earnestly the other the hope he had to reserue to himselfe a great part of the subsidie leuied in England for this voiage for as before I haue said the Kings of England receiue onely the bare reuenues of their lands saue when they leuie money to make war in Fraunce Further K. Edward had deuised this subtiltie to appease his subiects he had brought with him ten or 12. great fat paunches as well of the citie of London as of other townes in England who were the wealthiestmen of the commonaltie and had been the chiefest instruments both in perswading the King to passe into Fraunce and also in leuying this mightie army The King caused them to be lodged in good tents but that was not the life they were accustomed to lead wherefore they soone waxed wearie of it At their first arriuall they looked for the battell within three daies after their landing But the King of England alleaged many doubts vnto them and endeuored to put them in feare of the battell and to perswade them to allow of the peace to the ende they might aide him at their returne into England to pacifie the murmuring and grudging of the people that happily might arise bicause of his returne for neuer King of England since King Arthur passed at one time with so great force and so many noble personages into Fraunce But after the peace was concluded the King of England repaired homeward with speed reseruing to himselfe a great summe of monie leuied in England for the paiment of his soldiers so that he obtained in effect all his purposes His bodie could not away with such labor as a King of England must endure that mindeth to atchieue any great enterprise in Fraunce Further the King our Master had made great preparation for resistance though to say the truth he could not well haue prouided defence sufficient against all his enimies for he had too manie Lastly the King of England had a maruellous great desire to accomplish the marriage of his daughter with King Charles the 8. now raigning which caused him to winke at a number of inconueniences that turned after to the King our Masters great profit After all the English men were returned home sauing the hostages the King tooke his iourney towards Laon and lodged in a little towne vpon the maâ—â—â—es of Henault called Veruins and to Auennes in Henault came the Chauncelloâ— oâ— Burgundie with the Lord of Contay and other ambassadors from the Duke The King was very desirous at this time to conclude a finall peace for this mightie English armie had put him in feare and no maruell for he had seene in his time of their doings in this realme and would in no wise their returne The said Chauncellor writ to the King desiring that it would please him to send his Commissioners for the peace to a certaine bridge in the midway betweene Auennes and Veruins saying that he and his colleagues would meet them there The King sent him answer that he would come thither himselfe and notwithstanding that diuers whose aduise he asked in this matter perswaded him to the contrarie yet thither he went leading also with him the English hostages who were present when he receiued the Dukes ambassadors the which came very well accompanied with archers and men of war At this first meeting they did but salute the King then went to dinner One of the English men began to repent him that the treatie was concluded and said to me at a window that if they had seene many such men with the Duke of Burgundie peraduenture they would not haue made peace Which words the Vicount of Narbonne 1 now Lord of Fouez hearing said Were you so simple to thinke that the Duke of Burgundie had not great force of such men he had sent them onely to refresh themselues but you were so desirous to returne home that sixe hundred pipes of wine and a pension the King giueth you blew you quickly backe into England The English man in a great furie answered I perceiue now their sayings to prooue true that told vs you would deride vs for making peace Call you the money the King giueth vs a pension it is tribute and by Saint George you may babble so much that you may soone make vs to returne But I brake off their talke and turned it to a iest notwithstanding the Englishman was discontented and cast out a word thereof to the King who was maruellously offended with the Lord of Narbonne for his speech The King communed not long at this first meeting with the Chancellor and the other ambassadors for it was agreed that they should go with him to Veruines where when they arriued he coÌ„manded M. Tanneguy du Chastell and M. Peter Doriole Chancellor of Fraunce and others to negotiate with them much ado there was betweene them many reasons alleaged and many demands made on each side The Kings Commissioners made report to him that the Burgundians vsed fierce and stout language but that they had paid them with the like and withall tolde him what their answers were Which he much misliked saying that the like answers had been made diuers times before and that they treated not of a finall peace but onely of truce wherefore he would haue no more such language vsed but would himselfe commune with them and thereupon caused the said Chauncellor and the 〈◊〉 â—â—bassadors to come into his chamber out of the which all men were commanded to auoid saue the late L. Admirall called the bastard of Burbon Monseur de Bouchage and my selfe There the King concluded truce for nine yeeres wherein it was agreed that euery man shuld be restored to his former estate But the ambassadors besought the King that the truce might not yet be proclaimed to saue the D. their Masters oth who had sworne not to make truce before the King of England had been a certaine space in his realme least he should thinke their Master had accepted his truce But the King of England who thought great scorne that the Duke would not be comprehended in his truce being aduertised that he treated with the King of an other sent ouer into Fraunce a knight neere about him called Sir Thomas Montgomery who came to Veruins at the very same instant that the King treated with the Duke of Burgundies ambassadors of this truce aboue mentioned The said Sir Thomas required the King in the King his Masters name to make no other truce with the Duke of Burgundy than that which was already concluded betweene them two Further desiring him not to deliuer Saint Quintins into the Dukes hands offering that if he would continue war with the Duke his Master would be content the next sommer to passe the seas againe for him and in his aide with these conditions First that the King should recompence the losse the King of England should sustaine by the wooll custome of Calice amounting yeerely to 50000. crownes which if the war opened with
raigning for notwithstanding that the said King Edward were a most valiant Prince and had woon in England eight or nine battels wherein he fought alwaies himselfe on foote greatly to his renowme yet were these troubles but by fits so that his head was not continually busied in matters of state for immediately after the victorie obtained he returned to his former sports and pleasures till another storme arose For you shall vnderstand that when war beginneth in England in ten daies or lesse the one or the other getteth the garland But our affaires in Fraunce passed not after that sort for besides the war it selfe the K. was forced to haue an eie continually vpon diuers places as well of his owne realme as of his neighbors but especially by all means possible to content the King of England and to entertain him by ambassadors presents and smooth words to the end he should not entermeddle with our affaires For the K. knew well the English men as well Nobles and Commons as the Cleargie to be naturally inclined to make war vpon this realme aswell vnder colour of the title they pretende thereunto as also in hope of gaine For they trust to haue euer such successe heere as their predecessors haue had whom God permitted to obtaine in this realme many great victories and large dominion both in Normandie and in Guienne the which they had possessed by the space of three hundred and fiftie yeeres 2 when King Charles the seuenth first recouered it During the which time they inriched the realme of England with great spoiles and much treasure that they got aswell of the Princes and noble men of Fraunce a great number of whom they tooke prisoners as also of the townes and places which they subdued Notwithstanding they should hardly haue had such successe in the King our Masters time for he would neuer haue indangered his estate in battell as King Charles the sixt did at Agincourt where all the nobility of Fraunce lighted on foote to fight with the English men but would haue proceeded more warily if the matter had come to execution as you may perceiue by the course he held in sending King Edvvard home Wherefore the King well perceiued that he must in any wise keepe the King of England and his principall seruants his friends whom he sawe altogither inclined to quietnes and very greedy of his money for the which cause he paid duly at London the pension of fiftie thousand crownes which they called tribute And further gaue yeerely sixteene thousand crownes to the said Kings principall seruants whose names were these the Lord Chauncellor the Master of the Rols who now is Chauncellor the Lord Hastings Lord great Chamberlaine a man of singular wisdome and vertue and in great authority with his Master and not without cause for he euer serued him faithfully Sir Thomas Montgomery the Lord Hovvard afterward Duke of Norfolke partaker with the wicked King Richard the Master of the Horse called Master Cheiny Master Challenger and the Marques Dorset the Queene of Englands sonne by hir first husband Further he gaue goodly presents to all the ambassadors that came to him were their messages neuer so sharpe and bitter and sent them home with such goodly words Princely rewards that they returned well contented And notwithstanding that some of them vnderstood that he did all this onely to win time the better to atchieue his enterprise in the conquest of the Duke of Burgundies dominions yet winked they at it bicause of the great riches they receiued at his hands To all these aboue named he gaue besides their pensions many goodly presents so largely that the Lord Hovvard ouer and aboue his pension receiued of him in lesse then two yeeres space in money and plate fower and twentie thousand crownes To the Lord Hastings also L. great Chamberlaine of England he gaue at one time a present of plate to the value of ten thousand marks The acquittances of all which great personages are yet to be seene in the chamber of accounts at Paris saue of the Lord Hastings Lord great Chamberlaine of England which is an high office for there is neuer but one alone in it This L. Chamberlaine was long labored before he would become the Kings pensioner my selfe being the onely man that perswaded him thereunto For I wan him first to Charles Duke of Burgundies friendship during the time I serued him who gaue him yeerly a pension of a thousand crownes whereof when I had aduertised the King he would in like maner that I should be a meanes to make him his friend and pensioner for in times past during Duke Charles his life and after his death also in fauor of the Lady of Burgundy he had alwaies beene the Kings extreme enimy and trauelled once to perswade the King of England to aide the said Lady against the King our Master I began this friendship by letters and the King gaue him a pension of two thousand crownes which was double the summe he receiued of the Duke Further the King sent to him one of the stewards of his house called Peter Cleret charging him to bring with him the said Lord Chamberlains acquittance to the end heereafter it might appeere that the great Chamberlaine Chauncellor Admirall and Master of the Horse of England besides diuers others had beene the French Kings pensioners The said Peter Cleret was a wise fellow and communed priuily alone with the Lord Chamberlaine at his lodging in London where after he had declared his message from the King he presented him his two thousand crownes in golde for the King neuer gaue but gold to strangers which money when the Lord Chamberlaine had receiued Peter Cleret humbly besought him for his discharge to giue him an acquittance wherein the said Lord Chamberlaine made difficultie Then Cleret desired him to giue him onely a letter of three lines to the King to testifie the receit of the money least the King being a suspitious Prince should thinke that he had conuerted it to his owne vse Which reasonable demand the Lord Chamberlaine hearing answered thus Sir you require but reason but this gift proceedeth of the King your Masters liberality not of my request if it please you that I shall receiue it put it heere into my sleeue and other letter or testimoniall get you none of me For I will not for my part that any man shall say that the Lord great Chamberlaine of England hath beene pensioner to the French King nor that my acquittances be found in his chamber of accounts Whereunto the said Cleret replied not but departed leauing the money behinde him and at his returne made report thereof to the King who was not a little displeased with him for that he brought no acquittance but as touching the said Chamberlaine he commended and esteemed him more than all the King of Englands other seruants and his pension was euer after paied without acquittance After this sort liued the King with
before and appointed me also to be his bedfellow notwithstanding that I were vnwoorthy of that honor and that diuers others were fitter for that place than my selfe but he was so wise that no man could faile to please him if he executed his commandements without adding ought thereto of his owne braine The Notes 1 This Archbishops name was Francis Saluiat and this vprore was the 27. of Aprill anno 1478. Of Monseur d'Argentons returne out of Italie into Fraunce and of the battell of Guinegate Chap. 6. AT my returne the King our Master looked somwhat aged and his body was disposed to sicknes but his disease brake not foorth as yet His affaires he gouerned with great wisedome and the war endured still in Picardie wherewith he was not a little discontented as were his enimies also in the said countrie but they could not remedie it The Duke of Austriche now King of Romans hauing the Flemmings this yeere at his deuotion laid the siege before Therouenne but Monseur de Cordes the Kings lieutenant in Picardie leuied all the forces the King had in that countrie and the frontiers thereabout to the number of eight thousand franke archers and went to succour the place Whom when the Duke of Austriche perceiued to approch he leuied his siege and marched against him the two armies met at a place called Guinegate The Duke had of Flemmings to the number of twenty thousand or better and certaine Almaines togither with three hundred English men led by an English Knight that had serued Charles Duke of Burgundie called sir Thomas Abrigan The Kings horsemen being much stronger than their enimies brake the Dukes horsemen and pursued them and Master Philip of Rauastain their captaine as far as Ayre whereupon the Duke ioined himselfe with his footemen The King had in this armie at the least 1100. men of armes of his ordinarie retinue 1 all the which followed not the chase but Monseur de Cordes who was generall did and Monseur de Torcy with him which was a valiant deede but against the law of armes for the captaines of the vaward and rereward ought not to follow the chase Some of the Dukes horsemen retired vnder colour of defending the strong places but others fled in good earnest The Dukes footmen fled not yet were they vpon the point so to do but they had with them on foote two hundred valiant gentlemen their leaders among whom were the Lord of Romont of the house of Sauoye the Earle of Nassaw and diuers others yet liuing The courage of these gentlemen staied the footemen which was a woonder considering they saw their horsemen broken The Kings franke archers fell to spoile the Dukes carriage and the straglers that followed it as victuallers and such like but certaine of the Dukes footmen set vpon them discomfited them and slue some of them The Dukes losse was greater than ours for more of his men were taken and more slaine 2 but the honor of the field was his And I thinke verily if he had returned to Therouenne he had not found a man neither in it nor in Arras and it was greatly to his losse that he durst not attempt so to do But in such cases men are not alwaies informed of the best and to say the truth great cause he had to feare that enterprise I speake of this battell but by hearsay for I was not present at it notwithstanding to continue the order of my historie somwhat I was forced to write thereof I was with the King when these newes were brought him which vndoubtedly nipped him at the verie hart for he was not accustomed to lose but had such successe in all his attempts that fortune seemed to be at his commandement which vndoubtedly his wisedome greatly furthered For he would hazard nothing neither feared any thing more than a battel and as touching this now mentioned it was fought without his knowledge His armies he made so strong that few Princes were able to encounter them he was better furnished of artillerie than any King that euer raigned in Fraunce he attempted alwaies to take places vpon a sudden especially such as he perceiued to be euill fortified which after he had once gotten he furnished so well both of men and artillerie that it was impossible for his enimies to recouer them Further if the captain of any strong place or any other within it would practise to yeeld it for monie he was sure of a copes mate neither would he shrinke were the summe neuer so great that was demanded but liberally giue it He was afeard at the first when newes was brought him of this battell supposing the truth had not been told him but that his whole force had beene ouerthrowen knowing if it were so all to be lost that he had conquered ouer this house of Burgundie in those parts and the rest in great danger but when he vnderstood the truth he tooke the matter patiently and was well ynough contented with Monseur de Cordes Notwithstanding he purposed to giue order that no more such enterprises should be attempted without his knowledge From this day forward he resolued to treate of peace with the Duke of Austriche so that it might be wholy to his owne aduantage and that he might thereby so bridle the said Duke by meanes of his owne proper subiects whom he knew to be inclined to practise against their Prince that he should neuer be able to do him harme Moreouer he was very desirous to redresse all disorders in his realme especially the long delaies of processes and sutes in law which thing the better to compas he minded to bridle the Court of parlament not by diminishing their number or authoritie but many things were done there against his minde for the which he hated it He was also desirous to reduce his whole realme to one custome and one kinde of waight and measure and further that all the lawes and customs should be written in the French toong in a faire booke to auoid the pillings and pollings of the Counsellors in law which are more excessiue in this realme than in any other as the nobilitie hath good cause to knowe And vndoubtedly if God had spared him life and health fiue or sixe yeeres longer he would haue done much good in the realme as great cause he had to do for he had more oppressed it than euer had any of his predecessors but neither authoritie nor perswasions could haue woon him to vnburden his people till it had come of himselfe as in his latter daies sure it would if God had preserued him from sicknes Wherefore it is requisite to do good while a man hath leisure health and vnderstanding The treatie the King desired to make with the Duke and Duchesse of Austrich and their dominions was this he meant by meanes of the citizens of Gaunt to treate of a marriage betweene the Daulphin his sonne now our King and the daughter of the said Duke and Duchesse vnder
sommer his attempts and enterprises were so high and difficult that onely God by his absolute power could haue atchiued them for they passed far mans reach The Notes 1 De la Marche calleth him that deliuered the Earle Robert Couterel or Coutereau a horseman of Bruxels his Phisitions sonne whom for that fact immediately he made knight and feudarie of Brabant Gaghin writeth that the Earle was twice in danger once in the hands of Geffery De S. Bealin and againe in the hands of Gilbert Grassaie 2 For the two places heere named be aboue three hundred English miles asunder 3 There were slaine at the battell of Montl'hery 2000. Annal. Burgund Meyer saith 3000. Gaguin 3600. How the Duke of Berry the Kings brother and the Duke of Britaine ioined with the Earle of Charolois against the King Chap. 5. THe next day being the third after the battell we remooued our campe and lodged at Montl'hery out of the which the people fled part into the Church steeple and part into the Castell but the Earle caused them to returne to their houses neither lost they the value of one penie for euery man paid his shot as truly as if he had been in Flaunders The castell helde for the King and was not assaulted by vs. The third day being passed the Earle of Charalois by the Lord of Contais aduise departed to Estampes a good and commodious lodging and a fruitfull soile meaning to preuent the Britains who came that way and before their ariuall to lodge his men that were sicke and hurt in the towne and the rest abroad in the fields This good lodging and the Earles long abode there saued many a mans life At the said town of Estampes arriued the Lord Charles of Fraunce then Duke of Berry and the Kings onely brother accompanied with the Duke of Britaine the Earle of Dunois the Lord of Dampmartin the Lord of Loheac the L. of Beueil the Lord of Chaumount and master Charles of Amboise his sonne who since hath caried great credit in this realme all the which the King at his first comming to the crown had displaced and put out of office notwithstanding the great seruices they had done the King his father and the realme both in the conquest of Normandie and in diuers other wars The Earle of Charolois and all the noble men that were with him went foorth to receiue them and lodged their persons in the towne where their lodgings were already made but their forces lay abroad in the fields They had with them eight hundred men of armes very well appointed a great number of the which were Britons who lately had forsaken the Kings pay and these made a gallant shew in their campe of archers and other soldiers armed with good Brigandines they had great force so that I suppose they were six thousand men on horsebacke all in very good order and sure this army shewed the Duke of Britaine to be a great Prince for they were all paid out of his coffer 1 The King being retired to Corbeil as you haue heard was not idle neither forgat what he had to do but went straight into Normandy partly to leuy men and partly bicause he feared rebellion in the countrey but a great part of his forces he left about Paris in those places that had most need of defence The first euening that all these Princes met at Estamps they told newes each to other the Britons had taken prisoners certaine of the Kings part that fled and if they had been but a litle neerer the place of the battell they had either taken or discomfited the third part of his army They had first giuen order to sende foorth certaine bands before them to vnderstand how neere the Kings army and the Earles were togither but they altered their mindes Notwithstanding master Charles of Amboise and certiane with him scoured the countrey before their army to see if they could meete any of their enimies and certaine prisoners as you haue heard they tooke and part also of the Kings artillerie These prisoners made report vnto them that vndoubtedly the King was slaine for so they supposed bicause they fled at the very beginning of the battell which newes the abouenamed master Charles of Amboise and they that were with him brought to the Britaines campe who reioiced maruellously thereat supposing it had been true and hoping for great rewards if the Lord Charles were King Further they debated in councell as a man of credit there present afterward aduertised me how they might rid the countrey of the Burgundians and send them home in the diuels name and were in maner all agreed to cut their throtes if they could but this their ioy soone ended wherby you may perceaue what sodaine alterations are in a realme in such troubles But to returne to the campe lying at Estampes when euery man had supped and a great number being walking in the streetes The Lord Charles of Fraunce and the Earle of Charolois withdrew themselues to a window where they entred into very earnest communication Now you shall vnderstand that there was among the Britaines one that tooke great pleasure in throwing squibs into the aire which when they fall to the ground run flaming among men his name was master Iohn Boutefeu or master Iohn de Serpens I wot not well whether This mery companion being secretly hidden in a house threw two or three squibs into the aire from a high place where he stood one of the which by chance strake against the bar of the window where these two Princes communed togither wherewithall both of them started sodainly vp being astonished at this accident and each beholding other suspecting this to be purposely done to hurt them then came the Lord of Contay to his master the Earle of Charolois and after he had told him a word or two in his eare went downe and caused all the men of armes of the Earles house and all the archers of his garde and a number of other to arme themselues Incontinent also the Earle of Charolois mooued the Duke of Berry to command the archers of his garde to do the like whereupon immediatly two or three hundred men of armes stood on foote in harneis before the gate with a great number of archers the which sought round about from whence this fire might come in the end the poore fellow that had done the deed fell downe vpon his knees before them confessing the fact and threw three or foure other squibs into the aire whereby he put diuers out of suspicion each of other thus the matter turned to a iest and euery man vnarmed himselfe and went to bed The next day in the morning they sat in councell to debate what was to be done all the Princes with their principall seruants being there present and as they were of diuers parts and not obedient to one head so were they also of diuers opinions as in such assemblies it cannot be otherwise chosen But among
to receiue him and brought him into the towne and lodged him in a goodly house neere to the castell being the receiuers for the castell was a little old thing naught woorth War betweene two great Princes is easily begun but hardly ended bicause of the number of accidents depending thereupon for each partie dispatcheth messengers to and fro to hurt his enimie which suddenly cannot be staied nor reuoked as appeered by these two Princes who concluded this meeting vpon a sudden not aduertising their seruants thereof who were far from them executing the charge their Masters had giuen them For you shall vnderstand that the Duke had sent for his armie into Burgundie being furnished at that time with a number of gentlemen namely the Lord of Bresse of the house of Sauoy his two brethren the Bishop of Geneua and the Earle of Remont for the Sauoyans and Burgundians haue euer borne great loue one to another In this armie were also certaine Almaines borderers vpon Sauoy and the county of Burgundy Now you shall vnderstand that the King in times past had held the Lord of Bresse in prison bicause of two Knights he commanded to be slaine in Sauoy wherefore there was no good will betweene them two In this armie were also the Lord of Vrfé Master of the horse afterward to King Charles Master Poncet of Riuiere and the Lord of Lau whom the King after speciall good liking of him had also held long in prison but he escaped and fled into Burgundy All this company aboue mentioned arriued neere to Peronne euen at the very instant that the King came thither and the Lord of Bresse with the three aboue mentioned euery one of them wearing the Saint Andrewes crosse entred the towne supposing they had come time ynough to accompanie the Duke when he should go to receiue the King but bicause they came too late they went straight to the Dukes chamber to do their dutie to him where the Lord of Bresse humbly besought him that the three aboue named notwithstanding the Kings comming might be there vnder his safegard and protection as he had promised them in Burgundie at their first arriuall into his dominions adding that they were ready to serue him against all men none excepted which request the Duke granted with his owne mouth and for their good wil thanked them The rest of this army led by the Marshal of Burgundy lodged without the towne as they were appointed The said Marshall hated the King no lesse than the others aboue named bicause of Pinall a towne in Lorraine which the King had once giuen him and afterward taken from him to bestow vpon Iohn Duke of Calabria so often mentioned in this historie The King being foorthwith aduertised of these noble mens arriuall and the apparell they ware 1 fell suddenly into great feare and sent to the Duke desiring him that he might lodge in the castell bicause all these aboue named were his enimies The Duke reioiced to see him in such feare and caused his lodging to be made there willing him to be of good cheere and doubt nothing The Notes 1 He meaneth by apparell the Saint Andrewes crosse A discourse wherein is declared how greatly learning especially in histories profiteth Princes and noble men Chap. 6. IT is greatfolly for one Prince to put him selfe vnder the power of another especially when they are in war togither as those Princes well know that haue studied histories in their youth wherein they finde diuers examples of great falshood and treason vsed in times past at such enteruiewes and of diuers that haue staied as prisoners and slaine those that haue come to them vnder their surety 1 I say not that all haue vsed so to do but the example of one is sufficient to teach a number wit how to looke to themselues I my selfe for my part haue seene some experience in the world hauing been by the space of eighteene yeeres and better emploied continually in Princes seruices and priuy all that while to the waightiest and secretest affaires that haue passed in this realme or the countries bordering vpon it and sure in mine opinion the best way to learne wisedome is to read ancient histories which will teach vs by example of our auncesters wisely to behaue our selues safely to defende our selues and aduisedly to attempt any enteprise For our life is so short that experience cannot sufficiently instruct vs considerlng withal that our yeers are abridged and neither our liues so long nor our bodies so strong as were our ancesters in ages past which way as we are weakned so is our faith also each to other much diminished 2 in such sort that I know not how one man may assure himselfe of another especially great Princes who are commonly inclined to all wilfulnes without any regarde of reason and which is woorst of all haue for the most part such men about them as study onely to flatter them and sooth them in al their dooings be they good or bad and if some one endeuor himselfe to redresse this inconuenience all the rest will straight be vpon his top Farther I must needes blame ignorant and vnlearned Princes in this respect also they haue all commonly about them great clarkes and lawyers as it is requisite they should if they be good but if they be otherwise they are the dangerousest people in the world to be about a Prince for they haue euer a law or an history at their fingers ends which be it neuer so good they writhe and wrest in such sort that they wil make blacke white and white blacke But those Princes that be wise and haue read as well as they will not suffer themselues to be abused by them neither dare they be so hardy as to report vntruths to such Princes Farther thinke you that God hath established the office of a King or Prince to be executed by such beasts as glory in saying I am no scholer I trust my Councell well enough and refer all matters to them and so without farther answer depart to their sports and pastimes No no if they had been well trained vp in their youth they would vse other language and seeke to be esteemed for their owne vertues and woorthines I say not that all Princes are serued by euill conditioned persons but sure the most part of those that I haue seene haue not alwaies had their courts vnfurnished of such although some I confesse I haue knowne that in time of necessitie could make choise of their men and vse the seruice of the best and wisest Wherein sure the King our master far passed all the Princes of his time for neuer Prince aduanced so highly nor made so great account of wise and woorthy men as he did He was himselfe reasonably well learned 3 he was very inquisitiue and desirous to vnderstand of all matters and had an excellent wit which passeth all learning attained to by studie for as reading profiteth two maner of waies the one by
seeing himselfe shut into this little castell and a number of archers before the gate stood in great doubt of his person the rather bicause he lodged hard by a great tower in the which an Earle of Vermandois had in times past caused a King of Fraunce one of his predecessors to be slaine 2 I was yet in seruice with the Duke and one of his priuie chamber into the which I entred at my pleasure according to the vse of this house of Burgundie The Duke when the towne gates were shut commanded all men to voide his chamber and said to two or three of vs that taried with him that notwithstanding he for his part had neuer any taste in this meeting but agreed to it onely to content the King yet the King on the contrarie side was come thither purposely to abuse him Then rehearsed he all these newes of Liege how the King had ordered the matter by his ambassadors and caused all his men to be slaine and such a rage he was in against the King and so threatened him that I thinke verily if those to whom he spake had pressed forward the matter and counselled him to worke the King some mischiefe he would haue done it at the least haue imprisoned him in the great tower aboue mentioned None were present when these words passed the Duke but my selfe and two groomes of his chamber one of the which was named Charles of Visin borne at Dyion an honest gentleman and in good credit with his master We mitigated this matter and sought to appease the Duke as much as in vs lay notwithstanding soone after he vsed also the like speech to others by meanes whereof it was blowen all ouer the towne and came at length into the Kings chamber who was in maruellous feare as vniuersally all men were bicause of the great euils they saw like to ensue a quarrell begun betweene two so great Princes who sure were both blame woorthie for that they aduertised not their seruants of this meeting who were far from them executing their commandements whereby some great inconuenience was sure to ensue The Notes 1 These were chanons of S. Lambert in Liege the which were not forced to be priests but might come foorth and marrie if they had not soong masse Guicci 2 This Earle of Vermandois was named Hebart or Herbau and the King of Fraunce Charles le Simple whom this Hebart slue in the towre heere mentioned anno 926. or after Annal. Burgund 921. bicause the King had slaine in battell Robert Duke of Aquitaine or after some of Aniou who had married this Hebarts sister But note heere poenam talionis vpon the King for as he was staied heere notwithstanding the Dukes safe conduct so had he himselfe taken and imprisoned by the space of two yeeres Philip Lord of Bresse hauing called him to him vnder his safe conduct Meyer Of the Lord of Bresses imprisonment our author maketh mention in the fift chapter of this booke A discourse wherein is shewed that an enteruiew betweene two great Princes for treatie of their affaires hurteth more than profiteth Chap. 8. IT is great folly for two Princes being in manner of equall force and estate to meete togither vnlesse it be in their youth when their mindes are wholy set vpon pleasures and pastimes but after they are come to mans estate and growen desirous to encroch each vpon other such enteruiewes do but increase their hatred and euill will though happily their persons might be there in safetie which notwithstanding I hold almost for a thing impossible Wherefore it is better to pacifie all controuersies by wise and discreete men as before I haue said for proofe whereof I will reherse certaine examples that haue happened in my tyme some of the which I my selfe haue seene and of the rest haue beene credibly enformed A few yeers after King Lewis his coronation before the war called the WEALE PVBLIQVE began a sollemne meeting was appointed between him and the King of Castile 1 which are the two neerest confederated Princes in Christendome for their league is betweene King and King Realme and Realme and man and man of their subiects which also they are both bound vnder great curses to keepe and obserue inuiolable To this meeting came Henry King of Castile with a goodlie traine to Fontarabia and the King our Master to Saint Iohn de Luz fower leagues distant both of them being vpon the frontires of their dominions I was not present my selfe at this meeting but I haue heard both the King and the Lord of Lau make report thereof and haue beene enformed of it also by certaine Lords of Castille there present with the King their Master who came to this enterview accompanied with the Lord great Master of Saint Iames and the Archbishop of Tolledo which two bare all the swaie in Castile at that time the Earle of Lodesme the King of Castils minion was there also in great brauerie and all the said Kings gard being to the number of three hundred horse all Moores of Granado and some of them Negros But K. Henry himselfe was a man of so small vnderstanding that he gaue away all his inheritance at the least suffered euery man that would to spoile him of it our King was also accompanied with a goodlie traine as you know his vse was but his gard especially was braue in verie good order To this meeting came in like maner the Queene of Arragon about a controuersie betweene hir and the King of Castile for Estell and certaine other places in Nauarre whereof the King was made arbitrator But now for proofe that such enterviews between great Princes are not meet nor conuenient you shall vnderstand that these two Kings had neuer beene at variance there was no quarrell betweene them neither saw they one another past once or twise vpon a riuer side that parteth both their realmes 2 hard by a litle castell called Heurtebise where the King of Castile passed to the hither side of the riuer At their first meeting they had no great liking one of another especially our King who perceiued the King of Castille to be but a simple man doing nothing of himselfe but whollie gouerned by the great Master of Saint Iames and the Archbishop of Tolledo aboue mentioned Wherefore he made no account of their Master but sought their freindship whereupon they came to him to Saint Iohn de Luz where he entred into amitie with them and had great intelligence by their meanes The greatest part of both these Princes traines lay at Bayonne and at the verie first meeting fell togither by the eares notwitstanding their league and no maruell For their maners and languages differed Afterward the Earle of Lodesme came also to visite the King and passed the riuer in a boate the saile whereof was cloth of gold Farther he ware a paire of buskins embrodred thicke with stone for he was a Prince of great wealth and reuenews in Castille and created
himselfe the said de Lude at the first meeting asked him what the townes would giue him to commend their cause to the King I thinke verily that this refusall the King made to these knights proceeded also of God for since that time he would haue made good account of them if he could haue drawne them to his seruice But peraduenture God would not accomplish his desire in all points either bicause of the reasons aboue alleaged or for that he would not suffer him to vsurpe this countrey of Hainault which is held of the Empire both bicause he had no title thereunto and also bicause of the ancient league betweene the Emperors and the Kings of Fraunce whereof the King himselfe also seemed afterward to take notice For he held Cambray le Quesnoy and Boissi 1 in Hainault whereof Boissi he yeelded againe and restored Cambray being an Imperiall towne to neutralitie as it was before Athough I my selfe were not present at these actions yet was I informed how they passed for I had good meanes to vnderstand of them bicause I was acquainted and had been brought vp in both these Princes dominions and haue since also communed with diuers that were the principall managers of these affaires on both sides The Notes 1 This Boissi libr. 6. cap. 3. he calleth Bouchain and so out of doubt it should be read heere How Master Oliuer the Kings barber failing to execute his enterprise at Gaunt found meanes to put the Kings forces into Tournay Chap. 14. MAster Oliuer as you haue heard was gone to Gaunt and carried letters of credit to the Ladie of Burgundie Duke Charles his daughter hauing also commission to perswade with hir apart to put hir selfe into the Kings gouernment 1 But this was not his principall charge for he doubted that he should not obtaine leaue to commune with hir apart and though he did yet supposed he that he should not frame hir to his request But his hope was to raise some great tumult in this towne of Gaunt which hath euer been inclined to rebellion and was the easier to be mooued thereunto at this present bicause vnder Duke Philip and Duke Charles they had liued in great awe and lost diuers priuileges by the treatie made with the said Duke Philip after their wars with him ended Duke Charles also had taken one priuilege from them concerning the election of their Senate for an offence made the first day he entred into the towne as Duke whereof bicause I haue made mention before I will heere write no further All these reasons encouraged Master Oliuer the Kings barber to proceede in his enterprise so far foorth that he discouered his purpose to some such of the citizens as he thought would giue eare vnto him offering besides diuers other promises to cause the King to restore them their priuileges that they had lost But notwithstanding that he were not in their Towne-house to speake publikely to their Senate bicause he meant first to assay if he could do any good with this yoong Princesse yet was his enterprise smelt out wherefore after he had soiourned a few daies in Gaunt he was sent for to declare his message whereupon he repaired to the Princes presence being apparrelled much more sumptuously than became one of his calling and deliuered his letters The said Lady sate in hir chaire of estate hauing about hir the Duke of Cleues and the bishop of Liege with diuers other noble men and a great number of hir subiects When she had read hir letter she commanded him to declare his message But he answered that he had nothing to say but to hir selfe alone Whereupon it was told him that this was not the maner of their countrie especially to commune in secret with this yoong Lady being vnmarried But he still continued his former answer that he had nothing to say but to hir selfe apart Whereupon they threatened to make him say somwhat else which words put him in feare And I thinke verily that when he came to deliuer his letter he had not bethought him what to say for this was not his principal charge as you haue heard Thus Master Oliuer departed for this time without further speech Some of the Councell began to scorne him as well bicause of his base estate as of his foolish speech and behauiour but especially they of Gaunt in a little village neere whereunto he was borne scoffed and derided him so far foorth that suddenly he fled thence being aduertised if he staide there any longer that he should be throwen into the riuer which I thinke would haue prooued true The said Master Oliuer named himselfe Earle of Melun a little towne neere to Paris whereof he was captaine From Gaunt he fled to Tournay a towne in that countrie subiect to neither Prince but maruellously affectioned to the King for it is his after a sort and paieth him yeerely sixe thousand franks but in all other respects liueth in libertie and receiueth all sorts of men it is a goodly towne and a strong as all the inhabitants thereabout can testifie The churchmen and citizens haue al their possessions and reuenues in Henault and Flaunders in both the which countries it is situate Wherefore they vsed alwaies during the long wars betweene King Charles the seuenth and Philip Duke of Burgundie to pay yeerely vnto the said Duke ten thousand franks the which summe I haue seene them pay also to Duke Charles but at the time that Master Oliuer came thither they were quit of all paiments and liued in great wealth and quietnes Although Master Oliuers charge aboue mentioned were too waightie for him to deale in yet was not he so much to be blamed as they that committed it to him for notwithstanding that his enterprise had such successe as it was euer like to haue yet shewed he himselfe wise in that he afterward did For perceiuing the said towne of Tournay to be situate vpon the frontiers of both the countries aboue named and very commodious to endammage them both if he could put the Kings forces that lay in those parts into it and knowing further that the townes men would neuer consent thereunto bicause they neuer tooke part with either Prince but shewed themselues friends indifferently to both he sent word secretly to Monseur de Mouy whose sonne was bailife of the town but not resident there that he should bring his companie which he had within S. Quintins and certaine other bands that lay in those quarters to the towne of Tournay who at the hower appointed came to the gate where he found Master Oliuer accompanied with thirtie or fortie persons who partly by fauor and partly by force caused the gate to be opened and receiued the Kings men wherewith the people of the towne were well ynough contented but not the gouernors of whom Master Oliuer sent seuen or eight to Paris whence they departed not during the Kings life After these men of armes entred also diuers other soldiers who did
great harme afterward in the two countries aboue named for they spoiled and burned many goodly villages and faire farms more to the dammage of the inhabitants of Tournay than of any other for the reasons aboue alleaged To be short so long they spoiled that the Flemmings arose and tooke out of prison the Duke of Guelderland whom Duke Charles had held prisoner and made him their captaine and in this estate came before the towne of Tournay where they lay not long but fled in great disorder and lost many of their men and among the rest the Duke of Gueldres who had put himselfe behinde to maintaine the skirmish being euill followed was there slaine as afterward you shall heare more at large Wherefore this honor and good successe that happened to the King and the great losse his enimies receiued proceeded of the said Master Oliuers wisedome and iudgement so that peraduenture a wiser man and a greater personage than he might haue failed to atchieue the like enterprise I haue spoken ynough of the great charge this sage Prince committed to this meane person vnfit to manage so waightie a cause onely adding that it seemed that God had troubled the Kings wits in this behalfe For as I said before if he had not thought this enterprise far easier than indeede it was but had appeased his wrath and laid downe his greedy desire of reuenge vpon this house of Burgundy vndoubtedly he had held at this day all those Seniories vnder his subiection The Notes 1 The King claimed this Lady as his vvarde bicause diuers of hir dominions namely Flaunders Artois c. were held of the crowne of Fraunce besides that he was hir godfather which vvas the cause vvhy he commanded this Oliuer to mooue this request Of the ambassadors the Lady of Burgundy daughter to the late Duke Charles sent to the King and how by meanes of Monseur de Cordes the citie of Arras the townes of Hedin and Bollein and the towne of Arras itselfe were yeelded to the King Chap. 15. YOu haue heard how Master VVilliam Bische yeelded Peronne to the King The said Bische was a man of base parentage borne at Molins-Engibers in Niuernois but inriched and greatly aduanced by Duke Charles of Burgundy who made him captaine of Peronne bicause his house called Clery being a strong and goodly castell that the said Bische had purchased was neere vnto it But to proceede after the King had made his entry into the towne certaine ambassadors came to him from the Lady of Burgundy being all the greatest and noblest personages that were able to do hir any seruice which was vnaduisedly done to send so many togither but such was their desolation and feare that they wist not well what to say or do The aboue named ambassadors were these the Chauncellor of Burgundy called Master VVilliam Hugonet a notable wise man who had been in great credit with Duke Charles and was highly adaunced by him The Lord of Himbercourt so often before mentioned in this history was there also who was as wise a gentleman and as able to manage a waighty cause as euer I knew any togither with the Lord of la Vere a great Lord in Zeland and the Lord of Grutuse and diuers others as well noble men as church men and burgesses of good townes The King before he gaue them audience trauelled both generally with them all and apart with euery one of them to draw them to his seruice They all gaue him humble and lowly words as men in great feare Notwithstanding those that had their possessions far from his dominions in such countries as they thought to be out of his reach would not binde themselues to him in any respect vnlesse the mariage betweene his sonne the Daulphin and the said Lady their Mistres tooke effect But the Chauncellor and the Lord of Himbercourt who had liued long in great authority wherein they still desired to continue and had their lands lying neere to the Kings dominions the one in the Duchy of Burgundy the other in Picardy neere to Amiens gaue eare to his offers and promised both to serue him in furthering this mariage and also wholy to become his the mariage being accomplished which course he liked not though it were simply the best but was displeased with them for that they would not then absolutely enter into his seruice Notwithstanding he shewed them no countenance of displeasure bicause he would vse their helpe as he might Moreouer the King hauing now good intelligence with Monseur de Cordes captaine and gouernor of Arras by his counsel and aduise required these ambassadors to cause the said de Cordes to receiue his men into the city of Arras 1 for at that time there were wals and trenches betweene the towne and the city but the towne was then fortified against the city 2 and now contrariwise the citie is fortified against the towne After diuers perswasions vsed to the said ambassadors that this should be the best and readiest way to obtaine peace in shewing such obedience to the King they agreed to his demaund especially the Chauncellor and Himbercourt and sent a letter of discharge to the said de Cordes wherein they aduertised him of their consent to the deliuerie of the citie of Arras Into the which so soone as the King was entred he raised bulworks of earth against the gates of the towne and in diuers other places neere to the towne Further bicause of this discharge Monseur de Cordes and the men of war that were with him departed out of the towne 3 and went whither them listed and serued where them best liked And as touching the said de Cordes he now accounting himselfe discharged of his Mistres seruice by the ambassadors letters aboue mentioned determined to do homage to the King and to enter into his seruice both bicause his house name and armes were on this side the riuer of Somme for he was called Master Philip of Creuecoeur second brother to the Lord of Creuecoeur and also bicause the territories so often aboue mentioned which the house of Burgundie had possessed vpon the said riuer of Somme during the liues of Duke Philip and Duke Charles returned now without all controuersie to the crowne For by the conditions of the treatie of Arras they were giuen to Duke Philip and his heires males onely Wherefore seeing Duke Charles left no issue but his daughter the said Master Philip of Creuecoeur became without all doubt the Kings subiect so that he could commit no fault by entering into the Kings seruice and restoring to him that which he held of him vnlesse he had done homage anew to the Lady of Burgundie Notwithstanding men haue reported and will report diuersly of him for this fact wherefore I leaue the matter to other mens iudgements True it is that he had beene brought vp enriched and aduaunced to great honor by Duke Charles and that his mother for a certaine space was gouernesse of the Lady
towne of Gaunt namely for a sute in law which of late the said towne had obtained by their sentence pronounced by the said Chauncellor against a particular man whom they had in sute But of all this matter of briberie they acquited themselues very honorably and as concerning that particular point where they of Gaunt charged them that they had sold iustice and taken monie of them to pronounce sentence on their behalfe they answered that the towne of Gaunt obtained their sute bicause their cause was good and as touching the monie they tooke they neuer demanded it nor caused it to be demanded but receiued it being offered The second point was that during the time they were with the late Duke Charles their Master and also being his lieutenants in his absence they had done diuers things against the priuileges and state of their towne and that whosoeuer doth against the priuileges of Gaunt ought to die But this point touched them no whit for they were neither their subiects nor citizens neither able to infringe their priuileges and if the Duke or his father tooke any of their priuileges from them they did it by the treatie made betweene them after their long wars and diuisions but the others that were left them being more than was requisite for their profit were neuer broken but kept and obserued Well notwithstanding the answers these two notable men made to these two points for of the principall matter first obiected against them no word was spoken yet the Senate of the towne condemned them to die as they stood at the barre bicause as they said they had broken their priuileges and receiued bribes after iudgement giuen vpon the matter in law aboue mentioned These two woorthie personages hearing this cruell sentence were not a little astonished and no maruell for they saw no way how to escape being in their enimies hands notwithstanding they appealed to the King and his court of Parlament trusting by this meanes to delay their death to the end their friends in the meane time might deuise some way to saue them Before their arrainment they racked them extremely against all order of law Their processe endured but sixe daies and notwithstanding their appeale after sentence pronounced they gaue them but three howers respite to confesse them and bethinke them of their soules health Which time expired they led them into their market place and set them vpon a scaffold The Ladie of Burgundie afterward Duchesse of Austrich being aduertised of their condemnation went to the townehouse to make request and supplication for their liues but perceiuing that she could do no good there she went to the market place where all the people were assembled togither in armes and there saw the two noble men aboue named standing vpon the scaffold The said Lady was in hir mourning apparell hauing nothing on hir head but a kerchiefe which was an humble and simple attire and ought of right to haue mooued them to pitie There she desired the people with weeping eies and hir haire loose about hir shoulders to haue pitie vpon these hir two seruants and to restore them vnto hir A great part of the people were willing that hir pleasure should be done and that they should not die but others would in no wise giue eare vnto hir whereupon they bent their pikes the one against the other But those that desired their death were the stronger and cried to them that stood vpon the scaffold to dispatch them immediately whereupon both their heads were striken off and in this estate returned this poore Lady to hir court sorrowfull and comfortlesse for these two were the principall persons in whom she had reposed hir whole confidence After they of Gaunt had done this exploit they remooued from about the said Lady the Lord of Rauastain and the Dowager Duke Charles widow hir mother in law bicause they had also written part of the letter aboue mentioned which Himbercourt and the Chauncellor deliuered to the King and they of Gaunt redeliuered to their Princesse after their returne as before you haue heard Further they vsurped all power and authoritie ouer this poore yoong Lady for so might she now well be called both bicause of the great dammage she had already receiued by the losse of so many notable townes irrecouerable by force considering his power in whose hands they were although by fauor friendship or composition some hope yet remained and also bicause she was in the hands of the ancient enimies and persecutors of hir house which was a great misfortune to hir Notwithstanding these citizens of Gaunt in all their publike actions haue euer shewed more grosse folly than cunning and no maruell for they that carrie credit and authoritie among them are for the most part wealthie men of occupation vnacquainted with waightie affaires and little vnderstanding what belongeth to the gouernment of a state Their cunning consisteth but in two points the one that they studie by all meanes possible how to weaken and impouerish their Prince the other that when they haue made a fault and finde the partie offended too strong for them they craue pardon with greater humilitie and buie peace with larger gifts than any people in the world yea and know what instruments to worke by and what persons to labour for obtaining of peace better than any towne that euer I knew After they of Gaunt had taken by force the gouernment of their Princesse put the two aboue mentioned to death and remooued from about hir those that misliked them they began euery where to place and displace officers at their pleasure and to banish and spoile all those that had best serued this house of Burgundy not regarding their good or euill desert but aboue all other men they hated the Burgundians especially so far foorth that they banished them all and trauelled to make them the Kings seruants and subiects as much as the King himselfe did who sollicited them thereunto by faire words wise perswasions large gifts and promises and sought also to constraine them by great force which he had in their countrey Moreouer these men of Gaunt meaning to begin their gouernment with some case of noueltie tooke out of prison as alreadie is mentioned the Duke of Gueldres who of long time by Duke Charles his commandement had been held prisoner for the causes aboue rehearsed and him they made generall of an army which they among themselues namely the townes of Bruges Gaunt and Ypre leuied and sent to Tournay to set fire on the subburbes thereof which was little for their Princesse profit For 200. soldiers sent in time to Arras or ten thousand franks to haue entertained men to put into it when the siege came before it would haue done both hir and them much more seruice than ten such armies as this For this army could do no good but fire a fewe houses in a place whereof the King made small account for he leuied neither taskes nor subsidies there but
spend both goods and liues in the wars wherefore it is reason they should vnderstand the cause of them before they begun Their subiects they poule in such sort that they leaue them nothing for notwithstanding that they pay them taskes and subsidies aboue their abilitie yet seeke they not to redresse the disorder of their men of armes which liue continually vpon their people without paiement dooing besides infinite mischiefes and iniuries as all the world knoweth For they are not contented with such cheere as they finde in the husband mans house and is set before them but beat also the poore men and constraine them to go foorth to buie them wine bread and victuals and if the good man haue a faire wife or a daughter he shall do wisely to keepe hir out of their sight Notwithstanding seeing these men of armes are duly paied this inconuenience might easily be redressed and order giuen that their paie should be made at euery two moneths ende at the furthest so should they not be able to alleage any pretence of their mischieuous dooings vnder colour that they want paie for the money is leuied and at the yeeres ende there is not one penie owing them I speake this for our realme which is more afflicted and plagued with these men of armes than any other countrey that I knowe But none can redresse this matter but a wise Prince other realmes bordering vpon vs haue other scourges Wherefore to continue this discourse is there any King or Prince that hath power to leuy one penie vpon his subiects besides his demaines without leaue and consent of those that must paie it vnlesse it be by tyrannie and violence A man will say that somtime the Prince can not tarie to assemble his estates bicause it would require too long time Whereunto I answer that if he mooue a war offensiue there needeth no such haste for he may haue leasure inough at his owne pleasure to make preparation And further he shall be much stronger and much more feared of his enimies when he mooueth war with the consent of his subiects than otherwise Now as touching a war defensiue that cloud is seene long before the tempest fall especially when it is forraine war and in this case good subiects ought not to complaine nor refuse any thing that is laid vpon them Notwithstanding such inuasion cannot happen so suddenly but that the Prince may haue leasure at the least to call togither certaine wise personages to whom he may open the causes of the war vsing no collusion therein neither seeking to maintaine a trifling war vpon no necessitie thereby to haue some colour to leuy money Money is also necessarie in time of peace to fortifie the frontiers for defence of those that dwell vpon them least they be taken vnprouided but this must be done measurably In all these matters the wisedome of a sage King sufficeth for if he be a iust Prince he knoweth what he may do and not do both by Gods law and mans To be short in mine opinion of all Seniories in the world that I know the realme of England is the countrey where the common wealth is best gouerned the people least oppressed and the fewest buildings and houses destroied in ciuill wars and alwaies the lot of misfortune falleth vpon them that be authors of the war Our King is the Prince in the whole world that hath least cause to alleage that he hath priuileges to leuy what him listeth vpon his subiects considering that neither he nor any other Prince hath power so to do And those that say he hath do him no honor neither make him to be esteemed any whit the mightier Prince thereby but cause him to be hated and feared of his neighbors who for nothing woulde liue vnder such a gouernment But if our King or those that seeke to magnifie and extol him should say I haue so faithfull and obedient subiects that they deny me nothing I demand and I am more feared better obeied and better serued of my subiects than any other Prince liuing they endure patiently whatsoeuer I lay vpō them and soonest forget all charges past This me thinke yea I am sure were greater honor to the King than to say I leuy what me listeth and haue priuileges so to do which I will stoutly maintaine King Charles the fift vsed no such termes neither did I euer heare such language proceede from any King but from diuers of their seruants who thought they did their Masters great seruice in vttring such speeches but in mine opinion they misbehaued themselues towards their Prince and vsed such language partly bicause they would seeme to be good seruants and partly bicause they knew not what they said But for a manifest proofe of the French mens loialty and obedience to their Prince we neede alleage none other example than that we our selues haue seene of late by experience when the three estates were assembled at Tours after the death of our Master King Lewis the eleuenth which was in the yeere of our Lord 1483. A man might then haue thought that this good assembly was dangerous for the Kings estate yea and diuers there were of meane calling and lesse honesty that said then and haue often said since that it is treason to make mention of assembling the estates and a thing tending to the diminishing of the Kings authority but they themselues are those that worke treason against God the King and the common wealth neither do any vse these speeches but either such as are in authority without desert and vnwoorthy thereof or such as are common tale-carriers and accustomed to talke of trifling matters or such as feare great assemblies least their doings should there be ripped vp and reprehended At this assembly I now speake of all men of what estate soeuer they were thought the realme much weakned and impouerished bicause it had paied by the space of 20. yeeres or more great and excessiue subsidies yea so great that they surmounted yeerely by the summe almost of three millions of francks all subsidies that euer were leuied in Fraunce For King Charles the seuenth leuied yeerely but eighteene hundred thousand franks 7 but King Levvis his sonne leuied at his death seauen and fortie hundred thousand 8 besides the charges of the artillerie and such like expences And sure it was a pitifull thing to behold the miserable estate of the poore people But one good propertie had the King our Master that he hoorded vp no treasure he tooke all and spent all and bestowed more vpon fortification of towns and places for the defence of his realme than all his predecessors ioined togither He gaue also much to churches but in some respects he had done better to haue giuen lesse for he tooke from the poore to giue to them that had no need But there is no man perfect in the whole world Well to proceed Notwithstanding that this realme were so impouerished and oppressed diuers waies did the people
these conditions that if the marriage were accomplished they should permit him quietly to enioy the counties of Burgundie Auxerrois Masconnois and Charolois and he for his part would restore vnto them Artois reseruing onely to himselfe the citie of Arras in such sort as he had fortified it for the towne was now nothing woorth considering the fortification of the citie For before the King tooke Arras the towne was fortified with ditch and rampire against the citie but now the citie was fortified against the towne and held for the King by the Bishop wherein the King did contrarie to the Princes of this house of Burgundie For they alwaies at the least by the space of these hundred yeeres made Bishop whom they listed and placed a captaine in the towne besides but the King to increase his authoritie did cleane contrarie and caused also the towne wals to be beaten downe and the citie to be fortified so that now the citie shutteth vpon the towne a great ditch being betweene both Wherefore the King indeed offered nothing for whoso hath the citie hath the towne at commandement Of the Duchie of Burgundie the countie of Bolloin the townes situate vpon the riuer of Somme the territories of Peronne Roye Montdidier no mention was made After these ouuertures were once set on foot they of Gaunt furthered them to the vttermost of their power and vsed very rudely the Duke and Duchesse his wife as did also diuers other great townes of Flaunders and Brabant which were fully bent to follow the proceedings of them of Gaunt especially Brucelles which was growen so wealthie bicause of the continuall residence that Duke Philip and Duke Charles of Burgundie had made there as did also at this present the Duke and Duchesse of Austriche that the wealth â—nd quietnes wherein they had liued vnder these two Dukes aboue named made them forget God and their dutie to their Prince so that they procured themselues that misfortune which afterward as you haue seene fell vpon them The Notes 1 The old copie saith but 500. men of armes 2 There were slaine at the battell of Guinegate 11000. Burgundians and 5000. French men Gaguin How King Lewis being visited with sicknes lost his wits and lay speechlesse somtime recouering and eftsoones falling into his disease againe and how he behaued himselfe in his castell of Plessis les Tours Chap. 7. ABout this time in the yeere 1479. in the moneth of March truce was made betweene these two Princes The King was verie desirous of peace especially in those parts so that it might be altogither for his aduentage For he began now to waxe old and sickely so far foorth that once being at dinner at Forges neere to Chinon he was suddenly taken in all parts of his bodie and lost his speech he was taken vp from the table and held to the fire and the windowes shut to the which notwithstanding that he desired to go yet some of his freiends held him and would not suffer him so to do meaning all for the best This disease tooke him in the yeere of our Lord 1480. in the moneth of March he laie altogither speechlesse he knew no man and his memorie was wholly taken away At the which instant you my Lord of Vienna came thither and serued him at that time in steed of a Phisition for you gaue him a glister and caused the windowes to be opened and the aire to be let in whereupon immediately he recouered his speech and his memorie after a sort and tooke horse and returned to Forges for this disease tooke him in a village a quarter of a league thence whither he went to heare masse He was diligently tended made signes what he would haue done among other things he desired that the officiall of Tours might be called to shriue him and made signes also that I should be sent for for I was gone to Argenton being ten leagues thence when I came I found him at the table with Master Adam Fumee who sometime had beene King Charles the seauenths Phisition and was at that present Master of the requests and another Phisition called Master Claude he vnderstood little what any man saide notwithstanding griefe he felt none he spake plainely almost neuer a word but made signes that I should be in his chamber I waited vpon him the space of 15. daies 1 at his table about his person as one of the groomes of his chamber which I accounted great honor to me and thought my self in dutie bound so to do After two daies he recouered his speech his memorie after a sort and bicause he thought that no man vnderstood him so well as my selfe his pleasure was that I should alwaies be by him and he confessed himselfe to the officiall in my presence otherwise they would neuer haue vnderstood one an other He had not much to say for he was shriuen not long before bicause the Kings of Fraunce vse alwaies to confesse themselues when they touch those that be sicke of the Kings euill which he neuer failed to do once a weeke If other Princes do not the like they are to blame for continually a great number are troubled with that disease After he was somewhat recouered he began to enquire who they were that held him by force from going to the windowes whose names when he heard foorthwith he banished them the Court so that they neuer came afterward to his presence some of them also he put out of office From others namely the Lord of Segre and Gilbert de Grasse Lord of Champeroux he tooke nothing but commanded them to depart Many woondered at this toie blaming him for so vsing them considering that all that they did was for the best and they said truth but Princes imaginations are strange and a number are bold to prattle of them that vnderstand them not The King feared nothing so much as the diminishing of his authoritie being maruellous great for the which cause he would not be disobeied in any point Further he remembred that when King Charles his father fell into the disease whereof he died he entred into suspition that his seruants sought to poison him at his sonnes request 2 which phansie sanke so deepely into his head that he refused his meate Wherefore it was concluded by the aduise of his Phisitions and of his chiefest and trustiest seruants that he should be forced to eate the which was executed verie orderly and aduisedly by those that serued him for cooliz was powred into his mouth but soone after this force he died The King our Master who had euer misliked this ordering of his father stomacked maruellously that he had been held thus perforce but yet made shew of much greater displeasure than indeed he had conceiued therof The chiefe cause that mooued him so to do was feare least they should Master him in all other things especially in the expedition of his waightie affaires vnder colour of the imperfection of his wits After
perswaded that for one pleasant there should be found twenty displeasant He liued about threescore and one yeeres notwithstanding that he had conceiued an imagination that he should neuer passe threescore saying that no King of Fraunce of long time passed that age some saie none since Charles the great Notwithstanding the King our Master when he died was well forward in the threescore and one yeere Duke Charles of Burgundie what rest or quietnes had he more than the King our Master True it is that in his youth he was not much troubled for he attempted nothing til the two twenty yeere of his age but liued till that time in helth and at his ease But then he began to busie himselfe with his fathers officers whom his father maintained against him for the which cause he absented himselfe and went into Holland where he was well receiued and had intelligence with them of Gaunt and sometime also went thither himselfe He had not one peny of his father but this countrey of Holland was maruellous rich and gaue him goodly presents as did also diuers great townes of his other Seniories hoping thereby to winne his fauour in time to come For it is a common thing especially among the vulgare sort to loue better and seeke rather to him whose power is growing than to him who is already so great that he can be no greater 5 For the which cause Duke Philip when men told him that they of Gaunt loued his sonne maruellous wel that he could skill of their humor was woont to answer that their Prince in expectation they euer loued deerly but their Prince in possession they hated euer extremely which saying prooued true For after D. Charles began to reigne ouer them they neuer loued him and that they well declared as before I haue rehearsed he also for his part bare them as little good will notwithstanding they did his posteritie more harme than they could do him But proceed after the time that Duke Charles mooued war for the townes in Picardie which the King our Master had redeemed of Duke Philip his father and ioined himselfe with the Princes of this realme in the war called THE WEALE PVBLIKE he neuer was quiet but in continuall trauell both of bodie and minde For his hart was so inflamed with desire of glorie that he attempted to conquer all that lay about him All sommer he kept the field with great danger of his person and tooke vpon himselfe the charge and care of the whole armie all which trouble seemed yet not sufficient to him He was the first vp and the last downe as if he had beene the poorest soldier in his campe If he rested from wars at any time in winter yet was he busied all day long from sixe of the clocke in the morning either in leuying of money or receiuing ambassadors or giuing them audience In this trauell and miserie ended he his daies and was slaine of the Swissers before Nancy as you haue heard so that a man may iustly say that he neuer had good day from the time that ambition first entred into his minde till the hower of his death And what got he by all this trauell what needed he thus to haue toiled himselfe being so rich a Prince and hauing so many goodly townes and seniories vnder his subiection where he might haue liued in great ioy and prosperitie if it had so pleased him I must now speake of Edward K. of England who was so great mighty a Prince In his youth he sawe the Duke of Yorke his father discomfited and slaine in battell with him the Earle of Warwicks father 6 the which Earle of Warwicke gouerned King Edward in his youth and all his affaires yea to say the truth made him King and was the onely man that defeated his enimie King Henry who had raigned many yeeres in England and was lawfull King both in mine opinion and in the iudgement of the whole world But as touching great realmes and seniories God holdeth them in his hand and disposeth of them at his pleasure for all proceedeth of him The cause that mooued the Earle of Warwick to serue the house of Yorke against King Henry who was of the house of Lancaster was this The Earle of Warwicke and the Duke of Sommerset fell at variance in King Henries court who was a very simple man the Queene his wife being of the house of Aniou daughter to Rene King of Sicilie tooke part with the Duke of Sommerset against the Earle But considering that they had all acknowledged both King Henry and his father and grandfather for their lawfull Princes the said Lady should haue done much better to haue taken vpon hir the office of Iudge or mediator betweene them than to take part with either of them as the sequele well declared For heereupon arose war which continued nine and twenty yeeres during the which space many bloodie battels were fought and in the end all in maner both of the one partie and the other slaine Now to speake a word or two of factions surely they are maruellous dangerous especially among great men who are naturally inclined to nourish and maintaine them But you will say peraduenture that by this meanes the Prince shall haue intelligence of all things that passe and thereby hold both the parties in the greater feare In truth I can well agree that a yoong Prince vse this order among Ladies for by this meanes he shall haue pleasure and sport ynough and vnderstand of all their newes but to nourish factions among men yea among Princes and men of vertue and courage nothing can be more dangerous bicause by that meanes he shall kindle an vnquenchable fire in his house for foorthwith one of the parties will suppose the King to be against them and then to fortifie themselues take intelligence with his enimies The factions of Orleans and Burgundie prooue this point sufficiently for the wars that sprang therof continued threescore and twelue yeeres the English men being parties in them who thought to haue conquered the whole realme But to returne to King Edward he was very yoong when his father was slaine and the beautifullest Prince in the world but after he had vanquished all his enimies he gaue himselfe wholy to pleasures as to dames feasting banketting and hunting in the which delicacies he continued about sixteene yeeres 7 to wit till the Earle of Warwicke and he fell at variance in the which wars notwithstanding that the King were chased out of his realme yet continued he not long in that estate for he soone returned and hauing obtained the victorie more abandoned himselfe to all pleasures than before He feared no man but fed himselfe maruellous fat by meanes whereof in the flower of his age diseases grew vpon him so that he died in a maner suddenly of an Apoplexie and his heires males lost the crowne as before you haue heard In this our age raigned also two valiant and wise
that happened in Britaine betweene the Duke and his Nobles and of Peter Landois death Chap. 3. ABout the same time or somewhat before that the mad tumult aboue mentioned happened in Fraunce a like stur chanced also in Britaine though not with the like euent the seedes of the which were priuily sowen in the life of Levvis the 11. but sprang not vp for feare of forren war with the which the saide King Lewis continually threatened the Britaines till after his death But then all forren feare which had hitherto preserued their peace being remooued the fire flamed out which vpon this occasion was first kindled Chauuin Chauncellor of Britaine a very woorthy man died miserably in pâ—ison in the castell of L'hermite where the Duke had imprisoned him at the request of his Treasurer Peter Landois a hosiers sonne of Touars who after the said Chauuins death wholy possessed the Duke But the nobilitie namely the Prince of Orenge and the Marshall of Rieux who were then at Nantes and hated this Landois as author of the others death conspired togither to his destruction for the executing of which their purpose they watched a time when they thought to surprise him either in the castell of Nantes with the Duke or in a house of his owne called Pabotiere a mile from the towne Wherefore they diuided their companie and part they sent to besiege the said house and with the rest entred into the castell and to the end he should by no meanes escape they shut vp the castell gates they searched euery corner of the castell yea they rushed into the Dukes chamber supposing that the saide Landois might happily haue retired himselfe thither in hope to make the D. presence the buckler of his defence But he being a mile from Nantes in his own house aboue mentioned escaped at a backe gate before the house was thoroughly beset and so saued himselfe But presently a great vprore began in the towne for one of the Dukes seruants at the noble mens first entrie into the castell being let downe the castell wall by a rope made a great outcrie in the towne aggrauating the hainousnes of the fact and affirming that the castell was forced the Duke assaulted and his life in great danger vnles he were speedily succoured The citizens ignorant that this attempt was made onely for the surprising of Peter Landois armed themselues and ran to the castell threatning all the nobilitie with death of whom not one durst shew himselfe vpon the wall to speake to the furious multitude bicause the people had planted shot against the castell meaning to spare no man so soone as he should appeere but the Duke alone The Duke being in the hands of his nobles shewed himselfe vnto his people who presently kneeled downe before him congratulating with him for his safetie and so the tumult ceased But the nobilitie for this bold attempt were banished though their liues were pardoned who presently retired themselues into Fraunce to King Charles as before you haue heard Then Peter recouered his former credit with the Duke and caused him to write to the Duke of Orleans his cosin germaine that it would please him to come to him into Britaine which the Duke of Orleans did by the perswasion of the Earle of Dunois who sought to diuorce him from the Kings sister and to marrie him with Anne the Duke of Britaines eldest daughter and heire which also happened after the said Duke of Orleans was King though it were not now accomplished The Duke of Orleans accompanied with the Duke of Alençon arriued at Nantes in the moneth of Aprill after this tumult being the yeere 1484. where they were honorably receiued of the Duke of Britaine who complained to them of the outrage done vnto him by the Prince of Orenge and the Marshall of Rieux for the reuenge whereof he desired their aide which they promised him in generall termes and then departed to go to Reimes to the coronation of King Charles After the which the Duke of Orleans fell at variance with the King and yet in the end peace was concluded betweene them in the yeere 1485. as before you haue heard Then Peter Landois seeing the Duke his Master in league with the Duke of Orleans This hapned 1485. and the said Duke of Orleans and his faction in peace with the King determined to be reuenged of his enimies wherefore the Duke of Britaine by his perswasion made an edict that all the noble mens houses that had beene of the conspiracie aboue mentioned should be rased For the execution whereof an armie was leuied in the Dukes name to rase Ancenix where the Prince of Orenge and the Earle of Comminges then remained who being aduertised therof by the aide of their friends and of the banished Barons that were returned out of exile to defend their patrimonies leuied likewise an armie to withstand Landois attempts but when those two armies were come the one in face of the other the remembrance and loue to their common countrie altered their mindes in such sort that they disarmed themselues and each imbraced other as friends Then went the Prince of Orenge and the Earle of Comminges to the Duke and recouered his fauour and the gouernment by meanes whereof all the storme fell vpon Peter Landois alone whom when the nobles knew to be within the castell with one consent they went thither being fully resolued to seize vpon him though he were in the Dukes armes Then one whom both the nobilitie and commons had by common consent chosen their new Chauncellor by their constraint spake to the Duke and aduertised him that without the deliuerie of Peter the tumult could not be appeased against whom they would proceede onely by order of lawe without executing any thing vpon him before his cause were heard and throughly examined Thus was he yeelded into their hands and presently imprisoned and for fashions sake examined many hainous crimes were obiected against him To conclude he was condemned and hanged before the Duke knew his cause to be tried who was purposed to haue granted him his pardon howsoeuer law proceeded against him for the preuenting whereof the execution was hastened But this fact of the nobilitie which the Duke accounted as a most hainous iniurie done to himselfe made them ten times more odious to the Duke than they were before The Duke created a new Chauncellor and to make head against his nobles receiued very curteously the Duke of Orleans who about this present fled to him out of Fraunce with a great company of his partakers which when the said nobles of Britaine sawe they were greatly astonied and fled for feare the second time into Fraunce where the King meaning to make war vpon the Duke of Britaine for receiuing the Duke of Orleans being fled from him welcommed them and entred into league with them as in the end of the last chapter you haue heard The report went that the Duke of Orleans had a plot in his head
hired a brother of the captains to kill the said Lodouic as he entred into the castel whom the captaine withheld frō executing the fact for the which cause he now saued his life Notwithstanding if he had been giltie of so heinous a crime as a purpose to yeeld the place to the Emperor who might haue laid claim to it both as Emperor Duke of Austrich for that house pretendeth some title thereunto I thinke he would not haue pardoned him for it would haue made a great alteration in Italie and the whole estate of Milain would haue reuolted in one day For when they liued vnder the Emperors euerie household paid but halfe a ducat for tribute but now they are cruelly and tyrannouslie gouerned both the Spiritualtie Nobilitie and Commons The Lord Lodouic seeing himselfe seized of the castell and all the force of the countrie at his commandement determined to attempt further for he that possesseth Milan possesseth the whole estate both bicause the chiefe of the countrie be resident there and also bicause those that haue the charge and gouernment of the other places be all Milanois borne Sure for the quantitie of this Duchie I neuer saw a pleasanter nor plentifuller peece of ground For if the Prince would content himselfe with the yeerely reuenues of fiue hundred thousand ducats his subiects should be but too rich and the Prince liue in suretie but he leuieth yeerely sixe hundred and fiftie thousand or seuen hundred thousand which is great tyrannie and therefore the people desire nothing more than change of their Prince Which the L. Lodouic considering togither with the other reasons aboue rehearsed and being already married to the Duke of Ferraraes daughter by whom he had many children determined to accomplish his intent and endeuored to win friends not onely in the said Duchie but also abrode in Italie Wherefore first he entred into league with the Venetians for the preseruation of their estate whereunto he was great friend to his father in lawes preiudice from whom the said Venetians not long before had taken a little territorie called the Polesan enuironed with water and maruellously abounding with all kinde of wealth This country being distant but halfe a league from Ferrara the Venetians possesse yet at this day There are in it two prety townes which I haue been in my selfe the one named Rouigue the other Labadie The Duke of Ferrara lost it in the war that himselfe first mooued against the Venetians for notwithstanding that before the end of those wars Alphonse Duke of Calabria his father King Ferrande yet liuing the Lord Lodouic with the force of Milan the Florentines the Pope and the towne of Bolonia came to his aide by meanes whereof the Venetians were brought altogither vnder foote or at the least to great extremitie being vtterly vnfurnished of monie and hauing lost diuers places yet the said Lodouic concluded a treatie to their honor and profit for euery man was restored to his owne saue the poore Duke of Ferrara who was forced to leaue vnto them the Polesan which they yet hold notwithstanding that he had mooued this war at the request of the Lord Lodouic and of King Ferrande whose daughter he had married The report went that Lodouic receiued threescore thousand ducats of the Venetians for making this treatie Whether it were so or no I know not but sure I am that the Duke of Ferrara was once perswaded that it was so for at that time the said Lodouic was not married to his daughter From that day forward amitie euer continued betweene the Venetians and the said Lodouic No seruant nor kinsman of Iohn Galeas Duke of Milan sought to impeach and stop the Lord Lodouic from seizing the Duchie into his own hands saue onely the Duchesse his wife who was yoong but a very wise Lady She was daughter to Alfonse Duke of Calabria before mentioned sonne and heire to Ferrande King of Naples In the yeere 1493. the said Lodouic sent to King Charles the 8. now raigning to perswade him to come into Italie to conquer the realme of Naples and to vanquish and subdue those that possessed it for so long as they florished and were of force he durst neuer attempt that which afterward he accomplished At that time the said Ferrande King of Naples and Alphonse his sonne were puissant rich of great experience in the wars and accounted Princes of hautie courages though afterward their actions declared the contrarie The said Lodouic was also a very wise man but maruellous timorous and humble when he stood in feare and void of all faith if the breach thereof might turne to his profit I speake as one that knew him throughly well bicause I haue dealt with him in many matters But to proceede in the yeere 1493. as before I said the Lord Lodouic began to tickle this yoong King Charles being but two and twenty yeeres of age with the ambition and vaineglorie of Italie shewing him what right he had to this goodly realme of Naples which I warrant you he skilfully blazed and painted foorth In all these negotiations he addressed himselfe to Stephan de Vers then newly made Seneschall of Beaucaire and maruellously enriched though not satisfied and to the Generall Brissonet a rich man skilfull in matters of the receit and great friend at that time to the said Seneschall by whose meanes the Lord Lodouic perswaded the said Brissonet to become a priest promising to make him a Cardinall but the Seneschall himselfe he promised to make a Duke And to set all these practises on foote the said Lodouic sent in the same yeere to Paris a goodly ambassage to the King the chiefe whereof was the Earle of Caiazze sonne and heire to the aboue named Robert of Saint Seuerin who found there the Prince of Salerne his cosin for the said Prince was chiefe of the house of Saint Seuerin as I haue alreadie made mention and liued in Fraunce being banished by King Ferrande of Naples as before you haue heard and therfore trauelled earnestly that this voiage to Naples might go forward With the said Earle of Caiazze came also Charles Earle of Belleioyeuse and Master Galeas Viscount of Milan who were both in very good order and well accompanied but openly they vsed salutations onely and generall speeches This was the first great ambassage that came from the Lord Lodouic to the King True it is that he had sent before this one of his Secretaries to negotiate with the King to send his deputie into Italie to receiue homage of his cosin the Duke of Milan for Genua which was granted him against all reason 8 notwithstanding I will not denie but that the King of especiall fauor might assigne one to receiue it of him for when this Duke Galeas was warde to his mother I being then ambassador for King Lewis the 11. receiued his homage in the castell of Milan hauing an expresse commission from the King so to do But Genua was then out of
successe this voiage was like to haue had if God alone had not guided the enterprise The King abode at Ast a certaine space 2 That yeere all the wines of Italie were sower which our men much misliked neither could they away with the great heate of the aire To Ast came the Lord Lodouic and his wife with a goodly traine to visite the King where they abode two daies and then the said Lodouic departed to a castell of the Duchie of Milan a league from Ast called Nom whither the Kings Councell repaired daily to him King Alphonse had two armies abrode in the countrie the one in Romaine 3 towards Ferrara vnder the leading of his sonne accompanied with the Lord Virgill Vrsin the Earle of Petilhane and the Lord Iohn Iames of Trenoul who is now become French Against these the King sent the Lord d'Aubigny 4 a valiant and wise Knight with two hundred men of armes French and fiue hundred men of armes Italians being in the Kings seruice vnder the leading of the Earle of Caiazze so often before mentioned who was there as the Lord Lodouics lieutenant and feared greatly the discomfiture of these forces which if it had happened we had repaired homewards incontinent and he should haue had his enimies vpon his necke whose intelligence was great in the Duchie of Milan The other armie was vpon the sea vnder the leading of Dom Frederike King Alphonses brother and lay at Ligorne and at Pise for the Florentines tooke part as yet with the house of Arragon and furnished them of certaine gallies Moreouer with the said Dom Frederike was Breto de Flisco and certaine other Genuois by whose intelligence he hoped to cause Genua to reuolt 5 And sure they had almost obtained their purpose at Specie and Rapalo neere to Genua where they landed a thousand of their faction by meanes whereof they had vndoubtedly atchieued their enterprise if they had not been very speedily assailed But the selfesame day or the next day Lewis Duke of Orleance arriued there with certaine ships and a good number of gallies and one great galliasse being mine the patrone whereof was one Master Albert Mely and it caried the said Duke and the principall of the armie and manie goodly peeces of artillerie for it was very strong and approched so neere the shore that the very artillery almost discomfited the enimies who before had neuer seene the like for artillerie was at that time strange and new to the Italian nation The soldiers landed also that were in the other ships and from Genua where the whole armie laie came a band of Swissers by land led by the Bailife of Digeon who had ioined with him certaine of the Duke of Milans forces vnder the leading of Master Iohn Lewis de Flisco brother to the forenamed Breto and of Master Iohn Adorne the which notwithstanding that they were not at the skirmish shewed themselues valiant soldiers in defending a straight against the enimies To be short bicause our men came to hand-strokes with the enimies they were discomfited and put to flight and a hundred or sixscore slaine and eight or ten taken prisoners among the which was one Fourgousin sonne to the Cardinall of Genua Those prisoners that were dismissed were all stripped to their shirts by the Duke of Milans bands and other harme had they none for such is the law of armes in Italie I saw all the letters that were sent both to the King and to the Duke of Milan making report of this skirmish Thus was the enimies Nauie repulsed which afterward approched no more so neer At our mens returne the Genuois thought to haue raised a tumult and slew certaine Almaines in the towne certaine also of them were slaine but the matter was soone pacified I must heere speake a word or two of the Florentines who had sent twise to the King before his departure out of Fraunce meaning onely to dissemble with him with their first ambassadors being the Bishop of Arese 6 and one named Peter Sonderin the King commanded me the Seneschall and the Generall to negotiate Our demands were onely these First to giue the King passage through their countrie and secondarily to serue him with a hundred men of armes paying them after the Italian intertainment which was but ten thousand ducats the yeere 7 These ambassadors depended wholie vpon Peter of Medicis a yoong man of small wisedome sonne to Laurence of Medicis who was dead and had beene one of the wisest men in his time and had gouerned this citie almost as prince as did also at this present his sonne for their house had continued thus already two mens ages namely Laurence the father of this Peter and Cosme of Medicis the first roote and founder of this house a man woorthie among the woorthiest And sure of their trade being merchandise I thinke it hath beene the greatest house that euer was in the world for their seruants and factors haue had so great credit vnder their name that it is woonderfull I my selfe haue seene the proofe thereof both in Flaunders and England For I knew one called Gerard Quanuese by whose onely helpe in a maner King Edward the fowerth kept the crowne on his head when ciuill wars were in the realme of England for he lent him at times more then sixscore thousand crownes little for his Masters profite notwithstanding he recouered his principall in the end Another also I knew named Thomas Portunay who was pledge at one time betweene the said King Edward and Duke Charles of Burgundie for fiftie thousand crownes and at an other time in another place for forwerscore thousand I commend not the wisedome of merchants in thus doing but I commend Princes that vse merchants well and keepe daie with them for they know not when they shall need their helpe and sometime a little money doth great seruice It seemeth that this house of the Medicis fel to ruine as mighty houses do in realms and Empires for the great authoritie of this Peter of Medicis predecessors did him harme notwithstanding the gouernment of Cosme the first of this house was milde and gentle such as was agreeable with a free state But Lavvrence this Peters father whom we now presently write of bicause of the great variance before mentioned in this historie that was betweene him and them of Pisa and others diuers of the Lib. 6. cap. 5. which at that time were hanged tooke a garde of 20. men for the defence of his person by the commandement and leaue of the Seniory who commanded nothing but at his pleasure notwithstanding he behaued himselfe in this great authoritie very discreetly and soberly for as I before said he was one of the wisest men in his time But this Peter who succeeded his father supposing the like authority to be due to him of right became terrible by meanes of this guard and vsed great violence in the night beating men as they went in the streetes and abusing their common treasure
Plaisance and marched towards the Florentines territories meaning either to cause them to declare themselues for him or to take their townes being vnfortified and lodge his men in them all the winter which was already begun Diuers small places yeelded vnto him so did also the citie of Luques enimie to the Florentines shewing him all pleasure and seruice that in them lay Now you shall vnderstand that the Duke of Milan had two purposes in his head first he sought by all meanes possible to staie the King from passing further that sommer 2 Secondarily he hoped to obtaine of him Pisa a great and a faire citie togither with Serzane and Petresancte which two places had been subiect to the Geneuois not long before and were woon from them by the Florentines in Laurence de Medicis time The King passed through Pontreme one of the D. of Milans townes and went to besiege Serzane the strongest and the best castle the Florentines had but vnfurnished bicause of their great diuision To say the truth the Florentines neuer beare armes willingly against the house of Fraunce for they haue euer faithfully serued it taken part with it both bicause of their great traficke in Fraunce also bicause they haue euer been of the Guelphes faction 3 If this place had been well furnished the King must of necessitie haue broken his armie for the countrie is verie barren ful of hils victuals there were none to be gotten besides that the snow lay maruellous deepe vpon the ground After the Kings siege had lien before it three daies the Duke of Milan came thither no composition being yet made betweene the Florentines and the King 4 and passed through Pontreme where the townesmen and the soldiers of the garrison fell at such variance with our Almaines led by one Buser that certaine of the saide Almaines were staine of the which braule sprang a great inconuenience as heereafter you shall heare For although I were not my selfe present at the doing of these things yet vnderstood I of them both by the King the Duke and diuers others The Florentines began now to practise and appointed fifteene or sixteene to go to the King saying that they would no longer continue in this great danger nor sustaine the displeasure of the King and the Duke of Milan who had continually an ambassador resident at Florence And Peter of Medices consented to the sending of this ambassage for to say the truth he could not remedie it considering vpon what termes they stood for if they had done otherwise they had been vndone being vnprouided of all things and vtterly vnacquainted with the wars When these ambassadors came to the Kings presence they offered to receiue him into Florence and their other places neither cared the greater part of them how the world went so that we would come to Florence to chase away Peter of Medices which matter they earnestly pressed bicause they had good intelligence with the aboue named that gouerned then the Kings affaires On the other side Peter of Medices practised by a seruant of his owne named Laurence Spinelly who was his factor at Lyons and an honest man in his vocation and had liued long in Fraunce but of the state of our Court he could vnderstand nothing no hardly they that had beene Courtiers all their liues bicause of the often changes and alterations This Spinelly negotiated with those that heeretofore had borne all the sway namely the Lord of Bresse afterward Duke of Sauoye and the Lord of Miolans chamberlaine to the King Soone after the aboue named ambassadors were returned to Florence Peter of Medices accompanied with certaine of the citie came himselfe to the King to make answer to our requests for they within the citie sawe vtter destruction before their eies vnlesse they yeelded to all the Kings demaunds whose fauour they hoped to obtaine by offering him some greater seruice than any of the other townes that had already receiued him At his arriuall Monseur de Piennes a Flemming borne and Chamberlaine to the King and the generall Brissonnet were sent to treate with him who required him to yeeld vnto the King the castell of Serzane which presently he did They required him further to lend the King Pisa Ligorne Petresanct and Librefacto whereunto he also agreed incontinent neuer communicating the matter with his collegues who supposed that the King should onely haue lodged in Pisa and these other places to refresh himselfe but not haue held them still well by this meanes they yeelded their whole estate and force into our hands Those that negotiated with the said Peter haue told both me and others since scoffing and iesting at him that they woondred to see him so lightly condescend to so waightie a matter granting more than they looked for To conclude the King entred into Pisa and the aboue named ambassadors returned to Florence where the said Peter caused the Kings lodging to be made in his owne house which was the goodliest of a citizens or merchants house that euer I saw and better furnished than any mans house in the world of his estate I must heere speake a word or two of the Duke of Milan who now wished the King with all his hart out of Italy notwithstanding that both already he had made his profit by him and sought also still so to do for he was in hope to obtaine of him the places yeelded by the Florentines and pressed him earnestly for Serzane and Petresancte which he said appertained to the Genuois he lent him also at that present 30. thousand ducats and he hath since told both me and others that these places were promised him But when he sawe that he could not obtaine them he departed in great displeasure from the King pretending that earnest busines called him home which was the last time the King saw him notwithstanding he left Master Galeas of Saint Seuerin behind him whom he ioined in commission in all matters with the Earle Charles of Belleioyeuse The said Master Galeas while the King lay in Pisa sent by his Masters aduise for the chiefe citizens of the towne to his lodging where he perswaded them to rebell against the Florentines and to desire the King to restore them to their ancient liberty trusting by this meanes that Pisa would fall into the Duke of Milans clawes vnder whose obedience it had been 5 in the time of Iohn Galeas the first Duke of Milan of that name a great and wicked tyrant though very honorable whose body lieth buried in the charterhouse of Pauia by the parke 6 so high aboue the high altar that men go vp to it by a ladder certain of the monkes shewed me it at the least his bones which smelt as naturally they should Further one of the said monkes who was borne at Bourges called him Saint as he talked with me and I asked him in his eare why he called him Saint considering he might behold painted round about him the armes of
somtime had led certaine bands and ought of right to haue led the vaward 2 as all men said I answered the King that I would do his commandement but that I neuer saw two so great forces so neere togither depart without battell Our whole armie marched foorth vpon the plaine in good order the one battell neere to the other as the day before but as touching the force it seemed but a handfull to that I had seene with Duke Charles of Burgundie and King Lewis this Kings father Vpon the said plaine the Cardinall and I withdrew our selues aside and endited a letter to the two Prouisors aboue named the which was written by one Master Robertet a Secretarie of the Kings and in good credit The contents of our letter were that it appertained to the estate and office of the Cardinall to procure peace and vnto me also hauing so lately been ambassador at Venice for the which cause I might as yet take vpon me the office of mediator betweene the King and them We signified further to them on the Kings behalfe that he would but passe foorth his way without doing harme to any man wherefore if they minded to parlament according to the order taken the day before we for our parts were willing thereunto and would imploy our selues to do all the good we could The skirmishes were already begun round about vs and after our armie had marched awhile softly passing along before them the riuer running betweene them and vs as you haue heard we approched so neer to them that we came within a quarter of a league of their camp within the which they stood all in martiall aray for their maner is to make their campe so large that they may all stand in order of battell within it They sent foorth incontinent part of their Estradiots and crossebowe men on horsebacke and certaine men of armes the which came along vpon the way almost vnder couert towards the village of Fornoue out of the which we were departed meaning there to passe this little riuer and to assaile our carriage which was so great that I thinke it laded aboue 6000. mules horses and asses They had set their battels in such order many daies before they fought that better they could not be ordered for they were so placed that their great number halfe assured them of the victory bicause they assailed the K. his army on euery side in such sort that not one of vs could haue escaped if we had been broken considering the straight we were in Those aboue mentioned came and assailed our carriage and on the left hand came the Marquesse of Mantua the Lord Rodolph his vncle and the Earle Bernardin of Dalmouton with all the flower of their armie being to the number of sixe hundred men of armes as they themselues afterward confessed all the which entred into the plaine directly behinde vs. Their men of armes were all barded and furnished with braue plumes and goodly bourdonasses 3 and well accompanied with crossebowe men on horsebacke Estradiots and footemen Against the Marshall of Gie and our vaward marched the Earle of Caiazze with fower hundred men of armes accompanied as the others aboue mentioned and with a great band of footemen with him also was another companie of two hundred men of armes led by Master Iohn de Bentiuoille of Bolonia his sonne a yoong man who before had neuer seen the wars for they were as slenderly prouided of good captaines as we This yoong Bentiuoille was placed there to giue a new charge vpon our vaward immediately after the Earle of Caiazze With the Marquesse of Mantua was also a like companie of men of armes for the same purpose vnder the leading of Master Anthony of Vrbin bastard to the late Duke of Vrbin Besides these there remained yet in their campe two great troupes of men of armes as I vnderstood the next day by themselues when they and I communed togither and I saw them also with mine eies And this they did bicause the Venâ—tians would not hazard all at once nor vnfurnish their campe Notwithwanding in mine opinion it had beene better for them to haue aduentured their whole force seeing they meant to fight I will now tell you what became of the letter the Cardinall and I sent to their campe by a trumpeter The Prouisors receiued it and immediately after they had read it brast foorth the first peece of our artillerie then shot theirs which was not so good as ours The said Prouisors incontinent sent backe our trumpeter accompanied with a trumpeter of the Marquesses who brought word that they were content to parlament if we would cause our artillerie to cease saying that they on their side would do the like I was then a great way from the King who rid about heere and there and sent backe these two trumpeters with answere that he would make the artillerie to cease and gaue commandement to the Master of the ordinance to stay the shot and so all ceased awhile on both sides But soone after vpon a sudden they discharged one of their peeces and then shot ours againe freshlier than before and we approched three of our peeces neerer to them After the two trumpeters were arriued at their campe they tooke ours and sent him to the Marquesses pauilion resoluing to fight For the Earle of Caiazze as those that were present haue informed me said that it was now no time to parlament seeing that we were halfe vanquished already and one of their Prouisors was of his opinion and agreed to fight as I haue heard himselfe report but the other would not consent thereunto The Marquesse in like maner desired the battell but his vncle who was a vertuous and a wise gentleman and loued vs well and bare armes against vs with an euill will withstood it to the vttermost of his power but in the end they agreed all to fight Now you shal vnderstand that the King had put his whole force into his vaward in the which were three hundred and fiftie men of armes and three thousand Swissers the onely hope of our army with whom he commanded three hundred archers of his garde to ioine themselues on foote and likewise certaine crossebowe men on horsebacke of the two hundreth that were also of his garde which was a great diminishing of the safety of his person In our army were but few footemen besides these for all that we had were placed in the vaward On foote with our Almaines were the Lord Engelbert brother to the Duke of Cleues Lornay and the bailife of Digeon the said Almains captain and before them marched our artillerie Heere they whom we left in the Florentines places and those that were sent to Genua would haue don good seruice contrary to the opinion of all men Our vaward had now marched almost as far as their campe so that all men thought they should haue begun the battell but our two other battels were not so neere it
ended so that none sought to endammage other but each partie to defend their own They sent to King Charles a gentleman accompanied with certaine Monks of Montferrat for all their affaires they gouerned by such men either to saue charges thereby or to dissemble by such instruments with the lesse suspition as for example they did by Iohn de Mauleon the Frier Franciscan aboue named who perswaded the King to restore vnto them the countrey of Roussillon These ambassadors at their first audience besought the King to forget the great wrong the King and the Queene had done him I name alwaies the Queene bicause the crowne of Castile mooued by hir and bicause hir authority was greater there than hir husbands and vndoubtedly this was a very honorable mariage betweene the King hir husband and hir Then these ambassadors began to treat of truce desiring to haue all their league comprehended therein The ouuertures they made were these that the King should keepe the possession of Caietta and the other places he yet held in the realme of Naples and that during the truce he might victuall them at his pleasure Further that there should be a place assigned whither all the Princes of the league should send their ambassadors at the least as many as would to treat of peace the which being concluded the said King and Queene meant to continue their conquest or enterprise against the Moores and to passe the sea out of Granado into Africk there to inuade the King of Fessa who was their next neighbour on that side Notwithstanding some were of opinion that they meant rather to hold themselues contented with that they had already conquered I meane the realme of Granado which vndoubtedly was the greatest and honorablest conquest that hath been obteined in our time 8 yea such as their predecessors were neuer able to atchieue And I wish with all my hart for the honor I beare them that they had neuer mooued other war than this but had faithfully performed their promise to the King The King sent the Lord of Clerieux in Daulphine backe into Castile with their ambassadors and sought to conclude a peace or truce wherein their confederates should not be comprehended notwithstanding if he had accepted their offer made by these their ambassadors he had saued Caietta which had been sufficient for the recouerie of the whole realme of Naples considering the great fauour he had there The said de Clerieux at his returne brought a new ouuerture for Caietta was lost before he entred into Castile which was that the King and they should renew their former ancient league and attempt betweene them at equall charges the conquest of all Italie wherat the two Kings should be togither in person but they said they would first conclude a generall truce wherein all their league should be comprehended and then assigne a diet at some place in Piemont whither euery of their confederates should send their ambassadors to the end they might honorably depart from their said league All this ouuerture as we suspected then and vnderstood perfectly afterward was but meere dissimulation to win time to the end King Ferrand while he liued and afterward Dom Frederic newly crowned King might repose themselues notwithstanding I thinke they wished with all their harts the said realme of Naples to be their owne and sure they had better title to it than they that possessed it9. But vndoubtedly the house of Anious right which the King had was the best although to say the truth considering both the seate of the countrey and the disposition of the people that inhabite it me thinke he hath best right to it that can get it for they desire nothing but alteration The King afterward sent the aboue named de Clericux back againe into Castile one Michaell of Grammont with him with certaine other ouertures This de Clerieux bare some affection to these Princes of Arragon and hoped to obtaine of them the Marquisat of Cotron in Calabria which the King of Spaine conquered in the last voiage that his men made thither The said de Clerieux pretended title to it and he is a good plaine dealing man and one that will easily giue credit especially to such personages as these were At his second returne he brought with him an ambassador from the King and Queene and made his report to the King which was that they would hold themselues contented with that part of the realme of Naples that lies next to Sicilie to wit Calabria for the right that they pretended to the said realme and that the King should hold the rest and farther that the said King of Castile would be in person at this conquest and beare equall charges in all things with the King and indeed he held then and yet holdeth fower or fiue strong places in Calabria whereof Cotron is one which is a good and a well fortified citie I was present at this report which seemed vnto most of vs but meere abuse and dissimulation Wherefore it was determined that some wise man should be sent to them to sound the bottom of this ouuerture and thereupon the Lord of Bouchage was ioined in commission with the former ambassadors he was a man of deepe iudgement and one that had been in great credit with King Levvis and so is he also at this present with King Charles his sonne The Spanish ambassador that came with de Clerieux would neuer auow his report but answered that he thought the said de Clerieux would not make the report if the King his Master and the Queene had not willed him so to do which answer caused vs so much the more to suspect their dissimulation besides that no man would beleeue that the King of Castile would go in person into Italy or that he either would or could beare equall charges with the King After the said Lords of Bouchage Clerieux and Michaell of Grammont with the rest of their collegues were come to the K. and Queene of Castiles court they lodged them in a place where no man could com to commune with them for the which purpose also certaine were appointed to watch their lodgings But they themselues spake thrise with them when the said du Bouchage aduertised them of the report aboue mentioned made to the King by de Clerieux and Michaell of Grammont they answered that they would willingly endeuor themselues to conclude a peace for the Kings honor and profit And as touching the said report they confessed that indeed such speech had passed them by way of communication but not otherwise with the which answer de Clerieux being discontented and not without cause aduowed his report to be true before them both in the presence of the said Lord of Bouchage who with the rest of his companions concluded a truce the King hauing two moneths respit to accept it or refuse it wherin their confederates were not comprehended but their sonnes in lawe and the fathers of their sonnes in lawe namely the
purged him fower daies before he died bicause they sawe in his bodie the occasions of his death Euery man ran to the Duke of Orleans who was to succeede him as next heire to the crowne But King Charles his chamberlains caused him to be richlie buried and immediately after his death began solemne seruice for him which continued both day and night for when the canons ended the friers Franciscans began and when they ended the Bons-hommes 1 which was an order founded by himselfe his body remained at Amboise eight daies partly in his chamber which was richly hanged and partly in the church All solemnities belonging to his funerals were more sumptuous than euer were any K. of Fraunce for his chamberlains officers those that were neere about him neuer departed from his body till it was laid in the ground which was about a moneth after his death al the which space this solemne seruice continued so that the charges of his funerals amounted to fiue and fortie thousand franks as diuers of the receit haue informed me I arriued at Amboise two daies after his death and went to say my praiers ouer his body where I abode fiue or sixe howers And to saie the truth I neuer saw so great mourning and lamentation nor that continued so long for any Prince as for him and no maruel for he had bestowed vpon those that were neere about him namely his chamberlaines and ten or twelue gentlemen of his priuie chamber greater offices and gifts than euer did King of Fraunce yea too great to saie the truth Besides that he was the mildest and courteousest Prince that euer liued for I thinke he neuer gaue foule word to any man wherefore in better hower could he not die both to leaue his fame behinde him in histories and to be bewailed of those that serued him And I thinke verily that my selfe am the man whom of all other he vsed roughliest but bicause I knew it to be the fault of his youth and not to proceede of himselfe I could neuer loue him the woorse for it After I had staied one night at Amboise I went to the newe King with whom I had been more familiar than any man and further for his sake had susteined all my troubles and losses which now he seemed little to remember notwithstanding with great wisdome he tooke possession of the crowne for he changed no pensions that yeere though halfe the yeere were yet to come neither displaced many officers but said that he would maintaine euery man in his estate whereby he wan great honor Moreouer with all speede possible he went to his coronation whereat my selfe was present And these that follow represented the peeres of Fraunce The first was the Duke of Alençon who represented the Duke of Burgundie the second the Duke of Bourbon who represented the Duke of Normandie the third the Duke of Lorraine who represented the D of Guienne The first Earle was Philip L. of Rauastaine who represented the Earle of Flaunders the second Engilbert of Cleues who represented the Earle of Champaigne the third the Earle of Foix who represented the Earle of Tholouze And the said King Levvis the twelfth now raigning was crowned at Reims the 27. of Maie the yeere 1498. and is the fourth that hath come to the crowne by collaterall line The two first were Charles Martell or Pepin his sonne and Hugh Capet who were both of them Masters of the pallace or gouernors of those Kings whom they deposed from the crowne which afterwarde themselues vsurped the thirde was King Philip of Valois and the fourth the King that now raigneth but these two latter came to the crowne by iust and lawfull title The first genealogie of the Kings of Fraunce beginneth at Meronee two Kings had raigned in Fraunce before the said Meronee namely Pharamond who was first chosen King of Fraunce for his predecessors were called Dukes or Kings of Gaule and his sonne Claudio The said Pharamond was chosen King the yeere of grace 420. and raigned ten yeeres and his sonne Claudio eighteene so that these two Kings raigned eight and twentie yeeres and Meronee who succeeded next after was not sonne but cosen to the said Claudio Wherefore it seemeth that the right line of the Kings of Fraunce hath failed fiue times notwithstanding as before I said men begin the first line at Meronee who was crowned King in the yeere of our Lord 448. from the which time to the coronation of King Levvis the twelfth are numbred 1050. yeeres But if you reckon from Pharamond you must adde eight and twentie more which make 1078. yeeres since there was first King of Fraunce From Meronee to the raigne of Pepin when the line of the said Meronee failed are numbred 333. yeeres From Pepin to Hugh Capet raigned the true line of the said Pepin and Charlemaine his son the space of 237. yeeres The right line of Hugh Capet raigned 339. yeeres and ended in King Philip of Valois and the right line of the said King Philip of Valois continued till the death of King Charles the eight which hapned in the yeere of our Lord 1498. The said King Charles was the last of this line the which had continued 169. yeeres during the which space these seuen Kings raigned in Fraunce Philip of Valois King Iohn Charles the fift Charles the sixt Charles the seuenth Levvis the 11. and Charles the eight in whom the right line of Philip of Valois ended The Notes 1 This vvas an order of religion deuised by the King How Charles Duke of Burgundie was of the house of Lancaster as Commines mentioneth lib. 1. cap. 5. and in other places Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster m. Blaunch daughter and heire of Henry Duke of Lancaster and Darby Philippa m. Iohn the tenth King of Portugale bastard to King Ferrande of Portugale Isabella m. Philip Duke of Burgundie Charles Duke of Burgundie of whose wars and death this history treateth How Elizabeth wife to King Edward the fourth was neece to the Constable of Fraunce as mentioneth Commines lib. 4. cap. 5. Peter of Luxembourg m. Margaret Countesse of Saint Paul Conuersane Briane Lignac c. Petrus Earle of Saint Paul c. m. Margaret daughter to William D. of Andre in Prouence Iaquelna or Iaquette m. Iohn Duke of Bedford m. Richard Wooduile Earle of Riuers Elizabeth m. Sir Iohn Gray Thomas Marques Dorset m. Edward the fourth King of England Edwardus quintus R. Ang. Lewis of Luxembourg Earle of Saint Paul Constable of FrauÌ„ce m. Iane daughter heire to Robert Earle of Marle c. Anthonie Earle of Roussv mentioned by Commines lib. 2. cap. 11. lib. 4. ca. 4. Iohn Earle of Marle slaine at the battell of Morat Peter Earle of Saint Paul and Brienne m. Margaret daughter to Lewis D. of Sauoye Marie Francis m. Marie daughter to Lewis Duke of Sauoye Lewis Eaâ—â— of Ligny How Brabant Lambourg Luxembourg and Namurs came to Philip Duke of Burgundie as mentioneth Commines lib.