Successes Before I part with France at present t is very fit the main subject of this Work being of Precedence to speak something of the Black Prince while he was Governor of Aquitane where he performd such notable Exploits and among other of that fa mous Charter of Precedence which was given to the Crown of England by Don Pedro King of Castile who being detruded out of the Throne by Henry his younger Brother fled for succour to the Black Prince in Gascognie who had at that time two other Kings in his Court viz. Ricaredo King of Navarre and Don Iayme King of Mallorca Which Charter being yet upon Authentique Record and not specified in the story of either Nations may very well deserve to be inserted here and it runs thus Petrus Dei gratia Rex Castellae Legionis omnibus praesentibus pariter futuris praesentes literas inspecturis lecturis aut audituris salutem fidem plenariam iisdem adhibere Cum in largitione donatione concessione privilegiorum libertatum franquesiarum ac honorum Praerogativa illis nos liberales gratiosiores reddere debeamus à quibus multiplicia beneficia honores nos recognoscimus recepisse Cumque Illustrissimus Rex Angliae Edoardus ejus primogenitus Princeps Aquitantae Walliae consanguinei nostri nos praedecessores nostros Reges Castellae retroactis temporibus fuerint favorabiliter prosecuti specialiter cùm nuper per Henricum quondam Comitem de Trestamare qui factâ cum quibusdam suis Complicibus coadunatione Regna nostra invasit usurpavit etiam occupavit more praedonico hostili ea indebitè detinet occupata de Regno in regnum de Dominio in Dominium loco ad locum ad mortem nos esset insecutus à qua persecutione per receptationem dicti Dom. Principiâ—… in Terra sua de nobis factam fuerimus liberati per ipsum gentes suas comfortati ac honorabiliter recepti tractati Nos memores dicti accepti beneficii in aliqualem praemissorum Recompensationem alias de nostra certa scientia speciali dono regia donatione potestate damus concedimus pro nobis haeredibus successoribus nostris Regibus Castellae per praesentes dicto Illustrissimo Regi Angliae Edoardo ejus Primogenito Principi Aquitaniae Walliae Quòd quandocunque idem Rex ejus Primogenitus qui nunc sunt aut eorum Haeredes successores Reges Angliae eorum Primogeniti qui pro tempore fuerint voluerint venire in propria persona ad Guerram quam nos habebimus aut Haeredes nostri Reges Castellae habebunt contra Regem Granatae aut alios Fidei inimicos quod iidem Reges eorum Primogeniti habeant primum bellum sive la Delantera ante omnes Mundi Christianos omni tempore Ita tamen quod Nos possimus Haeredes nostri Reges Castellae si voluerimus ponere vexilla nostra in dicto bello pariter cum vexillis Regis Angliae vel Ipsius Primogeniti Item quod si contigerit dictos Reges aut eorum Primogenitos ad Guerram quam Nos Haeredes nostri habebimus contra Regem Granatae aut Alios Fidei inimicos non venire aut nolle vel non posse venire volumus concedimus quòd unum vexillum de Armis Regis Angliae sit omni tempore in dicta guerra in primo bello sive in la Delantera honorificè prout decet nostris successorum nostrorum Castellae regum propriis sumptibus expensis Item quia Patria ejusdem nostri Consanguinei plurima damna expensa innumerabilia sustinuit tempore quo ipse pro nostro succursu exercitus suos congregabat prout oculis propriis conspeximus licet flebiliter gereremus in recompensationem praemissorum privilegiamus volumus concedimus quòd omnes homines incolae nobiles peregrini cujuscunque status sexus aut conditionis existant Regni Patriae dominii Angliae principatus Aquitaniae sint immunes ab omni pedagio leuda costuma maletota ceu aliis quibuscunque Impositionibus Exactionibus in Regnis nostris impositis seu in posterùm imponendis Ita quòd dicti homines dictorum Regni Patriae Dominii Angliae Principatus Aquitantae transeundo morando redeundo per Regna nostra per mare velper terram Costumam Pedagium Leudam Maletotam seu quamcunque aliam Impositionem vel Exactionem minimè solvere teneantur nisi dicti homines causâ Mercimonii vel pro emercimiando aliquid emerent Super quo an causa Mercimoniandi empta existant nec ne per officiarios nostros receptorum dictorum pedagiorum stare volumus dictorum hominum juramenta de quibus rebus causa Mercimoniandi emptis non compellantur solvere nec aliquid ultra ab iis exigatur quà m caeteri Mercatores solvere consueverunt Et juramus ad Sancta Dei Evangelia à nobis corporaliter manu tacta in verbo promittimus Regio concessiones donationes privilegia praedicta omnia singula in praesentibus Litteris contenta tenere complere inviolabiliter observare In quorum singulorum Praemissorum testimonium ad ipsorum Majorem firmitatem his praesentibus Nos manu propria Subscripsimus iisdem sigillum nostrum in pendenti duximus apponendum Volentes concedentes ac etiam requirentes vos Magistrum Iohannem de London publicum Autoritate Apostolicâ Notarium quatenus ad perpetuam omnium singulorum praemissorum memoriam vos cum praesentibus testibus subscribatis praesentesque Literas signo vestro solito consignetis Datum apud Liborniam Diocesi Burdegalensis die 23 Mensis 7 bris Anno Dom. 1366. Praesentibus praecharissimo Consanguineo nostro Domino Iohanne Duce Lancastriae Regis Angliae filio ac fratre dicti principis Reverendis in Christo Patribus Dom. Helia Archiepiscopo Burdegalensi Dom. Barnardo Episcopo Xancton Iohanne Electo Bathoniensi Wellensi Cancellario Aquitaniae Iohanne Shandos Constabulario Thoma de Felton senescallo Aquitaniae Nigello de Loereyn Camerario dicti Principis Balboyno de Frevilla senescallo Xancton aliis testibus ad praemissa Yo el Rey. I the King Et Ego Iohannes de London Cler. Winton Diocesis publicus Authoritate Apostolica Notarius undecima die mensis Februarii anno Domsupradicto Indictione quinta Pontisicatus sanctissimi in Christro Patris Domini nostri Dom. Urbani divina providentia Papae quinti anno quinto infra castrum Civitatis Baionae in capella ejusdem castri unà cum testibus infrascriptis fui praesens quando dictus Dom. Rex Petrus promissa omnia singula innovavit confirmavit juramento suo vallavit tangendo propriis manibus suis sancta Dei Evangelia quando ipse Rex manu sua propria se subscripsit me requisivit mandavit ut praesentibus Literis me subscriberem signum
Christ. Catholicae Ecclesiae Episcopus ss Then his Seal or Signet engraven within Sanctus Petrus †Sanctus Paulus and this Motto about Ad Dominum cùm tribularer clamavi Exaudivit Me. Then the subscription of 27 Cardinals on both sides of the Signet the Cardinal Bishops on the right-hand of the Signet and close to it then on their right-hand the Priests-Cardinals and on the left side of the Signet as it is accustomed in all Bulls and other Public Instruments the Deacon-Cardinals have their place and precedence King Henry's Book against Luther was presented to the Pope in full Consistory by Sir Iohn Clerk then Ambassador at Rome for the King with a long solemn Oration the Original of which Book is yet to be seen in the Vatican at Rome with this Inscription written with King Henries own hand Anglorum Rex Henricus Leoni XÌ„ mittit Hoc Opus Fidei testem Amicitiae Henry King of the English sends this Work to Leo the Tenth as a Witness both of Faith and Friendship And as the Kings of England themselfs have such super-eminent Titles so their First-born Sons have a Title not inferior to any Royal Heir apparent in Christendome which is Prince of Wales and this Title is many years more ancient then that of Dauphin in France Moreover whereas other Kings Sons come so naked to the world that they have not of their own wherewith to buy them Clouts or pay their Nurses but what they have from their Parents The First-born of the King of England ipsissimo instante the very same instant that he is born is Duke of Cornwal and is presuppos'd by the Law to have Livâ—…ry and Seisin then given him of the said Duchy with all the Lands Rents and Honors therunto annex'd T is tru that the conferring of the Title of Prince of Wales depends meerly upon the Kings Plesure which was done out of a Political consideration to keep the Kings first Sons still in awe and within the bounds of a greater Obedience Nor is there any Queen also lives in a greater State and Dignity or hath more Prerogatives and greater Joyntures then the Queen of England For though Aliens at first and still under Couvert Baron yet they may pourchase Lands by Fee-simple They may make Leases and Grants without the King They also must be petitiond unto first before any can implead them in point of right We will proceed now to the fourth Paragraph Touching the Martial Exploits and Achievments which the Kings of Great Britain have performed from time to time c. TO proceed in this Paragraph we must make Retrosvects a far off we will begin with Brennus that bold Britain who in the Government of Consuls took and sack'd Rome 364 yeers before Christ and did notable feats afterwards in Greece and Asia insomuch that the Welch in honour of that Heroe their Country-man call a King from his Name Brenin to this day Cataracus overthrew a mighty Army of the Romanes and Boadicia slew 70 thousand of them in one Battel as their own stories declare King Arthur is rank'd among the Nine Worthies for he discomfited the Saxons in twelve several Battails and erected the first Order of Knighthood There was one English King and three Kings Sons went to the Wars of the Holy Land What Exploits did Richard coeur de Lion perform there so much to the envy of the King of France who therfore returnd before him He conquerd the Iland of Cyprus where Marrying Berengaria he transferrd the Kingdome to Guy Lusignan who had right to the Crown of Ierusalem which in exchange he resignd to King Richard But the French are they whom the English did so often rout subdue and subjugat with the Grey-goose Wing wherwith they did so often penetrat the very heart of France in so many glorious Victories that can be hardly paralleld take all circumstances We will instance in some of the most famous and begin with that of Cressy the first great Battel The Battail of Crâ—…ssy in France That Heroyk King Edward the third having been provoked by divers Affronts that Philip of Valois the French King had offeâ—…'d him goes over in person to France with an Army of 80000 men at Arms and 10000 Archers as Froissard hath it He takes with him his Son the Prince of Wales and Duke of Guyenne being but 15 years of Age calld afterwards the Black Prince to train him up in feats of Arms. Landing in Normandy he carries all the Country before him as far as Poissy within ten miles of Paris and after divers Skirmiges a Battail was appointed King Edward had incamp'd neer a Village calld Cressy where he divided his Army to three Battalions the first was led by the Prince of Wales the second by the Earls of Arundel and Northampton in the third was the King himself The Battail thus orderd being mounted upon a White Hobby he rides from Rank to Rank encouraging evry man to the performance of his duty and to have a regard to the Honor of his King and Country The French Kings Army was at least twice the number consisting of above 60000 Combatants with all the flower of the French Chivalry whereof the chief were the Duke of Alanson the Kings Brother the King of Bohemia the Duke of Lorrain the Earl of Flanders and Savoy with other great Princes The Vangard was led by the Kings Brother the Reer by the Earl of Savoy the main Battail by the King himself The French King was so fierce in assurance of Victory that he wold scarce admit of any counsel The old King of Boheme advis'd that the Army shold receive some refreshment before and that the Infantry of Genowais whereof ther were 15000 Crossbows shold make the first Front and the Cavalry to follow which being agreed on the Duke of Alanson did stomack that the Genowais shold have the honor of the first Rank so in a kind of fury he caus'd them to change place which bred such a discontent that they were more incensd against their Leader then against the Enemy but in the interim ther fell such a showre of Rain that wetted their Bowstrings which they had not the wit to cover all the while as the English did that for the limmerness therof when they came to action they grew useless At the ceasing of the showre the Sun did shine full in the face of the French therby dazzling their eyes but on the back of the English King Edward being got into a Windmil all the while whence as from a Sentinel he might explore and behold the face of the Enemy and discovering the disturbance that was made because the Genowais were put to change their place instantly gave order to charge that part which made the discontented Genoway to recoyl Alenson perceiving this rides on in a rage crying out Sa sa on on let 's make way ore the Bellies of these Genowais for they do but hinder us So riding through them he came
up to the English Battail where the young Prince was The fight grew hot and doubtful insomuch that the Commanders sent to the King to come up with more power The King asking the Messengers Whether his Son was hurt or slain and being answerd No he replies Then tell them who sent you that so long as my Son is alive they send no more to me for my Will is that he have the honor of the day So the Fight on both sides growing very furious the French King having his Horse kill'd under him withdrew which being known by the English it added so to their courage that they soon after won the Field This was the first considerable Battail the English had of the French which was so sanguinary that ther were none made Prisoners but all put to the Sword and the number of the slain French surmounted the whole Army of the English for the number of the slain were about 30000. the chief whereof was Alenson the Kings Brother the Dukes of Bourbon and Lorain the Earl of Flanders the Dauphin de Viennois Son to Imbert who after gave Dauphine to the King of France provided his First Son shold still be calld the Dauphin which hath continued ever since This signal Victory was seconded the same yeer about six weeks after with another the Queen of England got against the Scots then confederat with the French where David the Scots King was taken Prisoner but this is reserv'd for another place because for a more methodical order we will hasten to the second great Victory in France the Battail of Poitiers The Battail of Poitiers The Black Prince being taperd up now to a good growth was sent by advice of Parlement to Gascony whence the Truce being expird he oreran and ravagd all the Country as far as Tourayne Iohn the French King raiseth a potent Army more numerous then that at Cressy and going to find out the Prince of Wales found him about Poitiers having not much above 10000 effect if men in his Army wheras the French had six times as many whereupon being advisd to make for Bourdeaux he was prevented by the French Army on all sides so a Battail being intended two Cardinals came from the Pope to mediat a Peace but the French King wold hearken to none unless that he wold as a Vanquish'd Man send him four Hostages and give up himself and his Army to discretion The Prince answerd That he was willing to restore what places he had taken of His in good War but without prejudice to his Honor wherof he was accountable to the King his Father c. Iohn not hearkning to this but being resolvd to fight the Prince also resolvd to part with his Life upon as high a rate as he could being reducd to this streight therfore he providently makes use of the Position of ground and finding that the main Army of the French consisted in Horse he entrenchd among the Vineyards where when the French Cavalry entred being wrapd and encomberd among the Vines the English Archers did so ply and gall them that being therby disorderd and put to rout the whole Army was soon totally defeated But it seems this Battail was not so fierce as that of Cressy where no quarter was given for in this Prisoners were made among whom was King Iohn himself whom the Prince brought to England and as the French Historians themselfs confess he was so civil to him all the while that he knew not whether he was a Free King or a Captif Besides Lords ther were slain 2000 of the French Nobless as Froissard hath it in this Battail and as at Cressy more French slain then the whole English Army was in number We will now to Agencourt Agencourt Battail Henry the Fifth that Man of men and mirror of Princes being come to the Crown he did cast his Eyes presently towards France for claiming of his Title In order wherunto he alterd in his Arms the bearing of Semy de Luces and quarters the three full Flower de Luces as the King of France himself did bear them He sends the Duke of Exceter with the Archbishop of Dublin and sundry other Noblemen in a magnificent Ambassy attended by 500 Horse to Paris to demand the Crown but receiving no satisfactory answer but rather a kind of jeer the Dauphin sending him a Sack full of Racket-court-Balls to pass away his time He replyed That for evry one of those Balls he had so many fiery Bullets to shoot at the proudest Turrets in France as he shold shortly find And he was as good as his word for he presently got over and encountring the French Army at Agencourt he gave it an utter overthrow and took more prisoners then his own Army had Soldiers which was upon a Sunday-morning about Ten of the Clock whereof having sent notice to England before and that extraordinary Masses shold be sung then in all Churches he stood upon the defensive part till that hour but then making a Speech of encouragement to his Army and among other strains telling how all England was praying for them at that time he carried away a compleat Victory he himself leading the main Battail with the Duke of Glocester his Brother c. But besides the foresaid Piety ther was Policy also usd for the King to prevent the fury of the French Cavalry appointed divers Stakes studded with Iron at both ends of six foot long to be pitch'd behind the Archers and ordred that Pioners shold attend to remove them as they shold be directed which invention conduc'd much to the success of the Action The King himself charg'd the Duke of Alenson and beat him off his Horse who therupon was slain so ther was a compleat and glorious Victory obtain'd We come now to the Battail of Spurs so calld because the French-men trusted more to their Spurs in fleeing away then to their Swords and Lances It was before Terwin in Hen. 8. Raign when Maximilian the Emperour servd under his Banner and receavd pay Ther came 8000 French Horse to relieve the place and a hot Dispute happend but they were all routed and put shamefully to flight so the Town was taken by the English Ther were a world of other Warlike Encounters and Skirmiges twixt the English and French whereof the stories are full and t is observd that the English at most were but half in number to the French in all Engagements insomuch that by pure prowess and point of the Sword they possessd two parts in three of that great Kingdome We read that when the English were at the height of their power in France the Pope came then to keep his Court at Avignon and ther was a common saying among the Peeple which since is grown to be a kind of Proverb Ores le Pape est devenu Francois Iesus Christ est devenu Anglois The Pope is turnd French-man and Jesus Christ is become an English-man which was spoken in regard we had such prodigious
quam in serenissimi Archiducis Commissione omissam esse superiùs demonstravimus quà m primùm commodumque videbitur quod polltcitae sunt vestrae illustres magnificae personae petimus inserendum Quod verò illustres magnificae vestrae personae asserunt insolitum novum videri quod proposuimus de Praerogativa Praecedentiae dignitate serenissimae Reginae Dominae nostrae semper debita non possumus dissimulare nos valde mirari illud viris vestrae conditionis eruditionis judicii novum esse insolitum quod universo orbi terrarum notum est celebratissimum Res enim est exploratissima quod Regio Hispanica cum distributa fuerit in diversa Regna devoluta in manus Regis Ferdinandi Reginae Isabellae Regumque Granatae insuper ei adjunctum unà cum caeteris partibus Indiarum Occidentalium orta est contentio speciosè magis quà m solidè recteque fundata de Praecedendi dignitate cum Regno Anglorum tempore quo Papatum occupavit Alexander ejus nomini sextus natione Hispanus quae perducta ad tempora Iulii secundi Volatarranus Author imprimis bonus Historiographus Italus nullo privato beneficio Angliae obstrictus quique eodem tempore Romae vixit ea de causa quemadmodum Res actae gestaeque fuerunt probè potuit intelligere de hac Re ita refert Inter Oratores Henrici septimi Regis Angliae Hispaniae Regis inter sacra sedendo orta est contentio quae etiam sub Alexandrio caeperat Iulius Locum honoratissimum Anglis pro tempore adjudicavit quod quidem Ius praerogativam Regis Angliae possidentes tenuerunt usque ad tempora Caroli quinti Imperatoris qui licet ratione Caesareae Majestatis supremam sedem dignitatis inter Principes 〈◊〉 Illud tamen privilegium ad posteros suos in praejudicium aliorum Principum transmittere non potuit Ideóque post obitum ejus quaestio illa Praecedentiae ad eosdem terminos unde ante digresserat reversa est Cum igitur Reges Angliae semper tenuerunt priorem augustiorem sedem prae singulis illis Regibus priusquà m Regna eorum in unum reducta fuerint reductisque in unum indeque ea de requaestione motâ jus suum ex sententia Papae retinuerint de quo nullo unquam tempore aut occasione cesserunt Extra controversiam igitur putamus illud de Iure pertinere ad Coronam Angliae utcunque propagata amplifica sunt Territoria Dominia Regni Hispaniae quod recta rerum aestimatione nihil valet aut valere debet inter Christianos Principes ad hanc Praecedentiae quaestionem Alioqui plurimi Reges Principes assumerent sibi Praecedentiam in multos alios Principes quibus jam liberè libenter concedunt Amplius de haec praesenti controversia de Praecedentiae dignitate hoc ipso tempore aliud est quod se non indignè offert judici is vestris examinandum nempe quodunus è nobis quem serenissima Regina Domina nostra ad hunc tractatum pacis concludendum elegit Legatus ejus est qui quotidie residet apud Christianissimum quam dignitatem unà cum omnibus Praerogativis quae eam comitantur retinet quoad in Regno Galliae commoratur Primus vero è vobis licet sit Legatus Catholici Regis apud serenissimum Archiducem cùm jam sit extra territorium Archiducis qualitatem eam dignitatemque exui censemus quoque nostrum in quo multiplicata ista dignitas elucet dominatur Iure praeferendum unicuique qui singulari nudo titulo deputati scilicet ad tractatum pacis inductus prodit Vobis igitur si placeat quaestio ista alto silentio praetermittatur haecque praerogativa de qua agitur maneat habitetque in serenissima Regina Domina nostra ad quam Iure spectat pertinetque Ita alacrioribus animis ad conventum colloquiumque cujus causà huc accessimus feremur Ista omnia pro prudentia moderatione vestrarum illustrium magnificarum dominationum petimus amicè candidè accipi ut quae profecta sunt ab observantiis religione officii nostri non à studio tempus consumendi aut contentionis excitandae Datum Boloniae 26 Maii stylo veteri 1600. Renderd thus in English Illustrious and Magnificent Lords We have read through the Writing which your illustrious and magnificent Persons sent us yesterday and touching those heads which appertain to the power of your substitutition and the vigor of the Seal we have resolvd not to prosecut further confiding in the sincerity of the most serene the Lord Archduke and acquiescing in the integrity of your illustrious and magnificent Persons which doth promise us a good faith in the business we are to agitat with the greatest candor and humanity that may be And touching the Clause we demonstrated before we desire it may be inserted as soon and as conveniently it may be as your illustrious and magnificent Persons have promised And wheras your illustrious and magnificent Persons assert that it is unusuall and new what we proposd concerning the Prerogative and dignity of Precedence due always to the most serene Queen our Mistress we cannot dissemble but we much wonder that that shold seem new and unusal to men of your condition learning and judgment which is so well known and most celebrous to all the world For it is a most explored truth That the Region of Spain distributed to divers Kingdoms when it was devolvd to the hands of King Ferdinand and Isabella wherunto the Kingdome of Granada was adjoyned and the West-Indies a Contention did arise more speciously then solidly and rightly grounded touching the dignity of Precedence with the King of England at that time when Alexander the sixth who was a Spaniard born held the Papacy which continued to the time of Iulius the second and Volaterranus a special good Author and an Italian Historiographer being not engagd to England for any privat benefit and one that was well capable to know how matters passd and were transacted doth relate that betwixt the Ambassadors of Henry the seventh King of England and the Ambassador of Spain a contention did arise about Precedence of session in the Church and Iulius adjudgd the most honourable place to the English which Right and Prerogative the Kings of England possessd until the time of the Emperour Charles the fifth who in regard of Caesarean Majesty had the supreme place among all Princes But he could not transmit that privilege to his posterity to the prejudice of other Princes Therfore after his decease that question of Precedence returnd to those terms whence it had formerly digressd Since therfore the Kings of England always held priority of place and session of those several Kings before their Kingdomes were reducd to one a question being movd therabouts they have retaind their Right by the Popes sentence and never yeilded it upon occasion Therfore without controversie
Great Britain having intimation that ther might be some clash between the Coaches of the foresaid Ambassadors if they sent them according to custome to bring in the said new Ambassador He sent unto them that they wold forbear to send their Coaches because some inconvenience might arise Batteville answerd That he wold conform to his Majesties plesure provided l' Estrade did likewise do so But l' Estrade gave answer to the Kings Message That his Predecessor the French Ambassador immediatly before him had receavd a check at his return to France for omitting this ceremony and so was he like to do if he did not perform it So both of them sending their rich Coaches and Laquays to Tower-wharf where the new Ambassador was to land Batteville it seems had taken such a survey of the place that his Coach stood in such a posture that none could get before it and the Kings Coach besides he had causd the Rains and Harness of his Coach to be lin'd with Wire making them therby poof against the strokes of Swords so ther happend a hot and fierce Scirmige ther being Pistols on both sides besides Swords and the French had some horsmen also so the poor Horses were slashd and some Laquays killd on both sides and one Spanish Gentleman was killd in the Coach but Batteville stood firm to his ground and so his Coach went next to the Kings all the way News being sent herof to Paris it was much resented and the Spanish Ambassador there being confind to his House he presently dispatchd an Expresse to Madrid who being returnd He sent to the Louvre that he had receavd such Orders that wold give his Majesty satisfaction touching the late Traverses in England and so desired Audience which was appointed him the next day In the interim command was sent that the Princes of the Blood and chief Officers of the Crown shold be there The Spanish Ambassador being come and expecting a privat audience but finding such a solemn meeting was a little stunnd at first yet he went on and deliverd his Message to the King which was that touching the late Contest in England it was done without his Catholique Majesties direction and knowledge therfore he wold take a cours that no occasion shold be offerd for such differences herafter Besides these he pronouncd other Explanatory words that were equivalent to an acknowledgment of Precedence to his most Christian Majesty which were suddenly commanded to be registred in the Council for an Act of State and so to stand upon Record to Posterity Hereupon ther was a most prudent Act of State passd in the Privy Council of the King of Great Britain That in regard of the inconvenience and disturbances which did thence arise his Majesty commanded that no Forren Ambassadors Coaches shall for the future go to accompany and introduce any new Ambassador whatsoever because his Majesties Coaches are sufficient to accompany them in a fitting Equippage which Act I believe will be a leading case to all the Courts of Christendome Before we conclude this Section touching the Right of Precedence which the French King claims of other Princes we will adde what Mr. de Breves says in his Appendix of the Negotiations in the East where he says That in the Raign of Henry the Great he took Precedence of the Ambassadors of Rodulphus the Emperour in Constantinople at the Port of the Turks Court who values Christian Princes according to the merit of their Might WE will now proceed to weigh and winnow the Arguments of Spain in order to a Precedence which we will extract also and distil out of their own Authors as Valdesius Francisco Vasquez Camillo Borrello Besoldus Morales Augusto Cavaisll Caranato with divers others And let this be a Close to the second Section The third Section CONTAINING The Reasons wherby the King of Spain pretends and claims Priority of Place and Proximity of Session next the Emperour at all solemn Meetings and in all Publik Transactions of State c. Which Reasons We will reduce also to Ten Heads or Arguments The first Argument Proving That the Catholik King may challenge Precedence because Spain is the Noblest Kingdome of Europe as being always accounted the Head therof The second Argument Proving That the King of Spain may challenge Precedence by the Authority of General Councils and the Learned Doctors of the Church The third Argument Proving That the King of Spain may challenge Precedence because Spain first receavd and professd the Catholik Faith That the first Christian Church was built there The first Council celebrated The first Bishop was elected out of Her The first Emperour created c. The fourth Argument Proving That the King of Spain may challenge Precedence because He is the Catholick King which is a more ancient Title then Christianissimus The fifth Argument Proving That the King of Spain may challenge Precedence because that in magnitude of Kingdomes in Power and Tresure he excels all other The sixth Argument Proving That the King of Spain may challenge Precedence for Nobleness of Family and that the Kingdome of France did justly belong to Philip 3. The seventh Argument Proving That the King of Spain may challenge Precedence because he is King of Ierusalem The eighth Argument Proving That the King of Spain may challenge Precedence because of free and absolut Dominion and that he hath Empires under Him The ninth Argument Proving That the King of Spain may challenge Precedence because he hath done such great Offices to the Christian Church The tenth and last Argument Proving That the King of Spain may challenge Precedence because the Catholick Church receaves greater Protection and Emoluments from Him then from any other Prince whatsoever OF all these Arguments we shall treat distinctly in several divisions according to the former method and distil out of the chiefest Spanish Authors that write of this subject the Elixir and strength of their Reasons But let the Reader take this Advertisement That he must not expect here the particular Quotations and Marginals wherwith the Spanish Writers use to abound and which indeed belong to Civilians and Iurists No the Author here goes on in a freer and generous way and the Reader without abusing his Faith may believe what he delivers being extracted with much fidelity and care out of the forementiond Authors who write for the Crown of Spain and in their own expressions and so we begin with the first Argument viz. That Spain is calld the Head of Europe and consequently the Noblest Kingdome I. THe beginning of evry thing as it is the hardest so it is always accounted the worthiest and most Noble part as being the head and source whence the rest are derivd so our blessed Saviour is calld Principium Caput the beginning and Head wherof all the Faithful are Members He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And his Vicar-general upon earth the Pope is calld Caput Ecclesiae Militantis The