of which he had Children One of them and his successour was Denis Alphonsus being dead an 1279. From that Denis are descended all the Kings of Portugal to this day Some of the French Historians affirme that Mahaut had two Sons by Alphonsus in France the one that dyed young the other Robert from whom the whole House of the Counts of Bullen is descended which fell to Magdalen de la Cour wife to Laurens of Medicis by whom came Katherine de Medicis mother of the three late French King Francis the II. Charles the IX and Henry the III after whose death by the substitution set downe before in the contract betweene her and Henry the II the inheritance of Katherine came to her Daughter Queen Margaret first Wife to Henry the IV. That Queen made the Dolphin of France her Heir who since was Lewis the XIII When the dispute for the succession of Portugal was open after the death of Henry the Cardinal King an 1530 Katherine Queen of France among other pretenders to that Crown set forth her claim by Belloy Advocate Generall in the Parliament of Toulouse who pleaded that from the marriage of Alphonsus and Mahaut a Son was born called Robert and had succeeded in all his rights that Beatrix was the Concubine not the wile of Alphonsus and that the Pope could not legitimate Denis born of adultery to the prejudice of Robert the true Heir of Alphonsus Also that all the Kings that had reigned since Denis for three hundred years made no prescription because there can be no prescription for the right of Kingdoms That right being propounded to the Estates of Portugal was found too old and stale and injurious to all their Kings neither did they make any account of it Besides the Spanish Historians affirm that Alphonsus had no issue by Mahaut and that among the protestations which Mahaut made in Portugal against Alphonsus there is not one word of the injury which he did to her children which she would not have forgot if she had had any Yet that right may be defended by the testimony of the French Historians and by this true allegation that neither a bastard nor his Descent can prescribe against the lawfull Heirs Paragraphe III. Of the Kingdom of Navarra An. 713. when the Saracens invaded Spain Inigo Ximenes Arista Count of Bigorre gave a beginning to the little Kingdome of Suprarba within the Pyrenees which a while after having spread into the vales tooke the name of Navarra or Navierras which in old Spanish signifieth plain grounds It is certain that two generous Princes and great Catholiques resisted the Saracens in the very beginning of their invasion Pelagius towards the Astures which are Leon and Gallicia and this Ximenes Arista towards the Pyrenees though the date of the Conquests of this Ximenes be not so certain some Historians make him latter Upon which one may read the History of Navarra written by Favin 2. These Kings of Navarra in their beginings made many Conquests over the Saracens and that Family continued to Sanches the great who about the year 1035. shared all his Estates among his three Sons of whom the eldest Garcias had Navarra to whom many Kings succeeded till that State fell to the house of France by the marriage of Philip le Bel with Jane Inheritrix of Navarra Countesse of Campagn and Brie to whom Lewis Hutin King of France and Navarra succeeded in her Estates But he having no child but a daughter called Jane which could not be Queen of France he left her Navarra and so that State was soon separated from that of France That Jane married Philip of the Royall branch of Eureux 3. By that marriage the house of Navarro became a Royall French house but the nature of that Crown being to fall to women as the other States of Spain it passed not long after into the Family of Arragon by marriage and so again into the Family of Castilia and again into the Family of Foix after this manner 4. Charles the III. King of Navarre Grandchild to that Jane daughter to Lewis Hutin had one onely daughter called Blanch married to John Prince and afterwards King of Arragon From that marriage came Charles Prince of Viana who got a great but an ill renown in the Histories of Spain for making War to his Father and maintaining himself against him in his State after his mothers death That Prince of great learning and courage died a batchelour The two other children of John of Arragon and Blanch of Navarra were two daughters The eldest Blanch of Arragon who having been married with Henry the IV. King of Castilia surnamed the Impotent was separated from him by reason of his impotency and died without issue The other was Eleanor wife to Gaston the IV. Count of Foix who after the death of her Father Mother Brother and Sister succeeded to the Kingdom of Navarra and united it to the house of Foix. She enjoyed it but two months and a half and died An. 1469. Her eldest Son Gaston Prince of Viana being already dead and having left by his wife Magdalen daughter to Charles the VII of France two children Francis Phoebus who succeeded his Grandfather in the Kingdome of Navarra but enjoyed it but four years and died unmarried and Catherine de Foix who succeded him and married John d' Albret Son to Alen d' Abret a man of great note in Gascony but not of a soveraign house yet descended from that Amani d' Albret who in the time of Charles the V. of France married Magaret of Bourbon Sister to Jane Queen of France and raised his house to a great splendour by that royal alliance advanced much the party of the French against the English 5. John of Albret and Catherine de Foix had a Son called Henry who was King of Navarra and married Margaret Sister to Francis the first of France by whom he had Jane Inheritrix of Navarra Jane being married to Antony of Bourbon was by him Mother of Henry the IV. of France Father to Lewis the XIII and Grandfather to Lewis the XIV Thus that house of Navarra was united with two great houses in France yet not Royal that of Foix and that of Albret and after to the Royal house of Bourbon and became so powerfull in France that her possessions from these three houses much exceeded the Kingdome of Navarra Hence it is manifest how the last Kings of Navarra by the interesse of their Alliance and Estate were obliged to follow the party of France Now it hapned An. 1510. after that Lewis the XII had humbled the Venetians by the victory of Aignadel and brought terrour among all the Princes of Italy that Pope Julius the II. fell out with Lewis and prosecuted the quarrell with such animosity Lewis on the other side being as fierce as he that the contention grew almost into a Schism Julius excommunicated all that took part with Lewis and put an interdict as they call it upon
their Estates Lewis maintained himself against his fulminations both by an Assembly of his Prelates at Tours who cleared the obligations of the Kings conscience as his History speaks and especially by armes whereby he represt all the invaders of his State and put them to the defence of their own But John d' Albret and Catherine of Navarra were expelled from their State by Ferdinand the Catholique who making a shew to passe into Guienne to join with the English and seize upon the Kingdom of France by vertue of the Papall interdict suddenly turned upon Navarra and took it An. 1512. both because John d' Albret was united with the French King who was a rebell against the Church and an Enemy to the English with whom Ferdinand had alliance also because the Spaniards hold that there was a tacit agreement between the Kings of Spain not to suffer that any of the Spanish Crowns should fall into forrain hands or into houses not soveraign as those of Foix and Albret As the reason and pretence of that invasion was leight and groundlesse the French stand to their right to this day against that manifest invasion and hinder the prescription by arms Treaties and Protestations Paragraphe IV. Of the Kingdome of Arragon Cassan in his Book of the rights of the Crown of France with more zeal than judgement will ground those rights upon conquests 800. years old and antient expeditions of the French Kings into Spain where they took some Towns of Navarra Arragon and Catalonia not considering the many changes of successions in so many years The Conquests of Catalonia and Arragon by Charlemagne give to the French no more right there in these times than those of Caesar in France to the now Emperours The rights of the French over Arragon Catalonia Roussillon which have some ground may be reduced to two heads The first is how Charles Count of Anjou Brother to Saint Lewis was invested with the Kingdome of the two Sicilies against the children of the Emperour Friderick the II. Peter King of Arragon who had married Constance daughter to Manfred bastard of Frederick claiming that Kingdome from his wife made those bloody Sicilian Vespers An. 1281. An action which did incense the whole Christendome against that Peter well surnamed the cruell Pope Martin the IV. especially a Frenchman by Birth and affection who excommunicated Peter and put his Kingdome in interdict Not only by the general maxime of the Popes that in certain cases they have power over the temporals of Kings but because Arragon hath been of great antiquity a Fee of the Church of Rome So the Pope dealt with that perfidious King as Soveraign of Arragon To that purpose he sent a Legat into France which offered the Kingdome of Arragon to King Philip le Hardy for his Son Charles Count of Valois Whereupon Philip assembled the States Generall at Paris accepted the Popes gift and undertook the War against Peter took Arragon Gatalonia Valentia and invested his Son Charles with these Kingdomes paying five hundred Livers yearly to the See of Rome It is true that after these Conquests King Philip as he returned into France dyed at Perpignan and the French soon after lost all that Country Yet their right if they had any by the donation of the Pope remained as good as before But the Spaniards contradict that right saying that in the time of the greatest confusions about that quarrel a marriage was made between that Charles de Valois pretended King of Arragon and Margaret daughter to Charles the II King of Naples To which Margaret the Counties of Anjou and Maine were given for her portion which had been in the possession of Charles brother to St Lewis and by him united to the Kingdome of Naples with this proviso That though Margaret should die without issue Charles should possess these Counties yeelding all his right and claim to the Kingdome of Arragon which Charles did and so that great difference was ended The second head whence the claim of the French upon Arragon doth arise regards the second House of Anjou The second Son of King John of France was Lewis who was invested with the Dutchy of Anjou A Prince well known in Histories as he that was made regent of France in the Minority of Charles the VI. and after invested with the Kingdome of Naples by Queen Jane the first a right which he prosecuted and perisht in the prosecution But he left the title to his Children His Son Lewis the II married Yoland daughter to John the I. King of Arragon and of Yoland of Bar his wife The eldest sister of that Yoland wife to Lewis the II of Anjou which was Jane Countess of Foix being dead without issue and no childe remaining of John of Arragon but that Yoland Dutchess of Anjou she was the undoubted Heir of that State but her Uucle Martin Duke of Montblant seized upon it Lewis sent the Bishop of Couserans to represent his right And when after the death of Martin he would dispute his right by the sword he was perswaded to put the businesse to an arbitrement for the Peers and people of the Kingdome of Arragon had chosen arbitrators to umpire the businesse between Lewis and Martin and examine the claimes of other pretenders And though the Umpires were almost all Arragones they would not pronounce any thing so that quarrel remained undecided And after the death of two Martins Father and Son the Arbitration being renewed nine Arbitrators deferred the Kingdome to Ferdinand Brother to Henry the III. King of Castilia That sentence was confirmed by the Anti-pope Benedict the XIII who being forsaken almost by all the world had taken sanctuary in Arragon Against the nullity of that sentence the Children of Yoland Lewis the III of Anjou and René did protest Yea the Children of René make War in Arragon to recover it in the time of Lewis the XI of France but they were constrained to forsake all and Arragon remained with the usurpers unto this day Yet I see not that the French urge much that claim being somewhat too old to be now revived Paragraphe V. Of Catalonia The like may be said of Catalonia which is a great Province of Spain bounded on the East and South with the Mediterranean Sea and on the other sides with Valentia Arragon and Roussillon It was both before the Romans and under them part of Hispania Tarraconensis as Arragon and other Countries near the River of Ebro Since which time being conquered by the Gotths and Alans together it was called by them Gottalania which name was since corrupted to Catalaunia It was under the Kings of the Gotths till the invasion of the Saracens an 713. who made themselves Masters of it as of most part of Spain But Charlemagne took it from them and all the Country near the River of Ebro about the year 800. expelling Zaron the Moore out of Barcellona and put a French Garrison in it not long after he
enjoy the gift Great Wars he had against Manfred bastard of Friderick the II. Emperour and against Conradin the Emperours Grandchild whom he took in battel and beheaded him A bloody execution which caused much animosity and Wars between that house of France and the reliques of the house of Suaben which was Constantia daughter to Manfred wife to Peter King of Arragon who to avenge the death of that King Conradin his wives Cosin to repress the insolence of the French was the Author of the bloody Sicilian Vespers whereby the French were utterly expelled from Sicily An. 1261. and Sicily remained in the power of the house of Arragon and since although many Wars and Treaties have intervened to reunite these two States they have alwaies been separated till the house of Arragon hath got the Dominion of Naples Wherefore we will speak no more of Sicily which the French lost in effect in that massacre and since quitted their right to it by severall Treaties 4. But as for the Kingdom of Naples that French Family of Charles d' Anjou was setled in it from the year 1264 untill the death of Jane the II An. 1435. in all 171. yeares We intend not to relate that History but only to observe these things which concern our present purpose First that Charles the Lame the second King and Son to that first Charles married Mary inheritrice of Hungary and so these two Kingdomes were united Of their Children the eldest Charles surnamed Martel had Hungary for his portion and from him some Princes of Hungary are descended The second Son was Lewis who would be a Franciscan Fryer and was Bishop of Toulouse The third Sonne Robert inherited the Kingdome of Naples There were more brothers who had severall apanages But it was not this Robert that continued the line of the Kings of Naples He was Father to Prince Charles who dying before his Father left a Daughter that famous or rather infamous Queen Jane the First that ruled that State almost forty years Next it must be known that this wicked Jane lascivious and cruel so farre as to strangle her Husband Andrew a young Prince of that other Branch of Hungary filled her Kingdome with great troubles by her wickednesse Towards the end of her reigne an 1378. hapned the great Schisme of the Church when Urban the VI being made Pope by violence many Cardinals elected in his stead Robert Cardinall of Geneva who took the name of Clement the VII Queen Jane being an enemy to Urban who was born her subject declared her self for Clement Her crim whereby she had put her Husband to death had been long covered by an accomodation made by Clement the VI who appeased Lewis the great King of Hungary Brother to Andrew whom Jane had strangled But Pope Urban the VI to be avenged of Jane stirred again the House of Hungary against her and a Prince of that House named Charles de Duras came and besieged her in Castello del Ovo at Naples took her and strangled her an 1382. in the same place as some say where she had strangled her first husband 3. But the same Princess seeing that Urban invited the house of Hungary to the conquest of Naples called to her help King Charles the VI of France an 1380. by the advice of Pope Clement And by his leave for he bore himselfe for her Soveraign she adopted Lewis Duke of Anjou brother to Charles the V of France and head of the second house of Anjou He was at that time Regent of France in the minority of King Charles the VI. From that adoption the French fetch their right in the Kingdome of Naples for from the off-spring of that Lewis the French Kings have inherited 4. Charles de Duras after he had strangled Queen Jane seized upon the Kingdome and reigned in her stead and after him his two Children first Ladislaus whom the French Historians call Lancelot and Jane the Second They three held the State 53. yeares from the yeare 1382. till the yeare 1436. But because Jane the first a little afore her death had adopted Lewi Duke of Anjou that house of Duras had continuall War with the house of Anjou Lewis the I. came to Naples and there dyed Lewis the II his Son had great Wars with Ladislaus and for a time was Master of the Kingdome That Ladislaus being dead without issue an 1414. his sister Queen Jane the Second succeeded him as bad a woman as the first Jane for impudicity and extravagancy She being degraded by the Pope Martin the V. and Lewis the III Grandchild of the first Lewis of Anjou named by him to reign in her place she adopted Alphonsus King of Arragon and Sicily for her Son with whom that Lewis the III had great Warres and had sometimes the better sometimes the worst But Jane being of an inconstant spirit despised Alphonsus being altogether governed by her favorite John Carraciolo which Alphonsus not able to beare made himselfe Master of the City of Naples Upon which she cancelled her will made in favour of Alphonsus and instead of him adopted Lewis the IV. of Anjou who before was her enemy That adoption made an 1422. is the second ground of the claime of the French to Naples and the seed of so many Wars and Calamities and of the greatest divisions between the Houses of France and Spain The Spaniards maintaining the first adoption as valid because Alphonsus though accused by Jane of ungratefulnesse upon which she grounded the disanulling of his adoption did nothing as they say against the respect due to his adoptive Mother but onely went about to represse the extravagancies of that light-brained woman to have that part in her affaires which by right belonged to him and especially curb the insolency of Carraciolo who kept a scandalous familiarity with that woman The French say that the second adoption is of more validity That the cause of ungratefulnesse is sufficient to break an adoption That Alphonsus misused his adoptive Mother seized upon the City of Naples besieged her and kept her shut up and did all acts of Soveraign to her contempt and disgrace 5. This Lewis the IV. Duke of Anjou having recovered Naples enjoyed it with some peace together with Jane but dyed before her an 1434. Because he left no issue she adopted his Brother René Duke of Anjou and her selfe soon after dyed But René being then kept prisoner by the Duke of Burgundy he could not go to receive his inheritance His wife Elizabeth went but too late though at the first she got some advantage In the end Alphonsus remained Master and the party of Anjou was quite expelled out of the Land Onely René kept the possession of Provence which was an appurtenance of that State for since the first adoption of Lewis the I Duke of Anjou by Queen Jane the I. that second house of Anjou had kept the possession of Provence Neither did Charles de Duras nor his Children nor
be displeasing to the Colledge of Cardinals joyned with the Emperour for the dispossessing of Octavio who put himself in Henry the II his protection and that King powerfully assisted him both against the Pope and the Emperour and was at such odds with the Pope as to prohibit the bringing of any money out of France to Rome At which the Pope amazed desired peace of the King and desisted to oppose Octavio yea and caused the Emperour to restore Placentia to Octavio since which time Octavio and his successours have enjoyed Parma and Placentia At the same time the King protected also the Prince of Mirandola whom the Pope would oppresse Before that time an 1545. the Emperour got a great victory over the Protestant Princes of Germany Their two chiefe men Friderick Elector of Saxony and Philip Lantgrave of Hâ—sse were taken prisoners Whereby the Protestant party was so humbled that in the year 1550. they implored the help of Henry the II of France who past into Germany to relieve them The Constable of Montmorency in his way seized upon the Townes of Metz Toul and Verdus upon the Rights which we have set down in the third Chapter That enterprize of Henry in favour of the Protestants made the Emperour conclude a peace with them in haste So that the King being come to Strasburg was desired by them to return because they were agreed with the Emperour Returning from Germany he took many Towns in Lutzenburg Rochemars Danvilliers Ivoy Bovillon And the Emperour towards the end of the year 1551. besiegeth Metz so well defended by Francis Duke of Guise that the siege was raised the first day of the year 1552 Terrovenne is taken and razed by the Emperour The people of Siena fearing lest that Cosmo de Medicis Duke of Florence should make himself Master of their Commonwealth had put themselves into the Emperours hands hoping that he would bring them in their liberty But seeing that he would bring them under the subjection of Cosmo they called Henry the II to their help who gave them Blaise de Montlue for their Governour who since was Marshal of France in his Commentaries he hath described how that City was besieged But in the end they were forced to submit to the Florentine In the year 1555. the Emperour Charles resigned the Imperial Crown to his brother Ferdinand and all his other Estates to his Son Philip the II. A Treaty of Peace betweene Henry and Philip was moved near Ardres and perfected near Cambray an 1556. for ten yeares and sworne by the two Kings Feb. 6. But presently after the death of Jule the III. and the Pontificat of Marcel the II. which lasted but two and twenty dayes the peace was broken upon the Election of Paul the IV. a Neapolitan of the house of Caraffa allied to that of Melpha which had alwayes been of the French faction and was odious to the Spaniards who used all their power to hinder his election And when in spite of them he was elected they raised two powerfull Families of Rome against him the Columna's and the Vitelli's who revolted against the Pope being assisted by Philip. The King sends help to the Pope so the Truce is broken Many exploits of Arms were done about Rome But Octob. 14. 1557 the Pope and the Spaniard agreed and Henry called his Army back But at the same time Philip having married Queen Mary of England made his wife declare War to Henry by a Heralt of Arms who spoke to the King himself at Reims whence followed many various effects of war in Picardie and Champagne till the memorable battell of Saint Guintin lost by the French an 1557. where the Constable was taken But Francis Duke of Guise newly returned from Italy revived the sad condition of France by the taking of Calais Guines the Land of Oye and the Town of Thionville The two Armies of these two Princes being both in sight one of another in Picardy near the River of Somme the Constable of France and the Marshall Saint Andrew both Prisoners of the Spaniard the Popes Nuntio and Christina Dowager of Lorrain Cosen-german to Philip manage a peace which was concluded at Chasteau in Cambresis in February 1559. By the first Article of that Treaty the French King was to execute religiously all the Treaties made between Charles the V and Francis the I. whereby they understood the cessions made of Naples Milan Flanders and Artois unlesse the present Treaty did contradict it but that Treaty mentioned onely the restitutions of the Towns taken on both sides and the rendition of the States of Savoy and Piemont to Philibert Emanuel Duke of Savoy Also by that Treaty a marriage was agreed on between Philip then newly a Widower by the death of Queen Mary of England and Elizabeth daughter to Henry the II. which for that reason was called the Queen of Peace In the celebration of that marriage Henry the II was slain Paragraphe VII From the peace of Chasteau in Cambresis 1559. to the death of the Duke of Alenson 1584. There was no open war between the two Crownes all that time which comprehends the reign of Francis the II Charles the IX and great part of that of Henry the III. But by the vertue of that Queen of peace the Union was so great that the troubles of Religion being risen in France Philip assisted the French Kings with his Armes Under Francis the II. In this reign of ninteen months the History observeth two notable things which are much for our purpose 1. The State of France being in trouble at the entry of this reign by the great favour of the Guises Unkles to Queen Mary of Scotland wife to Francis the II and by the Queen-mother Catherine de Medicis who took the Regency of the Kingdome to the prejudice of Antony of Bourbon King of Navarra and first Prince of the blood of France after the Kings brothers who being kept low and all the house of Bourbon with him seemed to threaten France of a Civil War Philip the II considering that State of France sent to Francis the II a letter which was read in the Councell whereby he said that he had heard how some great men of France being ill satisfied of the Government establisht by him his brother in law Francis threatned his State of a Civill War That he Philip was ready to imploy all his Forces and his life to make him obeyed as his good confederate and neighbour remembring the good instructions and the holy education which his Father Charles the V had received from Lewis the XII his Guardian 2. The house of Bourbon being degraded from the rank it ought to have had in the Court Antony King of Navarra retired into Bearn and when the Cardinal of Bourbon and the Prince de la Roche sur Yon conducted the Queen of Spain to her husband he bore them company Now because by the Treaty of marriage that Princesse was to be delivered to Philip upon the
1589. after he had seen the revolt of most part of his Kingdome Henry the IV succeeded him and is acknowledged by the Protestants and part of the Papists The Duke du Maine who kept Paris receiveth Baptista Taxis and others for the King of Spain who raise parties for the degrading of the House of Bourbon and the advancing of the League In March 1590. Philip publisheth an Edict whereby he exhorteth all Catholique Princes to joyne with him for the deliverance of Charles the X meaning the Cardinall of Bourbon whom the League had made King to the exclusion of the rest of the House of Bourbon The same yeare 1590. King Henry besiegeth Paris Philip sends the Duke of Parma out of Flanders with a great Army who takes Lagny and raiseth the siege of Paris The next yeare after the Cardinall of Bourbon being dead the Leaguers consult about the election of a King Many of the Seize that is of the sixteen men that governed Paris affected to the Spanish party vote for Philips Daughter Clara Eugenia Isabella of which claime we have spoken before But the Duke du Maine who desired rather to have the Crown either for himselfe or for some of his house protracted that businesse and turned it over to the States Generall of the League And in the mean while sent President Jannin into Spain unto whom Philip promist all assistance to the League upon condition that his Daughter should be acknowledged Queen either alone or with such a Husband as she should chuse That President returned much offended with Philips proceeding especially because speaking of the Towns of France he would say My City of Paris My city of Orleans and ever since solicited the Duke du Maine to reconcile himselfe with the King An. 1591. King Henry the IV besiegeth and presseth Roven very sore The Duke of Parma returneth and maketh him raise the siege Before the Duke of Parma came into France he propounded two conditions to the Duke du Maine the one that he should put the Town of La Fere into his hands which he did and the Parmezan put a Garrison in it of four hundred Spaniards The other that he should press the assembly of the States of the League to declare the Infanta Queen of France Du maine promist him to move the Assembly about it and gave him hope that King Philip should be contented In January 1593. was the opening of the States of the League where the Duke of Feria extraordinary Embassador of Spain declared his Masters zeal for the defence of Religion desired them to chuse a Catholique King and to preserve unto the Infanta of Spain the right she had to the Crown of France Upon which that famous Arrest or sentence was given by the Parliament for the maintaining of the Salique Law And though afterwards the Spaniards proposed the marriage of the Infanta with the Duke of Guise or with Ernestus brother to the Emperour Rodolphus they were rebuked by the States as making a proposition contrary to the Salique Law When they prest againe that the Infanta should be acknowledged Queen with such a Prince as Philip should name within two months they were answered that when the States had chosen a Catholique Prince if he was not married they would consent that he should marry the Infanta But the hope which Henry gave at the same time to the party of the League that he would come to their Religion destroyed all these designes of the Spaniard and he was anointed King at Chartes in the beginning of the year 1594 and soon after entred into Paris whence the Duke of Feria departed with the Spanish Garrison The same year The Duke du Main having lost Paris and seeing the League falling to pieces went to Bruxelles and asked succour of Ernest of Austria Governour of the Country who sent Charles Count of Mansfeld into France Mansfeld takes la Capelle and returns into Flanders But Henry having laid the Siege to Laon Mansfeld returns and in vain endeavoureth to make him raise the siege The King takes Laon passeth to Cambray an Imperiall Town which Balagni held with the Title of Prince since the first voyage of the Duke of Alanson The King confirmeth that principality to him under the protection of France Towards the end of the year 1594. Henry having broken most part of the League declareth War to the Spaniard by the counsell of the Duke of Bovillon by reason of Philips open enmity against him and the assistance which he had given to the League and because he held from him La Fere and La Capelle That Declaration being made to the Archduke Ernest he answered that he would send word of it to King Philip and a delay of two months being granted War was proclaimed by a Herald The War begins The Duke of Bovillon hath ill successe in Lutzemburg King Henry passeth into Burgundy makes his entry into Dison notwithstanding the resistance of the Duke du Main and wins the battell of Fontaine Francoise in Burgundy against the Duke du Maine and the Constable of Castilia The Count of Fuentes takes from him Catelet Dourlans and Han and Cambray from Balagni Marshall d' Aumont opposeth the Spaniards in Britain into which they were let in by the Duke of Mercoeur Governour of Britain for the League who had delivered Blavet into their hands An. 1595. King Henry got his absolution from Pope Clement the VIII The Spaniards opposed it representing Henry to the Pope as relapsed and impenitent but Du Perron and d' Ossat since made Cardinalls overcame that party In the year 1596. Charles de Casaut and Lovis d' Aix Viguier of Marseille treat with the Spaniard to deliver the City into his hands But Peter Liberta kept it in the obedience of his Soverain Henry and killed Casaut with his own hand The same year Albert Cardinall of Austria Governour of Netherlands takes Calais and Ardres and Henry retakes la Fere. He makes alliance with Queen Elizabeth of England with the States of Holland and with the Princes of Germany In the year 1597. Ferdinand Teil a Spanish Captain surpriseth Amiens which suddenly is retaken by Henry Cardinal Albert in vain attempted to relieve it The year before the Cardinal of Medicis who since was Leo the XI being in France to procure the execution of the Articles promist by the King when he received his absolution from the Pope had been preparing his mind towards a peace with Philip the II. who seeing himself very old and drooping to the grave sought to leave his Dominions peaceable to his Son who was but weak in body and mind Henry also desired to give peace to his subjects tired and exhausted with continuall Wars forty yeares together So that Cardinall with the Generall of the Franciscans Bonaventure Calatagirona a Sicilian disposed both the parties to a Treaty The place was chosen for it at Vervins in February 1598. where a perpetuall peace was concluded between the two Crowns And the Treaty
A VIEW Of the Differences between FRANCE AND SPAIN IN Which is Shown THE PRESENT POSTURE OF THE Affaires OF EUROPE English't by a Person of Honour LONDON Printed for H. Herringman and Sold by Jos Knight and Far. Saunders at the Blew Anchor in the Lower-Walk of the New-Exchange 1684. A CHARACTER OF this Worke. THis is the Map of the present interesses of Princes the quintessence of the History of five or six Ages and of as many Kingdoms the State-resolve of a deep and consummate Polititian perfected by the perusing of many Volums of Histories and by the experience of many years I am inclined to believe that these were private Notes of some great Statesman gathered for readiness in his publique employments And that they were publisht without his name makes me suspect that they came out without his leave Howsoever this is a Treasure for all that desire to know the world and penetrate into the infide of businesses a help of memory for them that have read many Histories and an ease of labour for such as want leisure to read them The true case of the businesses which are at this time between the two Houses of France and Austria PREFACE THe two Houses of France and Austria are the greatest and most important of Christendom and such as draw to their motion all the other Crowns Between these two Houses there hath been many Warres Alterations Treaties Truces and Peaces since the rising of that of Austria of which we may assigne the beginning at the marriage of Maximilian Son to the Emperor Frideric 3. with Mary the inheritrice of Charles the last Duke of Burdundy Prince of the seventeen united Provinces of Netherland dead before Nancy in the year 1477. For the intellience of all their Divisions Truces and Alliances I frame this discourse which shall consist of five Chapters In the first The whole state of Europe shall be set down the severall Princes thereof their Religion and what neighbourhood and dependance they have among themselves In the second It shall be examined by what degrees the House of Austria is entred into the Empire and into all those great estates which she now enjoyeth by her two Branches of Spain and Germany In the third The differences between the two Crowns shal be discuss'd what right the House of France hath in Catalonia Portugal Navarra Naples Milan c. Also what claim the House of Austria hath to Burgundy Brittain Provence c. These are those disputable Rights which have begot so many Divisions and Wars between the Princes and an unreconcilable hatred between the Nations In the fourth Chapter The businesses shall be presented which past between the two Kingdoms from the Treaty of Arras in the year 1435. to the Treaty of Vervins in 1598. Wars Battels Treaties Truces and Peaces The fifth shall relate all that past from the Treaty of Vervins till now CHAP. I. The Princes that govern Europe Paragraphe I. EUrope the least of the three parts of the world known to the ancient Geographers and the most Northerly but the most populous and that within which almost all Christendom is comprehended hath on the South the Mediterranean Sea and part of the Ocean and begins at the Cap St. Vincent in the extremity of Portugal in the Kingdom of Algarba near the Strait of Gibraltar where the Mediterranean Sea begins which takes several names as it toucheth upon severall Provinces as Spain France Italy Sicily Greece The Isle of Candie is the utmost of Europe that way and it is divided from Africa by the Mediterranean Sea Eastward ascending to the North Europe is bounded again by the Mediterranean Sea under the names of the Aegean Sea called now Archipelago Hellospont now Burdanelles or the Strait of Gallipoli Propontis now Mar de Marmora Bosphorus Thracius now the Strait of Constantinople Pontus Euxinus now the black Sea or Mar major Higher it is bounded by Meotides Paludes and the River Tanais now Don remounting to its spring And thenceforward a line is imagined drawne to the North butting either at the Golph of St. Nicholas or some such other place thereabout in the great Duke of Moscovia's Country for that nothern Tract unknown to ancient Geographers is yet so little knowne that the limits of Europe that way could never be well assigned On all the East-side Europe neighboureth upon the great Asia and is Occidentall to it On the North-side ancient Geograhpers have set no limits to Europe but have comprehended these Nothern extremities either under the name of Hyperborean hills although there be no hills in that Tract or under the name of Mare Glaciale or the frozen Sea which we may take from the Golph of St. Nicolas or the mouth of the River Oby unto the Sea which is about Norway and Finmarch and so towards the Isles of Freezland and Island On that side Europe buts upon the Pole and is not near any considerable Lands some few Ilands onely ill inhabited as Nova Zembla and Niewland On the West-side Europe hath the great Ocean from the Iles of Freesland and Is-land to the Cap of St. Vincent which is the extremity of Portugal And that Ocean takes divers names according to the divers Countries that it toucheth as the Britannique Ilands Norway Denmark Germany Holland Zeland Flanders the Strait of Calais the coasts of Normandy Brittain Poitou Saintonge Guienne the golph of Bayonne the coasts of Biscay Gallicia Portugal Algerke to the Cap St. Vincent These are the limits and as it were the four walls which inclose all that is comprehended under the name of Europe The length whereof may be taken from the Cap St. Vincent to the golph S. Nicholas or the mouth of the River Oby which is two thousand French common leagues or as far north-ward as one will The breadth from Morea towards the Isle Cythera to the North towards Finmarch and Lapland which is twelve of fifteen hundred leagues A more exact description of the Topography of each Country is not for this place Here only we will enumerate the States contained within that extent and that but in the great as much as is necessary to understand that which belongs to the two Houses of France and Austria the most considerable of Europe of Christendom at least We shall be begin that enumeration by the West and from thence passing to the East we shall turn to the North and there end Paragraphe II. The first Prince on the West of Europe is the King of Spain who beares the name of the House of Austria besides that which he hath in Africa and in the East and West Indies Besides a number infinite of Ilands Caps Havens from the Isles Azores to the Cap of good hope and from that Cap to the extremity of the East towards the Molukes and Philippine Ilands 1. That which he holds in Europe is comprehended in that Peninsula enclosed within the Ocean the Mediterranean Sea and the Pyrenean hills under several names of
fly and shut their Gates against the Duke of Savoy But indeed that Towne and all the other States were pieces depending from the Empire But the Emperours power being by succession of time confined within Germany onely retain almost nothing out of it but the shade of their ancient authority 4. In the Celtique Gaule Franch County belongs to the King of Spain 5. The City of Besancon inclosed within Franch County is an imperial City 6. Then many little soveraign Princes the chiefe of them the thirteen Cantons of the Suitzers inclosed within the Alpes between Franch County and the Rhine Of them four are Protestants Berne which alone is almost as large as all the others Basel Zurick and Schaffouse which is a Town beyond the Rhine Seven Catholique as they style themselves two greater Friburg and Soleurre and the five little Cantons Uri Switz Underwall Lucerne and Zough and two halfe Catholick half Protestants Glaris and Appenzel All these Common-wealths making one body of State have their Associates the Abbot of Saint Gall the commonalties of Valley and the Bishop of Sion with some other Towns and beyond the Rhine the three Leagues of the Grisons 7. To these adde many pieces about the Rhine which are held to be parts of Germany as the County of Montbeliard which the Kings of France have bought of late years of the Dukes of Wirtinberg Alsatia beyond the Rhine which did belong to the House of Austria and consisteth of imperial Towns and other Towns which the King of France now holds Then the Palatinate on this side of the Rhine which is now partly in the hands of the Spaniards partly in that of the King of France and the Protestants 8. The Dutchy of Lorrain which before acknowledged the Duke is now almost altogether in the King of Frances his hands 9. The principality of Liege is depending from the Bishoprick thereof 10. The Dutchy of Juliers and great part of the Dutchy of Cleves now divided between the Dukes of Newburg and the Marquess of Brandenburg 11. The Arch-bishoprick of Treues on both sides of the River of Mosella 12. The seventeen Provinces of Netherland four of which are Dutchies Brabant Luxembourg Limbourg and Guelderland They belong to the Spaniard part of Guelderland excepted and some Towns of Brabant the Marquisat of the holy Empire which is the Town of Antwerp Seven Counties Namur Hainault Artois Flanders These four are in the hands of the Spaniard excepting that which the French hold in Artois and Hainault and the sluce and other places which the Hollanders hold in Flanders The three other Counties are Zeland Holland and Zutphen There are five Lordships more Mechlen which the Spaniard holds and Utrecht Overissell West-Friesland and Groning which are possest by the Hollanders All these are commonly called the seventeen Provinces of Netherlands and the Belgique Gaule although some of them be out of the extent of Gaule and beyond the Rhine as Overissel Friesland Groning and part of Guelderland All these estates containâ—ed within the extent of Gaule are of no great importance neither are they able to resist the French excepting those that are in the hand of the Spaniard or protected by the Empire To these Cambray must be added an Imperiaâ— and Archi-episcopal Town held by the Spaniard Paragraphe V. Here let us enumerate all the Princes contained in that great Peninsula called Italy between the golph of Venice the coasts of Genoa Toscana Naples the golph of Tarento the Jonique Sea and the Alpes Within that extent there are many Princes the most considerable are six 1. The King of Spain holds the Kingdome of Naples the Dutchy of Milan with some places upon the Sea coast and the soveraignty of the Town of Siena 2. The Pope with the Church of Rome besides the soveraignty over Naples and Parma holds in proper dominion above three hundred miles in length and a hundred in breadth beginning from Caieta to Ferrara and to the Country of the Venetians He possesseth the whole Latium commonly call'd Campagna di Roma where the City of Rome stands part of Toscana with the Territory of St Peter the Towns of Perousa Viterbo Orvietta the Dutchy of Spoleto where Marca d' Ancona is seated the Dutchy of Urbin lately devolved to the See of Rome by the extinction of the family of the Roveros which held it in fee the Towns of Bolonia and Ravenna the Dutchy of Ferrara returned to the Church under Pope Clement the VIII an 1598. by the extinction of the lawfull males of the family of Est Also in the Kingdom of Naples the Dutchy and Towne of Renevent In these Countries there is above fifty Bishopricks and above a million and a halfe of inhabitants 3. The Common-wealth of Venice possesseth besides the city of Venice seated within the Marshes of the Mediterranean Sea within the continent of Italy Histria a Peninsula the Countries of Friuli called in old time Forum Julii Padua Vicenza Verona Brixia Bergumo and out of Italy from Histria to the Common-wealth of Ragousa almost all that is on that coast of the golph of Venice where the Towns of Zara Sebennico Spalato Cataro And every were Venice bordereth upon the House of Austria and shareth with it the Countries of Dalmatia and Slavonia In the Mediterranean sea Venice holds the Iles of Corfou Zante Cephalenia Cerigo and the great Iland of Candy now disputed to them by the Turk and even before the Turks invasion Candy called it self a soveraign Common-wealth acknowledging for their head Francisco Erizzo of an ancient family In the year 1470. one of his Ancestors being Governour of the Isle of Negrepont was taken by the Turks and sawed in two contrary to the faith given to him 8. The great Duke of Toscana is possest with the estate of three ancient Commonwealths Pisa Florence and Siena his Territories run along the coasts of the Toscan Sea where he hath also the Isle of Elva The now Duke is Ferdinand II. 9. The Common-wealth of Genoa possesseth almost all that which is comprehended under the name of Riviera di Genoa and Liguria They hold also the Iland of Corsica 6. The Prince of Piemont is the same as the Duke of Savoy He holds in Italy Valdosta Vercellois Piemont the Marquisat of Salluces The now Duke is Charles Emanuel Besides these six considerable Princes there are some of a lower forme The Duke of Mantua whose Country is compast by the Venetians on the one side and the Dutchy of Malan and the River of Po on the other The Duke of Modena and Rhegio which is an imperial Fee held by the remnants of the family of Est or Atestini The Duke of Parma and Placentia who besides that Fee of which he was invested by Pope Paul the III. hath or claimeth as a proper inheritance of the house Farnesi the Dutchy of Castro in Toscana near Rome out of which he was lately expelled by the Pope The County of Mirandola held by the family of Pici.
which he â—aith of them Paragraphe XII Being now come to the West we meâ—â— with the most considerable piece of Europâ— which is the Empire of Germany The Empiâ—â— begun by Julius Caesar but founded by Augustus possest all the known Countries of thâ— West But was greatly diminished about thâ— year of our Lord 400. for then by the incuâ—sions of the Goths Ostrogoths Alans Hunâ— Herules Vandales Frankes and others manâ— States were founded And finally the Empire ceased in the West altogether in thâ— year 445. by the death of Augustulus and thâ— whole Empire of the West was divided in many States In the year 800. the Empire of the West bâ—gun afresh in the person of Charlemaigne whâ— under that name possest all the Gaules paâ—â— of Spain almost all Italie the great Germâ—nie Hungary Slavonia part of Poland anâ— Denmark and other Northern Countrieâ— But his posterity having degenerated thâ— Empire went from his Family about the yeâ—â— 912. and after a long dispute about it bâ—tween the Italian and German Princes Otâ—â— Duke of Saxony made himself Master of iâ— And from that time that which remains the Empire hath continued in the hands German Princes That which is called the Empire at this day hath more shadow then substance I call a shadow all the pretences of the Emperour out of Germanie which are worn out with age and lost or remain with small vigour as â—he pretences of Soveraignty over the Princes of Italy and the Low-Countries Savoy Franche County Besancon and the like In Germany he hath some reall and effective power Germany at this time comprehends all that Country between the border of Hungary and Poland on the East the Baltique Sea and Denmark on the North the Germanique Sea and France on the West and the River of Rhine and the Alpes on the South Neither is the Emperour absolute every where or in the most part of that large space For it is divided into ten Circles or great Provinces which have a proper right to assemble themselves to look to their own businesses and send Deputies to the generall Diets of the Empire And in every one of these Circles there be many free Cities and many Secular and Ecclesiasticall Princes The chief are the seven Electours three Ecclesiastical the Archbishops of Mentz Collen and Treues four secular the Count Palatine the King of Bohemia the Duke of Saxony and the Marquesse of Brandenhurg And next to these the Duke of Banteres the Duke of Wirtenberg Luneburg Mechelburg Brunswicâ— the Lantgrave of Hesse and many others Buâ— above all these houses that of Austria is coâ—siderable of which we must speak in the neâ—â— Chapter for besides the title of Emperouâ— by election now continued in their familâ— for many descents they possesse their antienâ— Patrimony Austria Stiria Carinthia Carnia Tirolis Elzas They hold also Bohemia anâ— that little part of Hungary which remainâ— unto the Christians All Germany is divideâ— between Papists Lutherans and Calvinists These three and the Mahumetan and the Greeâ— Religion are the principall Religions knowâ— in Europe CHAP. II. By what degrees the house of Austria is come to those great Estates which iâ— possesseth IT is certain that among the Christian Princes the two most considerable Families are those of France and Austria And although it be known that the house of France hath all the Prerogatives of Antiquity Nobility and Glory above the other yet that of Austria is more powerfull for extent of Lands and multitude of People and is invested with a more eminent quality which is the Empire But because they hold it only by Election they have that preheminence but for a time so that the Family of Austria from a Soveraign may become a Subject which can never happen to the Soveraignes by succession but by the ruine of the State Now because these two Families draw to their motion the most part of our Christian Western world and that since one hundreth and fifty years the house of Austria hath taken a stupendious growth It will be to good purpose to examine in this Chapter her Birth Progresse and Greatnesse For we shall not need to speak of the greatnesse of France which is a grounded Monarchie of twelve hundred years standing But it is but of late that the house of Austria dareth claim equality with the house of France Paragraphe I. Yet so much we will say of the house of France 1. It is certain that this Kingdome was erected out of the ruines of the Roman Empire in the year 419. Pharamond was elected King by the Frankes beyond the Rhine in the Country of Sicambria which is Guelderland Uretcht Freeseland and other Countries thereabout But neither he nor his Son Clodion the Chevelu past ever into France for any thing that we read but sent forth their Armies to conquer it Merovee the third King was the first that came to Paris and took it and setled himself with the Frankes in Gauls From him was the first race of French Kings denominated and called the race of the Merovingians 2. Clouis the fifth King was converted to the Christian faith in the year of Christ 500 and brought the French State to great splendour by the expulsion of the reliques of the Romans near Soissons Laon and Reins by the Conquest of Gaule Aquitanique and by the defeat of Alaric and the Kingdome of the Goths The Sons of that Clouis about the year 527. conquered the state of the Burgundians or Bourguignons So that race of the Merovingians about the year of 530. was possest of all the Gaules yet divided into Tetrarchies by the children of Clouis and again by their descent That race with the Gauls held great part of Germany and having done great services to the Church and protected desolate Popes goâ— from them the name of most Christians eldesâ— Sons of the Church When that title was given them we cannot precisely tell yet Saint Gregory who lived in the year 600. saith that the King of France is as eminent above other Kings as every King is above his Subjects That first race kept long the fiercenesse of German-barbarousnesse and about the year 650. after the death of Dagobert they degenerated to idlenesse and so continued for a hundred years which gave occasion to the Mayres of the Palace to incroach upon the Soveraign Authority Among whom Charles Martel was most eminent who having defeated the Sarrasins near Tours and killed three hundred threescore and six thousand men and relieved the Pope against the Lombards raised much the honour of France and his own but to the destruction of the first Royal line which ended in the degradation of the unfortunate Chilperic in the year 752. having subsisted 333 years 5. The second race much more illustrious then the first began in the person of Pipin Son to that Charls Martel A valorous fortunate Prince devoutly addicted to the Roman See He received Pope Stephen the first into France and put down Adolphus King
comprehended indeed all the West and herein the Gaules That Empire was made up of the ruine of many Nations by right or wrong Howsoever long prescription and the consent of Nations with the extinction of the royall Families made up a reasonable right which continued in the Roman Emperours till the year of Christ 400 when by the inundation of many Northern Nations Goths Vandales Franks and others the whole Empire was dismembred and the severall Conquerors of each part made themselves Soveraign So did the Franks in Gaules A beginning not to be excused of violence and usurpation But the ruine of the Romans prescription and the consent of the conquered people did since authorize their dominion and towards the end of the first age of these invasions they were all justified and the Conquerours remained just possessours especially when the Roman Empire ended in Augustulus An. 475. And when Charlemagne restored the Western Empire an 800. that promotion did not alter the former Title he had to the Kingdome of France It was but a Title of honour which he and after him his Sonne Lewis the Meek possest with that of King of France Afterwards by the partage made An. 843. between the Sons of Lewis the Meek each of the three brothers had his portion independent from the others and Lothary the Eldest who had the Title of Emperour pretended no right over Charles the Bald who had France for his Portion much as it is now Since which time all that would ascribe any Superiority to the Emperours over the Princes of Christendom that are acknowledged Soveraign have with good reason bin hissed out as ridiculous Only the precedence was left to the Emperour as the eldest among the brethren But the subjection which he yields to the Pope and the small right which he retains over the Lands and Princes of the Empire weaken his authority very much and make it unworthy of that precedence over all the Princes of Christendom Wherefore he doth not stir those antient pretences over all the Kingdomes of the West 2. Some Germane Historians as Trithemius Lazius Munster Fiesdorpius make the house of Habsburg which is that of Austria to descend from the first race of the French Kings a fable invented since 120. years and newly taken up again by the flatterers of that house Especially by Fiesdorpius a name either true or forged by the Spaniards To understand this we must know that the Kingdom of France was often divided into Tetrarchies under the first race Kings of Paris of Orleans of Soissons and Mets. In the last of these Brunehault reigned with great power that abominable woman so much renowned in our Histories which confounded and destroyed that house by her ordinary murthers That State of Mets being fallen into the hands of two brothers Thierry and Theodebert who contended for it Therry joyning with his Grandmother Brunchault overcame Theodebert in battell and put him cruelly to death And by Brunehaults order the two Sons of Theodebert were slain in her presence This Tragedy was acted An. 617. But these Historians to flatter the house of Austria say that of these two Sons of Theodebert the one called Sigebert escaped the hands of his great Grandmother and fled into Germany to Godfrey and Genebald Dukes of Franconie his Uncles by the Mother by whose intercession he obtained of Lothary King of France his Cosin some lands in Switzerland upon condition that he should renounce all his rights to the Crown of France That he or his Son or one of his more remote descent built the Castle of Habsburg and founded that family And upon that account the house of Austria descends from that of France That relation is a blind tale for all antient Historians affirm that both the Sons of Theodebert and he had no more were slain by Brunehault And the first that mentions that escape of Sigebert is Trithemius who lived about six score yeares ago And as it is false it is ridiculous in the ordinary vicissitude of the affairs of the world and the continuall changes of Possessions to set up Titles after an interruption of a thousand years For upon that account there is no Prince in Europe but may be degraded and no mean man but may be intitled to some principality It is with great reason that the Title of prescription is every where preferred before all Titles And though the tale were a true story that Rodolphus of Habsburg the head of the house of Austria was descended from the Family of Habsburg by the women his masculine extraction was from the house of Tiestein So this pretence is so ridiculous that it is not worth speaking 3. The branch of the house of Valois hath continued from male to male from Pphilip de Valois who came to the Crown An. 1328 to the death of Henry the Third An. 1589. males failing in that branch the Crown by the fundamental laws of the Land was to pass to the next branch of the Males which was that of Bourbon and so did in the end A Title so known to all the French that even in the heat of the War of the League against the house of Bourbon as professing a contrary Religion yet they crowned the Cardinal of Bourbon and called him Charles the Tenth In these confusions Philip the Second King of Spain seeing the party of the League inclined to the Election of a King claimed the Kingdom for his Daughter Clara Eugenia Isabella as Daughter of Elizabeth of France his third wife sister and Heir of the three last Kings Francis II. Charles IX and Henry III. and of Francis Duke of Alenson the eldest of three Sisters of which the Second was Claude married to Charles Duke of Lorrain and the third was Queen Margaret wife to Henry the Fourth then only titular King of Navarra He alleadged then that representation being a good Title by the Laws of France his Daughter entred into all the rights of her Mother Elizabeth which should have inherited of her brothers and that her right extended even to the Crown as the Patrimony of her Family That the pretended Salique Law of the French was imaginary yea and against Nature against Humanity and the right of Political successions which require that all Inheritances may go to the next Heirs And though that Law had force among the French that his Daughter being not a subject nor borne in France could not be tied by these municipall Laws That between Soveraigns the Law of Nature not the particular Laws of Nations should be the rule That all Laws of Nature reject this principle that the successions should be for males only as though females were unreasonable creatures or the excrements and sweepings of mankind and no part of human society When the States of the League were assembled in Paris An. 1593. some unadvised anâ— rash heads moved the Election of a King and the excluding of the house of Bourbon whicâ— stirred the Parliament to make that famouâ— Arrest
Alphonsus possess any thing in it 6. René dying an 1480. although his Daughter Yoland Dutchesse of Lorraine had left children he left the inheritance of the County of Provence and of his Rights upon Naples Charles Count du Maine Son to his brother of the same name and title And Charles dying likewise without issue left Lewis the XI his Heir in all his states and the Kings of France successours to Lewis Lewis neglecting to go to Naples held by Ferdinand bastard of that Alphonsus and by his Children contented himselfe to hold Provence But his Sonne Charles the VIII undertook the conquest of Naples an 1493. and after him Lewis the XII and Francis the I. In the next Chapter we shall see the severall Wars Partages and Treaties between these two Houses for that Kingdom So all the Rights of the House of France to the Kingdome of Naples are reduced to these heads 1. The investiture by Urban the IV. in favour of Charles brother to St Lewis A weak Right if it were alone the French Kings having not succeeded to that family by kindred for all that belongs to any branch of the House of France doth not therefore belong to France 2. The Adoption of Lewis the first of the second house of Anjou by Queen Jane the I. by the counsell and leave of Clement the VII who was acknowledged by France for a true Pope By that adoption the right of Naples fel to the house of Anjou of which the French Kings have inherited 3. The two adoptions made by Queen Jane the II. first of Lewis the III. Duke of Anjou and after him of his Brother René 4. The will of Charles Count du Maine who named Lewis the XI his heir both of Provence and of his right to the Kingdome of Naples and his successors Kings of France after him Paragraphe VIII Of the Dutchy of Milan After the wrack of the Roman Empire an 400. all the Countries about the River of Po towards the Alpes were taken by Theodorick Goth and kept by his children till about the year 550. that they were recovered by Belisarius and Narses two Captaines of the Emperour Justinian But soon after the same Countries were won by the Ostrogoths Kings of Italy and again by the Lombards who setled a great State there and maintained it till the time of Charlemagne who destroyed it an 774. After which time all the Towns of those parts were Imperial belonging to whosoever had the Empire of the West The house of Charlemagne being degenerated and having lost the Empire after the yeare 900. the Empire was disputed between the Italian and the German Princes for 50 yeares In the end the Germans having prevailed in the person of Otho the I the Emperors his successours having chosen the seat of their Empire in Germany and being at odds many times with the Popes their power sensibly decayed in Italy and great part of the Towns of Lombardy slipt out of their Dominion and chose to themselves Italian Lords the Emperours retaining the shadow only of Soveraignty Many also chose liberty a Popular State as Siena Pisa Florence Genoa and others In these confusions the City of Milan was usurped by the Viscounts of Angleria a small place in the Dutchy of Milan who maintained themselvs about six hundred years under that name and quality of Vicounts untill the year 1497. that the Emperour Wenceslaus not Friderick as Gassan saith erected Milan into a Dutchy The first Duke was Galeas the III. who had married Isabella daughter to John King of France That Galeas had three Sons John Maria that succeeded him and died without issue Philip Maria that succeeded his brother who likewise died without issue leaving a bastard daughter named Bona married to Francis Sforza a Souldier of Fortune but a gallant man That first Duke Galeas besides these two Sons had a daughter called Valentina married to Lewis Duke of Orleans Son to Charles the V. King of France an 1398. Her Father gave her the County of Ast for her portion with a Million of Livers wherewith the County of Blois was bought Chasteauduro Soissons and other Lordships And by the contract of Matrimony it was declared that if the masculine line of Galeas should fail Valentina and her children should succeed in the Dutchy It is true that this clause had this great defect that the Dutchy beeing establisht a masculine Fee Galeas could not make it feminine without the Emperours leave which was not demanded because the Empire was then vacant by the degradation of Wenceslaus whom the Electors deposed for his idlenesse But it is pretended that the Pope Benedict the XIII who then had his See at Avignon approved that contract for that right the Popes challenge in the vacancy of the Empire Howsoever John Maria and Philip Maria being dead without lawfull issue none had more right to that succession then the children of Valentina But that succession fel in the heat of the confusions of France under Charles the VII when the two Sons of Valentina Charls Duke of Orleans John Count of Angoulesme were Prisoners in England where the eldest remained five and twenty years and the second well nigh thirty In that long time it was easie for Francis Sforza who had married Bona the bastard daughter of Duke Philip Maria to make himself Master of Milan of which he procured and obtained the investiture from the Emperour Friderick the IV. This Francis Sforza had two Sons whom he left to the tuition of his brother Ludovick Sforza so famous in the History of Milan who having made away his pupills seized upon the State of Milan and was expelled out of it by Lewis the XII King of France and since was taken carried to Loches where he died in Prison He left two Sons Maximilian who was restored by the Switzers and since taken by Francis the I. and died in France His other Son was Francis Sforza the second who died without issue 1534. So that house of Sforza's maintained the usurpation of Mi. an well nigh a hundred years among many wars and divisions the lawfull right remaining still in the house of Orleans with the possession of the County of Ast which is part of that Dutchy But that right could not be prosecuted 1. In the desolation of the house of Orleans and the great divisions between that house and the house of Burgundy 2. In the long inprisonment of the two Princes of Orleans 3. In the great troubles of the State of France almost all the reign of Charles the VII 4. Besides Lewis the XI had many other businesses all his time Neither did he love the house of Orleans and the Princes of his blood And of all things he hated the Wars of Italie whither he would never go neither for the conquest of Naples nor for the receiving the City of Genoa that gave her self to him 5. All the time of Charles the VIII was spent in Civill Wars or in the Conquest
of Naples And Lewis the XII Grandchild of Valentina comeing to the Crown an 1498 had no more in the Dutchy but the County of Ast the rest being held by Ludovick Sforza Son to the invader Francis and himself invader of the State of his Nephews But Lewis following his right comes to Milan takes it and expells Ludovic who returning not long after enters into Milan but there being suddenly invested by Lewis he is taken carried into France where he dieth a Prisoner Lewis remaining Master of the Dutchy But because Ludovic had two Sons protected in Germany by the Emperour Maximilian I. Lewis to strengthen his right made meanes to win the Emperours favour of whom in the end he obtained two investitures of that Dutchy The one An. 1506 for Lewis and his children and lawfull Heirs and Lewis for the acknowledgement of this investiture paid him sixty thousand livers and promist to give him every year a pair of golden spurrs at Christmas Also in that investiture the exclusion of Sforza is precisely exprest and a marriage concluded betweene Charles the Grandchild of Maximilian who since was the Emperour Charles the V. and Claude the eldest daughter of Lewis the XII which also was comprehended in that investiture The other was an 1509. wherby the same Emperour confirms the former investiture with a condition of the marriage between Charles and Claude which indeed was not effected but that hinders not the validity of the investiture which was absolute the first at least By vertue of that right Lewis remained possest of that Dutchy but towards the end of his reigne Maximilian Sforza was put in possession of that Dutchy by the Switzers by the consent of the Emperour Maximilian who was displeased that Claude promised to Charls his Grandchild had been married to Francis who after was Francis the first King of France which he took for an affront and this was the first seed of the jealousies between the two houses of France and Austria Francis the first having regained the Dutchy and taken Maximilian neglected to do homage to the Emperour and a while after Charles having succeeded his Grandfather in the Empire the animosities grew to a great height betwixt these two Princes and they became implacable fighting with great might about Milan till that by the Treaty of Madrid Francis the first yielded his right as we will relate in the next Chapter To sum up the pretences of the French upon Milan They are grounded 1. Upon the contract of marriage of Valentina who is substituted Heir of the Dutchy the lawfull Heires male failing and the contract is valid as confirmed by the Pope in the vacancy of the Empire 2. The investiture given by the Emperour Maximilian in favour of Lewis the XII and his Heirs yea of Claude and her children 3. The second investiture an 1509. 4. Francis the I. having yielded all his rights by the Treaties of Madrid Cambray and Crespy as we shall see afterwards one may say that besides the nullity of that cession by the right of the Kingdom Francis may have quitted the right that came to him by his great Grandmother Valentina but that hee hath not quitted that which came to his children by Claude his wife who being daughter of Lewis the XII had for her and her issue the right of investiture both of 1505. and 1509. which her Husband could not take from her And Francis made use of this reason among the nullities which he objected against the treatie of Madrid In what time these cessions were made and of what strength they are the next Chapter will shew The Commonwealth of Genoa had also some dependance from the Kings of France That City with the Country depending from it having shaken the yoke of the Emperours as the other Commonwealths of Italie while the Italian and German Princes were contending for the Empire form'd it self into a most flourishing State In the Wars of the East and Conquests of the Holy Land Genoa was very considerable no lesse than the Venetians and Pisans possest many Countries in the Levant the I le of Chio the Town of Capha upon Mar Major in Taurica Chersonesus and others But the Commonwealth being weakned by the jealousies of two potent Families the Fregosi and the Adorni the State submitted it self unto Charles the VI of France an 1390. who taking them under his Protection sent to them the Marshall of Boulicaut who received their Oath of fidelity But great confusions being risen in France by reason of the weaknesse of Charles the VI. for 29. years by the invasion of the English and by the extremity that Charles the VII was brought to that right over Genoa was neglected But in the year 1458. the same Genoese being opprest with their own divisions sent Peter Fregosa into France to Charles the VII who received them under his protection and sent them John Duke of Lorrain eldest Son to the Duke of Anjou And after Charles the VII having again given themselvs to Lewis the VI some Historians say that he neglected that Conquest so that they were forced to submit themselves to John Galeas Duke of Milan Others say that Lewis the XI invested that Galeas in the Lordship of Genoa upon condition of doing homage for it to the Crown of France And Charles the VIII passing to the Conquest of Naples invested against Ludovick Sforza in the same by the Treaty of Vercel an 1494 he paying thirty thousand ducats of entry in consideration of the auxiliary forces which Ludovick promist unto Charles for the Conquest of Naples After Charles the City of Genoa remained subject to the Kings of France as Dukes of Milan and Lewis the XII made a triumphant entry into it and received of them all the honours and deferences of Subjects to a Soveraign an 1502. and gave them a Governour John of Cleves his Kinsman But an 1527. while Charles the V and Francis the I were in the heat of their quarrell the City of Naples being besieged by Monsieur de Lautree Andrew Doria of Genoa subject to the French King and Generall of his Fleet being ill satisfied of Francis the I revolted from him turned to the Emperour and was the cause of the losse of Naples The Emperour to win him to his service offered him la carte blanche that is what conditions soever he would have The first demand of Andrew was the liberty of his City which he obtained and it was freed from all subjection to the Dukes of Milan But if the French have any right in the Dutchy of Milan they have the like in Genoa for Charles the V. could not cut off that limbe from it since it did not belong to him Paragraphe IX Of the Counties of Flanders and Artois These two Counties were antiently before the conquest of the Romans parts of Gallia Belgica and so under that Empire and under the first and second race of the French Kings till that famous partage of the children of Lewis
of Austria a small Province of Germany advance himself so far as to offer to step before them and as many think to affect the Empire of all Europe To understand all these Wars Truces and Treaties the History must begin at the Treaty of Arras an 1435. For although these six houses Austria Burgundy Hungary Arragon Castilia and Portugal the limbes of that great Colossus of the now house of Austria were then severall houses yet that Treaty will serve to see how the house of Burgundy is fallen into the house of Austria and how their greatnesse began Here then let us say in brief what Wars and Treaties have been between these two houses since the Treaty of Arras an 1435. to that of Vervins 1598. We will divide this into many Articles according to the most remarquable dates touching only the most principall points leaving the rest to the generall History 1. From the Treaty of Arras Ann. 1435. to the marriage of Maximilian of Austria with Mary of Burgundy 1477. 2. Thence to the death of the Emperour Maximilian 1519. 3. Thence to the Treaty of Madrid 1525. 4. Thence to the Treaty of Cambray 1529. 5. Thence to the Treaty of Crespy or Saint John des Vignes an 1544. 6. Thence to the Treaty of Chasteau in Cambresis 7. Thence to the death of the Duke of Alencon and the beginning of the League 1584. 8. Thence to the Treaty of Vervins an 1598. Paragraphe I. From the Treaty of Arras an 1435. to the marriage of Maximilian and Mary of Burgundy In all that time which was not yet the time of the greatnesse of Austria the French Kings had nothing to do with that Family which in that period of years enjoyed the Empire in the persons of Albert and Friderick the III. They had also little to do with the Kings of Castilia and Arragon which were then two severall States But much they had to do with the Dukes of Burgundy founders of that greatnesse of Austria Of which this is the summary 1. Philip le Bon after he had brought the State of France into great distresse and given it for a prey to the English to avenge the death of his Father John slain at Montereau Fautyonne an 1419 Finally being ill satisfyed with the English was forced to agree with Charls the VII who had killed his Father which he did by the Treaty of Arras an 1435. whereby Charles gave to Philip what we said before Peronne Montdidier and Roye the County of Artois the enjoying of the County of Bullen for his life also all the Towns of the River of Somme redeemable with four hundred thousand Crownes and promist to join to the Dutchy of Burgundy the Counties of Mascon Chalons Langres Bar sur Siene and Auxerre for ever reserving the resort of these jurisdictions to the Parliament of Paris This Treaty raised very much the house of Burgundy After which Philip was a loyall friend and servant unto Charles and helped him to expell the English out of France Neither did he meddle with the first falling out of Charles with his Son Lewis the Dolphin who was since Lewis the XI which division was called La Ligue de la Praguerie And all the reigne of Charles nothing considerable hapned between these two houses but that towards the end of Charles Bewis the Dolphin having withdrawn himself discontented from the Court and lived a while in Daulphiné When the King his Father would have apprehended him by the Count of Dampmartin he fled into Flanders where he was received with great honour by Duke Philip who assigned him the Town of Guenep in Brabant to keep his Court where he lived six or seaven years till the death of his Father an 1461. 2. Now comes the reign of Lewis the XI who had so much to do with the house of Burgundy but nothing with that of Austria and little with that of Arragon and Castilia Historians observe that Philip Duke of Burgundy and his Son Charles Count of Charrolois accompanied Lewis into France and were present at his coronation And that Lewis at the first was very great with the Count of Charrolois but that soon after that friendship was separated by reason of the great antipathy of their humours and because while Lewis was retired into Flanders they had been too much acquainted with one anothers conditions which brought them to a mutuall contempt Also because Charles had a suspicion that Lewis had plotted against his life and because Lewis would have brought the Gabell or impost of salt into Burgundy which the Duke did oppose Then the suddain redeeming of the Towns of the River of Somme for which Lewis payed the four hundred thousand Crowns incens'd the Count of Charolois very much These were the causes of the great hatred between these two houses which the house of Austria inherited together with the Estate Hardly indeed could these two Princes agree for Lewis the XI was malicious disobliging and dissembled and Charles Count of Charolois was peevish and arrogant and followed no Law but his own will That hatred brought forth the War of the publick good as they called it in which Charles had the better That War ended in the Treaty of Conflans whereby it was covenanted that the King should restore to Charles all the Towns of the River of Somme redeemed not long before to enjoy them all his life and that he should have the County of Guines for himself and his Heirs for ever 3. John King of Arragon was assisted by Lewis the XI and the said John sold or pawned unto him the County of Roussillon for three hundred thousand Crownes This is the ground of the claime of the French to that County 4. Henry the IV King of Castilia and John King of Arragon being in War because Henry maintained the people of Arragon against their King and about some Towns Lewis the XI was chosen Umpire and went to Bayonne where he saw the Castilian on this side of the River of Vodazo and upon the Lands of France That enterview made them despise one another for Henry was an ill favoured and ill behaved man of little wit and was altogether governed by the Count of Lodesme Lewis used a short and coorse habit and wore a little leaden Our Lady at his hat The vanity of the Count of Lodesme seemed ridiculous to the French He crost the River in a boat with a sail of golden cloath and wore pomps garnisht with precious stones Ever sinde that enter view the two Nations have despised one another 5. After the peace of Conflans the divisions were renewed between Lewis and the Count of Charolois because Lewis cozened his brother Charles gave him Normandy and presently took it from him banisht him into Guienne far from the other Princes with whom he was in League and gave him a little Country under the specious Title of Duke of Guienne This angred the Count of Charrolois and increased his jealousies Philip Duke of Burgundy
dieth an 1467. Charles succeeds him 6. This new Duke of Burgundy is much considered in France by reason of his great Lands and turbulent spirit All his time hee was in Wars with the King and brought the English into France The King also did raise him Enemies which his own rashnesse did multiply He was defeated by the Switzers at Granson and Morat and killed before Nancy an 1477. 7. After his death Lewis took the Dutchy of Burgundy and Provinces annext to it given by Charles the VII to Philip le Bon as a masculin apanage with the Towns upon the River of Somme which Charles was to hold all his life not leave it to his heirs He seized also upon the Town of Arras upon which he pretended a right He did his utmost to catch Mary the inheritrix of Charles and desired the people of Gant to deliver her into his hand or make her marry Charles the Dolphin but they protected her and soon after Maximilian of Austria married her 8. In Spain after the enterview of the two King Lewis of France and Henry of Castilia and the sale or pawning of the Country of Roussillon King John of Arragon seeing that Lewis had arbitrated in favour of the Castilian and had sent John Duke of Calabria for the conquest of Arragon took his time when the leagues in France were strongest against the King to make Perpignan revolt against the French The Garrison retired into the Citadel and made it good till the Town was besieged by Lewis and constrained to return to his obedience Paragraphe II. From the marriage of Maximilian with Mary unto his death This period of forty yeares comprehends four reigns of the French Kings the end of Lewis the XI Charles the VIII Lewis the XII and the beginning of Francis the I in which space the greatnesse of the House of Austria was founded by her union with that of Burgundy and then with Castilia and Arragon Vnder Lewis the XI Since the death of Duke Charles three remarkable things hapned under Lewis the XI Mary inheritrix of Burgundy whom her Father had promist to many Princes in the end was married to Maximilian of Austria an 1478. Lewis would have her for Charles the Dâ—lphin but he was but six years old and she above fifteen yeares elder then he That preferring of Maximilian before Charles was the cause of many evils to France 1. The loss of all that Mary possest which might have been united with France 2. The increase of the house of Austria which began then to be jealous of France which she was very far from before that alliance 3. Great Wars and endlesse envy by the neighborhood of these two great Houses That marriage lasted but four yeares Mary dying of a fall from her Horse as she was hunting She left two children Philip Archduke of Austria Father to Charles the V. and Margaret 2. By the jealousie risen between France and Austria by that marriage and incensed by the revolt of the Prince of Orenge a great Lord of Franch County they broke into open War and the battel of Guinegast was fought of which the event was so uncertain that both parties ascribed to themselves the victory 3. Mary of Burgundy being dead the Flemmings especially the Gantois alwayes mutinous would expell Maximilian and dispose of Mary's Children They married Margaret to Charles the Dolphin and appointed for her portion the County of Artois Franch County and other Lands Margaret was then but two yeares old and Charles twelve But Charles being married since with Anne Dutchesse of Britain Margaret was sent back to her Father Maximilian which was a new cause of jealousie betweene these two families This Margaret being seperated from Charles was married to John Son of Ferdinand of Arragon and Isabella of Castilia whom she never saw Then she was for the third time married with Philibert the II Duke of Savoy They say of her that she was three times married and dyed a Virgin Under Charles the VIII 1. Charles the VIII had civil Wars against Lewis Duke of Orleans the Duke of Britain and others which ended by the battel of St. Aubin after which Charles married Anne the inheritrix of Brittain whereby he offered two affronts unto Maximilian the one that he sent him back his Daughter Margaret with whom he had bin married seven or eight yeares the other that he married her with whom Maximilian was married by Proxie for in Britaine all the Proclamations were then made in the name of the Dutchess and of the Arch-duke of Austria Upon which Maximilian made War against Charles and took the Towns of Arras St Omer and other places which the French held as yet in Artois But a Peace was made an 1493. by which Charles was within four years to restore the Franch County and some Towns which he held in Artois unto Philip the Heir of Netherlands Son to Maximilian An. 1494. Charles restored to Ferdinand King of Arragon Perpignan and the County of Roussillon though he received not the three hundred thousand Crowns which it was pawnned for The reason why Charles did so we have declared before 3. The same year was the expedition of Charles the VIII into Naples against the house of Arragon To that which we have said of that quarrel this must be added Alphonsus who was adopted by Queen Jane the II. and in the end expelled the house of Anjou out of Italy left Naples to Ferdinand his bastard saying that he could lawfully doe it because it was his own conquest The house of that bastard enjoyed it after him and had four Princes Ferdinand the Bastard Alphonsus his Son Ferdinand his Grandchild and after him Friderick uncle to this last Ferdinand and brother of Alphonsus Although that House of Bastards enjoyed Naples the Kings of Arragon would say that it was by their toleration becaus Alphonsus King of Arragon who had been adopted by Jane the II. had conquered Naples with the Arms the Blood and the money of Arragon that he ought not to have left it to any but his brother John King after him of Arragon Wherefore Ch. VIII fearing lest Ferdinand King of Arragon Son to John should disturb his conquest of Naples either to assist that Bastard House or to make it his own conquest restored unto him the County of Roussillon gratis upon Ferdinands promise not to disturbe him yea to help him but Ferdinand broke his word with him What was the right of Charles was shewed before Charles with great expedition past through Piemont Milan Pisa Florence Rome got the Kingdom of Naples without difficulty and governed it without prudence and instantly lost it by the ill behaviour of his Ministers which got him the hatred of the Neapolitans A league was made by the Pope the Venetians the King of Naples and the Duke of Milan not onely to stay his conquests but to stop his return and destroy him in Italy The Generall of the Army of the league
was Francesco Gonzaga Marquess of Mantua who gave battel to the King at Fornova which the King won with great glory Being returned into France he prepared to return into Italy but dyed in that preparation Whilst Charles was about the conquest of Naples Lewis Duke of Orleans who soon after was King of France stayed in his County of Ast and renewed his claim to the Dutchy of Milan possest by the usurper Ludovick Sforza the murtherer of his two nephews As long as Ludovick kept good intelligence with the King Lewis Duke of Orleans durst not attempt any thing against him But after that Ludovick had made himself one of the league against the King Lewis possest himselfe of Novaerae a Town of the Dutchy which presently was besieged by Ludovick and recovered excepting the Castle Under Lewis the XII In sixteen yeares that Lewis reigned he had Wars with Philip of Austria Ferdinand King of Arragon Ludovick Duke of Milan and the Kings of Naples of the Bastard branch of Arragon 1. An. 1499. Philip Arch-duke of Austria did homage at Arras in the hands of Guy de Rochford Chancellor of France for the Counties of Flanders Artois and Charolois a solemn action done with great pomp and many formalities 2. In the years 1499. and 1500. Lewis conquereth the Dutchy of Milan from Ludovick loseth it by the returne of Ludovick out of Germany regaines it by taking and imprisoning Ludovick and by the chase which he gave to his Sons Maximilian and Francis 3. From thence he goeth to Naples conquers it from Friderick the last King of the Bastard branch of Arragon who puts himselfe into the Kings hands The King recompenceth him with the Dutchy of Anjou a pension of thirty thousand Crowns and the first place in the Councell Ferdinand King of Arragon seeing that bastard branch falled reneweth his pretences to Naples Lewis compounds with him and they share the Kingdom The King of Arragon hath for his part Calabria Puglia the rest remains to the French But soone after upon some differences which arose between the French and the Spaniards for the confines of the Country of Abruzzo and some Salt-pits the grand Capitan Gonsalvo de Cordova takes arms and expells the French an 1503. 4. The Emperour Maximilian after the yeare 1593. seeing the house of Sforzas degraded from Milan but two Sons remaining threatneth Lewis of the Imperial Ban. Lewis appeaseth him and obtaines the investiture of the yeare 1505. and promiseth his daughter Claud to Charles Duke of Luxemburg who since was Emperour But soon after Lewis who loved dearly Francis d' Angoulesme his Cosin and first Prince of his blood made him marry Claud by the counsel of the great men of his Kingdom notwithstanding the promise made to Maximilian This angred very much Philip Father to Charles who would have taken a revenge of that wrong had he not been prevented with death an 1506. He had married Jane the great inheritrix of Spain by whom he had many children 5. Yet Philip before he dyed reconciled himselfe with Lewis yea and recommended to him the tuition of his Son Charles which Lewis accepted and gave him Antony de Ceures Lord of Crovy for his Governour a wise Knight who formed that young spirit to great businesses in which Charles excelled afterwards 6. An. 1507. the City of Genoa which had been conquered with the Dutchy of Milan and where Lewis had made a glorious entry revolted from him Lewis passeth into Italy and brings her to subjection It was at that time that Ferdinand of Arragon returning from his new conquest of Naples saw Lewis the XII at Savone a Town of the Territory of Genoa In that enterview Ferdinand who was then King of two little Kingdoms onely both depending from the See of Rome refused alwayes the honour and the precedence which Lewis would give him as it is usuall to do to strangers when one is at home even to inferiours He would salute Lewis at his rising and attended him going to Mass Lewis whensoever he gave to Ferdinand the precedence made him understand that he did it out of civi lity not out of duty Go before said he to him for if I were at your house and in your Country I would in the like case doe what you would desire of me but because you are in my Country you shall do so for it is my will and I beseech you so to doe That might be done then without prejudice when the House of Arragon was farre under the splendor of that of France and was not so arrogant as now How such another encounter should be ordered in these dayes in point of civility it is more then I can determine An. 1508. the league of Cambray was made of Pope Jule the II. the Emperour Maximilian Lewis King of France and Ferdinand King of Arragon and Naples to beat down the arrogancy of the Venetians who during the confusions of Italy had incroacht upon all their Estates the patrimony of the Church the Empire Milan and Naples Whence followed the battel of Aignadel which Lewis won of the Venetians which made him so glorious that the Popes and the Princes of Italy grew jealous of him Ferdinand leaveth the alliance of Lewis who had restored unto him all the Towns which the Venetians held in the Kingdom of Naples and made war against him Lewis wins the battel of Ravenna against the Pope and the Spaniards an 1512. 8. Pope Jule the II being declared enemy to Lewis and all his adherents among whom was John d'Albret King of Navarra Ferdinand invaded Navarra an 1512. The Switzers set on by the Pope expell the French from the Dutchy of Milan and set up Maximilian Sforza Son to Ludovic The English and Maximilian being confederate come into France and besiege Terovenne Lewis comes to helpe and gives the battel which was called of the Spurres because though the French at the first resisted manfully yet they were put to the worst and forced to make more use of their Spurres then Swords Finally although Lewis had won the battel of Ravenna an 1512. he saw himselfe expelled out of all Italy and the House of the Sforzas restored at Milan before he dyed which was an 1515. Vnder Francis the I. In the beginning of his reign he found the House of Austria in the hands of Charles then of the age of fifteen years who possest all the Low Countries by his Father Philip of Austria and the Kingdom of Castilia from his Mother Jane of Arragon Maximilian was yet living enjoying the Arch-dutchy of Austria His other Grand-father Ferdinand was King of Arragon and Naples both very old and broken Charles was their Heir apparent 1. Francis the I. comming to the Crown received the homage of the Count of Nassau in the name of Charles Count of Flanders and Artors to whom he promist Renee second daughter to Lewis the XII But that marriage was not fulfilled Hee confirmed also that peace with Ferdinand which Lewis
the XII had made a little before he died 2. His next work was the Conquest of the Dutchy of Milan He passeth into Italie and wins the battail of Marignan in Piemont against the Switzers who had undertaken to maintain Maximilian Sforza in his new possession of Milan which they had got for him He gets Milan Maximilian Sforza yields himself to him for a Pension of threescore thousand Crowns and retires himself into France This was the third time that the French had got Milan of the Sforzas 3. Francis and Charles being both young and ambitious it could not be expected that they should long live in peace because Charles being born a subject to France kept Navarra which the house of Albret had lost for adhering to France Then Ferdinand had expelled the French out of Naples wrongfully say they This Ferdinand died an 1516. and Charles inherited all these great States exalted to the height of greatnesse wanting nothing but the Empire and Austria which his Grandfather Maximilian left him by his death three years after In the birth of these two eminent powers which have cost so much blood and tears to the Christian world before they had conceived that great hatred which was between them after the Deputies of both sides met at Noyon and this was called the Treaty of Noyon an 1516 where it was concluded that Francis should yield all his rights in the Kingdom of Naples for a yearly pension of a hundred thousand Crowns 2. That Charls then called the Archiduke should marry Lovise the eldest daughter of Francis instead of Renee sister to the Queen Claude 3. That the Archduke should restore the Kingdome of Navarra to Henry Son to John d' Albret or in defect of it that he should otherwise content him within six months The King and the Archduke swore that Treaty and give the one to the other the order of Knighthood The King that of St. Michael the Archduke that of the Golden Fleece made an alliance for ever and to confirme it promist to have an interview at Cambray But Ferdinand being dead soon after Charles made hast to passe into Spain to take possession of his Estates and neglected the Articles of Noyon especially the restitution of Navarra 4. Yet for three years after nothing was stirred on either side because Martin Luther having alarmed all Europe with his Doctrine the Pope Leo the X procured a generall truce for five years among all Princes But Maximilian the Emperonr being dead an 1519. and Charles being increased with the inheritance of Austria and the Title of Emperour Francis the I. conceived a great indignation that a vassall of his should have been preferred before him to the Empire whcih he had been a suitour for with great earnestnesse which jealousie would never suffer these two Princes to agree 5. Each of them had a great Minister of State by their persons Francis had Artus Gouffier Sieur de Boissi Great Master of France Charles had been bred by Guillaume de Crovy Sieur de Ceures whom Lewis the XII had recommended to him These two foreseeing the misfortune which the ambition of these two Princes was drawing upon Christendom resolved to meet to make a peace and alliance for ever Montpelier was the place chosen for that meeting But as soon as Boissi was come and began to treat with Ceures he fell into a fever and died leaving that great work imperfect which no body since was able to finish Paragraphe III. From the death of Maximilian an 1519. to the Treaty of Madrid an 1525. By the death of the Emperour Maximilian Charles was made possessour of Austria and the Empire being possest before of the Inheritances of Burgundy Arragon and Castilia A greatnesse which swelled his mind and made him loose his respect to Francis Hee complained that Francis had taken Claude from him the eldest daughter of Lewis the XII which was promist to him Francis redemanded Navarra Naples and the homages for the Counties of Flanders and Artois which Charles took to be too low for the quality of an Emperour Charles also complained that the Dutchy of Burgundy the Patrimony of his Grandmother Mary was kept from him and the Dutchy of Milan belonging to the Sforzas and to the Empire The great fire of War which lasted forty years between these two houses brake our upon a very slender occasion Robert de la March Duke of Bovillon adjudgd by the Peers of his Dutchy which pretend themselves to be Soveraigns the Town of Hierges in Ardennes to the Prince of Chimay of the house of Crovi against the Lord d' Esmeries to whom the Emperour gave a writ of relief although Robert pretended the judgement of his Peeres to be Soveraign Robert incensed against the Emperour made his addresse to Francis the I and offered him his service The King received him courteously yet forbad his subjects to assist him not willing to break with the Emperour But Robert proud to have the protection of France denounceth Warre to the Emperour who was then at Wormes to pacifie the troubles rising in Germany about Luther and attempts to surprise some places in Luxemburg But the Emperour presently seizeth upon the Estate of that little Prince and constrains him to ask him pardon reproaching Francis in an odious manner for receiving his rebellious subject About the same time Francis upon the inexecution of the Treaty of Noyon Charles refusing to make restitution of Navarra to Henry d' Albret took the quarrell of that dispossessed Prince and sent Andrew de Foix Lord de Esparre brother to Monsieur de Lautre into Navarra where the French did some exploit at the first but were soon repelled by the Spaniards Charles taketh that enterprise for an infraction of the peace between the two houses though it was but a succour given to a confederate of France to prosecute his rights He makes great preparatives of war makes Leo the X break w th France joyn with him promising that after the Conquest of Milan he would give to the Church the Townes of Parma and Placentia members of that Dutchy to which the Popes had some old pretence Such was the origine of the first War between Francis and Charles an 1521. The first three or four yeares there were great exploits in Champagne in Navarra in Provence and in the Dutchy of Milan In Tierasche the Emperour took Mouzon and besieged Mezieres which Anne de Mommorency who since was Constable of France and Chevalier Bayard defended bravely And Francis took Bapaume and Landrecy from the Emperour and gave him the Chase In Navarra the French had advanced but little in the years 1519. and 1520. But in the year 1521. the Admirall of Bonnivet besieged Fontarabie and took it and made Monsieur du Lude Governour of the same who being besieged a whole year by the Spaniards defended it with great valour till la Palisse since Marshall of France made them forsake the Siege But Frauget an old Captain being