ΠΡ Ο Ε Δ Ρ Ι Α Î’ Α Σ Ι Λ Ι Κ Η A DISCOURSE Concerning the PRECEDENCY OF KINGS Wherin the REASONS and ARGUMENTS Of the Three Greatest Monarks of Christendom Who claim a several Right Therunto Are Faithfully Collected and Renderd Wherby occasion is taken to make Great Britain better understood then some Forren Authors either out of Ignorance or Interest have represented Her in order to this Particular Whereunto is also adjoynd A distinct Treatise of AMBASSADORS c. Symbolum Authoris Senesco non Segnesco LONDON Printed by Ia. Coâ—…trel for Sam. Speed at the Rainbow and Chr. Eccleston at the middle shop under St. Dunstans Church in Fleetstreet 1664. TO HIS MAJESTY OF Great Britain France and Ireland c. SIR THer are many who have written of the Pre-eminences and Antiquity of the Power and Prerogatives of France and Spain in order to a Precedence or Superiority But while they magnifie their own Kings they derogat from other Moreover while they produce their Resons they often fall into such excesses of speech that they may be calld rather Rodomontados then Resons But ther is none who hath written yet of Great Britain in relation to this Point therfore t is the principal scope of this VVork wherin ther is an Endevour to make Her better understood and to prove by Relevant and lively Resons without offence to any That the Monark of Great Britain if He go not before at least He ought not to come behind any King whatsoever Now in regard t is a Theme of so sublime a Nature and depends chiefly upon ancient Records History and the Opinion of Civilians who have bin principally consulted the Author hath had a special Care and Caution to be very exact and tru in his Quotati ons of all kinds Lastly The Author most humbly under favor did deem Himself not altogether incapable of such a Task for having bin in most of the great Courts of Christendom For having Negotiated by Royal Commission above three years in the Court of Spain For having bin Orator in an extraordinary Ambassage to Denmark and divers Princes of Germany For having bin so often in France and sundry Courts of Italy c. He may be thought not to be Impar Negotio May all the Blessings and best Influences of Heven light upon Your Royal Head this New-Year and many many many more according to the due and dayly Devotions of the humblest of Calendis Januarii 1664. Your MAJESTIES Votaries Vassals J. Howel To the Discerning Reader THe Ingredients and Matter wherof this New kind of Historical Peece is composd may be said to be all of Crown-Gold the subject therof being Kings Whence it is worth the observing that History is a Lady of that Excellence that she hath Kings to her Subjects We well know what a ticklish and tremendous Task it is to treat of Kings who have power of Life and Death Ther must be as much Caution as Care usd therin It is as perilous as it is painful It is as walking upon the Ridg of a high House or dancing upon a Rope where unless one be well counterpoizd he is in danger to break his Neck Especially a task of this high nature that treats of Regal Precedence And we find that they who write too peremptorily thereof have done it with more offence then satisfaction And indeed ther was never any binding Determination made therof but where Decisions have bin made the Princes upon new occasions have excepted or protested against them Therfore the Author here doth not presume to determine the Question positively and definitively en dernier ressort for Tantas componere lites Non opis est nostrae Therfore he refers it to the Discerning Reader who is left free and evry way unsubornd to pass his Iudgment accordingly in mesuring evry King by the merit of his own Resons which are here fairly and faithfully exhibited and those of France and Spain exactly drawn out of their own Authors having not omitted any that hath any weight Now t is found among Historians that Contestations about Precedence of Session and Superiority with other Formalities Complements Visits and Ceremonies have bin very fatal to Christendom And t is observd also that the various Dignities in the Church hath multiplied them The great Clash twixt Rome and Constantinople twixt St. Peter and St. Andrew was the unhappy cause of the Defection and total Separation of the Greek Church from the Latin The hot Dispute for Precedence twixt the Emperour Frederiki and Pope Adrian 4. did put all the Christian world on fire The great Oecumenical Council at Lyons which concernd so much the interest of Christendom broke up about Punctilios for Precedencie The great Contest twixt Patriarks and Cardinals bred a great deal of confusion but at last the Patriarks had the better for they of Constantinople Hierusalem Antioch and Alexandria precede the Cardinals though they be calld the Princes of the Church and have the Prerogative not to be tryed without 72 Witnesses I mean the Bishop-Cardinals 44 Witnesses the Cardinal-Priests and 30 the Deacon-Cardinal One of the 24 Causes and it proved the greatest that the English lost France was a Clash that happend at St. Omers twixt the Duke of Bedford and Burgundy about Punctilios of Complement and Precedency That hopeful Trety of Peace at Bullen twixt Queen Elizabeth and her Brother-in-law Phil. 2. King of Spain after a long lingring War by Sea and Land broke off for question of Precedence or rather for the peevishness of the Spanish Ambassadors who had no other Argument that had any probability of reson but that the Catholik King was encreasd in Territories wheras the Civilians say that Supervenient and Accessory Dominions with accumulation of Titles have no force twixt Princes all the while they continue still in eodem gradu dignitatis Nor could they give any answer at all to the Arguments the English Ambassadors producd wherof one was that of Volaterranus who doth plainly relate how the Pope did adjudge the Prerogative of Precedence to Hen. 7. of England before Ferdinand of Spain as it will appeer more at large in the following Discours Now ther have bin divers means found by prudent Mediators from time to time for accommoding and reconcilement of differences in point of Precedence somtimes by dilatorious ways somtimes by Alternatif Determinations yet Jure Partium integre reservato As the great clash twixt Warwick and Buckingham in England was composd that they shold precede alternatim evry three yeers so the hot contest twixt the Ursini and the Colonnas two of the antientst Families in Rome was reconcild that the elder of the two who were living shold precede which makes the younger never come to the Popes Chappel where they take place next Kings Ambassadors The difference Inter Scherensem Wolfeggianam Familiam in Germany was reconcild that the one shold carry the Pomum Aureum the Golden Apple of the Empire going in the other at
going out Among Artificers and Men of Trade the Civilians say that each one is to precede according to the Dignity of the Stuff wheron they work Moreover when Publik Instruments are made that Kingdom in whose Right t is made hath the Precedence so somtimes Scotland is namd before England c. General Precedences do differ according to the Genius of some Nations as among the Turks to go on the left hand is more honorable sedendo incedendo in sitting and going then on the right and the reson is good because he may seaze upon his Companions Sword at plesure In Spain the Pages and Laquays go before and the Lords follow And in some cases t is so in France as in going over a Bridg a Plank or a River the Man goes before the Master according to the old Proverb En Pont en Planche en Riviere Valet devant Maitre derriere Concerning Ambassadors ther is a way that they shall never clash which is to make them Parallels viz. that the Ambassadors of those Kings who stand in competition for Precedence do never meet unless it be in visiting one another And the Mathematician tells us That Parallelae etiamsi ducantur in infinitum nunquam concurrent Parallels although they be drawn in infinitum they will never meet and if Ambassadors never meet they will never jussle or jarr J. H. THE Civilians Antiquaries and Historians BOTH Latin English British Italians Spanish and French That were Consulted and Cited in the Compilement of this WORK GOldastus Cassanaeus Besoldus Valdesius Francisco Vasquez Volaterranus Bodin Boterus Albericus Gentilis Lansius Augustin Caranato Thesaurus Politicus Ant. Corsetus Camillo Borrello Boccolini Sleidon Dr. Gaspar Bragaccia Paschalius Don Ant. de Zuniga Mariana Garibai Fredericus de Marselaer Carolus de Grassaliis Du Haillan Comines Pierre Matthieu The Bishop of Rhodes Du Serres Versâ—…egan Il Conte Losco The Lord Coke Bishop Usher Sir Thomas More Sir Walter Raleigh Sir Robert Cotton Sir Henry Spelman Sir Richard Baker Sir Iohn Finet Sir Iohn Price Iudg Doddridge Humphry Lloyd Iudg Ienkins Mr. Campden Mr. Selden Mr. Fabian Philipps Barclays Argenis Matthew Paris Polydore Virgile Sir Henry Wotten Sir Isaak Wake Mr. Minshew Besides these Authors many Ancient Records and Manuscripts have bin consulted and the perusing of old Parchment-Records is a hard and harsh Work it may be said to be like the peeling of old Walnuts ANALYSIS Totius Operis TOuching the Matter and Method in framing this Work it is by dividing it into four Compartments viz. into four Sections The first three treat of the Precedence of Kings The fourth of Ambassadors Evry one of the Sections is subdivided into ten heads or Paragraphs containing still new matter The first Section consists of the Resons of the King of Great Britain c. First That He had to his Predecessors as ancient Kings as France and Spain and as famous among others Mulmutius Dunwallo who raignd here many hundred yeers before the Romans came in and he was so great a Legislator that his Laws are calld Leges Mulmuntinae and stand upon record to this day Moreover his Majesty now Regnant is the hundred thirty ninth King of Britain and the hundred and ninth of Scotland wheras neither Spain or France can shew a Catalog of half the number 2. The King of Great Britain had to his Predecessor the first Christian King that ever was upon earth viz. King Lucius according to the concurrent Opinion of all Antiquaries for St. Peters Church in Cornhil was built by him as a Record yet extant shews and this was many hundred yeers before France or Spain had any Christian King which made England to be entitled in all dispatches from Rome Primogenita Ecclesiae the first-born Daughter of the Church Now it is a Canon among the Civilians Summa Ratio quae ducitur à Religione and Grotius hath also a Principle Qui primò Christianismum professi sunt Praecedant c. 3. The King of Great Britain hath a Merum immixum Imperium he hath as absolut Possession and Authority and more Independent then France or Spain take Spiritual and Temporal together 4. The King of Great Britain for Eminence of Royal Dignity for State and Titles hath as fair Flowers He hath as rich Jewels in his Crowns as any other He hath as Noble Arms the Cross and the Lyon who is King of Animals 5. The King of Great Britain had to his Predecessor the first Christian Emperour Constantin and the first Christian Worthy Arthur the first Founder of Martial Knighthood whom ther is Truth enough to make Famous without that which is thought Fabulous 6. The King of Great Britains Predecessors were the first who freed themselfs from the Roman yoke long before France or Spain and this is one of the greatest Arguments that those Kings do produce for a Precedence one of another 7. The Kings of Great Britain had Precedence adjudgd Them both of France and Spain in General Councils as also by the Decrees of Popes as it will appeer in the following Discours 8. The King of Great Britain is Souverain of as Noble an Order of Knighthood as any in Christendome wherof eight Emperours and well neer eight times as many Kings have bin and is more ancient then the Royal Orders of France or Spain 9. The King of Great Britain hath had as Martial and Magnanimous Progenitors as any of the other two who performd great Acts both far and neer and touching Exploits in the Holy Land the Kings of Spain had little share in them 10. The King of Great Britain hath as free-born and strong sturdy Peeple of four several Nations to make Soldiers of as either France or Spain He hath the best Mariners the stoutest Men of War the Noblest Haven for so Milford is accounted by all Geographers He hath the Inaccessiblest Coasts with the greatest Command and Power at Sea both Defensive and Offensive of any King whatsoever The second Section Consists of Reasons and Arguments why France doth pretend and challenge Priority of Place which Reasons under favor may be appliable also to the King of Great Britain and the world knows why But for to make the King of Great Britain come after the King of France is to make him come behind himself which is no less then an absurdity The third Section Consists of the Reasons and Arguments which Spain alledgeth for Precedence at least of an Equality with the two forementiond Kings extracted with as much fidelity as carefulness out of her own Authors as Don Diego de Valdez D. Francisco Vasquez with others The fourth Section Consists of a Discours of Ambassadors T is tru ther are some who have written of this subject already yet not any under this Meridian But those Forreners who have discoursd therof do amuse the Reader with such general Notions that the Breeding and Qualities which they require as also the Monitions Precepts and Instructions which they prescribe may fit any
up to the English Battail where the young Prince was The fight grew hot and doubtful insomuch that the Commanders sent to the King to come up with more power The King asking the Messengers Whether his Son was hurt or slain and being answerd No he replies Then tell them who sent you that so long as my Son is alive they send no more to me for my Will is that he have the honor of the day So the Fight on both sides growing very furious the French King having his Horse kill'd under him withdrew which being known by the English it added so to their courage that they soon after won the Field This was the first considerable Battail the English had of the French which was so sanguinary that ther were none made Prisoners but all put to the Sword and the number of the slain French surmounted the whole Army of the English for the number of the slain were about 30000. the chief whereof was Alenson the Kings Brother the Dukes of Bourbon and Lorain the Earl of Flanders the Dauphin de Viennois Son to Imbert who after gave Dauphine to the King of France provided his First Son shold still be calld the Dauphin which hath continued ever since This signal Victory was seconded the same yeer about six weeks after with another the Queen of England got against the Scots then confederat with the French where David the Scots King was taken Prisoner but this is reserv'd for another place because for a more methodical order we will hasten to the second great Victory in France the Battail of Poitiers The Battail of Poitiers The Black Prince being taperd up now to a good growth was sent by advice of Parlement to Gascony whence the Truce being expird he oreran and ravagd all the Country as far as Tourayne Iohn the French King raiseth a potent Army more numerous then that at Cressy and going to find out the Prince of Wales found him about Poitiers having not much above 10000 effect if men in his Army wheras the French had six times as many whereupon being advisd to make for Bourdeaux he was prevented by the French Army on all sides so a Battail being intended two Cardinals came from the Pope to mediat a Peace but the French King wold hearken to none unless that he wold as a Vanquish'd Man send him four Hostages and give up himself and his Army to discretion The Prince answerd That he was willing to restore what places he had taken of His in good War but without prejudice to his Honor wherof he was accountable to the King his Father c. Iohn not hearkning to this but being resolvd to fight the Prince also resolvd to part with his Life upon as high a rate as he could being reducd to this streight therfore he providently makes use of the Position of ground and finding that the main Army of the French consisted in Horse he entrenchd among the Vineyards where when the French Cavalry entred being wrapd and encomberd among the Vines the English Archers did so ply and gall them that being therby disorderd and put to rout the whole Army was soon totally defeated But it seems this Battail was not so fierce as that of Cressy where no quarter was given for in this Prisoners were made among whom was King Iohn himself whom the Prince brought to England and as the French Historians themselfs confess he was so civil to him all the while that he knew not whether he was a Free King or a Captif Besides Lords ther were slain 2000 of the French Nobless as Froissard hath it in this Battail and as at Cressy more French slain then the whole English Army was in number We will now to Agencourt Agencourt Battail Henry the Fifth that Man of men and mirror of Princes being come to the Crown he did cast his Eyes presently towards France for claiming of his Title In order wherunto he alterd in his Arms the bearing of Semy de Luces and quarters the three full Flower de Luces as the King of France himself did bear them He sends the Duke of Exceter with the Archbishop of Dublin and sundry other Noblemen in a magnificent Ambassy attended by 500 Horse to Paris to demand the Crown but receiving no satisfactory answer but rather a kind of jeer the Dauphin sending him a Sack full of Racket-court-Balls to pass away his time He replyed That for evry one of those Balls he had so many fiery Bullets to shoot at the proudest Turrets in France as he shold shortly find And he was as good as his word for he presently got over and encountring the French Army at Agencourt he gave it an utter overthrow and took more prisoners then his own Army had Soldiers which was upon a Sunday-morning about Ten of the Clock whereof having sent notice to England before and that extraordinary Masses shold be sung then in all Churches he stood upon the defensive part till that hour but then making a Speech of encouragement to his Army and among other strains telling how all England was praying for them at that time he carried away a compleat Victory he himself leading the main Battail with the Duke of Glocester his Brother c. But besides the foresaid Piety ther was Policy also usd for the King to prevent the fury of the French Cavalry appointed divers Stakes studded with Iron at both ends of six foot long to be pitch'd behind the Archers and ordred that Pioners shold attend to remove them as they shold be directed which invention conduc'd much to the success of the Action The King himself charg'd the Duke of Alenson and beat him off his Horse who therupon was slain so ther was a compleat and glorious Victory obtain'd We come now to the Battail of Spurs so calld because the French-men trusted more to their Spurs in fleeing away then to their Swords and Lances It was before Terwin in Hen. 8. Raign when Maximilian the Emperour servd under his Banner and receavd pay Ther came 8000 French Horse to relieve the place and a hot Dispute happend but they were all routed and put shamefully to flight so the Town was taken by the English Ther were a world of other Warlike Encounters and Skirmiges twixt the English and French whereof the stories are full and t is observd that the English at most were but half in number to the French in all Engagements insomuch that by pure prowess and point of the Sword they possessd two parts in three of that great Kingdome We read that when the English were at the height of their power in France the Pope came then to keep his Court at Avignon and ther was a common saying among the Peeple which since is grown to be a kind of Proverb Ores le Pape est devenu Francois Iesus Christ est devenu Anglois The Pope is turnd French-man and Jesus Christ is become an English-man which was spoken in regard we had such prodigious
among Christians but of any other Nation upon earth As also the first King who gave Royal Arms His Coat being Azure nine Crowns Or marshalld 3. 3. 2. and 1. Afterwards the Saxon Kings gave Arms And Edward the Confessors Coat was Azure a Cross patence between four Martelets Or. And as King Arthurs Round Table which is yet to be seen at Winchester had seats for twenty six Knights so it seems King Edward proportiond his number Now the occasion of it was That he having resolvd upon a War with France for attaining that Crown which was due unto him by his Mothers side He conceavd it advantageous to invite and engage to his party such as were of a Martial spirit And to that end erected a round Table at Windsore in imitation of King Arthur where they were entertaind with Tilts and Tournements magnificent Feasts and other Princely ways to unite and encourage them Philip de Valois who was in possession of the Crown of France went about to countermine him by erecting also the like Table in his Court and so drew many gallant and adventurous spirits that way and some out of England so that King Edward not finding this designe answerable to his mind he fell on another such as might prove more adherent and binding unto Him to which end he establishd this high Order of Chivalry consisting of twenty six persons of eminent note wherof He Himself and his Successors Kings of England were to be perpetual Souverains All of them were to be men of Heroick parts and such as shold be obligd by Oath and Honour to adhere unto Him upon all occasions which might be the probablest cause that he made the Garter for a Badg therof to be fastned about the left leg with a Buckle of Gold to be continually worn therfore are They stild Equites Periscelidis as was touchd before which hath its Etymologie from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Crura ambiens girding about the knee which alâ—…udes that those Knights shold be bound in one League and Confederation of love and affection severally one unto another and all of them in joynt service to the Souverain Some ther are who are of opinion that the Garter was given because that in a Battle where King Edward provd Victorious he had given the word Garter for a Signal Others in a derogatory way wold ground it upon the Countess of Salisburies Garter falling off from her in a dance and so taken up by the King But the Black Book in Winsore which deserves most faith in this point gives the first Reason for it Among other Laws that were enacted in the Chapter when this Order was first raysd one was That evry Knight by solemn Oath upon the Evangelists was sworn to defend the Honor and Quarrels the Rights and Lordship of the Souvrain c. Such a Sacramental Oath the Knights of the Bath also take which is To love their Sovrain above all earthly cretures and for his right and dignity to live and die c. Therfore I have often stood astonishd at the largeness of the consciences of some Knights of both these Orders who besides other astringing Oaths as those of Allegeance Supremacy c. could dispense with them All in the late Rebellion so far as not only not to adhere to their Sovrain Liege-Lord and King when his life was sought for by small and great Shots with other instruments of open hostility and slaughter but to appeer for to serve and stick unto the contrary party all the while Truly under favor I wold be-loth to exchange souls with them We will put a period to this Discours of the ancient Noble Order of St. George with a signal observation of Bodin's Decretum fuit in Collegio Equitum Periscelidis in Anglia ponere stemmata Regis Francorum ante caetera omnia post Principem Ordinis It was decreed in the College of the Knights of the Garter in England to put the Stems of the King of the French before all other except the Prince of the Order And the reason I conceive was that Philip the second whiles King of England was formerly put before But Bodin was herin deceavd for the Emperours Arms wherof ther have bin eight of the Order go before and have the precedence Out of the premises may be deducd this cleer Conclusion as a Meridian Truth that the Common Law of England in all things ayms at the Honour and glory the power and authority the Safeness and incolumity of the Sovrain Prince more then the Laws of any Country And wheras we had some touches before how the Common Law which is peculiar only to England hath the rationability of the Civil Law though not so digested to Method in regard it consists most of Custom Cases and presidents we will conclude this Paragraph with some principles wherin they both agree As Actori incumbit onus probandi The proof lies on the Accuser Nemo oportet esse sapientior legibus No man ought to think himself wiser then the Laws Ubi lex non distinguit ibi non est distinguendum We must not distinguish where the Law doth not Accessorium non ducit sed sequitur suum principale The Accessory doth not lead but follow the principal Volenti non fit injuria No wrong can be done to him who is willing Agentes Consentientes pari poena plectuntur Actor and consenter are to be punished alike Apices Iuris non sunt Iura The punctilios of the Law is no Law Nemo potest esse Iudex in propria causa No man can be Judge in his own cause Caveat Emptor Let the Buyer beware Contraria allegans non est audiendus Who alledgeth contraries is not to be heard Cujus est dare ejus est disponere The Giver may dispose of his gift as he pleaseth Quilibet in Arte sua est credendus Evry one is to be believed in his own Art Potestas derivativa non potest esse major primitiva A Commissioner cannot have greater power then He who gave him the Commission Dies Dominicus non est Iuridicus The Lords day is no day of Law Dormit aliquando Lex moritur nunquam The Law may sleep a while but never die Dilationes in Lege sunt odiosae Delays in Law are odious Facinus quot inquinat aequat All are principals in a crime Generale nihil certi implicat No certitude can be had out of generals Ignorantia non excusat Legem Ignorance of the Law doth not excuse the breach of it Lex non cogit ad impossibilia The Law doth not tie us to impossibilities Lex est summa Ratio The Law is the highest Reason Lex citius tolerat privatum damnum quà m publicum malum The Law tolerats a privat damage rather then a publick Mala Grammatica non vitiat Chartam False Latin doth not destroy a Deed Linea Recta semper praefertur transversali A right Descent is always preferrd before a Collateral in
of Peace As I was writing this me thought I had whisperd in my ear that the French King hath one kind of Power that transcends any of the King of Great Britains which is that he may impose what Taxes he please upon the peeple by his Edicts alone T is tru he can and he may thank the English for that power for when they had coopd him up in a corner of France in Berry the Victorious English being Masters of the rest That Power which before was in the Assembly of the three Estates of laying Impositions was invested in the King himself pro tempore during the Wars because the three Estates could not assemble But this Power makes him a King of Slaves rather then of Free Subjects and if they may be calld Subjects they are Subjects of an Asinin condition which cannot have any tru manly courage in them or a competency of wealth to bear it up which is the cause that though France be a rich and self-sufficient Country yet some think ther are more Beggers in Her then in all Christendome besides Now it is a Principle in the Civil Law That Dominum habere nobiliorem confert ad dignitatem Vassalorum nobiliorum habere populum confert ad nobilitatem Principis To have the nobler Lord conduceth to the dignity of the Vassal and to have the nobler Peeple conduceth to the dignity of the Prince By this Axiome the King of Great Britain is the more Noble because he is Lord of a free-born wealthy peeple and not of Slaves and Beggers Yet it cannot be denied but that it is one of the greatest advantages of power and repute for a King to be Rich provided he come not to be so by grinding the faces of his Subjects The Republik of Venice and the Seat of Genoa carry that high esteem in the world because the one hath the Tresury of Saint Mark and the other the Bank of St. George The Duke of Florence is stild the Grand Duke more then other Dukes who have larger Territories because he hath always a rich Tresury Therfore I will draw towards a conclusion of this Paragraph with this most humble Intimation to the great Council of England now Prorogued that at their Re-access they wold please to consider that wheras the fame of being Rich and to have the Coffers of his Crown well ballasted conduceth so much to the Repute of a King and so by Reflexions upon the whole Nation As also to make Him redoubtable both abroad and at home And wheras the contrary fame exposeth him to contempt Insultings and Pasquils as some frisking French Wits have bin lately too busie and bold that way and likewise our Neighbour Hans who daily offers us such insolencies which makes me think of an Italian Proverb which though homely yet it comes home to this purpose Cavagliero ò Principe senza quatrini è come un muro senza croce da tutti scompisciato A Cavalier or Prince without money is like a Wall without a Cross for evry one to draw upon Therfore I am bold to reiterat the foresaid humble Intimation I will not presume to say Advice though it may be well calld so to the Honorable House of Commons when They reassemble That in their great Wisedoms they wold have a sense of the present condition in this particular of their King so miraculously restord unto Us by a pure Act of the Omnipotent And that wheras the Two Neighbouring Kings have of late yeers enhancd their Revenues and Incomes far higher then they were formerly They wold be pleasd to think it not only agreeable to the Rules of tru Policie but most necessary for the Honor and safety of the whole Nation to make the Monarck of Great Britain to correspond and bear up in a hansome proportion this way with either of Them as He doth in all other things besides A Corollary to what hath bin said in this first Section IN the preceding Paragraphs it appeers by luculent and cleer proofs how the King of Great Britain Had to his Predecessor the first Christian King that ever was upon earth He had to his Predecessor the first Christian Emperour and Empress He had to his Predecessor the first Christian Worthy and the first Erector of Military Knighthood He had to his Predecessors some of the most victorious Kings that ever were His Predecessors were the first who freed themselfs from the Roman Yoke both in Temporals at first and in Spirituals afterwards It hath appeerd how He is Sovrain of the Noblest Order of Knighthood that any King hath It hath appeerd that his Ambassadors had the Precedence given Them in divers General Councils It hath appeerd how the King of Great Britain hath as Free-born and valiant Subjects as any other It hath appeerd that He hath the most plentiful and hospitable Court of any other King That He hath as independent Authority as any other King It hath appeerd that He hath the stoutest Men of War The Noblest Haven The Inaccessiblest Coasts with the greatest Command and Power at Sea of any other Which makes the English Merchants to be so highly respected abroad above other Nations having more Privileges at the entrance of the Baltik in the Sound as also in Hamborough and Holland where they have Houses like Palaces provided for them gratis and free from Excise In Ligorne in Constantinople and the gran Mosco they are more esteemd then any other Merchants And t is well known how his Subjects the Scots have the privilege of Preemption in the Vintage at Bourdeaux with divers other Immunities in France above other Nations Wherfore if any King may be calld 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 t is the King of Great Britain to whom that famous Verse of the Father of Poets may be applyed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Scepter is given Thee to be Honord by all To these particulars we will subjoyn the Reasons that Sir Henry Nevill with the rest of the English Ambassadors sent by Queen Elizabeth in a joynt Legantine Commission to Bullen in France to negotiat with Don Balthasar de Zuniga and others sent Ambassadors from Philip the second of Spain and the Archduke Albertus I say we will insert here the Reasons which the English Ambassadors gave then for prerogative and right of Antecedence in the contest that happend then with those of Spain by a Remonstrance which they sent the said Ambassadors in these words as t is extracted out of the Record it self Illustres Magnifici Domini Perlegimus scriptum quod Illustres Magnificae personae vestrae ad nos heri miserunt Illa capita quae substitutionis potestatem sigilli vigorem attingunt statuimus non ulteriùs prosequi confidentes de sinceritate serenissimi Domini Archiducis acquiescentes integritate Illustrium Magnificarum vestrarum personarum quae nobis pollicentur bonam fidem in hoc quod agitur negotio summo cum candore humanitate conjunctum Clausulam vero
degree of Doctor which was practisd accordingly But to content the Spaniard it was couched in the Register of the Council that the French Doctor Maillart had spoken according to his antiquity into Doctorship no relation being had to precedence of Nation In the same year 1563. on Easter-day the Count of Luna was receavd at Trent at his entry he marchd between the Ambassadors of the Emperour and the King 's of France This action passd with much honor and civility twixt both Nations and the same time the Cardinal of Lorain writ to the Emperour Ferdinand who was then at Insbrug in the County of Tirol three days distant from Trent upon divers affairs of the Council and at the end prayed him to find out some temperament for allaying the dispute of Precedence twixt the two Crowns But this clause of the Cardinal to the Emperour was blamd by divers for he shold not have desird a temperament in the business but demanded Right The Emperour made answer That it did not concern him to determine the Differences twixt the two Kings in this particular But to speak his sentiment herin He thought that if the French Ambassadors come immediatly after His and that none disturbs them what matter is it where the Spanish Ambassadors sit But these words were held to be of dangerous consequence For in point of Precedence whosoever quits his place is presumed to scorn it and seek after a higher which cannot be done without a prejudice to them who sate higher before Upon the 21 of May at the General Congregation the intention of the Spaniards appeerd more cleer The Count of Luna after the foresaid solemn Entry absconded himself for 40 days without appeering openly in any Ceremony or publik Act and so being puzzled what cours to take in this busines Somtimess he resolvd to enter the Assembly in the midst of the Emperours Ambassadors aud after they were â—…ate to stand by them while his Commission was verified and then retire to his House But thinking this cours not generous enough for his Masters honor He prayed the French Ambassadors not to be there that day which being denied him the Spanish Bishops proposd that Secular Ambassadors shold be prayed not to enter into the General Congregations but only the day of their Reception and that They wold be contented to assist the Ceremony at the Session only alledging that it was practisd so in other General Councils But all the Ambassadors did mainly oppose this Then it was privatly suggested to the Spanish Bishops by the Count of Luna that they shold propose some point that might make the French Ambassadors Parties and so not capable to sit in the Assembly As for example they shold represent the Domages which the whole Church hath receivd by the peace which the King of France had made with the Hugonots or some such other thing But that also taking no effect and the Congregation being put to delays from day to day by the obstinacy of the Count of Luna at last that the Affairs of the Council shold not be retarded the Cardinal of Lorain and the French Ambassadors declard to the Legats that provided their place shold remain immediatly after the Imperial Ambassadors they did not much heed what place the Ambassadors of Spain shold take This weakness of the Cardinal and of the French Ambassadors did scandalize all Christendome and in France they blamd Him to have betrayed the Honor of their Master Nay the Fathers of the Council took it in ill part and at Rome the Cardinal de Bourdesiere who was with the Pope for the King having complaind of this Spanish Ambition and of this Innovation introducd against the Ancient Orders Pope Pius made answer That he shold blame the French Ambassadors and their imbecility For his part although he had bin sollicited before and after the Count of Luna's arrival at Trent that he shold favor this dessein yet He remaind constant and inflexible and He wonderd that the French Ambassadors were wrought upon so easily The great day of the Congregation being come and evry Ambassador having taken his place the Count of Luna enters and seats himself face to face to the Legats a good distance from the bank of the Ambassadors and standing up he presents his Orders and the Will of his Master protesting afterwards that although the first place was due to him after the Emperours Ambassador as representing the greatest Prince of Christendom the greatest Pillar of the Church c. yet not to introduce any confusion in the affairs of the Council he deported himself from this Right yet with condition that this his Protestation shold be inserted in the Acts of the Council and that they shold not be printed or publishd without it besides that a Copy shold be delivered Him by the Secretary of the Council When he had said these words he took the place which was appointed Him neer the Table of the Secretary of the Council Therupon the French Ambassadors who were next the Imperials said That if the place which they had were not the most Honorable after the Emperours as it was acknowledgd in all Councils and namely in the Council of Constance and in the last Lateran Council held under Leo the tenth Or if the place they had given the Count of Luna was any way prejudicial to them they prayed the Council to provide presently either by Orders Commandments Excommunications or other courses taken in such a case without having any regard to the person But because no body spake a word and that also the Imperial Ambassadors connivd at this Innovation although they had equal interest to hinder it as well as the French because it might be disputed on against them they added that without any blemish to the Honor of King Philip and to the alliance of the two Crowns they protested for a nullity of these Proceedings and requird that their Protestation might also be inserted in the Acts of the Council and a Copy deliverd them After these Disputes the Fathers of the Council not saying any thing Fontidon a Spanish Doctor made a Latin Oration in the name of the Count of Luna wherin he exalted the Grandeur of the King of Spain His Zeal to Religion and the Church in such extravagant expressions and so derogatory to other Princes that the Imperial Ambassadors themselfs made complaint therof to the Count of Luna who excusd himself saying That that Harang had displeasd Him as much as any other Now the Promoter of the Council having made answer to the said Oration the Spanish Ambassador suddenly went from the Assembly not staying until the Legats had risen up it seems of purpose to prevent a Dispute that might happen with the French which He observd also in the following Congregations sitting always a part and going out alone But the same Order could not be observd in the Church upon the day of the Session because the mode of sitting was otherwise and the Ceremonies were
Port and some say it was of stone where after thanks being given to God they placd the body of the most holy Apostle and after many dangers they arrivd at Iria Flaria now calld Padron thence they carried it to Liberum Donum now calld Compostella where they entombd it in a Marble Monument But as the Disciples were seeking for a place fit for so great an Apostle they made their address to Queen Luparia or Lupa who sent them to King Philotrus who casting them into an obscure prison they were freed by an Angel and while the soldiers were in pursute of them they were all drownd in a River the Bridg and all falling down with them by which miracle King Philotrus was converted But Luparia continuing obstinat she threw their Bodies to Bulls and Dragons wherof some they slew and some grew mild Then Luparia being orecome by these miracles causd a Temple to be erected there for the holy Apostle as Faber out of Sophorinus doth affirm And although Morales makes a doubt herof in regard that Spain was then subject to the Romans and so could have no Kings yet ther might be some Kings there though subject and tributary to Rome as Herodes Agrippa was in Hierusalem and as Queen Candacis was But because these passages are so overgrown with yeers let us hasten to later times The second signal time that Spain receavd extraordinary influence of Christian Faith was in the raign of Constantine the great who was so glorious an Instrument to the Church his Mother a British Lady being a Christian and Osius a Spanish Bishop having taken so much pains for his conversion Then Theodosius who did propagat the Faith more openly and did destroy the Pagan Churches which were stuffd with Idols was by Nation a Spaniard and his sons who succeeded him in the Empire The third time was when the seat of the Roman Empire being translated to Constantinople divers rough Northern Nations broke in and seazd upon most parts of the Western Territories therof so that the Goths invaded Spain and came to possess it and then by the special benediction of God ther was a Catholik King in Spain before any in France For an 554. Athanagildus King of the Goths according to the currant consent of all Historiographers professd the Christian Faith as Lucas Tudensis hath it Then succeeded him Leonegiâ—…dus Then a little after came Richaredus and in his raign the whole Kingdome of Spain became Catholik and florishd exceedingly But the French object that Anno 496. Clodovaeus was baptizd by St. Rhemigius and so had the start of Richaredus in Christianity but to that t is answerd That the whole Kingdome of France was not then converted Nor was He King of all the Kingdome as Richaredus was of Spain For Gregorius Turonensis relates that Clodovaeus with his two sisters were baptizd and three thousand French more the whole Kingdome came not to be Christian a good while after wheras all Spain was reducd entirely to the Faith a good while before and did make open profession therof in the Council of Toledo Moreover a good part of France was then subject to Theodoricus King of the Ostrogoths who then raignd in Italy who were of the Arrian Heresie But Spain was then totally under Richaredus whence may be inferrd that Spain generally had a Christian King before France But if we divide Spain into Provinces ther were divers of them had Christianity planted and publiquely preferrd before Clovis for Rechiarius King of the Suevians was Christian Anno 440. Furthermore t is very observable that from Richaredus no King in Spain fell from the true Catholick Church wheras divers in France did after Clodoveus as Chilperik and others witness what Gaguinus writes Nec multò post Chilpericus cujus malitia ut in Homines multis fraudibus perspicua esset in Deum quoque impietatem meditatus est de divina quidem Trinitate ita credi noluit ut tres in Illa Personas sed unam confiteretur c. Not long after Chilperik whose malice was so evident against men did meditat malice also against God for he wold not confess three but one Person in the Trinity And Mausonius saith Chilpericus cùm multis rebus impiè gestis Deum sibi iratum reddidisset mense quarto à Natali Clodovaei successoris sui apud Callam vicum Parisiorum occididitur Chilperik when for many things impiously committed he had made God angry with him was killd in Calla a small Village of the Parisians And in this last Age the last King of France before Hen. 4. having done some acts of Impiety as imprisoning of Cardinals and other things it induced a Brother of the Dominican Order to dispatch him violently out of the world Besides a King of Spain Rechiarius was the first who out of a Zeal to protect the tru Religion made the first War against the Enemies therof which were the Arrian Goths and ever since the Kings of Spain have bin the greatest Champions and Propugnators of the Catholik Church upon all occasions But now we will take in hand the Titles of Christianissimus and Catholik and make it appeer that the Kings of Spain had the one before the French Kings had the other and because that Names are the Images of Things we will give you their primitive derivations The first Propagators of Christianity we all know were the holy Apostles and their Disciples but some of the latter falling into errors the Orthodoxal Disciples to distinguish themselfs from the false calld themselfs Christians which name they first assumd at Antioch and then it grew general being derivd from Christ and Christ a Crismate or Unction It was afterwards raisd to a superlatif to Christianissimus which was first given to the Emperors and to this day as Castaldus observes they are solemnly prayed for in Oratione Parasceue in Good-Friday-Prayer evry yeer Oremus pro Christianissimo Imperatore nostro wherin Ferrault is deceavd by attributing it onely to the French King Moreover divers Kings of Spain had that Title given them upon oceasion as all the Spanish Annalists do aver For Richaredus was calld Christianissimus Anno 589. and after him Sisebutus Anno 616. when he expelld the Iews out of the Territories of Spain and Cinthillanus is calld so in the sixth Council of Toledo and Pope Leo writing to Quirico calls Flavium Ervigium then King of Spain Christianissimum in the fourth Council of Toledo and this was before Charlemain who first bore that Title in France Ramirus King of Aragon and Sancho 3. as also Alphonsus Magnus was entitled so Now let us examine when this Title Christianissimus was given to the French Kings Most do affirm that it began in Charlemain but observe it was given him and to some of his Successors as they were Emperours for the ordinary Title which was usd to be given the Kings of France before was Illustris Ther is another opinion that Pope Pius 2. gave Lewis 11.
first though t was not concocted to good blood until Osius did it What great favours and indulgence did the poor persecuted Christians receave from â—…rajan from Elius Hadrianus from Antoninus Pius from Theodosius all Spanish Emperours in the time of the ten Persecutions How strongly did Spain tug with the Arrian Heresie till she was quite put upon her back and at last converted The Albigenses in France who had such nefarious and indeed nefandous Principles As that it was lawful to destroy Churches To pull down Crosses To have Wives in common That the Humane Soul was of Gods making but the Body of the Devils c. I say that these ugly Heretiks were principally converted by St. Dominik and by Didacus Episcopus Oximensis both of them being Spaniards and sent by Pope Innocent 3. expresly for that service in the raign of Lewis 7. of France wherin also Blanche Queen of Spain took much pains with great success How much did Charles the fifth labour to quell Luther and to crush the Cocatrice in the shell which causd this Distik to be made in those times of him and Henry the Eighth of England Carolus Henricus Christi Defensor Uterque Henricus Fidei Carolus Ecclesiae Charles and Henry both Defendors of Christ Charles of his Church Henry of his Faith And Spain is so zelous a Christian that t is not only sufficient for her to abstain from Heresie but from the very suspition therof which made her to erect and raise up that wall of brass against it I mean the Tribunal of the Inquisition By which sacred Office the Vineyard of the Lord in the Spanish Dominions is kept free from brambles and thorns with all noisome weeds T is preservd and hedgd therby from all wild ravenous Beasts that so much annoy her in other Kingdomes and set fire on her skirts so often which Spain by the most prudent and pious establishment of this holy Office is so happily made free Moreover ther have bin no Kings so eminently liberal and munificent to the holy House of God together with their Governors and Ministers as the Kings of Spain have bin in all Ages insomuch that a computation hath bin made that well neer the third part of Spain are spiritual Revenues and the third part of the Churches have bin founded by Kings The Archbishop of Toledo is the greatest Ecclesiastical Dignity in Christendome next the Papacy for it hath above 300000 Crowns annual Revenues which countervails three of the best Archbishopriks in France Nor have the Catholik Kings thought it any derogation to make their Sons Archbishops of that place and Chancellors of Castile Furthermore ther hath bin a late calculation made That of those five or six hundred Millions of Tresure that hath bin transported to Spain from Mexico and Peru since the discovery of the West-Indies the Church hath the tenth part insomuch that in some petty Rural Churches one shall see huge massie Candlesticks of Silver with large Chalices Pixes Crosses and Crucifixes some of them of massie Gold and inlaid with precious 〈◊〉 Nor is this Tresure lost that is given the Church For the Clergie of Spain have bin always ready to serve and assist their King in all his exigents and necessities insomuch that it is a saying in Spain That los tesoros de la yglesia son como 〈◊〉 contra â—…na tormenta The tresures of the Church are as anchors against a storm Adde herunto that no Kings of Spain have felt the fulminations of the Vatican viz. the sentence of Excommunication as other Kings have done But they have always obeyd with much exactness the Doctrine of the holy Church resigning their Intellectuals and the whole inward man to the determinations therof as also to defend them against all Opposers wheras divers French Kings have had clashes and frequent contestations with the holy Father What high feuds had Philippe le Bel with Pope Boniface 8 for he passd an Edict of Interdiction that none of his Ecclesiastiks shold have commerce with Rome He obeyd not the Pontificial censures but toar his Letters detaind his Legats and convoqud a Provincial Council in Paris against his order wherin ther were Accusations of Simony and Schism obtruded against him But all this while the Kings of Castilâ—… and Aragon adherd to his Holiness as being the Head and Common Father of the Catholik Church Lewis the eleventh of France against the Ecclesiastical Liberties did institut the Pragmatical Sanction enforcing the Pope to assent therunto wherby all the Canoâ—…cal Laws and Discipline fell in France as Mausonius observes Charles 8. enterd Rome against the Popes will and did as good as war with him as with an enemy but the Catholik King Ferdinand 5. adherd to him to very good purpose Touching Lewis 12. what a bitter enemy he was to the Apostolik seat what troubles he excited against Iulius 2. which gave the first countenance and rise to those Heresies that have pullulated in the Church and so miserably torn the very Bowels of her ever since Philip 2. of France repudiating his lawful Wife married another not only without the consent of Celestin the holy Father but against the opinion of his own Ecclesiastiks whom he handled with so much rigor and tyranny Philip the first of France did no less bandy against the Decrees of the Church in divers things and did likewise cast off his Legitimat Wife and forcd another Lewis 6. of France did so persecut the holy Church that he drew Anathemas and spiritual Execrations upon him Lewis 7. of France had such contentions with Pope Innocent 〈◊〉 that he remaind under the heavy sentence of Excommunication three full yeers Charles le Bel was so highly disobedient to Pope Iohn 23. that he interdicted to pay him his Tenths and other Ecclesiastik Rights Francis 1. and Hen. 2. of France to their eternal reproach calld in the Turk to their assistance against the Christian Emperour Of all which particulars ther are Authentik Historians who make mention and leave it upon record to all Posterity But the French speak very loud how Charles the fifth raisd such a fierce war against Clement 7. that he besiegd Rome and made the Pope prisoner T is confessd but it was upon a pure temporal score yet he resented it so much that it drew repentance from him nor did he grieve a whit that his General the Duke of Bourbon was killd as he was scaling the walls of Rome because he had exceeded his commission Nor when the news came to Spain of the success of the Emperours Army was any joy of triumph shewd at all but rather a dark sadness and all the signes of sorrow which possessd him to his dying day And for a compensation to the Holy Father he establishd his Nephew in the State of Florence Thus have we collected the Reasons and Arguments of these three great Monarks in order to a Precedence of Place and Superiority Concerning the Reasons of the two latter