if not innocent The least traine of wicked pollicie undermining the firmest edifice of empire That hereafter when the Fathers death shall prepare the passage to the sons government the entry not being violent might bee happie and carrying with it no cloud of sinister practises might shine glorious For the present he intreated that patience which the Divine Law commanded and all humane customes had still observed Withall he perswaded him to tame his wild ambition ambition which if naturall is a sickenesse destroyes the body it possesses if infusive a venome ministered by the most malicious against which there is no antidote but ruine That his association into the Kingdome was not prejudice the present authority of the Father but to confirme the greatnesse of the sonne in future That it was high ingratitude to retribute disobedience for so unexampled a favour But reason forc't by strongest arguments was to weak to prevaile against those many Castles built high in the ayre of his vaine thoughts And seeing his desires batter'd by his fathers just resolutions when he expected no resistance pride perswaded him to seeke remedie abroade and to force what he could not intreate Suddenly therefore hee conveyes himselfe and all his passions to King Lewis of France whose daughter he had married but never bedded King Henry the Father carefully providing against the consummation of those Nuptialls least his Sonne might by the alliance increase in power and dependencies But this pollitick barre which divided the young Princes mature for love created rage in the young King disdaine in the Ladie in Lewis discontent but in Queene Aeleanor Henry the fathers wife an impious jealousie For she who in her youth had made forfeite of her honour and in her lust repugnant to Christian Lawes chose a Sarazen for her Lover interpreted this restraint of the young Kings wife to a vicious designe in the old King and that all the cautions pretended were onely with the more artifice and secrecie to secure the fruition of his injurious pleasures And shee seem'd to have ground for her suspitions in the much liberty of his former life which seldome had in his restraint condemn'd that action dishonest which his blood prompted was delightfull This calumnie wrought the old King into the peoples hard censure and brought compassion to the young King whose injuries seem'd of that qualitie as might authorize disobedience So that not onely Lewis of France who as being a Neighbour King was concernd to foment that discord but even many of the subjects to the Crowne of England prepared their Armes for an unnaturall warre The chiefe heads of which Rebellion at home were the Earles of Chester and Leicester who to give their King despaire of any suddaine quiet fortified their Castles and other strong holds with so much Art as if they design'd to perpetuate mischiefe And what encouraged them to danger was beside hopes of greatnes in the change of government confederacie with the King of Scotland by whose power joyn'd to that of France they doubted not either to advance their fortunes by warre or make an honorable retreate by peace For when did unquiet subjects presume to arme without promise of ayde from forraigne Princes And when bad attempts with them proved unsuccessefull what stranger but disavowed all under-hand darke intelligence But the wonder of this mischiefe was that Richard and Geoffrey brothers to the young King entred into this conspiracie as if the blood of Princes had not flowed according to the course of Nature and the eminencie of birth had elevated them above the Lawes of filiall Dutie To wrest justice to either quarrell both betrayd themselves for infamie and rage shot no arrow to wound the others honour but repercussively flew backe Even he who most apparently proved himselfe injured being guilty and no man safe to fame who had best title to defame his enemie So unhappily had nature cimented them that their fortunes and honours could admit no disunion and none could triumph but when part of him was ruin'd The Father amaz'd at the irreligious quarrell forgot not neverthelesse that he was to maime himselfe if he destroy'd his enemie and therefore by most loving addresses courted his Sonnes to more peacefull thoughts He urged them to returne to dutie with confidence that he retain'd a mercie greater than their errour That their demand should end in no deniall provided that Reason gave it moderation and that they would not chide with time which yet enlarged their father life That from their best confederates they could expect nothing but the breach of faith and who could bee more interessed to advance their businesse than a father All other allies onely dissembling friendship to entrap their youth and nourishing this discord to dissolve all the Ligaments of our Empire and purchase safety at the cost of our ruine But no perswasion could humble the young Kings desires his cause now justified by a generall sentence and his Armie increast by an universall confluence of his confederates For into conspiracie of mischiefe how easily are men drawne who value the justice of the quarrell at the rate of their owne profit All the territories belonging to the Crowne of England were now on fire the King of France with the unnaturall sons wasting Normandie and Aquitain the King of Scotland with the disloyall Lords destroying England In the meanetime the innocent people were offer'd a victim to both their furies and the honest labourer forc't to the sweate of warre to obey the passions of those Lords whose quarrell hee understood not So cruell is the fortune of the vulgar that they can make no just account of their owne lives or states when Princes are pleas'd to follow the disorder of their rage For at the expence of the common blood highest discords are maintain'd and at their losse chiefely the ambition of the Mighty is purchast Victory at length brought the old King to the Majestie of a Father and the young King inclin'd to obedience when by overthrow of the King of Scots and the English rebells he found his faction weakned For adversitie hath a more powerfull Oratory than all the wit of Pietie to perswade the proud from their usurped height And seldome can we stoope to confesse our frailty till compel'd by some accidentall weakenesse But the Father had his armes open when ever the Sonne would throw himselfe into his embraces never wanting affection to entertaine humility And concord was thus restored when the Sonne perceiv'd his inabilitie longer to continue impious and the father found that his revenge would be most cruell to his owne Nature The young King was to consummate his marriage with the Daughter of France for in all tragedies the amorous businesse acts a part with an allowance great as the dignity he wore but no Soveraign power For the Father gain'd by this treatie from his Sonne the liberty to live a King All discor'd by this agreement appear'd rooted up when indeede nothing but the branches were
this essay upon his vertue hee gave perfection to the great worke and to his sonne made transaction of his dominion over the rest of his Kingdomes Provinces and Islands both in this and the new world Which was with greater concourse of Princes as the businesse was of larger extent and more value For to this Troegi-Comedie came spectators from all the world in regard the Scaene was so new and the Actors the most eminent of that age and perhaps as Noble as any other ever gloried in Nothing was left him now but the Empire which soone after hee renounced sending to his brother Ferdinand King of the Romans the Imperiall Crown and Scepter by the hands of William Prince of Orenge Who though he appear'd unwilling to this Office loath to see his Prince buried thus alive yet with small scruple he afterward rent from his Soveraigne King Phillip a great part of the Low Countries and indangered them all Thus with a complement of regret the Subject often appeares in just things troubled to obey who can dispence with all duty when his owne ambition is concern'd and justifie rebellion with pretence of lawfull liberty Charles having nothing left him now but what lives yet the memory of his many victories retired to private lodgings till the wind serv'd faire to waite on him into Spaine And soone he found in his first solitude it was but his shadow had made him appeare so mighty For being now nothing but himselfe he tooke justly his owne height and confest he was but man The swarme of those Courtflyes who had quickned in the heate of favour appear'd no more now his aspect though more cleere wanted the former vitall warmth The wonder past every man forsooke him who had left his glory and as honour or profit directed them began to beate new pathes For what truth had in vaine heretofore labour'd to perswade now hee acknowleged when hee so suddenly perceiv'd that the supreamest vertue not made awfull by authority can never keepe it selfe high in regard nor attract the applause of men And though his sonne King Phillip let fall words on the Anniversary of this resignation which seem'd to taxe his Father to have as soone repented as done this glorious Act of vertue yet who can beleeve in so constant a minde so poore a frailtie Perhaps he was a little amazed at the change and the Sonne who was enamor'd on that Empire his Father had resign'd interpreted the wonder to repentance Nor can we but imagine that Charles was somewhat astonisht at the steepe descent hee had on the suddaine made from so high a precipice though it was with a farre other passion then tortures them who are throwne headlong down by death or fortune When hee landed in Spaine he kist the earth whether he had brought his owne to Sepulture and made his lippes doe pennance for some few trespasses his youth was guilty of He acknowledged it the common parent in that homage and confest how high soever we are in growth and however wide our branches spread themselves our roote is still in the earth till age the Axe or some violent tempest plucke us up and afterward envious time takes away even the Print that ere wee florisht there At Burgos where he expected the suddaine payment of some monies for discharge of his attendance hee exprest a just disdaine perceiving the Officers slow to serve not him but his necessitie And his title was honest to that passion for ingratitude cannot bee forgiven by a mercy lesse than heavenly and he was yet apparrell'd with his earth Of all the immence revenues of so many wealthy Kingdomes hee had reserv'd to his owne use but one hundred thousand Crownes annually for that small time hee was to out-live his greatnesse And this was not payd but with trouble for the living grudged to allow any tribute to the dead among whom Charles was to be numbred when hee ceas'd to Raigne But this ill nature of the world serv'd him to good purpose for it comforted him that he had forsooke all commerce with that which servilely obey'd him onely when as a Master hee heretofore commanded it This hasten'd his finall retirement to a religious house of the order of S. Ierome which was seated in a most wholesome ayre that he might not cowardly seeme to desire to dye vvhen hee had given over to command And in this his valour out-did all former example that after resignation of so large an Empire he could patiently studdie the Arts to live and contract his businesse to so narrovv a roome vvho had made nine journies into Germanie sixe into Spaine seven into Italy foure into France ten into the Lovv-Countries tvvo into England and as many into Affrick But vvhen hee fixt here his ambition out-ravail'd in tvvo yeares all the labour of fiftie for his thoughts disdaining to measure earth or Sea vvhich Geographie can give account of made hourely their ascent beyond the fancie of Astrologie Whether the humble onely can climbe vvhom Pietie rackes till they acknovvledge themselves dust and sin Enter'd into this solitude he felt a vvarre vvithin him of more terrour than that vvith vvhich hee had avved the World For novv hee vvas to fight alone where no confederate Prince came to his assistance no subjects tender'd their lives with their obedience but even his passion who should have beene his slaves with his flesh a great part of himselfe revolted and conspired his trouble This combate ended in a happie victory humane industry strengthen'd by Divine grace triumpht over weakenesse and inthroned him above his Rebells Yet had hee still in his minde a soft eccho of the former noyse of warre those houres he borrowed from heaven to solace himselfe on earth were recreated with martiall sports Which was either to make a mockery of his heretofore most serious stratagems and all the businesse of the warlike or else to exercise his time in the Mathematickes which had much enamor'd him from his youth For Iannellus Turrianus a great Master in that knowledge did usually delight him with miracles of studie making little armed men muster themselves upon the Table and Artificially move according to the Discipline of warre which was done so beyond example that the superiour of the house nothing reade in the Mysteries of that Art suspected it for witch-craft Neither was Charles himselfe unapt to worke the little wheeles of watches and to make a clocke up which as it strooke did warne him what vanitie it was to reckon on the succeding moment And now this great Sun grew neere his night But desirous to out-live his funeralls hee obtain'd to see them solemniz'd before his death A sad curiositie to bee a mourner to himselfe and understand how short a pompe waites on the most mighty to the grave The herse was rais'd furnisht with all the vanity of hatchments which told the world over how many wide Kingdomes his power had intended and to what a streit lodging it was now shruncke up The Mourners assisted and perhaps with as deepe a sorrow as would have pierc't them had his griefe beene serious while hee with a sober mirth beheld the last Scaene of all his glory personated and found what an empty honour Princes labour for in the sweate and hazard of all their victories For what a no comfort to the ashes of the conquerour is the triumphs of his life since onely Christian vertue maintaines trafficke betweene earth and heaven But death disdain'd to bee made a sport to the greatest spirit of that age for this odde pastime soone became serious and he found he was to dye in earnest VVhich hee per form'd with the like cheerefull looke for there vvas neither honour that endeared nor beautie that enamor'd him to the vvorld and this two yeares silence had given him a taste of heaven He therefore without despute parted with that little of the earth he had reserved and which in this retirement he had punisht till it grew subordinate to the soule And though he had quitted all interest to Empire yet would not heaven let him dye without his comet For as he sickn'd a new star appear'd which gain'd in brightnesse as hee declin'd toward death and pointing its glory on the Cloyster vanisht as he expired the poore comet unable longer to shine when this greater starre was darkned from whom it derived its luster FINIS Imprimatur Tho. Wykes Novemb. 12. 1640.
to so low a slavery honour became a contumely former wealth serv'd onely to aggravate future poverty and beautie farre more cruell than wrinckles betray'd it selfe to the most loathed deformitie Of the Warre call'd the Common-weale in opposition to Lewys the eleventh of France SEverall designes drew diverse Princes who had relation to the Crowne of France into league against Lewys the eleventh and though no man endeavor'd but his owne interest the Common weale was pretended For no hypocrisie disguiseth with more cunning since rebellion is so monstrous to the eye of conscience that it blusheth to appeare it selfe and therefore weares a vizard which oftentimes betrayes the ignorant Every man in taking Armes protested this warre contrived to worke a more honest peace as if sinne could smooth the way to vertue and the conspiracie of many tempests calm the Ocean But the plot of every Prince was at the publicke cost to purchase to his broken or unquiet fortunes more profitable conditions and the good natured vulgar with little trouble gave themselves liberty to be deceiv'd Charles the Kings brother Charles Earle of Charolois Francis Duke of Brittaine and Iohn Duke of Burbon were the heads of this monster for what other title can wee give Rebellion The Kings brother disdain'd the narrow revenue of Berry Charolois the forc't delivery of many townes in Picardie heretofore morgaged to the house of Burgundie Brittaine was commanded to desert those ancient priviledges bequeath'd him by his Ancestors and Burbon in vaine had solicited payment of that portion Lewys design'd him with his sister Every inferiour Lord likewise had discontent enough to warrant to his passions the most unjust attempt For Lewys of France had beene so ill a husband of opinion that the world gave small reputation to his carriage and having at his entrance to the government supplanted all the Officers of the Crown and in their places planted those whom his favour had selected the better part of France envied or contemn'd his choyce For the ancient dependancies by this remove were weakned and they who subsisted high in Authoritie imagin'd no death so wretched as this privation Disgrace therefore made them resolve on honour which since no other way they design'd to buy with danger For the Royall favour could smile on no man but whom the whole world beside disdain'd as unworthy the least regard What misled the people to tumult was a pretence to releeve the many impositions which lay heavie on the merchants trade and the labourers sweat But when the silly vulgar by mutanie endeavour'd release of payments how neere resembled they the Asse which to ease her burthen cast it downe into the water Forgetting that the loade was wooll which taking wet contracted weight and that shee was a beast created to labour King Lewys perceiving this storme with so much violence brought upon the very morning of his government contrived at first to oppose it and in some small encounters shewed himselfe no way defective in courage however his much wit with so much caution over-ruled the motions of his spirit that posterity hath brought his valour into question But being to make head against so united a power he found his people as slow to their Soveraignes defence as they were rash to unlawfull Armes Every man beleeving his interest concern'd to subvert that edifice of power which hee suspected to bee built on tyrannie Which perswaded all degrees of men to runne into this warre though the hazard was of the whole estate for supporting the immunitie of the least part of every mans particular Lewys finding this defection so universall enter'd into distrust of his owne forces fearing them who had the strongest tye of Dutie to have the weakest tye of Love And where affection Armes not the Souldier how unsafe is the greatest Generall in the best order'd Armie For dis-affection to the Commander disorders suddenly the highest actions and how poorely he betrayes himselfe who hopes to advance his designes by terrour Lewys therefore flies from his Native subjects to Auxiliaries and to teach France obedience brings in Forces from Italy The Duke of Millain liberally concurres to this Service sending five hundred men at Armes and three thousand foote under the command of Galeas his sonne And with this power he presents his advice That he should yeeld to any conditions to divide his enemies and be carefull still to preserve his men This Councell was of more service to Lewys his affaires than all the Armies he could have levied in his Dutchy For by this hee kept his Majestie entire and refer'd nothing to the uncertainetie of fortune He spared the effusion of his subjects blood whereby his people were not in danger by their losses to hate that Soveraigne power had chastised them But the former part of his advice was a stronger battery against the enemies designe than all the Artilery of that age could make For to divide their Forces was to destroy them and to bring them into jealousie of each other was to make each the others executioner By which hee was secure at the enemies cost and danger to worke his owne triumph Then for yeelding to conditions it was safer in Lewys to descend one steppe beneath Soveraigne command than to be enforc't to fall downe all the staires And having both wit and courage hee could not doubt but occasion would present him with a meane to recover if not to transcend his former height Varietie of chances brings soone both Armies to desire to remit nothing to chance and the warre having made both losers peace was equally sought And though want of victualls extreamely afflicted the Burgonion Armie yet did Lewys not dare to take the advantage the rage of hunger being sometime an animation though for the most it discourages Lewys therefore having had no great fortune at the hazard of war desired to change his game and try how he could play his cards in peace where the cunning gamester is secure at a long sitting to be the winner And therefore upon the first overture entertaines the treatie which suddainely tooke effect No demand of the Princes receiving the least deniall But at the conclusion of this peace what was at first pretended was never mention'd the people whom hope of ease of taxes had engaged to this warre being no way regarded For they were the same wretched vessell still whom every tempest moves to danger but no calme ever secures from wracke To his brother he grants the Dutchy of Normandie a proportion beyond his very hopes To Charles Earle of Charolois hee restores all the Townes upon the Some To the Duke of Brittaine hee confirmes the Countie of Mountfort with promise of money to defray the charges of his enmitie On the Count S. Pol for having beene the great engine in moving these disorders hee bestowes the Office of Constable To the Duke of Calabria he promiseth men and mony for the recovery of his Kingdome of Naples so desirous he was at any rate
to buy his absence To the Duke of Burbon he gives assurance for the portion due to him in marriage with his sister And to every great man who had beene in opposition hee contributes largely since the event of warre might have beene uncertaine to make asure bargaine by this Treatie of peace Thus at Lewys his cost every discontented Lord attain'd his aime and triumpht in the fortune of his designe And so farre was this agreement the ambition of both parties that when the Earle of Charolois allured by the pleasure of Lewys his endearing Language was engaged into his power and the Burgonion Armie gave their Generall lost Lewys return'd him backe with all the ceremonie of love disdaining an advantage that might suffer the blemish of trechery Actions of so extraordinary a vertue strangely conduce to the fortune of a Prince for they create him high in reputation which keepes Soveraignety entire and beget confidence to his after proceedings which whether just or unjust are by that successefull For as to vertuous men faith is naturall so to the polliticke the practise of it is necessary For how can any designe prove fortunate when the contriver is held in distrust Pyrates and Politicians as common enemies to mankinde obnoxious to the selfe-same jealousie no man embarking his fortunes with either but whom desperation forceth or libertie invites This accord changed the face of France the brow smooth with joy and acclamations which had bin wrinckled with so many troubled thoughts Every man retreates to his private entertainements and discor'd no longer cimenting them they divided their businesse according to particular interest Charolois returnes home findes employment for those passions the ambitious never want He takes possession of the townes assign'd him and triumphs in recovery of a small Country whose unquiet pride the world wanted extent to limit Yet did he carry still a vigilant eye over his great enemie knowing that mighty spirits over-ruled by ill fortune disdaine that humility they are forc't to And though conveniency or necessitie bend them down to low conditions it seldome obleigeth the cōscience longer than fortune restraines the power Lewys was not well pleased with debasing Majestie to the irregular requests of them who ought not to have prescribed their Prince And since to oppose them all was unsafe it was convenient to destroy one by one that the revenge might bee more secure and lesse observ'd For those wounds are most mortall that bleede inward and waters which raise least noyse have the greatest depth The shallowes of Princes actions sounding loudest to popular judgements but where the understanding hath the chiefest agitation the greatest attempts proceed with least disturbance His resolution was therefore to begin his revenge with him who was neerest to his person those contents being scarce heard which are spoken a farre off but the least whisper pierceth when the voyce approacheth too neere the eare The late Duke of Normandie afflicted him most in regard nature tyed his memory to a continuall torment that preposterously his younger brother had prevail'd For those disgraces obrey'd us most which wee suffer where we have good title to claime respect And betweene brothers the distance is so little that the sence of honour growes too tender which makes the least touch peirce the very quicke Lewys therefore compell'd him to an exchange of Normandie for Gaien either by remove to prevent his growth in Faction or by shifting him from one command to another in fine to leave him none But this Art was presently discover'd and the divided re-unite bringing Lewys into the same feare and danger Which with much dissimulation hee prevents And by overpleasing Charolois and Brittaine he gaines liberty to oppresse underhand his brother Which was with lesse difficultie conived at in regard Charles now made Duke of Guien was of an easie spirit desirous to master an evill fortune but fearefull to effect it with hazard Moreover he naturally abhor'd war either in Religion or compassion and the complection of that time was troubled Men onely safe who feared no danger ' and such Princes onely secure of peace who were not frighted at war Then which was his ruine any probable conditions of safety made him renounce confederacie with turbulent unquiet men And who can hope from others participation of danger who never entertaine friendship but for necessitie Or who will adhere to his fortunes who deserts himselfe and no longer loves a confederate than hee is usefull This inconstancie in the Duke of Guien layd him open to King Lewys who finding that his brothers life quicken'd so many disorders in France gave way if History be not unjust in censure that hee should dye But nature yeelded little hope to effect the businesse the remedie therefore of the present troubles was to be sought from Art and so well was the plot contrived that he sicken'd and dyed for the quiet of the Kingdome for his death broke all those intellegences had beene held so long in France and the confederate Princes began to thinke on a new way of greatnesse not by disturbing their Neighbours Kingdome but by quieting their owne subjects A greatnesse not destructive to their enemie but effective to themselves Which creates a triumph more glorious because more innocent For power doth never shine unclouded which is maintain'd by darke designes or obscure dishonest Arts Of Charles the fifths resignation of Government CHarles the fifth Emperour of Germany singular in the preheminence of life disdain'd to tread the beaten way of Princes now declining to his grave In all enterprises hee still appear'd superiour to fortune to whose mercy he resolv'd to leave nothing in his age least that giddy power loathing infirmitie and wrinckles might have distasted him and forgot her flattery But his courage did rise yet higher and vanquisht death it selfe Death that great Tyrant which adornes its darke Pallace with the spoyle of Kings and devests the Proud of all the gaudie circumstance that swells their greatnesse Death was onely left him now to conquer three parts of the world had seene the Trophees of his fortune and all had submitted but death To which since inevitably he was doom'd to pay the common debt yet he contrived it so that it should be small losse to him who had nothing now remaining but his body and that weakned by time and sicknesse To Brussells hee summon'd all the Nobilitie of the seventeene Provinces and solemnely cancell'd that sacred obligation they owed him as their Soveraigne To his sonne Phillip to that purpose sent for out of England he gave those Countries and their homage T is true he wept but they were teares of wonder his vertue not onely astonishing that great assembly but even himselfe the example was so new it forc't him to an extraordinary expression with which his courage never had beene acquainted For Noblest spirits in such an extasie weepe as fast as weaker soules out of foeminine softnesse Two moneths after he had made