos intuitu dictorum ducis Maximiliani contoralis Ducissae Mariae impartiri possumus Ann. of Bourg hauing not where with at all to defray the charges of his owne house so as the Princesse was forced to sell and pawne part of her reueneues So the battell of Guinegaste was not followed by any other losse Onely the Prince of Orange would make vse of it hauing found that what he had designed against the Kings person brought him nothing but shame and repentance Reuenge inuents villanous practises to please it selfe Being offended with the King for that he had not giuen him so great authority as he thought he had deserued he was not content to haue left his seruice to follow the Arch-duke and to haue caused the Townes of Bourgundy to reuolt Attempt against the Kings person discouered but he attempted against his life thinking that to free himselfe from feare hee should vtterly ruine himselfe e To attempt against an enemies life is a testimony of feare and cowardise vpon an apprehension that hee will bee reuenged It is a counsell of safety not of courage Mons r. d'Espilly the Kings Atturny Generall in the Parliament of Dauphine who is one of those that in merite and sufficiency finde more men to imitate him then to go before him sent mee an extract out of the Register of the Chamber of Accompts of Dauphine which related a strange example thereof and serues as in a cleere Lanthorne that the eternall Prouidence hath neuer failed in the preseruation of this Monarchy diuerting those stormes which hell had raised to ouerthrow it And behold the History Iohn Renond Iohn Renond a Lionois Borne at Saint Chaumond in Lionois and making profession of a Mercer and an Apothecary f By the Processe verball it is said that this Renond was married at Clermont that hee had two brethen at Lion one Beneficed in the great Church and Peter Renond a Hosier Tenant to Maister Michael Lambert in the Towne of Clermont in Auuergne vndertooke to go to Florence to see one called Francisquin whom he had sometimes serued and who was a seruant in the house of Medicis carrying him a horse of some twenty Crownes price being in hope that he would do him some good for men of that sort giue not but to receiue He beganne his iourney before Easter past the holy weeke at Lyon and past the Monday after towards Mantua where he was incountred by fiue men who led him to Saint Claude to the Signeor of Erbens who committed him to prison Prisoner to the Prince of Orange for that he said hee was a French-man and sent him to the Prince of Orange who was then at Arbois The Prince of Orange informed himselfe curiously of all that he knew and finding by his discourse that a desire to draw some-thing from the Maister which hee had serued at Florence had made him vndertake so great a voiage that necessity made him capable of any thing and that it made him of a sicke mans humour to whom a smal matter fitly administred giues ease g Benefits which preuent the demands of them that haue need and whom necessity doth pâ—esse worke great effects and are like vnto those easy remedies which being fitly giuen doe much case the Patient In aegris oportunitas cibi saluâ—aris est aqua tempestiue data remedij locum obtinet In sicke persons the opportunity of meatâ—s healthfull and water fitly giuen is in stead of a remedy Sen. he began to cast forth some words of the tediousnesse and difficulty of the way assuring him of greater good with lesse paine he demanded of him if he would not be as well pleased to haue it done him there as to seeke it so farre off Hee offers to do any thing Renond answered that he was well content and that he was ready to serue him against all men yea were it to go against the King The Prince of Orange replyed Thou sayst well thou art the man I seeke for commanding they should make him good cheere and after that time they suffered him to go vp and downe the Towne where he listed yet they caused a Legeois to accompany him least he should escape The Bastard of Orange did
had suffered vnder the gouernment of the Duke of Berrie his vncle hee commanded the Dukes of Berrie and Burgondy to retire and would not haue any other prince neâ—re vnto his presence but Lewis duke of Bourbon his vncle by the mothers side and Iohn of Burbon Earle of March of V endosme whom hee loued infinitâ—y giuing a reason hereof openly That he loued those Princes for that they had neuer serued any other maister and had neuer had any ambition nor design against the state neither had they euer giuen him any occasion to complaine of them This vertue was neuer found in a great spirit but it did purchase power and affection with others Pride is barren humility fructifieth a vine spreading vpon the earth beares excellent fruit the high and straightest Cypres-trees are vnfruitfull Hee was not so bountifull of his fauours to the Lord of Beaujeu but hee was as sparing to the Duke of Bourbon his brother he had an implacable hatred against Iohn Duke of Bourbon sonne to Charles the Achilles of France This hatred was nourished with a fresh apprehension for that this Prince lamenting the disorders of the State the miseries and oppressions of the people and the bad vsage which Charles Duke of Berrie suffered had laid the first foundations of the league had left it by the Treaty of Ryon and re-entred againe into it vpon despight for that during this Treaty the Duke of Millan by the Kings commandement had ouer-run and ruined his Countrey of Beaujolois and Forrest But for that hee was a Prince of great power great courage and great credit in the heart of all France hee would not euaporate this fire of reuenge and indignation which hee had against them and considered rather what he might doe then what he should do And the Duke who was acquainted with the disposition of this King knewe well that all Princes write offences done them in brasse and the seruice which they receiue vpon sand wherefore he remained long in his Dutchy of Bourbonois and would not come to Court The King whose chiefe care was to weaken his enemies and to diuide them gaue him the gouernement of Languedoc dissembling the remembrance of things past Vpon this assurance the Duke of Bourbon shewed that hee did not breathe any thing but the Kings seruice neither had he any greater content then to yeeld him proofes equall to his affection and therefore hee followed him to Peronne and we must beleeue that without him in this voyage hee had giuen his Enemies more courage to execute those dangerous councels hauing resolued to stay him For besides the respectes of Alliance the Duke of Bourgondy respected this Prince who had the two principall partes necessary in great Captaines Valour and good Fortune l The two qualities necessary in the Generall of an Army are Valour and good fortune Duo sunt quae Claros Duces faciunt summa virtus summa foelicitas Lat. Pac. Paneg. Wee haue formerly seene that the Constable of Saint Pol did what hee could to drawe him to the Duke of Bourgondies partie Fidelity of the Duke of Burbon and to make him ioyne with the King of Englands forces and that this braue Prince made it knowne that nothing was able to shake his loialty no not if he should be reduced to the misery of Iob m An extreme oppression is no lawfull cause to arme against the Prince rebels seeke pretexes and coulors to shadow their discontents but good subiects suffer with patience although that the sincery of his actions could neuer wipe away the blemish which distrust had put in this Princes eyes yet would he not trouble the content which hee had receiued by the testimony which his conscience gaue to fidelity and vertue The King also fore-seeing that if his enemies were fortefied with his fauour and forces hee should be much troubled hee coniured him to come vnto him The Duke excused himselfe vpon a resolution which hee had taken to liue quietly in his house the which no man could enuy him hauing purchased it with incomparable toyles and crosses Hee besought the King to suffer him to rest in the port of this tranquility after so many stormes and to content himselfe with the seruice which the other Princes of his house and his Bastard the Admirall did him The King entreated and coniured him to come and to reape the same fruits in Picardy which he had sometimes receiued in Guienne n The honour of the glorious victory of Fromigny is giuen to Iohn the second Duke of Bourbon who then tooke the title of Earle of Clermont for hee charged the English with such fury as with the losse of tenne men onely hee defeated fiue thousand English and tooke 1400. prisoners to the shame and confusion of the English sending the Bishop of Mande vnto him to deliuer his requests and recommendations more confidently and to assure him that the occasion was not lesse glorious then at Fromigny The Duke being loath to faile France in so great an occasion and remembring that his predecessours had not desired a more glorious graue then to die vpon a field of battell couered with the bloud of their enemies o The Princes of the house of Bourbon who haue dyed for the seruice of the Crowne are Peter of Bourbon slaine the 19. of September 1356. at the battell of Poicters Iames and Peter his sonne at the Battell of Brignay neere vnto Lyon Lewis at the Battell of Agincourt 1415. Francis at the battell of Saint Bridget on holy Crosse day in September 1525. Iohn at the battell of Saint Laurence 1557. and Anthony at the siege of Roan 1562. and to free the King from all conceite that he had a will to giue eare vnto the Constable who did solicite him with all vehemency he deliuered the Constables letters into the Bishops hands protesting that hee would neuer carry Armes against the Kings seruice The effects did not differ from his words for seeing the Duke of Bourgundies troupes approach to enter the Country he went to horse and put them to rout The Earle of Conches was slaine there the Earle of Rousillon Marshall of Bourgundy was taken prisoner there with the Earle of Dammartins sonne and the Signiors of Longy de Lisle Digoin Ruygny Chaligny and the two sonnes of the Signior of Viteaux one of which was Earle of Ioygny Being then assured of the discent of the English and that they had passed the Sea he came vnto the King with sixe hundred horse and commanded part of his Army which was neere vnto Beauuais Matters being reduced to those tearmes that the King desired and the King of England hauing repassed the Sea he retired himselfe to Moulins to performe the last duties to his mother p The Lady Agnes of Bourgundy dyed in December 1476. Shee was wife to Charles Duke of Bourbon and mother to Iohn the second of that name Duke of Bourbon to Charles Cardinall and Arch-bishop of Lyon
that before his death he saw all things new or renued in all other Kingdomes of Europe as if the eternall prouidence of God had not left him in the world but to consider these great changes which did amaze England Arragon Nauarre and Scotland And although they were things farre from his sight yet could he not but be passionate and informe himselfe as interressed in all things His curiosity notwithstanding was staid by the respects of his Religion Offers of Bajazeth to the King in contemning the offers of friendship which Bajazeth made vnto him who sent him a list of all the Reliques which his father had found at the taking of Constantinople and of the Holy Land promising to deliuer them vnto him so as hee would assure him of Zizimi his brother who had yeelded himselfe to the Knights of Rhodes This peece is worthy to bee related Zizimi reuolts against Bajazeth Mahomet left two sonnes Bajazeth x Bajazeth was the elder and Zizimi the yonger who said that he was the Emperours son for that hee was borne during the raigne of Mahomet and Bajazeth before the elder surnamed by the Turkes Ildrimy that is to say Lightning he coÌ„manded in Paphlagonia towards the black or Euxin Sea Iohn called Zizimi that is to say Loue was at Conio a city in Licaonia the Ianisaries were diuided which of the two should succeed the first was held effeminate and dissolute the other led a more manlike and martiall life The controuersy was followed by a great sedition and the great Turkes Treasury was spoiled many desiring that the Scepter should bee giuen to him that had the best sword y The Law of Nations hath alwaies preferred the â—lder bâ—fore the yonger what aduantage of force or vallour soeuer he hath and â—lthough that Pirrhus had ordained that which of his children had the sharpest sword should succeede him Yet notwithstanding the eldest was lesse valiant and carried it The faction of Bajazeth by the wisedome of Acmet Basha remained victorious and Zizimi was forced to retire himselfe into Asia the lesse from whence he passed to Ierusalem and then to the great Caire towards the Souldan of Egypt The great Caraman hearing of the diuision which was betwixt these two brethren held it a fit occasion to be embraced to recouer the Realme of Cilicia which Mahomet had taken from him whereupon he inuites and solicites Zizimi by letters and Embassadours to ioine with him They make an Army and present themselues neere vnto Mount Taurus to giue Battell vnto Bajazeth Zizimi considering the inequality of their forces for the Army of Bajazeth consisted of two hundred thousand men and that if hee fell into his brothers hands he would put him cruelly to death he thought there was no other retreate for him but to the Christians z In any sencible griefe or when any execrable thing was spoken the Iewes and Mahometans rent ther garments Among the acts of choller and fury of Maximin obserued by Capitolinus are these Incurrere in parietes vestem cindere gladium arripere quasi omnes posset occidere To runne against the wals to cut his garments and to draw his sword as if hee would kill all men This was not without doing great violence to his conscience breaking his habits in signe of breach of his heart in such resolution for he was a great obseruer of his religion and so iealous as hee fell into fury when hee saw a Turke drunke Hee dranke water with sugar and sometimes wine so as it were mingled with spices and other liquors saying that this mixture did alter it in such sort as it was no more wine There is not any Law whereas humane pollicy doth not finde some exceptions By the aduice therefore of Caraman hee left his wife and children with the Soldan of Egypt and resolued to seeke his fortune and succours among the Christians and to retire himselfe to Rhodes hauing written this letter to Bajazeth Zizimi King to Bajazeth his most cruell brother DEmanding of thee that which was iust and honest a a Bajazeth receiuing this letter and hauing read it remained two daies retyred and would not bee seene shewing a wonderfull griefe that his brother had retired to the Christians especially to the Knights of Rhodes the greatest enemies hee had in Christendome thou a breaker of all Diuine Letter of Zizimi to Bajazeth and Humane Lawes and a contemner of Mahomet doth force thy brother to flye vnto the Christian name and to them in particular which weare a Crosse for the great hatred they beare vnto our powerfull House I am forced to retire my selfe vnto them to saue my life and thou art the onely cause of this mischiefe If thou hadst granted me that which I desire so iustly I had remained peaceably vpon the frontier and thy brother a Mahometane as thou art and of the same bloud should not be forced to ioyne with Christians with whom it would be impossible for him to serue God according to the ceremony of our Law Zizimi was alwaies sad and melancholicke being depriued of the exercise of his Religion At the first feast which the great Maister made him there was Musicke of all sorts of Instruments yet hee was nothing the merrier They brought before him a scullion of the Kitchin a Turk who was a slaue who sung or howled out a song after the Turkish manner whereat he took a wonderfull delight I attend from God the reuenge of so great a wickednesse and do pray vnto our great Prophet to giue thee a punishment equall vnto thy crime If our father had fore-seene thy impiety I assure my selfe that with his owne sword or by poyson he would haue taken away thy life Hee hath exalted the house of the Ottomans and it seemeth thou takest delight to ruine it But it is impossble that an Empire which thou hast vsurped with so great tyranny and cruellty should continue long the building cannot be firme vpon so bad a foundation The day will come when to reuenge thine impiety some one will do the like to thee and thy children that thou attemptest against me and mine Adue and looke to the ruine which threatneth thee Zizimi was well receiued at Rhodes the 24. of Iuly 1482. the great Maister sent Aluaro of Estuniga Prior of Castile with the Gallies of the Order to conduct him Zizimi comes to Rhodes he went himselfe to meete him with all his Knights Zizimi was amazed to see himselfe receiued with so great honors in a Towne which his father would haue ruined Hee made it presently knowne that hee had a desire to go into France and to cast himselfe into the Kings Armes although he were inuited by many other Princes to come vnto them He is conducted into France The great Maister hauing thereupon receiued commandement conducted him thither They tooke Saye before him c The Say which is taken to Princes is ancient Xenophon in the first of
his Cyropadia shews how the Persians did vse it Tacitus speaks of Halotus who carued the meate and tooke Say to Claudius inferre epulas explorare gustu solitus Athaneus saith that the Romans called him that had this charge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the GreciaÌ„s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they vse to other Princes an ancient custome and knowne to the Romanes who had it from the Persians whereat being amazed and desiring to let them know that he was not come thether to distrust he did eate of euery dish that was set before him before any Say were taken Noble and generous minds said Zizimi are not distrustfull I feare not to be poysoned among such braue and noble Knights and if I had feared it I would not haue trusted my safety in their hands I wil liue among them as a priuate man and not as a Prince Bajazeth was so fearefull least he should be set at liberty and trouble his Estates as he payed yearely 45000 Ducats to the Treasury of the Religion 35000. for the entertainement of Zizimi and 10000. to repaire the spoiles which Mahomet his father had done them at the siege of Rhodes d There was an accord made betwixt the great Maister and Bajazeth the 8. of December 1482. the which is worthy of memory for that it may be said that the great Turke to liue in peace and fearing that Zizimi should returne into Turkey was forced to yeeld himselfe tributary to the Knights of Rhodes and would that the Embassadours which carried the first payment should passe into Auuergne to see in what estate he was The great Maister wrote to all the Princes of Christendome that if they did not contemne this goodly occasion to diuide the Empire of the Ottomans by the meanes of Zizimi they might spoile him of all the Estates he had taken from the Christians and by so pretious a Gage bridle all his designes in such sort as Christendome might remaine long in peace and tranquility for hee should not dare to attempt any thing whilst his brother were in the Christians power e Bajazeth feared both at home and abroad Zizimi had friends he put all them to death whom he suspected to fauour and among others Acmath Basha who had taken Otranto Isaac Basha was dismist from his Offices But at this season Italy was full of diuisions The Pope Venetians and Siennois were in league against Ferdinand King of Naples the Florentines and the Duke of Milan The Emperour made an excuse that hee could not intend it Christendome did not reape the profite it might haue done and neglected this occasion as the precedent offered by one of the sonnes of Amurath who had made himselfe a Christian and maintained that Mahomet was vnlawfull and supposed f 〈…〉 Mahomet the son of Amurath and gaue him to Pope Nicholas the 5. who caused hâ—m to be instructed in the Christian Religion and in good learning after his death he retired himselfe to the Emperour and then vnto Mathias Coruinus King of Hungary and knowing the controuâ—â—â—y that was betwixt Bejazeth and Zzimi hee let the great Maister of Rhodes vnderstand that both their pretensions were vaine Mathias Coruinus King of Hungary sent his Embassadours to the Pope to entreate him to be a meanes to deliuer Zizimi vnto him promising by this meanes that Christendome should be reuenged for the dishonour and losse that it had receiued at the cruel and bloudy battell of Varna Let vs stay our eyes vpon the excellent vertues of this braue Prince which is the third of the three greatest Princes which Phillip de Commines saith had raigned at one time a season which did produce but meane things and let vs turne them a little away from the first who is now dying and is no more but a sad and lamentable image of the ruines of life Mathias Huniades or Coruin was second sonne to Iohn Huniades a great Noble-man of Valachia Commendation of Mathias Coruiâ—us King of Hungary who after the death of Vladislas King of Poland and Hungary slaine at the battle of Varna was chosen at the age of twenty yeares by the common consent of the Hungarians to be Lieutenant generall of the Realme g Of all the battels betwixt the Christians Turkes that of Varna was the most memorable in lossâ— It continued three daies and three nights the victory which seemed to fauor the Christians in the beginning tâ—rned from then and Ladislaus King of Hungary was slaine there tbe 20. of Neueâ—ber 1444. He had forces in field courage and opportunity to climbe higher and to make himselfe King but he would keepe himselfe in this estate and preserue the Crowne for Ladislaus sonne to Albert of Austria and to Elizabeth daughter to Sigismond King of Hungary The Emperour Fredericke drew him vnto him after the death of his father to bring him vp The Hungarians demanded him and vpon the Emperours refusall to deliuer him Coruin did ouer-runne the Country of Austria Stiria and Carinthia filled them with fire and bloud expelled the Bohemians out of the Townes which they held in Hungary and restored Ladislaus in his capitall Citty to his fathers Throne at the age of 12. yeares This great seruice deserued an equall guerdon but as suspitions iealousies and slanders are plants which grow of themselues in the Courts of Princes Huniades made trial how hard it is for great vertues to be free from them and to be long happy by the onely conduct of wisedome h Suspitions deâ—ractions in the Courts of Princes not onely hurt the against whom they are made but them that inuent theâ— anâ— that giue care vnto them A Prince should giue no 〈◊〉 eare vnto them especially when it concernes those whom he may not punish but he must forget the great seruices which he hath 〈…〉 Vertue was in this braue courage as the Iuy which ruines the wall that holds it vp Glory which is the fruite of vertue made the Tree to wither and this reputation grounded vpon his merites stirred vp enuy against him and enuy framed slander a monster of hell Slander worse then hell more curell then hell it selfe which torments onely the wicked but she doth cruelly afflict Innocents There was nothing in him that could offend it but the greatnesse of his merits and seruices which made him to be esteemed the i The History giues this commendation to Iohn Coruin Huius felicitas tyrannorum impetus repressiâ— velut obiecta moles exundans flumen Nec quisquam regum aut ducuÌ„ res maiores Europae vtiliâ—res aduersus Tuâ—caâ— gessit This mans felicity did suppresse the fury of Tyrants like a banke cast vp against an ouer-flowing Riuer Neither hath any King or Captain done greater matters nor more profitable for Europe against the Turke Hercules of Hungary and the rampire of Europe for he alone had presented his head like a strong rampire against those furious torrents Amurath and Mahomet
seene more plainly in a cleerre water then in mire so the diuine light shines more in spirits that are cleansed from worldly affaires then in those that are alwayes troubled with the cares thereof made him speake words if not altogether Diuine yet at the least Flatterers pleasing to Princes free from pleasing and flattery which in these extremities doe alwayes abuse Princes making them beleeue that they are farre from death although it hang vpon their lippes There are many which assure them that they should hope for more good then they euer had but there are fewe which let them know that they should feare greater torments then they haue euer endured It is lawfull for the Physitian of the body to s Plato in the third Bookâ— of his Common-weale giues physitians leaue to lye and to promise health vnto the sicke even in their extreâ—â—t to 〈◊〉 the comfort lye vnto his Patient but he that hath the cure of Soules neither may nor ought God did much fauour this Prince to send him a man of this condition to helpe him to dye who among many great qualities necessary to this Office euen towards such a King might speake freely vnto him without dissembling or flattery For Princes in these extreamities haue need of men which should not bee like vnto the sonnes of Zebedee who spake of Scepters and Honours when as Christ discoursed of the Crosse They must let them know that the world and all that is great and admirable in the world is vnworthy of the soule which is not made for the world but the world is made for it t The health of the body depends of the soule The soule saith Chrysostome was not made for the body but the body for the soule who so neglects the first and is too carefull of the second looseth both That beeing of a substance exempt from corruption and by consequence from death cannot haue an obiect disproportionable to her power nor can delight in mortall and corruptible things and being the Image u As a Tryangle is not fillâ—a with a Tryangle s nothing is able to fill the heart but God Caeteris omnibus occupart potest replâ—ti autem non potest capacem enim Dei quicquid Deo minus est non implebit It may well be busied with other things but it cannot 〈◊〉 filled whatsoeuer is capable of God nothing can fill it that is 〈◊〉 then God of God there is not any thing hath reference to her eternall essence but her Immortality God had no beginning and it hath hath no ending God is for euer and man desires nothing more then to continue his being The forme of his vnderstanding is Truth and there is no other Truth but God The great world hath but one sunne the lesser but one soule and both haue but one God This good man vndertooke to make this Prince capable of two things the hearing whereof is difficult to men and Kings are very hardly taught to loue God and to contemne the world The world entertaines their minde with so many things which men think worthy of loue as they cannot lodge any other affection in their hearts and do not thinke of the loue wherewith the Angels liue and burne being the fire of the Intellectuall world as the Sun is of the coelestiall and the Elementary of ours Princes in stead of louing God loue themselues they finde that all is made for them they dispose so absolutely of all the beauties and pleasures of the world as they desire no other they haue vnder their powers so many great and goodly spirits as they haue no will to change their abode to see them of the other world One demaunded of Cercidas the Megapolitaine if hee dyed willingly Why not said hee For after my death I shall see those great men Pythagoras among the Phylosophers Hecateus among the Historians Homer among the Poets and Olympus among the Musitians Ael lib. 13. de Var. Hist. all is made for them nothing is spoken against them for them the fish cut the waues the birds beate the aire beasts march vpon the earth and men runne toyle sweat and kill themselues wherefore when in the end conscience commands them to raise their thoughts towards the place whither their face is turned to mount towards their beginning to breathe nothing but eternity to contemne the fumes of the world and to admire the light of Heauen they haue their heads so heauy and their eyes so dazled as they cannot vnderstand that Hee that loueth the world the loue of God is not in him They eye cannot at one instant bohold both heauen and earth The exhortations of Francis de Paulo did cast some seeds of the loue of God into this Princes heart but the cares of the world were the birds which carried it away and did smother it in the thornes of affaires The fruits of a slow piety which doth flourish but in the Winter of mans life doe neuer ripe well It must bee manured in due time y That piety comes late when it hath not recourse to God but at need Byon had vanquished Athens had poysoned many spirits with the impiety of Theodorus his maister being reduced in the end to languish of a great infirmity hee began to acknowledge that there were Gods but it was to cure him A mad man said be that writ his life not to beleeue that there were Gods but wheÌ„ he had need of their helpe Diog. Laert. lib. 4. the same God which would haue fire burning alwayes vpon his Altar will that fire burne continually in a Princes Heart It was sometime kindled well in that of Lewis but the first winde of worldly affaires blew it away His heart had good inclinations when as necessity and afflictions prest it but hee suffered them to wither at the first Sunne-shine of prosperity A mischiefe which is naturall to the fragilitie of men who doe no good but for the feare of euill and make themselues voluntary slaues to things whereunto they should command and which are made for them There is not any man but would blush at the reproach which his owne conscience may giue him that if hee had giuen him the tenth part of the time which he hath imployed for his flesh it should bee much better z This reproch is like vnto that of Marcus Varro in his Satyrs Si quantum operae sumpsisti vt tuus pistor bonum faceret panem eius duodecimam Philosophiae dedisse tempore bonus iampridem esses factus If thou hadst spent but the twelfth part of that time in philosophy which thou didst to haue thy Baker make good bread thou hadst in time been made a good man Lewis then following the first traine of his life seemed to haue more Deuotion then Conscience more trembling with superstition then constant in Piety a Alexander was strooke with this infirmity who hauing liued impiously dyed superstitiously A. his death there was none seene
yeeld to any thing contrary to the dignity of his Crowne which cannot endure to be forced and doth neuer shew himselfe in publicke actions but with what is fit and necessary for his greatnesse and power e The words and actions of Princes are so considered and the people iudge of them as they vnderstand them and therefore should alwayes appeare Maiesticall and if it may bee Diuine And ancient Grecian said That a Prince should not speake before the people but as if hee were vpon a stage in a Tragedy This Maiesty is like vnto Moses Rod Maiesty compared to Moses rod. the which being held in the hand was the Instrument of admirable things but creeping on the earth there was nothing but horror and contempt Lewis the eleuenth was alwayes very carefull to maintaine this Maiesty being wonderfull desirous of reuerence respect and reputation and yet his priuate and familiar actions were very contrary This care was the last garment he put off hee shewed it vpon the tigpe of his lippes when as hee thrust forth the last words of his life He gaue it two supporters Feare and Admiratition f 〈…〉 that greâ— God who the Prince doth represent It is the support and protecâ—sion of an estae and confâ—â—â— bee contemned nor wronged but the whole body will be distempered maiestas Imperij solutis tutela Maiestly is the guardian of the Empires health another would haue maintained it with Loue and Authority but hee mist this first way at his comming to the Crowne and could neuer after recouer it hee found such sauadge humors and so accustomed to liberty that as the intemperance of the Patient iustifies the seuerity of the Physitian he was forced to vse fury to make mad men wise Thus his Maiesty was feared of the greatest Princes of Europe it was not contemned of any man without punishment and it was reuerenced of all his subiects This Maiesty was like vnto those Pictures which seemed fairest farre off It was admired in forraine Prouinces but it was something blemished by his carelesnesse and facility wherewith he did often wrong his greatest actions The Castillians at the voyage of Bayone scoffed at him to see him with so little pompe and maiesty Custome of Lewis 11 at ceremonies Vpon dayes of great shew hee caused some one to bee attired like himselfe g At the enterview of King Lewis the eleuenth and Edward the fourth at Piquigny Philip de Comines was attâ—â—ed like the King And yet a Prince should neuer doe any thing that should cause him to bee sought for among his subiects and seruants the brightnesse of his Maiesty must shine like vnto a Planet ouer the lesser starres Great men which inuiron a Prince giue a lustre to the greatnesse of Maiesty Offices of the crown The Offices of the Crowne are ordained to that end and the great dignities which France doth impart to great merites addes reuerence and doth incite their mindes to merit them It is like vnto the Garden of Phaeaces which abounds with all sorts of fruites It is not vnfitting to set downe heere who tasted of them during this Reigne h When as king Lewis the eleuenth came vnto the Crowne there was no Constable Arthur Duke of Brittanie Earle of Richmond was vnder the Reigne of Charles the seuenth Constable Lewis of Luxembourg Earle of Saint Paul no other carried the Sword during this Reigne Chancellour Peter of Moruilliers Iuvenall of Vrsins Lord of Treynell and Peter of Oriole Lord Steward The Lord of Nantoillet IOHN of Croi CHARLES of Melun ANTHONY of Croi sonne to IOHN of Croi and ANTHONY of Chabannes Earle of Damartin Chiefe Chamberer IOHN the second Duke of Bourbon i The Office of chefe Chamberer or Gentleman of the Chamber continued long in the house of Bourbon The King Saint Lewis gaue it to Robert of France his sonne Lewis the first Duke of Bourbon Charles the first Iohn the second Peter the second Dukes of Bourbon Lord Chamberlaine IOHN of Orleans Earle of Dunois ANTHONY of Chasteauneuf Lord of Lau. Marshals of France ANDREVV of Lauall Lord of Loheac IOHN Bastard of Armagnac Earle of Comminges Ioachim Rouant Lord of Gamasche of Boismenard and Peter of Rohan Lord of Gye There were but two vntill King Francis the first Admirall Iohn Lord of Montauban Lewis Bastard of Bourbon Earle of Rousillon Lewis Lord of Grauille Maister of the Crosse-bowes k The maister of the Ordinance of France or the Coâ—oncll of the Infantery haue succeeded in this charge Iohn of Estouteuille Lord of Torcy Great Butler the Lord of Lau. Wee finde not that hee had any Maister of his Horse or Maister of the Pantry Ioachim of Rouant was Maister of the Horse at his Coronation Yuon of Fau his chiefe Hunts-man Lewis of Lauall Lord of Chastillon was maister of the Waters and Forrests The ancient order of France was that Knights Banneret the Maister of the Pantrie the chiefe Caruer and the chiefe Cuppebearer should serue the King at the foure Annall Feastes and to either of them was giuen foure poundes sterling but when as Lewis the eleuenth neglected this Gratuity they forgot the Dutie It is one of the precepts of Maiesty that the markes of Soueraignty bee not imparted to any l A prince shold not be more sparing of any thing then of honours which depend of his maiesty yet hee suffered the Prince of Orange to stile himselfe Prince by the grace of God Here P. Mathew is deceiued and to René King of Sicile to seale in yellow Waxe in the yeare one thousand foure hundred sixty nine the which doth onely belong to the Kings of France other Princes of Christendome seale in waxe of diuers colours and to Charles Earle of Angoulesme to release prisoners when hee made his first entry into any Towne where he commanded m In this priuiledge but for once to Charles Earle of Angoules me prisoners for high Treason were excepted It was granted in the yeare 1477. Hee was very staied in giuing Titles of Honour and Dignity to great Families a Prince cannot bee too warie therein for it falles out often that the considerations which fauour the priuate merite of any one end with him when hee dies but when the dignitie is tyed vnto the person as the feodall titles of Dukes Marquises Earles and Barons bee the Family for the which the gratification was made is dispossest thereof when as the Landes goe away n Many disallowed that the feodall Titles of Dukes Marquises c. should bee giuen in France to the Land and not vnto the Bloud for it happens that some one loosing the land doth also loose the meanes to maintaine the Title which remaines Hence it comes that in England such dignities are not annexed to the Landes and Fees Policy in England for the titles of Houses but to the Bloud and the Descendants of the Familie The German doth not impart it to the
they demand and others which demand not deserue to haue giuen them m Hee gaue good Words but his Promises were so sure as hee seemed to bee bound to the day hee promised A Man might hold that receiued which hee offered There is nothing so great hast past hath giuen thee nothing but increase the conspiracies of the greatest powers of Europe haue onely tried thy forces Rich and goodly France whom the ingratitude of thine owne children could not shake If thou hast beene sometimes ignorant of thine owne power thou canst not at this day dissemble what the felicity of an Estate is which liues in assured peace In former times there was nothing found in the Treasury but debts The difficulties which Kings haue had to decide Controuersies with their owne Subiects haue forced them to sell their demaines the chiefe part of the entertainment of their Maiesty The sinewes of this body were heretofore shrunke their functions were neither liuely nor free now that this great Esculapius hath set together the members and restored it to life heate and motion France may say that shee was not happy vntill the day that she was vanquished by his victorious Armes f Lat. Pac. making Rome to speake in the panegerickeâ— of Theodosius saith thus Quando me Nerua tranquillus amor generis humani Titus pietate memorabilis Antoninus teneret quum moenibus Augustus ornaret legibus Hadrianus imbueret sinibus Trajanus augeret parum mihi videbar beatâ— quia non eram tua When as milde Nerua the loue of mankinde religious Titus and memorable Antonine enioyed me when as Augustus did beautifie mee with walles Adrian gaue mee Lawes Traian augmented my boundes yet did I hold my selfe scarce happy because I was not thine It is the Hercules which hath cut off these Hydras heades which hath deliuered France tyed Want to mount Caucasus and who after incredible toyles hath dedicated Peace that white Hinde Menelea which hath the Head and Feete of Gold The beames of this Glory reflect vpon so many great vnderstandings so many noble resolutions which haue followed the Iustice of his Hopes and the crosses of his Fortunes A good Prince hath an Interest in the Commendation of his Seruants hee hath a feeling of that which honours them hee is moued with that which wrongs them and a good Seruant cannot desire a more glorious acknowledgement of his seruices then in the heart and iudgement of his Maister Euery man knowes and many vnderstand the esteeme which the king made of the Duke of Suillyes seruices which are such that as all the Nations of the Earth giue the palme of Valour to this great King in the restauration of this great Empire of FRANCE so they cannot deny him the glory of great Wisedome and cleere Iudgement and Prouidence in the election which he hath made to commit vnto him the principall peeces of his Estate The purest eloquence hath already shewed her riches vpon this subiect by Discourses which cannot bee followed but by the eyes of Admiration and a desire to imitate them A great rare and happy Wit Counceller to the King in his Councels and President in a Soueraigne Company hath made the Marbles to speake vpon this verity His Panegericke filling mens mindes with Admiration and their eyes with Wonder hath made knowne that one line sufficeth to iudge of the excellency of the Hand that drew it I haue taken this period as a glistering stone to beautifie this Discourse Commendation of the Duke of Suilly This great HENRY hath lodged his Treasure in the Temple of your Integrities a Temple shut for the prophane a Temple whereas onely vertue findes a place to receiue the reward of her Trauels You haue made all Europe knowe that there is not any place so fortified either by Nature or Art or by both together which can long holde out against the thundering Artillerie which the IVPITER of France hath committed into your handes as to his faithfull Eagle to carrie it wheresoeuer hee shall command It is now that our great King may sit in his Throne of Iustice and punish Rebelles according to their deserts For although that Mens offences bee without number hee can cast forth as many thunderbolts as they can commit faults The glistering of so many perfections and Armes wherewith your Stone-houses are filled dazles the eyes of Subiects and people bordering vpon France the one feare them the other are assured but both the one and the other doe equally admire so fearefull a Power in the King and in you so great Industrie who knew how to prouide the meanes to make our peace so firme as wee can giue it and take it from whom wee please whereby the Kings Maiesty is at this day the Arbitrator of Christendome Valour comes in order in the obseruation of the Vertues and Vices of this Prince Valour naturall to the Kings of France It is superfluous curiosity to search it among his Vertues for although some men say That Nature makes few men valiant and that valour comes from good institution yet it is true that the Kings of France are all borne valiant g Valour doth constantly resist all the accidents which may shake the weaknesse of man Timendorum contemptrix quae terribilia subiugare libertatem nostram nitentia despicit prouocat frangit A contemner of fearfull things those things which bee terrible and seeke to subiugate our liberty hee despiseth prouokes and breakes This vertue which through excellency is simply called Vertue and which containeth many other vertues all Heroicke and Royall Magnanimity Wisedome Assurance Constancy and Perseuerance to vanquish breake and endure all kindes of accidents and difficulties which returnes from Combats in the like sort it goes feares death no more in Armes then in his House and hath his seat in the Heart and Will This Prince had not learned the Art of Warre by discourse hee went to Horse at the age of foureteene yeares and continued vntill his Father had expelled the English out of his Realme h Hee that is no Souldiar but by seeing battels painted is like vnto him that vnderstands musicke but can not sing Hee made proofe of his Courage at the battell of Montlehery at the Alarme and Assault of Liege and in the Warre of Artois His Wisedome corrected the heate of his Valour for that which was esteemed valour before hee was King would haue carried the name of Rashnesse after he came to the Crowne PHILIP DE COMMINES saith that of his owne nature hee was somewhat fearefull and would not hazard any thing But euery where and in any great occasion hee giues him the glory to haue carried his resolutions beyond all kindes of accidents and dangers Wee must iudge of Courage by all the dimensions and not onely by the height and greatnesse but also by the length and extention not being sufficient to bee valiant if it continue not Aduersity is the Touch-stone of mens resolutions i Hee that
of Paris This dissolution was one of the causes of the rarenesse of Gold and Siluer which was no more to bee found but in Chaines of gold and in their purses who had had meanes to transport it out of the Realme to haue Silkes The Estates of France complained at Tours and it was said That euery man was clad in Veluet and Silkes and that there was not a Fidler Groome of the Chamber Barber nor Souldier but ware it that they had Collers or Rings of Gold on their fingers like the Princes and that there was not treason nor villany but they committed to continue this disordered sumptuousnesse of apparrell Science Science If hee were learned by Art or by Practise wee must looke vnto the effects of his good Conduct with the which like vnto Perseus with Mineruas Courtelax he had cut off the head of the Medusa of reuolts and sedition in his Realme If it bee true that in his time simple honesty q Innocency doth commonly lodge with Ignorance and Simplicity The troubles which haue molested the world are not come from the simple The learned or they which presumed to know all things haue framed them Simplex illa aperta virtus in obscuram solertem scientiam versa est That simple and open vertue is turned into obscure and cunning knowledge and ignorant vertue were degenerated into a Science or knowledge of dissembling or subtilty we must hold him for the most learned Prince that euer bare Scepter in his hand or Crowne vpon his head Hee had saith Philip de Commines his speech at commandement and his wit perfectly good without the which bookes serue to small purpose They make men learned but not wise and the difference is great to haue a full head or a head well made to bee sufficient or learned instructed in contemplation or in action r They teach men diuers Sciences for their vse and to excell in them Princes should learne Regere Imperio populos To gouerne the people A Princes Science is to know how to command Philip de Commines saith that hee was learned enough The Author of the Annals of Aquitane writes That hee had gotten more knowledge as well Legall as Historicall then the Kings of France were accustomed to haue And although hee were not of those times when as they met with Emperours going to the Schooles with Bookes vnder their Armes s Lucius met with M. Antony who went to see Cyrus the Philosopher son to one of Plutarkes sisters this Prince said vnto him That it was a goodly thing to learne euen for a man that grew old To whom Lucius all amazed answered O Iupiter RomanoruÌ„ Imperator iam apetente senio gestans librum qui pueris mos est preceptoreÌ„ adit O Iupiter the Roman Emperour growing old goes vnto his maister carying a book as school-boyes vse to doe nor was not of the humour of that other Emperour who forgat his Dinner to heare Lessons t Charles 4. Emperour loued learning in such sort as being in in the schooles at Pragne some comming to put him in minde of dinner hee said vnto them that hee had dined preferringâ— the contentment of the mind before that of the body Aen. Silv. yet that great leasure which hee had in Dauphiné and afterwardes in Flanders accompanied with a desire to learne which is the first steppe to mount vnto knowledge could not leaue him in the ignorance of things necessary to reigne well On a time he vsed his Latine to good purpose Pope Sixtus had sent Cardinall Bessarion u Cardinall Bessarion borne at Trebisond and Monke of S. Basil was made Cardinall at the Councell of Florence by Eugenius the fourth and sent Legat into Germany to reconcile the Emperour and the Archduke Sigismond brethren a Grecian borne to mediate a peace betwixt him and the Duke of Bourgondy Hee had beene imployed in great Embassies in the time of Pope Eugenius who had made him Cardinall and of Pius the second the which hee ended happily This was the cause of his death for hauing begun with the Duke of Bourgondy as holding him the most difficult to draw to reason the King tooke it ill and imputing it to contempt or to some priuate passion as hee presented himselfe at his Audience hee laid his hand vpon his great beard and said vnto him Barbara Greca genus retinent quod habere solebant x The Grecians called all other nations barbarous Plat. in Menoxeno An Arrow shotte not against Greece which gaue the name of Barbarous to all other Nations but against the Birth and Inciuilite or Indiscretion of this Cardinall whom hee left there and commanded to bee so speedily dispatched as he knew his stay there was no more pleasing vnto him then his Indiscretion The feeling hereof did so afflict him as soone after returning to Rome hee fell sicke at Thurin died at Reuenna and confirmed that Truth That Embassages ambitiously affected doe neuer succeed happily z A graue and true sentence spoken by Iohn Caruagial Cardinal of S. Agnolo Nessuna legatione ambita puo hauer desiderato fine No Embassage affected can haue a desired end Ier. Garimbert Who so had the Apothegmes the goodly speeches and good words of this Prince should enrich this discourse with so many pearles and pretious stones There comes nothing from the mouth of a great King full of wisedome and experience but should be as curiously gathered vp as the crums which fall from the table of the Gods a Damis did curiously collect the words of Appollonius Some misliking that â—e busied himselfe with such trifles said that he had done like vnto dogs which gather vp all the crums and fragments which fall from their maisters tables Damis answered You say well but this is a banquet of the Gods and all that assist at it are Gods also the Officers suffer nothing to be lost Philip de Commines hath obserued this A King hath more force and vertue in his Realme where he was annointed and crowned then he had without it To haue serued well doth sometimes loose men and great seruices are recompenst with great ingratitude Iudgment vpon the recoÌ„pence of seruices but this may happen as well through the errour of them that haue done the seruices who too arrogantly abuse their good fortune as well to their Maisters as their Companions as through the mistaking and forgetfulnesse of the Prince b Princes seeing the merites and seruices to bee so great as they cannot recompence them but by great aduancemets they doe not willingly looke vpon them who as often as they present themselues vnto their eyes seeme to demand recompence Beneficia eo vsque laeta sunt dum videntur exolui posse Vbi multum antevenere pro gratia odium redditur Benefits are so long pleasing as they thinke they can bee payd but when they haue exceeded hatred is repayed for thankes Tacitus lib. 4. To haue
good in Court it is greater happinesse for a Man when as the Prince whom hee serues doth him a great fauour for a small merite wherefore he remaines bound vnto him which should not bee if hee had done so great seruices as the Prince had beene much bound vnto him Wherfore hee doth by nature loue them more that are bound vnto him then those to whom hee is beholding When as pride goes before shame and confusion followes at the heeles c Pride is alwayes followed by Ruine and Shame Dominare tumidus spiritus altos gere Sequitur superbos vltor à tergo Deus SEN. When hee changed his seruants he excused this change saying That Nature was pleased with variety Hee said That if hee had entred his Reigne otherwise then with Feare and Seuerity hee had serued for an example in the last Chapter of BOCACE his Booke of vnfortunate Noblemen And considering that secresie was the soule and spirit of all designes he said sometimes I would burne my Hat if it knew what were in my head d Metellus said the like that if hee knewe his shirt vnderstood his secerets hee would burne it Hee remembred to haue heard King Charles his father say that Truth was sicke and hee added I beleeue that since shee is dead and hath not found any Confessor Mocking at one that had many bookes and little learning hee said that he was like vnto a crooke-backt man who carries a great bunch at his backe and neuer sees it Seeing a Gentleman which carried a goodly Chaine of Gold hee said vnto him that did accompany him You must not touch it for it is holy shewing that it came from the spoyle of Churches It is long since that this sacrilegious liberty hath beene in custome and that Princes that would please GOD and Men haue detested it but custome to euill hath more power ouer the willes of men to entertaine them in it then it giues horror and shame to flye from it e Caesar did bite Pompey to the quicke for that hee had taken away the ornaments of Hercules Temple Pecuniam omnem ex fano Herculis in opidum Gades intulit and giuing himselfe the honour to haue caused it to bee restored Referri in Templum iubet He took delight in quick answers which were made without study for if there be premeditation they loose their grace On a time seing the Bishop of Chartres mounted on a Mule with a golden bridle hee said vnto him that in times past Bishops were contented with an Asse and a plaine Halter The Bishop of Charters answered him That it was at such times when as Kings were Sheepheards and kept Sheepe The Annals of Aquitane which report this adde that that the King began to laugh for hee loued a speech which proceeded from a sudden wit Hee loued Astrologians and this loue proceeded as it were from a naturall and hereditary curiosity hauing much troubled the mindes of his fore-fathers Charles the fifth was gouerned by them Credite of Astrologians and gaue them meanes to teach Astrologie publickely in the Vniuersity of Paris Hee had for his Physition one called Monsieur Garuis Cretin a great Astrologian f CHARLES thâ— fifth caused many Bookes of Astrology to bee Translated into French he built a Colledge for Astrologie and Physicke and gaue them the Tithes of the Village of Caugie and caused the foundation to bee confirmed by Pope VRBAN the fifth He caused the Natiuity of King Charles the sixtth to bâ—e cast by Monsieur Andrew of Suilly The like curiosity made Charles the 5 th to loue and cherish familiarly Michael Tourne-Roue a Carthusian who was very skilfull in the practise of Elections Hee made that of the day when as the King went a hunting where as hee found the great Stagge which had a Coller of Copper about the necke wherein these words were written Hoc Caesar me donauit Caesar gaue me this The figure of it was set vp in the palace of Paris Hee was also much bound to the aduice which Iames of Angiers gaue him of the bad Intention which two Augustine Monks had to open his skull who were beheaded at Paris g In the booke of SIMON of Phares which is in the Kings Library wee reade this IAMES of Angiers was in that time who discouered the false intent which the two Augustines had which did open King CHARLES his head saying They would cure him beeing ignorant both in Physicke and Chyrurgery They were suborned by PHILIP Duke of Bourgondy as was said to worke this effect The matter beeing discouered the said Augustines were degraded and lost their heads as was reason Hee also made great account of Charles of Orgemont who foretold him that the Duke of Aniou his brother should bring nothing backe from his voyage at Naples but shame want and misery the which happened for all the Knights which had followed him returned with white stickes in their hands h Vpon this Prediction SIMON of Phares speakes thus The French were forced to flye and the Duke of Millan forgetting his Faith and Oath did kill them that were taken and suffered the Dogges to eate them and therefore let this be an aduertisment to the Kings of France and to the French neuer to trust in a Lombards tongue or dyed in Hospitals He was also aduertised of the issue of the voyage which Boucicant made to Genoa and of the treason of the Marques of Montferrat and of Count Francisque CHARLES the seuenth had Astrologians all his life Hee entertained in his Court IOHN of Bregy a Knight who cast the Natiuity of AME Duke of Sauoy and of the Lady YOLAND of France his wife and Germaine of Tibonuille who fore-told the death of King Henry the fifth and of Charles the sixth He receiued into Pension and into his house IOHN of Buillion whom the English had kept prisoner at Chartres for that hee had fore-told that which hahpened vnto them at the siege of Orleans Hee gaue entertainement also to SIMON of Phares borne borne at Orleance whose booke of excellent Astrologians is to be seene in the Kings Library i This Symon of Phareswrites of himselfe that hee did foretell The great famine at Paris and the great plague which followed vnder the raigne of Charles the â— that the Lands were vntilled and the woods so â—full of wolues as they deuoured women and children and that it was proclaimed that for euery Woolfe they could take they should haue two shillings besides that which the Commons might giue Maister Lewis of Langre a Spaniard a Physition and Astrologian at Lyon told King Charles of the victory he should get at Fromigny in the yeare 1450. of the great plague which was at Lyon a yeare after for the which hee gaue him forty pounds a yeare pension In all the chiefe actions of the life of Lewis the eleuenth wee finde that Iohn Merende of Bourg in Bresse did cast his Natiuity and speaking of his
the Kings Authority to restraine him from this liberty Hee made of men as an Auditor doth of Counters placing some for hundreds others for thousands some for ten and some for vnits He allowed many petty Companions in his Cabinet who could not remember the condition of their fore-fathers without blushing or disavowing them s Honor meeting with an vnworthy subiect hath lesse luster and esteeme When as the people of Athens saw that Yperbolâ—◠〈◊〉 decayed man and who had nothing to loose was intreatreated equally with good men they dissolued the 〈◊〉 an honorable punishment for those whose vertue was suspected In like manner they tooke it ill at Roma when as Flauius being freed by Appius was made Edilis Curulis But for all that he did not leaue to haue about him and to imploy in great charges Noble-men issued from houses which were then illustrious both by their owne vertues and by those of their fore-fathers Of this number was Iohn of Daillon Lord of Lude The Lord of Lude and Imbert of Baterney Lord of Bouchages They came in fauour with this Prince by diuers meanes and maintained it in like maner The Lord of Lude had been bred vp with this Prince and the affection which begins so soone doth not wither easily Philip de Commines addes this reason that he knew well how to please the King Fortune fauoured the merits of Imbert of Baterney Imbert of Baterney Lewis Dauphin of France retiring himselfe into Dauphiné and going from Moras to Romans hee staied in a valley vnder the Castle of Baterney to take the coole aire and demanding some refreshing in the heate of the season and the tediousnesse of the way the Lord of Baterney sent some things vnto him and came himselfe to doe his duty hee brought with him Imbert of Baterney being then but a youg man who carried a Hauke with the which hee kild some Partridges t The pleasure of hunting which had beene the raâ—ing of his fortune was in a manner the cause of his ruine Claude of Seyell saith that going to 〈◊〉 to see the Dauphin hauing had him to field to see his Haukes flye the king was much incâ—sed thinking that he had a designe to make him see the woâ—ld and to know it The Dauphin tooke pleasure in it and commanded him to come vnto him to Romans for that hee had a desire to see that Hauke flye againe He went and did so please this Prince as he demanded him of his father and from that time he neuer abandoned him vntill his death He made him great in riches and honor as he was in merit and vertue Charles of Artois Charles of Artoix Earle of Eu hauing remained three and twenty yeares prisoner in England returned into France and was much beloued of king Lewis the eleuenth for that he held nothing of the sower arrogant humors of his predecessors he continued in the Kings seruice at such time as the Noble-men left him to follow the Princes Armie He reconciled the King and the Duke of Brittanie and soone after died in Iuly in the yeare 1471. without any children Iohn of Bourgondy Earle of Neuers his Nephew was his heire u The accord betwixt the king and the Duke of Brittany was made at Saumur in the yeare 1469. and the difficulties were decided by the deâ—terity of the Earles of Eu and Dunois Iohn of Orleans Bastard of Orleans Earle of Longueville base sonne to Lewis Duke of Orleans was the greatest and most fortunate Captaine of his time he alone of all the Noblemen of the league of the Common-weale pursued the fruits which France expected of such an enterprise He was chiefe and President of the Commissioners appointed for the reformation of the disorders of the Realme and died before he could see the effects of that which hee had so earnestly pursued in the yeare 1470. Andrew of Laual Andrew of Laual Lord of Loheac Lewis 11. tooke from him the dignity of Marshall of France wherewith Charles 7 had honoured him and rewarded his seruice Hee restored it vnto him againe when as necessity made him know that none was more capable then he For his sake he gaue vnto his brother the Lord of Chastillon the Office of great Maister of the Waters and Forrests Alaine of Albret purchased the surname of Great by the same greatnesse of courage which gaue the sword of France to Charles of Albret his grand-father Alaine of Albret x Charles of Albret was not onely entreated but in a manner forced by the King to receiue the sword of Costable The king pâ—t it into his hand the Dukes of Orleans Burgondy Berry Bourbo girt him with it a little before hee had caried Charles the seuenth vnto the font He left the league of the Common-weale as soone as he was entred into it and remained more constant in the assurance of his word then the Duke of Nemours his great corage found nothing impossible He was often wont to say that he which had force in hand needed no other thing He married Francis Vicountesse of Limoges and was father to Iohn of Albret King of Nauarre Iohn of Bueil Iohn of Bueil Earle of Sancerre presently after the coronation of Lewis the eleuenth was dismist from his Office of Admirally y The Earle of Sancerre was Admirall of France by the death of Pregent of Coitiuy Son-in-Law to Giles of Raix Marshall of France for no other reason but for that he had serued Charles the seuenth He returned to Court and fauour but yet he stood alwayes vpon his guard against that Lyon which strooke with his paw when they least thought of him Iohn of Andie Iohn of Andie Bastard of Armagnac Lord of Lescun and Earle of Cominges was Admiral of France after the dismission of the Earle of Sancerre and then Marshall of France he chased the Brittains from Baieux and was Gouernour of Dauphine Ioachim of Rouvault Ioachim of Rouvault z Hee had done great sâ—ruices vnder King Charles the seuenth and had beene present at the battell of Fromigny and at the siege of Bourdeaux The King gaue him the place of Marshall of France and Monstrelet saith that Charles the seuenth made him constable of Bourdeaux and that hee tooke his oath in the hands of the Chancellors of France Lord of Gamasches serued him worthily and couragiously in the warre of the Common-weale and was the cause of the preseruation of Paris He alwayes coasted the Duke of Bourgondy his Army to keepe it from scattering to the hurt of the Kings subiects and that it should not make profit by the surprise of any places in passing Then he cast himselfe into Paris and by his presence fortified the courages which an accident rather feared then foreseene had much deiected The King gaue him the gouernment with a troope of two hundred maisters and made him Marshall of France Tanneguy of Chastel Tanneguy
two great Princes which desire to loue should neuer see one another but send honest and wise men one vnto another who should entertaine their friendships and reconcile their errours It is a great folly for two great Princes which are in a manner equall in power to see one an other vnlesse they were very yong at which time they haue no discourse but of pleasures But when as they beginne once to enuy one another although there were no danger for there persons which is in a manner impossible yet there hatred and enuy encreaseth Wherefore it were better they should reconcile their quarrels by good and wise seruants Gouernements A Prince should haue a great care what Gouernours he sets in a Country newly conquered or ioyned to his State to the end the Subiects may be better intreated then they were before Example of Archamâ—and of Hagembach who was the cause that the Duke of Bourgundy lost the Country which he held by engagement from the Arch-Duke Sigismond Councelles and Councellors A Wise man cannot be bought at too deare a rate Lib. 2. Chap. 1. It is very necessary for a Prince to haue many of his Councell for the wisest erre very often eyther for that they are passionate in matters whereof they speake through loue or hatred or for that they will oppose one against another and sometimes by the indisposition of persons for we must not hold that for Councell which is done after dinner Some may say that men committing any of these errors should not be of a Princes Councell To whom I must answer that we are all men and he that would finde out such as should alwaies speake wisely and should neuer be moued nor distempered must seeke them in Heauen for they are not to bee found among men but to recompence it there may bee some one in Councell which shall speake very wisely and much better then he hath beene accustomed and so one helpes another There are few things secret in this world Lib. 2. Chap. 8. especiallie of those that are spoken About great Personages there are alwaies some Clarkes or Lawyers as it is fit and reasonable when they are good but verie dangerous when they are bad they haue still the Law in their mouthes or some Historie and the best that can be found may be turned to a bad sense but wise men that haue read will neuer be abused neither will any be so hardy as to tell them lyes It is a great treasor for a Prince to haue a wise man in his company and very safe to giue him credite and that he may haue libertie to speake the truth Court of Parliament IT is the custome of France to publish all Accords in the Court of Parliament Lib. 2. Cha. 14. else they should be of no force yet the King may alwaies doe much Ambassadours WHen as Ambassadours returne from Treaties and Negotiations Lib. 1. Chap. 9. they must be heard alone or in little company to the end that if their discourse be to terrifie they should giue such words as they ought to them that are inquisitiue for euery man desires to heare newes of them that come from such Treaties and many will say Such a one will not conceale any thing from me But yet they will if they be as I say and that they know they haue wise Maisters It is not verie safe to haue many goings and commings of Ambassadors Lib. 3. Chap. 8. for many times they treat of things that are preiudiciall yet it is necessary both to send and receiue it Ambassadours which come from true friends Lib. 3. Chap. 8. and where there is no cause of Ielousie should be well entertained and may see the Prince often according to the qualitie of the Princes person for if he be not wise nor honest the lesse he is seene the better If Ambassadors come from Princes which are not friends they should be receiued and intreated honourably they must appoint trusty and wise men to accompanie them and dispatch them presently for it is a bad thing to keepe an enemy with him Although warre were begunne Lib. 3. Chap. 8. yet should they not breake off any Treaties or Ouertures that are made of Peace for they know not when they shall haue neede of it but intertaine them all and heare all Messengers doing the said things and keeping good gard what men should goe vnto them and who should bee sent both by day and night but as secretly as might be And for one message or Ambassador which they should send me I would send them two And although they were weary saying that I should not send any more yet would I send when as I should haue meanes and opportunitie For you cannot send a better Spy which should haue so good meanes to see and vnderstand And if they be two or three it is impossible to keepe so good gard ouer them but the one or the other will haue some speech or learne some thing from some of them I meane holding honest tearmes as they doe to Ambassadors And it is likely that a wise Prince will alwaies endeuor to haue some friends with his aduerse party and preuent it as hee can for in such affaires they cannot doe as they would Some will say that your enemy will grow more proud I respect it not for I shall know more of his newes and in the end shall reape both the profit and honour And although that others may doe the like with me yet will I not forbeare to send And to this end will heare all practises and not breake any but still find new matter Moreouer some are not alwaies so iudicious as others nor haue so great experience in these affaires neither haue they so great need And in this case the wisest gaine alwaies Treasure of the Prince KIng Charles 7. did neuer raise aboue one hundred and fourscore thousand pounds sterling a yeare Lib. 5. Cha. 18. And King Lewis his Sonne did raise at the houre of his death foure hundred threescore and ten thousand pounds starling besides Artillerie and such other like things and without doubt it was a great pitty to see the pouerty of the people But our good Maister had one good thing in him that is he laid vp nothing in his Treasure He took all and spent all and made great buildings for the fortification and defence of the towns and places of his Realme more then any of the Kinges which had beene before him Assemblies Conferences and Treaties THe Assemblies and Conferences which are made from party to partie are very dangerous Lib. 1. Chap. 9. especiallie for him that is in danger to fal Most men haue naturally a desire to raise or saue themselues the which drawes them easily to the stronger Some are so good and so constant as they haue none of these respects but there are few of them And this danger is cheefly when as they haue a Prince which seekes
to winne new Example of the conference which was made at the Mercers grange which was since called the Market for that both parties did debauch one anothers men Treaties of peace should be managed by the most faithfull Seruants of Princes Lib. 1 Chap. 9. and men of middle age least their weaknesse cause them to make some dishonest bargain or to amaze their Maister at their return more then is needfull they should be rather imployed that haue receiued most fauours from him But especially wise men for no man euer made his profit of a foole and these treaties should be rather handled a farre of then neere There was neuer so good a marriage but some dined ill Lib. 1. Chap. 4. Example in the Treatie of Conflans where as some did what they would others got not any thing There are some good people which haue this glorie to think that they will end matters whereas they vnderstand not any thing Lib. 1. Chap. 16. for sometimes their Maisters discouer not vnto them their most secret intents In the company of such who most commonly goe but for shew and many times at their owne charge there goes alwaies some meane man which doth negotiate apart Princes should haue a wise care to whom they commit their affaires Lib. 1. Chap. 16. and so should they also haue that are imploied for them and deale in such businesse He that could excuse himselfe and not meddle vnlesse he saw that they themselues vnderstood it well and had an affection vnto the matter should be very wise It is an honor for a Prince to feare that which is to be feared and to foresee it A Prince if he hath age should be verie warie not to make this excuse I did not thinke such a thing would haue happened for it is not allowable Princes feare not to thrust their Seruants into danger when they haue neede In Treaties Princes must imploy men that are pleasing and such as will passe ouer all things and all wordes to attaine vnto the end of their Maisters desseignes Allyances BEtwixt the Kinges of France and the Emperors there are great oathes and confederacies not to attempt one against another The first Suisses that were seene in this Realme Lib. 1. Chap. 6. and who haue giuen credit to them that haue come after them were at the Siege of Paris in the war of the common-weale whereas they behaued themselues most valiantly and in all other places where they were imploied The English are in a manner vnprofitable in the wars of France If the Duke of Bourgundy would haue made vse of them Lib. 4. Chap. 5. it had bin needfull that for a season hee should haue accompanied them to help to direct and gouerne their Armie according to the manner of our warres For there are none more ignorant nor more vntoward when they first passe But in a short space they become good Souldiers wise and valiant There is but one high Chamberlaine in England Lib. 6. Chap. 2. and for that there is but one it is a great office The English are the best Archers in the world Lib. 1. Chap. 3. The English are suspicious Lib. 6. Cha. 11. The English haue a common saying Lib. 3. Chap. 8. whereof they haue sometime told me treating with them That in battails which they haue had with the French they haue alwaies or most commonly won But in all treaties with them they haue euer lost And in my opinion I haue knowne men in this Realme as worthy to manage a great Treatie as any other in the World and especially of the breeding of our King The Florentines did euery three months change their Lords who had al the gouernment of the Cittie Lib. 6. Chap 5. The English are not so subtile in Treaties and Accordes Lib. 4. Chap. 9. as the French and whatsoeuer is saied they goe grossely to worke but they must haue patience and not debate matters cholerickly The Italians take not Townes besieged so speedily as the French Lib. 6. Chap. 5. They know not so well how to force places and to defend them but to hold the fielde and to settle a good order for their victuals and all other thinges necessary to hold the field they vnderstand it better then we do I doe not thinke that I lie Lib. â— Chap. 2. to say that I beleeue that since the first battaile of Granson vnto the death of the King our Maister the said Townes and priuate men of the Suisses haue gotten of our King a Million of Florins of the Rhin of the Townes I meane but foure Berne Lucerne Friburge Zurich and their Cantons which haue their Mountaines Suisses is one yet it is but a Village I haue seene one of this village being an Ambassadour with others in a very meane habit who notwithstanding gaue his aduice with the rest Soleuure and Ondreual are called the other Cantons The English Lib. 6. Chap. 2. as well Nobility Commons as Clergie are inclined to warre against this Realme as well vnder colour of their quarrels which they pretend as for the hope of gaine for that God hath suffered their Predecessours to win many great battels within this Realme and to haue a long possession both in Normandy and in Guyenne which they had held three hundred and fiftie yeares when as King Charles the seuenth won it first as I haue said elsewhere at what time they carried great spoiles and riches into England as well of Princes and Noblemen of France which had been their Prisoners and in great numbers as of Townes and places which they had taken in the said Realme and hope still to doe the like But hardly should such an aduenture haue happened in the time of the King our Maister for he would neuer haue hazarded his Realme by putting himselfe and all his Nobilitie on foot to fight with them as they did at Agincourt but would haue proceeded more wisely if it had come to that point The Earledome of Flanders is a smal matter Lib. 6. Chap. 7. without the Country of Artois which lies betwixt France and them and is as it were a curbe vnto them Offices and Estates are more desired in Paris then in any other place of the World Lib. 1. Chap. 6. for they that haue them make of them what they can and not what they ought There are Offices without fees which are sold for aboue eight hundred Crowns and others which haue very small entertainment are sold for more then their wages amount vnto in fifteene yeares Wherefore seldome doe any disappoint themselues And the Court of Parliament maintaines this Article It is reason for it concernes them all Among Counsellors there are also some good and worthy men and in like manner there are some ill conditioned So is it in all Estates House of Bourgundie her greatnesse and fall AFter along felicitie and great riches Lib. 2. Chap. 9. and three
great Princes good and wise going before this who had continued sixescore yeares or more and liued well and vertuously God gaue this duke Charles who continâ—ally held his Subiects in great warres toyle and expence and in â— manner in Winter as much as in Sommer so as many rich men were slain or ruined by imprisonment in these warres The greatlosses began before Nuz and were continued by three or foure batels euen vnto his death so as in this last battell all the force of â—is Country was consumed and his men either slaine or taken prisâ—ners who might and would haâ—e defended the State and honour if his house And so as I haue said it seemes that this losse hatâ— beene equall to the time that they were in felicitie for as I haue said to haue seene it great rich and honoured so I may say to haâ— seene it all in his Subiects for I thinke that I haue seene and knowne the best part of Europe yet haue I not knowne any State or Country so much for so much nor of larger limits that did so much abound in riches moueables and buildings nor in prodigaliti expence feasting and good cheare as I haue seene during the 〈◊〉 I was there And if it seeme to any one who was not there in â—ose times that I speake too much others that were then preseâ— will happily say that I speake but little It is God which made this great and sumptuous building to fall suddenly that powerfull house which hath fed and maintained so many good men and hath been so much honored both far off and neere by so many trophees and victories as not any Neighbour in those times hath receiued the like And this felicity grace of God continued an hundred and twentie yeares when as all their Neighbours did suffer as France England and Spaine and they haue all come thither to require aide as you haue seene by experience of the King our Maister who in his youth and during the life of King Charles the seuenth his Father liued sixe yeares there in the time of the good Duke Philip who receiued him louingly From England I haue seene King Edwards two Brethren there the Duke of Clarence and the Duke of Glocester who afterwards called himselfe King Richard and of King Henries partie who was of the house of Lancaster I haue seene in a manner all that race there I haue seen this house honoured from all parts and then suddenly fall and to be the most desolate and ruinous house both in Princes Subiects of all her Neighbours Enemies THere is not any thing which a Prince should not doe to send an Enemie out of his Realme Lib. 4. Chap. 8. but he must not yeelde to giue him any land by the example of king Lewis the eleuenth to haue Edward the fourth repasse the Sea who said that hee would hazard all rather then giue him any places Enterprises WE must be slow and fearefull in Enterprises Lib. 2. Cha. 10. pursue them in such sort as we may be sure to be the stronger Such was Lewis the eleuenth In all Enterprises we must relie cheefely vpon God Lib. 2. Chap. 1. Battailes THe cheefest things in battailes are Archers Lib. 1. Chap. 3. 〈◊〉 as there be thousands for beeing in a small number they are not of any force and that they be ill mounted to the end that the bee not greeued to loose their horses or that they haue not any at 〈◊〉 And it is better for this kind of armes in a day of battaile to haue â—hose that neuer saw any thing then others that haue had much praâ—ise The English hold this opinion who are the flower of all the â—rchers of the world Battailes are in the hand of God Lib. 1. Chap. 3. who disposeth 〈◊〉 victories at his pleasure Matters succeed not in the field as they are coâ—cluded in a Chamber Example of the battaile of Montlehery whereaâ—he Earle of Charolois did quite contrarie to that which had been resolued It is dangerous for any one to hazard his estate vpon a battell Lib. 2. Chap. 2. if he may auoide it For although the number be small that he loose yet the hearts of his men are danted and the change more then can be imagined as well in feare of their enemies as in contempt of of their Master and of their trustie seruants and they fall into mutinies and practises demanding more boldly then they were wont and they grow angry if they be refused One Crowne before would haue satisfied them better then three wil now And if he that hath lost be wise he will not at such a time hazard any thing with them that haue fled But onely stand vpon his gard and seeke out something easie to vanquish whereas they may be Masters to put fresh courage into them and take away feare Howsoeuer a lost Battell hath alwaies a great traine and bad for the looser True it is that Conquerors should seeke it to shorten their worke especially they that haue good footmen and better then their neighbours as wee may say at this day the English or Suisses I speake not this to contemne other Nations but those haue had great victories and their men are not to hold the field long without imploiment as the French or Italians can doe who are wiser or more easie to leade Contrariwise he that gaines growes into greater reputation and esteeme with his men then before His obedience encreaseth among his subiects In this estimation they grant him whatsoeuer he demands and his men grow more couragious and hardie Also the said Princes do sometimes grow so glorious and proud as they miscarry afterwards and hereof I speak vpon knowledge But such grace comes onely from God Euery one should be fearefull to hazard a battell that is not forced Lib. 2. Chap. 4. But if there be no remedie before he come to it he must cast all the doubts that can be thought on For commonly they that doe things fearefully make prouision for all euents and gaine oftener then they that proceed with pride yet when God will haue a hand in it nothing can preuaile Euery man should doe what he may Lib. 2 Chap. 3. and what he ought in a day of Battell and acknowledge that it is one of the accomplishments of the worke of God begun sometimes vpon small occasions and giuing victorie sometimes to the one and sometimes to the other And this is so great a misterie as Realmes and great Siegnories are sometimes ruined and others increase and begin to raigne Warre IT is an easie matter to begin Warre betwixt two great Princes but hard to pacifie it by reason of the accidents which happen For many exploits are done of either side to anoy his enemy which on the sudden cannot be recalled It is a great folly in a Prince to submit himselfe to the power of an other especially when they are in warre It is a great show of
pride or folly for any one to hold himselfe too strong Lib. 2. Cha. 10 and yet Captaines doe it sometimes to be held valiant or for that they doe not well vnderstand the busines which they haue in hand Among other things that are fit to make conquest if there bee not a great iudgement all the rest is of no force and I thinke that it must come from the grace of God He that hath the profit of the Warre hath the honor There must bee no hast nor precipitation when they vndertake Lib. 5. Chap. 28 and begin a warre And I tell you that Kings and Princes are much the stronger when they vndertake it with the consents of the subiects and are more feared of their enemies When it is a defensiue warre this cloud is seene comming a farre off especially if it be from strangers and therein good subiects should not complaine nor refuse any thing and the accident cannot be so sudden but they may call some men such as shall bee named It is not done without cause and therein they vse no fixion nor entertaine a pettie warre at pleasure and without cause to haue occasion to leuy money The greatest miseries come commonly from the stronger For the weaker seeke nothing but patience Souldiours I Hold that men at Armes entertained are well imployed vnder the authoritie of a wise King or Prince Lib. 3. Chap. 3. but when he is otherwise or that he leaues Infants the vse wherevnto their Gouernours imploy them is not alwaies profitable neither for the King nor for his subiects Men at Armes lie continually vpon the Country without paying any thing committing infinite insolencies and excesse as all others know For which they are not content with an ordinarie life and with that which they finde in a labourers house from whom they are payed But contrariwise they beat the poore men and force them to fetch bread wine and victuals from abroad And if he hath a faire Wife or a Daughter hee shall doe well to keepe her safely Yet seeing there is pay it were easie to reforme it so as the men at Armes were payed euery two monethes at the farthest and so they should haue no excuse to commit those insolencies which they doe vnder coulour of want of pay For the money is leuied and comes at the end of the yeare I speake this for our Realme which is more opprest in this case then any other that I know and no man can help it but a wise King Other neighbour countries haue other punishments Sieges ALthough that sometimes sallies bee very necessarie yet are they dangerous for them that are in a place for the losse of Ten men is greater to them then a hundred to the enemie without their numbers not being equal neither can they recouer more when they will and they may loose a Commander or a Leader which oftentimes is the cause that the rest of the souldiors demand nothing more then to abandon the place In sieges of places the losse of one man alone is the cause to preserue his Master from a great inconuenience Lib. 5. Chap. 3. although he be not of his house nor of any great extraction but onely hath iudgment and vertue Example in Cohin an Englishman who being slaine with a Canon shot within Nancy the Englishmen whom he commanded mutined and caused the Towne to be yeelded After that a Prince hath laid siege against a place Lib. 5. Chap. 6. and planted his Artilerie if any come to enter and to relieue it against him they are worthy of death by the law of Armes Yet it is not practised in our Warres which are more cruell then the wars of Italy or Spaine whereas they vse this custome Despaire of succors make men besieged to put all things in hazard Example by the furious sallie of them of Liege who had like to haue taken or slaine the King or the Duke of Bourgundy Victorie THey doe alwaies augment the number of the vanquished Lib. 2 Chap. 2. I haue seene in many places whereas for one man they said they had slaine a hundred to please them and with such lies they doe sometimes abuse their masters Hee that gaines in warre growes in greater reputation with his Souldiors then before Lib. 2. Chap. 2. His obedience encreaseth They grant him what hee demands and his men are more hardie and couragious Changes THe changes are great after the death of great and mighty Princes In the Prologue where some loose and others gaine Great changes proceed not from fortune Lib. 1. Chap. 12. which is nothing but a Poeticall fiction The Author speakes this vppon the Constables ruine and concludes in these tearmes He should be very ignorant that should beleeue that fortune or any such like thing should cause so wise a man to be hated of these two Princes at one instant who in their liues did neuer agree in any thing but in this and most of all of the King of England who had married his Neece and did wonderfully loue all his wiues kindred and especially those of this house of S t Pol. It is likely and very certaine that hee was depriued of the grace of GOD to haue made himselfe an enemie to these three Princes and not to haue any one friend that durst lodge him one night and there was no other fortune that had any hand in it but God and so it hath happened and will happen to many others who after great and long prosperities fall into great aduersities When as a great man hath lost all his owne he soone wearies them that support him Example of Rene Duke of Lorraine who retired into France after the Duke of Bourgundie had taken his Country God giues extraordinarie willes vnto Princes when it pleaseth him to change their fortunes Lib. 5. Chap. 5. Example of Charles Duke of Bourgundie who grew obstinate at the second siege of Nancy against the aduice of his Councell Prosperitie Aduersitie A Misfortune neuer comes alone Lib. 3. Chap. 5. Prosperitie makes people proud Lib. 4. Chap. 3. Example of them of Arras Princes are proud and seeke not the true remedies in their misfortunes Lib. 5. Chap. 5. whereof the first is to returne vnto God and to consider if they haue offended him in any thing and to humble themselues before him and acknowledge their errors For it is he that iudges of such suites whereas no error can bee propounded After this it will doe him great good to conferre with some priuate friend and boldly to discouer his griefes vnto him for it doth ease and comfort the heart and the spirits recouer their vertue conferring thus with some one in priuate or else he must seeke another remedy by exercise and labour for of necessitie seeing we be men such griefes must passe with great passion either in publike or in priuate In time of aduersitie euerie one murmures and contemnes all the actions of the