an Affront to all Crowned Heads and a violation of the Security due to every Ambassadour month Decemb. Going to the King to redemand himb he was at first but ill received Sometimes he talked high as representing a great Monarch then chang'd his tone into a softer note as knowing his Secretary ran the hazard of being put upon the Rack The King without appearing overmuch concern'd shewed him what Crime his Secretary had committed and made him sensible that such who debauched and Year of our Lord 1606 corrupted his Subjects to commit Treason against his State were those that violated the Rights of People not he who only secur'd a man that had so visibly abused it The Ambassador having no reply to make to so just a reproach fell upon great Complaints and instanced that the King sent Men and Money to maintain the Hollanders and had attempted to stir up the Morisco's in Spain whereof there was proof said he in the Confessions of divers Criminals that had suffer'd Death in those Countries To the first point the King made the same answer he had formerly given upon the same Subject To the second he said it was an Artifice of the Council of Spain who by the extremity of Tortures had forced those Suppositions from the mouths of some unhappy wretches Executed for other Crimes or had thrust them into their forged Wills and Testaments thereby to have matter to recriminate with some appearance of Truth After divers Replications on either part the King assured the Ambassador that his Secretary should have no wrong done to him and that he would send him the whole result of the Process to see whether he would own it or not month Decemb. During all this Month the Entertainment of the Politicians in their Conversations and the subject of their Writings was to discuss to what Latitude this Security of Ambassadors and their Servants did extend and in what cases they ought to be subjected to the justice of that Country wherein they did reside In the mean while the two Prisoners were interrogated the Secretary confessed all and when they had clearly Convicted him and gotten sufficient proof from him to Convict Merargues the King forbad the Parliament to proceed any further with him and some few days after sent him back to the Ambassador with a Copy of the whole Process But as for Merargues they went thorow with him for an Arrest or Sentence of the Nineteenth of the Month made him lose his Head in Greve and Condemned his Body to be cut in four Quarters which they set up over the four principal Gates of Paris and sent his Head to Marseilles to be there planted upon one of their Gates month February Amidst the Divertisements of the Court to whom the Birth of a second Son of France administred new cause of Festivity the King was seriously minded to restore the Duke of Bouillon upon his entire and not conditioned submission It was nigh upon four years he had been out of the Kingdom and by his Apologies Negociations and the intercession of divers Princes of his Religion had contended with the King not as to his Duty which he said he was ever ready to pay but his Innocency and Honor which he was obliged to maintain In effect they could not Convict him of any Conspiracy not even of the last though there was some reason to suspect him guilty of all The King knew he had stopt his ears at the instant Sollicitations of the Spaniards He remembred the eminent Services he had rendred him in his most pressing Necessities and he desired he might do him more yet hereafter in the shock he intended to give the House of Austria On the other hand he well knew that this Mareschal so long as he was absent from Court would ever keep the Huguenot Party in suspition and it somewhat concerned his Honor to make all Europe see they being well informed of this Affair that it was not without good ground he had so used him Now the only way to satisfie together both his Reputation and his Clemency was to engage him to come and crave his Pardon and Surrender his City of Sedan into his hands which he would needs have in his Power at least for some days that the whole world might understand the Mareschal held both his Life and Fortune from his Bounty The Mareschal did at length resolve to acknowledge he had failed he named his faults however Imprudence and Precipitation rather than Infidelity And though he expressed an impatient desire to wait upon the King yet he excused his coming till all those Clouds and Foggs of Crimes wherewith he had been charged were utterly dispersed it being as shameful for a Master to make use of any Servant while under such ill-favour'd Circumstances as for the Servant to have been wanting in his Fidelity due to so great a Monarch He apprehended no hurt from the King but only from the Counsels of Sully for as he believed him his Capital Enemy he imagined he would persuade the King to keep Sedan and that the apparent Benefit of the State would excuse and cover the Venial Sin of breaking his word Year of our Lord 1606 Him whom we have hitherto named Rosny shall be henceforward called the month February Duke of Sully because at the beginning of this year the King honour'd him with the Title of Duke and Pair which he annexed to the Lands of Sully purchased by this Lord since his favour The Letters Patents were sealed the Nineteenth of February and verified the last day of the Month in Parliament whither the new Duke went to be received accompanied as one who had both the King's Treasury and favour to befriend him and invite them The Business was brought to that pass that the King finding himself in Honor absolutely engaged to have Sedan and the Mareschal obstinately bent not to be dis-seized nothing remained but force that could determine the Controversie In the Council Villeroy and Sully were of different Sentiments concerning this Enterprize Sully openly persuaded the King to go in Person to Sedan Villeroy endeavour'd to hinder it but by more private ways To this end he made the difficulties appear very great the Consequences worse the place impregnable the Mareschal's Correspondence both without and within the Kingdom very dangerous He represented how all the Huguenot Party was ready to rise all Germany ready to take up Arms all England to put to Sea to support it that he had numerous Levies in Swisserland and the Low-Countries who would begin their March upon the first beat of Drum But the King slighted all these Apparitions as vain and airy Fantosmes and if month April they had been real Bodies he ought to have hastned to prevent them When he was gotten to Donchery which is within a League of Sedan with his Forces and had himself taken a view of the place the Mareschal who had still kept his Negociation on foot demanded to confer with Villeroy before
one for Repairs The practice of publick Pennance and Absolutions was almost the same as in the Former Ages I mean the third and fourth as well as that of Baptisme which was performed by dipping or plunging not by throwing on or sprinkling of the Bishop or the Priest and this was only done at Easter and Whitsuntide unless upon urgent occasions The prayers for the dead were very frequent Singing made up a great part of their Study and Employment not only amongst the Clergy but the Nobility also that were very devout The French had brought this Passion towards Musick from Rome Bells grew also mighty common but they did not make any very great ones The Churches as well as most of their other Buildings were almost all of Wood. It was ordained that the Altars should be made of Stone The Bishops and Abbesses had their Vidames the Abbots their Advoyers or Advocates some Cities likewise had the same They were as their Proctors or Administrators in whose names all things were transacted and who Treated and Pleaded every where for them Every Bishop Abbot and Count had his Notary Excommunications were so frequent as they even became an abuse The person Excommunicated was Treated with great rigour no body would keep any Commerce or Conversation with them The Gallican Church had not extended the degrees prohibited in Marriage but to the Fourth in which Case it self they did not separate them being satisfied with imposing a Pennance on both the Parties but the Popes extended it to the Seventh and Gregory the II desired it might reach as far as any thing of parentage or kindred could be made out between the parties But if so it being notorious to Christians that all Mankind are of Kin in Adam to whom should they marry They likewise established the degrees of Spiritual Affinity between the Godfather and Godmother and between the Godson and his Godmother as well in Baptism as at Confirmation Notwithstanding the Corruptions we have noted the Church was not without her great Lights and Ornaments I mean a good number of Holy Men and some that were not Ignorant Amongst the Bishops Sylvin de Toulouze Wlfrain de Sens who renounced the Miter to go and Preach the Faith in Frisiae where he Converted Ratbod the II Son of that King of the same name who was so obstinate a defender of Idolatry Rigobert de Reims who was driven from his Seat by Martel Gregory of Vtrecht who was the Apostle of the Turingians and the Countries adjacent to Dorestat Corbinien Native of Chastres under Montlehery near Paris who was the first Bishop of Frisinghen in Bavaria as Suidbert the first of Verden Immeran of Ratisbon who was a Poitevin by birth Eucher d'Orleans who was banished by Martel and lived a good while after him as appears by the revelation he had how it fared with Martel after his death as hath been observed in the life of Martel if that were true Gombert held the Bishoprick of Sens and then retired to the solitude of the Vosge Lohier that of Sees and after him Godegrand doubly remarkable both for his own Vertue and for his Sisters Saint Opportune who took upon her the Vows of Virginity and listed many more into her Muster-Roll of whom she had the Gonduct But above all Boniface of Ments was eminent whom we have mentioned he suffered Martyrdom An. 754. amongst the Frisons He was Founder of the Great Abbey of Fulda in the Forrest of Buken the most Noble of all that are in Germany In the monasterial retirements we observe two Fulrads or Volrads the one Abbot of Saint Denis however a little too much taken up with Court Affairs and Negociations for one that is dedicated entirely to God the other Cousin to King Charlemain and Abbot of Saint Quentin Adelard of the same degree of parentage to the same King who withdrew from Court for the reasons we have before noted and was Abbot of Corbie and from thence recalled into the Kings Council Angilbert who exchanged the favour of Charlemain one of whose natural Daughters he had married for the austerity of the Monastery and was Abbot of Centule Pirmin who is said to have quitted the Bishoprick of Meaux and who having retired himself into a solitary place in Germany built there that Celebrated Abbey of Riche-Nowe Augia Dives and Nine or Ten other Monasteries in those parts and in Alsatia and the learned Alcuin to whom Charlemain gave the Abbey of Tours in recompence of those inestimable Treasures of Learning and Science he brought into France with Claud and John the Scotsman A great part of the Manners and Customes we described under the First Race were preserved under the Second All the great Offices of the Kings House were still the same unless the Maire of the Palace in whose place it seems the grand Seneschal or Dapifer succeeded but with much less authority and different Functions Hincmar sets down an Apocrisiaire a Count of the Palace a great Camerier or Chamberlain three Ministerial Officers to wit the Seneschal the Butler and the Count of the Stable one Mansionary that is grand Mareschal of the House Four Huntsmen and one Faulc'ner The King had ever a Council of State in his Train consisting of men chosen out of the Clergy and Nobility The Apocrisiary assisted in it when he pleased the other great Officers never went but as they were sent for Those of the Clergy had a place apart to meet in where they treated of Ecclesiastical Affairs as the Nobility treated of matters purely Temporal and when there was any thing of a mixt nature they joyned all together to determine it In the Militia and Courts of Justice we hardly meet now with any Dukes but only Earls some of whom were called Marquesses when the Care and Guarding of the Marches was committed to them which ordinarily was in the new Conquered Countries others were called Abbots either because they possessed the Revenue of the Abbeys or because they commanded some certain Company 's near the King and taught them their Discipline and Exercise the Grandees were called Princes and we have light enough even in those dark times to see that it was not in the power of the King to disseize them nor put them to death but by certain Forms and Rules and the Judgment of their Peers and Equals where he presided or in their general Assemblies I find three sorts of great Assemblies the general Pleas of the Provinces the May-Assembly whither came the Seniores Majores natu of the French people there they chiefly consulted about Warlike Affairs and the Conventus Colloquia Parliaments where met together the Bishops Abbots Counts and other Grandees consider of Laws and Rules for their Policy Justice and the Treasury as well as the Discipline of the Militia both sacred and prophane The two last kinds of Assembles were after confounded in one The Kings had ever made use of Envoyez or Intendan
greatest indignity even to the reducing him to much indigence of all things fit for him I find in the Life of this most Wife King an act of Clemency more then Royal. There having been discovery made of a grand Conspiracy against his Life and State and the Authors taken when the Lords were assembled together to Sentence them to Death he caused those Wretches to be splendidly entertained and the next day admitted to the Sacred Communion then would needs have them be set free saying They could not put those to Death whom Jesus Christ had newly received at his Table This year William IV. Duke of Aquitain and Earl of Poitiers died and his eldest Son William V. surnamed the Gross took the Goverment of his Country The Widow Dutchess second Wife of William IV. having Children to gain assistance against those of the first Bed Married Geofrey Martel a most valiant Prince the Son of Fulk Earl of Anjou Year of our Lord 1025 The year after Richard the Good Duke of Normandy ended his days and for Successor Year of our Lord 1026 had Richard III. his eldest Son Year of our Lord 1027 Othe-William Earl of Burgundy left this World likewise and his Son Renauld possessed his Estates An enraged Passion to govern Armed Baldwin then surnamed the Frison and afterwards the Debonnaire against Bearded Baldwin his own Father Earl of Flanders so that he drove him out of his Country This unnatural Son valuing himself highly on the Alliance of King Robert whose Daughter he had Married but who nevertheless did not countenance his impiety Richard III. Duke of Normandy others affirm it was Robert received the old banished Man and restored him to his Earldom but he could not totally supress the Partialities in those Countries where some still sided with the Son as others stood up for the Father Year of our Lord 1028 The 17th of September the young King Hugh died in the Flower of his Age bemoaned of all Europe for his rare and lovely Qualities which had acquired him so great Reputation that he could hardly have made it good if he had longer survived King Robert had three more Sons remaining Henry Robert and Eudes Some Year of our Lord 1028 29. say that Eudes was the eldest of them all However it were the King after the Death of Hugh would have Henry Crowned but Queen Constance by a depraved appetite had undertaken to put Robert in the Throne The Fathers Authority and Reason carried it for Henry amongst the French Lords and yet this Womans Obstinacy could not acquiesce but caused many Tumults her Husband not being able to prevent her even in his Life time from contriving a great Conspiracy to dethrone the eldest and place the younger in his stead ROBERT and HENRY his Son Aged some Eighteen years Year of our Lord 1029 RIchard III. Duke of Normandy having Reigned but two years died of Poyson by by his Brother named Robert who after his death enjoyed the Dukedom obtained Year of our Lord 1028 by Fratricide Year of our Lord 1029 30. In the year 1029. and 30. there began a great War between Eudes Earl of Champagne Chartres and Tours and Fulk Earl of Anjou because Fulk fortified the Castle of Montrichard which Eudes said did belong to the Country of Touraine After some Rencounters they came to a pitched Battle each being at the head of his Army the loss was great on either side but the Angevin obtained the Victory Year of our Lord 1030 31 and the following Though King Robert commonly permitted the liberty of Elections yet the Bishop of Langres being dead he by his absolute Authority substituted another as having need of one wholly at his Devotion in that place to help him in the bridling and containing of Burgundy The Canons having Poysoned this he put in a second there which excited so great trouble amongst the Clergy of that Diocess that he was forced to send his Son to install the last promoted and to secure him from their Attempts Year of our Lord 1033 Whilst Henry was in that Country hapned a great Eclipse of the Sun and Robert his Father was seized with a Distemper whereof he died the 20th of July in the year 1033. having lived Sixty one years of which he Reigned Forty five and an half that was Nine and an half with his Father and Thirty six since his death He had four Children living three Sons Henry who had the Crown Eudes who contended with him for it and Robert who was Duke of Burgundy and one Daughter named Adeleida who Married Baldwin Earl of Flanders It was no fault of his Government that France was not compleatly happy he gave his Subjects what depended upon him Justice and Peace but had the unhappiness to see a Famine three times and after that a Plague make great destruction in his Dominions the first in Anno 1007. the second Anno 1010. and the third from the year 1030 to 1033. The first was general over all Europe and the last so severe in France that many People were seen to dig up dead Carkasses for Food to go a hunting after little Children and lie in wait at the corners of Woods like Beasts of Prey to devour Passengers Nay there was a Man so possessed with the covetous desire of gain more cruel then the Famine it self that he exposed Human Flesh to sale in the City of Tournus but that detestable Prodigy was by them expiated in the Flames Henry I. King XXXVII POPES BENEDICT IX A young Boy intruded in December 1033. S. near Ten years Three Anti-Popes the same BENEDICT SYLVESTER and GREGORY VI. Elected after the Abdication of BENEDICT Anno 1044. S. Two years CLEMENT VII Named by the Emperor Anno 1046. S. Nine Months DAMASUS II. Elected in 1048. S. Twenty three days LEO IX After Five Months vacancy Elected in Feb. 1049. S. Five years two Months VICTOR II. Named by the Emperor Anno 1054. S. Three years STEPHANUS X. Elected in August 1057. S. Eight Months NICHOLAS II. Elected in 1058. S. Two years six Months Year of our Lord 1033 THe first and most capital Enemy against this King was his own Mother who continuing to the prejudice of his Fathers Declaration and the right of Nature to endeavour to set the Crown upon the Head of Robert her beloved Son raised a good Party of the Grandees against him particularly Baldwin Earl of Flanders and Eudes Earl of Champagne bestowing the City of Sens upon this last to engage him to her Party But Henry whose Resolution was above his Age went himself being the Twelfth to Robert Duke of Normandy to implore his Assistance The Duke by Motives of Fidelity or hatred against the Champenois aided him with all his Forces With which having in a short time defeated the Queen's in several Rencounters and taken the Rebels Holds he unlinked the whole Party and reduced her in despite of all her Projects to live quietly with him The War ended
Ferdinand and stept in before him prevented his getting into Romagnia These successful beginnings engaged Charles the more He parted from Ast the sixth day of October At Turin he borrowed the Dutchess of Savoyes Rings and at Casal the Marchioness of Montferrats and pawned them for twenty four thousand Ducats Ludovic with his Wife came to receive him at Vigeue and accompanied him as far as Piacenza He arrived at Pavia the thirteenth of October There he found Duke Galeazo very ill of some Morsel his good Uncle Ludovic had caused to be given him Being at Piacenza he heard of his Death and then Ludovic who had accompanied him thither took his leave of him to go and reap the Fruit of his Crime and make sure of the Dutchy without any regard to Galeazo's Son as yet but five years old The French trembled with rage that this wicked Wretch should bring the King to be witness of a Parricide upon the Person of his Cousin-German They thought it much more just and safe to revenge this Death upon that Tyrant and to conquer the Dutchy of Milan and the City of Genoa then to run to the farther end of Italy crossing above an hundred Leagues thorow the Enemies Country in the midst of Winter without Money and without Provisions to seek out a Kingdom which would be impossible to keep unless they could first be Masters of Genoa and the Milanois Such was the sentiment of Desquerdes a great Soldier and had he lived had so much Credit with the King as would no doubt have perswaded him to take that Course but he died at Lyons Ludovic's Intrigues who had gained Stephen de Vers overthrew all that good Counsel and the King went forward taking his march by Tuscany The taking a small Castle by storm on the Confines of the State of Florence and afterwards the Fort of Serezanella which capitulated and then the defeat of some Succors which Paul Vrsinus was bringing did so astonish Peter de Medecis that he consigned four Places into the King's Hands which were even the very Keys of that Country to hold them for some certain Time and consented that he should borrow Two hundred thousand gold Crowns of that City Ludovic had fancied to himself that the King would put those places into his hands pretending that two of them belonged to the City of Genoa And for this purpose lent him twenty Thousand Ducats The Council having fairly denied him he retired but left some of his Emissaries about the King to watch their opportunities and dispose things for his advantage His fingers itched to get Pisa One day while the King was in that City his men had persuaded the Pisans to fall on their Knees as he went along to Mass and cry out for Liberty The young King was moved with Pity and the Master of Requests who went along before assured him that what they craved was Just Thus without considering that City was none of his he granted them their desires The Florentines at all times French by inclination taking their opportunity of the Kings approach banished Peter de Medecis from their City by a Sentence of the Senate and recovered their Liberty He retired to Bologna and from thence to Venice with so little Credit that one of his own Factors refused to let him have a Piece of Cloth he sent for The 17 th of November the King entred into Florence his Army in Battallia and himself Armed at all points his Lance upon his Thigh The Florentines partly by force partly out of good will treated upon and agreed a Confederation with him which was proclaimed in all the Cities of Italy with a Manifesto declaring that the King was come thither only to chace away the Tyrants and from thence to carry his Arms against the Turks the capital Enemies to Christendom Picus Mirandolus that marvellous Prodigy of all sorts of Sciences Died in Florence the same Day the King made his entrance The very same hour he went forth the City of Pisa threw off the yoak of the Florentines the People pull'd down their Arms and erected the Kings Statue in the room of them This prodigious success of the French their great train of Artillery which was drawn by Horses and so well managed that in a few hours they could shatter and beat down the strongest Walls as likewise their Combats which was no Childrens play like the Italian fighting bred a Terror over all Young Ferdinand soon retreated from before Aubigny even to Rome and his Uncle Frederic getting out of the Port at Legorne retured to Naples All cried out Vive France the places about Rome strove which should first surrender and the Vrsini made their Peace with the King Then his Holyness to his great regret intreated Frederic to withdraw his Forces and himself was constrained to let the King make his entrance into Rome he being retired to the Castle St. Angelo Year of our Lord 1494 The King entred there Armed as into an Enemies Town upon the 28 th of December and disposed of his Soldiers and Artillery in all the publick places So that Alexander fearing to be taken by force and deposed as he well deserved capitulated with him and condescended to what ever he desired Amongst other things he let him have five or six of his best places for a certain time the investiture of the Kingdom of Naples Caesar Borgia his Bastard Son who was called the Cardinal of Valentia for Hostage and Zemes or Zizim the Brother of Bajazeth to make use of him against the Turks Year of our Lord 1495 The Treaty being finished the Pope came down from his Castle He and the King saw each other often with more appearance of Friendship then any real confidence And the King shewed great respect to his Dignity even to the kissing of his Feet giving him water to wash at Mass and taking his Seat in the Chappel below the Dean and Cardinals Which did not so well please such as expected he would have made use of his power in reforming the Roman Church and purging the Holy See of a Tyrant who defiled with all the abominations imaginable the House of God The eight and Twentieth of January the King went from Rome continuing his march towards the Kingdom of Naples Being at Velitri the Cardinal Bastard Son of the Pope who was an Hostage slunk away from him and returned back to Rome At the same place Antony de Fonseca Ambassador from Ferdinand King of Arragon seeking some pretence for a Rupture made sharp complaints for that the French invaded the Empire of all Italy and urged that when his Master treating with King Charles had promised not to oppose him in his Progress meant it only in relation to the Kingdom of Naples whereas the King had taken divers places from the Florentines and from the Holy See The French replied smartly And the dispute growing hot the Ambassador tore the Treaty in pieces in the Kings presence which so inceased
from the Court set Guards upon them then some while after he released them and caused them to be conducted to Bayonne The King treated his Ambassador in the same manner he confin'd him to the Prison of the Chastelet and let him out a few days afterwards Now the Emperour in his reply to the Kings Herauld amongst other things said the King had broke his Faith and besides he bragged how two years before Year of our Lord 1527 and 28. he told the French Ambassador that it were more expedient and brave to decide their quarrels man to man in single combat then to trouble all Christendom and Spill the Bloud of so many poor Innocents not concerned in their disputes The ☞ Herauld having acquainted him thereof he would justifie and clear himself of these two reproaches of Perfidie and Cowardice by a publick Act and such a one as should appear most eminently to the eyes of all Europe He caused therefore a Scaffold to be set up in the great Hall of the Palace where sitting in his Royal Robes attended by his Princes and in presence of all those Ambassadors that were then about his Court he sent for him that belonged to Spain this was Nicholas Perrenot de Granvelle a Native of mean extract in Franche Comie but a man of Brain and caused a Cartel or challenge to be read before him which gave the Emperour the Lie and demanded he should assign the place for Combat and that he would bring the Weapons thither The Ambassador excusing himself from carrying this Challenge he sent a Herald to acquaint the Emperour with it and the King of England at the same time sent him the like defiance by a Messenger of his own Some while after the Emperour sent back a Herauld to the King with his answer The King placed himself in the same posture to receive it but being informed he would appoint no place till after the King should have diengaged his word and his Children he commanded him not to speak And thus all those challenges proved nothing but fine Theatrical Shows It had been agreed between the Kings of France and England that this latter should attaque the Emperour in the Low-Countries But his Subjects having an aversion for a War against the Flemmings because it destroyed their Commerce he rather chose to lend the King thirty thousand Crowns per Month and treated a Truce for all Merchants trading between the Low-Countries France and England to have free liberty for a year Upon the News of Lautrec's marching into Italy the Emperour had sent an Order to set the Pope at Liberty but first to endeavour the tying him to strict and harsh Conditions The Treaty for his freedom being concluded with Moncado whom the Emperour had by provision made Vice-Roy of Naples in the room of Lanoy who was lately dead he would not trust himself there till the next day but that very night slipt away disguised like a Merchant having before caused his Hostages to evade who would have run a great risque Lautrec had regained almost the whole Milanois and might in a short time have mastered Milan if the Kings express orders had not enjoyned him to give up all the Places to Sforza and to go to Rome to deliver the Holy Father When he was entring upon Romagnia he heard that he was escaped and that the Imperial Army upon the report of his March had quitted Rome to go and defend the Kingdom of Naples The Plague had devoured above two thirds of that Sacrilegious Army and it was observed that within the compass of one year there were not two hundred reamining but which in divers manners had felt the refentments of Divine Vengeance He pursued these Robbers by long Marches and having overtaken them at Abbruzzo presented Battle to them They dislodged in the night with great disorder and retired into Naples It was believed that if he had followed them in at their heels he might have expected good success from their Fears but he amused himself in taking of other Places and then when he had missed of so fair an opportunity he laid Siege to Naples Year of our Lord 1528 The Confederates at the same time when he entred that Kingdom were to have fallen upon Sicilia with their Fleet which was got together at Leghorn But they were disabled by a Tempest which so grievously shattered the twelve Galleys equipped by the Venetians that they were forced to put in at Corsu to Refit Rance de Cere and Andrea Doria with the Kings Ships made a descent at Sardinia put the Vice-Roy of that Island to a rout though he had double their Number and entred Pell-mell with him into the City of Sassary which they Plundred This S uccess was the occasion of great Misfortunes For the Souldiers over-glutted with Eating died most part of the Disenterie The King Plunged over Head and Ears in Pleasures became more negligent in sending Supplyes to Lautrec And Andrea Doria having some disputes with Rance de Cere it hap'ned that this last finding more favour then the other at Court the thoughts thereof Aggravated all those other little discontents he had formerly met with from the French Year of our Lord 1528 He had in his mind as it appeared afterwards a great desire of restoring his Country to its Liberty To this end he offered the King two hundred thousand Gold Crowns to let him have the Government of it not to hold it but that he might make a Regulation and he made earnest Applications that the French should give up the City of Savonna to that State because that being the better Port would ruin Genoa and make the City become Desert But the King absolutely denyed him both the one and the other Being therefore Malecontented in his Soul at this refusal and for their not paying him the Prince of Orange's Ransom he carried his Galleys back to Genoa under colour of having been so weather-beaten that they stood in need of reparations The French Army lay Encamped before Naples from mid April Lautrec thinking to have it by Famine and for that purpose was so pressing with Andrea Doria that he sent him the Kings eight Galleys and eight more which were his own all under the Command of his Brother Philippine Upon their Arrival they took three great Vessels laden with Corn which they were conveying into City It was believed that if the Venetian Forces had come in time and had not employed themselves as they did to recover some Cities in the Golf for their Seigneury which they had lost in the time of Lewis XII Philippine and they together might have so effectually blocked up the Port that no Provisions should have been carried in to Naples which began to feel some want The Spaniards did not however get much by the bargain in making such hast to engage Philippine before the Venetians came to joyn him Hugh de Moncado had put a thousand Select Arquebusiers on Board their Fleet thinking
provide for the security of the Frontier Towns The fright and terror was greater yet then the loss We know not what it might have produced if the Duke of Savoy had marched directly to Paris or if a design he had upon Lyons had been well managed but as to the first Philip would not suffer him to march in any further fearing lest under those advantageous circumstances a certain negotiation that he had set on foot the preceding Winter should end in an Accommodation with the King which would have restored him to his Country and by consequence have unhinged him from the Spanish Party And as for the enterprise upon Lyons the Baron de Polvilliers who was to have favour'd it with Fifteen Thousand Germans did but only enter into Bresse and marched out again immediately The Duke of Savoy was therefore much against his will forced to stick to the Siege of Saint Quintin King Philip came thither in Person fifteen days after which was upon the seven and twentieth of August and brought Ten Thousand English and as many Flemmings France had been lost if they had pursued their point and indeed Charles V. having received the news of this important Victory asked the Courier if his Son were in Paris The Admiral having staid too long by three or four days to Capitulate saw the Town stormed at five several breaches and was taken Prisoner with Dandelot his Brother who got away the following Night Philip's Army passed the remainder of the Campagne in taking the Catelet Han and Noyon and about the end of Autumn was wasted away about the one half the English being withdrawn their haughtiness not agreeing with that of the Spaniards and the Germans for want of pay A good part of these came over to the Kings Service During the Universal trouble which flowed from the loss of Saint Quintin the Religionaries had the Confidence to Assemble in the Night time at Paris in a House at the upper end of the Street Saint Jacques One named John Masson was the first that was Instituted Minister in this City in the year 1555. The People who observed them coming out thence fell upon them and took above a Hundred amongst whom were Persons of Quality nay even some Maidens belonging to the Queen They were charged with strange Crimes it was said they Year of our Lord 1557 rosted young Children and after they had made very good chear the Lights were all put out and so Men and Women mingled together A good number of them were burnt but the rest disputed their Lives so well by recusation of Judges and other delay 's and put-offs that they had time to get Letters from the Prince Palatine and the Swiss Protestants who interceeded for them The King standing in need of their Swords was obliged to relent somewhat of his severity Amidst the fear and dispiritedness all France lay under particularly Paris it is believed that if but only a Thousand Horse had appeared on this side the Oyse that great City would have remained a desart They laboured hard therefore to fortifie it the King gave Orders to raise Twelve Thousand Swiss and Eight Thousand Germans sent to all French Men Nobles or not who had formerly served in the War to come to Laon to the Duke of Nevers to Brissac and the Governor of Mets to send him part of their old Companies and to the Duke of Guise that quitting all other designes he should return with his Army He was likewise advised to have recourse to Solyman La Vigne his Ambassador made instant Suit to that Prince to lend him two Millions of Gold and send his Naval Force to him but with Order they should Winter in his Ports of France because they lost the best of their time in going and coming As to the Money Solyman excused himself by Pleading that they were forbidden by their Law to lend any to Christians for which reason he had already refused it to King Francis but for his Fleet he promised he would send a very powerful one very well Equip'd to act joyntly with the Kings or else separately as they would appoint or desire Whilst these things were negociating in the East the great Cities of France opened their Purses freely enough to the King Paris furnisht him with Three Hundred Thousand Livers and the rest in proportion Fifty Lords of note proffer'd him to keep and defend Fifty Places at their own expence It was then he really found that the French are the best People in the World and that it was both hard-heartedness and ill Polity to vex them by extraordinary Imposts since they would bleed so freely for the necessities of the State When the Duke of Guise had received the Kings orders to return he Councell'd the Pope to make his Accommodation The Holy Father made it honourably as he could wish in such a juncture For it was agreed they should surrender up all his Places to him that he should absolve the Duke of Alva and the Colonnas and that that Duke should ask his Pardon in the name of King Philip The King had foreseen that the Duke of Ferrara would also make his Accommodation wherefore that he might not do it without his participation and to his prejudice he sent him word he approved of it The Caraffas base and perfidious Friends did already Treat with the Spaniards to Invade the Ferrarois and to share it between them The Duke d'Alva made his entrance into Rome upon the very same Horse with the same honours and as great demonstrations of joy expressed by the Nephews as the Duke of Guise had done This Duke having sojourned ten or twelve days in a Castle of Strozzi's near Rome whilst the Pope was making his Treaty took Shipping at Civita-Vecchia with Two Thousand Select men and some of his best Officers and left the Conduct of the rest of the Army to the Duke d'Aumale his Brother who brought it back into France by Bolonnois Ferrarois the Country of the Grisons and Swisserland The return of the Duke of Guise seemed to have brought back with him the Courage of the Kings drooping Councel and of his flying Forces They proposed to give him the Title of Vice-Roy which being thought too ambitious they gave him that of Lieutenant-General of the Kings Armies within and without the Kingdom which was verified in all the Parliaments After he had saluted the King he had order to go to Compiegne and draw the Army together Thus did the ill-fortune of France prove to be his good fortune and the falling of the Constable his exaltation The King now wanted nothing but Money for this he Assembled the Estates at Paris the sixth of January in the year 1558. since King Johns time they have served for little else but to encrease the Subsidies It was this time thought fit to divi de them into four distinguishing the third Estate from the Officers of Justice Year of our Lord 1557 and the Treasury They altogether
called him Blasphemer in so much as Beze was asham'd of it and endeavour'd to excuse himself to the Queen and filed his rough and grating Proposition a little smoother It had been resolved to reduce all the dispute to two heads the one of the true Church the other about the Eucharist The Sixteenth of September the Cardinal de Lorrain made a discourse as learned as it was eloquent and full of solid reasonings both upon the one and other point which he concluded with this that there could be no re-union of the Sectaries with the Church if they did not believe the reallity of the Body of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist The other Prelates rising up applauded this proposition declared they would live and dye in that belief he had explained and besought the King and Queen to persevere and to defend it protesting they would break off the Colloquy if the Ministers refused to yield that point It was continued nevertheless for sometime longer The Four and Twentieth of September Beza strained hard to reply to the Cardinals discourse then entred into dispute with the Catholick Doctors as did his Companions afterwards each in his turn Father Jacques Laynes a Spaniard and Superiour General of the Jesuits whom the Cardinal de Ferrara the Popes Legat who arrived not till a good while after this Conference was begun had brought along with him would not confer with the Ministers but treated them with the epithets of Wolves Monkeys and Serpents and boldly told the Queen that it did not belong to her to hold Assemblies for matters concerning Religion especially since the Pope had convocated a Council The disputes were not discontinued for all that till in fine the alteration having so exasperated and heated their spirits that they were capable of nothing but downright quarrelling they broke up the Conference the five and twentieth day of November month November Some believed the Cardinal de Lorrain had chiefly promoted this who having some kind of correspondence with the Lutherans of Germany thought to make himself head and as it were Pope of that Party opposed to the Roman Church which however as to the exteriour differs not much and in this prospect had promised them to engage the Ministers of France by this Colloquy to subscribe to the Ausburg Confession And indeed towards the end of the Colloquy there came some Lutheran Ministers to Paris and the King of Navarre overpersuaded by the Lawyer Francis Baudouin Tutor to his Bastard-Son joyned with that Church but seeing those of France held at too great a distance and made the difference too wide the Cardinal de Lorrain dispairing to bring his ends to pass became equally an utter enemy both to the one and the other As in this Colloquy the Huguenots had for the first time the liberty allowed them to dispute the controverted Articles of Religion they thought they might have every where that of exercising it and began to open their Temples in every Year of our Lord 1561 Province The Queen-Mother in retribution of the services paid her by the Admiral lent him or feigned to lend him her helping hand in many occurrences and even sent orders to the Kings Ambassador at Rome to be instant with the Pope and Cardinals for obtaining the Communion in both Species and the allowance to pray to God in French which she could not obtain perhaps because as she demanded it openly she obstructed it underhand The Triumviri could not endure the great credit the Admiral was in and retired from Court making Religion the pretence of their discontent The King of Spain who affected the Title of Catholick express'd a great deal of Anger for that they favoured the Huguenots and particularly against the King of Navarre thereby to have a Salvo Conscientiae not to do him right concerning his Kingdom and a pretence to intermeddle with the Affairs of France to which he was invited by some of the most eminent in whom the passion to govern and to supplant their Enemies was more prevalent then love to their Native Country or the honour of this State A short while before a Priest was taken going into Spain with a Petition to King Philip in the name of the Catholicks together with certain very dangerous instructions He was carried to the common Goal The Parliament considering the quality of the persons involved in this business durst not search too deep but thought fit only to condemn him to make amende honorable in full Audience bare-head and his feet bare with a Torch lighted in his hand and to be shut up between four Walls in the Convent of the Chartreux Likewise a Batchellor of Sorbon named Tanquerel having maintained some Thesis wherein he asserted the Pope had an absolute power over all Kings as well in Temporals as in Spirituals and that therefore he might depose them if they deserved it the Parliament ordained that he should make amende honorable and because he absented himself it was said the Beadle of the Faculty should do it for him in the School of the Sorbon before a President two Counsellors and the Sollicitor General and in presence of the Dean and Doctors who were enjoyned to be there upon pain of forfeiting all the Priviledges to them granted by the Kings The Holy Fathers greatest fear was lest he should lose his Authority in France by a National Council the interest of the King of Spain was to gain some Authority by rendring himself necessary and that of the Regent to preserve her own and encrease it The King of Navarre shared in this with her and therefore they could never well accord but all the rest endeavoured to adjust themselves with that Prince The Constable served as mediator to reconcile him with the Duke of Guise and he to bring him to a correspondence with the Pope and the King of Spain His Sentiments concerning Religion were a great obstruction nevertheless they had the Art to manage him so well that they brought him to their bent They propounded to him first if he would repudiate Jane d'Albret his Wife as he might lawfully do said they because she was an Heretick that then he should be Married to Queen Mary Steward who would bring him the Kingdoms of Scotland and of England and when they found he could not resolve upon that Divorce they gave him verbal assurances that the King of Spain would give him up the Island of Sardinia which they described to him as a Country abounding in all things of delight and use in recompence of Navarre This charming illusion was the bait that drew him into their snare Year of our Lord 1562 January In the Month of January of the Year 1562. the Regent who desired to support her self by the Huguenots got an Edict in their favour containing amongst other things the revocation of that in July permission for them to Preach in all parts of the Kingdom excepting in Wall'd Cities namely in Paris An Assembly of the Notables authorized it the
Duke of Alenson after the Peace made his residence at Bourges where Bussy d'Amboise Fervaques Laffin Simiers and some other Favourites of his obliged him to stay for their own advantage or for their security Towards the end of October he was prevailed upon to go to Court by the perswasions of the Queen-Mother and came to salute the King at the Castle d'Olinville near Chastres The King received so much joy by this visit that he gave notice by Letters Patents of it to all his Kingdom Bussy would not follow his Master but went and setled his Habitation in the Castle of Angiers chusing rather said he to play the King in that Countrey then the Waiting-man or Valet at Court As soon as they had thus withdrawn the Duke of Anjou they began to continue the ruine of the Huguenots to form powerful Leagues as well within the Kingdom which we shall presently mention as without by communication with Don Juan of Austria whom King Philip was sending Governour to the Low-Countreys and with the Popes Legat. Year of our Lord 1576 Don Juan and the Legat arriving at Court on the very same day and from different places the first incognito and the other in great state had access and very private Conference with the Kings Council and yet more particularly with the Duke of Guise The Queen-Mothers aim was in the first place to take off the King of Navarre and the Prince of Condé from the party and in order to this she was resolved to make a journey into Guyenne and discourse with them but whether she found they were not so disposed as she desired to be deluded by her or not she did not go In the mean time these two Princes who had no secure retreat for their Persons endeavour'd to make sure of some the Prince with more Craft then Faith or fair Play seized upon Brouage having order'd some Companies to slip in then upon Mirembean himself who was Lord thereof whom he forced to put him in possession of the place promising however to render it again within three Months In effect he did render it to him but soon after seized it the Second time upon some jealousie either real or pretended The Rochellers took the allarm and the Court fomented their suspitions so much that the Mayor sent to desire the Prince not to come to Rochel but the Ministers and People made them change that resolution and ordered that he should be invited provided he brought no more then his ordinary attendance Thus the Court plainly perceived he was not so absolute over the party as he would have made them believe The late conjunction of the Duke of Alenson with the Religionaries and Politiques and the advantageous Peace granted to them produced that mightly Faction to which the Authors of it gave the name of Holy Vnion and the vulgar that of The League or to say better revived and fagotted together all the other particular ones which had been already formed in divers parts under the Reign of Charles IX For the Lords during those troubles had taken the confidence to make Treaties and Confederacies amongst themselves without asking permission of the King and the People arrogated to themselves the liberty of giving their Oaths to others besides their Sovereign justifying themselves by presidents drawn from the Huguenots who indeed shewed them first the example Thus they framed one in Languedoc between the Cardinals de Strossy and Armagnac and some Lords of that Countrey another again in Bourdelois of which the Marquis de Trans of the House of Foix was General another much greater whereof Montluc advised Charles IX to be the Head There were also certain Fraternities joyned in Burgundy which to speak properly were a kind of a League Besides that in Limosin in the Vivarets and some other Provinces the People armed to defend themselves against all Soldiers of either party Year of our Lord 1576 They tell us likewise that the Queen-Mother had given notice to Charles IX that if he would not consent to the Massacre on St. Bartholomews there was a League ready form'd should execute it without him and it is certain that upon the apprehension there was of King Henry's being stopt in Poland several Associations were made in the Provinces to preserve the State and the Catholique Religion So that it was but only the joyning and cimenting all these distinct parties together to make up the great Body of the League The zealous Catholiques were the instruments the new Religious Orders the Paranymphs and Trumpeters the Grandees of the Kingdom the Authors and Heads The easy temper of the King gave way to its growth and the Queen-Mother lent it her helping hand She was not prompted to it by any zeal for Religion nor for any love or kindness towards the Guises but out of her mortal hatred to the Huguenots above all other Reasons because they earnestly desired she should give an account of her Administration and bawled open mouth'd against the disorders of the Court and the enormous Vices of the Italians especially against the new and vexations Tolls and Faxes those strangers invented every day The Pope and the King of Spain were the promoters of it this because the Huguenots were in friendship with the Gueux the Rebels in the Low-Countreys and he apprehended lest the Duke of Anjou grown more powerful might affect to embrace the Sovereignty of those Provinces or that the King of Navarre young and valiant would endeavour to wrest that Kingdom out of his hands which he so unjustly detained from him the other because he feared the Huguenots might become so strong as would oblige the King to hold a National Council and believed withal that if he could but exterminate them in France he might very easily attain his ends and trample on all the Protestants elsewhere Now the League appeared first in Picardy The People in that Countrey ignorant and devout but hot-headed easily took fire upon the apprehension was spread on purpose amongst them how the Prince of Condé would plant his Religion in that Province if he came to make his Residence at Peronne pursuant to the Treaty of Peace James de Humieres Governour of Peronne Montdidier and Roye great in Estate and Credit induced the Nobility and most of the Cities in that Province to sign it and Aplincourt a young Gentleman of his kindred took the Oaths of the Inhabitants of Peronne The Duke of Guise and the Duke of Mayenne engaged Champagne and then Burgundy to do the like Lewis de la Tremouille prevailed in Poitou being offended with the Huguenots who now and then surprized some Castle of his withal desirous to impugne the Count de Lude Governour of the Province In fine this Faction which had this taken root in every Province did on a suddain shoot forth such thick and lofty branches that it both cover'd and eclipsed nay almost stifled the whole Regal Authority When the Huguenots demanded with such instance the Estates-General
all possibility of discovery who the Authors were that had encourag'd him to commit the Crime but the young Prince of Orange causing him to be searched found Spanish Letters in his Pockets which plainly told them who he was While the Prince was under Cure the Duke made his Entrance at Bruges and at Ghent in this last City he received the Ornaments of Earl of Flanders Some days after he discover'd the horrible Conspiracy of Nicholas Salsede Son of another Salsede month April c. Originally a Spaniard and a fugitive from his Country for some Crime who had taken up his habitation in France It was he that had made War against the Cardinal de Lorrain in the Country of Messin for which he was Murther'd on the bloody St. Bartholomews The Son was also banish'd from France for having burnt a Gentleman of Normandy in his own House who had accused him about false Money This Fellow therefore pretends to devote himself to the service of the Duke of Anjou with a whole Regiment raised at his own expence but the Prince of Orange who had ever a watchful Eye discover'd that he held some Intelligence with the Duke of Parma Thereupon they seize him as likewise one certain Francis Basa an Italian also a Bâ—nquier named Baldwin and some others It was said they had plotted to seize upon divers places to deliver them up to the Prince of Parma and had formed some attempt upon the Persons of the Duke of Anjou and the Prince of Orange The bottom of this mistery could never be certainly known because Basa after his having for fear of the Rack or otherwise discover'd very strange things Murther'd himself in Prison and the wretched Salsede varied two or three times upon his Interrogatories and involved so many Persons in his Crime who were known to be Innocent that no certain Judgment could be drawn from his Confessions It was believed he did so on purpose to be carried to Paris in hopes the Duke of Parma Year of our Lord 1582 would rescue him on the way but Bellievre conducted him thither with so much precaution that he deluded the Dukes Spies and frustrated the expectation of the Criminal The King caused him to be examined divers times by his Parliament Men and placed himself in a Chamber near at hand to over-hear what he would say he sung the same note as he had done in Flanders which startled the King so much that he knew not whom to confide in any longer seeing no body about him but such as were accused The Parliament condemned him to be drawn by four wild Horses The Sentence being pronounced as they were leading him to the Chappel there was as some affirm a certain Frier on the Steps who whispering somewhat in his Ear made him retract all what he had confess'd thereby leaving the Judges and the King in greater perplexity then ever month June July c. The States had but little Money and a great many Garrisons to maintain so that the Duke of Anjou's Army could not be above four or five thousand Men this Campagne which he divided into three small Bodies to cover the out-skirts of the greater Cities That of the Duke of Parma though consisting of more then Thirty thousand could take but four or five small Castles which were of no great importance For besides that he was obliged to leave the one half of his Forces to Garrison his places when he would have invested Bruxels he was assaulted by famine Artois and Hainault being so eaten up that they could furnish him with no Provisions and then when he attempted to get into the Country of Waes the Duke of Anjou shut up the passage after which divers contagious Maladies the inundations of Waters by breaking of the Dykes and such like inconveniencies constrained him to go into Winter Quarters The passion the Queen Mother had for conquering new Kingdoms had prompted her to cast her Eyes upon Portugal But not succeeding in her pretended claim she fancied she might accumulate the Right and Title of Anthony with hers And for this reason she had drawn him into France where the King received him with much honour and gave a smart reply to the Spanish Ambassador who made great instance he might be turned out thence that France had ever been the refuge of the unfortunate and that he should never be persuaded to violate the sanctity of an Asylum so inviolably maintain'd by all his Predecessors He therefore permitted his Mother to raise Forces in his Kingdom to pursue her Rights and to Equip as many Vessels as she pleased which she laboured in with great application all the whole year 1581. Year of our Lord 1582 The same Religious Monks who had persuaded the Islands of the Azores to declare for Anthony were grown so insolent of their power that they disturbed all by their Tumults and did nothing but put the People into such rage and heats as produced no good The Governor whom Antony had sent thither it was Emanuel de Sylva his Favourite whom he created Count de Torres-Vedras was more frantick and much more wicked yet then they So that Landerean whom the Queen had sent with Eight hundred Men till the rest of the Army was in readiness endeavouring to give him moderate Council he set all his Engines at work to ruine him even to the suborning of Rascals to assassinate or poison him month June c. The French Navy parted from Belle-Isle in the Month of June Strossy was Admiral Brissac Vice-Admiral Saincte Soulene a Poitevin commanded a Squadron Don Antonio went in this Fleet together with the Count de Vimiosa the only Portuguese Lord that stuck to him in his misfortune They landed in the Island St. Michael the only one of all the nine which held for the Spaniard forced eight hundred Men that would have hindred their coming ashoar defeated Noguera a Spanish Captain who had drawn three thousand Soldiers together and marched directly into the City Elgade but Anthony instead of Storming the Castle which would have made him absolute Master of those Islands and would have given him the opportunity and advantage of intercepting their India Fleet wherewith he might have maintained the War two or three years amused himself in playing the King amidst the acclamations of the light-headed Populace and in the mean while the Spanish Navy arrived Commanded by the Marquiss de Santa Crux who cast Anchor under shelter of the Castle d'Elgrade to wait an opportunity of fighting them The French Forces out-numbred them both for Ships and Men but there was no less disorder and mis-understanding amongst them then jealousies and quarrels there being many Volunteers on board most of the Captains having set out their month July Ships at their own charges and the Generals though Valiant were so careless and negligent that their Commands carried no Authority nor did their examples give any vigour or encouragement to their Men. When they came to engage which was on
to the Favorites would not suffer him long in that post They labour'd on both sides to gain the Deputies for the Estates The over-confidence of the League was a little humbled by the defeat of Philips Armado which month August equally threatned both France and England That Invincible Fleet so they called it after it had been tossed beaten scatter'd every where by continual tempests and then by the English and Hollanders having lost near Ten thousand Men and above Threescore Ships had much ado torn and shatter'd as it was to recover the Ports of Spain The King was at Chartres when he received the news of it and it was this perhaps which emboldned him to go to Blois where his presence was necessary to see and take notice of the Deputies as they repaired thither month September The Fifteenth of September being come but very few of the Deputies the Assembly was put off till October and the first Session was open'd on a Sunday the Sixteenth month October of that Month. The Clergy had an hundred thirty four Deputies there amongst whom appeared Four Arch-Bishops Bishops One and twenty and Two Chiefs of Orders attired in their Rochets and Surplices The Nobility had an hundred and Fourscore in Velvet Gowns and Caps The Third Estate an hundred ninety one part of them Lawyers part of them Trading People the First with Gowns and square Caps the others with short Cloaks and round Bonnets Before the opening of this Assembly the King knew by the tenor of their Papers or Instructions that there was a party made to diminish his Authority and augment that of the Estates wherefore he gave notice in his Harangue otherwise very eloquent and very pathetique of his resentment against the Duke of Guise for which that Prince made such violent complaint to him by the mouth of the Arch-Bishop of Lyons that he was obliged when he gave it to be Printed to retrench and alter many things which were but the deeper imprinted in his Heart At the Second Session which was the following Tuesday he swore to the Edict of Re-Union and ordained that it should be observed for a Fundamental Law of the State and would have the Three Orders swear to it with one voice the Clergy laying their hands upon their Breasts as the others hold theirs aloft This done he protested he would forget all that was past and charged the Prevost des Marchands Year of our Lord 1588 to assure the City of Paris of it month October Who can resolve whether these words were a sincere Truth or a profound dissimulation month November if his Soul were then such as he professed it did not hold long so He look'd upon the Duke of Guise as a dangerous Rival all whose actions seemed by his interpretation to tend to the ruine of his Authority he was netled that they should force him to swear to the Edict that the League had constrained the Count de Soissons for he had quitted the King of Navarre to take Absolution of the Pope notwithstanding they made all their effort though in vain to hinder his Holiness from granting it and that when the said Count had brought his Letters of Pardon to the Parliament a Taylor with a Crew of the most hot-headed Leaguers went to the Palais and so frighted the Counsellors that they durst not proceed to verisie it He was yet more stung and offended for that the Estates made great Complaints against the Government demanded the suppression of new Offices an abatement of the Tailles and Imposts the punishment of Financiers and Favourites and used all manner of practises to moderate and clip the Soveraign Power and set up the Laws Which did not only proceed from the Factions of the League but also the unanimous desire of the People who imagining the King would ere long lose either his Life or Sences for Miron his chief Physician had imprudently said that the one or the other would come to pass within a twelvemonth thought it now necessary to make so strong and high a fence against him that should next succeed to the Crown that he might never be able to force the same nor bring such heavy Oppressions upon the Subjects as France had groaned under ever since the Reign of Francis I. The Huguenots prompted by the same Spirit endeavour'd likewise to restrain the Power of the King of Navarre in an Assembly he had Convocated at Rochel For apprehending he might change his Religion they demanded Protectors in each Province and Chambers or Courts of Justice to hear their Complaints and do them Right He had much ado to avoid the first and hinder them from making choice of Prince Casimir for their Protector General but as to the second he was forced to grant it and set up of those Chambers in five or six Cities However he revoked them two years after when he came to the Crown The Duke of Mayennes Army made little progress in Dausine because he staid at Lyons to decide some Controversies there were for the Government of the City between Mandelot and the Son of Villeroy they spent all their Fire against the Fort of Oysans which Lesdiguieres had built in their way this scurvy Redout resisted thirty days before they would capitulate In like manner that under the Duke of Nevers in Poiton was consumed in taking some small places of no importance They lay before la Ganache when they received the news of the Duke of Guises death Year of our Lord 1588 The King thought himself daily wounded by fresh and more hainous offences their vehement urging him to receive the Council of Trent did greatly distaste and perplex him the demand of the Estates that their Instructions or Memorials should be conclusive appeared yet ruder to him but he took the Deputation they made to oblige him expressly to declare the King of Navarre incapable of succeeding to the Crown to be altogether insupportable During these times the Duke of Savoy a Man of high courage and a genius much greater then his State did not forget to do his own business Believing the Kingdom of France was going to be dismembred he thought he had more right then any one else to get his share as being almost the only Male Prince though by the Female side that was then remaining of the Blood of the great King Francis and withall having some pretensions upon the Marquisate of Salusses and other Lands on this side the Alpes However he would not varnish his design with that pretence but rather chose the fair Masque of Religion In effect Lesdiguieres being very powerful having taken Chasteau-Daufin and being leagued with la Valete who had the Government of Salusses there was some danger lest Calvinisme might from thence step into his Countries and become the most prevalent under favour of so pernicious a Neighbourhood The Duke Armed therefore feigning he designed against Montferrat and la Valete being so embarrassed in Provence that he could do nothing on this
otherwhile their Head being ruin'd both in his Estate and Credit he lived meanly and affected to appear yet poorer then he was knowing his want of Power and Riches was now his only security But divers of those that had served the King taking themselves to be ill used absented yet more from him then he was alienated from them The most discontented were the Mareschal de Bouillon the Duke de la Trimouille the Constable de Year of our Lord 1599 month April Montmorency the Duke of Montpensier More then these yet the Duke d'Espernon and the Mareschal de Biron This last more bold and confident then the rest exhal'd his discontents by odious complaints and vauntings not to be endured He could speak well of no body but himself which was his Eternal Theme and Entertainment He exalted himself above the greatest Captains it was he alone that had done all there was no Place or Dignity he did not think beneath his Merit Nought but the Soveraignty could satisfie him and he would Crown himself with his own hands Too great applause had corrupted this brave Courage the King himself had praised him too much had raised him too high After the loss of Dourlens and Cambray the Nobless and the Soldiery all cast their Eyes upon him only as both the Sword and Buckler of the State At his return from the Siege of Amiens he was intoxicated by the fondness of the Parisians and when he went into Flanders to Witness the Archdukes Swearing to the Peace the Spaniards knowing his Vanity and ill disposition gave him such lofty Elogies as filled his Head with Air and Vanity and his Heart with wicked Thoughts and Sentiments From that time nay even before he sought and courted the favour of the Populace affected for the Catholick Religion a Zeal that proceeded even to Beads and month May and June Confrairies as if he would again set up that League his Sword had beaten down This year in the Month of May having made a Journey into Guyenne he there regaled the Nobility with Feasts Presents and Caresses held private Conference with such as had most Credit in the Province and behaved himself after such a manner that the King apprehending some Disturbance there descended to Blois month June c. and set a Report on Wing that he would pass on to Poitiers thereby to prevent many who might have engaged themselves in his Contrivances He was yet there when the news of the Duke of Savoy's Voyage obliged him to return to Fontainebleau During his abode in that Country Philip Hurat Chiverny Chancellor of France who had desired leave to go and see his House of Chiverny did there fall sick and died the Nine and twentieth day of June He stood much upon his Nobility and did as much affect the Quality of Earl and of Governor of Orleannois and Blesois as that of Chancellor which he had held twenty years His Posterity as almost all those that attain great Fortunes at Court sunk in a short time Pompone de Bellievre succeeded him in that great Office and at first began with two things which were most necessary viz. a severe Edict against Duels and a Rule that none should be admitted to the Office of Master of Requests till he had been ten years in the Soveraign Courts or twenty in some Court Subordinate Year of our Lord 1599 month June c. This new Chancellor Villeroy Secretary of State Sillery President in the Parliament of Paris Jannin in that of Burgundy and the Marquiss de Rosny Sur-Intendant of the Finances had the greatest share in the Administration of Affairs The last governing the Purse had great advantage over the others besides the King made himself more familiar with him and consider'd him as a Creature he had raised and one that had never held any Party but his own And indeed he was shaped every way to his humour and very fit to manage that Office as he intended it should be For besides that he was indefatigable thrifty and a Man of great order he was rough in denial impenetrable to Prayers and importunities and with both hands greedily scraping Money into the Kings Coffers To this purpose he received all manner of Proposals the easiest he made benefit of in his time and the refuse was left to glut the following Reign He made thorough inquisition after such Money as had been mis-employ'd and wherever that lighted he fell upon the great as boldly as the little ones took the hatred and blame of all denials or disappointments upon himself stopt his Ears at their Complaints or Reproaches not minding any other thing but where to raise new Fonds from day to day Hereby did he become most necessary to the King and got into his favour more and more He often shewed him a just state of Receipts and Payments in every Concern distinctly as likewise the Projects of such Expences as were to be made and the Inventories of all the Arms Ammunition and Cannon in his several Places all by Summary Abridgments to give the more gusto in perusal and inform him without tiring him For he knew very well that the King being of a ready and quick apprehension could not dwell long upon any one particular neither in Reading or Writing nor endure any tedious Discourse or Reasoning Those that had managed the Revenues or Finances had put things in a most horrible disorder and confusion and the Expences in the Civil War had drained them so low that it was almost impossible to remedy them by the ordinary ways The King was charged with Six Millions of yearly Rents and Pensions above five Millions Salary for his Officers of Justice and the Treasury with Petitions of an infinite number of brave Soldiers Officers Gentlemen and Lords who prayed some for Rewards others for some Benevolence and Charity that they might at least subsist It would therefore have been but reasonable if for a time they had exceeded the bounds of the common methods to repair these Disorders were it not that such Examples remain even after the necessity is over and that a Tax or Charge once imposed turns to a common Right or Claim ☜ Year of our Lord 1599 That they might bring the Revenues into the grand Channel of the Exchequer or Espargne he studied in the first place to open all the Springs from whence they were to slow and stop up all by-leaks which made them drop aside and lose themselves Most enormous abuses were committed upon the levying of such Moneys as were raised by extraordinary Commissions and it was the custom of some of the Council to procure very easie Adjudications that they might share in the profit As to the former he order'd the Receivers to make Receipts for these as for the other and as to the second having found out that the Sub-farms amounted to twice as much as the general Adjudication he tied up the hands of the Principal Farmers and caused the whole to be brought into the
Parliament were Assembled and so blow up the King with all his Lords and Commons there attending One of the Conspirators could not forbear writing a Letter to a Gentleman his Friend but in a Counterfeit hand and without any Name conjuring him not to meet there in Parliament for some days This Gentleman Communicates his notice to a couple of the Lords belonging to the Privy Council who made their Report of it to the King thereby to discharge their Duty They took it to be a piece of Raillery on purpose to affright and scoff at them but the King was not of their Opinion and judged by the terms of the Letter which said That it should be a terrible Blow and the Danger past as soon as you can burn this Letter that this must be some Execution by Fire It was therefore thought necessary to search into all the Cellars and the neighbouring Houses the first time nothing was discover'd but the great quantity of Woods and Coals giving some suspition they returned agen the second time this was the Night preceding the Day the Parliament was to Assemble viz. the Fifth day of November They then perceived one of Percy 's Men at the Door named Faukes he had been observed there before and his Countenance was now Agast they seized him therefore and finding him provided with Match to give fire to the Train he boldly owned the Design The Conspirators who were retired into the Country till the Fougade had taken Effect hearing it was discover'd dispersed several ways to draw their Friends together and make the People rise but they were so roughly handled that some were slain others taken and the rest in great Numbers forced to quit the Kingdom Most of these last got over to Calais where the King had Year of our Lord 1606 commanded the Governor to give them shelter those that governed his Conscience month January having first persuaded him it was a meer Persecution contrived by the Ministers of State against those of the Catholick Religion The last day of January Eight of the Chief Conspirators suffer'd in London the Punishment inflicted on such as are found Guilty of High-Treason Not one of them accused the Priests or Friers being bound not to discover them by terrible Oaths yet King James caused diligent Search to be made for them especially the Jesuits Two of those Fathers had made their Escape viz. month January February c. Garnet and Hall with a Boy that served them to the Castle called Abington belonging to a Gentleman the People hid them in the Tunnel of a Chimney and fed them with Broath convey'd to them by a long Pipe But the Searchers having turned out all the Domesticks of the Family and left a strong Guard Year of our Lord 1606 there the poor wretches were fain to produce themselves They were brought to London the Boy whether in dispair or for fear he should by force oftortures discover his Masters Secrets ript open his own Belly with a Knife whereof he died before he could be examined King James was persuaded that Garnet knew every particular of the Plot as being an intimate Confident of Catesby's but would not put him to the month February c. Rack for he had rather his Confession should be free and voluntary than have the reproach of being extorted for Compulsion would have rendred it suspected He therefore made use of Moderation and Craft instead of Severities and the Rack They allowed him much liberty in Prison and suborn'd a Fellow who feigning himself a Catholick spake so much till he made him both speak and write They permitted him to converse even with his Compagnon Hall and from their Discourse which was over-heard by two Witnesses who lay conceal'd they got full proof for his Condemnation He died as a Martyr notwithstanding and passed for such in the opinion of the English Catholicks His Apologist writing also four years after affirm'd that a Gentleman who was present at his Death desiring to have of his Reliques having month May. gather'd up some few Straws which he saw stained with his Gore found Garnet's Picture traced in lines of Blood upon one of them which was at that time kept by a Lady as a most precious and wonderful Relique The Pope fully justified himself from the reproach of this horrible attempt and shewed by good literal Proofs that he had forbid the English to maâ—â— use of any such Bloody ways The Jesuits labour'd also on their part to make Father Garnet's innocency appear And King Henry IV. whose honor was much concerned in their Conduct since he had recalled them sent Father Coton to the English Ambassadour to assure him the Society had no hand in that Conspiracy and that if some particular Members of theirs were concerned they disowned and detested them There was however another Jesuit in England named Oldcorne who maintain'd that the said Enterprize was good and laudable and for so doing was Condemned and Executed as Garnet had been Year of our Lord 1605 In France about the end of the fore-going year was discover'd the Treason month December of John d'Alagon de Merargues a Gentleman of Provence but originally by his Ancestors of the Kingdom of Naples whence King René had brought his great great great Grandfather The resemblance of his Surname had infected him with the vanity to believe he was of the House of Arragon and upon that score it came into his head to make himself a Fortune by the Spaniards to deserve which by some Signal action he had undertaken to bring the Spaniards into Marseilles The Office of Procureur Syndic of that Country and his great Alliances by Marriage his Wife being related to the Duke of Montpensier and the House of Joyeuse rendred him very considerable the Command of two Galleys maintained for the King's Service seemed to facilitate the means to make him Master of the Harbour or Port and the Office of Viguier which he was assured of for the next year now at hand gave him great Power over the City He had notwithstanding so few Instruments for so great a Design that he communicated it to a Slave belonging to one of his Galleys whom he would needs employ in it the Slave discover'd it to the Duke of Guise and the Duke of Guise sent notice of it to the Court. Merargues going thither soon after about some Affairs of the Province la Varenne had order to observe him and acquitted himself so well that one evening slipping into his House with a Prevost he surprized him while he was entertaining Bâ—uneau Secretary to the Spanish Ambassadour with his Design They seized upon both and searching them found a Writing tied under Bruneau's Garter which decypher'd the whole Mystery Bruneau was Imprisoned in the Bastille Merargues in the Chastelet and from thence transfer'd to the Conciergerie The Spanish Ambassadour made great noise at the detention of his Secretary he spake of it as a high injury to the Dignity of his Master
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
's new flame increasing by the Presence of the Princess of Condé appeared so plain and shone so bright and hot as offended the Eyes of her Husband and gave him a shrewd Fit of the Head-Ach Then the scrupulous the discontented the King 's concealed Enemies those People whose Malignity is never pleased but in Troubles without any other aim but to make mischief and even the Queen her self peeked him with Honour Year of our Lord 1609 and Jealousie He flies out and held Discourses very dis-respectful the King chastizes him by taking away his subsistence which was in Pensions and the Money he had promised upon his Marriage This rough treatment had an effect quite contrary to what he desired the Prince being the more enraged and withal apprehending some violence from so head-strong a passion though he had seen no such example in this good King resolved to retire himself from Court. Having therefore disposed every thing for his design he did as we may say steal away his wife the nine and twentieth of August set her behind him on Horse-back and when he had rode some month August Leagues put her into a Coach with six Horses He passed by Landrecy without entring there and from thence travell'd with all speed to Bruxels where the Popes Nuncio and the Arch-Dukes received him with a great deal of joy and render'd him all the honour that was due to his quality Upon the news of this unexpected Evasion the King full of anger and love could not dissemble his emotions not even before the Queen but yet endeavour'd to colour them with reason of State His Council was of Opinion he should resolve on nothing in so important a business till they were certain of the place of his retreat A Month afterwards they had certain notice he was at Bruxels then the King order'd Praslin Captain of his Guards to go to the Arch-Dukes and demand they should surrender to him the first Prince of his month October Blood To which they answered That the consideration and esteem they had for that Noble Blood having obliged them to allow him a retreat the Laws of Hospitality and honour would not suffer them to deliver him up and that there was no ground to fear he would attempt any thing either in word or deed contrary to that respect and service which he owed him This Answer did not satisfie the King he counted as dishonour all the honour they could shew to him who had incurr'd his disfavour and had carried Reports into stranger Countries which wounded his reputation Besides the too great familiarity that Prince had contracted with the Duke d'Aumale a mortal enemy to his person gave him a plausible pretence to evaporate his cholerick transports which were known to be produced by another and a fairer cause He therefore sent Ambassadors to the Arch-Dukes who spake yet lowder to them then Praslin yet gained no more then he Some of his Confidents thinking to do him good service would needs employ themselves without Commission and made attempts month Novemb. to steal away the Princess and others agen more imprudent then the first contrived some against the Prince himself the rumour of it being spread in Bruxels this was in February Anno 1610. the whole City put themselves in Arms to defend so Noble a Guest but he fearing some dangerous Event retired from thence and passed into Milan The Count de Fuentes a furious Enemy to the King set malitiously a report Year of our Lord 1610 on Wing that he had put the price of two hundred thousand Crowns month February upon his head and under that pretence ordered a Guard both of Horse and Foot to attend him which he did not so much for the safety of his person as to vilifie the reputation of the King and hinder any Envoy from reclaiming that Prince either by making him some offers very advantageous or by bringing him to abhor and repent what he had done He had in effect some reason to apprehend such a change since notwithstanding all this Precaution the Prince as it was said began to listen to the propositions were made him by France and was going to submit and comply when the death of the King hapned Whatever some may have said the greatest passion the King had was for Fame in the pursuit of his brave and noble design The death of John William Duke of Cleve Juliers and Bergh Count de la Mark and Lord of Ravestein hapning the five and twentieth of March afforded him a specious overture This Prince Year of our Lord 1609 was Son of Duke William who was so of John Duke of Cleves Count de la month March c. Mark and Lord of Ravestein which John had espoused Mary Daughter and Heiress of William Duke of Juliers and Bergh and Lord of Ravensburgh Observe it was expresly said in their Contract That those Lands should ever remain united in one hand thereby to be enabled the better to defend themselves against their Neighbours who became too powerful The Succession of Duke John William was extremely litigious amongst his Heirs as well because of the divers dispositions of the Dukes his Predecessors Year of our Lord 1610 as the Constitutions of the several Emperors directly contrary to one another For some had treated these Dutchies as Fiefs Masculine others would have it that they might fall to the distaff or females The Emperor Frederic III. had conceded them to Albert Duke of Saxony for services rendred to the Empire in case those who then were in possession should come to dye without Heirs Males and Maximilian I. had ratified this concession two several times Afterwards quite contrary when William Son of Duke John and Brother of Sibylla married to John Frederic soon after Elector of Saxony espoused Mary of Austria Queen of Hungary and Sister of Charles V. this was in Anno 1545. that Emperor granted to him and his Successors confirm'd it That if they left no Sons of this Marriage the Daughters should be capable of succeeding in all his Estates the Eldest first then the younger consecutively one after another and if there were none living at the time of the decease of the Father the said principalities should appertain to their Male-Children The same condition had been apposed in the Contract of Sibylla Sister of this William in the year 1526. when Duke John their Father Marry'd her to the said Frederic Elector of Saxony who was afterwards defeated and destituted of his Dutchy by the Emperor Charles V. Now this William Son of Duke John had had a Son to wit the John William whose death we now mention'd and four Daughters who were Mary-Eleonora Anne Magdalen and Sybilla These Daughters had Married the first Albert Frederick Duke of Prussia Anno 1572. of whom there were none but Daughters remaining The second Philip Ludovic Duke of Newburg of whom were born Wolfang and some other Males The third John Duke of Deux-Ponts Brother of that Ludovic
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
Paris and Orleans and Duke of France 175 Hugh le Noir or the Black 176 Hugh the Great otherwise le Blanc i. e. the White makes a League with Hebet Earl of Vermandois against their King 176 His death his Children Hugh Capet Son of Hugh the Great 183 Earl of Paris and Orleans ib. Is made Duke of France 184 Elected and Crowned King of France 201 Why he would never put the Crown on his Head after his first Coronation 202 Of the State of the Kingdom of France at that time ib. He assocates his Son Robert to Reign with him 202 Sends his Son Charles and his Wife Prisoners 203 Re-unites the County of Paris and the Dutchy of France to the Crown ib. His death his Wives his Children 204 Hugh de Beauvais Favourite of King Robert 212 Hugh Son of King Robert Associated and Crowned by his Father His death 211 212 Hugh Earl of Vermandois chief of the second House of that name 218 Hugh Duke of Burgundy after the death of Duke Robert his Grandfather 221 Hugh de Saint Pol. 225 Hugh the Grand Brother to King Philip of France chief of the first and second Croisade his death 224 225 Hugh de Crecy 235 c. Hugh III. Duke of Burgundy his death 237 Hugh Count de la Marche is constrained to render Homage to the Earl of Poitou 303 Hugh Abbot of Clugny receives the Ornaments of a Bishop 284 Humbert with the White Hands Earl of Maurienne and of Savoy chief of the Royal House of Savoy 215 Humond Father of Gaifre resumes the Title of Duke of Aquitaine to his confusion 302 Huns make War upon the French 312 Huns Avari in Civil War I. James the Great of Arragon and the finding his Corps about the beginning of the Ninth Age. 114 James King of Arragon 312 James King of Majoraca and Minorca 320 Jane Countess of Flanders 304 Jane of Burgundy 324 Jane Queen of France Heiress of Navarre builds and founds the Colledge of Navarre at Paris 331 Her death ib. Jane of Burgundy 345 Jerusalem Kingdom its end 254 Images and the manner of Worshipping them in France 172 Imbert de Beaujeau commands the Kings Army against the Albigensis 238 Imposts excessive stir up the People to Rebellion makes them lose the respect and love they owe to their Prince 330 Indulgence general otherwise called Jubilee its institution 328 Ingonde Daughter of King Sigebert Espouses Hermenigilde Son of the King of Spain Leuvigilde 38 Her death ib. Ingratitude of Wenilon or Ganelon Archbishop of Sens. 138 Innocency justified by Combat 46 Innocent II. Pope makes War against the Duke of Puglia and is made Prisoner 240 Thwarted by an Antipope he takes refuge in France ib. He Excommunicates the King of France and puts his Kingdom under Interdiction 243 Innocent III. Pope puts the Kingdom under Interdiction 264 He Excommunicates Raimond Earl of Toloze 266 Owns the Authority of the Council and that a Pope may be deposed ib. Innocent IV. Pope takes refuge in France 303 Inquisition established in Saxony 108 Who first exercised it 264 Intendants of Justice or Law 117 Interdict pronounced against England 264 Interdict pronounced against France 259 Interest every thing yields to it amongst the great ones 302 Investitures of Benefices 236 Jourdain de l'Isle in Aquitain hanged on a Gibbet at Paris 351 Irene Empress chaced by Nicephorus 107 Isaac Angelo Emperor of the East deprived of the Empire of sight and of liberty 261 Isabella Widow of John King of England 302 Isabella of Tholoza her death 316 Isabella of France Married to Thibauld King of Navarre Her death ib. Isabella of France 327 Isabella Queen of England passes into France 351 Sent away from Court she retires again into France ib. At her return into England she revenges her self of her Husband by a most horrible treatment Afterwards chastised her self in her turn 352 Isemburge of Denmark Wife of King Philip Augustus repudiated by her Husband 277 c. Italy become a Kingdom 13 In trouble 134 Is horribly rent by the Guelfs and the Gibbelins 303 Italians inconstant 168 Judicael in Bretagne 157 Judith Daughter of Charles the Bald stolen by the Earl of Flanders 140 Judith second Wife of Lewis the Debonaire 129 Suspected and even accused of impurity 130 Ives Bishop of Chastres a great defender of the Discipline of the Canons 223 Justice exercised by such as made profession of bearing Arms under the Kings of the first Race 48 Punishment of Crimes and divers means to purge themselves of several Crimes 48 49 Justification by cold Water by hot Water and by Fire ib. L. St. Lambert Bishop of Liege Divine punishment of his Murtherer 72 Lambert Earl of Nantes 134 Lambert Son of Guy Crowned Emperor in Italy 160 Landry Maire of the Palace 41 Language natural of the first Frenchmen 50 Lasciviousness of a Prince cause of great evils 30 c. Latilli Peter Bishop of Chalons and Chancellor of France put out of his Office and imprisoned 344 Launoy John Viceroy of Navarre 323 Lauria Roger Admiral 320 Legats sent into France 230 Leger Saint Bishop of Autun Persecuted and confined in the Monastery of Luxeu 65 Re-established in his Episcopal See ib. His Eyes put out the Soles of his Feet cut away and his Lips then shut up in a Monastery 67 68 His death ib. Leo IV. Pope his death 138 Leo Emperor disputes the Worship of Images and will have them taken out of the Churches 84 Leo elected Pope 105 Ill treated at Rome has recourse to Charlemain and comes to him 105 c. Makes another Voyage into France 108 Leo Pope acts of severity his death 121 Leo VIII elected Pope in the place of John the XII 185 His death 186 Leo IX Pope comes into France and holds a Council at Reims 217 Is made Prisoner by the Normands of Italy 218 Leo Isauric Excommunicated 266 Letters of Exemption false counterfeited by certain Monks 290 Leudesia Maire of the Palace 67 Levies of Moneys of three sorts 111 Leutard an Heretick his unhappy end 228 Levigildus King of Spain causes his Son Hermenigilde to be strangled 38 His death ib. Lezignan Guy 257 Liturgy or Mass according to the Church of Rome brought into France 102 Locusts in a prodigious quantity 144 Lombards pass into Italy and establish a Kingdom 29 Descend into Provence and the Kingdom of Burgundy to their own confusion 30 Will have no more Kings and commit the Government to thirty Dukes 31 Restore Kingly Government 36 Lombards reduced to reason 186 Lorraine parted in two 143 Given to the Kings of Germany 149 The Soveraignty of that Kingdom remains in Lothaire King of France 188 Lothaire eldest Son of Lewis the Debonaire is made King of Italy and associated in the Empire 122 Lothaire King of Italy His Marriage with Hermengarde 123 Is Crowned Emperor by the Pope ib. Lothaire King of Italy seizes on the Empire of his Father and shuts him up in St. Medard at Soissons then
causes him to be degraded after his publick Pennance 127 128 Lothaire King of Italy difference between him and Charles his Brother touching their shares after the death of their Father 134 Reconciliation with Charles his Brother 138 Changes his Imperial Purple for a Friers Frock ib. His Wife and Children ib. Lothaire II. of Lorraine 139 He repudiates Thietberge his Wife to Espouse Valdrade and that made a great deal of noise 140 The said Marriage annull'd and he Excommunicated by the Pope 141 Passes into Italy against the Saracens his death by Divine Punishment 142 His Children ib. Lothaire Son of the King of Italy 179 Lothaire King of France 183 His Marriage with Emma or Emina Daughter of Lothaire King of Italy 187 Enterprize upon Lorraine 188 Repels and chases the Germans out of France where they had made an irruption 189 Repasses into Lorraine Causes his Son Lewis to be Crowned and to Reign with him ib. His death 189 Lothaire Duke of Saxony elected Emperor 238 Lothaire II. Emperor his death 243 Louis of Aquitaine passes into Italy to the assistance of his Brother Pepin 104 Besieges and takes Narbonne and Tortosae 106 c. Louis or Lewis the Debonaire his coming to the Crown 120 Purges the Court of Scandal ib. His Coronation and of the Empress Hermengarde His continual exercises of Piety and Devotion 122 Concerns himself in the reformation of the Clergy and draws upon him the hatred of the Churchmen 122 Associates Lothaire his eldest Son in the Empire and shares for his other Children ib. Severely punishes the King of Italy his Nephew who had conspired against his Person and his Complices 122 123 Causes all his Bastard Brothers to be shaved ib. Reduces Bretagne to a Dutchy ib. Marries a second Wife after the death of Hermengarde ib. Marries all his Sons 124 Subdues the Bretons ib. Gives occasion of discontent to his Children who conspire against him and shut him up Prisoner in the Abby St. Medard of Soissons 125 c. Does publick Pennance and is degraded 126 c. Is re-established in his Royal Throne 128 Divides again his Estates of France Eastern and Western 129 His death his Wives his Children 130 Of his great care in regulating all that concerned the advantage and administration of the Church the discipline of the Clergy c. 170 Louis Son of Lewis the Debonaire is made King of Bavaria 122 Louis King of Bavaria embraces the Cause of his Father Lewis the Debonaire afterwards turns against him 126 Louis Emperor King of Italy 138 Louis the Germanick usurps Neustria upon his Brother Charles 139 Divides Lorraine with him 142 Troubled and disquieted by his Children 144 His death ib. Louis the Emperor and King of Italy despised by his Subjects 138 Makes a League with Lewis the Germanick against Charles the Bald. 139 Difference about Lorraine 143 Is despised of his Subjects ib. His death 144 Louis the Stammerer Emperor and King of Neustria or West France Aquitain and Burgundy 148 Is Crowned Emperor by Pope John ib. His death 149 Louis III. and Carloman his Brother Kings of West France Burgundy and Aquitain 148 c. Death of Lewis 152 Louis Son of Boson seizes upon Provence 156 c. Louis Son of Arnold Emperor of Germany and King of Lorraine 162 His death 163 Louis the Blind King of Provence 170 Louis IV. called Transmarine is recalled from England owned and Crowned King of France 175 6 Abandoned of all his Subjects in Neustria is constrained to save his life by a shameful flight 177 Makes a Peace and is reconciled to his Subjects 179 Seizes Richard Duke of Normandy ib. His precipitate revenge draws great difficulties upon him 178 Is carried Prisoner to Rouen ib. Is restored to liberty 179 Brouilleries in France 180 c. Is reconciled with Hugh le Blanc and they make Peace together 181 His death ib. Louis King of Aquitain chastises the Revolt of the Gascons 110 Associated to the Empire and declared Emperor by Charlemain his Father 111 Louis King of France called the idle or Lazy Marries a Princess of Aquitain named Blanch. 198 His death ib. Louis called the Gross Son of King Philip designed King takes up the Government of Affairs 226 Passes into England 227 Betrothed to Luciane Daughter of Guy de Rochefort 227 His pretended Marriage with Luciana broken by the Pope ib. Quarrels and brouilleries with his Subjects 234 Defeats the English in Battle about Gisors 35 Renewing of the War between those two Princes 236 Strongly opposes the Emperors Efforts who would needs be revenged because he had protected Pope Calixtus II. 236 c. Reduces the Count d'Auvergne to reason 238 Revenges the Parricide committed on the Person of the Earl of Flanders 239 Causes his Son Philip to be Crown'd ib. Becomes an Enemy to the Clergy his Subjects and is Excommunicated 239 c. His death his Wives his Children 241 Lewis the Young Crowned in the life time of his Father Lewis the Gross 240 Louis the Young he Marries Alienor Daughter of the Duke of Aquitaine ib. Establishes Justice and secures the publick safety 242 Is Excommunicated and his Kingdom put under an interdiction by the Pope 243 Receives Pope Eugenius into France 244 Takes the Cross and goes into the Holy Land ib. His return into France 245 Repudiates Queen Alienor and Marries the Daughter of Alphonso VII King of Castille 243 Goes to St. Jago in Gallicia out of Devotion 246 Difference with Henry King of England for the County of Touloze 248 He makes Alliance by Marriage with the House of Champagne 249 Suppresses the disorders of his Kingdom ib. Enters into War again with the King of England their Reconciliation ib. Takes the protection of the King of England's Children against their Father 250 Passes over into England and goes to visit the Tomb of St. Thomas of Canterbury ib. His death his Wives his Children 251 Louis VIII King of France his Birth 254 Parlies with the Emperor Federic II. 266 His Coronation at Reims 295 Enterview with Henry Son of the Emperor Federic 295 Crosses himself against the Albigenses and makes War upon them in Person 296 His death his Wife and his Children 296 297 St. Louis King of France his Coronation 298 Great disturbances in the State at the beginning of his Reign ib. c. He Vowes to make War against the Infidels 303 Voyage to the Holy Land 304 c. His Army entirely defeated and he made Prisoner of War by the Infidels 305 Is set at liberty with all the rest of the French Prisoners 306 Whether it be true he gave a Consecrated Wafer as a pawn for his Word 305 He visits the Holy Places in the Holy Land 307 His return into France ib. He entertains the King of England magnificently ib. Regulates his Kingdom by good Laws and exercises himself in good Works 308 Endeavours to accommodate Affairs between the Barons and their King Henry 309 Undertakes a new Crosade for relief of
of Austria Emperour comes from Spain into the Low-Countries is Crowned at Aix la Chapelle 564 His Cession and Renunciation of the Empire and his retreat into a Convent 645 Charlotta Queen of Cyprus her Death 512 Charles Bastard Brother to the King of Navarre 589 Charles Duke of Savoy not well looked upon by the King Francis I. 599 Besieges the City of Geneva without Success ib. His Death 636 Charles Duke of Lorraine Son of Francis is brought to the Court of France 646 Count Charolois out of favour with Lewis XI 481 482 483. Joyns with the other Princes and discontented Party and takes the Field 484 c. Makes an Alliance with the English by marrying his Sister Margaret 486 Goes against the Liegeois and chastises the insolence of those of Dinant 488 Chastillon made Prisoner by the English 388 389 Chaumont Governor of the Milanois chaces the Venetians from the Territories of Ferrara 547 Chastisement of Robels after a most noble and royal manner 612 613 Cherifs and the beginning of their Reign 551 Christiern III. King of Denmark 607 Christopher Columbus discovers the New World 516 517 Claude of France Marries Francis I. then Duke of Valois 555 Clement V. Pope 441 Clement VI. Pope 364 His Death 372 Clement VII his Election to the prejudice of Vrban VI. the Cause of a Schism in the Church 396 His Death Coligny Admiral of France 645 Combat of Birds in the Air the one against the other 513 Combat or Battle of Renty between the Emperour Charles V. and Henry II. 638 Combat Naval 642 Combat bloody betwixt Birds of all sorts of Species 426 Comets of an extraordinary magnitude 494 Comines quits the Duke of Burgundy ib. Is taken Prisoner 511 Cominges County United to the Church 458 County otherwhile preferred to that of Dutchy 434 Council of Trent assigned by Pope Paul III. who sends his Legates thither 613 Councel of Eighteen Persons established 485 Councel a Prince that will have sincere Advice ought to hide his own Sentiments 545 Constantinople taken by force by the Turks 465 Michael Corbier a Monk Antipope 359 Courtray Pillaged Burnt and Sacked by the French 406 Creation of a Chamber in each Parliament 357 Croisade in England against the Clementines 407 Crosses appear in the Air and on their Clothes 536 de Crouy Count de Reux ravages the Frontiers of Picardy 606 D Oliver DAin Barber to Lewis XI punished with Death 508 Dampierre Admiral his Death 433 Daufin of France Commands an Army in Roussillon 612 Daufine United and incorporated to the Crown of France 369 David King of Scotland driven from his Kingdom 360 His Death 391 Diepe Escalado'd by the French 455 Difference and Quarrel between the Pope and the Emperour 359 Difference between France and Austria 516 Difference quarrel between the French and the Arragonians for the Limits of the Partage of the Kingdom of Naples 537 Difference and quarrel raised at Venice between the French and Spaniards for Precedency 652 And Doria General of the French Galleys 587 Quits the King's Service and goes into the Emperour's 588 589 Chaces the French out of Genoa 590 Dragut a famous Corsaire or Pyrate gives chace to Andr. Doria's Galleys 634 Joyns the Galleys of France on the Coasts of Tuscany 639 Charles Prince of Duras 368 Most dexterously ruines the Duke of Anjou's Army and remains quietly in Possession of the Kingdom of Sicilia 408 Is Crowned King of Sicilia and Besieges Queen Jane in Naples Usurps Hungary his Death 409 E EClipses 616 Edict of Chasteau-Brian for a search after the Religionaries 631 Edward III. King of England Marries the Daughter of the Earl of Hainault 357 Renounces to the Crown of France ib. 380 Renders Homage to the King of France 358 Declares War against him 361 Recommences War with France 365 Lands in the Lower Normandy comes and defies King Philip de Valois to Fight him under the Walls of Paris and from thence retires to his County of Ponthieu 366 Defeats the French in the Battle of Crecy ibid. Besieges and takes Calais 367 Lands at Calais with a dreadful Army 379 Makes a Peace with France and with Flanders 380 Is defied by the King of France who denounces War against him 388 His Death and his Children 394 Edward Earl of Savoy his Death 358 Edward Son of John Baliol King of Scotland 360 Edward Duke of York Crowned King of England 467 Edward of York King of England utterly forsaken by the English flies into Flanders to the Duke of Burgundy 492 Returns into England and recovers the Throne 493 Lands at Calais 496 Accommodation with France 497 His Death 509 Eleonor Queen of France procures an Enterview between the Emperour and the King 608 Elizabeth Queen of England 651 Openly embraces the Protestant Religion ib. Emmanuel Emperour of Greece comes into France 419 Emmanuel Philibert Duke of Savoy Commands the Imperial Army in the Low-Countries 635 Empire of the East its end 465 C. d'Enguien gives Battle to the Imperialists and gloriously gains the Victory 616 Enterprise of the French upon Genoa very shameful 522 Enterview of the Kings of France and England Charles and Richard 413 Enterview of the King of France and Castille 482 Enterview of the Kings of Fr. Engl. 497 Enterview of the Kings of France and of Arragon 544 Eugenius IV. Pope 454 d'Eureux John in Bretagne 394 Expedition of the French and the Venetians against the Turks without Success 536 F FAction very pernicious in Paris 377 Famine and Plague 393 Federic utterly dispoiled of his Kingdom of Naples takes refuge in France 536 His Death 542 Felix lays down his Papacy in favour of Pope Nicholas 461 Ferdinand otherwise Ferrand Bastard of Alphonso of Arragon King of Naples 518 His Death ib. Ferdinand and Isabella conquer the Kingdom of Granada 516 League themselves with the Venetians and the Pope against the French 521 Surnamed in Raillery John Gipon makes Inroads upon the French 525 Usurps Navarre 551 Shares the Conquests of the Kingdom of Naples with the King of France 536 Drives out the French and makes himself Master of all 538 c. Makes a Peace with King Lewis XII 542 Receives from the Pope the investiture of the Kingdom of Naples 554 His Death 560 Ferdinand Son of Alphonso King of Naples abandons his Kingdom 520 Restored by means of the Italian Confederate Princes 521 His Death 525 Ferdinand Brother of Charles V. elected King of Hungary 584 Elected King of the Romans 593 Emperour 652 Ferdinand King of Hungary defeated of his Armies by the Turks 606 Flemmings abandon the French and acknowledge Edward of England for their King 362 Flanders over-run and ravaged by the English 397 In great Troubles split into divers Factions 403 Florence troubled by the two Factions of the Passy and the Medecis 501 Cast off the yoak of the Medicis and return to their popular State 586 Reduced under the Dominion of the Medicis 562 De Foix Gaston General of the King's
Lorrain Forces 842 Triumvirate under Charles IX 681 Feared by the Queen ib. Troyes Abbot of Gastine hath his Head cut off by the Order of the Prince of Condé 683 Gebard Truchses Archbishop of Colen Marries Success of the said Mariage 766 c. Tunis Kingdom demanded by Catherine de Medicis for her Son 722 Turin rendred to the Duke of Savoy 675 V Du Vair a Councellor labours for the reduction of Paris 837 du Val Peter Bishop of Sees preaches some Sentiments very like to Calvinism 675 Valence assaulted in vain by the Huguenots 668 Valery Lands belonging to the Widow of the Mareschal de Saint André given to the Prince of Condé to continue his Love 689 La Valette a Favorite to Henry III. 737 Varade the Jesuit a great Enemy to Henry IV. is brought by the Cardinal de Piacenza 838 The Cardinal de Vendosme presides in the Council held at Tours 815 Venice receives Henry III. in a most gallant manner 733 Acknowledges Henry IV. for King of France 800 Venetians exclude the Ecclesiasticks from the Management of Affairs 661 James Vennes Maire of Dijon is beheaded 841 Vesins takes Montluc's great Cornet 722 Villars Governor of Rouen gives himself to the Guises 782 Makes a furious Salley upon the King's Army 821 Restores Rouen to the King and is made Admiral 839 Villa-franca taken by the Duke of Lorrain 812 Villegagnon sent to Florida by the Admiral Treats the Huguenots ill there 700 Villeroy Secretary of State retires from Court 780 Is made choice of for a Conference for the Conversion of the King 823 Sees the King who is very well satisfied with his Conduct ib. Viniosa the Count follows Don Antonio Prior of Crato King of Portugal 760 Vinon Besieged by the Duke of Savoy 817 Is bravely defended ib. W. Virtemberg Duke quits the Huguenots 679 Vitry refuses to Sign an accommodation for Religion with Henry IV. 798 Enters with some Forces into Paris 806 Hinders some that intended to open the Gates to the King 810 Makes his agreement with the King 835 Wolfang Duke of Deux-Ponts brings an Army into France 704 His March 705 Takes la Charité ib. His Death ib. The University Condemns Henry III. 788 Makes a Decree against Henry IV. 807 Declares Henry IV. unfit to come to the Crown ib. Assemble at Navarre to own Henry IV. 838 Warwick Ambrose Earl Governor of Havre de Grace Surrenders the Place 689 West-frizeland the Government is given to Prince Maurice 767 Vzez erected to a Dutchy and Pairie 730 Y YEure a River 836 Yonne a River 777 Yvetot place where the Dukes of Mayenne of Parma and Montemarcian were hemm'd in by Henry IV. 822 Yvry the Campagne or Field where was fought the famous Battle of that Name 705 Z ZAmet the famous Partisan under Henry IV. 871 Zelande League themselves against the Spaniards 757 Ziget a Fortress in Hungary attaqued by Solyman 693 Is gained ib. Zuinglius his Sect as much in Vogue as that of Luther Church 16 th Age. Zuniga Requesens Ambassador of Spain disputes for Precedency with the French and loses it 685 Zutphen Leagues against the Spaniards 757 FINIS * Pisatello * Countrey of Liege a Kempen in Brabant a East Frisia a North Holland b Zealand c Bishoprick of Munster d Bish of Osnabrug e Dutchy of Westphalia f Hesse Emp. Arcadius and Honorius in their 5th year 406. Emp. Honorius and Theodosius II. Son of Arcadius 408. in May. Church Emperour Honorius in his 18th and Theodosizs 11. in his 5th Emp. Theodosius 11. and Valentinian Son of Constantius and Placidia Sister to Honorius 423. in August Reigned 29 years 6 Months Emp. Valentinian III and Marcian who Marries Pulcheria Sister to Theodosia in August 450. R. Six years six Months Emp. Marcian and Maximus Murtherer of Valentinian 455. in March Then Majorian R. six years and half Emp. Stiff Majorian and Leon I. R. 17 years and half Emp. Zenon 474. Clovis or Louis so to be u d rstood th rough the whole History * Clodowic Ludwin or Louis all the same Name Emp. Anastasius raised to the Empire by Ariadne the Murtherer of Zeno her Husband * It lies between the Bridges of Amboise First Wars for Religion * Or Amaulry Manners and Customs Church Emp. Justin is Electin July R. 8 years * Or Gontier Emp. Justinâ—an Son of a Sister to Justin Created by his Uncle in April R. 38 years 7 Months * Languedoc * Barons T is the Town of St. Clou. * They were named Bajobares or Bajoarians * Part of the high and middle Austria * Good Friday * Great Master of his Horse * It is not well known what Forrest this was It is now St. Germain des Prez * Dutchies of Parma Plaisance Modena and Boulognia * States of Venice Trent and Mantcua * Vulgarly St. Mard. Cherebert Aribert Caribert is the same Name Emp. Justin Son of a Sister of Justinians in Novemb R. 13 years 9 Months * Thence comâ—s the Name of Halbards * Pavois Emp. Tiberius II. Chosen by Justin in August R. four years * The 7th or 8th part of a Muid and the Muid is a third part of a Tun. Emp. Mauritius Son in Law to Tiberius in Aug. Reigned nigh twenty years * They set up their new made King on a Shield or Target and so carry'd him before the People Emp. Phocas chosen by the Army kils Mauritius in Novemb. R. 18 years * At Chaalons Emp. Heraclius elected by the Army put Phocas to death R. 3â— years * This a 〈◊〉 upon 〈◊〉 confines 〈◊〉 Bâ—abant â—nd of Has 〈◊〉 The â—th of 〈◊〉 Manners and Customs * Le Pavois * Fosâ—erers Campus Martiâ— * Cubicularius * Regiae * Vir inluster Queens were fined most Pious and most Clement * Domicelli * Majores personae Minores personae The Church * In Latin Videâ—â—â— * Agricola * Carilesaâ— * Eparchâ—us * Stephen * Aribert Caribert and Cheribert are the same Name * Ansegisile Ansgise Anchisus Emp. Conâ—tantinâ— Son of Heraclius R. four Months Then Heraclâ—â—n Son of his Stâ—p mother R. Six Months Emp Constance Son of Constantine R. 26 years * Vulgarly Baucdour Emp. Constant Pogo or the Bearded Son of Constans R. 17 years * Arenes A Theater or Gravelly place to Fight or a kind of Amphitheater * Owen * Not now known * Regulus * Guillimer Gislimer Emp. Justinian II. Son of Progonatus Reigned nine years and an half * They yet call such in French Dodüe as are fat Emperor Leontius I. having chasâ—d and mutilated Justin Reigned two years and some months Emp. Tiber. Absim elected by the Soldiers degrades Leont Reigned seven years 700 c. 706 and 7. Emp. Justinian II. restores himself and puts Tiberius to Death Reigned seven years Church * St. Mauries in Chablais * St. Honorat * St. Vandrille * Deicola * Remiremont * Trudon * Baldomer * Vowed or Marry'd themselves to Chastity and Devotion *
was in Campis Secalaunicis in Soulogne near Orleans Attila lost nigh 200000 Men. Theodoric King of the Visigoths was killed in the Fight and the next day his Son Thorismond elected King by the Visigoths Notwithstanding this infinite loss Attila had still Men enough left to Retreat to his own Countrey Aetius having discharged the Visigoths and the French lest he should be obliged to pursue and make an end of them The youngest of Clodions Sons had cast himself into the Arms of that Prince who adopted him for his Son and the other under the protection of Attila what their Fortune was we know not but for Attila upon his return from another irruption he made into Italy about the year 452. he died in his own Countrey while he was in Bed with a new Spouse Year of our Lord 452 This year 452. is commonly reckoned to be the time of the wonderful birth or beginning of the City of Venice in the Adriatick Gulph It is held that the terror of Attilas Forces after he had taken Aquilea making all the people of those Countreys flie from thence some numbers of them got into the Island Rialto and other Islands adjacent who fixed their Habitation there which was the first foundation of that noble State Year of our Lord 454 The Emperour Valentinian caused Aetius to be Massacred who alone upheld the Empire shaken and assaulted on all hands The following year he is slain himself by the Year of our Lord 455 friends of that great Captain and upon the solicitation of Petronius Maximus whose Wife he had violated Maximus seizes on the Empire and Eudoxia his Widdow whom he Married The peasure of his Revenge and his Reign lasted but three Months The People stoned him to death as soon as Genseric King of the Vandals whom Eudoxa had called over from Africa to revenge her was come to the Gates of Rome But that Barbarian sacked the City and took the Empress who was carried into Captivity with her two Daughters being at the same time both revenged and punished From thence followed the utter destruction of the Western Empire there being no one Head left powerful enough to repair or indeed prop the ruines of that vast Building but only divers petit Commanders who were but the sport of the Barbarians and who consumed the small Forces they had by pushing at one another So that Meroveus and afterwards Childeric his Son had the proper time to extend their limits Meroveus took on the one hand all the Germania Prima or territory of Mentz and on the other the Belgica Secunda which is named Picardy a good part of the Second Lyonnoise named Normandy and almost all the Isle of France He Reigned almost 11 years and dyed Anno 458. we know nothing either of Year of our Lord 458 his Age nor of his Wife nor his Children but only that Childeric his Successor was his Son Childeric King IV. Aged XX to XXV years POPES LEON I. Three years HILARY the 12th Nov. 461. S. Five years Ten Months SIMPLICUS the 20th Sept. 561. S. Twenty Five years Five Months Year of our Lord 458 THis Prince being yet Young much addicted to his Pleasures and having a Kingdom too peaceable gave himself the liberty to debauch Year of our Lord 459. Or 460. his Subjects Wives and Daughters The French who were not accustomed to such infamous dealings degraded him from his Throne either by Sedition only or by some kind of judicial proceedings and in his stead Elected Aegidius or Gillon Master of the Roman Militia who was a stranger but in high reputation for Wisdom and Probity Childerick knowing after this that they sought his Life also retired himself into Year of our Lord 460 Turingia to King Basin but left a faithful friend in France named Guyemans who promised to work his Restauration by turning the Hearts of the French against Gillon Guyemans being very subtil gained much upon the Good Will and Confidence of Gillon and encouraged him to charge them with Taxes or Imposts and when they made a great noise about it he counsel'd him to strike off the most stirring Heads who were the same that had degraded Childeric then do they come secretly to make complaints to Guyemans who perswades them to recall their natural King and when he observes them disposed so to do gives him notice of it and for a Year of our Lord 468 token sends him the half of a Gold Crown broken in two of which the King kept the other half The French go as far as Bar to meet him and re-establish him in his Royalty with formal Solemnity Year of our Lord From the year 468. To the year 481. After his return he made use of the heat of his Subjects against Gillon he pushed at him vigorously forced him to abandon Colen took Treves by Assault and Burnt it Conquer'd the Countrey now called Lorrain and afterwards crossing Champagnes which then remained firm to the Romans he made himself Master of Beauvais Paris and of many other Towns upon the Oise and the Seine the People giving themselves up to the French rather out of choice than by compulsion to free themselves from the horrible Tailles and cruel Concussions of the Roman Magistrates who had put them into so great dispair that they sought their own relief in the ruine of the State A little after Childeric came from Turingia Queen Basina charmed with his Virtues forsook her Husband to come to him he took her to Wife and within the year had a Son by her who was named Clovis Gillon as it should seem had called in some Auxiliaries of the Saxons Commanded by their King Odoacer which he employed to defend the Cities above the Loire as well against the Visigoths as the French When he was dead viz. in the year 464. the Count Pol took the Command and Odoacer on his side would secure the City of Angiers and fortified the Islands in the Loire to preserve his booty but Childeric vanquished the Count Pol near Orleans and after he had possess'd himself of that City pursued him to Angiers where he forced his way in and laid him dead on the Pavement This done he dislodged the Saxons from their Islands and after an agreement with them he set them at work to drive away the Germans who at that same time had made an irruption into Gaul Year of our Lord 476 Anno 476. Of the Christian Aera and the 1229. from the foundation of Rome the Roman Empire ended in the West there having been in the last Twenty years Nine or Ten Abortives of Emperours of which Romulus whom they called Augustulus was the last He was a young Child of about Ten or Twelve years old to whom the Patrician Orestes his Father had given the Title of Emperour to Govern in his Name Odoacer King of the Heruli having slain Orestes locked up this Child in a Castle and gave beginning to the First Kingdom in Italy Divers years
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
of the Treaty made with his Father and offered him to prove by thirty witnesses whereof ten should undergo the trial of cold water ten more of hot water and other ten that of burning Irons that they had on their part never infring'd it in the least The Bald petended to give ear to those justifications and agreed to a Cessation during which he made Oath he would not molest them Yet he pursued his march by narrow and unfrequented ways through the Mountains intending to surprize him near Andernack where he lay encamped and to put out his Eyes But the Bishop of Colen who was with him having in vain used all his endeavours to dissuade him from this treachery gave secret notice to Louis who put himself into so good a posture as he deseated his great Army and might have cut them all off would he but have pursued them Year of our Lord 877 The three Brothers confirmed by this victory in the Succession of their Father divided it betwixt them Carloman the eldest had the Kingdom of Bavaria to which belonged Panonia Carinthia Bohemia and Moravia Louis the second had East France or Germany and with that part of the Kingdom of Lorrain Charles had the Country of the Grisions Swisserland Souaube Alsace and the other part of Lorrain bordering on them CHARLES the Bald Emperour King of Neustria Aquitain Burgundy Provence Carloman King of Bavaria and the Title of King of Italy Louis II. of East-France Charles of Germany properly so called   Lorrain between both During all these dissentions the Normans had fair play The Bald put no stop to them but with Presents of Gold and the like which rather invited them soon after to come again then perswaded them to stay away So that while he lost himself with the imaginations of vain conquests they imposed Tribute upon West France and had it paid as themselves demanded or after their own mode the reason perhaps why they were called Truands The Saracens on the other hand tormented Italy no less they had Fortified themselves at Tarente and having made a League with the Duke of Naples sacked all to the very gates of Rome Pope John cryes out and calls upon the Bald for help and as a great favour sends him the confirmation of his Election to the Empire He goes therefore into Italy with Richilda his wife whom he led about every where The Pope comes to meet him as far as Versel Crowned the Empress at Tortona and from thence they went down to Pavia to consult with the Lords of Italy about the means to drive out the Saracens While they were there they heard that Carloman King of Bavaria approached with a great Army to resume the Kingdom of Italy and the Empire Upon the bruit of his march the Assembly dissolves the Pope flies to Rome and Charles makes hast into France But at the same time Carloman Seized with a Pannique fear turns back again to Germany Whilst the Bald was absent from his Kingdom the French Lords formed a conspiracy against him Boson himself his Favourite and Brother in Law to his Wife was of the Knot They hated him mortally and the occasion or pretence was that he raised people of mean Birth and seemed to despise the French Nation in affecting to wear his Cloaths after the Greek Mode who were their mortal Enemies It hapned therefore by the wicked contrivances of these Factious persons combining that upon his return passing by Mount Conis he was poysoned by Sedecias his Physician a Jew by Birth and reputed a Magician Accidents not un-common Year of our Lord 877 to Great ones who make use of such-like People His body was Interred at Vercel and seven years after brought thence to the Abbey of St. Denis He died at the Age of 55 years the second of his Empire and the 38 th of his Reign accounting from the Decease of his Father At he loved Pride and vain Pomp more than Solidity so Fortune in conformity to his humour made him happy in appearance but unhappy in effect she bestowed many great Lordships and but little good success upon him The best of his qualities was that he acquired great learning and gratified good Schollars with Honour and rewards seeking and sending into Greece and Asia for them to enrich France by their knowledge worthy of praise for so doing had he but taken care to provide for the necessity and security of his Country before be brought in those Ornaments His Father was blamed for raising people of a servile condition to Ecclesiastical dignities And he going farther yet advanced very mean persons to Military Employments and to such dignities as were due only to the greatest in his Kingdom This turned the whole State as it were upside-down the greatest Families sunk to nothing and the meanest were raised to the highest pitch to whom the obscurity and ignorance of those times was very favourable in concealing and preventing ☜ all knowledge of the beseness or Poverty of their Original The City and Abbey of St. Denis are obliged to this King for the Faire at Landy He had no Children by Richilda his second wife but by Hermentrude his first he had many there was but one now alive which was Louis whom they surnamed the Stammering because in truth he was so The hatred they bare to the Father was transferred to the Son he endeavoured to take it away by force of gratifications bestowing Abbeys upon some to others Lands and Employments were given but by pleasing and pacifying a few he created a world of discontents and the Princes so the great Lords were called took offence that he should grant of himself what he could not well do without their consent and in the general Assembly Year of our Lord 877 Whilst they were making divers Cabals grounding all as I believe upon this pretence that it did not appear to them that his Father had ordained he should succeed him his Mother in Law Richilda comes with all speed and brings him his Father Charles the Bald's Will by which it was manifest he had given him his Kingdom and did invest him in it by the Sword of St. Peter and the Royal ornaments which he sent to him Louis being a little better Authorised by this means the Lords agreed with him but certainly not till it had cost him a great deal And the Arch-Bishop Hincmar Crowned him in the City of Reims the 8 th day of December LOUIS II. Surnamed The Stammerer King XXVI Aged about XXX or XXXII Years POPES JOHN VIII During all this Reign and in the following Louis called the Stammerer Emperour King of Neustria Aquitain Burgundy Provence Carloman King of Bavaria Louis of East-France Charles of Germany   Lorraine to both Year of our Lord 878 IN the mean time Lambert Count of Spoleta and Albert Marquiss of Tuscany partisans of King Carloman who pretended to the Empire being entred into Rome kept Pope John VIII a
Holy Fathers After this Council and in the same place he made XXIX Capitulary's as was the Custom upon the like occasions The year following 817. he assembled the Abbots and their Monks in the same place who made XC Chapters or Rules for Monastick Discipline After which Bennet Abbot of Aniane laboured in the reformation of the Order of St. Bennet which was much uâ—settled and shatter'd The Laity were much given to abuse and often murther the Clergy And for this reason he called a Council at Thionville An. 821. where the Bishops ordained long and tedious penances for such as should commit those crimes The next year he convocated another at Atigny and there in imitation of the Example of the Great Theodosius he would needs voluntarily undergo publick Penance for the Death of Bernard and those violences he had committed against some other of his Kindred He also made several Capitulary's for the Government of Church and State To the same end and to find out some way to appease the wrath of God which appeared visibly in the frequent Incursions of the Normans he gave order An. 828. for the Assembling of four Councils the year following in four several parts of the Kingdom at Ments Paris Lyons and Thoulouze and framed Articles of what they were to consult about He confirmed the Decrees of all those four in one at Wormes which was held the same year in presence of some Legats sent by Pope Gregory IV. We have the Acts of that held at Paris which is the VI. of that name They are very judicious and divided into three Books He called another Assembly An. 832. in the Abbey of St. Denis to re-establish the Monastick Orders and Authorised this Reformation by a Declaration We must not amongst these Holy Assemblies place that of Compiegne where this good Prince was degraded and condemned to wear the Habit of a Penitent That of St. Denis in the year 834. reconciled him to the Church and restored him to the Communion The Council of Thionville did the same thing and besides that degraded Ebbon Arch-Bishop of Reims who had been the Principal Author of that attempt To shew his thankfulness to God as well by his works as his Prayers and Devotion he caused one to be held at Aix An. 836. where some excellent Decrees were made which the Father 's sent to Pepin of Aquitain thereby to admonish him of his Duty towards God and restrain him from treating the Churches so ill for the future as he had done These Decrees were Commented as one may say and Corroborated with Reasons and Arguments extracted from the Fathers which was frequently practised by the Councils of those Ages It would be too tedious to mention all those that were held during the Reign of Charles the Bald with all those Capitulary's which were framed for the same purpose of Reformation We have the Council of Lauriac in Anjou An. 843. that of Thionville and another at Vernon in An. 844. those of Beauvais and Meaux An. 845. that of Paris the year following to compleat the Regulations which could not be finished in that of Meaux One at Soissons in 853. and another at Verberie to digest all that had been Ordained at Soissons One at Touziack in the Bishoprick of Toul An. 860. composed of the Bishops of fourteen Provinces One at Soissons An. 866. One at Troyes the year after as it were for a supplement to that of Soissons all these being for the Reformation of Discipline and Manners Most of the others were for particular affairs and yet did often make Canons That of Ments in the year 848. where Rabanus Maurus the Arch-Bishop presided sent back Godeschale the Monk to Hinomar of Reims his Metropolitan who at the Council of Crecy on the Oise the same year caused him to be condemned This Monk was accused for preaching errors concerning the Doctrines of Predestination Free-will and the Redemption by the Blood of Jesus Christ These questions were debated again An. 853. in the third Council of Valence which met to prosecute the Bishop of that City for certain Crimes The Council of Paris of the year 847. was called for the business of Ebbon of Reims that of Tours met An. 849. about the enterprise of Neomene who had given the Bishops of Bretagne a Metropolitan and had thereby substracted them from the Arch-Bishoprick of Tours In that of Crescy An. 858. the Bishops deputed two of their Assembly to go and make remonstrances to Louis the Germanick upon his invading the Kingdom of his Brother Charles There was one at Savonieres the Suburbs of Toul An. 859. to make up that Breach Lotaire the Young convened two at Aix-la-Chapelle in the year 860. about the business of the Marriage of Thietberge and Lotaire II. and there was likewise a third at Mets for the same Subject In that of Senlis An. 863. Hincmar caused Roüauld Bishop of Soissons to be degraded upon the accusation of a Priest whom Roüauld had deposed for being surprised with a Woman and Mutilated in those Parts or Members which are unuseful to a good Ecclesiastick Roüauld appealed to Rome Pope Nicholas sent word to Hincmar and the Bishops that they should order the Party accused to come to him that he might review his Process and upon the second Summons he interdicted their saying Mass till they did obey But Hincmar who had great Credit in the Gallican Church stood it out and caused Guards to be set upon Roüauld lest he should slip out of the Kingdom Nevertheless two years after he went to Rome and was restored to his Bishoprick by Pope Nicholas The same Holy Father ordered Herard Arch-Bishop of Tours to call a Council at Soissons An 866. which was the III to restore Wlfade and his Companions to their places of Clerks in the Church of Reims in case Hincmar who had displaced them refused to do so That of Troyes in 867. laboured in the same business There was a Council Verberie in 869. One at Atigny An. 870. and another at Douzy in 871. concerning the affair of the unfortunate Hincmar of Laon. In that of Atigny was likewise debated the division of the Kingdom of Lotaire I. and the Rebellion of Carloman Son to the Bald who was condemned to be kept Prisoner at Senlis Which was confirmed in another held at Senlis An. 873. The Council of Douzy II. An. 874. was against incestuous marriages and such as invaded any thing belonging to the Church That of Pontigon in 876 confirmed the Regulations framed in that of Pavia Pope John VIII having escaped out of the Captivity of Lambert Count of Spoleta and Albert Marquiss of Tuscany while he was in France called that of Troyes in 878. where he caused the Excommunication he had at Rome thrown upon those persecutors to be approved as also the Condemnation of Formosus Bishop of Porto and his Adherents The Bishops of Burgundy in that of Maintaille gave the Kingdom
he gave Robert the Cities of Chaumont and Pontoise and the French Vexin Year of our Lord 1033 It was then likewise he yielded the Dukedom of Burgundy to his Brother Robert From whom issued the First Race of the Dukes of Burgundy of the Blood Royal. The Earl of Champagn did not hold himself vanquish'd by the defeat of the Party to make him lay down his Sword the King was forced to beat his Army twice and Year of our Lord 1033 and the following the third time put him to a rout and made him fly away half naked and hide himself before he could compel him to shake hands About the year 1032. or 33. Geofrey surnamed Martel made a cruel War upon William V. called the Gross Duke of Guyenne and Earl of Poitou whose Mother-in-Law or his own Fathers second Wife he had Married She was named Agnes Daughter of the Earl of Burgundy The Subject of the Quarrel was the Earldom of Saintonge and the Country of Aulnis which he disputed for The Authors do not tell us plainly by what Title he claimed but that he vanquish'd the Duke in a great Battle near Monstrenil-Bellay took him Prisoner and did not release him till three years end after he had yielded up Saintonge and paid a lusty Ransom Year of our Lord 1033 Rodolph or Rouel King of Burgundy beyond the Jour and of Arles dying in the year 1033. instituted his Heir Conrad the Emperor who had Married Gisâ—lle his youngest Sister and had by her a Son named Henry and made no account of Eudes Earl of Champagne the Husband of Berthe his eldest Sister because while he was living he would have forced him to acknowledge him for King and had bred Factions and Stirs in his Country By this Institution the Kingdom of Burgundy and Arles passing over to German Princes was by them as it were united and joyned to the Germanick Kingdom and the Empire who being at too great a distance have insensibly let it slip through their Fingers and after they had lost the Possession have likewise lost the very Title to it In these days lived Humbert Surnamed White-hands Earl of Maurienne and Savoy Stem of the Royal House of Savoy which at this day holds a great Rank amongst Christian Soveraigns the Off-spring of this Humbert having by Marriages Successions Conquests and other means assembled and joyned all the several pieces whereof that State is composed Some Historians make this Prince to be descended from Boson King of Provence others from Hugh King of Italy and some from the ancient Counts of Mascon but Tradition and which appears most probable makes him the Son of one Berald of Saxony who descended from Vitekind by the same Branch as the three Otho's Emperors or by some other Year of our Lord 1033 34 The Earl of Champagn not able to endure that Conrade should allow him no part of a Patrimony of which the best share ought to be his took his time when that Prince was employ'd in Hungary and with his own Forces and those of his Friends made himself Master of a great part of the Kingdom Year of our Lord 1035 But Conrad at his return having led his Army into those Countries drove Eudes Garrisons forth of all the Places he had taken put in his own and received Hommage Year of our Lord 1034 of all the Lords In fine he handled him so roughly that all help failing and perhaps an apprehension getting into his thoughts that the King of France who hated him might agree with the Emperor to strip him he went and surrendred upon Mercy and humbled himself before him Year of our Lord 1035 Robert Duke of Normandy by force of Arms constrains the Bretons to do him Hommage Year of our Lord 1036 He dies the year after at Nicea in Bithynia upon his return from a Pilgrimage to Jerusalem At his departure he had instituted an only Son of his but a Bastard named William to be his Heir begotten on a Citizens Daughter of Falaise leaving him at Paris in the guard and protection of King Henry who had very great Obligations to him and giving the Regency of the Country to Alain Duke of Bretagne Year of our Lord 1036 William had two Paternal Uncles Mauger Archbishop of Rouen who was Married and had Children and William Earl of Argues to whom the Nobility of the Country would much rather have obey'd then to a Bastard This was the occasion of great Troubles and would have ruined Normandy had the French King's Forces been but as great as his desire to regain it Year of our Lord 1003 and the following About this time the name of the Normands began to grow famous and potent in Italy especially in Puglia and Calabria In the year 1003. forty Adventurers of that Nation upon the quitting the Holy Land having acted some things there almost incredible against the Saracens in favour of Gaimar Duke of Salerna who was hugely tormented by them being returned into Normandy loaden with Honour and Presents had excited other brave Men of their Country to go seek their Fortunes beyond the Mountains The first that try'd was a Gentleman named Drengot-Osmond who being forced to quit the Country for killing one William Repostel in the presence of his Prince having vapoured that he had abused his Daughter went with four more Brothers and some others of his Kindred to offer his Service to Mello Duke of Bary and Pandolphus Prince of Capoua who were Revolted against the Greeks They received them with open Arms and gave them a City and some Lands to maintain themselves Then after these were setled not without many hazards Combats and Adventures six of the Sons of Tancrede d'Auterville a Gentleman of the Bishoprick of Constance who had twelve all of them brave and courageous arrived there and carried their same to a higher pitch then the former Year of our Lord 1036 Normandy was all in Fire and Blood by the particular Feuds of some Lords upheld by the Uncles of the young Duke Alain III. Duke of Bretagne his Guardian being come to appease them could not avoid a Mortal Poyson given him by the Factious Antagonists Conan II. his Son but then in his Cradle succeeded him Year of our Lord 1037 About these times William the Gross Duke of Aquitain was delivered out of Prison and died the same year Otho or Eudes his second Brother succeeded him Two years after he inherited the Dukedom of Gascongne taking possession thereof in the Church of St. Severin at Burdeaux according to the Custom He had this Lordship in Right of his Mother Brisce who was the Daughter of Duke Sance Thus the House of Gascongne resolved or dissolved into that of Poitiers or Aquitain Year of our Lord 1037 The Pretensions of Eudes Earl of Champagne to the Kingdom of Burgundy not being wholly stifled he fell with an Army into the Kingdom of Lorrain which belonged to the Emperor and took the City of Commercy but as he
rigorously for fear of greater inconveniency The need the Pop s had of the Credit of the Order of St. Bennet during their Quarrels with the Emperors inclined them as I believe to bestow upon the principal Abbots of those Congregations the Ornaments which had belonged only to the Bishops Those were the Miter the Surplice the Gloves and the Sandals some have since added the Crosier But such as loved the Hierarchy detested this abuse and those Abbots that were but somewhat humbly Religious did not often make use of those Tokens of Honour believing that what is the Mark of Jurisdiction in a Bishop is a stain of Ambition in a Monk Peter de Blois wrote to his Brother an Abbot in the Kingdom of Naples to whom the Pope had made a Present of these Pontifical Ornaments that he should send them back again or rid himself of his Abby Pope Vrban II. beholding the happy Peter Abbot of Caves bare-headed in a Council sent a Miter to him to cover it This holy Man having received it with great Respect would not however put it on but kept it still upon his Knees But Hugh Abbot of Clugny did not refuse those Ornaments from that Popes hands who gave them to him and all his Successors Calistus II. desiring to gratifie that Abby because he had been Elected and Consecrated there gave likewise the Title of Cardinal to the Abbot Ponce de Melgueil to enjoy it both he and all the Abbots of that House The Popes Originally had Right to confirm only the Elections of the Metropolitans of the Roman Diocess The sending the Pall to those of the Galican Church chalkt out the way to usurp it upon them also In the beginning St. Boniface Archbishop of Mentz engaged them to seek that Honour to bring them by that means to the greater dependance then when they were accustomed to deck themselves with those Ornaments which in their opinions distinguisht them much from Bishops the Popes obliged them to receive them always from him as a thing very necessary and forbid them all Exercise of their Function till they had received them Bishops could not change or take another Bishoprick unless they were turned out of their own by the Barbarians or upon some very urgent necessity and that by Sentence of the Metropolitan and Bishops of the Province the Popes notwithstanding permitted it without restraining them to all those Forms Which was introduced in this Twelfth Age not all at once but by little and little as it were sounding the Foord The ancient form of Elections was yet preserved as the Soul of the Hierarchy that is to say they were made by the Clergy and by the People afterwards they were examined by the Metropolitans assisted with the Counsel of his Suffragans If he judged them good he approved them and if he found any default he annul'd it and sent them back to proceed to a new one that is to be understood if they had not knowingly and designedly elected one that was unwerthy or lay under some Canonical impediment For in such case the Metropolitan and his Suffragans elected one themselves The Bishops were not obliged to be Personally present at such Elections and Judgments but sent some Clergy-men who represented their Persons The Consecration of Bishops in France was performed by the Metropolitan and his Suffragans the Pope or his Legat having no right to it but if the Metropolitan refused to Consecrate the Elect the Electors appealed to the Pope who sometimes did Consecrate them himself When the Metropolitans were suspended from their Episcopal Functions the Legats as representing the Holy Father pretended that that lame belonged to them The Elections and the Right the Metropolitans had to Consecrate the Bishops were not directly overthrown during this Age but suffer'd great breaches and diminution For the new Right founded upon the supposed Epistles of the first Popes having perverted all the Canons and reduced all Elections to the litigious forms of Proceedings as there most commonly hapned divers Contests between the opposite Parties electing or difficulties in the Judgment given by the Metropolitans one of the two Cabals seldom failed of making an Appeal to Rome which was an inextricable labyrinth of perplext Proceedings and if there were any omission of formality in the Election the Pope declared it null and reserved to himself alone the right of providing the Bishop and of Consecrating the Person whom he chose Though it were forbidden to take any thing for that notwithstanding the Officers of the Court of Rome exacted furiously under pretence of their Salaries and Paper and Ink afterwards the Popes themselves who had so highly condemned all Exactions converted to their own proper benefit those abuses which they could not hinder I find that the Bishop of Manse gave for his Ordination Seven hundred Mark of Silver In time they setled this Exaction at a years Revenue moderately Taxed which they and their Cardinals shared amongst them The power of the French Bishop was likewise great proportionably For besides that they were the most considerable Member of the State and had most power in the great Parliaments or General Assemblies the Kings rested much upon their Counsels submitted to their Remonstrances and were Crowned by their hands upon every Solemn Feast in the year So that when any King was Excommunicate as was Philip I. the Bishops refused to do this Office and held in a manner as in suspence not the Royalty but the Respect of his People By the Popes example they sometimes made use of Interdicts often of Excommunications which by being so often employ'd upon trivial occasions became so odious that the Secular Judges appearing against them caused those to be apprehended that carried them tormented them in their Estates and the Estates oâ— their Relations and vexed even such as obey'd those Fulminations or who refused to hold Communication with such as were Excommunicated And therefore in the year 1274. the Council of Lyons one of the most famous that hath been held in France Ordained in presence of King Philip the Hardy or Bold and the Emperors of the East and West That those that did so hereafter should be cut off from the Communion of the Church and if they persisted two Months in their Contumacy should not be absolv'd but by the Holy Chair Which was allow'd in France provided those Excommunications were just and did intrench upon the Rights of the Crown Now for as much as it depended upon his Officers to judge herein they eluded them most commonly and seized upon the Temporals as well of those that pronounced it as those that submitted and even caused their Houses to be pulled down The reason why they fore-armed themselves so strongly against these Censures was because that in those times so soon as a Man was Excommunicate he forfeited the benefit of his Goods Honours and Dignities that any one had a right to pillage him that they denied him the Sacraments and Burial and
Lord 1412 That party being reduced to dispair and finding themselves ruined even in those Provinces of the Kingdom where they had been strongest makes an Alliance with the English but upon Conditions very prejudicial to France The King being again restored to his health and finding this Treaty was agreed upon vowed their â—estruction as the greatest of his enemies After he had been at St. Denis and set up the Standard of the Oriflamme which never was display'd but against the publique enemy and against Insidels he went in Person to besiege the Duke of Berry in the City of Bourges this was in June and marched with so much eagerness that he did not stop one day in all that march although he received a kick on his Leg from one of his Horses In the mean time his other Commanders made War upon the Orleannois in several other parts There were too many brave Men in the Town and too much Division and Treachery in his own Army to gain it easily The Siege drawing out in length Sickness invades his Forces and constrained him to grant a Peace to the Princes The English who landed at the same time in Normandy under the conduct of Thomas Duke of Lancaster the Kings Brother to assist them made themselves formidable to both parties the dread they had made them hasten the execution of the Treaty But the Duke of Orleans who had called them in was obliged to satisfy them at his own expence and gave them his Brother John Earl of Angoulesme for hostage Year of our Lord 1412 The Treaty having been confirmed at Auxerre they carried the King whom they found to be falling again into his distemper to Melun and from thence when he was grown better to Paris He made his entrance in great pomp together with the Queen and the Dauphin and caused the Peace to be proclaimed to the unspeakable joy of the People Year of our Lord 1413. in January The University and the honest Citizens of Paris the only Members of the State that were not utterly corrupted observing that the Grandees and such as were in Office desired no other but to continue those troubles that they might fleece the People And that besides unless it were prevented the English had undertaken to conquer Guyenne perswaded the King who ever intended well to labour towards the Reformation of his Kingdom that so he might be the better enabled to resist them For which purpose he calls an Assembly of Notables at Paris towards the latter end of January The University thoroughly noted all disorders in the administration of the Revenue in Courts of Justice the Chancery the choice of Officers and the Mint such as were guilty were not spared not even the Chancellour Arnand de Corbie who was accused of Concussion There were Commissioners chosen of all the Orders to reform the State in all these particulars but neither the Princes nor others that were in power could endure to be obliged to be honest they must have lost too much by it especially ☞ those that were about the Dauphin Duke of Guyenne This young Prince aged but Sixteen years was fantastical inconstant and debauched Besides they bred him up in all manner of Licentiousness and disorder as Gaming Women Feasting and dissolute Dancing and worse yet in Maxims of irregular Government very proper indeed for such a life as he would lead for to enable ones self to commit all Licentiousness a Man must set himself above all Laws Year of our Lord 1413 These People put it into his Head that to be absolute Master of France Paris must be quell'd and the Citizens disarmed whom he might afterwards load with Taxes even as he pleased It was therefore by their advice that he seized upon the Castle of the Bastille by the means of Peter des Essards The Burghers took the Allarm the Burgundian under-hand exasperates the People and incites his Companies of Butchers He gets together Ten or Twelve thousand Men who having a Chyrurgeon at the head of them named John de Troyes ran all about the streets one part of them surrounds the Bastille the rest went and planted their City-banner before the House of the Duke of Guyenne He shews himself at the Window to appease those furies John de Troyes lets him understand that they came thither to take away those from about him who mischievously corrupted his youth The Chancellour having desired they would name them they delivered him a List of them wherein he found his own Name to be the very first and forced him to read it aloud twice over At the same instant they beat open the Gates search every where and carry away above twenty Persons of whom were the Duke of Bar Cousin-german to the King John de Vailly Chancellour to the Duke James de la Riuiere his Chamberlain whom they led Prisoners to the Louvre The next day Peter des Essards surrenders the Bastille and himself to the Duke of Burgundy who kept him very strictly in the Chastelet because he had been accused of a design to have carried away the King and the Duke of Guyenne The University refused to joyn with those Factious people the Princes of the Blood detested such attemps but they were glad in their hearts that the Duke of Guyenne had met with such correction In the beginning of May the Factious bethought them of making White Hoods they carried some to that Prince and John de Troyes usher'd in the Fince present with a very rude Remonstrance A Doctor of Divinity named Eustatious de Pavilly a Religious Carmelite being their Mouth very freely told him of his extravagant manner Year of our Lord 1413 of life He scrupled not to say that the misfortunes of the King his Father and of the Duke of Orleance was a punishment due for their Debaucheries And added likewise that if he did not suddenly change he would render himself unworthy of the Crown and give just occasion to transfer his Birthright to his Brother Which he urged with the more confidence because the Queen had often menaced him in the same manner He would very sain have freed himself out of the hands of these impertinent Pedagogues but the doors were to well guarded the People being Masters One day as the King was going to Noster-Dame John de Troyes obliged him to put on a white Hood Two days after he came to the Hostel de Saint Pol justified before the King by his Spokesman de Pavilly the imprisonment of the Duke de Guyennes Servants and named many others yet that were to be rooted out then Addressing himself to the Duke of Guyenne demanded him to deliver them up Whatever Intreaties he could made they took away a great many more not only Private Gentlemen but likewise Lewis of Bavaria the Queens Brother several Ladies that belonged to her to the Dutchess of Guyenne and to the Countess of Charolois whom they accused as Instruments of the most pernicious Intrigues and dissolute Actions
Chaldean and Hebrew were taught in the year 1325. There sprung up if we may so say a vast quantity of excellent Plants in this fertil Nursery I cannot tell whether I ought to reckon the Scholasticks in the number since they have brought forth more Thorns and Prickles then either Flowers or Fruit that is wholesom Henry of Ghent John of Paris John Duns the Scot all lived in the beginning of this Age which was the Fourteenth Century but perhaps some would rather have them placed at the latter end of the Age foregoing the two first were Secular Doctors the third a Cordelier Of the same Order were Aureolus Mayrons Okam and de Lyra. Peter Aureolus amongst other Works composed a short and pithy Commentary upon the Bible The Criticks may examine whether we must distinguish him from another of the same name and of the same Order a Native of Verberie upon the Oyse who was a Cardinal Francis de Mayrons having been rejected at the Sorbonne would needs to shew his ability maintain an Act where without having any President without eating or drinking without rising from his Seat he answer'd from five a Clock in the morning till seven at night Since that the other Batchelors pretend to imitate him And from hence came the Act which they name the Grand Sarbonnique William Okam by birth an English Man wrote of the power of the Popes and Emperors against John XXII Nicholas de Lyra a Native of the Diocess of Evreux in Normandy whom they say was Originally an Hebrew compiled a Commentary or Postil upon the Bible of which great use is yet made From the Order of the Dominicans came Bernard de Guy Inquisitor of the Faith against the Albigensis Bishop of Lodeve of whom we have divers Volumes as well of Holy History as Profane Durand de Saint Pourcain Bishop of Meaux William de Rance Bishop of Sees Confessor to King John Herve Noel by birth a Breton General of the Order and Contemporary with Durand Peter de la Palud a Burgundian Patriarch of Jerusalem Amongst the Seculars we find William Durand Bishop of Mandes called the Speclator who composed the Book Entitled Speculum Juris it was he made likewise the Rationale Divinorm Officiorum He lived in the beginning of this Age about twelve or fifteen years before the other Durandus Bishop of Meaux The Cardinal Bertrand Bishop of Autun Nicholas Oresme Grand Master of the Colledge of Navarre Dean of the Church of Roâ—en and Tutor to King Charles V. who made him Bishop of Lisieux who amongst other Works translated the Bible into French which was perhaps the first Translation that ever was seen in our Language that is to say in French Romance for there had been one in French Tuâ—esque even in the time of the second Race King Charles the Wise will not disdain to be placed in the number of the Learned since he is beholding for his Wisdom in some measure to the Writings of Learned Men whose Eloquence and Politiques drawn from examples in History did both animate and instruct his Captains May not France also reckon amongst her Learned Men the famous Petrarque since he spent so great a part of his Life here though he were Originally a Flore tine and was both born and buried beyond the Mountains This great Genius having in his youth exercised his Pen for his Mistress Laura repented a terwards his having trifled away so much time and imploy'd it afterwards in works that were more Philosophical and more Christian-like We must own that in this Age as in the last the Jacobins and the Cordeliers furnished the Roman Church with a great number of Bishops and Cardinals and that they were so powerful that if they had but wisely managed their prosperity the favour of the Grandees and the affection of the People they might have made themselves Masters both of the Church and State But they retarded their progress by their own faults and if 〈◊〉 say it hung Clogs upon their own Feet which hindred their higher flight the Jacobins in being so stiff to maintain their old opinion about the Conception of the Virgin and the Cordeliers in commenting with too much severity upon the observation of St. Francis's Rules and Philosophising too Metaphisically touching propriety of Goods which are consumed by the use of them John Duns the Scot had taken up the Cudgels against St. Thomas In all which Controversies he came short of the solidity of that Angelique Doctor though he had great advantage in the point of the Conception of the Holy Virgin maintaining that it was perfectly and entirely Immaclate wherein he varied from the Master of Sentences This opinion appearing more to the honour of the Mother of God and more suitable to the zeal of devout Souls was embraced by most Christians The Jacobins having stumbled at it lost themselves mightily in the esteem of the World however the Question was never fully debated till about the latter end of this Age. The Cordeliers had their time of suffering likewise for in a few years after they were brought so low they came almost to nothing even as the Templers beâ—ore them A pretence for the strict observation of the Rules given by St. Francis without admitting those interpretations of the Popes Nicholas III. and Clement V. had possessed divers Monks of that Order with such crude and ambitious imaginations as caused them to be divided into Parties who rambling from one Country to another confounded them almost with the Bisoches and the Frerots who were Hereticks indeed John XXII endeavoured to cure them of this obstinacy but not prevailing with them he threatned Excommunication They far from obeying him retired into Sicilia where they prescribed amongst themselves Rules very strict but withal very ridiculous made choice of a General Provincials and Guardians and began to live as independent from the Holy See Their fancies carried them yet further for they had the confidence to affirm that there was a Carnal Church over-grown with Riches and Vice of which Church the Pope and Bishops were the Prelats and likewise a Spiritual one girded with Poverty adorned with Vertue which consisted only of them and such as were like them in whom was all Authority as well as Sanctity That the Rule of St. Francis was the same thing as the Gospel and nothing therefore that was contained therein could possibly be changed But the Pope pursued them so close that by burning whipping and shutting them up between four bare Walls he made an end of them Others at the same time debated the Question concerning Property with as much heat and contention Nicholas IV. had declared by his Bull that they were to have only the use of those things that were given them and that the propriety belonged to the Roman Church Now it hapned that a Begard whom in Anno 1322. they had brought to the Inquisition at Toulouze having reply'd that neither our Lord Jesus Christ nor his
two Factions one for the Pope and Ferdinand King of Naples the other for the Duke of Milan with the Venetian and the Florentines At Florence there were two Potent Families that of the Passi most ancient and that of Medecis richest The latter as then Governed and the two Brothers Julian and Laurence were the Heads Year of our Lord 1478 The Passi under the secret protection of the Pope conspired to assassinate them at Church upon Sunday 26th of April Julian was Murthered Laurence saved himself in the Sacrary The Populace being raised ran upon the Passi and exterminated all of them The Conspirators who had gotten themselves into the Palace to Seize it were shut in there and Hanged up at the Windows amongst others the Arch-Bishop of Pisa and they imprisoned a young Cardinal Nephew to the Pope who was found to be Innocent Now the Pope upon pretence of revenging the Honour of the Ecclesiasticks commenced a rude War on the Florentines both with the Fulminations of the Church and with material Arms and Forces The King endeavoured an Accommodation but being unable to effect it he took part with the Florentines and sent Philip de Comines to them who only brought some Succours from Savoy and Milan He had no mind to employ his Forces in so Forraign an Expedition but to frighten the Pope he spoke of calling a Council and continuing the Pragmatick For this purpose he convened all the Prelats and the Deputies of the Universities of the Kingdom at Orleans and dispatched a Noble Embassy to the Pope Guy d'Arpajou Vicount de Lautrec was the principal to demand of him that he should off the Excommunication he had thundred against the Florentines and that they should severely punish all the Complices of that Conspiracy The Scandalous Chronicle has noted That in this year in a Monastery of Benedictines in Avergne it was that of Issoire there was found a Monk both Male and Female who made use of either Sex particularly of the Femininr as appeared by proving great with Child Year of our Lord 1479 The second Truce expired Chaumont got first into the Field and scowred all the Franche-Comte even to the City of Dole Which having been taken by the Teachery of the German Forces who entring therein to relieve it introduced the French was sacked and destroyed and remained some years Buried under its own Rubbish At the same time Maximilian with his Army besieged Terouenne The Kings which was commanded by Desquerdes going to its Relief the Besiegers raised their Siege to encounter them The Shock was given near the Village of Guinegaste Desquerdes at first made the Flemmings give ground but pushing it too far the Counts of Nassaw and de Romont rallied some Companies and put the French to a Rout The Field remained to Maximillian though much more cover'd with the dead Bodies of his own Men than of Enemies and this day regained him some Reputation in his Affairs Year of our Lord 1479 At Sea the Normand Captains took 80 Vessels laden with Wheat which the Flemmings were bringing from Prussia and all their Fleet of Herrings an inestemable damage to that Country In these times arose the power of the great Czar of Russia or Muscovy Russia had heretofore many Princes But they were as Slaves to the Cham of those Tartars who Inhabit the other side of the Volga Duke John shook off that Yoke of Slavery and besides Conquered divers Cities in Russia Alba who obeyed the Duke of Lithuania and reduced to his Command the Great and Famous City Novogorod Capital of Russia then that of Mosco which takes it's Name from the River on which it is Scituate and gives it to all this State Year of our Lord 1479 When the good King Rene was Dead which hap'ned the 10 th of July in the year 1479. The King not openly permitted Charles II. Count de Mayne to put himself into possession of Provence according to the Testament we have before mentioned but likewise interposed his Authority with the Provensals to Enthronize him in that County being perhaps well assured of what hap'ned two years after Year of our Lord 1480 As all things went according to his wishes it hap'ned that being at a Village near Chinon during the Month of March he was on a Sudden deprived of his Speech and all manner of Knowledge At two days end he recover'd both the one and the other But his Body remained so Weak and Languishing that he could never regain his perfect Strength The Legat Nephew to the Pope took his time upon occasion of this Malady to intecede for the Cardinal de la Ballue who on his part did so cunningly feign a Retention of Urine that the King believing he would not live long and making conscience to let him die in Prison set him at Liberty towards the end of November upon condition he should leave the Kingdom which he did and retired to Rome Revenge jealousie and distrust which are the Signs of a weak and ill temper'd Soul encreased upon his Spirits whilst he decreased in Strength He was afraid that if they thought him uncapable to act they would usurp the Government the Duke of Bourbon being the only Prince almost that had the Qualities requisite for such a Pretension he fell into so much hatred against him that he caused his Lands to be Seized and sought out some colourable occasion to ruin him At the same time whether he could not confide in his natural Subjects or for some other reason he disbanded the Franc's Archers and in their stead raised Companies of Strangers especially Swissers Year of our Lord 1480 In this condition he was glad to make Truce with Maximilian for Seven Months to Commence in August The following year it was prolonged a Twelve-month more Year of our Lord 1481 Year of our Lord 1480 The Sultan or Grand Seigneur Mahomet II. caused the Island of Rhodes to be Besieged by the Visier Messite one of his Captains and sent almost 〈◊〉 the same time the Bassa Gedue Acmet to make a Descent on the Coast of Calabria The first after he had lost ten Thousand Men and spent three Months time shamefully raised the Siege but the other took Otranto by Assault the 27th Day of August and struck a Terror through all Italy Charles Duke of Burgundy whose thoughts had only been for War desiring to imitate the Roman Discipline had begun to keep and to exercise his Men in Camps The King after his example caused one to be made in a Plain near the Pont de Larche retrenched and closed up with Waggons He gave the command of it to Desquerdes and put in 10000 Foot Pikemen and Halberdiers for experience had taught him in the Warrs with the Swiss and Liegois that those were the best Weapons or Arms for the Infantry 2500 Pioneers and 1500 Lances After these Soldiers had remained there a Month only he disbanded them and took off as I believe the 1500 thousand Livers
with incredible Artifice tended to no more but to make him possessor of the Dutchy of Milan To bring this to pass he had Married his Sister to Maximilian King of the Romans and had secretly taken the investiture of that Dutchy as vacant by default of Hommage and other Duties not tendred but this he must wrest from John Galeas Son of his eldest Brother who held it by a just Title This was a young Man of little Courage whom he already kept as his Captive having chaced away his Mother Bonne de Savoy Sister to the Kings mother who had forfeited her Reputation by her Gallantries in her Widdow-hood but he had married a Wife as Couragious as Beautiful who being Daughter of Alphonso Duke of Calabria Son of Ferdinand King of Naples was able with the assistance of her Brother to retard the Execution of his malitious designs This was the motive which obliged Ludovic to stir up the King to the Conquest of Naples to ruin or at least to Embarrass that House which was alone able to prevent him He had the City of Genoa under his subjection which nevertheless held of the Crown of France the Kings Favourites having obtained the investiture for him for eight Thousand Crowns in his Alliance Hercules d'Est Duke of Ferrara his Father in Law Bentivoglio Lord of Bologna and some other Lords In those Days there were five great Governments or Powers in Italy two Republicks Venice and Florence this holding more of a Democracy or Popular State the other an Aristocracy or Government by Nobles the Church or Pope the King of Naples and the Duke of Milan Venice was Governed by their Senate none of her Citizens daring to raise themselves above the rest At Florence the Medici had usurped all the Authority after they had extirpated the Passi Peter the Head of the Family behaved himself with unsufferable haughtiness Lewis Sforza as we have told ye Governed the Milanois a Man that was perfidious sanguinary crafty and very aptly Surnamed the Moor not only because his Skin was tawny but likewise because he exceeded the Africans in Treacheries and Disloyalty In the Holy See was then sitting or rather intruded Alexander VI. who disposed of all things at his pleasure and to say truth he had paid for the tripple Crown It will suffice to give you his just Character to say in a word that never any Mahometan Prince was more Impious more Vicious or more Faithless than he and if any one did ever surpass him in his abominations it was Caesar Borgia his Bastard Son At Naples Reigned Ferdinand Bastard of Alphonso King of Arragon He had two Sons Alphonso and Frederic And Alphonso had a Son named Ferdinand as was his Grandfather Aged twenty or two and twenty years This last seemed to be of a good disposition and gained the Love of the Nobility and People but his Father and Grandfather were held in execration amongst all their Subjects for their Taxes Monopolies and bloody Cruelties the son exceeding the Father as much in wickedness as the Father exceeded all other Princes Besides all these Potentates had no Religion but by their Actions and in their Discourse professed a most Villainous and Brutish Atheism but withal pretended to great Wisdom and the finest Politicks Year of our Lord 1492. 93. 94. There were two men that wholly Governed the Kings mind Stephen de Vers his Chamberlain and Seneschal of Beaucare and William Briconnet his Treasurer General and Bishop of St. Malo By their means this War was undertaken but Briconnet having afterwards more thorowly considered and weighed it be-became of a quite contrary opinion Two years was it absolutely resolved upon then laid aside then again under consideration and debate There was not Wisdom enough in the Kings Council no money in his Coffers no assurance of his Allies for in Italy he had none for him but the Traitor and perfidious Ludovic in whom no prudent man would put any confidence but under-hand there were against him the wise Venctians and openly or barefac'd Pope Alexander and Peter de Medicis Upon the rumour of this War Ferdinand King of Naples sent to the King to Year of our Lord 1494 offer him Hommage and pay him an Annual Tritute of fifty Thousand Crowns These proffers having been rejected such grief and fear Seized upon him that his last day was the five and twentieth of January in the year 1494. being aged Seventy two His Son Alphonso more wicked then himself and more unfortunate took the Scepter After many delays the King pressed by the continual Sollicitations of Ludovic to which were likewise joyned those of the Cardinal of Saint Peters c. an irreconciliable Enemy to Pope Alexander left Paris in the Month of July having given the Regency to Peter Duke of Bourbon during the time he should be out of France He remained a while at Lyons in great uncertainty what he should do then again at Vienne from thence he passed to the City of Ast where he sojourned near a Month whilst they drew his Cannon over the Mountains with much difficulty In that place he was like to die of the Smal-Pox For two Years past had the Princes of Italy those great Men in War and Politicks so much vaunted by their Historians taken notice how this Design was forming which could not but prove fatal hereafter to the liberty of their Country and for the present invade their Peace and Power and yet they had not Skill or Prudence enough to divert a Prince who was but young and guided by a Council without Brains nor Courage enough to meet and fight his Forces which were but inconsiderable So that there is reason to believe that God had sealed their Eyes tied their Hands behind them and raised up this young King to chastize them Indeed Hierosme Savanarola a Dominican had a long time before filled all Italy with predictions of his coming and affirmed that he had a Commission from Heaven to Dethrone the Tyrants For this great Enterprize he had belonging to himself but sixteen hundred Gents-Darmes each with his two Archers on Horse-back his two hundred Gentlemen three or four hundred Horse lightly arm'd twelve thousand Foot half Swisse and half French but withal a great number of young Lords and Nobility who went Volunteers all very fit and useful for a Day of Battle but not any wise proper in Affairs that required length of time as not able to undergo Hardship nor be under Command Alphonso was resolved to carry the War into Ludovic's Country to this effect he had sent an Army into Romagnia commanded by young Frederic his Son and another by his Brother Frederic towards the Coasts of Genoa Frederic goes on Shoar at Rapalo thinking thereby to make the Genoese rise by the intelligence of those that were Banished but the Duke of Orleans who commanded the French Fleet beat the others in the Post which they had fortified and Daubigny having with some Forces outmarched
10 Months under this Reign Year of our Lord 1498 LEwis Duke of Orleans Succeeded to Charles VIII as being the nearest to him of the Masculine Line and his Cousin in the third and fourth degree His Age was ripe his Temper very Humane Sweet and Just his Prudence tried and his Ministers honest and disinteressed The long Imprisonment he suffered had made him more merciful and his Adversities had taught him more wisdom He proved the better King by having been so long a Subject and had Learned to moderate the severities of Sovereign commands by having undergone and felt the weight of them The 27 th of May he was Crowned at Reims the first of July he was Crowned at St. Denis the day after he made his entrance into Paris and by a Decree of the Council took the Title of King of France and of both Sicilia's and Duke of Milan This Dutchy belonged to him by Right of Valentine his Grandfather From the first day of his ascending the Throne he incessantly laboured for the felicity of his People easing them from the burthen of Imposts and taking great care that Justice should be Administred duly to them As to the first he diminished the Taxes year after year though they were already easie enough Because he knew the Princes Exchequer to be like the Spleen the less it is the more healthful the Body of the State does ever find it self He did so much abhor new impositions that wanting Money for his War in Italy ho chose rather to expose the Offices belonging to his Revenue to Sale then to take any thing from his People However in length of time he found that such Venality caused those evils he would avoid and therefore would he have taken that off again had he survived but a year or two longer As to the distribution of Justice he Created divers Companies of Judges out of pure zeal to have it equally administred and without any pecuniary Interest which ever since hath been the only end of all such Creations He setled that called the Grand Council which had been before projected by Charles VIII He made a Parliament for Normandy at Rouen to whom he first gave the Title of perpetual Exehequer and three years after he did the same for Provence in the City of Aix He made most excellent Ordinances for the abbreviating of all Process but there happening to be some Articles that touched the Priviledges of the University that great Body stirred in it with too much heat The tumult had proceeded to a Sedition had not the King made hast to get to Paris His presence quelled the hottest Heads amongst them and banish'd the Rector Year of our Lord 1498 Upon his first coming to the Crown he dispatched Ambassadors to the Pope to Venice and to Florence and three Months after he received theirs who brought him complements and excuses King Frederic and Duke Ludovic sent none to him he being their declared Enemy From that hour divers negociations were set on foot Those Potentates were not become much wiser for all the dangers they had undergone they busied themselves more about their little particular revenge then to preserve the common Liberty of Italy Alexander had reconciled himself with the Vrsini but he hated King Frederic to the Death for having denied to give his Daughter to Borgia his Bastard and the Venetians sought to ruin Ludovic because he hindred their aggrandizing and had a design upon the City of Pisa which they endeavoured to appropriate to themselves As for the Florentines they had an extraordinary passion to recover their Towns and made a War to that end Thus all the three blinded by their interest did eagerly Sollicite the Kings alliance An occasion proffer'd it self wherein the Pope might oblige him which was that desiring to break his marriage with Jane Daughter of King Lewis XI he wanted a Commission from him to take cognisance of that affair And to obtain this he gave the Dutchy of Valentinois to his Bastard who straightway laid down his Cardinals Cap. The Pope sent him into France with a Bull which named three Judges for the Kings Tooth these were Philip de Luxembourgh Cardinal Bishop of Mans Lewis d'Amboise Bishop of Alby and Peter Bishop of Sente who was a Portugueze The Bastard would have played the Sir Politique and said he had not brought the Bull the King informed to the contrary gave him a sowre look and assured him he would go forward He was therefore forced to produce it He had likewise brought a Cardinals Cap for George d'Amboise Archbishop of Rouen who managed all Affairs In recompence the King made him Marry Charlota Daughter of Alain Lord d'Albret and Treated a League with him by which the new Duke was to serve him towards the recovery of the Milanois and he afterwards to assist him in dispossessing all those petty Lords who detained the Cities of Romandiola We must observe that about Two Ages before this when the power of the Popes was much weakned such as were then Governours of the Towns belonging to the Holy See had usurped the absolute Soveraignty of them and that they might possess them with some apparent Title had obtained the Seigneury or Lordships thereof from the Popes under the Title of Vicars or Lieutenants upon condition of paying them a certain Tribute yearly but since then had taken no care to satisfie the same and had sometimes even taken up Arms against the Popes The Polentines Citizens of Ravenna had usurped Ravenna and Cerviae but the Venetians had taken them into their hands The Malatestes had made themselves masters of Cesena but that returned again to the Holy See by the Death of Dominique the last of that Branch dying without Children The Riari did yet hold Imola and Forli Pandolphus Malatesti Rimini Astor Manfrede Faenza John Sforza Pizaro as the Bentivogles did Bologna and the Baillons Perugia Year of our Lord 1499 The Kings Marriage with Jane was declared Null by the Commissioners upon cleer proof that Lewis XI had forced him to it though in truth he consummated it afterwards Being at liberty he Married Anne of Bretagne Widdow of his Predecessor and his first inclinations The Nuptials were kept the Eighteenth of January The people of Paris who alone of all the People in France had received much favour from Lewis XI highly murmured that the King should repudiate his Daughter and there were some scrupulous Doctors that blamed him in their Pulpits but Jane patiently underwent that affliction and gave her self up intirely to God spent her days devoutly in the Nunnery of the Annunciation in the City of Bourges where she put on the Sacred Vail Year of our Lord 1499 Before he began to stir at all in the Affair of Italy he bethought himself of securing the friendship of his Neighbours first of the King of England then of Ferdinand and Isabella and afterwards of the Arch-Duke Son of Maximilian Ferdinand and Isabella withdrew their Forces out of
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
so stored them that they had plenty sufficient to furnish that vast multitude and above Thirty Thousand Soldiers ☞ for a whole Year together Which demonstrates that Paris if not surprized is not so easily famished as some might Imagine In retribution the Parisians proffer'd him a store of Brass Guns and to maintain Ten Thousand Soldiers as long as the Enemies remained upon the Frontiers Never was there a more Melancholly Spectacle then the retreat of the Emperors Army miserably shatter'd without being able to come to any Battle The Roads from Aix even to Frejus were all strewed with Armes Horses Baggage dead Corps and men dying Montmorency was mightily blamed for not pursuing them Those that excuse him say that at that very juncture the King received news of the extream danger Peronne was in which obliged him to draw out a great part of his Forces to go and Succour them However Four or Five days after he had Information that the Enemies were returning into Flanders and the thing being taken into deliberation the second time the Emperor making some days stay at Frejus it was concluded to be the safer and more prudent method not to force the Lyon that was running off to turn head and make them feel the effects of desperation His retreat over the Alpes was difficult and Bloody the Daufins Light Horse harcelling him perpetually in his March He at length Arrived at Genoa the second of October and his Army passed thence into Milanois commanded by the Marquess du Guast Governor of those Countries who en passant put Garrisons into the rest of the places belonging to the Duke of Savoy Thus that unfortunate Prince saw his Estates shared betwixt his Enemy and his Friend having scarce any thing left for himself but the City and Castle of Nice where he made his residence After the Emperor had remained at Genoa about Fifteen dayes he went on Board his Galleys the Eighteenth of November and sailed towards Spain He was no more fortunate at Sea then he had been on Land a furious Tempest overtook his Fleet and sunk Six of his Galleys and a couple of great Ships the one carrying his Plate the other his Horses after all which without doubt he was fitter for Consolations then Panegyricks The fear they had conceived in Italy left he should Conquer France had as soon as he was gone armed several petty Princes and Lords whom the great States that durst not openly declare maintained and encouraged underhand The King gave them Guy Count de Rangon to be their General their place of Rendezvous was Mirandola They set ten thousand men on Foot with whom they attempted Genoa a Supply of Eight Hundred Arriving during the time of their Assault made the business miscarry As they were marching towards Ast the Spaniards raised the Siege of Turin and suffer'd them to take Carignian Raconis Carmagnola and most of the Marquisate of Salusses Year of our Lord 1537 On the other hand the Count de Saint Pol with Six Thousand Lansquenets whom the King drew out of his Army ruined the Country of Tarentaise and regained Chamberry which the Inhabitants of that Valley had surprized but Burie whom the King had made Governor beyond the Mountains in place of Brion was hemm'd in and taken with Twelve Hundred men by the Marquess du Guast in Casal which he had just surprized Humieres was sent to Command in his stead with a Re-inforcement of ten thousand Lansquenets of whom Christopher Duke of Wirtemberg was General Upon the noise that the Emperor was going to swallow up all France James King of Scotland remembring the ancient Alliances of his Nation and Predecessors took Shiping with Sixteen Thousand men to come to his Assistance without the least Intreaty The Wind beat him back three several times to his own Coasts At length he got with some Vessels to Diepe from whence he rode post to the King but met him on this side Lyons upon his return In acknowledgment of this so kind and nobly free assistance the King could not refuse him Magdelin his Eldest Daughter though that Prince had before betroathed a Daughter of the Duke of Vendosmes The Nuptials were celebrated at Paris the first day of the Year 1537. but she Died of a Hectick Feaver within the same year and James Married Mary Daughter of Claude Duke of Guife and Widow of Lewis Duke of Longueville The King of England did not much like this double lincking himself to France by two such Matches which was one of the main causes that made him fall off from King Francis and close again with the Emperor the more easily for that Catherine of Arragon his repudiated Wife was dead and he had caused Anne Bullen to be Beheaded on the Green within the Tower for Adultery whether true or supposed Perhaps too he would have made him feel the Resentments of his Anger at that very time had he not been involved in troubles at home for some Nobles and some English Prelates prompted with Zeal to prevent a Schisme and withal apprehending some danger to their own Persons after the example of his Chancellour Sir Thomas Moor and John Fisher Bishop of Rochester whose Heads he had unjustly brought to the block had made a Holy League and taken up Arms against him And although he had dispersed their Forces or sent them home again by granting them conditions of advantage nevertheless he feared they might break out afresh and therefore was contriving underhand to surprise their Chiefs who had just cause to repent as it most frequently happens upon the like occasions to men who dare not rather resolve to die with their Sword in hand There was so little Rain and such great heats during the whole Spring and Summer of the Year 1536. that it begot a prodigious drowth most of the Wells and Springs were dried up the Marshes and Ponds quite parched and the waters of most great Rivers grown so shallow and weak as scarce able to drag along their Languishing Streams being generally foordable in all places and in many passable dry-foot The Kings Councel thought it necessary to do something that might pull down the Emperors Vanity and withal shew the Injustice and the Nullity of the Treaties of Madrid and Cambray To this purpose the King sitting in his Seat of Justice in Parliament the Nineteenth of January attended by the Princes and Pairs after his having heard James Capel Attorney-General who made it appear that the Provinces belonging to the Crown were Inalienable that he could not give away the Soveraignty of Flanders and Artois and that Charles of Austria they gave him only that Name being still a Vassal to the King for those Counties and for Charlois had committed the Crime of Felony It was Ordained That he should be Summoned by a single Edict peremptory and once for all at the nearest place of safe access to answer the Attorney General upon his Conclusions of the Forfeit Reversion and Re-union of those
Tenth of June and makes them continue the debate before him His presence did not so much daunt them but that three amongst the rest Anne de Bourg Councellor Clerc proceeded boldly to deliver their Sentiments upon the principal points of Religion and concluded by demanding a Council and that in the mean time Executions might be suspended He had the patience to hear them to the very last Argument and then to make the Clerk read over the Result of all Having thus discover'd their opinions he gave order to seize upon Du Bourg and Du Faur in the place and afterwards sent to take the President Ranconnet and the Counsellors Paul de Foix and Anthony Fumee all which were carried to the Bastille The President du Ferrier the Councellors Viole Du Val and Regnaute had met with the same treatment could they have been found Never did that August Assembly receive so great and so shameful a rebuke and blemish They appointed Commissioners for Trial of the Prisoners The Tragical accident which interven'd three Weeks after put some stop to those vehement prosecutions The Court being filled with all manner of Mirth Divertisements and expressions of Joy for the Nuptials of the Kings Daughter which was celebrated by Proxy the Seven and Twentieth of June and there being Turnaments and Carousels within Lists made cross the Street Saint Antoine from the Palace Royal des Tournelles to the Bastille Death as we may say having placed himself in Ambush amidst those pastimes and pleasures gave a blow as fatal as un-foreseen which converted all those gawdy Liveries into Mourning Weeds About the end of the third dayes tilting which was the Thirtieth of June the King had a great desire who had before broken several Lances with a great deal of dexterity to Just or Tilt agen with his Beaver open against the Earl of Montgommery Son of the Lord de Lorges one of the Captains of his Guard du Corps The Earl excused himself as much as he could but he would absolutely have it so now it hapned Year of our Lord 1559 that the Earl having broken against his Breast Plate hit him likewise above the right Eye-brow with the Truncheon that remained in his hand The stroke was so great that it threw him backwards on the ground and deprived him both of knowledge and speech He never recover'd them more which may convict of falsity those different discourses which both the one side and the other did put into his Mouth suitable to their divers interests and passions Notwithstanding he survived yet near eleven dayes and breathed not his last sigh till the tenth day of July He was in the fourth Month of the one and fortieth year of his Life and the thirteenth of his Reign About the end of June the Duke of Savoy was come to Paris accompanied with the Duke of Brunswic the Prince of Orange and an Hundred Gentlemen of Quality He had been received with extraordinary Civility by the King who met him at the Foot of the great Stair-Case in the Louvre When he found they dispair'd of the Kings Life he so much press'd the consummating of his Marriage that it was performed in Nostre Dame without any Pomp the ninth of July Margaret his Wife was in the seven and thirtieth year of her Age. They blamed King Henry of too much Indulgence or to speak better too great weakness towards his Mistress and his Favorites but they applauded a generous bounty in him to his Domesticks a great moderation and sweetness an agreable Conversation and a marvellous facility of expressing himself as well in publick as in particular He might have been praised likewise for his love to Learning for indeed he cherished it if the dissolutions of his Court authorised by his example had not perverted the best and choicest Wits to Compose Romances full of ☜ extravagant Visions and Lascivious Poems to flatter those Vices and that Impurity which had all the rewards in custody and to furnish that Sex with vain delights and amusements who still reign and govern by Fopperies Most of those Vices which ruine great States and draw down the wrath of Heaven reigned in that Court their gaming was seen in Triumph Luxury Impudicity Libertinage Blasphemy and that curiosity as foolish as impious to look into the Secrets of what is to come by the detestable Illusions of Magick Art Catherine de Medicis after a ten Years Barrenness brought this King ten Children as many of the one as of the other Sex the Eldest at this time being but seventeen Years old One of the Sons and two of the Daughters died in their Cradle There remained four Sons and three Daughters The four Sons were named Francis Charles Alexander and Hercules the names of the two last were changed at their confirmation Alexander was named Henry and Hercules changed for Francis The three first reigned after each other and all four died without Children The three Daughters were Isabella Claude and Marguerite Isabella Married Philip II. King of Spain Claude Charles III. Duke of Lorrain and Marguerite Henry de Bourbon who was then King of Navarre and afterwards King of France He had besides two Illegitimate Children Diana whom he Married to Horatio Farnese then to Francis Eldest Son of the Connestable de Montmorency and Henry who was Grand Prior of the Order of Malta and Governor of Provence The End of the Second Volume A Chronological Abridgment OR EXTRACT OF THE HISTORY OF FRANCE By the Sieur de Mezeray TOME III. Beginning at King Francis II. and ending at the end of the Reign of Henry IV. Translated by John Bulteel Gent. LONDON Printed for Thomas Basset Samuel Lowndes Christopher Wilkinson William Cademan and Jacob Tonson MDCLXXXIII FRANCIS II. King LIX Aged XVI Years and VI. Months POPES PAUL IV. 27 dayes under this Reign PIUS IV. Elected the 26 of December 1559. S. Five Years and eleven Months and a half Year of our Lord 1559 IF in a State it be a certain sign of it's decadency the want of good Heads for Council and good hands great Soldiers for Execution it is as certain a fore-runner and cause of troubles and Civil Wars to have multitudes of Princes and over-grown Nobility when there is not an Authority great enough to contain and keep them to their duty This misfortune hapned to France after the death of King Henry II. as soon as he was no more the Factions which were formed during his Reign began to appear and by an unluckly fate met with to fortifie themselves differing Parties in Religion great numbers of Malecontents lovers of Novelties and which was more and worse Soldiers of Fortune who having been disbanded would needs get themselves some employment at what rate soever On one side were to be seen the Princes of the Blood and the Constable on the other the Princes of the House of Guise betwixt these two Parties the Queen Mother who was bargaining to make her best Market and sided sometime with
the one and then with the other In the midst of all these a young King as weak in mind as in body exposed to the first occupier and the prize contended for the Government of the Kingdom As for the Guises they were Five Brothers the Duke the Cardinal de Lorraine the Duke d'Aumale the Cardinal de Guise and the Marquess d'Elbeuf we are not to make any reck'ning of the three last because they acted nothing but by the inspiration and motion of the other two The Duke drew his Party to him by the Reputation of his Valour his Liberality and his Affability the Cardinal de Lorraine by his Eloquence and his Learning They were notwithstanding of very different humors the Duke moderate just undaunted in dangers the Cardinal hot undertaking and vain puffed up with good success but trembling and faint-hearted at the least frowns of Fortune Amongst the Princes of the Blood there was Anthony King of Navarre Lewis Prince of Condé the Duke of Montpensier and the Prince de la Roche-sur-yon Anthony was a voluptuous and fearful Prince and more considerable for his Quality then his Power Lewis was Valiant Hardy and one the greatness of whose Courage and meanness of whose slender Fortune made him fit to undertake every thing Anthony did not stand firm but abandoned his younger Brother to his Year of our Lord 1559 very death he fluctuated in doubts of Religion and was neither a good Catholick nor right Lutheran His Brother followed the Opinions of Calvin The Guises seized upon the Kings Person because he had Married their Niece Mary Steward Queen of Scotland and upon the favourable pretence of the Catholick Religion The others made sure of the Male-contents the disbanded Souldiers and the protection of the Religionaries whose dispair was yet much greater and stronger then their numbers The Mareschal de Saint André a Lord as brave as witty and polite but very Luxurious and over-head and ears in debt devoted himself wholly to them and promised the Duke to bestow his Daughter upon which of his Sons he pleased with all the Estate belonging both to him and his Wife reserving only the clear revenue during their term of Life This he did fearing to be devoured by his Creditors should he ever happen to be expell'd the Court. The Constable a great temporiser and who had wont to be prime Minister of State could not stoop now to be Inferior He admitted the flatteries and caresses of both Parties but at length adhered to the Guisians in hatred to the novel opinions being perswaded by his Wife and second Son that the Title he bare of the first Christian Baron would not allow him to linck himself with those who did impugne the Catholick Religion The Duke of Montpensier and the Prince de la Roche Sur-Yon though both of the House of Bourbon were led by the same motives and did not so much respect the proximity of Blood as the name of the Ancient Church and the King from whom they would not start aside for any other Consideration whatsoever A motive directly contrary to the Constables cast the Admiral de Coligny and his Brother Dandelot Colonel of the French Infantry on the side of those Princes who favour'd the new Religion of which they were thoroughly convinced and perswaded besides that they had the Honour to be Allied to the Prince of Condé For he had Married Elenora de Roye Daughter of one Magdelain de Mailly who was their Sister by the Mothers side she and they being Born of Louisa de Montmorency who was first Married to Frederic du Mailly Then to the Mareschal de Chastillon Father of these two Lords When King Henry II. received his hurt the Queen Mother was in suspence a day or two whether to joyn with the Constable or the Guises She looked upon both the one and the other as her Enemies being all Allied to the Dutchess of Valentinois whom she hated mortally though in her Husbands Life-time she feigned to love her even to the height of confidence But she thought her self much more affronted by the Constable then the Guises because it was he that had last adventur'd to contract an Alliance with that Woman Besides the Guises utterly abandoned her notwithstanding the repugnance of the Duke d'Aumale who was her Son in Law and withal they promised this Queen so much Service and so great Submission that she resolved to stand by them To which me may add that being Uncles to the young King as they were it might perhaps have been out of the reach of her power or interest to have set them aside When the Constable perceived his Game was near lost he sent in all post hast to the King of Navarre to press him to come and take that Place and Authority his Birth justly claimed under the young King but that Prince who was slow and irresolute and who withal did not much confide in him because he had once advised the deceased King to seize upon the remainder of his petit Kingdom did not make much hast This signal fault and after this his strange irresolutions and the weakness of his Conduct during all this and the following Reign may be accounted indirectly amongst the principal and main causes of all the Troubles and Misfortunes that befel the Kingdom of France Wherefore the Guises having gained the Mastery at Court the King declared to the Parliaments Deputies when they came to wait on him That he had committed the direction of his Affairs to them that is to say the Intendance or Over-sight of all the Affairs of War to the Duke and that of the Finances or Treasury to the Cardinal Being thus establish'd they consider'd of removing out of the way all those that might be obnoxious They left the Constable and Mareschals of France no more Commission but to Bury the late King and sent the Princes of Condé and de la Roche Sur-Yon into Spain the first to carry the Coller of the Order to King Philip the other to get the Treaty of Peace confirmed They likewise banished the Dutchess of Valentinois from the Court but first obliged her to restore and deliver up the Jewels and the rich Furniture and Year of our Lord 1559 Goods the late King had bestowed upon her and took away her fair House of Chenonceaux to accommodate the Queen-Mother in exchange for the Castle of Chaumont upon the Banks of the River Loire Desiring by embellishing the face of their new Government with a shew of Goodness and Justice towards the publick to condemn the Government past they took the Seals from Bertrandi Cardinal and Archbishop of Sens whose reputation was not of the best and restored them to the Chancellor Ol vier a person really of a much more then ordinary merit and of great probity but who soon perceived they had recalled him to servitude rather then to a freedom of function in the highest Office of the Kingdom The Queen-Mother in the mean time
with the Queen Mother the Princes of Montpensier and de la Roche Sur-Yon the Guises and all the great ones of the Court went to Orleans after he had quartered his Gent-darmerie and other Soldiers in all the Cities Forty Miles about and disarmed the Citizens of Orleans for the most part tainted with the new opinions and suspected to have intended to deliver it up to the Prince of Condé as they did two years after He forthwith sent Messengers into several Provinces to lay hands upon all such as the Guises had a mind to involve in the Conspiracy an ill omen for the Prince of Condé And indeed as soon as he and his Brother were Arrived and had saluted the King Philip de Mailly Brezé and Francis le Roy Chavigny Captains of the Life Guards Seized him and Convey'd him to a House in the Market place called l'Estape at the Corner whereof they had raised a kind of Bastion of brick with a Platform defended by several Small Cannon The King of Navarre his Brother was not secured but perceived he was very narrowly observ'd and forsaken by all excepting the Admiral and the Cardinal de Chastillon his Brother who faithfully accompanied him Dandelot more apprehensive had retired himself to his Wifes Estate in Bretagne The Dame de Roye Mother in Law to the Prince of Condé was likewise Arrested some few dayes after in his own House and carried to the Castle of Saint Germains en Laye So was Hierosme Grollot Bailiff of Orleans accused of holding Correspondence with the Religionaries and Bouchard Chancellor to the Navarrois was brought from Saint Jean d'Angely as a material Witness that knew the most for the Conviction of the Prince The Order for seizing the Prince was proposed by the Mareschal de Brissac who boldly exposed himself to all for the Guises the King signed it and after him the Chancellor though with regret The Chancellor Christopher de Thou a President in Parliament and two Councellors with the Procuror or Solicitor General Bourdin and the Register Du Tillet went to interrogate him He refused to answer them and said he owned no other Judges then the whole Body of Parliament together with the Pairs and the King there presiding But this appeal and all such others he made afterwards were declared null by the Kings Council and upon the Sollicitor Generals Petition it was order'd that he should answer or that he should be held as fully Convict and that in the mean time the Witnesses should be re-examined whereupon he demanded Councel they assigned him two Advocates of Paris Peter Robert and Francis de Marillac He was afterwards confronted with Witnesses which were brought in from all Parts and then saw himself in most eminent danger But the Queen Mother found her Authority in no less hazard for the Guises who thought themselves already above all by the approaching ruine of their Enemy began to slight and despise her of whom they stood no longer in need Grollot being Condemned to die his Sentence was looked upon by all Men as a prejudication and fore-runner of the Princes Now upon the Seventeenth of November the King being ahunting that he might not be present at the Execution of this unhappy man was seized with a heaviness in his head which in some dayes turned to an imposthume voiding it self by his Ear. The first Five or Six dayes the Distemper did not appear so dangerous in the mean time they carried on the Process against the Prince with so much hast and precipitation that stepping over many formalities they Condemned him to loose his Head The Sentence was signed by the greatest part of the Councellors of State and Men of the Robe excepting the Chancellor and the President Guillard de Mortier who observing the encrease of the Kings malady were so crafty as to spin out the Year of our Lord 1560 time and deferr it Amongst all the Knights of the Order and the Lords so much were they devoted to the Guises there was not one but the Count de Sancerre who refused it notwithstanding three express Orders from the King At the same time this terrible Sentence was forging the Physitians who in the case of Persons of so eminent a quality never give their Judgment clearly till the extremity declared that the King was very near his end Then did the Guises do their utmost to oblige the Queen to have the King of Navarre secured likewise but she having taken advice of the Chancellor could not resolve to give her consent That prudent Minister made her very sensible how the detention of those two Princes would necessarily leave and confirm all the Authority in the hands of the Guises whereas she ought to get it all to her self and over-rule both Parties by keeping them in equal balance And indeed both of them dreading her became her suppliants the Princes for their Lives which she had at her disposal the Guises for their Grandeur which she could soon pull down with the assistance of the Princes and submitted themselves to such Conditions as she pleased Anthony promised under his hand to yield the Regency to her which belonged to him as first Prince of the Blood reserving only the Title of Lieutenant General and the Guises swore to serve her for and against all Things being in this posture the King gave up his last gasp of breath the Fifth day of December He was Aged Sixteen years ten Months and a half of which he had Reigned only one year and five Months wanting five dayes He had no Child by Mary Stuart his Wife who the year following returned into her Kingdom of Scotland His Servants because of the Innocency of his manners and disposition called him The King without Vice a Title much more glorious then any other can be bestowed when it hath for it's Foundation not the imbecillity of mind and understanding but Wisdom and Vertue His death hapning favourably for the Princes and for the Montmorancies gave an occasion to their Enemies to say it had been hastned by Ambrose Paré his Chyrurgeon who was a Creature of the Constables and had injected Poison into his Ear. Others but a long while afterwards observing the perverse ambition and the Conduct of Queen Catherine de Medicis suspected her as guilty of that Crime as well as of the death of the Daufin Francis his Brother in Law and of Charles IX his second Son Those that judged with more modesty found the cause to be in himself and said that having been generated of corrupt blood his Mother conceiving him after ten years sterility which proceeded from a suppression of ... he had ever been indisposed especially in his Head which did at no time discharge it self by the ordinary Channels so that the pituitous matter corrupting there caused that Imposthumation whereof he died All the Court Grandees were so busie about the contriving of their own Affairs that neither his Mother nor his Uncle took any care for his
them that they made a Decree quite contrary Whereupon the King made another in July referring the Cognizance of all Crimes of Sedition and unlawful Assemblies to the Presidial Courts and those of Heresie to the Judges Ecclesiastical by whom the Parties convict should be delivered up to the Secular Power who should not however condemn them to any thing above banishment Year of our Lord 1561 They had often discoursed of a National Council till that could be called it was thought convenient to have a Colloquy or Conference between the Catholick Priests and the Huguenot Ministers The Cardinal de Lorrain was one of the chief Promoters whether to hinder the National Council which did not at all please the Court of Rome or to make ostentation of his learning and eloquence The Ministers did likewise promise much advantage to themselves for by this means they were made equal with Bishops whereas in a Council they could have had no place Besides they thought themselves able enough to throw Dust in the Catholicks Eyes and they reckon'd they must needs have the better of it seeing the two Bishops of Sées and of Valence who were of the most knowing Prelates leaned towards them Year of our Lord 1561. in May. In the interim the Assembly of the States which had been adjourned to Pontoise in May began to fall to work Whatever the Regents Emissaries had been able to do there was yet so much of the ancient French spirit left in the heads of the Deputies as would not suffer them to let a Woman have the Regency the King of Navarre was forced to go thither himself to let them know he had yielded up his right and together with the Mareschal de Montmorency Governor of the Isle of France intreat them they would speak no more of it This was not sufficient but for fear they should bring it again upon the Stage it was judged necessary to dismiss the Assembly till the Month of August and to appoint it might be held at Saint Germain en Laye where they did meet The King was present there sitting on his Throne the Queen-Mother at his left hand with her Daughter Margaret and somewhat lower the King of Navarre the Cardinal de Bourbon and the Prince of Condé before these on the right hand were the Constable on the left the Chancellor the Duke of Guise as grand Chamberlain lay at the Kings Feet The Cardinals pretended to take place before the Princes of the Blood and had often had it in other Assemblies but it was now judged otherwise in favour of those Princes The Cardinals de Chastillon and d'Armagnac did acquiesce and the old Cardinal de Bourbon remained there also who having the right of birth before the Prince of Condé had likewise the precedence but the Cardinals de Tournon de Lorrain and de Guise would not submit to it and so withdrew The Admiral being the person that had persuaded the King of Navarre and the Deputies of the Estates to confirm the Regency to the Queen-Mother She would in recompence whilst She stood in need of him favour the Huguenot party and according to that Air wherewith She had inspired the Court or to intimidate the Clergy and incline them to give Money it was observed that in this Assembly every thing was turned against the whole Body of them Those that spoke in the name of the third Estate and the Nobility mentioned no other thing but their irregularities and disorder and concluded as the Hereticks ever do and all such as have more Policy then Religion not so much to reform them as to retrench their vast Riches and take away their Temporal Jurisdiction and adjudg the possessions of Religious Rents to the King They added that a National Council ought to be called and in the mean time did tolerate the Religionaries to Preach with all freedom in such Temples where the King should appoint and give leave After these Harangues they considered and debated the propositions contained in the Deputies papers and instructions wherein some Reglements were made by way of satisfaction But the Regent did not forget to take those advantages which the Council of Kings is ever wont to draw from such Assemblies that is to say great Sums of Money For the Clergy having a hot Allarm gave consent they should raise four Tenths in Six years and the third Estate five Solz upon every Tierce of Wine that was carried into any Walled Town An impost that hath encreased ever since that time to this very day The day for the Colloquy being come there met six Cardinals and four Bishops at Poisy with a good number of the Most Learned Theologues amongst others Claude d'Espences and Claude de Saintes that which made the number of these Prelates there so great was their being sent for to advise about the place and time for a Council and to deliberate concerning the publick Affairs of the State Now before the Ministers were come they had propounded several things amongst themselves in order to restore the Discipline supposing as it was true that the corruptions thereof had given rise and birth to the present heresies but they came to no result of any importance Year of our Lord 1561 Some days afterwards ten or twelve Ministers arrived there the most famous of them were Theodore de Beze Augustin Marlorat Francis Morel who compiled the first Articles of their Religion Peter Martyr and John Viret The King and the Regent were present with the Royal Family the Princes of the Blood the Bishops Cardinals Council of State and the Grandees of the Kingdom both of the one and the other Religion all seated according to their Qualities and Degrees within a place enclosed with rails the Doctors were behind the Bishops upon low Forms The Ministers would have gone within the Enclosure but they were excluded and remained without and standing Though the Colloquy was appointed upon the Tenth of August it did not however commence till the Fourth of September After the Chancellor had open'd it the Cardinal de Tournon desired since the thing was new and without a President he might deliberate or consult of it with the Clergy The Queen-Mother would not allow it and commanded de Beze to speak for they had resolved to treat of and handle the questions by discourses and harangues not by argumentations month September and syllogismes which suited very well with the desire the Cardinal de Lorrain and Beze had to shew their Eloquence We may say of de Beze on this occasion to say no worse that he had neither the prudence nor the moderation he ought to have shown For upon the point touching the Holy Sacrament his zeal transported him to such expressions and discourses as horribly grated the Catholick Ears saying that the Body of Jesus Christ was as far distant from the Eucharist as Earth is from Heaven The Prelates trembled with horror of the expression the Cardinal de Tournon made a great deal of noise and
maintaining the ancient Religion they laboured to set up an absolute and unlimited power over those Provinces who owed no further obedience then according to their Laws and Priviledges The procedure of the Cardinal de Granvelle who treated the Grandees of the Country very imperiously exasperated them yet more Divers Conspiracies were contrived against him the fear of which forced him to retire to Besanson but his Spirit Reigned in Flanders still and perswaded the Council of Spain not to abate in the least but proceed and carry on the work with the utmost severity The Council of State of the Order of the Fleece and Governors of the Provinces wherein Margaret Dutchess of Parma Governess of the Low-Countries presided thought good to send Egmont into Spain to represent the ill Consequences that would attend the publication of their too severe Edicts He returned with fair words and great caresses but Philip sent Orders to the Governess to publish the Council of Trent and set up the Inquisition The States of Brabant opposed it the Religionaries heated the people the Governess apprehending a revolt was constrained to put forth a Declaration which revoked the Inquisition and would not suffer the Council to be published but with restrictions conformable to the Priviledges of the Country But the Populace for the most part pre-possest with the Doctrine of the Sectaries were not satisfied with that but threatned to fall foul upon the Nobility in so much as the Lords of the Country dreading their fury or pretending so assembled at Gertrudemberg and made a League amongst themselves for the preservation of their Liberties The Governess being much amazed at this Conspiracy the Count de Barlaimont who hated them mortally told her they were only a Company of Gueux The Conspirators hearing of it took that Epithet or word for the name of their Faction and began to wear upon their Coats the figure of a wooden Porringer or Dish with this Inscription Servants of the King even to the Budget Immediately as if that had been the Signal for their rising the Religionaries broke loose in every part of the Country They began to hold Assemblies to destroy and break in pieces all what the Catholicks esteem most sacred and to seize upon some Towns as the Huguenots of France did formerly with whom they had kept intimate correspondence for several years Year of our Lord 1566 and 67. Of two Opinions debated in the Council of Spain touching the Method to extinguish this Flame Philip chose that of the Duke d'Alva as most suitable to his mercyless humour and his desire of absolute authority which was to use the utmost severities to quell those Tumults and not to receive the people to any kind of Mercy till they had given up their Priviledges their Estates and even their Lives to his discretion Wherefore after he had pretended for three Months together that he would go personally thither to settle that people he sent the Duke of Alva with Orders to execute those sanguinary resolutions of which he was the Author He Marched by Savoy Bress the Franche-Comté and Lorrain with the Forces of Milanois and of the Kingdom of Naples Whilst he was yet in Italy he advised Queen Catherine to arm on her part to exterminate the Huguenots at the same time as he would destroy the Gueux In effect she raised six thousand Swiss and ordered the Governors of Provinces to send the Companies already on foot called d'Ordonnance and to levy new ones but it was under pretence of Coasting the Duke to observe and hinder him from undertaking any thing upon the Frontiers of the Kingdom Before he left Spain the Marquiss de Bergue and Floris de Montmorency Montigny were arrested having been sent on the behalf of the States of the Low-Countries to make their Remonstrances to King Philip. The first died either of grief or some morsel prepar'd for the purpose the second had his head cut off though both of them were very stanch Catholicks which made it apparent that the Council of Spain intended no less against the liberty of the Low-Countries then against the new Religion Year of our Lord 1567. June c. Now it is certain that the Duke of Alva's Army kindled the flame of Civil War again in France The Huguenots seeing them march imagin'd That the Pope and the House of Austria had conspired their ruine that this design was evident because they every day restrained them more and more of that liberty which had been granted them by Edicts so that it was almost reduced to nothing Year of our Lord 1567 that the people fell upon them in all places where they were the weaker and where they were able to defend themselves the Governors made use of the Kings Authority to oppress them that they dismantled those Cities that had favour'd them that they built Citadels there that they could not have justice done them either in Parliaments nor by the Kings Council that they Massacred them impunitively that they restored them not to their Estates and Employments These were in substance the complaints they carried twice or thrice to the Prince of Condé and Coligny who having met them two several times still answered them that they must endure any thing rather then take up Arms again That a second disturbance would make them become a horror to all France and the particular object of hatred to the King in whose mind it would make so deep an impression of prejudice against them in his blooming youth as nothing hereafter would be able to blot out But when one of the Chief Persons about the Court had given them certain notice that it was resolved on to seize upon the Prince and the Admiral the first to be detained a perpetual Prisoner the other to be brought to the Scaffold Dandelot the boldest of them made them resolve not only to defend themselves but to attack their Enemies by open force and to that purpose drive away the Cardinal de Lorrain from the King and cut the Swiss in pieces this was their first aim but no man alive nay not themselves could have told to what height their success might have carried them had it proved such as they desired The little City of Rosoy in Brie was Assigned for Rendezvous of the Nobility of the Party on the eighth and twentieth day of September The Prince with the Admiral Dandelot and the Count de la Rochefaucaut seized upon it without any difficulty there being Arrived several Gentlemen from divers parts one by one till they made up the number in all of Four Hundred Masters They had a mind to surprize the Court which was then at Monceaux on the Feast day of Saint Michael when the King was to have held the Chapter of his Order but the Queen having Information that they were upon their March immediately retired with the King to Meaux And to give her Swissers time who were quarter'd in the Neighbouring Villages to get into the
Vicounty d'Vzes in Languedoc for Anthony de Crussol As simply Dutchies the Vi-county of Toüars in Poitou for Lewis de la Trimouille the Seigneury of Roüanais for Claude Gouffier Boisy The same Vices of Wantonness Luxury Impiety and Magical Abominations which reigned under Henry II. triumphed over Charles IX with an uncontrouled Licence But besides those Disorders Treacheries Poisonings and Assassinates became so common that it was made a Sport to take away the life of any man if they could reap but the least advantage by it I do not speak of that Murthering and Bloody Spirit which had possess'd the Minds of men divided in Opinions of Religion Before this Reign it was wont to be the Man's part both by Example and Courtship to persuade and tempt the Women to Galanteries but now since amorous intrigues were joyned with the greatest Mysteries of State the Women ran after the Men The Husbands laid the Bridle in their Necks either out of Complaisance or Interest and besides those that delighted in Variety found their own Satisfaction in this liberty which instead of one Wife furnished them with an Hundred As to Magick it is certain the Queen Mother had puzled her Brain with those impious Curiosities She was so fond as to wear Characters and Spells about her There are some yet preserved in being which are marked upon a thin Skin supposed to be of a Still-born Child People of vain and light Fancies were easily inclined to follow her example A Priest named des Eschéles who was Executed at the Grove for having conversed with Evil Spirits accused Twelve hundred more of the same Crime So sayes my Author I know not whether we may believe him for such as have once filled their heads with these Crude and Melancholy Imaginations thinks every little Trick to be the Operation of Demons and Sorcerers Interregnum of Three Months Year of our Lord 1574 SO soon as King Charles his Eyes were closed up by the cold hand of Death the Queen Mother wrote to all the Governors that he had left her the Regency and obliged even the Duke of Alencon though a Captive as he then was to give his Declaration But it was admired that in a Post-script she gave an account of the Sickness and Death of the King saying She did thus to take away all such Scruples as some might have conceived The same day she dispatched a Courier into Poland and the next day a second to give notice thereof to her Dear Son and intreat him earnestly to return as soon as he possibly could Those from the Prince of Condé had got the start of hers and given so hot an Alarm at Cracovia that the King being narrowly observed it might be thought no easie task to steal away from so many Eyes as were upon him The Queen Mother in the mean time was put to no little trouble to preserve her Authority amidst that great Confusion of Affairs and the general Hatred of all Men. Her Enemies having lost all respect together with their fears defamed her with biting Satyrs the People talked insolently of her Conduct and these Universal Murmurings made it plainly appear that all were ready to run open mouth upon her Notwithstanding all this loud noise did not much startle her she having the Heads of every Faction in her Power and Custody The Mareschals were strongly guarded in the Bastille by City Companies who every day relieved each other And for the two Princes she had removed them from the Bois de Vincennes to the Louvre where she not only secur'd them by Soldiers who carefully watched their Motions and by Windows double barr'd about all their Lodgings but also by the Charms of her beauteous Maids into whose Apartment they had liberty of access at all hours to make their Chains seem the lighter and the time of their Captivity less tedious and rude Matignon had with much regret put Montgommery into her hands the Parliament was commanded to make his Process The Death of King Henry II. which she desired to revenge upon this Noble-man was rather his Misfortune than his Crime what he had acted during the three Civil Wars was pardoned by the Edicts of Pacification so that they could charge him with nothing but this his last taking up of Arms nevertheless in his Sentence they added That it was for carrying the English Colours when he came to relieve Rochel He was Condemned to be Drawn in a Tumbrel to the Greve and there to lose his Head his Posterity to be degraded of their Nobility month June c. They put him to cruel Torment on the Rack to make him discover the Complices in the pretended Conspiracy of the Admiral The Tortures could force nothing from him but Complaints for having violated the Faith they had given him He went to Execution all over bruised in his Body but with so Serene a Countenance and such Tranquility of Mind as would have merited much Commendation in a better Cause and Pity for any one that had been less Cruel This great example of Severity was rather to intimidate the factious about the Court than the Huguenots for after the Saint Bartholomew nothing could frighten them The Juncture was very favorable but they had no Princes nor Persons of Quality to Head them they wanted Money and the People in their great Cities as Nismes Montauban and Rochel would not confide in the Nobility And to say truth most of the Gentry sought but to be hired if they could but have Money enough bid for their Service She did not think fit to attaque them towards Poitou nor Guyenne they being there too numerous and strong but she renewed some Negociations with la Noüe and their other Chiefs which concluded in a Truce for the Months of July and August During that time they had leave to hold at Millaud a general Assembly of the Provinces of Guyenne Daufiné and Languedoc to consult of some Expedients for the Treating of a general Peace Gramont had been sent into Bearn to reduce it to the ancient Religion Being in the Castle of Haguenau where he assembled the Nobility the young Baron of Arros surprized him there in the boldest manner that can be possibly imagined This Gentleman prompted to so desperate an Undertaking by the Persuasions of Year of our Lord 1574 his Father who was Fourscore years of old and Blind entred the Castle as did the other Gentlemen with Ten or Twelve resolute Fellows and when he saw his opportunity falls a Charging all that stood before him slew scatter'd and made the amazed Crowd to fly and carried off Gramont Prisoner The Army of the Prince Daufin being entred into Daufiné a Party of his Van-Guard was cut off at the Bridge de Royans by Montbrun who afterwards failed in an Enterprize upon Die The Prince Daufin had a Design to clear that Country of all those Places the Huguenots held there he gained two or three of them then ran himself aground before Livron
some noble inclinations for great things he easily addicted himself to shew his State Year of our Lord 1577 and Grandeur in those pomps and vanities which carry some outward appearance of Greatness His Favourites had possess'd him with the opinion that all his Subjects wealth was his own and that France being an unexhaustible Fountain of Riches the greatest prodigality could never incommode him It is almost incredible what excessive Sums he lavishly squander'd away and in what magnificent wantonness he wasted them He plaid and lost one night Fourscore thousand Crowns he went often in Masquerade he was seen to run at the Ring in a Ladies Dress with all the trinkets and gew-gaws of a proud gossip he made one Feast amongst many others where the Women waited and served at Table in the habits of Men clad in Green all the Guests wearing the same Livery and the Queen his Mother requited him with another in the same kind where the fairest Ladies about the Court acted the like parts with their white Bosoms open and their Hair dishevel'd The poor People paid for all these follies and mourned many years for a divertisement that lasted perhaps but some few hours The Kings Coffers were empty and they must have recourse to the worst methods for the filling them again particularly the creation of new Offices which the Italian furnished with Titles and perswaded him that such a multiplication was an excellent means to get Money without violence to any man and to render the Kings power more absolute by filling every City with Creatures of his own and such as would be tied fast to his interests thorow fear of losing their employments and so aid him in suppressing his Subjects and force them to lie quiet and submissively under the feet of Power ☜ This luxurious humour which travelled into every Countrey for divertisements brought from the furthest parts of Italy a band of Comedians whose Plays consisting of amorous intrigues and agreeable inventions to stir up and soothe the softest passions proved most pernicious corrupters of Modesty and Virtue and Schools of impudence They obtained Letters Patents for their establishment as they had been some excellent Society The Parliament rejected them as vagabonds or such Cattle whom good Morality the Holy Canons the antient Fathers and even our own Kings had ever esteemed infamous and forbid them to act or endeavour any more hereafter the obtaining of such License or Patent and notwithstanding no sooner was the Court returned from Poitiers but the King would have their Theatre open'd again month October This year appeared the greatest Comet that had been ever seen it took up Thirty degrees in length embracing the Signs Sagitarius and Scorpio the Tail turned towards the West it was observed from the Eighteenth of October till about the end of November An Astronomer found it to be of the same height as the Planet Venus Year of our Lord 1577 In the preceding Month of March John de Morvilliers Bishop of Orleans a great Statesman died at Blois and in the Month of July the Mareschal de Montluc at his House of Estillac in Agenois Armand Gontaud had the Mareschals staff vacant by the death of Montlue and quitted his Office of Great Master of the Ordnance which was given to Philibert de la Guiche one of the Kings Favorites There was open enmity between the King the Duke of Anjou and the Duke of Guise The great courage of this last and weakness of the other two made him almost their equal Their hatred broke into quarrels between their Favorites Quelus who was one of the Kings Darlings challenged Entroguet who was the Duke of Guises and took for his Seconds Livarrot and Maugiron who was likewise in favour ✚ His adversary chose Rybeyrac and Schombert Till this time Seconds had only served for witnesses of a combat but an itch of fighting came upon these and this one bad example has lasted to this very day Maugiron was killed upon the spot Quelus was brought back wounded in Sixteen places whereof he died in a Months time The King loved both these so infinitely that he kissed them when dead caused their flax-Locks to be cut off and treasured them up carefully assisted Quelus to his very death serving him with his own hands and erected a stately Mausoleum for them both in St. Pauls Church Some time after he likewise caused the Body of St. Maigrin to be interred there and Statues of all the three to be set upon their Tombs the rabble broke them down and dragg'd them to the River on the day of the barricades This St. Maigrin was also one of his Minions whom the Duke of Mayenne caused to be pistoll'd at his coming out of the Louvre for having vaunted he was in favour with the Dutchess of Guise For this reason the other Minions who apprehended the like Treatment if they plaid with such rough Gamesters never ceased exasperating the King by their stories and reports concerning these Princes and seeking by all manner of ways to ruine them Being thus pusht at they consider'd how to defend themselves and when they had examin'd and found their own strength and the Kings softness they did not stop at the defensive but carried things to a far greater height then their most daring thoughts durst ever make them hope to attain Whilst the Queen-Mother was in Guyenne whither she went to confer with the King of Navarre under pretence of carrying his Wife to him whom he little valued and by whom he was not esteemed much more the Duke of Anjou Treated with Year of our Lord 1577 the States-General of the Vnited-Provinces this was on the Tenth day of August and was assured moreover that Charles de Ganre Inchi Governour of Cambresis would deliver up to him the Citadel of Cambray for the Queen of Navarre his Sister had gained that Lord the year before in a journey she made to the Spaa Year of our Lord From Anno 1568. to the year 1578. We must now relate what had been transacted in those Provinces for some years past The Duke of 〈…〉 them near Five years during which time he exercised most unexpressible cruelties insomuch that he bragg'd that the very Confiscations of the Estates of those he had butcher'd amounted to Eight Millions of Gold yearly and the number of People who had suffer'd by the hands of the Hangman was Eighteen thousand He was recalled in the year 1513. by King Philip and Lewis dé Requesens Grand Commander of Castille put in his place This last gained a Battle at Mouker-Heyde near Nimeghen wherein Ludovic de Nassau was slain this was in Anno 1574. He afterwards assembled the Estates-General to raise some Moneys but far from granting any they firmly united together to desend their liberty and they took so much hearty grace upon his death which hapned some Months afterwards as to seize upon the Government which was then left in the hands of the Council of State till 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
de Bourbon and the Archbishop at liberty While he was entring the second time upon his Confession he fell into a swoon then utterly losing his speech he expir'd about four in the morning the Second day of August which was the next after his being wounded The preceding Evening the King of Navarre informed of the danger he was in came to visit him the frequent sits of fainting he fell into every moment would not allow him to make long discourses but when dead the several Factions made many different ones for him according to their Interests The Catholicks reported he exhorted him to abjure his Heresie and to profess the true Faith the Huguenots on the contrary that he desired them to refer those Disputes to the Convocation of the Estates General some others that he conjured them to remain united and pursue the Revenge for his Death but it is most certain that he embraced him several times and that he called him his good Brother and his lawful Successor They carried his Corps to St. Cornille de Compeigne where it reposed till the year 1610. when it was brought to St. Deuis with that of the Queen his Mother which was at Blois to accompany the Funeral Pomp of Henry the Great Both of them were placed in the Mausoleum of the Valois Benoise Secretary of the Closet a faithful Servant caused his Heart and Bowels to be buried in a private place of the Church of St. Cloud then when Henry IV. had restored France to its perfect Peace he placed an Epitaph there which is yet to be seen and founded an Anniversary for him Henry III. ceased to live in the Eleventh Month of the Nine and thirtieth year of his Age and the second of the sixteenth of his Reign He had no Children by Queen Louisa his Wife she survived him till the year 1601. and the Forty seventh of her Age. She made choice for her retirement of the Castle of Moulins which was part of her Dower where she passed the remainder of her days in the continual exercise of Piety and Christian Vertues With this King ended the Branch of the Valois who had Reigned One hundred and sixty one years accounting from Philip IV. and furnished France with thirteen Kings most of them Magnificent Liberal Valiant Religious and Lovers of Polite Learning bâ—t to say the truth not over-fortunate in War who notwithstanding have acquired to this Kingdom by good Conduct rather then by force Daufine Year of our Lord 1589 Burgundy Provence and Bretagne and chaced the English wholly out of France after a War of an hundred and thirty years together with various success and fortune But who began to burthen the People with Tails and Impositions little known in the Reigns of their Predecessors unless in cases of urgent necessity by grant of the Estates and only for a time who have alienated the Sacred Demesns of the Crown permitted Plebeians to possess Fiefs taken away Canonical Elections of Benefices introduced the Venality of Offices and even of Nobility multiplied Officers of Justice and of Finance composed great numbers of Reiglements and Ordonnances changed the ancient Militia of the Kingdom to entertain Soldiers upon pay level'd the power of the great Lords called Women into the Court and in fine made many other changes whereof we must refer the Judgment to the Sages whether they be more profitable or prejudicial to the State Henry IV. King LXII POPES SIXTUS V. near thirteen years under this Reign URBAN VII Elected the 15th of September 1590. S. only twelve days GREGORY XIV Elected the fifth of December 1590. S. ten Months ten days INNOCENT IX Elected the 29th of October 1591. S. two Months CLEMENT VIII Elected the 30th of January 1592. S. thirteen years and one Month. LEO XI Elected the first of April 1605. S. twenty seven days PAUL V. Elected the 16th of May 1605. S. fifteen years and near nine Months whereof five years under this Reign HENRY IV. King LXII Aged Thirty five years and eight Months Year of our Lord 1589. August ALthough there had been hitherto no example in France of a Prince that came to the Crown from a degree so remote as was Henry King of Navarre in respect of King Henry III. to whom he was of Kin but in the tenth or eleventh nevertheless it was the Sentiment both of the People and the Lawyers that this succession in a Masculine Line extended to infinity And indeed those that would have excluded him did not make this distance beyond the seventh degree any part of their pretence but the defect of his Religion and they believed they had so shut up all the Avenues by the Edict of Re-union which the Estates General and the deceased King had twice sworn and by Pope Sixtus his Bull that they imagined he could never attain it even though he were converted During the night between the Second and third of August whilst his Predecessor was in his greatest agony he held several Councils tumultuarily in the same House with his most cordial Servants then when he saw he was giving up the ghost he retired to his quarters at Meudon followed at first by a good number of the Nobility who accompanied him out of curiosity rather then affection And there being lock'd up in his Chamber he consulted sometimes with one sometimes with others shewing great confidence to all but generally suspecting every one Some though but a very few swore fealty to him without any Condition Biron the most considerable and the most imperious of all those that were there believing the Kingdom was going to be dismembred as it had been at the end of the Carlien Race made known he desired to have the County of Perigord for his share The King commanded Sancy to offer it to him but Sancy who could not claim the like advantage for himself did so picque him with generosity as he renounced that demand and went along with him to the Swiss Soldiers to persuade them to remain in the Service of the new King The fear they had of losing their pay was a strong charm to hold them by however some of them disbanded This was a great advantage for the new King but as to the rest he was without Money and without Credit the Princes of the Blood had neither the power nor will to serve him the old Cardinal de Bourbon was his Concurrent the Cardinal de Vendosms ambition gave him jealousie the humour of the Count de Soissons agreed but ill with his the Prince of Conty Brother to those two Princes was of little effect by reason of his deafness and his other natural defects Montpensier their Cousin the richest and most powerful of them all was well enough content he should be King and never would have endured any other but he desired he would abjure his Religion Year of our Lord 1589. August As to the Lords who were in the deceased Kings Army they were not very well inclined towards him Those that had
Catholick Religion and Union with the Holy See Immediately the King named the Duke of Nevers and four or five other Persons of rare Merit as well Churchmen as some of the Robe for this Negociation and the Duke of Mayenne on his part chose the Cardinal de Joyeuse and the Baron de month August Senescay but he dispatched them not till three Months after and in the mean time suffer'd himself I know not how to be re-engaged with the Spaniards by a new Oath he took never to depart from the Holy Vnion not to Treat with the King of Navarre whatever Act of a Catholick he should perform and to proceed to the Election of a most Year of our Lord 1593 month August Christian King upon Condition they would furnish him with Twelve thousand Foot six thousand Horse by them maintained and some other Conditions But at the same time fearing lest they should contrive some new Projects with the Estates he sent part of the Deputies back into the Provinces under colour of informing the People of the present posture of Affairs As for the residue of this Assembly they remained in Paris till the Reduction of the City being maintained by the King of Spain who allowed them Eight thousand Crowns a Month. He could not so easily get off from the Leâ—a s instances who demanded the Council of Trent might be received entire by the Gallican Church Although the Parliament and the Chapters opposed it he was fain to give him this satisfaction by a Declaration which was deliver'd to the Estates but he eluded the Execution having first drawn this Assurance from him That if there were any thing relating to the Immuâ—ities and the Franchises of the Kingdom that ought to be maintain'd his Hâ—liness being required to allow the simâ— should make no denial or difficulty month August The Truce in the mean time put a stop to theiâ— proceedings in the Provinces It made the Duke of Aâ—ercoeur raise his Sieâ—e of Moâ—t o nour drew the Royalists from that of Poitiers which Bâ—issac most valiantly defendeâ— and â—reed the Ca tle of Cavours from the Duke of Savoy This Prince had been handled very ill by Lâ—sdiguieres and had likewise the misfortune some Months before to lose Roderick de Toledo General of the Milanese and Neapolitan Forces sent him by the King of Spain who was utterly defeated and slain at the descent of the Mountain which extends towards the Douere near the Village of Salbeltran Espernon had missed of surprizing Marseille but reduced Arles and from thence came the Five and twentieth of June to encamp before Aix where he built on the Hill St. Eutrope which commands the Town a great Fort or rather a Camp for the circumference was so vast that his whole Army lodged in it It seemed also as if he would make it a Counter-City having created two Consuls who wore Hoods and managed the Government of it He thinking to force Aix by this means did not punctually observe the Truce but doubled the Garison in his Fort and continued to stop all their Provisions The King who could ill suffer that a Man he did not love should establish himself by force in that Province made up a private Party to dispossess him He chose Lesâ—iguieres to be the Head and joyned six Gentlemen of Provence with him Oraison St. Cannat Valavoire Crotes and Buoux who were Governors of the places of Manosque Pertuis St. Maximin Digne and Forcalquier The absence of the Duke d'Espernon who was gone to Pezenas in Languedoc to confer with the Constable de Montmorency and the hatred the Provenceaux bare against him did marvellously favour their Enterprise As soon as Lesdiguieres had sent to Year of our Lord 1593 month August or shewed the Letters of Credence the King wrote to each of these five Gentlemen and had explained his intentions and meaning they all made a private League with the Count de Carces excepting Buoux who refused to open his Commission and remained in the Dukes Service The day appointed all by consent drove out the Gascons and the Espernouists from their places and the Count de Carces and those of Aix broke the Truce Escarrevaques and Souliers his Father in Law did likewise stir up the People of Toulon and besieged the Citadel which they took by the help of two hundred Slaves month October to whom they gave their liberty Signarc who commanded there fell by the Sword with all his Garison but Esgarrevaques his Enemy was first wounded by a Musquet Shot of which he died Upon the rumour of this Rising Tarascon and almost all the other Towns declared against Espernon nothing was wanting to compleat the Enterprize but to shut up his Passage by the Rhosne and the Durance so that he should not have been able to return into the Country but they not minding to give Orders for it in due time he got again into his Fort and became strong enough to make them feel the smart of their imprudence When the Truce above mentioned was concluded the greater part of the Prelats Counsellors of State and such as were of the Parliament nay even some of the Deputies of the Estates had secretly tendred their Respects to the King either Personally or by the mediation of some Friends While the King was hovering about Paris one day the Seven and twentieth of August he being at Melun they happily discover'd an Assassin Suborned by some Leaguers who had undertaken to kill him with a Knife His name was Peter Barriere a Native of Orleans Aged Twenty month August seven years a Waterman by profession first then a Soldier The Prevost de l'Hostel made his Process there was not sufficient proof against him and the Torture of the Rack could not force him to own any thing but the Confessor who stood by him at his death prevailed with him to discover all He was condemned to have his Hand cut off holding the Knife in it his Flesh to be torn with red hot Pincers then broken alive and after he was dead to be burnt and his Ashes scatter'd in the Air. The King had frequent notice of the like Conspiracies most part contrived by Monks or Church-men and therefore a Peace was the only Soveraign Remedy that could allay the madness of so many Frantick Spirits he most earnestly desired to compass it and offer'd the Duke of Mayenne quite ruined as he was greater advantages yet then he had done when his Affairs were most flourishing but that Duke would not Treat till the Pope had given the King Absolution and besides he had not Strength enough to break those Bonds the Spaniards had cast upon him he Treated therefore at the same Instant both with the King and with them Year of our Lord 1593 Mean while to provide against all Events he endeavour'd to seize upon Lyons month August and joyn it with Burgundy imagining perhaps that he of the two Kings with whom he should agree might leave him that Country
his full Liberty to continue his Correspondence with the Spaniards that he might discover all their Secrets and give him a true account thereof The King seemed to confide in his Promises soon discover'd that he neither kept Faith with him nor his Enemies but juggled with both Thereupon he Commands him to Court The Count excuses it till he had his full and authentick Pardon they sent it to him but with this Clause That he should come to the King He could not find in his heart to relye upon the word of a Prince whom he had so often deceived so that the King resolved he should be Apprehended month July in Auvergne The Count stood much upon his guard and thought there was no Man in the world able to surprize him being so well fore-warn'd Notwithstanding Nerestan and the Baron of Eurre having inticed him into the Field to be present at the Muster of a Company of Gens-d'armes belonging to the Duke of Vendosme surrounded and dismounted him and took him in such manner month Septemb. c. as is at length related by the Historians of those times At the same time Entragues and his Wife were seized in their House at Malesherbes and the Marchioness in her Hostel at Paris The Count was brought to the Bastille and Entragues to the Conciergerie or Common-Goal of Paris It was necessary that all the world might see and know the Spaniards still maintained Factions in France The King therefore commanded his Parliament to proceed against these Criminals The event we shall shew in the next years Transactions Another Faction also did much discompose the King's Thoughts He could not deny the Hugenots leave to Assemble at Chastelleâ—ant and it was to be feared the Intrigues of the Mareschal de Bouillon and Credit of the Duke de la Trimouille month May. and du Plessis Mornay should put them upon Resolutions contrary to his will and interest But Rhosny under colour of going to take Possession of his Government of Poiton broke their measures And la Trimouille falling into Convulsions and then languishing died some while after Aged not above Four and Thirty years He was a Noble-man of great Courage and of most eminent Qualities Year of our Lord 1604 but not of such as suited with a Monarchick state The King diverted himself amidst all these Intrigues with Buildings and other such like Occupations when his leisure would give him leave as tended to the improvement of his Kingdom King Henry III. had begun the Pont-Neuf having built two Arches and brought the Pyles for the rest above the Water mark Henry IV. finish'd it so that People began to pass over about the end of the preceding year He carried on the Works also of the Louver Galleries the Castles Sainct Germain en Laye Fontainebleau and Monceaux which last he had bestow'd upon his Wife After his Example all the Great and the Rich fell to Building the City of Paris was visibly enlarged and embellished The Hospital Sainct Lewis was Erected for such as were infected with the Plague Some private people undertook the Place or Square Royal and others offer'd to make a much finer one in the Marese du Temple They likewise offer'd at many Projects to make several Rivers Navigable which either had never yet been so of else were now choaked up and to open a Communication between the greatest by means of the lesser lying nearest together with some new Channels where it should be necessary to carry it from the month May. one to the other They proffer'd to joyn the Seine to the Loire the Loire to the Soane and the Garonne with the Aude which falls into the Mediterraneum neer Narbonne The Conjunction of these two last would have made that of the two Seas As for that of the Seine and the Loire Rhosny undertook it drawing a Channel from Briare which lies on the Seine to Chastillon above Montargis upon the River Loin and falls into the Seine at Moret In this Channel they Collected all the Waters of the adjacent Rivolets designing to make Two and thirty Sluces to retain and let them go by flashes when needful to convey their Boats He Expended above Three hundred thousand Crowns but the change of Government made this design to miscarry though very much advanc'd It was a long while after taken up again and compleated at last In the Month of October a new Phenomena was observed in the Heavens which appeared four Months together It was at first taken for the Planet Venus because although it exceeded all the other Stars in Magnitude and Splendour yet had it no Tail but Observation soon found it was different from that Planet for they both appeared at the same time John Kepler a very Learned Mathematician wrote a Treatise of its Motion according to the Rules of Astronomy without troubling himself or the World to no purpose like the Judicial Prognosticators who upon this Apparition and the Conjunctions and Oppositions of some other Planets hapning this year and such as were to happen the year following made as is usual divers strange and terrible Predictions month March c. There was for about two Months an extream Scarcity in Languedoc and which would have caused a horrible Famine had they not been furnished with Wheat from Champagne and Burgundy by the Rivers of Soane and the Rhône The Plague also raged in several Provinces of France the soregoing year it had afforded Death a most plentiful Harvest in England When the Plague was ceased in those Countries King James hold his first Parliament in London to whom having made a Gracious and Royal Speech concerning the happy Union of the two Kingdoms the Affection he had for his Subjects the Laws and Regulations they were to make he desired of his Parliament and they granted it That from thence forward the Kingdoms of England and Scotland should be joyned into one Body under the Denomination of GREAT BRITAIN otherwhile used by the Romans Whereupon was Coined that Medal bearing this Inscription HENRICUS ROSAS REGNA JACOBUS His Speech was full of excellent things amongst others That he did not believe as Flatterers would fain persuade their Princes that God bestowed Kingdoms upon Men to satisfie their unruly Lusts and Pleasures but to take care of the Peace and Welfare of the People That the Head was made for the Body not the Body for the Head The Prince for the People not the People for the Prince month March c. The Subtil Scholiasts have so great an itch to bring every thing into Dispute that some Jesuits moved this year three Questions at Rome which begot great Contentions in Year of our Lord 1604 that Court and greater Scandal thorow-out all Christendom The First That it was not an Article of Faith to believe that Clement VIII was Pope which so enraged the Holy Father as without the Intercession of the Spanish Ambassador the Society had been in great Danger The Second That Sacramental Confession might be made
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
these Sacramentaries he made on the 2â— th of January that Solemn Procession which is described in all the Histories of those times and to expiate those impieties deliver'd up to the Flames six of those Wretches He afterwards caused divers others to be Condemned to the same sufferings but who went to their death with an alacrity and constancy worthy of a much better cause They had more to undergo yet in the Reign of Henry II. the aversion which the Dutchess of Valentinois had conceived against them in hatred to the Dutchess d'Estampes and the more Religious zeal of the Cardinal de Tournon renewed the Year of our Lord From the year 1947. search and prosecutions of them and besides this their ugly base attempts drew the anger of the Judges and the severity of the Laws upon their own heads For they fell upon Images and the Holy Sacrament not only by virulent writings but likewise with horrible Impieties In Anno 1550. a fantastical Fellow undertook in the open day-light to cut off the head of an Image of the Virgin in the Church of Nostre-Dame at Paris In fine maugre all punishments the mischief became so great that it was not in the power of man to extirpate it by force and besides the divers manners and methods of proceeding gave them opportunities to escape for sometimes they were left to the Judgment of the Secular Magistrates another while they were taken out of their hands to be carried before the Bishops then they sent them to the Presidial Courts created first as it was said by the suggestions of the Sacramentaries themselves with design of becoming Masters thereof by perswading and engaging their Friends to buy those new Offices Which however brought them little advantage in the end because at length the cognisance of those Crimes was referred to the Parliaments After the loss of the Battle of Sainct Quentins they lifted up their heads in divers parts of the Kingdom They had the confidence at Paris to meet by night Year of our Lord 1558 in a House of the Street Sainct Jacques The Magistrates having Information went thither well guarded those that were armed amongst them fought their way thorow the crowd and saved themselves some less desperate were seized all the Women were taken of whom four or five belonged to the Queen For she her self to be thought wise and pious seemed to have some tendency towards that Religion The accused defended themselves so well upon their Trials that their friends had time enough to get Letters of intercession from the Protestant Princes of Germany which saved their lives Anno 1554. They first began to have a Minister at Paris his Name was John Macon Four years after on the Nine and Twentieth of July they held their first Synod in the same City the number of those they have held since is almost infinite In that of Chaalons which was in the year 1563. they propounded to exterminate all Despotique Power the Papacy and Chicane or Pettyfogging which they termed the three Pests of humane kind It was but very lately they ordained that the singing of Psalms turned into French Meeter should be part of their Liturgy Marot had done but fifty only after his death Beza set himself about that work and finished the remainder This Version if we may so call it was published with excellent Tunes set and Composed by the most Famous Musicians of those Times The more pious of the People received them with applause and took delight in singing those Psalmes and Airs imagining by this means to suppress all filthy and impure Songs but when it came once to be understood that they were the Symbole of the Sacramentaries they not only abstained from them but also fell foul upon such as offer'd to sing them which occasioned great Tumults at Paris particularly in the year 1558. The Ministers of State were accused whether wrongfully or not for not having applied the true remedies against this Contagion whilst it infected none but the poorer sort by whose loss they could reap little gain being rather willing it should spread and take hold of the qualified and rich that they might have fines and great confiscations the only means whereby those in favour enriched themselves under the Reign of Henry II. In effect great numbers of People that were wealthy of Ecclesiasticks and of the most considerable Officers were found to be tainted many even of the best Heads belonging to the Parliament were coifed and possessed with it who might perhaps have drawn most of the Members of that body after them had not the King gone in Person to that famous Mercurial of the year 1559. and sent divers of them away Prisoners Some of these would needs justifie themselves the rest retracted the only Anne de Bourg was immolated for his Religion His example spoiled more then an hundred Ministers could have done by all their zealous Preaching Then the weakness of the Reign of Francis II the Minority of Charles IX the Causes of discord which animated the Princes of the Blood assisted by the three Chastillons against the Princes of the House of Guise the Maligne and Artificial Ambition of the Regent Catherine de Medicis who flatter'd sometimes the Huguenots sometimes the Catholicks according as she had need either of the one or the other In fine the Connivence of some great Magistrates and of several Bishops gave opportunities to this Sect both to strengthen and multiply and confirm themselves We have elsewhere spoken of the Tumult at Amboise the Enmities and Cabals of the Grandees for the Government the rise of the name of Huguenot given to the Calvinists who till that were called Sacramentaries and of the Prince of Conde's taking up Arms with the other Chiefs We shall not need Year of our Lord From 1560. to observe that those Furies wasted the Kingdom for thirty years together occasioned the giving of seven or eight battels and an infinite number of Combats were the death either by War or by more cruel Massacres of a Million of brave Men destroy'd two or three hundred Towns and reduced the richest and the most noble Families of France to the poor and humble subsistence of an Hospital It was the Kingdoms misfortune that this Reformation which the Huguenots Preached up so much was passionately desired by the best of people and their Cause hapning to be in some manner complicated with the interest of the State those who had an ambition to show themselves good French-men favour'd and supported them indirectly and Clubb'd Councils with them For this reason the Estates of Orleans did not endeavour to destroy them and some even of the Prelates themselves advised to allow them the Colloquy of Poissy and after that to grant them another Conference concerning Images Reliques and the Ceremonies which did greatly heighten their courage It would perhaps have been more to the purpose to have at that time called a National Council and if they had intended to pluck
Church resumed their secular Habits as they did during this Age in many other Cathedrals The desire of a Reformation made him lean too much towards the Party of the pretended Reformed Lewis Moulinet his Nephew was his Successor It is observed of him a rare example of a true Pastor that during his holding that See for Twenty seven years together he was never but one Six Months absent from his Bishoprick or Diocess shewing by this example that a good Bishop takes delight in his residence as the evil one both esteems and finds it his Pain and Punishment ☞ There were none that signalized themselves more during the League than Peter d'Espinac and Reinold de Beaulne the first Archbishop of Lyons and the second of Bourges both Men of great Eloquence and far greater intrigue Espinac of the Party for the League and Beaulne of that for the King they both lived a good while in the Reign of Henry IV. Under whom neither must we forget Alfonso d'Elbene Bishop of Alby nor Arnold de Pontac and Nicholas l'Angelier generous Defenders of the Rights and the Liberty of the Church this being Bishop of Saint Brieuc the other of Bazas nor René Benoist who being Curate of Saint Eustache at Paris greatly contributed to the Conversion of King Henry IV. and the bringing him into the pale and bosom of the Church without staying for any Orders from Rome The said Prince chose him for his Confessor and named him to the Bishoprick of Troyes It is true he could not obtain the Bulls for it but we may boldly say he deserved them were it but only for those very reasons for which they were denied him We ought not to give the Name of Bishops to those who fell into the Errors of the Sectaries and whom by the Pope were excommunicated for the same as we have before mentioned Yet was there but one of those Ten that embraced Calvinisme namely John Caracciol Son of John Prince of Malfy Bishop of Troyes who Anno 1565. abandoned his Bishoprick to take a Wife It is true that about Six years before viz. in the year 1559. James Spifame had quitted his Episcopal See of Nevers to Marry and retire to Geneva but if his example did shew the way to Caracciol certainly his unfortunate end ought as much again to have deter'd him for upon I know not what suspition they had of him in that City he was accused of Adultery and they caused his Head to be cut off for that pretended Crime Even from the Fourteenth Age Learning did begin to re-flourish and as we may say to emit some Infant yet lively beams principally in Italy In proportion as they discover'd its beauty and lustre it inflamed the Love and Curiosity of the Ingenious who being nauseated with the Barbarity of the Schools and the Fopperies and Ergotismes wherewith the Authors of those times were stuffed applied themselves to search after the Greek and Latin Authors of the more polite Ages in the select and best furnished Libraries and rescuing them out of the rubbish and dust wherein they had been so long Buried made them more Publick and communicable to the World by the help of Printing They then studied to speak Greek and Latin as exquisitely as in the times of the Republick of Athens and the Empire of Augustus Those that were inclined to the Study of Holy Writ endeavour'd likewise to attain some Knowledge and Perfection in the Hebrew Tongue without which it is almost impossible thorowly to understand the Books of the Old Testament and at the same time the curiosity of such as travelled into the Countries of the Levant brought back with them an itch or desire of learning the Oriental Languages especially the Arabian of which the Turkish is an Idiom True it is that these Learned Men though able to attain to the greatest purity of Foreign Tongues could not give it to the French on the contrary they made it more harsh and more obscure than it was before perplexing it with a multitude of tedious Allegations false Phrases Transpositions and broken Latin from all which Sophistication the Age we now live in hath had much ado to Purge and to refine it King Charles VIII loved all the Noble Arts but had not time to Cultivate and to improve them Lewis XII favour'd them had an esteem for and generosity towards the Learned and caused search to be made after the Manuscripts of ancient Authors whereof he gathered and made up a curious Library Francis I. surpass'd him very much in that noble Passion as he surpassed all the Princes of his time in Magnificence and in liberality His Reign to say all in a word was the Reign of Men of Learning he had an incredible multitude of them and those truly accomplished and Skilful in the Tongues in the Knowledge of Antiquity in the Law in Philosophy and Physick as also in the Mathematicks and Astrology And indeed that great Prince did so generously favour them with his Gratifications with the noblest Employments in all his Affairs and his personal familiarity that it seemed as he would share his State and Grandeur with them A Volume would not suffice to contain but the names only and almost all of them were so excelling each in his way that whosoever should undertake to select some particular ones out of those Miriads must run the hazard both of doing wrong to his own Judgment and to the Merits of those whose Names he should omit I shall observe only that the Universities abounded with very learned Professors in Philosophy in Humanity That as much may be said of the Facult Medicina which till then had but an imperfect knowledge of the Doctrines of the Divine Hippocrates That that of Theology had more learned Doctors than ever before though not perhaps so clear and so enlightned for the Positive as we find now in our dayes That all the grand Magistracies were supplied and filled with Persons both profound in Science and most of them of singular Virtues and that there never was more of Jurisprudence in the Parliaments and at the Bar nor greater Capacity and solid Reasonings amongst the Advocates I shall only add that the French Poesie which till this time was almost nothing but a gross gingling paltry way of Rhiming without either much of Art or Fancy began to be stripp'd of its Pyed-Coat and to deck it self with the real Ornaments of Antiquity But yet even those who labour'd to restore it to that Harmonious Composition invented for no other end but to elevate the Mind and Thoughts to things Noble and Sublime did most unhappily pervert the same by the ill use they made thereof For studying by a Criminal complaisance to flatter the Vanity and lascivious Passions of the Court they Metamorphosed if I may so speak the Muses into Sirenes and debased that Noble Off-spring of Heaven to somewhat of more shameful and sordid than either Mendicity or Slavery FINIS A
of France Wife of Lewis XII 554 Takes the Duke of Suffolk for her second Husband 568 Mary Queen Widdow of Hungary Governess of the Low-Countries 601 Mary Princess of Scotland 613 Mary Queen of Scots great Troubles in Scotland for her concern 618 Brought into France 624 Mary Queen of England declares War against France 646 William de la Mark called the Wildboard of Ardenne Beheaded 504 Marseilles Besieged by the Imperialists without Success 577 Martin V. Pope transfers the Council of Siena to Basil 448 Prince Maurice 631 Maximilian Emperour Besieges Terouene 502 Maximilian is Elected and Crowned King of the Romans 510 His Death 563 Maximilian King of Bohemia in contest with Charles V. his Uncle 638 Meaux Besieged and taken by the English 440 Medicis Peter chaced and banished from Florence 520 Medicis Laurence invested in the Dutchy of Vrbin 561 The Medicis restablished in Florence 591 Laurence de Medicis Assassinates and kills the Duke of Florence his unhappy end 606 Cosmo de Medicis Duke of Florence ib. Declares himself against the French and against Siena 640 Melfe the Prince of Melfe or Malsy 616 Mercier Sieur de Novain Favorite of King Charles VI. 411 Milan conquer'd by King Lewis XII and by the Venetians 534 The investiture granted to Lewis XII by the Emperour 542 Abandoned by the French 550 c. Regained by the French and as soon lost for them 552 Falls under the Dominion of the Emperour 578 Mines the way to fill them with Powder to blow up a Wall 539 Pic Mirandulus his Death 520 Moncado Vice-roy of Sicilia slain in Fight 589 Moncins Governor of Guyenne Massacred by the Bourdelois 627 John de Montaigu Favorite of Charles VI. 411 Montargis surprized by the English 453 Montecuculi drawn by four Horses for Poisoning the Daufin 603 John de Montfort remains sole Duke of Bretagne by the death of Charles de Blois 385 Defeats in Battle Charles de Blois abandons Bretagne and retires to England 367 Returns into Bretagne 393 Montmorency a Town not inconsiderable burnt 379 Montpelliers Mutinies of the People because of the Imposts 397 John de Montaigue Surintendant punished with Death 425 Montpensier the Duke made a Prisoner of War 647 Moscovy 502 Muley-Assan King of Tunis dispoiled of his Kingdom by his Son who puts out his Eyes 456 Mutinies and Popular Commotions because of the Imposts and excessive Subsidies 402 403 c. N NAples Kingdom conquer'd by the French and soon after retaken from them 521 Strange Revolution against the French who are driven out of that Kingdom 538 C. of Nassau Prisoner of War 512 The C. of Nassau Ambassador in France 557 Enters into Champagne and Besieges Mouson 567 Makes an irruption upon Picardy Louis of Navarre 603 Navarre Usurped by Ferdinand of Arragon 551 Reconquer'd by the French but soon lost again 565 The D. of Nemours General of the Army for the King in the Kingdom of Naples 537 Slain in the Battle of Cerignoles 538 I. Earl of Nevers goes to the Assistance of the King of Hungary against the Turks 417 Nice Besieged in vain by Barbarossa 615 Nicholas I. Antipope 359 Nicholas the Pope is owned in France 461 The Duke of Normandy Commands a very Potent Army with small Success 365 Normandy over-run and ravaged by the English 374 United inseparably to the Crown 381 Falls under the Power of the English 437 Is wholly regained from the English 463 Is put under the Power of a new Duke 487 Brought to the Obedience of the King 488 O OBservance strickt of the Order of Saint Francis 443 Officers maintain'd in their Offices 489 The mutation of Officers a Cause of great trouble ib. Oliver de Blois attempts upon the Person of the Duke of Bretagne 436 He and his Brothers Condemned to Death 437 Oliver Francis Chancellour of France 623 Orange Prince 510 Orange Prince Prisoner of War 513 Is made Lieutenant for the King in Bretagne ib. General of an Army without Power 586 Order of the Star Instituted or rather renewed abandoned to the Chevalier du Guet 372 Order of the Garter Instituted 371 Order of the Collar its Institution 408 Order of Saint Maurice Instituted 526 Orleans Besieged by the English succour'd and deliver'd by the Pucelle Joane 450 Orleans Charles Duke set at Liberty 458 Orleans John Bastard Earl of Dunois and great Chamberlain his Death 492 Orleans Charles Duke his death 483 Orleans Louis Duke Espouses the Princess Jane of France 503 Orleans Louis Duke Chief of the Council 508 Makes a League and a new Party against the State with the Duke of Bourbon and others 510 Absents far from Court retires into Bretagne forms a new Party against the Government and raises Forces ib. Is made Prisoner of War 513 Commands the French Ships in Italy 519 c. Duke of Orleans second Son of France Commands an Army in Luxemburg his Exploits 612 c. His Death 619 Regal Ornaments 441 Ottranto taken by Assault by the Turks 503 Retaken by the Christians ib. P PAlavicini Manf. 569 De la Palisse Mareschal of France 567 His Death 579 Ambrose Paré Chyrurgeon 619 Paris enlarged and fortified 375 Is oppressed and suffers strangely during the Contest and War between the Houses of Orleans and of Burgundy 426 c. Reduced to obedience of King Charles VII 464 Blocked up by the Princes 486 In great Astonishment 604 Parisians Enterprize upon the City of Meaux to their Confusion 378 Stick to the King of Navarre ib. Divided into Factions Insolence insupportable 377 c. Mutiny because of Imposts take up Arms Arm themselves with Iron Mallets for that reason named Mallotins 403. c. Chastized severely 406 Arm and range themselves under Colonels and Captains 488 Parliaments of Bourdeaux and Burgundy their Institution 506 Parliament of Paris made Semestre 640 Parliament of Bretagne Established ib. Parma Subject of a War between the Pope and the King of France 629 630 c. Pavia Besieged by the King of France 577 c. Taken by Assault and Sacked by the French 585 Paul III. Pope 597 Mediator of a Peace between the Emperour and the King and confers with them 607 608 His Death 628 Paul IV. Pope 642 Makes a League offensive and defensive with the King against the Spaniard 644 Strips the Caraffes his Nephews of all their Offices and chaces them out of Rome 653 Paulin a brave Captain 618 Pembrook E. Lands in Bretagne over-runs Anjou and Poitou 388 Vanquish'd in a Naval Fight by the Spaniards and taken Prisoner 391 The C. de Perigord Archambauld Talegrand Condemned to Death 418 Perpignan surprized by the Spaniard or King of Arragon Philip de Valois King of France 357 Sends to the Navarrins their lawful King and Queen 358 The English declare War against him 361 His advantage over his Enemy 362 Makes a Truce with Edward ib. Becomes hated of the Nobility 365 Is Defeated 366 His Death 370 Philip King of Navarre his Death 365 Philip of Navarre calls the
years afterwards The Earl of Sens Raynard II. of that name called the Bad using much violence against Leoteric his Archbishop and all the Clergy within his Territory the Year of our Lord 1015 King besieged his City and took it deprived him of his Earldom and rejoyned it to his Demeasns The Burgundians having Rebell'd and divers Lords plundering and committing Robberies in the Province by means of their Castles and Fortified places the King Year of our Lord 1015 went thither and pulled down and destroy'd all those Nests and Dens of Thieves His eldest Son whose name was Hugh a Prince accomplish'd both in Mind and Body giving very great hopes though he were not yet Ten years old He caused him to be Crowned at Compiegne on the day of Pentecost in the year 1017. and afterwards his name was put to all Acts with that of his Fathers Year of our Lord 1017 ROBERT and HUGH his Son Year of our Lord 1018 THe Duke of Aquitain at his return from his third or fourth Pilgrimage to Rome those that made most were the most esteemed found his Country enriched with a new Treasure The Abbot of St. John's de Angery having lighted on the Scull of a Man in a Wall the Report was spread that it was the Head of St. John Baptist The People of France Lorrain and Germany who in those days ran with much Zeal after all sorts of Relicks flocked thither from all parts King Robert the Queen the Duke of Normandy and a great number of other Lords brought their Offerings thither The Kings was a Scollop-shell of Gold which weighed Thirty pounds an admirable Present in such times when Gold and Silver were fifty times more scarce then in our Age. The Danes or Normans beyond Seas having not quite forgotten their custom of Piracy did yet sometimes make Descents in England and on the Coasts of France They had Conquer'd a great part of England and at last made some Kings there This year they landed in Poitou being perhaps informed of the great Crowds of Pilgrims that came to see the Head of St. John and indeed they carried away a great many good Prisoners All the Country Armed to drive them thence The Duke of Aquitain going to attaque them twenty or thirty of his most considerable Gentlemen fell into Holes cover'd over with Branches and green Turfs which the Normans had digged about the Avenues to their Camp This accident disheartned the rest from going on however the Normans fearing a ruder onset dislodg'd in the night and got into their Vessels but they were forced to give them what Ransom they pleased to demand for the Prisoners they had gotten Gefroy Duke or Earl of Bretagne for in those times the Dukes took indifferently the Titles of Earls dying his eldest Son Alain III. of that name succeeded him in his Dukedom and Eudes his second had the Earldom of Pontieure in Partage Alain espoused the Princess Avoise Sister of Duke Richard and by that means Normandy and Bretagne hitherto great Enemies were united in Alliance and Amity Year of our Lord 1020 21 c. There was a War begun from the year 1017. between Richard Duke of Normandy and Eudes or Odon Earl of Champagne and Chartres because Eudes would not give up the City of Dreux granted him in Dowry with Matilda the Sister of Richard who was lately dead so that Richard had built the Castle of Tilleres from whence he made incursions on the Country of Dreux Eudes put himself in a posture to surprize the Garison having with him the Counts Valeran de Meulan and Hugh du Mans but he was soundly beaten and put to the rout Year of our Lord 1022 The War growing hotter he raised so many Enemies against the Norman Duke that that Prince fearing to be overwhelmed sent to Lagman or Lacime King of Sueden to assist him and also Olaus King of Norway who being landed in Bretagne and having forced and sacked the City of Dole marched towards the Chartrain Country All France upon remembrance of their former Desolations fell into an extream apprehension and dread and the King bestirr'd himself with so much activity to quench this Flame that he brought the two Princes to an Agreement and satisfied the Northern Kings who returned again after the Norwegian had received Baptism at Rouen having the name of Robert give him at the Sacred Font. The Emperor Henry and King Robert desiring cordially to take away all cause of difference between them agreed upon an Interview at the River Meuse Whilst the Courtiers on either side were making several Scruples about the Place the Manner and such like trivial Circumstances and Punctillios and the two Princes on the contrary had it in their thoughts to outvye each other in Civility Henry passes the River early in the morning and pleasantly surprizes Robert who the next day repays his Visit in the same manner Both Treated one the other Magnificently and offered each very rich Presents to the other but Robert took only a Book being the New-Testament and a Reliquary or Shrine wherein was a Tooth of the Martyr St. â—incent which was enriched with Precious Stones and Henry a pair of Ear-Pendants Year of our Lord 1024 This last being dead at Bamberg the German Princes elected Conrad Duke of Wormes who could not go to Rome to receive the Imperial Crown till the year 1027. At first the Italian Princes and Prelats hating the Teutonick Nation who Treated them Peremptorily ruling as it were with a Rod in hand refused to obey and sent into Year of our Lord 1025 France to profer King Robert the Kingdom of Italy for his Son Hugh Upon his refusal they Addressed themselves to William Duke of Aquitain very well known in Rome by his frequent Pilgrimages He hearkned to the Proposal understood their Methods sent some thither to found them throughly and after went himself When he was amongst them he found nothing of all they had promised every one demanding of him instead of giving to him they propounded no Conditions but such as were very ridiculous so that finding they had a design upon his Purse and feared his Power he laughed at them and left them The imperious and proud Humour of Queen Constance gave the King perpetual trouble and displeasures who used all means to soften her One day being offended and angry with a favourite of his named Hugh de Beauvais who upheld the Husbands Spirit against her undertakings she makes her complaint to Fulk Earl of Anjou her Cousin intreating to Revenge her The Count sent twelve of his own Country Gentlemen who taking their opportunity when this Favourite was Hunting with the King seized on him and cruelly cut off his Head in the Kings presence without any regard to his Intreaties Year of our Lord 1025 The King was forced to put up this Affront for fear of a greater mischief and withall to endure this Step-mother should Treat his Son King Hugh with the
them The Duke of Nevers in the mean time besieged Issoire in Auvergne situate upon the torrent de la Couse A Gentleman whose name was Chavagnae Commanded within Matthew le Merle Son of a Wooll-comber of Vzez but advanc'd to be a Captain during these Troubles had surprized it three years before This Merle was gone to the Sevennes to pick up some Men to relieve it but he staid so long perhaps obstructed by some bags of the Kings Money thrown in his way that the place was forced to surrender at discretion That done the Duke of Anjou with the Duke of Guise returned back to Court which was then at Blois leaving the Command of his Army to the Duke of Nevers The Affairs of the Huguenots could not be in a worse condition the whole party was full of Divisions of Jealousies and of Cabals the Lords of the King of Navarres Court could neither agree amongst themselves nor with him because he gave too much credit and Faith to Lavardin who was known to be tied to the Queen-Mothers Interest insomuch as La Noüe forsook that King and Turenne and the rest served him not without much Anxiety and suspition There was also a mortal feud between the Prince and the Lord de Mirembeau about the business of Broüage a scurvy misunderstanding between the said Prince and the Rochellers for the nomination of a Maire and other points concerning the liberties of that City Eternal Picques between the Bourgeois and the Nobless and every moment some quarrel between the Commanders of their Forces withal most strange disorder and licentiousness amongst their Soldiers who were horribly ungovernable as well because of the want of Pay and the little authority of their Captains as by the mixture of their Politiques the most part Atheists and addicted to all manner of Vices Year of our Lord 1577 The confusion the Duke of Mayenne observed in that party gave him the prospect of subduing Rochel and also to that effect and purpose to hinder all Trade and Provisions from coming to them by Sea by taking the Islands and Broüage as by Land he had already got most of the Towns and Castles that furnish'd or stood them in any stead The Rochellers were jealous of the growing greatness of Broüage The Count of Montgomery who was Governour of it had by his debauches consumed the Soldiers pay and tormented the Inhabitants grievously Captain Lorges his Brother with his Regiment vexed and plundred the Islands so that both the one and the other desired a change that remedy of the unthinking vulgar who ever believe ☞ the present evils the most troublesome The King had equipped a Navy for this Siege the Prince and the Rochellers prepared one to hinder it Clermont Commanded it as Lansac did the Kings Both these met in the canal of Broüage that for the Huguenots was beaten by not keeping out at large Five Gallies brought thither by the young Montlue tearing them in pieces with their Guns during a calm In the mean while the Besiegers press'd upon them at Land and the King was come to Poitiers to encourage his Men. Their amazement was so great in Rochel that all the Suppliesthey endeavour'd to send thither were either taken or put to flight When the Besieged were almost at the greatest extremity the rumour was that the Duke of Anjou after the taking of Issâ—ire was coming to reinforce the Siege with that Army which breathed nothing but Blood and Slaughter the fear they were in that they should have no quarter made them hasten the capitulation and the Duke of Mayenne fearing that Prince would rob him of the Honour of his enterprize granted them Conditions favourable enough The King of Navarre who had taken the Field to succour them finding the business was decided desired to raise up the spirits of his party again by some famous exploit and if he could possibly give battle to that victorious Army but they were already gone to refresh themselves having no Orders to undertake any more Many were of that judgment that if they but push'd on their advantages against the Huguenots in the confusion they were then under they had been laid flat on the ground For it was not in their power then to set an Army on foot their Officers Year of our Lord 1577 were at daggers drawing the Council belonging to the Princes full of Traitors the People grieved at their ill Conduct and in despair for their being pillaged Besides Damville over-perswaded by his Wife and by his Secretaries whom they had bribed and withal picqued for that the Huguenots did not respect him enough had drawn his Sword against them in Languedoc and besieged Montpellier But was indeed upon the point of receiving an affront For Chastillon had bravely pierced thorow his Army and thrown Three thousand Men into the place and would have given him battle the next day if the news of the Peace had not prevented It could not be certainly known what the true Reasons were that induced the King to make it in a juncture that seemed so favourable unless it were his apprehensions of the Reisters coming again to ransack and waste his Kingdom and of the Rochellers giving themselves up to the English or else the intrigues of the Duke of Anjou who infinitely desired to go into Flanders and draw the Army after him or his own weak and uncertain temper not able to undergo the burthen and difficulties of any weighty Affair This Fifth Treaty of Pacification was concluded at Bergerac between the King of Navarre and the Duke of Montpensier The Edict was drawn up at Poitiers in the month of September and verified in Parliament in the beginning of October It was different from the last in that it restrained the exercise of their Religion to the limits of the preceding ones removed it Ten miles from Paris forbid it in the Marqulsate of Salusses and the County of Venaisin exchanged Montpellier for Beaucaire with them and did not restore them Issoire The Consistorians who had much more obstinacy then knowledge could hardly be brought to allow of this restriction but the Chiefs who better understood the state of their Affairs accepted it as very advantageous and the Prince caused it to be proclaimed by Torch-light at Rochel There must have been to make it firm and lasting a Will and Resolution in either party to keep and maintain it and to this end they should have renewed and restored a real confidence and true faith in each other but as the first being wanting the other became impossible they presently started up a thousand doubts and difficulties concerning the execution and it was the delight and interest of the Queen-Mother to be brangling and trucking with the one and the other to keep the Authority in her own hands and to shew her dexterity in disintangling those snarles and knots which she her self most commonly had tied The King her Son had learnt of her to make excessive expences and as he had