the like occasion and Year of our Lord 1608 that the Holy Father caused a Jubilé to be published which commenced at Rome month Novemb. the Sixth of September and Six Weeks afterwards at Paris I think I may in this year place the Invention of Perspective Glasses because the use of them began now to grow common in Holland and France A Spectacle-maker of Midleburg presented one which he had made to Prince Maurice which seemed to bring any Object though two Leagues distant within Two hundred paces of the Eye for from the Hague they could easily discern the Dial at Delf and the Windows of the Church at Leyden the year following many were to be had in the Shops at Paris but which could not descry a third part so far as those Some have named them Galileo's Glasses as if that famous Mathematician had invented them but it is most certain this happy Discovery was made long before his time We find manifest footsteps of them in the Works of Baptista Porta and we must acknowledge that the Ancients made use of them if that be true which Roger Bacon saith That Julius Caesar being on the Belgic Shoar opposite to great Britain did with certain great Burning-Glasses discover the Posture and Disposition of the Brittish Army and all the Coast along that Country However it were they have labour'd so happily to bring them to their full Perfection that it will be difficult to make any further Addition or Improvement The marvellous Observations which have been made and are daily taken of the Heaven by the help of them are a most illustrious proof of their Success As to the Subject of the Fougade at Westminster the King of Great Britain who believed that all these Conspiracies proceeded from that Power which the Pope pretended over Soveraigns made an Oath of Fidelity or Allegiance after a new form wherein he obliged all his Subjects to acknowledge that he was their true and lawful Soveraign and that the Pope had neither of himself nor from any other the Power to depose Kings or to warrant any Stranger Prince to invade their Country or to dispense their Subjects from their Oaths of Allegiance therefore should Swear to him that notwithstanding any Sentence whatsoever of the Popes they would faithfully obey him and serve him and his Successors and should discover whatever Conspiracies they did know either against his Person or against his State The Pope having notice hereof sent a Brief to the Catholicks to forbid them the taking this Oath George Blackwell Arch-Priest of England being imprisoned upon the refusal he made of it suffered himself at last to be perswaded that this Brief had been extorted and that there was nothing contained in the Formulary of the Oath contrary to the Articles of Faith so that he took it and caused it to be taken by the rest of the Catholicks in England But the Pope by a second Brief confirmed the first and Cardinal Bellarmin wrote a Letter to Blackwel to shew him that the said Oath wounded the Vnity of the Church and the Authority of the Holy-See He published an Apology for this Oath the Cardinal made an Answer the King a reply which he addressed to the Christian Princes Some Authors concerned themselves in the quarrel and it being a contest wherein the power of the Popes was debated as likewise that of temporal Princes it became the exercise and entertainment of the most learned men in Europe for some Months together The States of the United-Provinces had reason to make the Spaniards believe and see that in case the Treaty of Peace were broken off they should be assisted both by France and England wherefore they had several times made instance to the Ambassadors of those Kings that they would enter into a good Defensive League for their preservation The King of France did first agree and Signed it the second day of January notwithstanding the contrary advice of those of month January his Council whom a zeal for the Catholick Religion inclined indirectly to favour the Spaniard the Ambassadors of the King of England having some points to settle with the States touching the liquidation of Arrears of Moneys did not conclude it till four or five Months after Those of Spain deputed for the Peace to wit the Marquiss de Spinola General of King Philips Armies in the Low-Countries John Crusel Richardot President of the Privy-Council to the Arch-Dukes John de Mancicidor Secretary of War to King Philip Frier John Neyen or Ney Commissary-General of the Order of Saint Francis and Lewis Verreiken prime Secretary of State to the Arch-Duke Arrived at the Hague in the Month of January The States deputed Year of our Lord 1608 for the Generality William of Nassau and the Lord de Brederode and the seven Provinces named for each of them one of the most able and best qualify'd they had amongst them The Compliments made on either part they began to assemble the Sixth day month February of February In the first Ten Sessions they produced their Procurations and treated of an Amnesty of Reprisals and some other such Points which passed without much difficulty but when they came to mention the Commerce of the East-Indies there began the main of the Negociation the States insisting to have the full liberty of that Trade the Spaniards to exclude them thinking there were only a few Merchants interested in that Trade and that the rest would not concern themselves much for their preservation but the Company which of late years was set up for the Indies had forty Ships belonging to them the least of five hundred Tun burthen well provided for War and each of the value of five and twenty thousand Crowns Besides fourscore more of six or seven hundred Tun which traded to the West-Indies not reck'ning a great number of smaller bulk for Guiney and the Islands Saint Dominique Being therefore animated by their profit and withal upheld and countenanc'd by Prince Maurice they made so much noise and roused the publick by so many Manifesto's and discourses in Print that their Deputies were obliged to stand to it Seeing therefore they could not agree upon that point they quitted it to pass on to those concerning the reciprocal Trade in the Low-Countries the renunciation of reprisals the declaration of their limits the demolition and exchange of places the Cassation of Sentences of Proscription and Confiscation the restitution of Goods the Priviledges of Cities the disbanding of Soldiers on each side and many other points In the Memoirs of the President Janin are to be seen the difficulties that were created on either part upon different Articles particularly about the restitution of places How the Truce was prolonged two several times the one to the end of May the other till July How Father Ney going into Spain for more ample powers was detained there a long time by the slow motions either natural or artificial of that Council How the President Janin sent for by
the King took a turn into France and how Don Pedro de Toledo who was then going to Germany came at the same time with design as was believed to found month Septemb. the Kings intentions and to take him off from espousing the interests of the States We there find likewise the great jealousies the States conceived upon the Conferences he had with the King the Intrigues and Artifices of Prince Maurice to break this Treaty the different Factions that were formed in that Country for and against it Then the rupture of the said Treaty by the States upon the Spaniards persisting to have the free exercise of the Catholick Religion re-established in all their Territories and that they should lay down the whole Trade and Navigation to the Indies and in fine upon this rupture the retreat of the Ambassadors of Spain who took their leaves of the States the last day of September and returned to Bruxels Those of France and Great Britain particularly the first did not for all this leave off their Mediation but propounded to both parties to make a long Truce at least since they could not agree upon the Articles for a perpetual Peace Prince Maurice opposed it openly because his employment must be at an end with the War He had subject enough to declaim against the artifice of the Spaniard and to entertain the peoples fears and jealousies and talked the more confident and high as having all the Sons of War on his side and the Province of Zealand besides four or five good places in his disposition and the desires of the Protestant Princes who apprehended lest during such a Truce the power of the Austrian House should fall upon their Backs But the Kings honour was too much concerned after he had taken so much pains and his interest likewise to disarm Flanders which he designed to seize upon not to bring this business to a conclusion He pursued it therefore so Year of our Lord 1609 warmly by intreaties and menaces to the States that their Deputies met again month January February March and April at Antwerp on the five and twentieth of March with those of Spain and made a Truce for twelve years which was proclaimed in that City the fourteenth day of April Year of our Lord 1069 It imported amongst other things That the Arch-Dukes treated with them in quality and as holding them for free Provinces upon whom they had no manner of pretence That there should be a Cessation from all Acts of Hostility but that in Forraign Countries it should not commence till a year after That Traffick should be free both by Sea and Land which however the King of Spain limited to the Countries he held in Europe not meaning the States should Trade into those others without his express Licence That either should hold such places as were then in their possession That such whose Estates had been seized or confiscate by reason of the War or their Heirs should have the enjoyment of them during the Truce and should re-enter upon them without any other form of Justice That the Subjects belonging to the States should have in the Kings and Arch-Dukes Countries the same liberty in Religion as had been granted to the Subjects of the King of Great Britain by the last Treaty of Peace Reciprocally the States promised that there should be no alteration made in those Villages of Brabant which depended upon them where hitherto there had been no other exercise of Religion but the Catholick for which the Ambassadors gave their Guaranty in writing The President Janin being returned to the Hague after the Publication exhorted the States in behalf of the King to grant to their Catholick Subjects the free exercise of their Religion but all that he could obtain was that they should be no more prosecuted nor troubled if they did it in their own houses and for their private Families only If the power of Spain received a great shock by this Treaty that which they procured themselves by the expulsion of the Moors was no less After the eversion of the Kingdom of Granada great numbers of Mahometans and Jews were remaining in those Countries who had settled and spread themselves in the Kingdoms of Valencia Chastille and Andalouzia they were baptized and professed Christianity for which reason they were called new Christians but yet did secretly exercise the impieties of their fore-Fathers They were reck'ned to be above twelve hundred thousand of both sexes King Philip informed that for divers years they had sought for and courted the protection of the King of France the Vnited-Provinces the King of England nay even the Turks and the King of Morocco and suffering himself to be perswaded that upon a certain Good-Friday they intended to cut the Throats of all the old Christians in those Countries where they inhabited resolved to thrust them out of his Territories not permitting them to carry away any thing excepting some Merchandize of the Country seizing and detaining their Gold and Silver their Jewels and moveables only he allowed the fourth part to the Nobility in recompence of the damage they sustained by such their banishment for they improved and made the Lands yield more by one third to the Gentry then the Spanish Tenants could do Year of our Lord 1609 and 1610 till March. This Edict was Executed with the utmost severity even against those that were Priests Friers Officers of the Kings and Allied to the most ancient Christian Families they haled and tore them from the very Altars Cloysters Tribunals of Justice the Husbands from the Arms of their dearest Wives the Wives from the Bosoms of their Husbands the Fathers or Mothers from their tenderest Children These wretches part of them transported into Africa part getting into France and Italy did most of them perish after divers manners some were drowned by those very Marriners who pretended to transport them others Massacred by the Arabes many being first stript and then turned away by those from whom they expected shelter died of hunger being in execration to the Christians as Infidels and to the Infidels as Christians so that of this huge Multitude hardly could the fourth part make shift to save themselves Spain will for a long time feel the smart of this more then barbarous inhumanity for the cruel expulsion of so many Myriads of Men together with the continual recruits they are ever sending to the Indies and their natural lazy temper has made of that Country otherwhile the most peopled and the most cultivated in Europe a vast and barren solitude Some Christian Pirates were retired to Tunis and Algier and had there gotten so many of their own stamp together that they held the Streight of Gibraltar as it were shut up and dar'd even attaque whole Fleets The Maloüins not able to endure these Robberies fitted out some Vessels to set upon them Captain Beaulieu their Commander having consider'd of the means to destroy the Year of our Lord 1608 whole force
during which time might bring forth some favourable occasion to change the Scene or turn the Tide another way But this Dame as crafty as themselves made no great haste to serve them but on the contrary would let them know her intercession only could save them When therefore the Dutchess of Mercoeur presented her self one Morning at the Gates of Anger 's she was rudely turned back and forced to retire to Pont de Ce but when her Pride thus humbled had taught her to refer her self wholly to the will of the fair Dame she was the very same day sent for and the King soon moved with the Tears of that obliging Sex and very ready to grant what his Mistress requested allowed the Duke an Edict almost as honourable as he could have expected when his power was greatest For having taken care in the Preface of it to excuse him though after his Reconciliation with the Pope nay even after the coming of the Legat into France he had not submitted to him supposing he acted in that manner for some reasons that respected the preservation of Bretagne which must have run the hazard of being invaded by Strangers whilst the Forces of France were employ'd upon the Frontiers of Picardy He declared That he held him and all those that had follow'd his Party for good and faithful Subjects restored them to their Estates and Commands Revoked all Judgments given against them Confirmed all such as had been made by the Members of Parliament and Presidial Courts of that Party Year of our Lord 1598 Moreover he gave the Duke Two hundred thirty six thousand Crowns Reparations month April for his Warlike Expences and Seventeen thousand Crowns Pension Besides this a permission to sell of the Corn that was in store to the value of Fifty thousand Crowns The keeping of the Castles of Guingamp Montemort and Lamballe Pass-ports for the Spaniards who lay in the River of Nantes to retire and power to keep the Places and Forces he then had till a Month after the Verification of this Edict Not to mention several other the like Conditions as those granted in the Edict for the Duke of Mayenne The Price of so honourable a Treaty was his Daughter whom the King in few days betrothed to his Son Caesar He had legitimated and enriched him with the Dutchy of Vendosine to be by him held with the same Rights and Advantages as the preceding Dukes had enjoy'd and with a promise to give him within four years wherewith to redeem all its Lands that had been alienated Which the Parliament verified without drawing any consequence for such other Lands as were of the Kings Patrimony which by the Laws of the Kingdom were re-united to the Crown from the moment he attained it The Treaty made the Duke of Mercoeur came to Anger 's to salute the King who received him as his Sons Father in Law The Contract for this future Marriage was sealed in the Castle belonging to the said Town and the Fiancailles or Betrothings were celebrated in the same place with as much Pomp as if he had been a Son of France The Cardinal de Joyeuse not disdaining to perform the Ceremony From Anger 's the King descended to Nantes and from thence went to Renes where the Estates of Bretagne were held He fojourned about two Months in those two Cities employing that time in putting every thing in good order for the quiet and security of the Province and collecting Twelve hundred thousand Crowns the greatest part whereof was given him by the Estates of that Country Whilst he was at Nantes he finished the business of the Huguenots Their Deputies being come to him at Blois he made them follow him thither and had put them off till after his Treaty with the Duke of Mercoeur That Treaty being perfected he would yet have made some further delay but they press'd it so home that he could scarce find any reasonable Excuse And besides he apprehended lest their despair should in the end put them upon some undertaking that might retard the Peace with Spain and give the Leaguers a plausible pretence to re-unite and take up Arms again This Consideration above any thing else obliged him to grant them the Edict which from the name of that Town is called the Edict of Nantes Year of our Lord 1598 It contains Ninety two Articles which are almost the same as those in the foregoing Edicts granted to them but it is more advantageous in that it opens them a Door to Offices of Judicature and Finance There were added fifty six other Articles which are called Secret the most important being that which left them several Places of Security besides all those they already held This Edict is that Safe-guard under which they have lived to this very hour in security and quiet and freely enjoy'd the Exercise of their Religion The King durst not send it to the Parliament to be verified till the Legat were out of the Kingdom so that it came not thither till the following year They labour'd incessantly at Vervins about the Peace the French did not insist so much now on Cambray although they had not yet passed by that Article The Arch-Duke impatient to consummate his Marriage with the Infanta Clara-Eugenia hastned as much as possible he could the grave pace of the Spaniard and obliged his Deputies to step over many trivial things Had it not been for the Allies of France the Treaty had been finished in less then three weeks The King demanded a two Months Cessation of Arms for them that they might send their Ambassadors the Spaniards refused it absolutely and upon this Contest the violent Spirits belonging to eithers Court the chief Commanders of their Armies and those that desired troubled Waters did not fail to press for a Rupture with all their might and interest but it availed nothing the two Princes were of a contrary disposition In the mean time the English Ambassadors arrived at Court which as then was at Nantes they did not shew themselves much averse to the Peace for the difficulties did not concern them but the States from whom they had Orders not to separate Now those would have none at all knowing too well the Peace could not be made without some prejudice to their liberty for which they had fought almost thirty years and without which they neither valued their Estates nor Lives chusing rather therefore to hazard all then to lose the Recompence of so much Labour Blood and Treasure One thing besides confirmed them yet more in this generous Resolution which was a Dispatch they intercepted coming from the King of Spain which gave his Deputies Order not to comprise them unless upon Condition to restore the Roman Religion over all their Country to reduce it to an absolute Obedience and fill up all Offices with Catholick Magistrates Year of our Lord 1598 Whereupon there were no Efforts no Offers but they made to the King to persuade month April him to continue
the War he was gone on too far not to finish the Treaty and sent to his Deputies to conclude it provided they could first obtain the Cessation of Arms for his Allies which had been so earnestly demanded and promised the English that he would not Ratifie it till forty days after his Deputies had Signed it month May. Now they did Sign it the Second day of May and on the Twelfth they put it into the hands of the Legat praying him to keep it secret till the two Months of the Cessation were expired And yet the King made no scruple of publishing it to the Estates of Bretagne telling them he was going into Picardy to carry the Ratification himself In effect he went away with that design having first given the Government of Bretagne to the little Duke of Vendosme upon the surrender of the Duke of Mercoeur his Father in Law but an indisposition befell him on his way which constrained him to return to Paris The Queen of England unable to prevail with him to allow one Month beyond the forty days wrote to him of it with Reproaches and in terms which accused him of unthankfulness The English declaimed most outrageously in the Court of France against his proceeding and made their Complaints come to the Ears of all the Protestant Princes the Hollanders behaved themselves more modestly It was endeavour'd to satisfie both the one and the others with weighty Reason of State and with many examples of the like and they were often-times exhorted to enter into the same Treaty by that Door which was left open for them This seems to have been done only out of good manners for they knew well enough it was not their interest to come in and perhaps some would have been much puzled if they had been persuaded to it However it were the Deputies of the latter sent the King word the term of two Months was too short to Assemble the Estates of all their Provinces and the Queen of England made him understand she would not be divided from them Having as he believed therefore satisfied in every point of that devoir he owed to his Alliance and his Reputation he sent his Ratification to his Deputies about the end of May the date in Blank with order not to fill it up till the Twelfth of June at which time expired the forty days granted to Queen Elizabeth That day month May. the Peace was proclaimed at Vervins and afterwards in all the Cities both of France and the Low-Countries with such lowd Expressions of Mirth and Joy as resounded thorough all the Kingdoms of Europe and gave no less terror to the Turks then content to the greater part of Christians Year of our Lord 1598 month June The same four Lords whom the Arch-Duke gave as Hostages for the restitution of Places viz. Charles de Crouy Duke of Arschot Francis de Mendozze Admiral of Arragon Charles de Ligne Earl of Aremberg Knight of the Golden Fleece and Lewis de Velasco Grand Master of the Ordnance serving as Ambassadors with Richardot and Verreiken brought the Ratification to the King and Witnessed his Swearing to the Treaty in Nostre-Dame the One and twentieth of June there being present on behalf of the Duke of Savoy Gaspard de Geneva Marquiss de Lullins and Reonard Roncas his Secretary of State Reciprocally the Mareschal de Biron Billievre and Sillery did the same for the Arch-Duke at Bruxels the Six and twentieth of the same Month and William de Gadagne Boteon at the Duke of Savoy's who did not Swear it till the Second day of August at Chamberry King Philip the Second Signed the Articles indeed but being prevented by Death could not Swear to them with the same Ceremonies as the rest of the Princes had done This is the Substance of the most Essential Articles The Treaty was concluded conformably and in approbation of that of Cateau-Cambresis of which and the precedent ones nothing was to be innovated but such things as should appear to derogate from this same If any Subject of either of these two Kings should go to serve their Enemies by Sea or Land they should be punished as Infractors and Disturbers of the Publick Peace Such as had been forced out of their Lands Offices and Benefices accompting from the year 1588. should be restored however they should not enter upon any Lands of the Kings without Letters Patents under the Great Seal In case the King of Spain should give the Low-Countries and the Counties of Burgundy and Charolois to the Insanta his Daughter she and her Territories should be comprised in this Treaty without making any new one for that purpose The two Kings should mutually surrender what they had taken the one from the other since the year 1559. viz. the Most Christian King the County of Charolois and the Catholick King the Cities of Calais Ardres Monthulin Dourlens la Capelle and le Catelet in Picardy as also Blavet in Bretagne For security whereof he should give up four Hostages these were the above-named Both the one and the other reserving all his Rights Pretensions and Actions to what he had not renounced but should not pursue or prosecute the same but only by way of amity and Justice This had regard to Navarre and Year of our Lord 1598 the Dutchy of Burgundy It was likewise said That this Treaty should be Verified month June Published and Registred in the Court of Parliament of Paris Chamber of Accompts and other Parliaments and on the same day in the Grand Council other Councils and Chambre des Comptes of the Low-Countries The Interests of the Duke of Savoy were therein treated in such manner as we have related There was nothing mentioned of the Duke of Florence because he pretended not to be in War and said he had seized on the Islands of Marseilles only for satisfaction of certain Sums of Money owing by the King to him and whereof they had stopp'd or diverted the Assignments Add that d'Ossat was gone to Florence to month May. determine the said difference In effect he did decide it the Ninth day of May upon these Conditions That the Duke should render the Islands of If and Pommegues and might carry thence his Cannon Equipage and Ammunition For which the King should own himself his Debter for Two hundred thousand Crowns That good Assignments should be given him for it and for Security of the said Payment twelve Notables of the French whom himself should nominate Thus were extinguished to the very last Spark not only that Civil War the League had kindled in the Bowels of France but likewise those Firebrands which that Faction had fetched in from other Countries And this Kingdom being now in perfect quiet had no more to do but by gentle degrees endeavour to repair the infinite damage they had suffer'd and to recruit their Strength and Forces half consumed by so many ghastly Wounds and so great an effusion of their best Blood The first discharge
who dyed before Duke John William but had left Sons and the last Charles of Austria Marquiss of Burgaw of whom there were no Children Of Mary-Eleonora and Albert were produced many Sons who died young and four Daughters the eldest of whom named Anne espoused John Sigismund of Brandenburgh who was Elector and Duke of Prussia The fourth was wife of John Georges Brother of Christian II. Elector of Saxony We have nothing to do with the other two Brandenburg pretended intirely to this Succession for his Son George William who was Issue of Anne Daughter of Mary-Eleonora the Eldest of the four Sisters But the Duke of Saxony demanded all these Principalities likewise founding his right upon the donation of the Emperors Frederic and Maximilian which he maintained to be good since the said Fiefs were Masculine and urged that the following Emperors could not otherwise dispose of them to the prejudice of the Laws and Customs of the Empire and contrary to the nature of those Lands The same Duke had two more claims besides this the one for John George his Brother who had Married the fourth Daughter of Mary-Eleonora the other was for the Princes of the Branch of Weymar and that of Koburg Issue of John Frederic Elector of Saxony dispoliate by Charles V. and of Sibylla Sister of William II. Duke of Cleves and Juliers Father of John William I speak not of the pretensions of the Duke de Nevers and of Henry de la Mark Count de Maulevrier whereof the first said he was Heir of the House of Cleves the other of the House de la Mark for they did not pursue it with much vigour Volfgang Eldest Son of the Duke of Newburgh entred the first into the Country Year of our Lord 1609 to make demand of the rights of Anne his Mother Immediately afterwards month May and June Brandenburgh sent his Brother earnest thither for those of his Son These two Princes not able to come to an agreement made a transaction by the mediation of the Landgrave of Hesse by which they promised to end their differences amicably to employ their Forces joyntly against any who to their prejudice should offer to seize upon those Lands and to administer them per individuum and without prejudice to the rights of the Empire and the other pretenders Soon after an Assembly of the States of that Country being held at Dusseldorp the King of France sent to desire them to approve of this Treaty and declared himself openly enough for those two Princes But the Emperor in case of litigation taking himself to be the Natural and Sovereign Judge between Parties contending for Fiefs holding of the Empire maintain'd that the Sequestration belonged to him till a definitive sentence therefore he caused them all to be Assigned before him by an Act of the four and twentieth of May and gave Commission to the Arch-Duke Leopoldus Bishop of Strasburgh and Passau to take those Territories into his hands The City of Juliers received him having been surprized by their Seneschal who Year of our Lord 1609 slipt away from the Estates of Dusseldorp but most of the other places gave month May c. themselves up to the two Princes Then the Acts of Hostility began between them and Leopold with several Mandates from the Emperor Manifesto's and Apologies which both the one and the other sent into all parts of Christendom The Interests of all the German Princes were very much perplexed and incertain in this Affair on the one side they all equally apprehended as well the Catholick as the Protestants lest the Emperor under pretence of Sequestration should make himself Master of those Countries and aggrandize his own house by it On the other side the Catholicks feared that the Protestant Princes if they remained in possession would become the strongest and oppress them Upon this consideration they contrived a League Defensive among themselves the Duke of Bavaria made himself the Head and drew in the Electors of Year of our Lord 1609 Mentz and Triers altogether sent away dispatches to Rome and to Spain to have month November and Decemb. the Assistance of his Holiness and of the Catholick King and when they had obtained a favourable Answer they held an Assembly at Wirtsburg where Leopold was present A month after the Catholick Electors and the Princes of the House of Austria went to the Emperor at Prague with design to Elect a King of the Romans whilst the Emperor was yet living for fear lest after his death the Protestants should make one of their own Religion There were some so confident as to propound the Duke of Bavaria and the Jesuits who were very powerful in that party were not much averse to it because they hoped to Govern that Prince as they pleased nevertheless that very consideration and the great interest of the House of Austria turned most of the Votes for Ferdinand Arch-Duke of Graits Cousin to Rodolphus The Protestants at the same time assembled at Hall in Suabia where there appeared fourteen Princes of that Religion above twenty qualified Lords and Deputies from all the great Protestant Cities Amongst those Princes was the Elector of Brandenburg Frederic-Ludovic Duke of Newburg and Christian Prince of Anhalt This last being sent by the two others into France brought word back that the King highly embraced their defence and that in the Spring he would March in person to their Assistance For proof whereof he brought with him an Ambassador from the King he was named Boissise The States of month January the United-Provinces promised likewise to aid the two Princes but not openly till they were certain the King had sent four thousand Foot and a thousand Horse to those Frontiers What they Treated at Hall was kept very secret the Princes writing down their resolutions with their own hands not trusting to their Secretaries It was said that they had agreed and resolved to consider of the means to retrieve the City of Donaverd out of the power of the Duke of Bavaria who had taken it upon pretence it was under the Imperial Ban for some Violencies Committed against the Catholicks to satisfie the Duke of Saxony for the succession of Juliers to Elect a King of the Romans and to make a Counter-League in case the Pope and the House of Austria formed any to oppress them It would be difficult to judge how intrigues so perplexed as these could have month February and March been disintangled to the content of the Protestants and satisfaction of the Catholicks The King pretended to say and had even openly declared to the former that he did not mean there should be any thing changed as to the Religion of the Countries of Cleves and Juliers and had assured the Popes Nuncio that if he assisted them it was principally to oblige them by his good Offices to Treat the Catholicks kindly in their Territories and perhaps to make them to become so themselves This Declaration gave some ombrage to the
convey'd to the Abbey of Fleury upon the Loire which from thence was named St. Bennets but it was to oppose the endeavours of the Pope and countermine his Designs in those Undertakings In effect the Monk pleaded the Cause of Astolphus so stoutly in the Parliament of Crecy that it was agreed some Ambassadors should be dispatched to Astolphus to endeavour an accommodation The Lombard received and treated them as coming from a Great and Potent State He was willing to lay aside his pretences to the Soveraignty of the City of Rome and its dependences but would reserve the Exarchat he had conquered by the Sword The Pope on the contrary maintained that it belonged to him aâ— being the spoiles of an heretick and he sollicited Pepin so effectually that that King promised to assist him in the conquering of it Year of our Lord 754 Mean time Carloman for having espoused the Interest of the Lombard too far brought himself to an ill pass for the King and the Pope consulting and contriving together shut him up in a Monastery at Vienne where he dyed the same Year and his Sons were shaved for fear they should one day claim the Estate their Father had once possessed Year of our Lord 755 The great Preparations for War and a second Embassy being not sufficient to remove Astolphus from his firm resolution of detaining the Exarchat and the Pentapole Pepin caused his Army to march that way His Van-Guard having seized the Cluses or the Passages of the Alps and beaten off those Lombards that thought to defend them Astolphus retires into Pavia where presently afterwards he was shut up by Pepin The havock the ruine and firings the French made use of round about that City could not draw him into the Field The Pope in the mean while grew weary and melancholy at the desolation of Italy and he also feared lest Pepin should make himself absolute Master if he took that Place by force He therefore condescends to an Accommodation at the earnest intreaty of the Lombard and it was easily obtained for he then promised him to give up the Exarchat and the Justices of Saint Peter which in my apprehension were certain Lands within the Bishoprick of Rome Year of our Lord 756 So soon as the French-mens backs were turned the Lombard instead of performing those hard Conditions resolves to revenge himself upon the Pope and the following Year went and laid Siege to Rome where he made such spoil as declared his cruel resentment This infraction obliged Pepin to repass the Mountains Upon the noise of his March he decamps from before Rome which he had much straitned and retreats the second time to Pavia Pepin besieges him and presses on so close that having no other means to save his Life and Crown he is compell'd to take himself for Judge and Arbitrator of the differences between him and the Pope It was not possible but Pepin must judge in favour of the last And indeed he would grant no Peace to Astolphus but upon condition he should make good his former Years agreement and moreover give up Comachio This was treated and negotiated in the presence of the Emperour's Ambassadours who being come to that Siege to demand those Countries for their Master the Lombards had taken suffered the displeasure and shame of a refusal The Exarchat comprehended Ravenna Bologna Imola Faenza Forly Cesenna Bobia Ferrara and Adria The Pentapole held Rimini Pesaro Conca Fano Senigalia Anconna and some other lesser places Year of our Lord 756 A Chaplain of King Pepin's received all these Towns brought away Hostages and laid the Keys upon the Altar of St. Peter and St. Paul at Rome with the draught of the Treaty to signify that Pepin made a donative thereof to those Holy Apostles Some do imagine he did it in the Name of the Emperour Constantine Copronimus who indeed would not consent to it and they believe that it is upon the equivocation of this name that the Popes have founded their fabulous donation of Constantine the Great Astolphus dyed the Year following by a Fall from his Horse Didier his Constable had a Party strong enough to Elect him King But those for the Monk Rachis Brother to King Luitprand who had left his Cloister puzled him very much He betakes himself to Pope Stephanus promising him to make good the restitution Astolphus had agreed to Pepin's Ambassadours were of Opinion that he should assist him in it so that he constrained Rachis to return and betake himself agen to his Monastery Stephanus dyes some Months after Paul I. succeeded him Didier and he lived well enough with each other Year of our Lord 757 The Emperour Constantine had not yet lost all hopes of recovering the Exarchate by means of the French and he endeavoured to regain it by the force of Presents and fair Words Amongst other things he sent a pair of Organs to the King who was then at Compiegne These were the first that had been seen in France Tassillon Duke of Bavaria Son of Duke Vtilon or Odillon came to the same place to take his Oath of Fidelity to King Pepin rendring Homage to him his hands within the Kings and promising him such Service as a Vassal oweth to his Lord which he confirmed by Swearing on the Bodies of St. Denis Saint German of Paris and Saint Martin at Tours Year of our Lord 758 This Year they changed the time of the General Assembly which was held in March and was now put off till May. And so it was no longer called the Field of Mars but the Field of May. Pepin thought to take some rest this Year when Intelligence was brought him that the Saxons were revolted Though they were embodied in an Army and had made Retrenchments upon all the Passages into their Country he gained them all at the first attempt and forced them to give him their Oaths and to pay Tribute The Kings of this Second Race Celebrated the Festivals of Christmass and Easter with great Solemnity cloatbed in their Royal Ornaments the Crown upon their heads and keeping open Court and for this reason the Authors of those times never fail to put down every Year the place where they solemnized those holy Feasts Year of our Lord 759 The City of Narbonna was yet held by the Saracens This Year Pepin having besieged it the Citizens who were Visigoths and Christians slew the Infidel Garrison and delivered the place up to him upon condition that he should suffer them to live according to their own Laws that is to say the Roman Law which had ever been observed by the People of Septimania and is yet to this day Year of our Lord 760 There remained of all the Countries that had been subject to the Kingdom of France none but Aquitain that was not brought to their duty Their Duke Gaifre did not acknowledg Pepin and moreover he or the Lords of his Country retained what belonged to those Churches the French had in Aquitain
Daughter and Heiress of the Earl of Toulouze and also gave him the Counties of Poitou and Auvergne and all that had been conquer'd in Languedoc upon the Albigensis Year of our Lord 1241 These years the Tartars made cruel irruptions amongst others one in Hungary under the Command of Bath who was one of their Generals and one in Russia Poland and Silesia whither they were conducted by another of their Generals who was named Pera. These Barbarians were Scythians Originaries between the Caspian Sea and Mount Imaus Some make them descended from the Ten Tribes of the Hebrews who were transferr'd by the King of Assyria into those Countreys and derive their Name from the Hebrew Word which signifies Forsaken Others derive it from the River Tatar which ran thorough their Countrey and say it was given to the whole Nation of the Mogles composed of seven principal People of which they made one They were Tributaries and as we say Slaves to a Christian Nestorian Prince whose Kingdom was in the Indies he was called Prestor-John But Cingis or Tzingis-Cham set that Nation free about the end of the last age ruined the States of Prester-John and founded a very great Kingdom out of it from whence divers Colonies went forth and setled in other Countreys even in some parts of Europe The Earl of Toulouze sought out all means underhand to repair the shameful Treaty he had made with the King and therefore he consulted and contrived with James King of Arragon who was come to Montpellier and with the Earl of Provence though he were the Kings Father-in-law to Dissolve his Marriage with Sanchia Year of our Lord 1241 the Arragonians Aunt upon pretence of parentage that he might Marry the Daughter of the Earl of Provence and that his Daughter Jane whom he had perforce given to the Earl of Poitou might not be his Heiress An example that proves to any that might doubt that amongst Great ones Honour Parentage Alliance and ☞ Conscience does easily give way and stoop to their Interest and Humour Hugh Count de la Marche to his misfortune had Married Isabella the Widow of King John who had formerly ravished her from him This Womans pride would not suffer him to do Homage to Alphonso the new Earl of Poitou the King undertook to compel him and on a suddain took several of his Towns and demolish'd them amongst others Fontenay where his Brother Alphonso was wounded with an Arrow The King of Englands assistance in behalf of his Mother was too slow he and his Brother Richard landed in the River of Burdeaux The Earl de la Marche had assured them that all Poitou would rise and joyn with them upon their arrival but as his promise failed their courage failed too the King falls upon them at the Bridge of Taillebourg fighting desperately in person making them retreat as far as Xaintes and from thence to Blaye The Earl and his proud Dame being forced to forget she had been a Queen found no safety but at the Kings Feet They experimented his Goodness was as great as his Courage and although she had suborn'd Rascals to Murther him who had been discover'd and punished he pardon'd both her and her Husband keeping only two or three of their Places in his hands till he was better assured of their Obedience Year of our Lord 1243 Italy was horribly shatter'd by the Factions of the Guelphs and Gibelins The First held for the Pope the others for the Emperour Year of our Lord 1243 The jealousie betwixt the Franciscans and the Dominicans which had its Birth almost with their Orders encreased likewise proportionably with their growth Insomuch that the Pope who stood in need of them and the King St. Lewis who cherished them found it no little trouble to distribute their favours equally and hold the ballance so even that they should have no cause to take advantage of each other But both of them took much over all other Religions Orders whom they despised as more imperfect and not only set a value upon themselves for their Divinity wherein sometimes they were so meerly notional and over-subtil as it approached very near to error but likewise took upon them the functions of ordinary Pastors drawing the grists of Alms pious Legacies and Burials of rich people to their own Mills concerning themselves in the directing of Consciences and the administration of the Sacraments to the prejudice of the Hierarchy who from that time hath ever been contending with them to maintain her authority Year of our Lord 1244 The Holy See having been vacant near twenty Months Innocent IV. was elected He was thought to be a friend to Frederick but whether that Emperour had not used him well or what else it were he followed the steps of his Predecessors and began to quarrel with him upon the same score of differences The feud grew so hot that Frederic being the stronger in Italy Innocent went thence that he might with more safety let fly his Thunder against him and came into France where being arrived in December this year 1244. he called a Council at Lyons for the year following In the year 1228. the Emperour Frederic being constrained by the threats of Pope Gregory was gone into the Holy-Land where by his Reputation rather then his Sword he had so contrived it that the Sultan had given him up the City of Jerusalem but dismantled with part of the Holy-Land The Pope not satisfied with that agreement had afterwards procured other Adventurers to go who broke the Truce aforesaid to the great damage of the Christians who being mightily weakned it hapned Ann. 1244. that the Chorasmins a People drove out of Persia by the Year of our Lord 1244 Tartars others say of Arabia fell upon the Holy-Land laid it all waste ruined all the Holy places of Jerusalem and drowned them in the Blood of Christians This news was brought to St. Lewis whilst he was fallen sick at Pontoise towards the end of December All those that were about him despairing of his Life he made a vow to God if he restored him to health that he would go in person to make war against those Infidels and in truth being recover'd he took the Cross from the hands of the Legat but could not so soon accomplish his pious design Year of our Lord 1245 The Council of Lyons was open'd the Monday after St. John Baptists Feast in the Abbey de St. Just and from thence transferr'd to the Cathedral Church of St. Johns The Emperour Baldwin the Earl Raimond de Toulouze and Berenguier de Provence were present there these two solliciting for the dispensation that Raimond might Marry with Beatrix the youngest Daughter of Berenguier but the Kings of France and of England and Richard Earl of Cornwal who had Married the other three Sisters hindred the Grant of it Year of our Lord 1245 The Emperour Frederic having quitted his Affairs of Italy to come there and having in the mean time sent his
tawny speaking in a particular Canting Language of their own and using a Slight of Hand in Picking Pockets while they pretended to tell Fortunes They were called Tartars and Zigens These were the same in my own opinion as those the French at present call Bohemians and the English Gypsy's Year of our Lord 1417 We find in the Acts of the Council of Constance how the memory of Wicklef was Anathematiz'd and John Huss who treading his steps had sowed new Doctrines in Bohemia was burnt alive Anno 1415. notwithstanding he had a safe Conduct of the Emperor and how Jerome of Pragne his Associate but more cautious then he chose rather to be condemned absent then present In the same Council Bennet having been declared Contumacious and intruded into the Papacy the Cardinals of all Parties joyning together elected Otho Colomna who took the name of Martin as being promoted on the Eve of that Saints day Year of our Lord 1418 He immediately employs his Care and Paternal Authority to endeavour the making a Peace in France To this end he sent two Cardinal Legats upon whose sollicitation an Assembly was held at Montereau Faut-yonne where the Deputies on either side agreed upon the Seventeenth of May that all hatred being laid aside the Dauphin and Duke of Burgundy should have the Government of the State during the Kings Life But the Constable the Chancellor and those that had the greatest share in the management of Affairs fearing they should be pack'd away or apprehending the Burgundian's Resentment formally opposed it and the Chancellor did absolutely refuse to Seal the Treaty he who was said to have Sealed so many Instruments to the Peoples ruine and for his own private Interest Paris being sick of the War this was an excellent Theme to be preached to the People and stir up their hatred against them and also to rowze the Burgundian Faction who had still remained quiet had not the Populace been drawn to side with them upon this ill management In fine those of his Party holding themselves assured of his Affection introduced into their City Philip de Villiers L'Isle Adauâ— Governor of Pontoise by St. Germains Gate He entred by night upon the Twenty eight of May with Eight hundred Horse crying out Peace and Burgundy The People did not stir till they were come into Year of our Lord 1418 the Streets of St. Denis and St. Honore then they came out on all hands and joyned with them Tanneguy du Chastel Provost of Paris hearing the noise ran and took the Dauphin out of his Bed and wrapping him up in his Night-Gown convey'd him to the Bastille and from thence to Melun The King who was in his Hostel remained in the power of the Burgundians From thence spreading themselves over the whole Town they fell upon the Houses of the Armagnac's and searched from the very tops of the Garrets to the bottoms of the Cellers Some plundered the Household Stuff and carried away the Money but were most eager to seize upon their Persons and those were least unhappy that were coop'd up in private places till they had paid their Ransoms Most of them were haled to Prisons whither a great many fled voluntarily to avoid other mischiefs The Chancellor was taken the very same day and imprisoned in the Palace The next day the Constable was dragged to the same place He had concealed himself in a Masons House but Proclamation being made to discover all the Armagnac's upon pain of death his Hoste produced him Year of our Lord 1418 The Banished being return'd from divers parts with indignation and revenge in their Hearts made the most cruel Mutiny that ever was heard of this was upon the Two and twentieth of June They began with the Palace whence they drew forth the Constable and Chancellor Murther'd them and exposed their Bodies upon the Table de Marbre From thence they went to the Prisons Massacred the Bishops of Senlis and de Coutances in the Petit Chastelet and made the rest leap from the tops of the Towers receiving them below upon the points of their Swords and Javelines There was no part of the City which was not stained with the Blood they spilt Near two thousand Men were killed whose Carcasses were drawn into the Fields with deep Incisions made upon their Backs in form of a Bend or Scarfe which was the Signal that Party had marked themselves withal for distinction Such as were found with them were held to be worse then Hereticks the Priests denied them Burial and Baptism to their Children Whether it were Policy or not the Duke of Burgundy would not come to Paris till a month after L'Isle Adam had made himself Master of it The Queen and he made their entrance the fourteenth day of July as Triumphantly as if they were returned Year of our Lord 1418 from the Conquest of some new Empire There was nothing heard in the Streets but the soft Musick of Voices and Instrumens and yet their presence did not stop the bloody hands of Murtherers Whoever had Money or an Enemy an Office or a Benefice was an Armagnac The vilest and the most wicked had made themselves the Chiefs of that Blood-thirsty Militia The very Hangman was one of them and he had so much impudence as to shake the Duke by the Hand who knew not what he was The One and twentieth of August they made another great Commotion that infamous Villain being their Captain in which they killed above two hundred Persons and amongst others even some of those that dwelt in the Dukes Hostel and perhaps they would have carried it home to himself had he not been provided against that Scum of the Rabble He bethought himself of a wyle which was to send six thousand of that common Herd to besiege Montleberry and when they were gone he ordered the Hangmans Head to be chopt off and several of the most deserving to be Hanged or cast into the River Year of our Lord 1418 It seemed that Heaven would revenge those horrible Murthers with its severest Rod About the Month of June Paris began to be infected with the Plague which raged extreamly to the end of October carried off above forty thousand most of them being the meanest of the People and such as had dipt their Hands in Blood After the Dauphin was gone from Paris his Partisans made War in his Name Those Frenchmen that were disinteressed and impartial found themselves much perplexed between the Kings Commands whom the Burgundian made to speak as pleased himself and the Commands of the Presumptive Heir to the Crown which side soever they could take they were sure to be treated as Rebels and Traitors Year of our Lord 1418 The Duke of Bretagne labour'd so much that he made up the breach a second time All the Articles were agreed upon at St. Maurdes Fossez but those that had influence over the Dauphin kept him from Ratifying them so that there was only a Truce for three weeks After he
with a Sword on the Blade whereof were some Latin Verses engraved which invited him to that expedition Year of our Lord 1462 There was a rude War between Henry King of Castille and John King of Arragon This last had by a Treaty of accommodation given Catalogna to Charles Prince of Viana Son of his first Bed and therefore his principal Heir His Mother in Law harrass'd him so much that he once more fell out with his Father and took up Arms. He was again defeated and taken Prisoner The Catalonians making an insurrection in his favour forced his Father to set him at Liberty but the same day of his deliverance he Died of a Morsel which his Mother in Law had caused her own Physician to give him After his Death the Catalonians being revolted against John and having degraded him as the Murtherer of his Son Charles The King of Castille assisted them It was not the zeal of justice that led him to it but the desire of Siezing those places in Navarre which were for his purpose Mean while John that he mught have Men and Money in this pressing necessity had engaged the Counties of Roussillon and of Cerdagne to the King of France for 300000 Crowns Gaston de Foix Brother in Law to the Castillian and Son in Law to the Arragonian brought these two Princes to refer their differences to the judgement of the King who then was at Bourdeaux to treat of the Marriage of Magdelin his Sister with Gaston de Foix Count of Viana When he had heard the reasons of either party from the mouths of their Ambassadors he pronounced his Sentence of Arbitration but it satisfied neither the one nor the other any more then his enterview with Henry King of Castille satisfied either the French or Spaniards These scoffed at the Niggardlyness and mean and simple countenance of King Lewis who was cloathed only in coarse Cloth had a short and straight Garment on and wore a Madona of Lead in his Cap The others had an indignation at the Castillian Arrogance and the Pride of the Count de Lodesme Favourite of Henry But it is true that their King condescending as he ought to the Majesty of France passed over not only the River Bidasso which seperates the two Kingdoms to come to the King but likewise advanced two Leagues within his Dominions and came even to the Castle of Vterbia where they conferred together At his return from this Voyage Lewis found that the Lords de Crouy Father and Son had so well managed the mind of Philip Duke of Burgundy with whom they could do any thing that he consented to render up to him the Cities of the Somme for the 400000 Crowns The business was of importance and indeed for fear the Duke should find out some excuses to retract his word he caused the money to be immediately sent to Hesdin and went thither himself The surrender being executed he would shew himself in the Low-Countries where his Soveraignty was but little acknowledged He visited Arras was received at Tournay and went as far as l'Isle where the Duke came and saluted him The City of Tournay which had never owned any other Dominion but that of France sent three Thousand Citizens forth to meet him each of them having a Flower-de-Luce embroidred with Gold just upon his Heart Lewis Duke of Savoy waited for him at St. Cloud to make complaints of the disobedience of Philip his young Son who more sprightly then Amedea his elder Brother had gained the affections of the Nobility and was making his way to invade the Crown The King commanded Philip to come to him he immediately did so upon the Faith of a safe conduct which hindred not his being Arrested and then his sending him Prisoner to Loches He was detained two years to give his Father time to settle his affairs and authority and establish his eldest Son in the Succession The hatred betwixt the King and the Charolois was augmented more and more There are five or six principal causes taken notice of The surrender of the places in the Somme the kind reception the King made the Lords of Croüy whom the Charolois had driven from his Fathers Court and Country for that reason moreover the Kings endeavours to lay a Tax or Gabelle upon Burgundy contrary to the Articles of the Traty of Arras and the favour he manifested to the Count d'Estampes who was accused to have intended to poyson the Duke and his Son Year of our Lord 1463 At the same time the Chancellor de Morvilliers a Man vehement and bold went on the Kings behalf to forbid the Duke of Bretagne to Style himself any more Duke by the Grace of God to Coyn any money or to raise any Taxes in his Dutchy The Duke taken unprovided acted cooly and promised all but demanded time to Assemble the Estates of his Country and in the mean while he diligently negociated with the Burgundian by Romille and with all the Grandees of the Kingdom whom he knew to be highly discontented The Habits of Fryers Mendicatns especially of the Cordeliers served to make the Messengers of these intrigues pass securely up and down The Charolois had chosen Gorcum in Holland for his ordinary residence the Bastard de Rubempre slunk privately into that Port with a small Vessel being disguised like a Merchant to Sieze and carry away alive or dead this Romille the Engine of all these designs or perhaps the Count de Charolois himself However it were the Count having discover'd it caused him to be imprisoned and gave notice thereof to the Duke his Father who was going to Hesdin to Confer with the King Upon this intelligence the Duke retires in hast his People gave out that there had been a design to Sieze upon the Father and the Son both at the same time the Preachers entertained their Auditors with it and Oliver de la Marche Made mention of it in Terms which hugely offend the Kings Honour To justify himself against these reproaches the King sent Morvilliers his Chancellor and some Lords to make great complaints to the Duke and demand reparation The Chancellor did it in such high words and Soveraign expressions that he seemed to design rather to exasperate then to compose differences And indeed the Cound de Charolois said to one of the Ambassadors at their departure that before one year were past he would make the King repent it The King thought he had time to subdue the Breton before Philip whom Age render'd unwieldy could Dream of stirring He therefore called the Grandees of the State together at Tours to make them know what reasons he had to undertake it Charles Duke of Orleance first Prince of the Blood whould needs speak there of the disorders of the Kingdom as his Age his Reputation and his Rank obliged him to do but his Remonstrances grated the Ears of the King and were received with anger and contempt In so much as he died for grief within two
Earl of Valois had hitherto desired it The Swisse denied Francis their Intercession with the Electors the Pope pretended to favor him but he was not either for one or other Year of our Lord 1519 of these two Princes because they were too Potent and if he recommended Francis it was to get the Suffrages from Charles and by this Intrigue to turn their Eyes and Thoughts toward some other German Prince The Electors for the same reason were in suspence a good while at the beginning the Palatine Triers and Brandenburgh seemed to be for Francis and the latter promised to gain the Archbishop of Ments his Brother likewise But when he had singer'd his Money and it came to give their Votes Ments pleaded stoutly for Charles and Brandenburgh seconded him Triers kept his Word The reputation of his Victories in Italy spake advantageously for the King and the War the Turks threatned Germany withal ought to have made him more considerable then Charles who had as yet done nothing and promised but little more But he was not of the German Nation besides the more he seemed to merit the more they feared he would reduce the German Princes to a low condition as his Predecessors had reduced those of France and if there were apprehensions of oppression on either Hand it did not appear so visibly on Charles's side nor seem to be so neer in likelihood from him who was five years younger then the other and of no very promising Genius In fine upon all these considerations and with three hundred thousand Crowns brought even a year before into Germany and not distributed but to good purpose Charles carried it and was elected at Francfort the twentieth of June being at that instant in Spain whither he was gone almost two years before Though King Francis set a good face upon it yet this refusal went to his Heart and he could not but imagine that Charles being Master of so many great Estates would revenge the Injuries done to his Grand-father and those of the House of Burgundy For this reason he applied himself with more care to gain the friendship of the Pope and the King of England but the Pope followed Fortune and invested Charles with the Kingdom of Naples notwithstanding the constitution of his Predecessors which forbid that the said Kingdom and the Empire should be in the same Hand Year of our Lord 1520 The election of Charles of Austria hastned the enterview of the King and Henry of England This was done in the Month of June between Ardres and Guines The two Kings equally Pompous and Vain made their magnificence appear to the highest profusion Francis expended more there then the Emperor did at his Coronation and put his Nobless to great inconveniences who ever imitate their Princes but more readily in their Excess then in their Wisdom This enter-view was called the Camp of Cloath of Gold After they had saluted each other on Horse-back they went into a Pavilion erected expresly with two or three Ministers of State belonging to either King and there talked a few Moments about their Affairs That done they left the care thereof to them and spent ten or twelve days together in Feastings and Turnaments at Nights Francis returned to Ardres and Henry to Guines Before they parted they confirmed their Treaty by solemn Oath upon the the Holy Communion which they received together But soon after Francis who too credulous built already on the Amity of the English might plainly perceive what stress he was to lay upon so jealous and so inconstant a Foundation Charles V. coming from Spain by Sea to the Low-Countries that from thence he might go to Aix to take the Crown passed first over into England and saw Henry with less splendor and perhaps more Fruit then he For the King of England promis'd him that in case any Difference hapned between him and Francis he would be Arbitrator and declare himself Enemy to him that would not stand to his Award or Judgment His Intention was not to joyn with either the one or the other but to keep himself in the midst and be sought to by them both giving them to understand that he could make the Ballance sway to that side he turned to As he seemed to point out to King Francis at their late enter-view at Ardres where over his Tent Door he had caused the Figure of an Archer to be placed with these Words He that accompanies or joyns with him is Master This was the Method he used all his Life The two and twentieth of October Charles was crowned at Aix la Chapelle and assigned a Diet at Wormes for the Month of January following In the mean time not staying for the Judgment of of the Assembly being at Colen he condemned Year of our Lord 1520 Year of our Lord 1520 Luther's Books to the Fire as Heretical but this so hasty proceeding he made more Friends and Defenders then Enemies In revenge Luther without respect either for Pope or Emperor was so confident as to burn the Book of the Decretals which he asserted to be contrary to the Word of God in several Passages he had extracted from them Year of our Lord 1520. 21. The Spaniards grew angry that their King had left them to go into Germany andbesides they could not endure the Government of the Flemmish for after the Death of that memorable Cardinal Ximene he left the Administration of Affairs to the Lord de Chevres They complained that those Strangers heaped up all their fairest Pieces of Gold and that they took into their Hands or sold the greatest Offices and the richest Benefices amongst others the Archbishoprick of Toledo wherewith the Lord de Chevres had provided his Brother Some Grandees of that Country who thought to do their business in the absence of a Prince whom they esteemed of little Courage kindled the Fire and made a League which they called la Sancta Junta Toledo and the greatest Cities came into it and the Chief Officers that commanded their Forces were John de Padillia and Antonio d'Acugno Bishop of Zamora They had a Design of giving the Kingdom of Arragon to Ferdinand Son of that Frederic that died in France and to make him come in with some Colour would marry him to Jane the Frantick Mother of Charles V. whom they siezed upon but whether he doubted the event or stood upon the Honor of keeping his Faith he rejected the proposition and would not stir out of the Castle where Charles V. had left him In the mean while the Vice-Rois of Castille and Arragon with the rest of the King's Servants having armed themselves against the Rebels lopp'd off by little and little the Branches of that Party and then fell'd it almost quite down by the defeat of their united Forces and the deaths of Padillia and the Bishop both slain in that Battle Now whilst the Vice-Rois had drained the Garrisons of most of the Places in Navarre to defend
and the other Cities of that Dutchy where he passed as if he had been King of Spain himself He remained at Turin Eight or Nine dayes The Dutchess Margaret his Aunt one of the wisest and most accomplish'd Princesses of her Age gave him the same Counsel the Emperor had done and the Duke presented Damville his Kinsman to him whom he had sent for expresly upon his Parol that he might restore him to his Favour That Affection the King had otherwhile had for this Lord revived again He made him lye in his own Chamber and willingly gave ear to his Advice for granting a Peace to the Huguenots to ruine them afterwards by such Projects as he propounded and to take all the Government of State Affairs into his own hands But the Queen Mother having some hint of it sent Chiverny and Fifes who soon destroy'd all he had been Building in the King's Mind and represented him so odly that the King would have had him seized The Dutchess finding this gave notice of it to the said Lord and the Duke sent a strong Convoy along with him to Nice whence his Galleys carried him into Languedoc When he found he was got clear he Vow'd he would never see the King more but in a Picture nor did he break his Vow The becoming Civilities of the Duke and kind Caresses of the Dutchess whose graceful Presence Wit and Royal Qualities had yet preserved some Empire over the French and even over her Nephews were not useless to them The King was pleased and being picqued with Generosity and Justice promised to render up Pigâ—orol Savigliani and Perugia to the Duke who made it appear plainly to him that he could not detain them any longer unless he chose rather Year of our Lord 1574 to be guided by what they call Maxims of State than the common Rights of Men and the Faith of Treaties The Duke having obtained this Favour gave him Four thousand Soldiers and a Thousand Horse to attend him to Lyons lest the Huguenots of Daufiné should interrupt his Journey He accompanied him in Person and staid there some dayes but was call'd away again before he had obtained the accomplishment of his Promises having word brought him of the Death of the Dutchess his Wife whom God called into the other World the Fourteenth of September Henry III. King LXI Aged XXIII years almost compleat POPES GREGORY XIII Ten years and Seven Months under this Reign SIXTUS V. Elected the 24th of April 1585. S. Five years Four Months Three days whereof Four years Twenty five days under this Reign Year of our Lord 1574. September IT was the Fifth of September when King Henry arrived at Pont de Beauvoisin the place which parts the Territories of France from Savoy The Queen his Mother went thither to meet him and presented the Duke of Alenson and the King of Navarre to him to be disposed of as he pleased He received them with extraordinary coldness though they saluted him with the greatest Humility Some hours afterwards he granted them Pardon and Liberty but it was only in appearance for he appointed Guards who secretly observed them and there were certain Ladies who ever held them in their amorous fetters and denied them nothing that they might dive into the secrets of their very Souls In the same place he made Bellegarde a Mareschal of France he had promised him this Office whilst he was in favour but now he was not so he could not keep that post above Fifteen days Du Gua had set him besides the Cushion and got into his place One might to speak properly call the Reign of Henry III. the Reign of Favorites The softness of his Soul and his carelesness left him wholly in the hands of those People who went on to enervate all that little virtue that was left in him and to dissolve him in voluptuousness So that they obscured the luster of all those brave actions had been attributed to him and would have put the whole World in doubt whether he had ever any real share in them had not some rayes of truly Royal qualities darted sometimes through all those mists and foggs and kept up his Reputation Quelus Maugiron and St. Maigrin were his first Minions Afterwards St. Luc Arques and the young la Valete then Termes since named Bellegarde and some others The Queen-Mother was ravish'd to see him in those hands because at first they gave her an exact account of his most secret Thoughts and whilst they amused him either in the Anti-chamber amongst the Ladies or in his Closet where he spent whole days in consultation about the trimming of a Suit of Cloaths or the fitting of a Ruff the retained almost all the Authority not foreseeing that by little and little they would draw the greatest part even from her together with the affection of her Son Now that they might the more entirely posses him they did perswade him not to communicate himself so frequently to his Subjects as his Predecessors had wont but to keep himself behind the skreen like the Eastern Monarchs and not be seen by Year of our Lord 1574 them but in great splendour and magnificence nor made known but by absolute Commands and above all to dis-accustom and wean the French from making Remonstrances to him and to make them understand that there was no other Law but his Will Thereupon they wrought him to have a high opinion of himself deafned and confounded him with their flatteries and puft him up with an opinion that he was the greatest Prince in the World that he infinitely surpassed all the preceding Kings that he had shew'd himself an absolute Master in Politiques even in his first Essay and Apprentiship and that the prudence of the most knowing and experienc'd Statesmen was but meer ignorance in comparison of his Inebriated with these flattering perswasions he establish'd new forms of Grandeur set on foot again the Regiment of Guards of Ten Companies Charles IX a little before his death had reduced them to three caused Banisters to be set round his Table went rarely abroad in publique and always shut up in a Litter or a Boat adorned with Gold and Painting in his Promenade upon the smooth-fac'd River of Soane and allowed the Grandees no more that credit of recommending the little ones to him no not themselves but by the credit and access of those Minions There wâ—re no Favours but for them they set all Offices and Governments at a high price to wrest them out of the hands of such Noble Persons who by the eminent Services of their Fathers or their own Merits had justly acquired them A great many of the best qualified finding they were but little regarded retired from Court male-contented and then the Favorites being at large introduced that pernicious invention of Acquits Comptants with which they have so often and with impunity pillag'd and wasted the Kings Exchequer The Agents from the Duke of Savoy did mightily press for performance of the
arrival of a new Governour Don Juan of Austria In the mean time the Spanish Troops having mutined plundred the wealthy City of Antwerp where they got so much booty that some private Soldiers were seen to play for Ten thousand Franc's in one night The Catholique Provinces fearing they might be plundered in the same manner united by a Treaty made at Ghent with those of Holland and Zealand Now before they received or admitted Don Juan the Estates would have all the Spaniards sent out of the Countrey and the Treaty of Ghent to be confirmed Don Juan feigned to agree to those conditions and entred the Countrey in Sheeps cloathing but soon changed it for the Foxes skin seising upon Namur Charlemont and Mariemburgh Then the States armed against him drove him back into Luxemburg called in Matthias the Emperors Brother whom they chose for their Governor and the Prince of Orange for his Lieutenant But by the jealousy of the Catholique Lords thwarting the wise Councils of Orange Don Juan had time to receive the Forces brought him by Alexander Farness Duke of Parma with which he gained a signal Battle at Gemblours over the Army of the States and afterwards the Gueux having turned Year of our Lord 1577 the Priests and Monks out of Ghent broke and pull'd down all the Images in their Churches So that the happy success of Don Juan and the attempt of this insolent rabble gave occasion to some Lords already discontented to form a Third Party whereof Montigny was Head and to draw both Artois and Hainault to joyn with them The same Lords finding that the States had Treated with Queen Elizabeth who sent Casimir to them with some German Forces moved with apprehension of the great danger their Religion was in resolved to Treat with the Duke of Anjou to which the States did likewise incline being induced thereto by the practises of the Prince of Orange who had great suspition of Casimir Year of our Lord 1578 This business had been negotiating a year before by the tacite consent of the Queen-Mother but the King did not approve of his Brothers medling with the Low-Countreys Affairs he was too jealous of his advancement and besides too much netled at his Bussy's braving his Favorites every day Now these Picques and Controversies rising higher on either part he caused his Brother to be laid hold on in the Louvre and set Guards upon him but they did their Duty so negligently that he escaped out of their hands being let down by a cord into the Trench under the Louvre and went to the Abby St. Germain where Bussy waited for him and had made a hole in the Wall of the City From thence they got to Anger 's and after they had sojourned there some weeks advanced to Mons in Hainault to conclude the Treaty which was before prepared by one of his Secretaries He promised to assist the States with his Forces and Means to raise Six thousand Foot and Three thousand Horse to maintain them at his own charges for Three Months and to endeavour to bring the Queen of England the King of Navarre and Casimir into this Alliance Reciprocally they promised him that where-ever he should be personally he should Command in Chief with the General for the States That if they accepted of any Lord other then the King of Spain they would prefer him before all That forsecurity and a retreat for his Sick they would give him Quesnoy Landrecy and Bavais That if they could obtain a good Peace they would repay his disbursements and give him a reward worthy of his Grandeur month August Year of our Lord 1578 There never was a business so intangled nor a Countrey more divided and tormented then that same The Arch Duke Matthias had his party amongst the States and amongst the Nobless the Prince of Orange had all the power in the Provinces of Frise Holland Zealand and Vtrect Don Juan of Austria was Governor for the Spaniard but declared an enemy by the States Prince Casimir was there in the behalf of Queen Elizabeth the Duke of Anjou as their Ally and Protector Imbise had seized upon Ghent and Prince Casimir with his Forces was got into those parts as it were to cantonnize himself The Catholique Lords of Artois and Hainault floated between all parties desiring to preserve if it were possible their Liberty and their Religion So that there were Five Armies feeding upon and laying wast that unfortunate Countrey That belonging to the States was of Thirty eight thousand Foot and Eight thousand Horse That under the Duke of Anjou much inferiour for number to what had been promised him by Treaty He besieged Bins and batter'd it so furiously that it surrendred the Fourteenth day being the Sixth of September The civility he shewed month September to that Garrison open'd him the Gates of Maubeuge but the insolence of his Soldiers in the Field caused those of Quesnoy and Landrecy to be shut up against him For vexation of this inexecution and because Casimir kept still in Ghent he would not joyn with the States Army to whom however he had already sent Three thousand Men Commanded by la Noüe but retired into France having first sent to the Arch-Duke Matthias and the Council of the States to let them know the reasons for his departure and give them an assurance of his return The greatest part of his disbanded Troops went into the Service of the male-contented Lords Some Months after Don Juan of Austria hapned to die the King his Brothers jealousie made all his designs miscarry and perhaps hastned his end by some potion as he had the end of Escovado his Secretary and intimate Confident in Spain by cutting the thred of his Life with a keen ponyard His loss caused so great a consternation in his Army that if that of the States had fall'n upon them they might with ease either have forced or dispersed them but Year of our Lord 1578 besides that their disorders were likewise great in that great Body for want of pay the death of Maximilian Crook-Back who Commanded in Chief hapning within Six weeks after broke all that little Union there was between the Lords of the Countrey who fell from the common interest of the publique good to seek their own private advantages During this expedition of the Duke of Anjou into the Low-Countries the King languished still in unactive idleness wherein he was entertained by Villequier and Francis d'O his Son-in-law This last was Surintendant des Finances a Man wholly given up to Luxury who put the King daily upon making new Edicts called Bursaux and by carrying him to the Parliament forced them by his Presence to verify the same This was one of the chief causes of the ruine of this Prince the People observing so frequently that from his Court whence nothing but good and wholsome Laws should have proceeded there came nothing now but Edicts of Oppression and Severity did by little and little lose
an Equipage nor was his Presence useless to him there towards the bringing that Nobility to submit to his Command and thereby confirming his Authority The only hopes of the Huguenots was therefore in an Army of Reisters the King dreaded it above all things and France trembled at the very name of those cruel Plunderers who had so often prey'd upon them This makes the Queen Mother and the Duke of Alencon mediate a Peace the King of Navarre desired it as his only refuge and the Duke procured it that he might be able to carry the whole force both of the one and the other Party into the Low-Countries For the States having resolved to declare that the King of Spain had forfeited the Soverainty of those Provinces as they did the following year in their Assembly at the Hague had sent their Deputies to this Duke being then at Plessis lez Tours with whom they made a Treaty In which they owned him for their Prince and Lord him and his lawful Sons with the same rights as their preceding Lords upon condition that if he had several Sons they should have liberty of chusing which of them they best liked That he should preserve the ancient Alliances Rights and Priviledges of the Provinces should give no Offices or Employments but to the Natives of those Countries and do in such sort that the Provinces might ever be linked to France but without being either incorporated or united to the Crown This Treaty Signed he posted into Guyenne to Negociate the Peace the place month November for Conference was the Castle de Fleix belonging to the Marquiss de Trans In this place by the care and industry of the said Prince with the Duke of Montpensier and likewise the Mareschal de Cosse whom the King sent after him they came to an agreement towards the end of November in the explanation of certain Articles of the former Treaty of Peace which they confirmed by this same They likewise granted some places to the King of Navarre and to satisfie the passion of his Wife a revocation of Biron from whom they took away the Lieutenancy of Guyenne to bestow it upon the Mareschal de Matignon which she demanded for him whose sober and staid gravity seemed very proper to allay the quick and fiery temper of the Gascons month August The Thirtieth day of August 1580. Philibert Emanuel Duke of Savoy ended his Mortal Pilgrimage and left his Estates which he had happily recover'd by his Valour and his most prudent Conduct to his only Son Charles Emanuel who Year of our Lord 1581 was then in the One and twentieth year of his Age. France was at the same time afflicted with two cruel Diseases the Coqueluche and the Plague the first as we formerly noted having tormented this Nation twice already was very painful and sometimes mortal but lasted not above six months the other killing most that were therewith infected continued its violence five or six years ransacking sometimes one Province sometimes another so that before it ceased above the fourth part of the People died of it After the Duke of Anjou's quitting of Flanders their Discords and Confusions daily increased whereupon the Archduke Matthias whom the States had called in to Govern retired again The Duke of Parma who had the Command of the Spanish Army after the death of Don Juan of Austria defeated a Party of Casimirs Keisters and so beset the rest that they were glad to accept of quarter and return into Germany at which Casimir who was then gone into England to see Queen Elizabeth was so much ashamed that he goes directly home not daring to pals by way of the Low-Countries After their departure the Duke of Parma besieged Maestric He took it by Storm at four Months end and in the mean time Negociated it so well with the Male-contented Lords that they returned to the obedience of King Philip and brought in the Provinces of Arâ—ois and Hainault with the Cities of L'Isle Douay and Archies On the opposite the Provinces of Guelders Zutphen Holland Zealand Frise and Vtrect then the Cities of Bruges Ypres and others united more closely together for their mutual defence From thence came the name of the Vnited Provinces The ☞ Malecontents in the mean time did mightily annoy the other Catholick Provinces It is true the Fit of Sickness which the Duke of Parma fell into after the taking of Marstâ—ie gave the States a little breathing time and la Noue though he had but three thousand Men made Head most bravely against all their Enemies As the Spaniards took Groeningben from the States on his side he took Ninoue from them and in the said place the Count of Egmont with his Wife but shortly after this generous Commander was defeated in a Rencounter near the Castle of Ingel-Monster and fell into the hands of the Spaniards who set him not at liberty till the year 1585. and that upon the payment of an hundred thousand Crowns Ransom Year of our Lord 1581 The Edict granted to the Huguenots met not with so much difficulty neither for the verification in Parliament nor for the execution as the former ones had done month January and it was pretty punctually and quietly observed near five years As a violent agitation is so far from curing of Distempers it rather increases them and to allay hot Spirits we must let them a while repose so soon as they had left off Year of our Lord 1580 baiting and pursuing the Huguenots their Zeal grew much more temperate and indifferent The King taking the right course gave them assurance that they needed to fear no hurt from him but might expect much good That he would do them equal justice but that he would bestow no Offices or Employments upon them nor any Governments but keep all Dignities out of their reach Withall he endeavour'd to reclaim them by wise and Christian like Instructions and Arguments which method converted more of them in four years time then the Sword or Hangman had compell'd in forty and if they had continued the same way of proceeding this Opinion of Conscience would no doubt have given place to the sence of Honour During this calm the King instead of fortifying himself grew still weaker and was enervated by idleness and vain pleasures Since the death of the Princess of Conde he had but little inclination to Women and his Adventure at Venice gave him another bias His three chief Favourites were Arques the young la Valette and Saint Luc the last forfeited his favour by endeavouring to cure him of his depravation by an illusion which was very ingenious the other two remained in full power with no other Rivals but themselves and individually enjoy'd the affection of the King who called them his Children He was not satisfied with having erected the Vicounty of Joyeuse to a Pairie for d'Arques and the Territories of Espernon which he bought of the King of Navarre for la Valeste he would needs honour
their Sluces so that his unfortunate Army was constrained to expose themselves to a march through that great Tract of Water not without loss of above three hundred Men. In fine after they had trudg'd near thirty leagues with incredible difficulties though it was but seven leagues distant by the direct road they arrived at Dendremond which served them as the second Plank after their Shipwrack Year of our Lord 1583. February c. The Queen Mother the Queen of England and the King himself for the honour of the French Nation mediated and interposed to allay the fury of the Flemmings and palliate the fault of the young Prince So much was effected by their Negociations that the States fearing he should give up to the Spaniard those places he yet held agreed with him by a Provisional Treaty That he should have ninety thousand Florins to pay his Army provided he would retire to Dunkirk and remain there whilst they endeavour'd an Accommodation and in the mean time surrender Dendremond and Dixmude month April and May They thought with the assistance of his Forces to raise the Siege of Eiendhoue but Biron who commanded them being ill seconded and withall unprovided of every thing was not in a condition to perform it but had enough to do to struggle for two whole Months together with his necessities Nevertheless the Duke of Parma durst not attaque him in his Camp near Rosendale Mean while the Disorders increased daily in those Provinces thorough the contrariety of Sentiments and diversity of the Interests of the States Deputies who agreed in nothing but their outcries against the French Therefore after the Duke of Anjou had for two Months languished in his melancholy abode of Dunkirk expecting their ultimate Resolution in vain he Embarqued the Eight and twentieth of June to come to Calais month June month July Two days after his departure the Ghentois blinded by their obstinate hatred against the French and the Catholick Religion shut up Birons passage whereby he might have gone to the relief of Dunkirk so that it surrendred upon Composition and after that Neuport Furnes Dixmude St. Vinochs Bergh and Meenen fell into the hands of the Spaniards These losses redoubled their out-cries and mutinies in Ghent and Antwerp in so much as the Prince of Orangé not finding himself any longer secure in Antwerp prudently retired into Zealand with all his Family the Two and twentieth of July having first assigned the States General to meet at Middeburgh A Month after Biron went likewise out of the Country with his Troops and led month July and Aug. them to the Duke of Anjou who was in Cambresis He made signs as if he would have raised more but this was only to have some pretenoe not to come to Court though the King had sent for him His last act had cover'd his face with so much shame and confusion that he avoided the sight of all Mankind wandring from place to place like one berest of his sences and was not able to admit his own Mother into his presence who went on purpose to seek him out Thus did he waste the last six Months Year of our Lord 1583 of this year the King taking little thought for him as knowing the only remedy for these Escapades is the neglect of them But himself troubled with Hypocondriacal Vapours which affect the Brain render the Mind feeble and inconstant possess it with fantastical and airy Visions had suffer'd himself to be led away with a humour of Devotion as little serious as unbecomming his Dignity A Cloister was his most usual Retreat Processions and Fraternities his most frequent Exercise and Pilgrimages his greatest Expeditions From these Devotions he would often in an instant leap into his pleasures afresh and had even found out the art to blend them together During the Carnaval he went by day about the Streets in Masquerade and at night into the Houses where a thousand youthful frolicks were acted then in Lent he went in Procession with the Penitents This year he erected a Fraternity at Paris named Penitents of the Annunciation because he began it on that day They marched by two and two in three Divisions of blew black and white cover'd with a Sack or Frock of those colours having a Vizord on their Faces and a Whip in their Hands or at their Girdle The Cardinal de Guise carried the Cross all the Grandees of the Court even the Chancellor and Keeper of the Seals were of them but not one of the Parliament would be present lest they should seem to countenance and authorise this Forreign Novelty The People were too well acquainted with the disorderly and licentious lives of the Courtiers to be moved with these superficial shews of Devotion and moreover those loads of Oppression laid upon them by the Minions in new Imposts creation of Offices and violent Taxes which were raised a thing unusual in this Kingdom without any Verification of the Soveraign Courts whetted the most slanderous Tongues and Satyrical Pens both against them and against their Master Joyeuse and Espernon level'd at the Duke of Anjou whose grandeur was an obstruction to their vast designs and the Guises were agreed with them on this point Espernon shock'd the Guises and was shock'd by them upon all occasions but Joyeuse would hold in with those Princes because he had Married a Wife of that Family or rather because he desired to make himself Head of the League and gain the support of so strong a Party The Queen Mother had a mortal hatred both for the Guises and for the Year of our Lord 1583 the Minions but she declining in her power found her self under the necessity of making use both of the one and other to ascend again She trod the same path to her dying day yet she endeavour'd to preserve the Duke of Anjou whom either of them sought to ruine and studies to bring him once more to the management of Affairs for her own ends though she were resolved not to let him hold it long Such was the disposition of all Parties then The King himself had put the first thoughts of dividing his Kingdom betwixt them into the heads of his brace of Favourites as if they had been his own Children Joyeuse had conceived a design to get Languedoc and to joyn the Comtat of Avignon to it and to this effect was resolved by the Authority of the King to oblige his Holiness to Excommunicate the Mareschal de Montmorency as a protector and favourer of Hereticks and to give him the Comtat in exchange for the Marquisate of Salusses Now that he might not refuse him this he had contrived an intrigue to seize upon it by means of William Patris Bishop of Grace Favourite of the Cardinal d'Armagnac the Popes Legat in those Countries but the Mine being discovered Patris was assassinated by order from Rome Joyeuse did not give over the pursuing of his point and finding he could get nothing but ambiguous answers
they treat the good Catholicks After his Confinement unless at those times when he fell into perfect raving his mouth was ever full of Reproaches Imprecations and Rodomontado's Year of our Lord 1602 When they came to interrogate him he disown'd the Project then owned it without any necessity denied and then confessed divers Facts and upon this so ticklish an occasion whereas the wisest speak but by Monosyllables he launched into tedious Discourses and thereby often and very much entangled himself As to the Witnesses he reproached them not till after he had heard their Depositions though he had been fore-warn'd that if he had any thing to object it must be before-hand Thus he owned Laffin for an Honest man and his good month June Friend Then when they had read what he deposed he Curs'd him as the worst of all Mankind a Sorcerer a Traytor and a Sodomite Had he said this in due time it might in some measure have weakned his Evidence He said that if Renazé had been alive he could have testified the contrary and justified him he did not imagine he was so near at hand and was much amazed when they read his Deposition and brought him to confront him This fellow had made his escape from the Prison at Quiers with his Keepers so opportunely one would have guess'd the Duke of Savoy was of Intelligence with the King The Witnesses alone Convicted him for most of his Writings were dated month July before the Pardon the King had granted him at Lyons All things being ready they led him to the Parliament to give Judgment He was convey'd thither by Boat with a strong guard The Chambers were assembled the Chancellour presided not one of the Dukes or Pairs were there although they had been summon'd in due form He defended himself somewhat better there than he had done before his Commissioners They gave him full liberty and time to Plead and this time he did Plead as he had often Fought that is he did wonders All the strength of his defence consisted in an endeavour to make it out that the Will without any Effect or a Design without an Overt act was not punishable that his Services ought to over-poise and excuse some transports of passionate and indecent words and thoughts that had no farther consequence And above all he laid his main stress upon this that the King had Pardon'd him in the Cordeliers at Lyons To these Reasons and Arguments he added so lively a Representation of his brave deeds and so many Motives for Compassion that he drew Tears from the Eyes of some of his Judges and if they had at that instant given their Opinions perhaps he might have found some mercy but they having then not time enough to take all their Votes the Business was deferr'd till Monday in the mean while he was remanded to the Bastille On Monday while the Judges were in Consultation an Order was brought them under the Great Seal whereby he revoked the Pardon he had given him by word of mouth at Lyons Some of his Ministers finding the Prisoner stood so much upon that and apprehending his fury if he should escape prevailed with the King to make the said Revocation though it were a thing altogether unnecessary and somewhat contrary to his Natural Clemency The Judges as one Man gave all their Votes for his Death They declared him Convicted of High-Treason for Conspiracies against the Person of the King Designs upon the State and Treaties with the Enemies and Condemned him to have his Head cut off in the Greve his Estate confiscate to the King the Dutchy of Biron to be Extinguish't and those Lands and others if he had any which were held of the King reunited to the Crown The Sentence being brought to the King he put off the Execution till the next day and changed the place from the Greve to that of month July the Court in the Bastille Which to his Friends was interpreted as a Favour though it was purely an effect of the fear they had of some Commotion not so much amongst the common People as the Soldiery who loved him most entirely Upon Tuesday the last day of July about Noon the Chancellour with some Councellors of State and of the Parliament went to the Bastille to put the Sentence in Execution So soon as Biron saw him he cried out he was a Dead man and asked if there were no Pardon The extravagancies and the transports he shewed in this last Scene where his Courage ought to have shew'd its force if he had had any demonstrates enough that some who dare venture into dangers with Bravery because they have a prospect of overcoming have not the resolution to stare Death in the face when there 's no possibility of escaping The Year of our Lord 1602 Chancellour having given Order they should lead him to the Chappel he gave ☜ himself up to Cries to Complaints and to Reproaches protested his Innocency summon'd the Chancellour to appear at the Bar of Almighty God accused the King of Ingratitude and Injustice After he had thus spit all his fire and venom he fell into the other extreme his too great love of life flatt'ring him yet with a faint beam of Hope made him beseech his Judges to intercede once more for him and made him even beg the favour of Rosâ—y though he esteemed him his most mortal Enemy Then when he found they all were deaf and dumb to his requests he fell into more fury than before They had at first no little trouble to bring him to that condition a Criminal should be in to hear his Sentence pronounced yet he heard it patiently enough excepting those words which accused him of having Conspired against the Person of the King this he could not endure but cried out That was False and he persisted to his very death that he was innocent as to that point It was a mighty laborious task the Doctors had to prepare and dispose him to his Death he had scarce any settled intervals They thought fit not to tye him lest that should put him out of all his Senses When they led him to the Scaffold the sight of the Executioner put him into a new rage He would not let him touch him nor tye a Handkerchief over his Eyes he bound it on himself and then unbound it again two or three times At last the Executioner took his time and blow so dexterously as made his Head fly off at one stroke As it was full of Fire and Spirits it was observed to make two Rebounds and cast forth a much greater quantity of Blood than came from the whole trove of his Body His Corps month July was interred in the Church of Sainct Paul with a marvellous Confluence of People who flocked thither from all Parts and served for his Funeral train He was of a middle Stature and for Corpulence gross enough had black Hair beginning to turn grey his Physiognomy cloudy and ominous his Conversation rough
was drawn up and signed by the Witnesses then present The Ceremony being over and the Gates open'd the Count de Castro Ambassador of Spain came to congratulate the Senate upon their reconciliation with the Holy Father and the Cardinal went to celebrate Mass pontifically in the Patriarchal Church where were present the Senate and the Count de Castro the people flocking thither from all parts with incredible joy Those Bishops that had not submitted to the Censures received absolution likewise but whilst they were in dispute about the Conditions with those whom the Pope had preposed for this Affair they wholly abstained from Celebrating and thus in effect submitted to the interdict after all The Senate honoured such as had written in their defence with good Pensions and took them into their protection but their whole power and care was not enough to secure Fra Paolo from the malice of some Assassines who having watched him a long time surprized him one day as he was returning to his Monastery and wounded him in several places with a Stiletto but such care was taken in the cure that he recovered Afterwards he hung up the Stiletto before an Altar in the Church belonging to his Convent with this inscription Dei Filio liberatori not so much perhaps to Consecrate his acknowledgment to God as to immortalize the horror of that Assassinate and stir up the publick hatred against those who were believed to be the Authors I come now to the Truce between the Vnited Provinces and the King of Spain The two parties were extremely fatigated with a War of above forty years continuance they had both of them diversly resented the inconveniencies and did dread the Event the Spaniards had expended infinite Sums of Money and lost more Men then those Countries were worth They saw no probability of reducing them by force and apprehended withal that if they should chance to get too much advantage over them they might cast themselves into the Arms of the French for protection which would have drawn after them the other Provinces that were yet left them But the greatest of their fears was lest they should utterly ruine their Trade to the Indies and hinder the Arrival of their Flota's Year of our Lord 1606 which are their main subsistence Besides their Council imagined that as the War had served only to exasperate and harden those People the more and taught them better how to defend themselves a Peace would soften them by little and little recover their wonted communication and perhaps incline them to respect their ancient Soveraign at least the Catholick party who made up near a fourth part of those revolted Provinces Withal the Arch-Duke Albert most ardently desired the Peace thereby to enjoy Flanders quietly and be able to employ his Money and Friends to gain the Imperial Throne which he expected would soon be vacant by the death of Rodolphus On the other hand the Provinces finding themselves overwhelmed with debts almost forsaken by the English and under the apprehension of being so too by the French who grew weary of contributing so much towards the expences of a War without reaping any apparent profit Many of their Merchants imagined that a Peace would bring them Mines of Gold and some being greatly allarm'd at the progress of Marquiss Spinola who amongst other places had taken Grol and Rhimbergue took the freedom to say That since they could not subsist of themselves in a separate body of State it were better they should rejoyn themselves to their natural Lord then to put themselves under another who would lie more heavy upon them as being so near a Neighbour A certain Flemming named Caminga one of the first of those who were otherwhile called Gueux having one night held such like discourse was the next day found dead in his Bed at Embden Their dispositions being such on either part the Arch-Dukes first sounded the Foord by Valrave de Wittenhorst and John Jevart who in the Month of May month Decemb. of the year 1606 first conferred with some particular Members of the States then towards the end of the same year were heard in the Assembly of the States themselves This first time having represented the long and cruel miseries of War and praised the mild and good intentions of the Arch-Dukes they propounded the re-union of those Provinces with the rest under the obedience of Year of our Lord 1607 their ancient Prince The States were not over-much pleased with the discourse and sent them back with an Answer directly contrary to their demand viz. That by the Decree made at Utrecht Anno 1579. the King of Spain had lost his right of Soveraignty over those Provinces and that they had been Vnited in one Body and declared a free State and Republick the which had been confirmed by a prescription of more then five and twenty years and by several Princes and States with whom they had made Year of our Lord 1607 divers Treaties and Confederations The Arch-Dukes as is believed made this Essay only in point of honour for their Deputies sent immediately to let the States know That the intention of their Princes was not to gain or take advantage of the United-Provinces but to leave them in the condition they then were in and to Treat upon that foot This proposition did not displease the States and on their side the Arch-Dukes month February and March to shew they acted sincerely employ'd in this Negociation Father John Neyen or Ney General of the Cordeliers but who was a natural Flemming and had been bred up in the Protestant Religion till the age of two and twenty years His Father was one Martin Ney otherwhile very well known too and employed by the Father of Prince Maurice As to the rest his behaviour appeared to have so much of integrity that notwithstanding his change of Religion and Habit the Hollanders had a great deal of confidence in him He brought them very obliging Letters from the Arch-Dukes who offer'd amongst other things to take away all suspicion of any surprize to depute none for this Treaty but Originaries of the Low-Countries to hold the Conferences in such place as it should please the States to chuse to agree to a Truce of eight Months and to get the conditions ratified by the King of Spain The States accepted of the Truce to begin on the fourth of May the Letters of the ratification were deliver'd on either part and publication thereof made The difficulty was for the ratification from Spain Lewis Verreiken Secretary of State to the Arch-Dukes brought it the fourteenth of July to the Hague but as it was only in paper subscribed Io el Rey and sealed only with the little Seal moreover as it gave the Arch-Dukes the Title of Lords of the Low-Countreys and they had omitted this Clause That they should treat with those Provinces as holding them for a free Country The States found it imperfect as well in form as in substance month
April May and June Mean time the King of France who had received notice from the States that they had accepted of a Truce fearing the business should be managed to the disadvantage of his interest resolved that he might share in the Negociation and make himself as Arbitrator to send thither the President Janin one of the best heads in his Kingdom and Paul Choard Bazenval to labour jointly with Elias de la Planche Russi whom he had sent Ambassador to the States in the stead of Busenval by communicating with the said States and fortifying them with their conceils The King of England likewise would needs have his Ambassadors there and by his example the King of Denmark and the Protestant Princes but those of France arrived there the eight and twentieth of May those from England not till the Month of July and the others about the end of the year The Ratification of Spain carried to Madrid being brought agen to the Hague with some alterations but not all those the States had mentioned did not fully content them Those that desired not the Peace took occasion from thence and from some other incidencies to frame such Obstructions as made them spend four Months in contests only Notwithstanding in the beginning of November the States upon the instances of Father Ney went on to the Negociation month Novemb. and Decemb. but put this down for an immoveable and fixed point That they should not in the least touch upon the foundation of their Liberty and their right of Soveraignty which they had acquired at the Expence of all that was dear to them in the world Now because the Truce expired in January they left it to the discrâ—tion of the Arch-Dukes to prolong it for a Month or Six Weeks In these Messages too and fro was this whole year almost wasted It is held that one of the Considerations which hastned most the Council of Spain to accept of this Truce was their fear of losing the Indies and their Maritime Forces for the Hollanders had taken from them and Burnt within three years above Thirty great Galioons and now newly had defeated their Admiral Year of our Lord 1607 Don Juan Alvarezd'Avila in the very Port of Gibraltar the Five and twentieth month April day of April This Exploit may well be counted one of the most brave and resolute that ever was performed on the Seas Jacob de Heemskerk Commanding the States Fleet consisting of Twenty six Vessels attaqued that of Spain though above a third part stronger than his own and under shelter of the Cannon both of the Town and Castle He pursued the Admiral quite through the Enemies Fleet having given Command not to fire one Gun till they came Yard arm to Yard arm Upon this neer approach the Valiant Hollander had his Legg taken off by a Cannon Ball whereof he died about an hour after but in the interim harangued those with such force that were about him and gave such good Orders that his Men month April gained the Victory Burnt or Sunk the Spanish Admiral wherein d'Avila was and Twelve Ships more took Two hundred Prisoners amongst whom was the Son of d'Avila and kill'd above Two thousand Men whereof above Fifty were Persons of Quality This signal overthrow fill'd all Spain with mourning and carried a very hot Alarm even to Madrid It was believed that if the Victors had pursued their blow they might have forced Gilbraltar and Cadiz too but they retired to Tituan a place upon the Coast of Africa belonging to the King of Fez to refresh and to repair themselves Year of our Lord 1608 We are now in the year 1608. which is to this day called the Great Winter year for the Cold which began to be very bitter on Sainct Thomas's Day lasted above two Months without relenting in the least degree excepting one or two days and congealed or if we may so express it petrified all the Rivers froze most of the young Vine-Roots and other tender Plants starved above half the Wildfowl and Small Birds in the Fields great numbers of Travellers on the Roads and near a fourth part of the Cattle that were housed as well by its violent sharpness as for want of Forrage It was observed that the heats of the following Summer did almost equal the Severities of the Winter and yet the year might be reck'ned amongst the most plentiful The Thaw caused no less damage than the hard Frost had done the Cakes of Ice in the Rivers destroy'd a world of Boats Keys and Bridges The Waters raised by the sudden melting of the Snows drowned the Valleys and the Loire breaking down its Banks in many places made a second deluge in the Neighbouring Campagnes Year of our Lord 1608 That which hapned at Lyons is a wonder worthy to be described There was month February a mountain of Ice-Cakes accumulated on the Saone before the Church de l'Observance the whole City trembled for fear lest upon breaking loose it should carry away the Bridge and therefore made Publick Prayers to avert that Misfortune and Damage a simple Artisan undertook to make it break into little shivers and swim away by degrees without any disorder for a certain Sum of Money agreed upon by the Magistrates of the Town To this effect he on the Shoar right against it lighted two or three small Fires with half a dozen Faggots and a few Coals and falls a muttering certain words Immediately this prodigious glaciated Rock burst with a noise like the report of a Cannon into an infinity of pieces the greatest not exceeding four or five foot But this poor fellow instead of receiving his Reward was in danger of receiving severe Punishment for the Divines said That the thing could not possibly be so done without some operation of the Devil so that his Recipe or Charm was burnt publickly in the Town-Hall Ten or Twelve years after he brought his Action in Parliament for his Reward I could never learn the success of it Henry last Duke of Montpensier after he had languished two years with a Hectick Feaver reduced to suck a Nurses Breast expir'd about the end of February His only Daughter a little before his Death was Contracted to the King 's second Son who dying young she afterwards Married the third whom we have seen Duke of Orleans he came into the world the Five and twentieth of March following Henrietta Catherine de Joyeuse Widdow of Henry re-married some time after to Charles Duke of Guise In the Month of May Charles Duke of Lorraine a good Prince liberal and pacifick passed from this life to the other and had for Successor his eldest Son Henry Duke of Bar and Marquis du Pont. Some perhaps would take it amiss should I forget that the Duke of Neuers sent on an extraordinary Embassy to the Pope to tender him the filial Obedience made his entrance into Rome upon the Five and twentieth of November the most magnificently that ever had been known upon
their Progress in Europe 412 Make a great Progress 562 Ravage the Island of Corfu Raise the Siege of Belgrade 606 Turelupines Heretiques 445 V VAlentinois and Diois United to Daufiné 460 Valentine of Milan Marries the Duke of Orleans 412 Vaudemont Commands the Naval Force for the King at Naples 585 His Death 590 Vaudois in the Alps exterminated Venceslaus Emperour King of Bohemia comes into France 417 Is degraded of the Empire 418 Venetians jealous of the glorious Success of the French in Italy make a League against them 521 Conquer a part of the Dutchy of Milan 536 Their irregular Ambition draws the French Arms upon them as also the Emperour and the Pope and are roughly handled 545 Their Affairs re-settled 546 Shut up the Passage into Italy against the Emperour Maximilian 544 c. Agree with France 552 John de Vienne Admiral of France Lands in Scotland against the English 408 Goes into Hungary against the Turks 417 La Vigne Ambassador of France at Constantinople 644 Villeroy Secretary of State 623 De Villers-Adam Burgundian is by Night introduced into Paris and makes himself Master of it 435 436 P. de Villers L'Isle-Adam Great-Maistre of the Knights of Rhodes 573 University of Paris and its Priviledges 413 Endeavour to determine the Schisme that was in the Church 414 A mark of their Power 420 Their continual pursuits for the re-union of the Church 422 Hinder the Abolition of the Pragmatique 482 Its Reformation 506 Vrban V. Pope ransomed by the Forces that were going into Spain 389 His Death 391 Vrban VI. Pope 396 Baseness and meanness 402 To revenge himself of Jane Queen of Naples he causes Charles de Duras to go thither and take Possession of that Kingdom 404 Sounds a War on all hands against the Clementines 407 His Death 414 Francis Maria Duke of Vrbin 570 The D. of Vrbin General of the Venetian Army 584 Commands the Confederate Army in Italy 591 D'Vrfé Grand Escuyer 508 The Earl of Warwick chaces Edward of York King of England 492 His Death 493 Dukes of Wirtemberg restored to their Countrey 597 Wirtemberg Duke General of an Army 605 Wickliffe X JOhn Xancoins Receiver General convicted of Misdemeanour 466 Y The D. of York Slain in Battle 467 Z John de ZApols pretended King of Hungary calls in the Turks to his Assistance 562 Zizim Son of Mahomet Prisoner to the Knights of Rhodes 503 Is put into the hands of Pope Innocent VIII 515 Zuinglius begins to Vend his Opinions Doctrines and Errors 563 A TABLE OF THE KINGS OF FRANCE Contained in this THIRD PART FRANCIS II. King LIX Page 657 1559. In July CHARLES IX King LX. 673 1560. In December INTERREGNVM 731 1574. In June HENRY III. King LXI 737 1574. In September HENRY IV. King LXII 797 1589. In August A TABLE Of the Principal Matters contained in this THIRD PART A ABbey of Saint Peter sacked Pag. 817 Abbeville sets up the Ensigns of the League 788 Submits to the King 839 Azores faithful to the Prior of Crato 753 Aiguesmortes surprized by Montbrun 728 Aiguillon taken by the Huguenots 709 Aix for the League 744 John d'Alargon de Merargues his Treachery 920 Alba-Royal taken by the Christians 886 Arch-Duke Albert of Austria 854 Takes Calais 855 And Ardres ib. d'Albret Jane Queen of Navarre Aldobrandius makes a Faction 915 Alfonso II. Duke of Ferrara 861 Alenson Duke courts Queen Elizabeth of England 722 Favours the Hereticks 725 Demands the general Lieutenancy of the Army 's 727 The King refuses him ib. Is the only hopes of the Huguenots ib. Escapes and gets to Dreux 741 Makes his Peace 743 Comes to Court 744 Takes the Title of Duke of Anjou Subject of his Animosity against the Huguenots 744 Besieges and takes la Charité 748 The King not willing he should concern himself in the business of the Low-Countries causes him to be secur'd he escapes 751 Comes to Anger 's and from thence to Mons in Hainault where he takes the Low-Countries into his Protection ib. Takes places for his Security ib. Besieges Bins and beats it so furiously that he takes it ib. Maubeuge opens her Gates to him ib. Quesnoy and Landrecy refuse him entrance ib. Alenson resents not the fury of the Saint Bartholomew Pag. 721 l'Allemand Vouzé Master of Requests discovers the Conspiracy of Amboise 665 Alost surprized by the Duke of Anjou 762 Ambassadour of France goes before him of Spain 685 Ambassadours of Poland their arrival to Congratulate their new King 725 Amnistie general granted to the Huguenots 688 Amnistie granted to the Parisians by Henry IV. 834 Amurath III. Sultan 876 Angoulesme seized by the Huguenots 680 Anjou Duke made General of the Armies 698 Fights the Battle of Jarnac 704 Raises the Siege of Poitiers 712 Fights the Battle of Moncontour 721 Excites his Brother to Massacre the Huguenots 717 Is elected King of Poland 725 Is much beloved there at first but soon after hated 726 Anthony King of Navarre 657 Unworthily used 659 Commands an Army for the King 683 Wounded at the Siege of Rouen his Death ib. Anthony Prior of Crato declares himself King of Portugal Comes into France 753 Antwerp taken and sacked by the Spanish Soldiers 751 Missed by the Duke of Anjou 763 Ardemburgh taken by the Hollanders 913 Arras the place where the Duke of Parma died 827 Arrest or Decree of Parliament in favour of Henry IV. 831 Arrest annulling all the Arrests or Decrees made against Henry IV. 838 Arrest or Sentence against Biron 896 Articles of Pacification granted to Rochel by the Duke of Anjou 725 Articles of the Treaty between Henry IV. and the Duke of Savoy 887 Assemblies Nocturnal and Clandestin of the Religionaries forbidden 661 Assembly of the Grandees of the Kingdom at Fountaâ—nbleau to remedy the troubles caused by the differences in Religion 666 Assembly of the Huguenots at Millaud 732 Assembly of the Notables at Compeigne 726 Assembly of the Clergy of France Church 16 th Age. Ast rendred to the Duke of Savoy 675 Aumale Duke Commands the King's Armies in Normandy 682 Austria Don Juan going to the Low-Countries passes thorow France 744 Is Governor thereof 751 Approves of the Pacification of Ghent ib. Gains the Battle of Gemblours 752 His death ib. Suspected to have been Poisoned by his Brother the King of Spain 752 Auvergne redeems themselves from being Plundred by the Germans 742 Auvergne partly debauched from the Service of the King 791 Count d'Auvergne apprehended 914 His long Imprisonment 915 B BAligny natural Son of the Bishop of Valence disposes the Polanders to elect the Duke of Anjou for their King 724. Balagny advises the War against the Spaniard 842 Loses Cambray 849 Balsac Frances Entragues Married with a Natural Daughter of Charles IX 730 Baronius an ardent defender of his Holiness 926 Bellarmine a defender of his Holiness 926 Serves Henry IV. 849 Barry Georges la Renaudie Deputy for the Huguenots 665 Is made Lieutenant to the Prince of Condé ib.