V. the present King of Denmark 327 He maketh War upon Sweden p. 327 Makes a Peace with Sweden 328 The Christian Religion is proper for all the World 370 Is not contrary to civil Government 371 No other Religion or Philosophy comparable to it 372 Concerning the outward Government of Religion 372 The consideration of this Question according to the Nature of Religion in general and of the Christian Religion in particular 374 375 First Propagation of the Christian Religion and by what methods it was established 376 Persecution of the first Church and the Câlumnies raised against the Primitive Christians 378 The first Church Government 379 Constantine the first Christian Emperour 382 Could not quite alter the former State of the Church 382 Of presiding in Councels 383 Abuses in Councels 384 Riches of the Church 394 Croisado's by what Politicks carried on 395 How the Church was freed from all power over it 399 General Councels to bridle the Popes power 409 Cardinal Cajetan and his ill Conduct 418 Calvin and Zwinglius 421 The Conclave 431 The College of Cardinals 433 Cardinal Patroon 434 Celibacy of the Clergy 435 Their Number 436 Ceremonies 439 Half Communion 440 Vnion made at Cilmar betwixt Sweden Denmark and Norway 478 Christopher Duke of Bavaria made King of Sweden Denmark and Norway 482 Church Lands reduced in Sweden 494 Christina Queen of Sweden 525 Continues the War in Germany 526 Makes an Alliance with France 528 Is engaged in a War with the Elector of Saxony 527 And afterwards with Denmark 530 Charles Gustave King of Sweden 533 Siege of Copenhagen 534 Charles IX the present King of Sweden 534 His Forces routed by the Elector of ãâ¦ã 534 D. THE Dutch sail to the East-Indies 92 The Danes first come into England 102 Dauphine united with France 192 Denmark a very ancient Kingdom 316 The Genius of the Danish Naâion 328 Neigbours of Denmark 330 Disputes in England about the investiture of Bishops 403 E. THE first Sea Voyage into the East-Indies under Emanuel King of Portugal 89 Ancient State of England 99 England conquered by the Romans 99 Edward the Confessor King of England 103 Edward I. King of England 114 His Wars with Scotland 115 His Wars with France 116 Edward II. King of England 116 Edward III. King of England 117 His Pretensions to the French Crown 117 His expedition into France 118 The English decline in France 201 1â5 The English driven out of France 202 127 Edward IV. of the House of York King of England 128 Edward V. King of England 130 Edward VI. King of England 139 Elizabeth Queen of England 141 She assists the Huguenots 144 Refuses the Soveraignty over the Netherlands twice offered to her 145 The Constitution of the English Nation 164 The English form of Government 169 The Power and Strength of England 171 The East-India Company in Holland 283 270 England and France declare War against the Dutch 279 Evangelical Vnion in Germany 301 Erick declared King of Sweden Denmark and Norway 477 321 Of Episcopal Jurisdiction 384 Concerning Excommunication 385 Encrease of the Ecclesiastical Soveraignty 391 What contributed to it 391 Disputes in England about the Investiture of Bishops 403 Erasmus favours Luther 416 Excommunication and Inquisition 445 Erick XIV King of Sweden introduces the Titles of Earls and Barons in that Kingdom 498 F. FErdinand the Catholick and Isabella 42 France and its ancient State 174 The Franks came out of Germany 175 France is divided 177 French Pretensions upon the Kingdom of Naples 187 French Pretensions upon Milan 196 Francis I. King of France 210 He aspires to the Empire 210 His Italian Wars 211 212 His defeat at the Battle of Paviae where he is taken Prisoner and set at liberty upon very hard terms 212 Francis II. King of France 218 The Nature and Constitution of the French 247 The Government of France 250 Strength of France in regard to England and the other Neighbouring Princes 251 252 Frederick Henry I. Prince of Orange 274 Frederick Elector Palatine's ill Success 302 Ferdinand I. Emperour of Germany his Proclamation concerning Church-lands 302 Frederick I. King of Denmark 324 Frederick III. King of Denmark his Wars with Sweden 326 Is declared absolute and the Crown hereditary 327 Battle fought in the Island of Fuhnen 534 G. GReece p. 6 Gothick Empire and its downfall in Spain 29 Granada taken 43 Gaul subdued by the Romans 174 by the Barbarian Nations 174 Germany divided from France 180 The Gabel first introduced into France by Philip of Valois their King 192 The Treaty of Ghent betwixt the Prince of Orange and the Netherlanders 264 Germany and its ancient condition 282 The Gvelfs and Gibellin Factions in Italy 291 German Wars and their Origin under Matthias 300 Gustavus Adolphus King of Sweden his death 303 The Genius of the Germans 306 Form of Government in Germany 307 Its Commodities 307 Its Strength and Weakness 308 Its Neighbours 312 Gregory Pope of Rome excommunicates the Emperour Henry IV. 402 Endeavour to subject the Emperour 403 The German Princes dissatisfied with the Pope 417 The Gothick Nation and its first Founders 461 The Goths and Swedes united in one Kingdom 461 Gustavus I. King of Sweden 489 Gustavus Adolphus King of Sweden 511 Makes Peace with the Muscovites 512 Carries on the War against the Poles in Ponâria 513 Engages in the German War 515 Lands his Forces in Germany and makes an Alliance with France 517 Is killed 525 H. HEnry III. King of England 113 The War with the Barons 114 Henry IV. of the House of Lancaster invades England 121 After great difficulties surmounted becomes King of England 122 Henry V. King of England 122 He invades France to prosecute his claim to that Crown 123 The Battle betwixt him and the French fought near Agincourt 123 Henry VI. King of England 124 Is proclaimed King of France 125 Is crowned in Paris 125 Henry VII Earl of Richmond invades England 131 Is made King and unites the White and Red Roses 132 Henry VIII King of England 133 His divorce with Queen Catharine 135 He abrogates the Popes Supremacy 136 Marries Anna Bullen 136 Demolishes the Monasteries 137 Causes Anna Bullen to be beheaded 138 His other Wives 138 Hugh Capel the Founder of the present Royal Family in France 182 Henry II. King of France 215 His Expedition into Germany 216 His Project to unite Scotland with France miscarried 217 Huguenot Wars in France under Charles IX the first second third fourth and fifth 221 222 223 224 Henry III. King of France 224 The Holy League under his Reign 225 Huguenot Wars in France the sixth seventh and eighth 225 226 227 Henry III. forced from Paris by the League 227 He makes use of the Huguenots against the League 228 Henry IV. King of Navarre comes to the Crown of France 228 His difficulties an Account of his Religion 228 Is excommunicated by the Pope 230 Changes his Religion 231 Is assaulted and wounded by a Russian 231
1479. John II. A Project of sailing to the East Indies Emanuel Moors and Jews banish'd out of Portugal The first Sea-voyage into the East Indies 1497. The reason why the Venetians opposed the Portugueses settling themselves there The Progress of the Duke âf Albuquerque in the East Indies The discovery of Brasil in America John III. The Jesuites sent to the Indies Sebastian His fatal Expedition into Africa Henry Portugal united to Spain The Dutch sail to the East Indies 1620. 1630. The Portuguese shake off the Yoak of Spain The Duke of Braganzâ proclaimed King John IV. ãâã League between Portugal and Holland A War breaks cut betwixt them A Peace in 1661. Alfonsus VI. 1668 1666. Don Pedro. The Humours of the Portugueses Fruitfulness of Portugal Brasile Africa The East Indies A horrible Persecution raised on the Christians of Japan and the occasion of It. The Strength of Portugal How it stands with regard to Spain To France To Holland The ancient Sate of England The Romans conquer England The Saxons come into Britainy â450 689. The Saxon Kings in England The Saxon Heptarchy Peter's ãâã The Kingdom of England 818 Dancs first come into England 1002. The Danes driven out but return again King Edmund treacherously murther'd Canute the Dane King of England 1017. Harald Hardiknut Edward the Consessor 1066. Wâlliam the Conquerour Willam conquers England October 14 1066. The Corfew Bell. Edgar Atheling makes an attempt His Son Robert Rebels He acts as a Conquerour Robert Rebels again 1088. William Rufus 1100. Henry I. Robert makes a Lesient in England Normandy annexed to the Crown of England The Norman Race extinct Stephen Maud makes War on him Henty II. Hâs Son with the French and Scots join in a War against him 1189. Ireland conquered Richard I. He makes an Expedition into the Holy Land In his return âe is taken Prisoner 1199. John His Nephew Arthur opposes him The King of France dispossesses him of Normandy The Dauphin invited by the Barons invades England 1216. Henry III. The Dauphin is forced âome again A War with the Barons He quits his Pretensions on Normandy for a Summ of Money Edward I. The causes of the Differences betwixt the English and Scots A War with Scotland 1307. With France 1297. He banishes the Jews Edward II. Vnsuccessfull ãâã his War with Scotland ãâ¦ã 1327. Edward III. His Pretensions to the French Crown He is successfull against Scotland His Expedition into France 1340. The Battel near Crecy 1346. The Scotch defeated He takes Calais 1356. The Battel near Poictiers A dishonourable Peace to France Another War with France 1377. Richard II. A Peace with France Troubles at home The occasion of his Ruin Henry Duke of Lancaster invades England 1399. Henry IV. of the House of Lancaster He had great Difficulties which he surmounted Henry V. He invades France to prosecute his claim of the Crown The Battel uear Aguicourt 1419. 1420. The Administration of France to be in Henry during Charles's life and after his death the Crown to descend to him 1422. Henry VI. Proclaim'd King of France 1423. 1424. The Maid ãâã Orleans He was crowned in Paris 1432. The English decline in France 1435. The Duke of Burgundy leaves the English and is reconciled to Charles 1436. The occasion of the Troubles in England 1449. The English driven out of France The occasion of this sudden loss 1460. Edward IV. of the House of York A bloody Battel betwixt Edward and Henry Henry taken out of Prison and set on the Throne Edward returns into England Henry a second time Prisoner 147â and murther'd by the Duke of Gloucester Edward V. Richard III. 1483. Murthers his Nephews He murther's his Wife Henry Earl of Richmond invades England 1485. Henry VII He united the White and Red Roses Lambert Symnel He makes an Expedition inââ France Perkin Warbeck He marries his Daughter Margaret to the King of Scotland Henry VIII He enters into League with Ferdinand and the Pope 1512. His Expedition against France A second An Invasion of the Scots He makes a second War against France The Divorce of Henry VIII The fallâ of Woolsey 1532. He marries Anna Bullen He abrogates the Pope's Supremacy Monasteries demolished Protestants and Papists executed War with Scotland He enters into a League with the Emperour against France 1550. Anna Bullen beheaded His other Wives Edward VI. 155â Lady Jane Grey proclaimed Queen Mary Restores Popery Marries Philip of Spain Lady Jane c. beheaded The reason why Philip interceded for the Lady Elizabeth The Battel of St. Quintin Calais lost 1558. Elizabeth Philip desires her in marriage Papists and Paritaus Poreign Seminaries Mary Queen of Scotland The Queen of Scots married Bothwell who murthered her Husband She was made a Prisoner in England 1572. 1586. Beheaded 1587. Queen Elizabeth assists the Huguenots 1562. 1559. The Sovereignty of the Netherlands twice offered her 1595. The Armado defeated Essex heheaded 1600 She was jealous of her Power at Sea James I. Cobham's Conspiracy 1603. The Powder Plot. 1604. 1626. Foreign Plantations Charles I. 1626. War with Spain War with France A Peace concluded with both Causes of the intestine Commotions in England The different Conduct of Queen Elizabeth and King James as to the State The Occasions that were taken from Religion The Conduct of Charles I. Troubles in Scotland and England 1637. 1567. 1617. 1633. The Scotch Covenant A Letter intercepted wherein the Scots desire Succour from France The Parliament is sactious and favours the Scots The Parliament of England directly oppose the King 1642. The Rebellion begins Their Behaviours The King made a Prisoner The Independents become Masters The King is sentenced to death and executed 1648. Ireland conqâer'd Charles II. rââted The Scots cânquered Cromwell made Protectour 1652. 1660. King Charles II's Restauration 1660. War with Holland 1665. 1674. Constitution of the English Nation Constitution of the Scotch Nation Of the Irish The Condition of Great Brittainy The Form of the Government in England The Power and Strength of England With relation to other States To the Northern Crowns To Spain To France To Holland The most ancient Stare of France Gaul subdued by the Romans By the Barbarous Nations That the Franks came out of Germany The origin of the French Language Pharamond the first King Clodion Merovaeus Childerick Clouis I. 496. France is divided Clotarius II 614. Dagobert Charâes Martell 714. 732. Pipin proclaim'd King The Merovingian Family loses the Crown 751. Pipin's Expeditions He assists the Pope against the Lombards Charles the Great 774. He is proclaimed Emperour of the Romans Lewis the Pious He divides his Kingdom His Sons Rebell 833. Germany divided from France Charles the Bald. The Normans make an Irruption into France 912. Ludovicus Balbus Ludov. III. and Carolomannus Charles the Simple The decay of the Royal Authority The Excessive Power of the Nobles Eudo Count of Paris crown'd King of France 923. Rudolf of Burgundy crown'd King 929. Lewis Outremer Lotharius Lewis the
Fainthearted 987. The Carolinian Family extinguish'd Hugh Capet the first of the present Race Robert The Pope excommunicates him and his Kingdom Henry I. Philip I. Will. Duke of Normandy conquers England Expedition into the Holy Land Lewis the Fat Lewis VII His unfortunate Expedition to the Holy Land Philip II. the Conquerour Another Expedition to the Holy Land War betwixt France and England 1223. Lewis VIII Lewis IX A third Expedition to the Holy Land without Success 1254. The first Pretensions of the French upon the Kingdom of Naples 1261. 1268. An unfortunate Expedition of S. Lewis Philip the Hardy The Sicilian Vespers 1282. Philip the Handsom 1292. He has ill Success in Flanders 1302. 1304. He suppress'd the Templers Lewis X. Philip the Tall. Charles IV. Philip of Valois His Title conteâted by Edward III. of England and in what ground War with England Battel near Crecy The English take Calâis 1347. Dauphine annexed to France 1349. Philip introduced the Gabell John Vnfortunate in his Wars against the English Battel near Poictiers 1356. A dishonourable Peace to France 1360. 1364. Charles the Wise He declares War against the English After the Death of Edward Charles attacks the English with Advantagâ Charles VI. 1384. 1382. The first rise of the French Pretensions upon Milanâ ãâ¦ã 1404. The Duke of Orleans assassinated by the Duke of Eurgundy 1407. The English take advantage of these Troubles 1415. Battel of Agincourt 1419. The Duke of Burgundy assassinated 1422. Charles VII Henry VI. of England proclaim'd King of France Misunderstandings betwixt the English and the Duke of Burgundy the only Advantage Charles had left The Maid of Orleans 1431. The English Power declines in France 1435. 1436. He drives the English out of France 1449. 1451. 1453. 1461. Lewis XI He reduces the excessive power of the Nobility A League against him The King's ãâã ââthods The Original of selling the Offices of France Duke of Burgundy slain 1477. Charles VIII Britainy united to France 1491. An Expedition to Naples end the Preâââsions of it 1494. Charles conquer'd Naples 1495. The League of Italy against the French He losâth Naples 1498. Lewis XII 1499. He conqâers Milan He conquers Naples 1501. Loses it agaiâ 1503. The Venetian War Lewis joins in the League against thââ 1508. 1509. A League against Lewis 1512. He conquers Milan agaiân He is attack'd by several Princes at once Francis 1. He aspires to the Empire In a few Days he takes and loses the Kingdom of Navarre 1521. A War ãâã in Italy The French driven out of Milan 1521. The Duke of Bourbon revolts to the Emperour 1524. Franc's desired at the Battel of Pavia and taken Prisoner 1525. He is set at Liberty on hard Conditions which he did not perform He with the King of England declare War against the Emperour He sends an ãâã my into Italy Peace made at Cambray 1529. 1535. The War breaks out afresh The Truce prolong'd for nine Years Francis breaks the Truce 1542. A Peace concluded at Crespy 1544. 1546. Henry II. 1548. 1549. 1550. His Expedition into Germany 1552. 1555. A Truce between Charles V. and Henry II. 1557. A Project to unite Scotland with France misscarried Francis II. The Causes of the intestine Wars of France 1527. The House of Guise rises and that of Bourbon declines Divisions about the Administration of the Government 1560. Charles IX The Conferenec of Poissy 1562. The first Huguenot war 1563. The Second War 1568. The Third War 1569. The Prince of Conde being slain the King of Navarre is declar'd Head of the Huguenots 1570. The Parisian Massacre The Fourth War 1573. The Fifth War Henry III. The Holy League 1577. The Sixth War Spain enters the League The Seventh War 1585. The Eighth War 1587. The League force the King from Paris 1588. The Duke and Cardina of Guise assassinated by the King's Order at Blois The King makes use of the Huguenots against the League Aug. 2. 1589. Henry IV. His Difficulties on the account of his Religion The Pope Excommunicates Henry Proposals about setting up another King 1593. The King changes his Religion 1593. Several Cities surrender to him 1594. The King assaulted and wounded by a Ruffian The Jesuits banish'd The Edict at Nants The Peace of Vervins He takes from the Duke of Savoy all that he possessed on this side the Alpes 1600. The Conspiracy of the Marshal de Biron 1602. He introduces Manufacturies His Design to put a stop to the growth of the House of Austria He is Assassinated by Ravillac May 14. 1610. Lewis XIII 1617. 1619. Richlieu comes in play Made chief Minister of State Rochelle taken The Effects of the Civil Wars A War in Italy 1628. The first Occasion of Mazarini's Greatness How Pignerol came into the hands of the French The Queen Mother raises Troubles 1642. The King takes Lorrain from that Duke 1634. 1636. 1638. May 14. 1643. Lewis XIV Mazarini ' s Ministry 1644. Peace of Munster The intestine Commotions 1648. The Slingers The King forc'd to leave Paris 1649. The Imprisonment of the Princes 1651. The Cardinal banish'd France The Queen recalls him 1653. 1658. 1662. The Pyrenaean Peace 1659. The Death of Mazarini 1661. A Dispute about Precedency between the French and Spanish Embassadours A Treaty with the Duke of Lorrain A Differance with the Pope 1664. He attacks Flanders Peace made at Aix la Chapelle 1668. 1667. He invades Flanders 1672. 1673. Mastricht taken by the French The Death of Turenne The Losses of the Spaniards in this War Peace at Nimmegen The French Nation Full of Nobility Their Natural Qualities The Nature of the Country It s Situation It s Fertility Its Plantations The Government of France The Strength of France with reguard to England To Spain To Italy To Holland To the Swiss To Germany The Strength of France in regard of a Confederacy The ancient State of the United Provinces The Division of the 17 Provinces The Vnion of the 17 Provinces Tâeir Coâditiân than under Charles V. The cause of the Wars in the Netherlands under Philip II. William Prince of Orange Discontents of the Nobility and Clergy Change of Religion Spanish Inquisition Queen Flizabeth ââmented their Revolt 1559. The Cardinal Granville 1564. Count Egmont sent into Spain An Association of the Nobility 1566. Breaking of Imâges The Duke of Alva 1568. The Earls of Egmont and Hoorn beheaded Briel taken April 1. 1571. Duke of Alva recall'd Lewis Requesenes Governour 1574. 1576. The Treaty of Ghent Don John d' Austria made Governour Archduke Matthew 1577. Alexander Duke of Parma Malecontents The Duke of Parma The Vnion of Utrecht the Foundation of the Common-wealth 1579. The Duke of Alenson 1583. 1584. Prince of Orange murthered His Son Prince Maurice made Stadtholider The English Confederacy 1616. 1586. The Regency of the Earl of Leicester The State of Affairs in Holland legias to mend 1588. 1590. 1592. Arch-Duke Albert Governour of the Spanish Netherlands 1602. The East-India Company Isabella Clara Eugenia Battel
as an Instruction to young Men Viz. That this Interest may be divided into an Imaginary and Real Interest By the first I understand when a Prince judges the Welfare of his State to consist in such things as cannot be perform'd without disquieting and being injurious to a great many other States and which these are oblig'd to oppose with all their Power As for Example The Monarchy of Europe or the universal Monopoly this being the Fuel with which the whole World may be put into a Flame Num si vos omnibus imperare vultis sequitur ut omnes servitutem accipiant If you would be the only Masters of the World doth it thence follow that all others should lay their Necks under your Yoke The Real Interest may be subdivided into a Perpetual and Temporary The former depends chiefly on the Situation and Constitution of the Country and the natural Inclinations of the People the latter on the Condition Strength and Weakness of the neighbouring Nations for as those vary the Interest must also vary Whence it often happens that whereas we are for our own Security sometimes oblig'd to assist a neighbouring Nation which is likely to be oppress'd by a more potent Enemy we at another time are forc'd to oppose the Designs of those we before assisted when we find they have recover'd themselves to that degree as that they may prove Formidable and Troublesome to us But seeing this Interest is so manifest to those who are vers'd in State-Affairs that they can't be ignorant of it one might ask How it often times happens that great Errors are committed in this kind against the Interest of the State To this may be answer'd That those who have the Supream Administration of Affairs are oftentimes not sufficiently instructed concerning the Interest both of their own State as also that of their Neighbours and yet being fond of their own Sentiments will not follow the Advice of understanding and faithfull Ministers Sometimes they are misguided by their Passions or by Time-serving Ministers and Favourites But where the Administration of the Government is committed to the Care of Ministers of State it may happen that these are not capable of discerning it or else are led away by a private Interest which is opposite to that of the State or else being divided into Factions they are more concern'd to ruin their Rivals than to follow the Dictates of Reason Therefore some of the most exquisite parts of Modern History consists in this that one knows the Person who is the Sovereign or the Ministers which rule a State their Capacity Inclinations Caprices Private Interests manner of proceeding and the like Since unpon this depends in a great measure the good and ill management of a State For it frequently happens That a State which in it self consider'd is but weak is made to become very considerable by the good Conduct and Valour of its Governours whereas a powerfull State by the iâl management of those that sit at the Helm oftentimes suffers considerably But as the Knowledge of these Matters appertains properly to those who are employ'd in the management of Foreign Affairs so it is mutable considering how often the Scene is chang'd at Court Wherefore it is better learn'd from Experience and the Conversation of Men well vers'd in these Matters than from any Books whatsoever And this is what I thought my self oblig'd to touch upon in a few Words in this Preface THE TABLE A. ANcient State of Mankind p. 1 The Assyrian Empire 3 Alexander the Great 9 America discovered 44 Peace made at Aix la Chapelle 244 An Association of the Nobility in the Netherlands 259 The Duke de Alva is sent into the Netherlands 261 He causes the Earls of Egmont and Hoorn to be beheaded 261 Don John de Austria made Governour of the Netherlands 264 The Duke of Alenson constituted Sovereign over the Netherlands 266 Archduke Albert Governour of the Spanish Netherlands 269 Avignon why once the seat of the Popes 410 The House of Austria most zealous for Popery 424 Albert Duke of Meclenburgh King of Sweden 475 B. THE Duke of Braganza proclaimed King of Portugal under the Name of John IV. 65 92 Brasil first discovered in America 90 ãâã near Crecy betwixt the English and French 191 118 Battle near Poictiers betwixt the English and French p. 192 119 The Battle of St. Quintin betwixt the English and French 140 The Battle of Agincourt 198 Brittainy united with France 204 Battle of Pavia betwixt Charles V. Emperor of Germany and Francis I. King of France 212 Mareschal de Biron's Conspiracy against Henry IV. King of France 233 Briel taken by the banish'd Netherlanders 262 Battle near Nieuport betwixt the Spaniards and Dutch 270 The Bohemian Tumults under the Emperour Ferdinand I. 301 The Crown of Bohemia offered to Frederic Elector Palatine 301 Boteslaus Chrobry the first King of Poland 335 The Battle fought near Warsaw in Poland 351 Boris Goudenaw Czar of Muscovy 362 Of making Bishops 383 Battle fought near Leipzick in Germany 520 Battle fought near Lutzen in Germany 524 Battle of Norelingen in Germany 527 A second Battle fought near Leipzick 530 Battle fought in the Island of Fuhnen 534 C. CArthage 12 Constantinople the Imperial Seat of the Eastern Emperors 26 Castile made a Kingdom 33 Castile and Arragon united under Ferdinand and Isabella 42 Charles V. 46 His Wars with France 47 Charles V. takes Rome 48 Charles V. wages Wars against the Protestants in Germany 52 Charles's Abdication 53 His Death 53 Catalonia rebels against Spain 63 Charles II. King of Spain 66 The Canary Islands 73 The Corfew Ball 106 Calais taken by Edward III. King of England 119 Charles I. King of England 148 His Wars with France 149 His Wars with Spain 148 Commotions in England and the true Causes thereof 149 The Conduct of King Charles I. 151 He is made a Prisoner 158 He is sentenced to death and executed 159 Charles II. Son of King Charles I. routed near Worcester 160 Cromwell made Protector of England 161 Charles II. Restauration to the Kingdom 162 His Wars with Holland 163 Charles sirnamed the Great King of France 179 Is proclaimed Emperour of the Romans 179 The Carlinian Family extinguish'd in France 182 Charles VI. King of France 195 Charles VII King of France 199 Charles VIII King of France 204 Conquers Naples 205 Loses Naples 206 Charles IX King of France 221 The first second third fourth and fifth Huguenot Wars under his Reign 221 222 223 224 Charles the Great 282 Charles IV. Emperour of Germany causes the Golden Bull to be compiled 295 Charles V. Emperour of Germany 297 He resigns the Empire 299 Christian I. the first King of Denmark out of the Owen burgh Family 322 Christian II. King of Denmark crowned King of Sweden 323 He is driven thence and afterwards out of his own Kingdom 324 Christian IV. King of Denmark his defeat near Kings-Luttern 325 The Siege of Copenhagen 326 Christian
Is assassinated by Ravillac 234 Henry IV. Emperour of Germany 286 His troubles with the Pope 287 His Son rebells against him 288 Henry VII Emperour of Germany poisoned by a Monk 294 Henry of Valois Duke of Anjou made King of Poland 342 St. Hierom's Dream 387 I. JEsuites sent first into the Indies under John III. King of Portugal 90 Ireland conquer'd by the English 111 John King of England 112 Loses Normandy 113 James I. King of England 146 The Independents become Masters in England 158 Ireland conquer'd by the Parliament Forces of England 160 Constitution of the Irish Nation 166 Jesuits banish'd out of France by King Henry IV. 231 The Spanish Inquisition in the Netherlands 257 The long Inter-regnum in Germany 292 Insurrection of the Boors in Germany under Charles V. 299 John Casimir King of Poland 349 John Pobeiski the present King of Poland 352 Constitution of the Jewish Religion 369 Ignorance contributed to the Popes Authority 386 Causes of this Ignorance 387 Ignorance of Luther's Adversaries 415 The Jesuits why they have taken upon them the Education of the Youth 443 Inquisition and Excommunication 445 L. LEwis XI King of France 202 His politick methods 203 Lewis XII King of France 206 Conquers Milan 206 Conquers Naples 207 Loses it again 207 Lewis XIII King of France 234 Takes Lorrain from that Duke 237 Lewis XIV the present King of France 238 Is forced to leave Paris 240 His differences with the Pope 243 His Wars in Flanders 243 244 Takes Mastricht 245 Leopold the present Emperour of Germany 305 His Wars with the Turks 305 With France 305 Lithuania united to Poland 339 Luther gives a great blow to the Grandeur of the Pope 412 Pope Leo his Vertues and Faults 413 Luther opposes Indulgencies and afterwards the Popes power 414 Is favoured by Erasmus 416 I 'll conduct of Pope Leo and Cardinal Cajetan 418 Why Luther's doctrine was not spread farther 419 Laity debarr'd from reading the Scriptures 437 The licensing of Books 444 Battle fought near Leipzick 520 Battle fought near Lutzen 524 A second Battle fought near Leipzick 530 M. MAcedonian Empire 8 Its fall 11 Massanello's Rebellion at Naples 65 The Maid of Orleans 200 125 Mary Queen of England 139 She restores Popery 139 Marries Philip of Spain 140 Mary Queen of Scotland 142 She marries Bothwel who murther'd her husband 143 She is made a Prisoner in England 143 Is beheaded 144 The Merringim Family loses the Crown of France 178 Mazarine ' s Ministry under Lewis XIV K. of France 238 Mazarine banish'd France 241 And recall'd by the Queen 241 Peace of Munster 275 239 Mazarine's death 242 Archduke Matthew made Governour by the Netherlanders 264 Maurice Son to William Prince of Orange made Stadtholder of the united Provinces 267 Matthias Emperour of Germany 300 Muscovy and its ancient State 361 The Genius of the Muscovites 363 Their Form of Government Strength and Neighbours 365 What Commodities Muscovy affords 364 Concerning Marriages 385 Metropolitans 390 Mendicants order and the Motives to embrace this manner of Life 396 Is prejudicial to the regular Clergy 397 Merits of good Works 439 Marriage made a Sacrament 440 Maydeburgh taken by the Imperialists 519 N. NAvarre conquered by Ferdinand the Catholick 46 Normandy annexed to the Crown of England 108 The Norman Race extinct 109 Navarre taken and lost again in a few days by Francis I. King of France 210 The Edict of Nants 232 Peace made at Nimwegen 305 246 67 The ancient State of the Netherlands 254 Their condition under the Emperour Charles V. 255 Causes of the Wars in the Netherlands under Philip II. King of Spain 256 They were fomented by Elizabeth Queen of England 258 Constitution of the united Netherlands 280 Their Genius 281 Of their Country Shipping and Commerce 282 283 Their Strength and Weakness 285 Their Form of Government 286 Their Defects 288 The Genius of the Norwegians 328 Battle fought near Noringen in Germany 327 O. THE Original of civil Societies 2 Origin of the Kingdom of Navarre and Arragon 3â The Original of selling Offices in France 202 Siâge of Ostend 271 Orders of Fryars and Nunâ in general 396 P. THE Persian Empire 4 Philip King of Macedon 8 Peace made at Cambray betwixt Charles V. and Francis I. 213 49 Peace made at Crespy betwixt Charles V. and Francis I. 215 52 Peace betwixt Spain and France 53 Treaty at Passaw 299 52 Philip II. King of Spain 54 His Wars with England 55 Peace made at Vervin betwixt France and Spain 232 57 Portugal falls to Spain 91 59 Philip III. King of Spain 59 Philip IV. King of Spain 91 Portugal falls off from Spain 64 92 Pyrenean Treaty 242 65 Peace with Portugal 66 Peace made at Aix la Chapelle 66 Peace made at Nimwegen 246 67 The Phillippine Islands 74 The Kingdom of Portugal and its Origin 81 The first Project of sailing into the East-Indies 88 The Portugueses banish the Moors and Jews 88 Peace betwixt Holland and Portugal 93 The Humour of the Portugueses 94 A Persecution raised on the Christians of Japan 96 Strength of Portugal 97 Peter's Pence 101 Peace made betwixt the English and French 119 Of no long continuance 120 Another Peace with France under R. II. K. of Eng. 170 The Powder Plot under James I. King of England 147 Pharamond the first King of France 175 Pipin proclaimed King of France 178 The Parisian Massacre 223 Pignerol bought from the Duke of Savoy by Lewis XIII King of France 236 Peace of Munster 275 239 Peace made at Aixla Chapelle 244 The Duke of Parma Governour of the Netherlands 265 Protestants and the rise of that Name 298 Protestant League at Smalkald 298 The differences betwixt the Protestants in Germany 312 The Kingdom of Poland and its Origin 333 Twelve Vaivodes or Governours in Poland 333 The Poles defeated in Moldavia 346 Poland invaded by Gustavus Adolfus K. of Sweden 347 The Poles defeated by the Cosacks 349 Poland invaded by Gustavus Adolf a second time 350 Poland invaded by Ragezi Prince of Transilvania 351 The Genius of the Polish Nation 352 The Kingdom of Poland its Strength and Weakness Form of Government its Commodities Revenues c. 353 354 355. Of the Pope of Rome 368 The Popes Authority and its Origin 386 Pedantry introduced into the Schools 388 The Greek and Roman Politicians prejudicial to Monarchy 388 Patriarchs 390 Of the Popes Power 390 The Popes Confirmation of Bishops 391 How the Popes withdrew themselves from their Subjection to the Emperours 399 The Pope seeks for protection in France 400 The Pope establishes an ecclesiastical Sovereignty 402 The Pope pretends to a power over Princes even to depose them 404 How this power is colour'd over 405 The Papal Authority opposed and weakned by Schisms 407 Divisions among the Protestants and the Licentiousness of some Protestants 420 The Vniversity of Paris 420 The Popish Soveraignty recovered 422 Popish Clergy more regular and learned than before 422 How
they make Converts 423 The Popes temporal State his Dominions Forces how he stands with relation to Germany Spain and France 424 425 Popish Monarchy as spiritual its particular Constitution 426 Why it was to be exercised in the Form of a Monarchy 429 Why it must be elective 430 Why the Pope was to live in the State of Celibacy 431 Popish Doctrine suited to the State 436 Penance 439 Purgatory 441 Prayers to Saints 441 The main Pillar of the Popish Monarchy 451 The Popes Inclination towards the Protestants 452 No Peace to be expected betwixt the Roman Catholicks and Protestants 453 Strength of the Protestants and Papists 454 The Protestant Religion estabished in Sweden 495 R. ROme a Warlike City 13 It s military Institutions 15 Religion of the Romans 17 Roman Kings expelled and a new form of Government erected 19 Defects of the Roman Commonwealth 21 In Rome were two distinct Bodies 23 The Rom. Monarchy could not be of long continuance 25 Rome taken by Charles V. 49 The Romans conquer England 99 Richard I. King of England 111 His expedition into the Holy Land 111 Richard II. King of England 120 Richard III. King of England 131 Rebellion begins in England under Charles I. 157 Richlieu made chief Minist of State under Lew. III. 235 Rochelle taken from the French Huguenots 235 Rudolf Earl of Habsburgh the first Founder of the present House of Austria 292 The Reformation in Germany 297 The Roman spiritual Monarchy 368 The Romans and their politick Reason against the Primitive Christian Church 378 Rome why it was made the Place of Residence of the Ecclesiastical Monarchy 389 Reliques 441 Reformation begun in Sweden 491 S. SParta 7 Spain and its ancient State 28 Spain conquer'd by the West Goths 28 By the Saracens 30 Great Divisions in Spain 34 The Sicilian Vespers 188 39 First Beginning of the Spanish Inquisition 43 Spanish Armado destroyed 145 56 The Nature of the Spaniards 67 The Spanish West-Indies 69 It s several sorts of Inhabitants and Its Riches 71 72 Sardinia and Sicily 74 Spanish Netherlands 74 Strength and Weakness of Spain 75 Its condition in reference to its Neighbours 77 The Saxons come into Britany 100 The Saxon Heptarchy 101 The Scotch defeated by the English 119 The Scotch Covenant 154 The constitution of the Scotch Nation 165 Spain enters into the Holy League in France 226 The Slingers in France 239 The Switzers and the first original of their Commonweal 273 Their first Union 274 Their Genius 279 Their Strength and Weakness 279 League at Smalkald 298 Stephen Batori made King of Poland 342 He puts the Cosacks in good Discipline 342 Sigismund III. King of Poland 343 His Wars with the Muscovites 343 His oversight during the troubles in Muscovy 345 Siââ Venial and Mortal 438 States that are tyed by a particular Interest to the Church of Rome 448 449 Sweden the most ancient Kingdom in Europe 461 The Christian Doctrine first taught in Sweden 464 Celibacy of Clergy introduced in Sweden 468 The Kingdom of Sweden made hereditary and the Popish Religion abolished 497 A new Swedish Liturgy introduced 504 Sigismund King of Poland and Sweden 506 Is deposed 510 The Nature and Qualification of the Swedish Nation 535 Their Condition Strength and Neighbours 536 537 T TRuce with Holland made by Philip III. K. of Spain 60 The Tripie Alliance 66 The Templers suppressed in France 189 Truce betwixt the Emperour Charles V. and Henry II. King of France 216 The Tartars make the first inrode into Poland 338 Theodore Ivanowitz Czar of Muscovy 362 Traditions 438 First Translation of the New Testament into Swedish 492 V. THE Union of Utrecht the Foundation of the Common-wealth of the seven United Provinces 265 They enter into a Confederacy with the English 267 Uladislaus IV. King of Poland obtains a signal Victory over the Muscovites 348 The causes of the War with the Cosacks under his Reign 348 The Universities have promoted the Popish Sovereignty 442 W. WArs betwixt France and Spain and their first rise 44 Wars betwixt Charles V. and France 47 Wars betwixt Holland and Portugal 93 William the Conqueror 104 He conquers England 184 105 Intestine Wars in France under King Francis II. 218 William Prince of Orange 256 Is murthered at Delft 267 William II. Prince of Orange 275 He makes the two de Wits Prisoners 276 They are murthered 280 William III. Prince of Orange 277 Wars betwixt the English Parliament and the Dutch 277 A second War betwixt the English and Dutch 278 Wars betwixt Charles duke of Burgundy and the Switzers 276 Wars betwixt France and the Switzers 277 The Westphalian Treaty 304 Winifred the Monk 393 Wars betwixt the Muscovites and Swedes 5â2 War betwixt the Swedes and Poles in Livonia 511 Zwinglius and Calvin 421 An Introduction to the History of the Chief Kingdoms and States now in EUROPE CHAP. I. Of the Ancient Monarchies and more especially of the Roman out of whose Ruines arose several Kingdoms and States § 1. NO Man of Common Sense imagines that at the first Propagation of Mankind there were such Governments as are among us at this time But in those Times each Father without being Subject to any Superiour Power governed his Wife Children and Servants as a Sovereign Nay it seems very probable to me that even to the time of the Deluge there was no Magistracy or any Civil Constitution but that the Government was lodged only in each Father of his Family For it is scarce to be imagined that such abominable Disorders could have been introduced where the Power of Magistrates and Laws was exercised And it is observable that after once the Rules of Government were Constituted we do not find that Mankind in general did run into the same Enormities of which God Almighty was obliged to purge the World by an Universal Punishment though the Root of the Evil was remaining as well after as before the Deluge It seems also that for a considerable time after the Deluge this Paternal Government continued in the World § 2. But the reason why the Fathers of Families left this Separate way of living and joyned in a Mutual civil Society seems to be That among the Neighbouring Families sometimes Quarrels used to arise which being often decided by Force drew along with them very great Inconveniencies to prevent which it was thought necessary for the Preservation of Peace and Quietness among Neighbours to referr the Decision of such Matters to the Judgment of some of the wisest and most Considerable among them After the increase of Mankind it was also easily to be observed how difficult it would prove for a Single Family to defend it self against the Joint Conspiracy of a malicious Party to Oppose which the Neighbours living so near as to be able to assist one another in case of Necessity did enter into a Society Mutually to defend themselves against their Common Enemies That they might do this with the better Success the
the Queen afterwards had another Bastard begotten by another person To remove this shame and to exclude Joan from the succession of the Crown the Nobles of Spain enter'd into an Association and putting the Image of Henry upon a Scaffold they there formally accus'd him and afterwards having taken off his Ornaments threw it from the Scaffold at the same time proclaiming Alfonso Brother of Henry their King From hence arose most pernicious intestine Wars which ended in bloudy Battels During these troubles Alfonso died About the same time Ferdinand Son of John II. King of Arragon whom his Father had declar'd King of Sicily props'd a Marriage with Isabella Henry's Sister to whom the rebellious Castilians had offer'd the Crown and forc'd Henry to confirm the right of Isabella to the Crown whereupon the Nuptials were celebrated but privately Yet would Henry by making this Concession void have afterwards set up again the Title of Joan whom he had promis'd in marriage to Charles Duke of Aquitain Brother to Lewis XI King of France but he dying suddenly Henry at last was reconcil'd to Ferdinand and Isabella and died in the Year 1472. § 9. From this match of Ferdinand whom the Castilians call The V. or The Catholick with Isabella sprang the great Fortune and Power of Spain it under his Reign arriving to that pitch of Greatness which ever since has made it both the Terrour and the Envy of Europe This Ferdinand also met with some obstacles at the beginning of his Reign the States of Castile having limited his Power within too narrow Bounds And Joan the late King Henry's suppos'd Daughter having contracted a match with Alfonso King of Portugal who entring Castile with a puissant Army caus'd her to be proclaim'd Queen but the Portugueses being soundly beaten the whole design vanish'd and Joan retiring into a Monastery the civil Commotions were totally suppress'd The next care of Ferdinand was to regulate such Disorders as were crept into the Government in the former Reigns wherefore he caus'd that Law-book to be compil'd which from the City of Toro where it first was publish'd is call'd Leges Tauri In the Year also 1478 the famous Spanish Inquisition was first instituted by him against the Moors and Jews who having once profess'd themselves Christians did afterwards return to their Idolatry and Superstitious Worship This Court of Inquisition is esteemed an inhuman and execrable Tribunal among other Nations and carries the greatest Injustice with it in ordering the Children to bear the Guilt of their Parents nor permitting any body to know his Accusers to clear himself against them But the Spaniards ascribe to this Inquisition the benefit which they enjoy of one Religion the variety of which has brought great Inconveniencies upon other States 'T is true by those means you may make Hypocrites not sincere Christians After he had order'd his Affairs at home and after the death of his Father taken upon him the Government of Arragon he undertook an Expedition against the Moors of Granada which lasted ten Years wherein the Spaniards were routed near Mallaga but quickly reveng'd themselves upon their Enemies taking from them one place after another till they at last besieg'd the City of Granada with 50000 Foot and 12000 Horse and having forc'd the King Boabdiles to a surrender they put an end to the Kingdom of the Moors in Spain after it had stood there for above 700 Years And to prevent the possibility of their ever encreasing again in Spain he banish'd 170000 Families of Jews and Moors out of Spain by which means the Kingdom nevertheless was despoil'd of vast Riches and of a great number of Inhabitants After this he took from them Mazalquivir Oran Pennon de Velez and Mellilla situated upon the Coast of Barbary Ferdinand also made use of this opportunity to teach his Nobles who were grown overpowerfull their due Respect and Obedience to the King and took upon himself the Sovereign Disposal of all the Spanish Orders of Knighthood which were grown to that excess of Riches and Power in Spain that they were formidable to its Kings Much about the same time Christopher Columbus a Genouese discover'd America after his Offers had been refus'd by the Kings of Portugal and England and after he had been seven Years solliciting at the Court of Castile for a supply to undertake the Voyage At last 17000 Ducats were employed in equipping three Vessels out of which Stock such prodigious Conquests and Riches have accru'd to Spain that ever since it has aim'd at the Universal Monarchy of Europe How easily the Spaniards did conquer these vast Countries and with what Barbarity they us'd the Inhabitants is too long to be related here Not long after a War was kindl'd betwixt Spain and France which has been the occasion of inspeakable Miseries in Europe after these two Warlike Nations were freed from that Evil which had hitherto diverted them from medling with Foreign Affairs the French having rid themselves from the English and the Spaniards from the Moors For when Charles VIII King of France undertook an Expedition against the Kingdom of Naples Ferdinand did not judge it for his Interest to let the French by conquering this Kingdom to become Masters of Italy especially since by marrying his Daughters he was in aliance with England Portugal and the Netherlands and besides the then kings of Naples descended from the House of Arragon And tho France lately enter'd with him into a Confederacy by vertue of which the French gave up Roussilion to Spain hoping thereby to bring over Ferdinand to their Party nevertheless when he perceiv'd That by all his Intercessions he could not disswade him from undertaking of this Expedition he enter'd into a Confederacy with the Pope Emperour Venice and Milan against France He also sent to the assistance of the Neapolitans Gonsalvus Ferdinand de Cârdua afterwards sirnam'd The Grand Captain under whose Conduct the French were beaten out of the Neapolitan Territories whilst he himself made an inrode into Languedock In the Year 1500 the Moors living in the Mountains near Granada rebell'd and were not without great difficulty appeas'd Afterwards an Agreement was made betwixt Ferdinand and Lewis XII King of France concerning the Kingdom of Naples under pretence to make War from thence against the Turks which being soon conquer'd by their joint Power they divided it according to their Agreement But because each of them would have had this delicious Morsel for himself they fell at variance concerning the Limits and some other matters which interven'd betwixt two Nations that had an animosity against one another Wherefore they came quickly to Blows and Gonsalvus routed the French near Ceriniola took the City of Naples beat them again near the River Liris or Garigliano and taking Cajeta drove the French a second time out of the Kingdom of Naples But Gonsalvus was not rewarded by Ferdinand according to his Deserts
for he not only lesien'd his Authority at Naples but also being suspicious that he either intended to keep that Kingdom for Philip Son-in-law to Ferdinand or else for himself Ferdinand undertook a Journey in Person to Naples on purpose to bring Gonsalvus handsomly away from thence and taking him along with him into Spain he treated him ill for his great deserts In the mean time died the Queen Isabella which occasion'd some Differences betwixt Ferdinand and his Son-in-law Philip the Netherlander Ferdinand pretending according to the last Will of Isabella to take upon him the Administration of Castile And to maintain his Claim the better he enter'd into a Confederacy with France by marrying Germana de Foix Sister to Lewis XII hoping thereby to obtain a powerfull Assistance in case Philip should come to attack him But Philip coming into Spain and taking upon him the Administration of the Government in the name of his Lady Joan Ferdinand retir'd into Arragon But Philip died soon after whose Queen Joan being not in her right Wits yet undertook the Administration of the Government not without the opposition of some of the chief of the Nobility wherefore the Administration of the Government was by common consent committed to Ferdinand after his return from Naples notwithstanding the Emperour Maximilian did pretend to it in the right of his Grandson Charles In the Year 1508 Ferdinand enter'd into a Confederacy against the Venetians whereby he regain'd the Cities of Calabria Brindisi Otranto Trano Mola and Polignano which the Venetians had formerly obtain'd for some Services done to the Neapolitans But as soon as Ferdinand perceiv'd that the Venetians were like to be swallow'd up by the Emperour and France the Pope and he left the Confederacy thinking it more convenient to preserve the State of Venice since by adding the Territories of Venice to those of Milan which were then possess'd by the French they would have grown too powerfull in Italy Hence arose a War in which John d' Albert King of Navarre taking part with the French was upon instigation of Ferdinand excommunicated by the Pope under which pretext Ferdinand took an opportunity to possess himself of that part of the Kingdom which lies on the Spanish side of the Pyrenean Mountains which since that time the French have in vain indeavour'd to recover In the Year 1510 the Spaniards took Bugia and Tripolis upon the Coast of Barbary but were routed in the Island of Gerbis This wise King died in the Year 1516. § 10. Him succeeded his Grandson by his Daughter Charles the fifth Emperour of that Name who with the assistance of the Cardinal Ximenes immediately took upon himself the Administration of the Government his Mother to whom the same did belong being incapable of Administring it This Prince who since Charles the Great was the most Potent Prince that hath been in Europe spent the greatest part of his Life in Travels and Wars In the very beginning of his Reign there were some Commotions in Spain which were soon appeased John D' Albert also made an Inrode into the Kingdom of Navarre in hopes to recover it but was quickly repulsed But with the French during his whole Life he waged continual Wars For though in the Year 1516 he made a League with King Francis I. whereby the Daughter of Francis was promised to him in Marriage yet was this Tie not strong enough to withhold the Animosity of these two courageous Princes Charles who was flush'd up with the great Success of his House had always in his Mind his Motto Plus ultra But Francis who was surrounded every-where by so potent a Prince did oppose his Designs with all his Might fearing lest his Power should grow too strong both for him and all the rest of Europe Charles obtain'd a most particular advantage When the Imperial Dignity was conferr'd upon him to obtain which for himself or some-body else Francis had labour'd with all his Might but in vain Robert de Mare Lord of Sedan withdrawing himself from the Emperour and putting himself under the Protection of France with whose assistance he attack'd the Lord of Emmerick who was under the Emperour's protection administer'd new matter of jealsousie which quickly broke out into an open flame in the Netherlands In which War the French lost Tournay and St. Amant but beat the Imperialists from before Meziores Charles also did intend to drive the French out of Milan upon instigation of Pope Leo X. Charles pretending that Francis had neglected to receive this Dutchy in fief of the Empire beat the French near Bicoque Fonterabie also which they had taken by surprize was re-taken by force from the French It proved also very disadvantageous to them that the Constable Charles of Bourbon sided with the Emperour and entring Provence besieged Marseilles Which nevertheless he was forced to quit as soon as Francis march'd with all his Forces that way into Italy to recover the Milaneze Where he took the City of Milan but at the Siege of Pavia was Attack'd by the Imperial Generals who totally routed his Army and having taken him Prisoner carried him into Spain The King himself was in part the occasion of this loss he having sent a great part of his Army towards Naples and Savona and those that remained with him were most Italians Swiss and Grisons who did not perform their Duty in the Battle and most of his Generals were of opinion to avoid the hazard of a Battle by retiring under the City of Milan The French also succeeded ill in the Diversion which they endeavour'd to give the Emperour for by the help of Charles Duke of Geldres and the Friselanders for they were at that time worsted by Charles's Forces There were some that advised Charles to set Francis at liberty without any Ransome and by this Act of Generosity to oblige him for ever But he followed the Counsels of such as did advise to make advantage of so great a Prisoner He therefore imposed very hard Conditions upon him which Francis refusing to accept of out of discontent fell into a dangerous Sickness so that Charles himself went to visit and comfort him Though he was advised to the contrary by his Chancellour Gallinaca who alledged that such a Visit where he did not intend to promise the Prisoner his liberty would rather seem to proceed from Covetousness and fear of losing the advantage of his Ransome than from any civility or good inclination towards him And this Sickness was the real cause why at last the Treaty concerning his Liberty which had been so long on foot was finish'd the Emperour fearing that his Discontent might plunge him into another Sickness or Death it self In the mean time the prodigious Success which attended the Emperour did raise no small jealousie among other Princes and by instigation of Pope Clement VII three Armies were raised to maintain the Liberty of Italy To prevent this Storm
provided with all Necessaries was lost by the unskilfulness and Cowardice of the Governour so that the whole Kingdom of Tunis to the great prejudice of the Christians fell into the Hands of the Turks At home Philip had a War with the Marans of Granada who rebelling against him were supported by the Algerines and could not be subdu'd but with great difficulty and if the Turks had been quick enough in giving them timely assistance it might have prov'd very dangerous to Spain This Rebellion did not end till the Year 1570 after it had continued for three years There were also some Commotions among the Arragonians who pretended to take part with Anthony Perez who standing upon his privilege against the Process that was made him for having upon the King's Orders murther'd Escovedo an intimate Friend of Don John of Austria Philip by this intended to purge himself of the Infamy of the fact and at once to revenge himself upon Perez who had been unfaithfull to him in some Love Intrigue aiming at that himself which he had undertaken to procure for the King And tho this did not much redound to the honour of Philip yet by this he took an opportunity to retrench the Privileges of the Arragonians In the Year 1568 Philip caus'd his Son Charles to be kill'd under pretence that he had endeavour'd to kill his Father and not long after the Queen Isabella also Charles's Step-mother died not without suspicion of having been poison'd But a great many are of opinion that some Love Intrigues were the occasion of their death which is the more probable because the said Isabella being intended for the Bride of Charles had been taken by the Father in spite of his Son Henry King of Portugal dying there were several pretenders to that Crown among whom was Philip as being born of Isabella Emanuel King of Portugal's Daughter who maintain'd his Right by the Sword and under the Conduct of the Duke of Alva conquer'd the Kingdom forcing Anthony the Bastard who had caus'd himself to be proclaim'd King to fly into England and from thence into France where he died an Exile in Paris Only the Island of Tercera held out for some time longer which the French intending to relieve were totally routed by the Spaniards And thus Philip became Master both of the East and West Indies the two greatest Mines of Riches in the World Nevertheless the French English and Hollanders had found out a way to ease him of these prodigious Revenues For Philip just before his death did confess That the War with the Netherlands only had cost him 564 Millions of Ducats And truly it is very probable that trusting to his vast Riches he was thereby prompted to his ambitious Designs and to undertake more than prov'd beneficial to him He died in the Year 1598. § 12. Philip the IIId's Father had left him the Kingdom in Peace with France but the Dutch War grew every day the heavier upon the Spaniards The Spaniards did hope that after Philip II. in his latter days had married his Daughter Clara Eugenia to Albert Archduke of Austria giving her the Netherlands for a Dowry the Dutch would become more pliable and reunite themselves with the rest of the Provinces in the Netherlands as having now a Prince of their own and not liable to the Spanish Government But because the Hollanders did by no means like this bait and at the Siege of Ostend gave a tast to the Spaniards both of their Strength and firm Resolution that they were resolv'd to stand it out with them the Spaniards resolv'd to make Peace with them especially since the Hollanders had found out the way to the East Indies where they made great progress France also enjoying a peaceable Government under Henry IV. and encreasing in Power it was fear'd That if the French should fall upon Spain with fresh Forces which had been tir'd out by this tedious War it might prove fatal to Spain They were also in hopes that the fear of a foreign Enemy ceasing the Hollanders in time of Peace might fall into Divisions among themselves or at least that Peace and Plenty might abate their Courage The Spaniards did sufficiently shew their eagerness for a Peace with Holland by setting the Treaty on foot in the Hague by sending Ambrosius Spinola himself among others thither as Ambassadour and by granting and allowing them the East India Trade Whereas the Hollanders carried it very high and would not abate an ace of their Proposals At last a Truce for twelve Years was concluded with Holland In the Year next following Philip banish'd 900000 Marans the Off-spring of the ancient Moors who had profess'd themselves Christians only for a shew out of Spain because they intended to raise a Rebellion and had underhand crav'd Assistance from Henry IV. In the same Year the Spaniards took the Fortress of Arache situated on the Coast of Africa as they had likewise possess'd themselves before of the Harbour of Final near Genoua in the Year 1619. Those of the Valtelins did withdraw themselves from the Grisons The Spaniards sided with the former in hopes to unite them with the Dukedom of Milan But France taking part with the Grisons the business was protracted for a great many years till at last matters were restor'd to their former state This difference did rouse up all Italy and the Pope himself took part with the Grisons tho Protestants assisting them in the recovery of the Valtelins The War being broken out in Germany the Spaniards sent Ambrose Spinola out of the Netherlands into the Palatinate part of which was subdu'd by them Philip III. died in the Year 1621. § 13. His Son Philip IV. at the very beginning of his Reign made great alterations in the Court sending away the Creatures of the Duke de Lerma the Favourite of his Father He himself foreseeing what was likely to befall him did timely obtain a Cardinal's Cap fearing the King should aim at his Head With the beginning of the Reign of this King the Truce with Holland being expir'd the War was rekindled in which Spinola was forc'd to raise the Siege of Bergen op Zoom because Christian Duke of Brunswick and General Mansfeld having before routed the Spaniards near Fleury came to the assistance of the Hollanders Pieter Heyn surpris'd the Spanish Silver Fleet with a Booty of 12 Millions of Gilders At the same time the Hollanders did settle themselves in Brasile taking the City of Olinda In the Year 1629 the Spaniards being in hopes to make a considerable Diversion and to put the Dutch hard to it made an Inrode into the Velaw and took Amersfort whilst the Hollanders were busied in the Siege of Hertogenbusk Bois le Duc but the Hollanders taking Wesel by surprise they were oblig'd to retreat with all speed over the River Yssel for fear that their retreat should be cut off by the Dutch In the Year 1639
a great Fleet was sent out of Spain into the Channel under the Command of Don Oquendo which was destroy'd by Martin Tromp in the Downs in the very sight of the English What the Intention was of sending so great a Fleet this way was not generally known at that time but afterwards it was divulged that the same was intended against Sweden and that there were 20000 Men ready in Denmark which as soon as this Fleet should have appear'd before Gothenburg were to have join'd them and enter'd Swedeland Afterwards the War was protracted but most to the disadvantage of the Spaniards till the Year 1648 when the Spaniards concluded a Peace with the Hollanders at Munster declaring them a free People renouncing all their pretences over them and leaving to them all the places which they had taken from them And notwithstanding France did its utmost to hinder the conclusion of this Peace at least so long till that Kingdom might also make a Peace with Spain but the Hollanders did not think it adviseable to stay their leisure fearing that if Spain was brought too low the French would thereby be enabled to swallow up the Netherlands and become their immediate Neighbours which they foresaw would prove fatal to their State It was also alledged and that with good reason That it was time to put up the Sword when all those things might be obtained by fair means for which it was drawn at first and that the Province of Holland had contracted considerable Debts Spain also perceiving that the Dutch were not to be overcome by force was willing to agree to those Conditions being glad to be rid once of so troublesome an Enemy that they might have the more leisure to be even with France and Portugal It is reported that this War cost the Spaniards above One thousand five hundred Millions of Ducats In the Year 1628 Vincent II. Duke of Mantua dying the Emperour endeavour'd to exclude Charles Duke of Nevers he being a Frenchman born from the succession of that Dukedom under pretence of having neglected some Matters appertaining to it as being a Fief of the Empire The Savoyards also took this opportunity to renew their Pretensions upon Montferrat and the Spaniards in hopes of getting something in the Fray besieged Casal On the other side the French took part with the Duke of Nevers raised the Siege of Casal and put the Duke of Nevers into possession of the Dukedom of Mantua which did much weaken the Reputation of the Spaniards in Italy In the Year 1635 the French denounced War against Spain under pretence that they had taken prisoner Philip Christopher Elector of Treves he being under the protection of the King of France and that they had driven the French Garrison out of Treves and possess'd themselves of that City but the true reason was that it was thought high time to bridle the Ambition and Power of the House of Austria which after the Battel of Nordlingen and the Peace concluded at Prague was grown very formidable and France being well settled at home began to be in a very flourishing condition The French therefore after they had beat the Prince Tomaso near Avennes enter'd the Netherlands with a great Army but the Success did not answer Expectation the Dutch especially being unwilling that France should make any considerable Conquests on that side Neither did the French gain any thing in Italy In the Year next following the Prince of Conde was forc'd to raise the Siege of Dole and the Spaniards entring Picardy fill'd Paris it self with Terrour and Confusion Gallas also the Imperial General endeavoured to enter Burgundy with his Army but did not advance much In the Year 1637 the Spaniards lost Landresi In the next Year they were forced to retire from before Leucate with great loss but the Prince of Conde on the other hand had the same ill fortune before Fonterabia the Spaniards beat the French soundly near Thionville but lost Hesdin Salses and Satins and in the Year following the strong City of Arras they being besides this routed near Casal Nor could they with all their Strength force the Earl of Harcourt from before Turin In the same Year also the Catalonians did revolt they being first dissatisfy'd at the Pride of the Duke d'Olivarez the King's Favourite against whom they had made great complaints but were nevertheless sorely oppress'd by him These discontents encreased after the Catalonians endeavouring the relief of Salses were beaten they pretending that they were not duely assisted by the Castilians and therefore left the Army and march'd home Conte Duca taking this opportunity represented them very ill to the King and caused their Privileges to be considerably diminished and their Country to be oppress'd with their quartering of Souldiers This put them in open Rebellion and Barcellona beginning first they drove the Spaniards out of Catalonia Then seeking Aid from France they at last after the Spaniards had cut off by their Cruelty all hopes of Mercy put themselves under the Protection of that Kingdom And it was eleven Years before the Spaniards could quite recover Catalonia the intestine Commotions in France presenting them with a fair opportunity for Barcellona being not timely reliev'd was forc'd to surrender to the Spaniards but the Portugueses withdrawing themselves from the Obedience of the Spaniards gave a great shock to the Spaniards Philip II. tho he had conquered this Kingdom yet had always endeavour'd by mildness and by preserving their Privileges to mitigate the hatred which the Portugueses bore to the Castilians which were grown to that height that the Priests used to insert it in their Prayers That God would be pleased to deliver them from the Castilian Yoak But after his death the Spanish Ministers had not been so carefull by maintaining their Privileges to keep the affection of the Portugueses but rather had treated them as a conquered Nation which so exasperated the Portugueses that as soon as they saw Spain begin to decline immediately some places in Portugal did rebel but were soon after reduced to their former Obedience The Spaniards therefore thought it adviseable that to bridle this People nothing could be more proper than by employing the Nobles as well as the Commoners in the Wars to purge the superfluous ill Humours of this Nation In the mean while the Catalonians falling into Rebellion the Portuguese Nobles were ordered to go into the Field which they did not relish well having besides this some other reasons to be dissatisfy'd with the Spaniards And because the Portugueses had a great affection for the Duke of Braganza the Spaniards try'd all ways to entice him to come to Court and supposing that they had cajoll'd him sufficiently with fair promises invited him very courteously to go in person with the King into the Field which invitation nevertheless he knew how to decline very dexterously At last the Portuguese Nobility being hard press'd to serve in the Expedition against the
Catalonians which they would in no ways consent to unanimously agreed to shake off the Castilian Yoak and secretly sounded the Inclinations of the Duke of Braganza As soon as he upon the perswasions of his Lady had reâolv'd to accept of the Crown they broke loose and surprising the Garrison in the City Palace and Fort seiz'd the Ships kill'd the Secretary of State Vasconcello who had carried himself very proudly among them and proclaimed the Duke of Braganza King under the Name of John IV. purging the whole Kingdom within eight days of the Castilians and that with the loss only of two or three persons Which may serve as a remarkable instance to convince the World how easily a Kingdom is lost where the Peoples Inclination is averse to the supream Head Thus the Spanish Monarchy received a great blow and its Power being distracted it could not act effectually on all sides They also lost Perpignan tho the French could not go further into Spain for the Prince of Conde besieged Lerida in vain In the Year 1641 the Prince Monaco driving the Spanish Garrisons out of his Territories put himself under the protection of France There also happen'd a most dangerous Rebellion at Naples the Head of which was a poor Fisherman whose Name was Massanello who might have put the whole Kingdom into a flame if the French had been at hand to give him timely assistance but by the prudent management of the Governour the Earl of Ognato the Tumult was appeased Spain then being forc'd to quench the flames on all sides it could not be so mindfull of Holland as the most remote having all hands full to resist the dangers threatning them nearer home And the Spaniards had the good fortune to reduce as we said before Catalonia under their Subjection and to chase the French out of Piombino and Porto Longone but the English took from them the Island of Jamaica in the West Indies At last France being re-established in its former Tranquility the Spaniards thought it most convenient to make Peace with that Crown Which was concluded betwixt the two great Ministers of State the Cardinal Mazarini and Don Lewis de Haro in the Pyrenean Mountains By vertue of which France got Roussilion and several considerable places in the Netherlands Spain having thus concluded a Peace with all the rest of its Neighbours it began in earnest to make War against Portugal The Spaniards therefore enter'd Portugal with a great Force taking from the Portugueses several places but were also at several places soundly beaten The Battel near Entremos where Don Juan and that near Villa Viciosa where Caracena received a fatal Defeat are most famous The obtaining of which two Victories on the Portuguese side is chiefly ascribed to the French General Schomberg Philip IV. died in the Year 1665. § 14. He had for his Successour his Son Charles II. a Child of four years of age who under the Tuition of his Mother negligently prosecuted the War against Portugal and at last by the Mediation of England was forc'd to make Peace with that Crown renouncing his right to the same because the French at that time made a grievous havock in the Netherlands For tho' Mary Teresia Daughter of Philip IV. at the time when she was married to the King of France had renounc'd all her right of Succession to her paternal Inheritance yet the French taking the opportunity of their flourishing condition and the decay'd state of Spain England also and Holland being engaged in a War with one another who would else not have left the Netherlands to be devoured by them they enter'd Flanders with a vast Army using among other things for a pretence that which in Brabant is called Jus devolutionis by which the real Estates of private persons fall to the Children born during the time of the first marriage as soon as the Father marries again The French took in this War without much resistance a great many considerable Cities and Forts viz. Charleroy Tournay Lisle Douay Oudenarde and some others they conquer'd also the whole Franche Compte which hastened the Peace betwixt England and Holland and occasioned the Tripple Alliance as it is called made betwixt England Sweden and Holland for the preservation of the Spanish Netherlands In the following Year France made a Peace with Spain at Aix la Chapelle restoring to Spain the Franche Compte but keeping what places he had taken in Flanders But when Holland in the Year 1672 was attack'd by the French Spain sided with the Dutch knowing that the loss of the Vnited Provinces must draw after it that of the Spanish Netherlands So it came again to an open War wherein at first Spain lost Burgundy The rebellious Messineses threw themselves under the protection of France but were afterwards deserted by them France also got Limburgh Conde Valencienne Cambray Ypres St. Omer Aeth and Ghent But a Peace was concluded at Nimmegen by virtue of which France kept the Franche Compte and most places taken in the Netherlands restoring only to Spain Limburgh Ghent Cortryck Oudenarde Aeth and Charleroy § 15. Having thus given a brief History of the Kingdom of Spain we will also add something concerning the Genius of the Spaniards and the extent of their Territories as also of the Strength and Weakness of this Kingdom and its Condition in reference to its Neighbours The Spanish Nation therefore is commonly esteem'd to be very wise and to take remote prospects throughly weighing a thing before it undertakes it Whereby nevertheless the Spaniards being overcautious and exact in their Counsels do often lose the opportunities of action Besides this the Spaniards are very constant to their Resolutions and tho' they fail once in an Attempt they will try their Fortune again endeavouring to overcome its frowns by their Constancy They are very fit for War and not only brave at the first attack but also will hold out till the last their sober way of living and spare Bodies make them fit to bear Hunger and Thirst and to be very watchfull But this the Spaniards are extreamly blamed for that they maintain their Gravity by high-flown Words and a proud Behaviour Tho' those that converse with them do declare that this Gravity which appears so odious is not so much the effect of their Pride as of a melancholy Constitution and an ill Custom they never being fond to converse much with Foreign Nations They are in general very zealous for the Roman Catholick Religion and abominate all others They are seldom fit for any Trade or Business where any hard labour is required such as Husbandry or any Handycraft Trades wherefore these are chiefly managed among them by Foreigners It is credibly reported That in Madrid alone there are above 40000 Frenchmen being for the most part Merchants Artists Handycrafts-men and Labourers who go under the Name of Burgundians
be landed its Provisions which must come by Sea might easily be cut off For in such a case all the States of Italy would be obliged to side with the Spaniards to keep this cruel Enemy from their Borders and their Naval Strength joined together much surpasses the Turks in every respect From the Italian States the Spaniards have little to fear it being a maxim with them to preserve the Peace of Italy thereby to take away all opportunity from France to get a footing in Italy which is also a general maxim among all the States of Italy Nevertheless this is most certain That if Spain should endeavour to encroach upon the rest of the Italian States they would unanimously oppose it and if they should find themselves too weak to oppose their Designs they might be easily wrought upon to call France to their aid The Pope perhaps might be willing enough to be Master of the Kingdom of Naples Spain holding the same in Fief of the Papal Chair and thereby the Popes might have a fresh opportunity to enrich their Kindred But the Pope wants Power to execute such a Design and the rest of the States of Italy would not be forward to see so considerable a Country added to the Ecclesiastical State and the Pope's Kindred are more for gathering of Riches out of the present Ecclesiastical Revenues than to bestow the same upon an uncertain War On the other side Spain having found it very beneficial for its Interest to pretend to the chief Protectorship of the Roman Religion and that the Pope's good or bad Inclinations towards it may either prove advantageous or disadvantageous Spain has always endeavoured by all means to keep fair with the Popes France on the contrary having taken part with the Protestants whom Spain and the House of Austria have sought to oppress has demonstrated sufficiently to the Roman Court that it is not so fond of that Religion as to neglect an opportunity to enrich himself with the Possessions of the Protestants and to make way for attaining to the so long projected Design of the Universal Monarchy which done he might easily make the Pope his Chaplain Wherefore the chief aim of the wisest Popes has been to keep the Power of Spain and France in an equal Balance this being the most proper method to keep up the Authority and provide for the Security of the Popedom It being the principal maxim of the Venetians to reserve their Liberty and State by maintaining the Peace of Italy Spain has no reason to be jealous of them as long as it undertakes nothing against them It is also the Interest as well of them as of all the other Italian States that the Spaniards remain in possession of Milan for fear if France should become Master of this Dukedom it might thereby be put in a way to conquer all the rest of Italy On the other side if Spain should shew the least Inclination to undertake any thing against the Liberty of Italy it cannot expect but that the Venetians if not by an open War at least by their Counsels and Money would oppose it For the rest this State endeavours to remain Neuter betwixt France and Spain and to keep fair with both of them as long as they do not act against their Interest Genoua is of great consequence to the Spaniards from which depends in a great measure the Security and Preservation of the Milaneze Wherefore when Charles V. could not effect his Intention of building a Castle being opposed therein by Andreas Doria whereby he intended to make the Genoueses dance after his Pipe the Spaniards found out another way to make them dependent on their Interest by borrowing vast Summs of Money from the Genoueses upon the security of the King's Revenues in Spain Besides this they are possess'd of the Harbour of Final on the Coast of Genoua whereby they have taken away the power from them of cutting off the Correspondency betwixt Spain and Milan Spain has great reason to give in a good Correspondency with Savoy for if that Prince should side with France against it the Milaneze would be in eminent danger of being lost But because it would be very pernicious for Savoy if the King of France should become Master of Milan since Savoy would be then surrounded on all sides by the French it is easie for Spain to maintain a good Correspondency with Savoy Florence and the rest of the Italian Princes have all the reason to be cautious how to offend Spain yet as much as in them lies they would scarce suffer Spain to encroach upon any of them It is also of consequence to the Spaniards to live in friendship with the Suiss partly because they must make use of such Souldiers as are listed among them partly because they may be very serviceable in preserving the Milaneze and their Friendship is best preserved by Money But because the Suiss are of several Religions Spain is in greater Authority with the Roman Catholick Cantons but France with the Protestant Cantons which being the most potent yet have either cajolled by fair Words or Money or out of Fear conniv'd at the Frenches becoming Masters of the County of Burgundy in the last War whereas formerly they used to take effectual care for its preservation The Hollanders were before the Peace of Munster the most pernicious Enemies to Spain but since the Conclusion of that Peace there is no cause that Spain should fear any thing from them since I do not see any reason why these should attack Spain or endeavour to take any thing from them having enough to do to maintain what they have already got And if they should be tempted to attempt any thing against the West Indies they would not only meet with great resistance from the Spaniards there but also France and England would not easily suffer that both the East and West Indies the two Fountains from whence such vast Riches are derived should be in possession of the Dutch And the Dutch as for their own Interests obliged to take care that France by swallowing up the rest of the Netherlands may not become their next Neighbour on the Land or that it should obtain any considerable advantage against Spain The Power of Germany Spain may consider as its own as far as the same depends on the House of Austria And it is not long ago since the States of Germany were persuaded to take upon them afresh the Guaranty of the Circle of Burgundy whereby Spain hoped to have united its Interest with that of the German Empire against France since whenever a War happens betwixt these two Crowns it is scarce possible that this Circle should escape untouch'd it being the most convenient place where they may attack one another with vigour England is capable of doing most damage to the Spaniards at Sea and especially in the West Indies But England in all likelyhood would be no great
most obstinate Neither did they cease till there was not one Christian left in Japan and the Portugueses upon pain of death were for ever banish'd the Country And the Hollanders when afterwards they sent any Ships to Japan used to forbid their Subjects to shew the least appearance of Religious Christian Worship but if they were ask'd Whether they were Christians to answer They were not but they were Hollanders Lastly To Portugal belong also the Isles called Azores whereof Tercera and the Isle Madera which are tolerably fruitfull are the principal § 10. From what hath been said it is apparent that the welfare of Portugal depends chiefly on their Commerce with the East Indies Brasile and Africa whereby also it is evident enough that the Strength and Power of Portugal in comparison of the rest of the more potent States of Europe is not to be esteemed such as to be able to attack any of them or gain any thing upon them It is therefore the Interest of this Crown to take care how to preserve it self in the same condition as it is in now and to be very cautious of engaging it self in a War with any Nation that is potent at Sea which perhaps might undertake something against their Provinces abroad But as for its Neighbours in particular Portugal is for the most part nearest unto Spain so that it is easie for the Spaniards to enter Portugal yet is the Power of Spain not very dreadfull to the Portugueses partly because the Spaniards cannot conveniently keep an Army of above 25000 Men on foot on that side by reason of the scarcity of Provisions the like number the Portugueses also can bring into the Field partly because Spain cannot man out a considerable Fleet of Men of War wherewith to attack the Portuguese Provinces Besides Portugal in case of such an attack might certainly expect to be assisted either by the French or English who as much as in them lies will not suffer Spain to become again Master of Portugal Neither does it appear for the Interest of Portugal upon the Instigation of France or some other Foreign Power to engage it self without a pressing necessity in a War with Spain since it is not probable that it could gain any thing considerable but would only weaken it self without the hopes of any advantage Portugal has in all probability not much to fear from France they lying at a considerable distance from one another besides this the Naval Strength of France is not come as yet to that height as to be in a capacity to be hurtfull to a Nation that has settled it self very securely in the East and West Indies and more especially since these two Nations have not any pretensions on each other And it rather concerns France that Portugal may stand secure against Spain and Holland The Hollanders have hitherto proved the most pernicious Enemies to Portugal they being in a capacity not only to disturb their Trade on the Coast of Portugal but also may prove very troublesom to them both in the East and West Indies And it seems that it would be no difficult matter for the Hollanders by taking from the Portugueses the City of Macao on the Coast of China and some other places on the Coast of Malabar quite to destroy their Trade in the East Indies But it is probable that in case of a War betwixt the Portugueses and Hollanders England would assist the former against the latter since it has not been without great Displeasure to the English to see what progresses the Hollanders have made in the East Indies whereby they have acquired such vast Riches that they have âid defiance to England and all the rest of Europe CHAP. IV. Of England § 1. IN Ancient Time Britainy which was then esteemed the biggest Island of the World was not ruled by one Prince but divided into a great many petty States each of them govern'd by its own King but this multitude of petty Princes as it caused great Divisions among them so it exposed them to the danger of being overcome by their Foreign Enemies This Island was scarce known to the Greeks and Romans till Julius Caesar's time who after he had conquer'd the greatest part of France undertook an Expedition into this Island hoping as 't is suppos'd to meet there with great Booty and Riches But he enter'd not very far into the Country and after some Skirmishes with the Inhabitants returned again without leaving a Garrison or exacting any Contributions After this Britainy was not attack'd again by the Romans till under the Reign of the Emperour Claudius who bent his Arms against it in good earnest and the Inhabitants being divided among themselves and not joined in a mutual defence against the common Enemy he without great difficulty conquer'd part of it At which time Britainy was made a Roman Province a constant Army being maintained here by the Romans who by degrees conquered one part after another yet not without receiving some Defeats At last under the Reign of Domitian Julius Agricola marched with his victorious Army through the whole Island and giving a signal overthrow to the Caledonians who are now called the Scots subdued them tho' the Romans could never entirely conquer the utmost parts of Britainy being almost inaccessible Wherefore afterwards the Emperours Adrian and Severus by building a Wall cross the Island from Sea to Sea divided them from the Roman Province hoping thereby to stop their Incursions But the Romans never came into Ireland After the Britains had been above 400 Years under subjection to the Romans the Northern Nations at that time over-running the Western parts of the Roman Empire the Romans left this Island voluntarily being obliged to recall their Legions which were posted in Britainy to oppose their Enemies § 2. Britainy being thus without an Army and besides this mightily exhausted in its Strength for that the Romans had made use of their young Men in their Wars the Picts and Scots from their barren Country made an Inrode into these plentifull Provinces destroying all before them The English to make the better Head against them had chosen one Vortigern for their King but he perceiving himself to be no ways able to resist their Power and Assistance being denied him from the Romans called in the Angles a Saxon Nation living then in Holstein One part of which retains that Name to this day tho' some will have them to have been Frieslanders others Goths it being certain that the mordern Language of the Frieslanders has a great affinity with the ancient English Tongue These Angles under their Leaders Hengist and Horsa coming with some thousands of Men to the assistance of the Britains beat out the Scots But they being mightily taken with the Fruitfulness of the Country resolved to subdue it and to lay the Yoak upon the Britains who had called them in to deliver them from it As soon as the Britains
afterwards lost his Head § 21. Queen Mary caused the Roman Catholick Religion and Mass which were abolished in her Brother's time as also the Pope's Authority to be restor'd in England she used the Protestants very hardly of whom a great many were punished with death Yet was she not able to restore the Church Revenues for fear of exasperating the greatest Families who had them in their possession The Pope did also send Cardinal Poole to re-unite the Kingdom to the holy See of Rome This Queen Mary was married to Philip Son of Charles V. who was afterwards King of Spain yet under these Conditions That she should have the sole disposal of all Offices and Revenues of the Kingdom and if a Son was born he should besides the Crown of England inherit Burgundy and the Netherlands Don Carlos who was born of a former Wife should be Heir of Spain and all the Italian Provinces and in case he died without Issue this should also inherit his part But no Children came of this marriage Mary being pretty well in Years for she was thirty Years before proposed in Marriage And there were some who being dissatisfy'd at this Match raised Tumults among whom was the Duke of Suffolk Father of Jane who had hitherto been a Prisoner in the Tower but she and her Husband Guilford and her Father paid with their Heads for it It was within an ace but that Elizabeth who was afterwards Queen had also undergone the same fate if Philip and the Spaniards had not interceded for her not out of any affection to her person but because they knew that after her the next Heir to the Crown of England was Mary Queen of Scotland who being married to the Dauphin of France they feared lest by this means England and Scotland might be united with France Among other Articles in the Marriage Contract of Queen Mary it was agreed That she should not be obliged to engage her self in the Wars which her Husband Philip should carry on against France Notwithstanding which when Philip afterwards was engaged in a War with France she sent to his assistance some of her best Forces who by their Bravery chiefly obtain'd the Victory near St. Quintin for which reason Philip gave the City to be plundered by the English Henry II. King of France taking hold of this opportunity assaulted the City of Calais under the Command of the Duke de Guise which being not well Garrison'd he took in a few days and obliged all the Inhabitants to quit the City and to leave behind them all their Gold Silver and Jewels He also took afterwards the two Castles of Guisnes and Hammes and thereby drove the English quite out of France Not long after this loss Queen Mary died § 22. Elizabeth who after the death of her Sister was unanimously proclaimed Queen maintain'd her Authority and govern'd with great Prudence and Glory in the midst of a great many threatning dangers to the very end In the beginning Philip endeavoured by all means to keep England on his side for which reason he proposed a Marriage betwixt Elizabeth and himself promising to obtain a Dispensation from the Pope which was nevertheless opposed by the French in the Court of Rome Elizabeth was very unwilling to disoblige so great a Prince who had well deserved of her yet on the other side the same scruple which had caused her Father to be divorced from Catharine of Arragon by a parity of reason did remain with her she considered especially that the said Divorce must needs be esteemed unjust if the Pope's Dispensation was allowed of since it had been alledged as a fundamental reason of the said Divorce that the Pope had no power to dispense in any cases which were contrary to God's Law She resolved therefore not to have any further concerns with the Pope and to give a friendly refusal to Philip. Then she by an Act of Parliament constituted the Protestant Episcopacy yet not at once but by degrees taking away from the Papists the free exercise of their Religion and under several Penalties and Fines obliged every one to frequent the Protestant Churches on Sunday Every body also was obliged by a solemn Oath to acknowledge her the Supream Governour in England even in Spiritual Matters which Oath was among 9400 who were possess'd of Church Benefices taken by all except 189 who refused the same among whom were fourteen Bishops She kept stedfast to the established Episcopal Church Government tho' she met with great opposition from two sorts of people viz. the Papists and Puritans These having conceived a great hatred against Episcopacy and all other Ceremonies which had the least resemblance of Popery were for having every thing regulated according to the way of Geneva Tho' their number increased daily yet the Queen kept them pretty well under But the Papists made several attempts against her Life and Crown for her envious Enemies did erect several Seminaries or Schools for the English Nation in foreign Countries viz. at Douay at Rheims at Rome and Valedolid all which were erected for the Instructing of the English Youth in these Principles viz. That the Pope had the Supream Power over Kings and as soon as a King was declared a Heretick by him the Subjects were thereby absolved from their Allegiance due to him and that it was meritorious work to murther such a King Out of these Schools Emissaries and Priests were sent into England whose business was there to propagate the Roman Catholick Religion but more especially to instruct the People in the abovementioned Doctrines To these associated themselves some Desperado's who after Pope Pius V. had excommunicated the Queen were frequently conspiring against her Life But most of them got no other advantage by it than to make work for the Hang-man and occasioned that the Papists were stricter kept than before Mary also Queen of Scotland raised abundance of troubles against Queen Elizabeth she being the next Heiress to the Crown of England did with the assistance of the Duke of Guise endeavour to have Queen Elizabeth declared by the Pope Illegitimate which the Spaniards underhand opposed and both she and the Dauphin assumed the Arms of England which undertaking proved afterwards fatal to Queen Mary For Elizabeth sided with the Earl of Murray natural Brother of Queen Mary whose main endeavour was to chase the French out of Scotland and to establish there the Protestant Religion both which he effected with the assistance of Queen Elizabeth This Queen Mary being after the death of Francis II. returned into Scotland was married to her Kinsman Henry Darley one of the handsomest Men in England by whom she had James VI. But her Love to him grew quickly cold for a certain Italian Musician whose name was David Ritz was so much in favour with the Queen that a great many persuaded Henry that she kept unlawfull company with him He being thus
the Year 1510 the Pope Ferdinand Henry VIII and the Swiss Cantons denounced War against Lewis For the Pope could not look with a good Eye upon the growing Power of France in Italy Ferdinand feared lest Lewis might attack Naples and Henry being come lately to the Crown was for making himself famous by so great an Undertaking the Swiss were set against France because Lewis had not paid them their old Arrears and had refused to encrease their Pension not because their Demands were extravagant but because he would not be out-brav'd by them In this War the French General Gasto de Foix behaved himself very gallantly for he relieved Bononia beat the Venetian Army killed 8000 of them in Brescia and obtained a glorious Victory against the Confederate Army near Ravenna in which Battel nevertheless this brave General being too hot in pursuing the Enemy was slain With his death the French Affairs began to decline and they were again forced to leave Italy Maximilian Son of Lewis the Black was restored to his Dutchy of Milan by the help of the Swiss The Genoucse revolted and made sanus Fregosus their Duke Ferdinand the Catholick took from King John the Kingdom of Navarre which the French in vain endeavoured to regain from the Spaniards But Lewis being extreamly desirous to regain Milan enter'd into a League with Venice and retook most places of that Dukedom and the City of Genoua He besieg'd Duke Maximilian in the Castle of Novara but the Swiss coming to the Assistance of the Duke attack'd the French with incredible Fury in their Camp and drove them quite out of the whole Dukedom which was twice taken in one Month. Then Lewis was at one time attack'd by the Emperour England and the Swiss and if the English and the Swiss had join'd France would have run a great Risque But King Henry in lieu of entring into the Heart of France lost his Time at the Siege of Terouâne where he defeated the French that were come to its Relief near Guinegast this Battel was call'd La journée des esperons or The Battel of the Spurs because the French made better use of their Spurs than their Swords and after he had taken Tournay he return'd into England The Swiss who kept the Duke of Tremoville besieg'd were bought off with 600000 Crowns which were promised to them by the Duke without the King's Order as likewise that he should renounce the Council of Pisa and his Pretensions to the Dukedom of Milan Which shamefull Agreement the King refus'd to ratify and if the Swiss had not been more fond of the Ransom offer'd for the Hostages than their Blood they had pay'd with their Lives for it In the Year next following Lewis made a Peace with the King of England who gave him his Sister Mary in Marriage which young Lady 't is thought did hasten the Death of the old King which ensu'd in the beginning of the Year 1515. This King was so well belov'd by his People that he was generally call'd Le Pere du Peuple or The Father of the People § 17. His Nephew Francis I. succeeded him who having made a League with England the Archduke Charles and Venice enter'd upon a sudden into Italy and took Genoua and some other Places without great Opposition but being encamp'd near Marignano within a League of Milan the Swiss unexpectedly fell upon him where a bloody Fight ensu'd The Swiss were at last repuls'd and found that they cou'd be beaten having lost above 10000 but the French also left 4000 of their best Men upon the Spot After this Maximilian surrender'd himself and the whole Country to the King on the Condition of an annual Pension of 30000 Ducats to be paid him Soon after the King agreed with the Swiss whom in Consideration of a good Summ he brought again into an Alliance with France He made also an Agreement with Pope Leo X. by vertue of which the King was to have the Right of naming Bishops and Abbots but the Pope to keep certain Benefits out of the chiefest Church Benefices In the Year 1518 he redeem'd Tournay form the English for a good Summ of Money In the Year next following after the Death of the Emperor Maximilian Francis employ'd all his Engines to be exalted to the Imperial Dignity but the German Princes fearing lest the French should endeavour to humble them and for some other Considerations preferr'd before him Charles V. This proved the Occasision of great Jealousies betwixt these two Princes for Francis being very sensible what great Advantages he had gained by the Imperial Dignity put himself into a good posture to prevent his becoming Master of him and all the rest of the Princes in Europe This Jealousie broke at last out into an open War Francis endeavouring to re-take Navarre from the Spaniards as thinking to have met with a fair Opportunity whilst the Divisions in Spain were on Foot The French conquer'd that Kingdom in a few days time but being not carefull enough to preserve it as easily lost it again Soon after the War was kindled in the Netherlands occasion'd by Robert Van de Marck Lord of Sedan whom Francis took into his Protection This Robert was so puft up with the French Protection that he writ a Letter of Defiance to the Emperour and fell into the Country of Luxemburgh But Charles quickly chastis'd this petty Enemy and being persuaded that Francis had encourag'd him thereunto he took from him St. Amand and Tournay The Business nevertheless might have been compos'd at the beginning if the French had not insisted upon keeping Fonterabia which in the mean time had been surpris'd by them But the hardest task was in Italy both the Emperour and Pope being willing to drive Francis out of Milan and to restore Francis Sforza They effected both with good Success for the French Army was not timely supply'd with Money and being besides this beaten near Bicoque the French were again driven out of Milan and Genoua And on the other side they also lost Fonterabia But what happen'd very ill to Francis was That the Constable Charles of Bourbon went over to the Emperour the Reason of which was That he had been for a while mightily kept under by the Queen Mother the Chancellour Duprat and Admiral Bonnivet The first had commenc'd a Suit at Law against him about the Dukedom of Bourbon which he despair'd to be able to maintain against so strong a Party as believing that the King was underhand concern'd in the Matter 'T is said that the first Cause of this Difference was because the Duke of Bourbon had refus'd to marry her The Duke of Bourbon therefore had agreed with the Emperor and the King of England That they should divide the Kingdom of France betwixt them the Kingdom of Arelat and the Emperour's Sister having been promis'd to the Duke of Bourbon But the Design being discover'd the Duke of Bourbon was
have the Crown he was resolv'd no body else should have it and so employ'd all his Cunning that there was nothing determined in the Assembly concerning this Proposition the King however plainly perceiv'd That if he did not change his Religion his Affairs must needs grow worse especially since these Catholicks who hitherto had been of his Party did threaten to leave him if he did not perform his Promise He called therefore the Bishops together who instructed him in the Catholick Faith and having receiv'd Absolution he went to St. Denys's Chapel to Mass And that the People might tast the sweetness of Peace and desire it he made a Truce of three Months which prov'd very successfull especially since the fundamental Pretence namely Henry's being a Heretick was now remov'd Vitry and the City of Meaux were the first that surrender'd themselves to the King in the same Year upon very advantageous Conditions Aix Lyons Orleans Bourges and other Cities soon followed their Example And to encourage the rest to do the same the King caused himself to be Crowned and Anointed in Chartres Rheims being as yet in the hands of the League Not long after Paris was also Surrendred by the Governour Brissac and here the King was received with such joyfull Acclamations of the People as if they had never been his Enemies the Spanish Garrison being turn'd out with Ignominy and the hissing of the Common people Then all the rest of the Cities and Governours surrendred themselves to the King on very advantageous Conditions which the King was willing to grant them that he might once be put in quiet possession of the Crown and drive the Spaniards out of France The young Duke of Guise submitted himself being made Governour of Provence Then Henry denounced War against Spain not only to revenge himself for what Troubles they had created to him before but also to please the Huguenots and to root out of the People their affection for the Spaniards These were the Fruits Philip reapt for so many Millions which he had bestowed in supporting the League In the beginning of the same Year a Knife was by a certain desperate Ruffian called John Castel thrust into the King's Mouth whereby he lost one of his Teeth It was the King's good fortune that he just bowed himself this Villain 's aim having been at his Throat And because it was found out that the Jesuits had been tampering with him whose Principles also were thought very dangerous they were banish'd out of France but some years after restored again Afterwards the Duke of Nevers being sent to Rome to obtain Absolution for King Henry the same was granted by the Pope who had been very averse hitherto to Henry but perceiving that he would maintain his Crown in spite of him was now for ingratiating himself with the King Then the Dukes of Maine and Espernon and Marseilles were received again into the King's favour But the War against Spain did not succeed according to wish For tho' the King had got some advantages over them in the Franche Comte and had beat the Spaniards out of Han in Picardy yet on the other side these took Dourlans and Cambray the latter of which had been hitherto in the Possession of Balagny under French protection and in the Year 1596 next following they took Calais and Ardres And tho' the King took from the Spaniards Fere yet was that a very slender compensation of his Losses But there happened another great Misfortune For the Spaniards in the Year next following took the City of Amiens by surprize which was not re-taken without great pains In the Year 1598 the Duke of Mercoeur who hitherto had stood out resolutely in Bretany did at last submit himself hoping thereby to obtain the said Dukedom And to set the Huguenots at rest he publish'd for their security that famous Edict of Nants as it is called by virtue of which they have hitherto enjoyed the free Exercise of Religion At last a Peace was concluded betwixt Henry and the Spaniards at Vervins with Conditions that such Places as were taken since the Year 1559 should be restored on both sides A Peace being thus concluded and Henry resolved to be even with the Duke of Savoy who under his Predecessour's Reign had taken Saluzze and during the intestine Wars had raised great Troubles in Dauphine and Provence in hopes to snatch away a piece of the dismembred Kingdom and tho' the Duke came in Person into France and promised to the King to give him some other Places in exchange of the former yet was he not in earnest in hopes to be upheld by Spain or that the Marshal de Biron with whom he kept private Intelligence should renew the civil Commotions But the King fell upon him and took from the Duke all what he was possess'd of on this side of the Alpes At last by Mediation of the Pope an agreement was made that the Duke should give to France in exchange for Saluzze La Bresse Bugey Valromay en Gex The Italian Princes were very ill satisfied with this Peace since there being no door left for France to enter Italy Italy was left to the discretion of the Spaniard But Henry being tired with so long and tedious War was resolved at last to enjoy the sweet Fruits of Peace after so many years Troubles But soon after a dangerous Conspiracy was discovered contrived by the Mareschal de Biron who intended with the Assistance of the Spaniards to depose the King and to dismember the Kingdom by setting up a great many petty Principalities having agreed with the rest to have for his share the Dukedom of Burgundy And he refusing to accept of the King's Mercy which he was willing to grant him in consideration of his great Deserts was condemn'd and his Head cut off The King being now at Peace did employ all his Thoughts how France might recover it self after such tedious Wars and that good Ordinances might be establish'd but especially that his Revenues might be encreased He establish'd for this purpose all sorts of Manufactories and especially that of Silk which afterwards drew great Riches into that Kingdom But even in the midst of Peace he was continually troubled with his Queen who was jealous about his Mistrisses and the Spaniards were always plotting both against his Person and Crown On the other hand Henry had a design to oppose the growing Power of the House of Austria by keeping it within the Bounds of Spain and the Hereditary Countries in Germany And 't is said that for that purpose he concerted Measures with the Northern Crown with Holland with the Protestant Princes of Germany with the Elector of Bavaria the Duke of Savoy the Swiss and even the Pope himself To put this design in execution he took the opportunity of those Differences which were then on foot concerning the Succession in the Country of Juliers which that it
dissatisfied because she could not Act according to her own Will that she retired into Flanders and from thence into England where she made some stay and at last died in a very low Condition in Cologne In the Year 1633. the King took from the Duke of Lorrain his Countrey because he had declared himself for the Emperour And when afterwards viz. after the Battel fought near Nordlingen the Swedish Affairs were in a very low Condition and the House of Austria began to hold up its Head again France broke out into open War with Spain to balance the growing Power of the House of Austria He took for a pretence that the Spaniards had surprized the City of Treves and taken the Elector of Treves Prisoner who was under French protection And then the War began in Italy Germany the Netherlands and Roussilion which was carried on with various Fortune yet so that the French got the better of it at last To touch upon some of the most remarkable Actions The first Attack which the French made in the Netherlands did not succeed very well they having been forced to raise the Siege of Lovain with great Loss In the Year 1636 Piccolomini marched into Picardy and Galias into Burgundy but did nothing of moment On the other hand the French beat up the Siege of Leucate in Roussilion and the brave Duke Barnhard of Saxen-Weimar took the Fortress of Brisac he carrying on the War with French Money And after the Death of this Duke which happened not long after the King of France brought both that Fortress and his Army over to its side with Money Yet the French miscarried in the same Year before St. Omer and Fontarabia before the last of which Places the Prince of Conde sustained a considerable Loss In the same Year viz. on the 5th of September Lewis XIV was almost by a Miracle born of a Marriage which had proved unfruitfull for twenty Years before In the Year 1639 the French were beaten before Thionville In the Year 1640 they took Arras and in the same Year Catalonia revolting from Spain threw it self under the French Protection In the Year 1641 a great Misfortune hung over Richlieu's Head the Count the Soissons having raised a dangerous Rebellion but he being killed in an Engagement wherein otherwise his Party had the better establish'd by his Death the Cardinal's Authority and the Quiet of France In the Year 1642 Perpignan was taken at which Siege the King and Richlieu were both present Monsieur Cinqmats did about that time first insinuate himself into the King's favour hoping thereby to undermine Richlieu And the better to balance the Cardinal he had made some under-hand Intrigues with Spain But the Cardinal having discovered the business caused his Head to be cut off as also de Thou the younger's because he had been privy to the business tho' he had advised against it yet had he not discover'd it From the Duke of Bouillon who had been also of the Cabal he took for a Punishment his strong Hold Sedan In the same Year Richlieu died to his great good fortune the King being grown quite weary of him notwithstanding he had laid the first Foundation of the Greatness of France which is now so formidable to Europe The King also died not long after § 24. Lewis XIV was but Five years of Age when he came to the Crown his Mother 't is true bore the name of Regent of France but in effect the Cardinal Julius Mazarini had the chief Management of the Kingdom which was then in a very flourishing Condition but every Body was for enriching himself out of the Kings Purse during his Minority and Mazarini was very liberal thereby endeavouring to make them in love with his Government But the Treasury being become empty new Taxes were of necessity to be imposed upon the People which caused a great dissatisfaction against the Government Nevertheless for the first Five years every thing was pretty quiet at home and War carried on abroad At the very first beginning of this new Government the Duke d' Austria obtained a signal Victory against the Spaniards near Rocroy after which he took Thionville and Gaston the Kings Uncle Graveling Anguin revenged the loss which the French had sustainded the Year before near Dutlingen and having first beaten the Bavarian Forces near Friburg in Brisgaw he took Philipsburg in the Year 1646. he beat the Bavarian Troops near Norlingen and afterwards took Dunkirk But in the Year next following he in vain besieged the City of Lorida In the Year 1648. a Peace was concluded at Munster in Westphalia betwixt the Emperour and France by Vertue of which the latter got the two Fortresses of Brisac and Philipsburg the Countrey of Puntgau and part of the upper Alsatia But as France by this Peace was freed from one Enemy so on the other hand the intestine Commotions put a stop to its great Progresses The chief reason of these Troubles was that some envying Mazarini as being a Foreigner they would by all means have him removed from the Helm and this they sought with the greater Importunity because they were not in awe of the King who was but a Child neither of his Mother she being an outlandish Woman Some of the great Men also were for fishing in troubled Waters But above all the rest the Prince of Conde would fain have been Master and have made the Cardinal dance after his Pipe The Cardinal was for bringing of him over to his Party by a Marriage propos'd to him but the Prince of Conde perceiving that the Cardinal was for maintaining his old Post nor would depend on him rejected the Offer as unbecoming the Grandeur of his House There were also some Women of a restless Spirit concern'd in these Intrigues among whom was Mad. de Longueville Sister of the Prince of Conde Mad. Chevreuse Mombazon and others The first beginning was by slanderous Papers and Libels which were daily dispers'd in Paris There was also a certain Faction set up who called themselves the Slingers because they openly undertook to knock down the Cardinal as David struck down the Giant Goliah by the help of his Sling The Heads of this Faction were the Duke of Beaufort and Guadi the Archbishop of Paris afterwards call'd the Cardinal de Rez With this Party also sided the Parliament of Paris which did pretend to have a great Authority against the Government at that time The first Insurrection was made in Paris occasion'd by the taking into Custody of one Braussel a Member of the Parliament whereupon the King left the City Yet the Business was compos'd for that time some things having been granted to the mutinous Party But the Faction of the Slingers renewing their former Disturbances the King left the City a second time The Parliament having then publickly condemn'd the Cardinal grew every day stronger Turenne who then commanded the
French Army in Germany having declar'd for that side but he was fain to leave the Army which was kept in Duty by the help of a good Summ of Money And tho' Matters were afterwards reconcil'd a second time at St. Germains yet the Design against Mazarin was not laid aside the Prince of Conde who had brought over the Slingers to his Party not ceasing to stir them up against him But because they had a different Aim for the Slingers were for totally pulling down of the Cardinal but the Prince of Conde would only have humbled him the Cardinal cunningly rais'd a misunderstanding betwixt them by setting the Prince of Conde against the Slingers Whereupon the Slingers were reconcil'd with the Cardinal The Cardinal taking hold of this Opportunity caused the Prince of Conde and his Brother the Prince of Conti and their Brother-in-law the Duke of Longueville to be taken into Custody This was putting Fuel into the Fire every body being dissatisfy'd at the Imprisonment of the Princes The City of Bourdeaux openly rebell'd The Spaniards upon this Occasion took from the French Piombino and Porto Longone in Italy The Archduke Leopold struck Terrour into the City of Paris it self on the side of the Netherlands And tho' the Cardinal beat Turenne near Rethel he being gone over to the Spaniards yet the Hatred against him encreas'd daily and the Faction of the Slingers the Parliament and the Duke of Orleans were absolutely for having the Princes set at Liberty The Cardinal therefore perceiving that nothing was to be done by open Violence resolv'd to avoid the Storm by setting the Princes at Liberty And he himself retir'd to Bruel the Court of the then Elector of Collen Then he was by a Decree of the Parliament for ever banish'd the Kingdom of France Mazarini being thus remov'd the Prince of Conde began to disturb the publick Quiet with more freedom having engag'd himself with the Spaniards and being gone to Bourdeaux he began to make open War against the Government And the Spaniards taking hold of this Opportunity recover'd Barcellona and with it all Catalonia Then the Queen recall'd the Cardinal who having strengthen'd the King's Army by such Troops as he had got together fought several times very briskly with the Prince of Conde But seeing that the Hatred which the Faction of the Slingers and the Parliament had conceiv'd against him did not diminish he took this Course that he publickly declar'd he was willing to leave the Kingdom to re-establish the publick Quiet He hoped by so doing to lay the Blame of the Intestine Divisions upon the Prince of Conde alone which Design prov'd successfull for thereby the Eyes of the People were opened who now plainly perceiv'd that the Cardinal sought the Good of the King and Kingdom but the Prince of Conde his own Interest Dunkirk and Graveling being lost in the Fray The Prince of Conde therefore perceiving that he had lost the Favour of the People retir'd with his Troops into the Spanish Netherlands Then the Cardinal return'd to Court and ever after had the Administration of the chiefest Affairs of the Kingdom till his Death without any further Opposition The City of Paris return'd to its due Obedience the Faction of the Slingers was dissolv'd the Duke of Orleans left the Court Rez was taken into Custody and Bourdeaux forc'd to submit In the Year next following the French began again to make War on the Spaniards they took Mommedy with great difficulty and fortunately reliev'd Arras But they were beaten from before Valenciennes and Cambray France having just made an Alliance with Cromwell the joint Forces of France and England besieged Dunkirk under the Command of Turenne And the Duke John d' Austria and Prince de Conde who came with an Army to relieve it being repuls'd with great loss the City was taken and deliver'd to the English from whom the King afterwards redeem'd it for four Millions About the same time Graveling was also retaken At last a Peace was concluded between France and Spain near the Pyrenaean Mountains by the two chief Ministers of State on both sides viz. by Mazarini and Don Lewis de Haro by vertue of which France was to keep Roussilion and the greatest part of the places which were taken in the Netherlands Mary Theresa the Daughter of Philip IV. was to be married to the King and the Prince of Conde to be receiv'd into Favour again This last point met with great Opposition for a considerable time In the Year next following died Mazarini who as 't is said left the King among others this Lesson That he should govern himself and not trust entirely to any Favourite The first thing of moment which the King undertook was to settle his Revenues in a good order He began with the Lord High Treasurer Fouquet whom he took into Custody and made a strict Inquisition against all such as having had hitherto the management of his Revenues had enrich'd themselves therewith The Sponges which were swell'd up with Riches being soundly squeez'd out brought an incredible Treasure into the King's Coffers In the Year 1661 a Difference arose betwixt the French and Spanish Embassadours in London about the Precedency at the solemn Entry made by Count Nile Brake the Swedish Embassadour where the French Embassadour's Coach was put back by Violence This might easily have prov'd the Occasion of a War if the Spaniards had not given Satisfaction to the French and agreed That where-ever there were any French Embassadours resident the Spanish should not appear upon any publick Occasions Which the French do interpret as if Spain had thereby declar'd That the Spanish Ministers were always to give place to the French of the same Character In the Year 1662 the King made an Agreement with the Duke of Lorrain according to which he was to exchange his Dukedom for an Equivalent in France and his Family to be the next in right of Succession if the Family of Bourbon should happen to fail Which Agreement the Duke would fain have annull'd afterwards but the King who did not understand jesting in such a point forc'd him to surrender to him Marsal In the same Year the Duke de Crequi the French Embassadour at Rome was grossly affronted there by the Corsi Guards which the King resented so ill that he took from the Pope the City of Avignon But the Difference was compos'd by the Mediation of the Grand Duke of Tuscany at Pisa and the Pope was fain to send a splendid Embassy to give Satisfaction to the King About the same time the French would have got footing at Gigeri on the Coast of Barbary but were repuls'd with considerable loss by the Moors The King also sent some Troops to the Assistance of the Emperour against the Turks who behav'd themselves bravely in the Battel fought near St. Gothard and contributed much to the Victory Notwithstanding which the
the great Taxes which are imposed upon the Subjects but without question the chief reason is that France since that time has found out new ways to draw Money out of other Countries § 27. As to the Form of Government of France it is to be observ'd That anciently there were very potent Dukes Earls and Lords in France who tho' they were Vassals of the King yet they us'd to pay no further Obedience to him than was consistent with their own Interest except the Kings were in a Condition to oblige them to it But all these in process of Time were extinguish'd and their Countries united to the Crown Now-a-days the Dukes and Earls in France are nothing else but bare Titles annex'd to some considerable Estate without any Sovereignty or Jurisdiction And whereas formerly certain Countries used to be assign'd to the King's Sons whereof they bore the Title now-a-days only a certain yearly Revenue is allotted them with the Title of a certain Dukedom or County wherein perhaps they have not a Foot of Ground And after the ancient Sovereign Dukedoms and Earldoms were abolish'd some of the great Men of the Kingdom had taken upon themselves great Authority in the Kingdom but by the Policy of Richlieu and Mararini they were reduc'd to such a Condition that they dare not utter a Word against the King The Assembly of the Estates there being three of them viz. The Clergy Nobility and the Citizens they making up the third Estate were also formerly in great Veneration whereby the King's Power was much limited But they having not been conven'd since the Year 1614 their Authority is quite suppress'd Those of the Reform'd Religion did prove also very troublesome to the Kings of France as long as they were in a Condition to take up Arms but with the loss of Rochelle they lost the Power of giving their Kings any Disturbance for the future And tho' the King hitherto does not force their Consciences yet he draws off a great many from that Party by hopes of his Royal Favour and Preferments Heretofore the Parliament of Paris us'd to oppose the King's Designs under pretence that it had a right that the King could not do any thing of great moment without its consent but this King hath taught it only to intermeddle with Judicial Business and some other Concerns which the King now and then is pleas'd to leave to its Decision The Gallick Church also boasts of a particular Prerogative in regard of the Court of Rome she always having disputed with the Pope some part of his Authority over her and the King has the Nomination of the Bishops and Abbots all which contributes much to the Strength and Increase of this Kingdom if a wise and good King sits upon the Throne § 28. When we duely weigh the Power of France in comparison with its Neighbours it is easily perceiv'd that there is not any State in Christendom which France doth not equal if not exceed in Power 'T is true in former Ages the English reduc'd the French but at that time they were possess'd of a great part of it themselves there were then several Demi-Sovereign Princes the French Infantry was then inconsiderable and the English Bows were terrible to them All which is quite otherwise now and the English Land-forces are now not to be compar'd with the French neither in Number nor Goodness since the English are unexercis'd and their Civil Wars have rather been carried on by Armies rais'd on a sudden than well disciplin'd Troops and these Wars have not a little weaken'd this Nation On the other hand the English have chiefly apply'd themselves to Sea Affairs and in this the French cannot hitherto be compared with the English yet England can scarce reap any great Advantages from France at Sea For suppose they should beat the French Fleet yet they would scarce venture to make a Descent upon France as having not any footing there and the French Privateers would certainly do great mischief to them But if the English should once miscarry at Sea an that the French should once get footing in England it might perhaps prove fatal to that Kingdom since the fate of the War must be then decided by the Issue of one Battel England having no Inland strong Holds In the last Age Spain prov'd very troublesome to France the French scarce being able to defend themselves against it and having several times been oblig'd to make Peace upon disadvantageous Conditions But besides that at that time the French Infantry was good for little and the Spanish Nation was then at its heighth whereas now the Spanish Nobility is more for Debauchery Gaming and such like Intrigues than for acquiring Glory in War they were then in full possession of all the Netherlands and Charles V. had a great Advantage by being Emperour But now-a-days the Netherlands are miserably torn to pieces they being scarce able to Garrison the places that remain Naples and Milan are almost in the same condition and France may easily secure the Coast of Provence against the Spaniards who may be well satisfy'd if the French don't by the way of Roussilion Navarre or Bayonne enter Spain Italy is neither willing nor powerfull enough to hurt France but these Princes are well satisfy'd if France does not pass the Alpes and disturb their Repose The French are not powerfull enough for the Dutch at Sea if they have an Opportunity to make use of all their Naval Strength yet the French Privateers may do them considerable Mischief wherefore I cannot see what benefit Holland can reap from a War with France without an absolute necessity For the Dutch Land-forces gather'd out of all Nations are not likely to do any great Feats against it The Swiss also neither can nor will hurt France they being well satisfy'd if they can get Money Wherefore the French need not fear any thing from them except they should make them desperate when in Confederacy with others they might prove very troublesome Germany seems to be the only Country which alone might be able to balance France for if these Princes were well united they are able to bring more numerous Armies into the Field and that in no ways inferiour in Goodness to the French and perhaps they might be able to hold it out with France But considering the present State of Germany it seems next to an impossibility that all the Members of the Empire should unanimously and resolutely engage themselves in a long War and prosecute the same with Vigour For it is not to be imagined that all of them should have an equal Interest in the War and some of them must expect to be ruin'd tho' the War in the main should prove successfull but if it should succeed otherwise they must be great losers by it without reprieve § 29. But if it should be suppos'd that France may be attack'd by a great many at once it is to be consider'd
endeavour under-hand to be Soveraign over the United Provinces which was prevented only by a very few Voices Then after his Death his Son Maurice pursued the same Design but was opposed by the chief Men among them who alledged That their Labour was very ill bestowed if in place of a great One they should be brought under subjection to a little Prince Among these one of the chiefest was John of Olden Barneveldt Pensionary of Holland who had been always for upholding the publick Liberty But because the Authority of the Captain-General was more conspicuous during the War Maurice endeavoured to set aside the Treaty with Spain but Barnevelt did as much as he could promote the Truce with Spain knowing that in time of Peace the Authority of the Captain-General would be diminish'd which Maurice kept in good remembrance In the mean time Arminius a professour of Divinity in the University of Leyden had defended several Propositions concerning Predestination and some other Articles relating to the same with less rigour than the rest of the Reform'd Churchs had hitherto generally taught His Opinion was after his death oppos'd by one Francis Gomarus This Dissension being spread abroad most of the Clergy sided with Gomarus but the chief States-men with Arminius But because the generality of the People followed the footsteps of the Clergy Maurice who after the Death of his elder Brother was become Prince of Orange declared himself for the Gomarists And there happening great Tumults in several places viz. at Alckmaer Leyden and Vtrecht the Prince took this opportunity to displace up and down such Magistrates as adhered to the Arminians Barnevelt Hugo Grotius and some others where under the same pretext taken into Custody the first by a Sentence of the States-General lost his Head in the 72d Year of his Age Grotius was condemned to a perpetual Imprisonment out of which he afterwards made his escape by means of his Wife who had enclosed him in a Chest And tho' at the Synod of Dort the Doctrine of Arminius was condemned as erroneous yet this Violence of the Prince against a Man who had deserved so well was very ill resented by a great many And these two Factions have ever since taken so firm root there that it is not improbable but at last they may occasion the ruin or change of the State § 14. But Dangers from abrâad did afterwards appease these inward Dissensions For the time of the Truce being expired the War began a-fresh with Spain In the Year 1622 Spinola took Juliers but was obliged to raise the Siege from before Bergen op Zoom because the Count of Mansfeld and Christian Duke of Brunswick having defeated the Spanish Army near Fleury march'd to the Assistance of the Hollanders To revenge this Affront Spinola besieged Breda and Prince Maurice having in vain endeavour'd to raise the Siege and besides this his Attempt upon the Castle of Antwerp having proved unsuccessfull he fell into a deep Melancholy and died Breda being not long after forc'd by Famine to surrender it self To Prince Maurice succeeded in the Stadtholdership and all other Offices which had been in his possession his Brother Frederick Henry who took Groll In the Year 1628 Pieter Heyn took the Spanish Silver-fleet and in the Year next following the Prince took Bois le Duc. During this Siege the Spaniards made an Inrode into the Velaw hoping thereby to give the Hollanders a diversion who were put into a great Consternation But the Hollanders on that very day surprized the City of Wesel which oblig'd the Spaniards to repass the River Yssel as fast as they could And from that time forwards the Spaniards despair'd of ever reducing Holland under their Obedience In the Year 1630 the Hollanders got first footing in Brasile In the Year 1631 they surprized some Thousands of Spaniards near Bergen op Zoom who were gone out in Shallops upon some secret Enterprize In the Year next following the Prince took Venlo Ruremond Limburgh and Macstricht and Pappenheim endeavouring to relieve the last was soundly beaten In the Year 1638 the Prince took Rhinebergh but in the Year next following the Spaniards Limburgh An Offensive Alliance was made betwixt France and Holland wherein they had shar'd the Netherlands betwixt them But this Alliance prov'd fruitless the Hollanders being very well satisfy'd that this Design did not succeed being glad not to have the French for their Neighbours on the Land-side But the Spaniards surpriz'd Shenkenshantz which the Hollanders retook not without great trouble In the Year 1637 the Prince retook Breda but the Spaniards Venlo and Ruremond In the Year 1638 the Hollanders were bravely beaten near Callo but in the Year 1639 Martin Tromp entirely destroy'd the Spanish Fleet which lay in the Downs and was intended to attack Sweden in conjunction with the Danes In the Year 1644 Ghent and in the Year next following Hulst was taken by William II. who had succeeded his Father It is thought that he might also have taken Antwerp if the Province of Zealand and Amsterdam had not oppos'd it they being grown powerfull out of its Ruins At last a Peace was concluded at Munster betwixt Spain and Holland wherein it was declar'd a free Common-wealth to which Spain should for the future make no Pretensions whatsoever And tho' France and the Prince did oppose this Peace with their utmost Endeavours yet the Hollanders did consider that the Spaniards having granted all that they could desire the Cause of the War ceas'd They fear'd besides this that Spain might be brought too low and France grow too powerfull and the Province of Holland was considerably indebted Thus Holland ended this tedious War with great Reputation but the Spaniards with great Dishonour having besides this quite enervated themselves Tho' this is observable that as long as the Hollanders were engag'd in the War against Spain they were favour'd by every body except the Spanish Party but immediately after the Peace was concluded both France and England by whom they had been hitherto uphâld gave manifest proofs of their Jealousie of them § 15. But the Hollanders could not enjoy Peace very long for soon after Brasile rebell'd against them submitting it self to the Portuguese which prov'd very disadvantageous for the West-India Company but the East-India Company drew great Advantage from it for this having occasion'd a War with Portugal which lasted till the Year 1661 the Hollanders took from the Portuguese almost all the places which they were possess'd of in the East-Indies In the Year 1650 a remarkable Dissension arose in Holland which might have prov'd the cause of great Calamities For the War with Spain being now at an end some of the States and especially the Province of Holland were of Opinion That to ease the Publick their Forces should be diminish'd which the Prince oppos'd under pretence that it would not be adviseable to be without an Army as long
their Defence It serv'd also for a great Encouragement to the Hollanders that the Bishop of Munster was forc'd to go away from before Groningen he having together with the Elector of Collen taken the French side In the Year next following the French took Maestricht from the Hollanders But the Hollanders having behav'd themselves bravely in four Sea Engagements and the Parliament of England being become very jealous of France a separate Peace was by the Mediation of Spain concluded betwixt Holland and England The Emperour and Spain having then declar'd for Holland the French King took his Garrisons out of all the conquer'd Places having first exacted from them great Contributions except Naerden and Grave which were retaken by force Thus the Hollanders got all their places again except Maestricht Rhinebergh which belong'd to the Elector of Collen being restor'd to him and the Country of Cleves to the Elector of Brandenburgh This War also restor'd the Prince of Orange to the same Dignity and that under better Conditions than they had been in the possession of his Ancestors For the Common People which already favour'd the House of Orange being put quite into a Consternation by the prodigious Success of the French and being persuaded that this Misfortune was occasion'd by the Treachery of some who sat at the Helm and that no body but the Prince could restore the decay'd State did raise Tumults in most Cities which the Prince was forc'd to appease by deposing the former Magistrates and putting in their room such as he knew were favourers of himself In one of these Tumults Cornelius and John du Witt two Brothers were miserably murther'd by the Rabble in the Hague though a great many are of Opinion That especially the last of these who had so long sat at the Helm had better deserv'd of his native Country Tho the Prince had been not a little instrumental in appeasing the Commotions whereby Holland was put in a condition to recover it self yet he was not so successfull in his War against France For he receiv'd a considerable loss near Seneffe he was repuls'd before Maestricht and endeavouring to relieve St. Omer he was defeated by the French and the Dutch Fleet which was sent to the Relief of Sicily had no great Success At last their Fear that through long War their Liberty might be endanger'd by the Prince influenc'd them to make a separate Peace with France by virtue of which Maestricht was restor'd to the Hollanders § 19. The Seven Provinces of the Vnited Netherlands are fill'd with a prodigious number of People there being some who have computed that in the Province of Holland the Number amounts to two millions and 500000. And unto this vast Number of People is to be attributed their Industry increase of Trade and great Riches for in a Country which is not the most fruitfull and where every thing is very dear they must else of necessity perish by Famine But most of the Inhabitants were transplanted thither out of other Countries out of France during the times of the Civil Commotions out of England under the Reign of Queen Mary out of Germany during those long Wars there but chiefly out of the other Provinces of the Netherlands at the time of their revolting from Spain These Strangers were invited into this Country by its convenient Situation the Liberty of Religion and the Government by its extraordinary Constitutions and Conveniencies for Trade and Correspondency in all Parts and at last by the great Reputation which the States have gain'd abroad by their wise Management at home and Success of their Arms abroad And because every body who either brings some Means along with him or has learn'd something to maintain himself withall finds a good Reception in Holland even those who are prosecuted in other places find a certain Refuge in this Country The Netherlanders are commonly very open-hearted down-right and honest very free in Words and Conversation not easily to be mov'd or stirr'd up but if once made soundly angry not easily to be appeas'd If you Converse with them without Haughtiness and with Discretion so as to accommodate your self a little to their Inclinations you may do with them what you please Charles V. us'd to say of them That there was not a Nation under the Sun that did detest more the Name of Slavery and yet if you did manage them Mildly and with Discretion did bear it more patiently But the Rabble here is very bad it being a common Custom to speak ill and despicably of their Magistrates as often as things do not answer Expectation The Hollanders are very unfit for Land-service and the Dutch Horse-men are strange Creatures yet those who live in Gueldres and upon the Borders of Westphalia are tolerably good But at Sea they have done such Exploits that they may be compar'd with any Nation in the World And the Zealanders are esteem'd more Hardy and Venturous than the Hollanders They are also generally very parsimonious not much addicted to the Belly it being not the Custom here to spend their yearly Income but to save every Year an overplus This saving way of living upholds their Credit and enables them to bear such heavy Taxes without being ruin'd by them They are very fit for all sorts of Manufactury and very much addicted to Commerce not refusing to undergo any Labour or Danger where something is to be got and those that understand Trade deal very easily with them They are very punctual in every respect pondering and ordering a thing very well before they begin it And there is scarce any Nation in the World so fit for Trade as the Dutch this being very praise-worthy in them that they always choose rather to get somewhat by their own Industry than by Violence or Fraud But especially the greatest Liberty which they enjoy is a great Encouragement for Trade The chiefest Vice among them is Covetousness which however is not so pernicious among them because it produces in them Industry and good Husbandry There is a great many who have been amaz'd at the great Conduct which has appear'd in the management of their Affairs notwithstanding that the Hollanders in general are rarely of extraordinary Wit or Merits Some alledge this for a Reason That a cold Temper and Moderation of Passions are the fundamental Qualifications of such as intend to manage State Affairs § 20. The Seven Vnited Provinces are not very large in Extent they being to be reckon'd but for one Corner of Germany but they are fill'd up with so considerable a Number of beautifull large and populous Cities that no other place of the same bigness is to be compar'd to it Besides the Seven Provinces they are possess'd of some Cities in Flanders and Brabant viz. Hulst Sluce Ardenburgh Bois le Duc Maestricht Breda Bergen op Zoom Grave and some others They also keep a Garrison in Embden thereby to secure the River of Embs.
Poles against him in Prussia and he stood in a good corespondency with France and Holland who were very jealous at the Greatness of the House of Austria This King came with an Army into Germany and drove the Imperial Forces out of Pomerania and the neighbouring Countries In the mean time the Imperial General Tilly had quite destroy'd the City of Magdeburgh and was upon his march against the Elector of Saxony whom he did not question but to rout quickly But King Gustavus having join'd his Forces with those of the Elector of Saxony defeated Tilly in that eminent Battel near Leipsick where the Emperour at one stroke lost all his hopes which he had conceiv'd from the happy success of his Arms during the space of twelve years before From thence he march'd on to the Rhine where he made almost miraculous progresses but because the Elector of Saxony had not so vigorously attack'd the Hereditary Countries of the Emperour he had thereby leisure given him to raise another Army under the Conduct of Wallenstein against whom the King lay encamp'd for a considerable time near Nurenbergh and afterwards in the battel of Lutzen tho his side gain'd the Victory he lost his life After his death his Generals and Confederates carry'd on the war under the Conduct of Axel Oxenstem Chancellour of Sweden with indifferent good success but having receiv'd an entire defeat in the battel near Noringen which they fought without necessity they lost all their Conquests The Elector of Saxony having also concluded a peace with the Emperour at Prague which was extremely disliked by the Protestant Party the Emperour was now again in hopes to drive the Swedes by force out of Germany But by the valour and conduct of their Generals the Swedish Affairs began to look with a better face who carry'd the War again into the very Hereditary Countries of the Emperour At last all parties began to incline to a peace for the Emperour and the Princes of Germany were tired out with the war France began to be divided at home by Commotions Holland had made a separate peace with Spain and the Swedes feared that the Germans of whom was compos'd the greatest part of their Army might at last grow weary of being instrumental in the Ruin of their native Country or that one unfortunate blow might chance to rob them of the Fruits of their former Victories a Peace was therefore concluded at Osnabrugge with Sweden and at Munster with France by virtue of which the Swedes got a part of Pomerania Bremen and Wismas and five Millions of Crowns for the payment of their Forces France kept Brisac Suntgaw a part of Alsace and Philipsbourg By this Peace the Authority of the States of Germany and the Protestant Religion were Established at once and the Emperours Power confin'd within such Bounds that he could not easily hereafter attempt any thing against either of them especially since both Sweden and France had a free passage left them from whence they might easily oppose him if he design'd to transgress these Limits During this war dy'd Ferdinand II. whom succeeded his Son Ferdinand III. who died in the year 1657. In whose stead was in the year next following elected Emperour his Son Leopold § 19. After the Westphalian Peace Germany remained in peace for a considerable time except that the Emperour and Elector of Brandenburgh at which time the Swedes were engag'd in a War with Denmark fell into Pomerania but these differences were compos'd by the peace made at Oliva In the year 1663. a war began with the Turks when the Turks took Newâeusel but were also especially near St. Godhart soundly beaten Some are of opinion that if the Emperour had at that time vigorously pursâed his Victory he might have beaten them out of Hungary since the Turks were put into a great consternation by the Persians and some Rebellious Bassa's and the Venetians did so vigorously push on the Siege of Canea But the Emperour was so forward in making peace with them because as it is supposed he was jealous of France And in the year 1672. Germany was again entangled in a war with France which was occasioned by the great progresses of the French against the Hollanders who were reliev'd by the Emperour and the Elector of Brandenburgh For tho in the year before the Emperour had made an Alliance with France whereby he had promised not to meddle in the War if France should attack one of the Triple Alliance nevertheless he sent his Forces towards the Rhine under pretence that it belong'd to him as being Emperour to take effectual care that the flame which was burning in the neighbouring Countries might not prove destructive to Germany And the Elector of Brandenburgh made heavy complaints that the French had made great havock in his Territories of Cleves The French on the other side sent an Army towards Germany in hopes to oblige the Emperour not to concern himself in this War but the French having not only committed great outrages in the Empire but also taken into possession the City of Treves and made great havock in the Palatinat the Emperor perswaded the States of the Empire to declare war against France Sweden was also afterwards engag'd in the same war which was ended by the peace made at Nimwegen whereby France got Friburgh in Brisâan in lieu of Philipsburgh and Sweden was restored to those Provinces which it had lost during the war § 18. If we duly consider the Genius of this Nation which inhabits this great Empire it is most evident that this Nation ever since the memory of Men has been very brave and addicted to War and that Germany has been an inexhaustible Source of Souldiers since there is scarce ever any want of Men who are ready to serve for Money and if they are once well Disciplined they are not only good at the first onset but are very fit to endure the hardships and inconveniences of a long war There are not in any other Nation so many to be met withal that are ready to list themselves in Foreign Service for Money neither âis there any Country in Christendom where greater Forces both of Horse and Foot may be raised than in Germany But besides this the Germans are much addicted and very fit for Commerce and all sorts of Handy-crafts Trade and not only the Inhabitants of the Cities do apply themselves with great industry to the same but also if a Countryman gets a little beforehand in the World he puts his Son to some Handycraft's Trade or another tho a great many of them afterwards run into the Wars They are generally very free and honest very ambitious to maintain the so much praised Fidelity of the antient Germans they are not easily stirr'd up to raise Tumults but commonly are willing to remain under the same Government where they are Educated § 19. Tho the
at Sea he must needs prove very troublesom to Denmark § 12. As to the Neighbours of Denmark it Borders on one side upon Germany for Holstein which belongs to the present Royal Ramily is a Fief of the Empire And tho the Land Forces of Denmark do not come to any comparison with those of Germany and Jutland lies quite open on that side yet the Islands are very secure from the Germans who are not provided with Shipping except it should happen that the great and lesser Belt should both be frozen which happens very rarely Neither is there any great probability that these two States should differ except the pretensions upon Hamborough which the King of Denmark will not easily let fall should furnish an occasion for War And to speak truly it is so delicious a morsel that it may easily provoke an Appetite But it will be a very difficult task for the King of Denmark to attain his aim by open force except there should happen a very strange juncture of Affairs or that the inward Divisions or else by treachery this City should give an occasion for its Ruin In the mean while it is not easily to be supposed that the Neighbouring German Princes should suffer that a City of so great Consequence should fall into the hands of a Foreign Prince In fine it is of vast Consequence to Denmark to hold a good understanding with Germany since from thence it must draw the greatest part of its Land-Forces wherewith to defend itself against Swedeland With the Swedes Denmark had been in continual Broils for a considerable time and it seems that there is an old grudge and animosity betwixt these two Nations arising chiefly hence that the Danes have formerly always endeavour'd to make themselves Masters of Sweden and to reduce this Kingdom into the same condition as they had done Norway Besides that afterwards they have made it their business by ruining their Shipping and Trade to prevent the growing Greatness of Sweden But Sweden has always vigorously defended itself and in latter times has gain'd great advantages upon Denmark for the Swedes have not only recover'd Schonen and secured West Gothland by the Fortress of Bahus but they have also a way open into Jutland out of their Provinces in Germany On the other hand the Danes have made it their business hitherto by making Alliances with the Enemies of Sweden to get from them these Advantages But if we consider that these two Kingdoms are now divided by their natural Bounds to preserve which France England and Holland seem to be mutually concern'd and that as in human probability Denmark cannot conquer or maintain itself in Swedeland so the other States of Europe are not likely to suffer that Sweden should become Master of Denmark It seems therefore most convenient that these two Kingdoms should maintain a good understanding and be a mutual security to one another against their Enemies From Holland Denmark may expect real assistance in case it should be in danger of being Conquered since the prosperity of Holland depends partly on the free Trade of the Baltic and if one should become Master both of Sweden and Denmark he would questionless keep these Passages closer than they are now But the Danes also are sensible enough that the Hollanders will not engage themselves any further in their behalf than to keep the ballance even for fear they should with an increase of Power attempt hereafter to raise the Toll in the Sound at pleasure But as long as Holland sides with Denmark England will not be fond of the Danish Party but rather declare for the other side for the preservation of Denmark and the Trade in the Baltic is not of so great consequence to England as it is to Holland The Muscovites may prove very serviceable to Denmark against Sweden yet cannot the Danes make any great account upon an Alliance with them because it is very difficult to maintain a Correspondency with them especially if the Poles should declare for Sweden Besides that the Muscovites as soon as they have obtained their aim commonly have but little regard to Alliances or the Interest of their Allies Denmark can have no great reliance upon Poland except that Crown should be engag'd in a War against Sweden France has hitherto shewn no great concern for Denmark because it has always been in Alliance with its Enemies yet France would not willingly see it ruin'd because no State of Europe would desire the two Northern Kingdoms should be under the Subjection of one Prince But I cannot see any reason why an offensive Alliance with Denmark should be profitable to France Spain is more likely to wish well to Denmark than to assist it except it should happen that Swedeland was engaged in a War against the House of Austria or any other Allie of Spain CHAP. X. Of POLAND § 1. THE POLES who anciently were called Samartians and afterwards Slavonians derived their Name from the Nature of the Country which they possess which lies most upon a Plain for Pole signifies in their language a Plain tho some are of opinion that the Word Polacki is as much as to say the Posterity of Lechus This Nation formerly did inhabit nearer to the Country of the Tartars but after vast Numbers out of Germany entred the Roman Provinces their places were supplied by the nations living behind them And it seems that Poland being in the same manner left by its Inhabitants which were then Venedi or Wends they made room for the next that took their Place These then as 't is said having taken possession of this Country about the year 550 did under the Conduct of Lechus lay there the Foundation of a new State Lechus resided at Gnicsen being encouraged thereunto by an Eagles Nest which he found there and taking it as a good Omen put an Eagle into the Arms of the new Commonwealth giving to that City the name of Gnicsen which in the Polish Language signifies a Nest This Nation first setled it self in that part of the Country which now goes by the name of the great and lesser Poland neither did their Limits extend any further tho since that time they are mightily encreased § 2. The first Governours of this Nation did not assume to themselves the Title of Kings but only that of Dukes and the first form of Government was very inconstant for after the Race of Lechus was extinguished tho it is uncertain how many of them and for how long a time they Ruled or what were their Atchievments twelve Governours which in their Language are called Vayvods did administer the Government who having at first regulated and refined this barbarous People by good Laws and Constitutions at last were divided among themselves Wherefore the Poles elected for their Prince one Cracus who having restored the Commonwealth to its former State built the City of Cracovia so called after his
perswasions of the Priests have got a great aversion against the Protestants France does outwardly shew it self not so fond of the Popish Interest nor has the Gallick Church ever acknowledged the Pope's absolute Power over her And whenever the Pope pretends to encroach upon the Liberty of the French Church the Parliament of Paris is ready to take notice of it The Doctors also of the Sorbon have rejected several Propositions which were maintained by the Pope's Parasites They also keep so watchful an Eye over the Pope's Nuncio there that it is not easy for him to transgress his Bounds The Nuncio's when they go out of Rome carry the Cross upright but as soon as they enter the Territories of France they let it down till such time as they have obtained leave from the King to exercise their Function when they are fain to oblige themselves by their own Hand-writing that they will not act otherwise in this Station and no longer than it pleases the King They also must make use of a French Secretary and at their departure leave behind them a Register concerning their Negotiation and also are tired to several other Formalities without which all their Negotiations are accounted void and of no force From hence it is that the French say that the Pope's Nuncio there has his Commission both from their King and the Pope and that it is precarious and may be recalled by the King at pleasure And it is to be observed that the Pope's Nuncio puâs by his Cross in any place where the King is present thereby it is intimated that his Commission ceases when the King is present Nay it is credibly related that under the Ministry of Cardinal Richlieu it was debated in France whether they should not constitute a Patriarch of their own in that Kingdom tho' as far as I can see this design would not have proved so very advantageous to France For the Clergy must needs have become very jealous of the King's Power for fear he might take this Opportunity to retrench their ample Revenues And if the King of France has not laid aside his thoughts and pretences upon the Imperial Crown he can never suppose to obtain his aim if he should withdraw himself from the Roman Chair For if so Potent a Prince as the King of Francâ is should once obtain the Imperial Dignity it is very likely he would not only revive the antient Pretensions of the Emperours upon Rome which have for a long while been lying dormant but he would also under the specious pretence of protecting the Roman Chair endeavour to recover such Possessions as had been âequestred from the Church of Rome On the other hand the Pope is heartily afraid of a French Monarchy being well convinced that it would endeavour a thorough Reformation of the Court of Rome and that his Wings would be clipt to that degree that in effect he would be no more than a Patriarch Neither ought he to exspect any better treatment if the Spanish Monarchy had been brought to perfection as either of them must needs have been destructive to the Protestant Religion It may therefore be taken for granted that one of the main Pillars of the Popish Monarchy is the jealousy and ballance which is to be kept up betwixt these two Crowns and that it is the Pope's Interest as much as in him lies to take care that one of these Crowns do not ruin the other and set up for an universal Monarchy If we look into the transactions of former times we shall find that the Popes have long since observed this Maxim 'T is true after the death of King Henry II. when France was extreamly weakned the Popes were forced to be good Spanish whether they would or no the Spaniards having then found out the way to oblige them to it by fair or foul means They knew how to influence the Popes by their Nephews who were for setling and enriching their Families whilest their Kinsmen were alive Those they brought over to their party by granting to them Pensions Church-Benefices large Possessions great Offices and advantageous Marches who in acknowledgement of the same used often to make the Pope good Spanish even against his inclination but if they resisted these temprations they used to prosecute these Nephews with a vengeance after the Pope's decease And it was their constant practice in those days to exclude such from the Papal Chair as they thought were bent against their Interest But as soon as France began to recover its Strength the Popes managed themselves with more indifferency and shewed no more favour to either side than they thought was suiting with their present Circumstances It is remarkable that the Jesuit Guicardus in a Sermon preached in Paris in the 1637. in the Month of July did say that the War which the then King of France waged against the Spaniards was to be deemed a Holy War carried on for the preservation of the Holy Religion For if the King of France had not taken up Arms the Spaniards designs were so laid as to make the Pope an Almoner to the King of Spain § 39. But as to those who have withdrawn themselves from the Pope's Obedience it is certain the Pope would be glad if they could be reduced to his Obedience provided it might be done by such means that thereby one party were not so much strengthened as to become terrible to all Europe For it is better to let my Enemy live than to kill me and my Enemy at one stroke It was for this reason that we read that Pope Paul III. was vexed to the heart at the stupendous Success of the Emperour Charles V. against the Protestants which made him recall his Troops that were sent to his Assistance And if Philip II. had been successful in his expedition against England Sixtus V. would questionless have acknowledged his Errour of assisting him in this Enterprise So Gregory XV. during the Differences betwixt those of the Valtelins and the Grisons sided with the last the Protestants against Spain Neither was Vrban VIII dissatisfied at the Success of Gustavus Adolphus against the House of Austria especially since the latter had given much about the same time an evident instance to the World as to the business of Mantua that they used to give no better treatment to Roman Catholicks than Protestants Some have remarked that when Ferdinand II. did desire some Subsidies from the Popes which he had promised before the Pope sent him plenary Indulgences for him and his whole Army at the point of death that they might be prepared to dye with the more Courage And some Years ago the Court of Rome was no less concerned at the then prodigious Success of France in Holland when this State seemed to be reduced to the utmost extremity But the chief aim of the Pope is to reduce by all manner of Artifices the Protestants to his Obedience To obtain this end he sets the
six Books By the Famous Monsieur de la Quintinye Chief Director of all the Gardens of the French King To which is added his Treatise of Orange Trees with the raising of Melons omitted in the French Editions Made English by J. Evelyn Esq illustrated with Copper Plates The Commentaries of Julius Caesar of his Wars in Gallia and the Civil Wars betwixt him and Pompey with many Excellent and Judicious Observations thereupon By Clement Edmonds Esquire To this Edition is now added at the end of every Book those Excellent Remarks of the Duke of Rohan also the Commentaries of the Alexandrian and African Wars Written by Aulus Hirtius Pansa now first made English with a Geographical Nomenclature of the Antient and Modern Names of Towns together with the Life of Caesar and an account of his Medals The Roman History from the building of the City to the settlement of the Empire by Augustus Caesar being 727 years for the better understanding of the Roman Authors and Roman Affairs By Lawrence Etchard A. M. The Life of the Famous Cardinal Duke de Richlieu Principal Secretary of State to Lewis XIII A new Voyage to Italy with a Description of the Chief Towns Churches Tombs Libraries Palaces Statues and Antiquities of that Country with useful Instructions for those who shall travel thither By Maximilian Misson Gent. Adorned with Figures BOOKS printed for Tho. Newborough at the Golden Ball in St. Paul's Church-Yard THE Great Historical Geographical and Poetical Dictionary being a Curious Miscellany of Sacred and Prophane History containing the Lives of the Patriarchs Judges and Kings of the Jews of the Fathers of the Church of the Popes c. of Heresiarchs with an Account of their principle Doctrines of Emperours Kings and Illustrious Princes c. of Philosophers Inventors of Arts and those that have recommended themselves to the World The Genealogy of several Illustrious Families in Europe the Fabulous History of the Heathen Gods c. the Description of Empires Kingdoms Commonwealths Islands Mountains and Rivers and other considerable Places of Geography c. Collected from the best Historians Chronologers and Lexicographers by Lewis Morery D. D. The Sixth Edition Corrected and Enlarged by Monsieur l' Clarke To which are added the Lives and most Remarkable Actions of the English Scotch nad Irish Nobility Gentry Clergy and Artificers c. by several Learned Men with the five Years Historical and Geographical Collections of Edmund Bohun Esqiure never yet published Geographia Universalis The Present State of the whole World Giving an Account of the several Religions Customs and Riches of each People The Strength and Government of each Polity and State The Curious and most Remarkable Things in every Region with other Particulars necessary to the understanding History and the Interest of Princes Written Originally at the Command of the French King for the use of the Dauphin by the Sieur Duval Geographer in Ordinary to his Majesty The Third Edition Corrected and Enlarged by R. Midgley M. D. The most ancient State of Mankind The Original of Civil Societies At what time the first States were constituted The first States were very small and imperfect The Assyrian Empire By what means this Empire was maintained It s Fall The Persian Empire By what means it was maintained Greece Sparta Macedon The Politick Conduct and great Actions of Philip. Alexander the Great He dies young Great Troubles after the Death of Alexander The Fall of the Macedonian Empire Carthage Rome a Warlike City Bywhat means Rome became so populous Several other Military Institutions Of the Religion of the Romans The Expulsion of their Kings and the Erection of a new Form of Government Reasons of the fall of the Roman Greatness The Defects of the Roman Common-wealth Two distinct Bodies in Rome Factious Tribunes Citizens too powerfull The Constitution of the Roman Monarchy The Roman Monarchy could not be of a long continuance ãâ¦ã Anno 1453. The ancient State of Spain West Goths conquer Spain 410. 554. 572. 586. 646. 677. The Ruine of the Gothick Empire in Spain 713. 714. The Saracens cânquer Spain Kings in Oviedo Pelagius 726. Favila Alfonso I. 737. Favila Aurelius Silo. Alfonsus I Veremundus 791. Ramirus Ordonius I. Alfonso III. Garsias 910. 913. The Origin of the Kingdoms of Navarre and Arragon Favila II. Alfonso IV. Ramirus II. 931. Ordonius III Sanctius 955. 965. Ramirus III. 967. Veremund II. 982. Alfonso V. 999. Veremund III 1025. Castile made a Kingdom Sanctius II. Major The perniciâus Division of Spain 1038. 1045. 1053. Sanctius III. 1067. Alfonso VI. 1073. 1085. Alfonso VII Alfonso VIII 1118. 1122. 1134. 1137. Sanctius IV. Alfonso IX Henry Ferdinandus Sanctus 1230. 1230. 1240. 1248. Alfonso X. 1256. 1284. Sanctius V. The Sicilian Vespers Ferdinand IV 1312. 1297. Alfonso XI 1324. 1350. Peter the Cruel 1366. 1369. Henry II. John II. 1390. Henry III. John II. 145â 1442. Henry IV. 1468. 1469. Ferdinand the Catholick and Isabella The Kingdom of Castile and Arragon united The first beginning of the Spanish Inquisition 1497. 1481. 1483. Granada taken 1492. 1494. America discover'd The first rise of the War betwixt France and Spain 1504. Philip. 1506. 1512. Ferdinand conquer'd Naââarre Charles 1519. Wars betwixt Charles and France 1524. 1525. Rome taken by Charles V. 1527. A Peace madâ at Cambray 1538. 1542. Peace made at Crespy 1544. Charles wages War against the Protestants in Germany 1547. 1550. Treaty at Passaw 1554. Abdication of Charles Peace betwixt Spain and France 1559. Charles dies Philip II. War with England The Spanish Armado destroyed 1588. 1596. 1594. Peace made at Vervin 1551. 1560. 1592. Portugal falls to Spain 1579. 1595. Philip III. Trucâ with Holland 1609. 1602. Philip IV. 1622. 1628. 1639. Catalonia rebels 1651. Portugal falls off from Spain 1640. 1636. The Portugueses Duke of Braganza proclaimed King of Portugal 1642. 1647. Massanâllo ' s Rebellion at Naples 1647. 1650. The Pyrenean Treaty 1662. 1665. Charles II. 1668. Peace with Portugal The Tripple Alliance Peace made at Aix la Chapelle 1668. Peace made as Nimmegen 1679. The Nature of the Spaniards The Constitution of the Spanish Countries The Spanish West Indies Several sorts of Inhabitants in the Spanish West Indies Riches of America 1563. The Canary Islands Sardinia Sicily Naples Milan The Netherlands The Philippine Islands Strength and Weakness of Spain In what condition Spain is in in reference to its Neighbours and especially as to Barbary Turky Italian States The Pope Venice Genouae Savoy The Suiss Holland Germanâ England Portugal France What may be the consequence of the Extinction of the Royal Family The Origin of the Kingdom of Portugal Henry Earl of Portugal Alfonsus I. King of Portugal 1126. 1139. The Origin of the five Shields in the Arms of Portugal 1179. 1185. Sanctius I. Alfonsus II. Sanctius II. 1246. Alfonsus III. Dionysius Alfonsus IV. Pieter Ferdinand 1373. Interregnum Some call in the King of Castile 1385. John the Bastard 1399. 1415. 1420. Edward Alfonsus V. 1476. 1479.
11. Before we come to Rome we must say something of Carthage This City having long contested with Rome for the Superiority so that the Roman Government did not think it self well secured as long as this City was in Being This City though it was rather fitted for Trade than War yet having acquired vast Riches by its Traffick and being vastly encreased in Power and Inhabitants forced not only the next adjacent Countries in Africa to pay them Tribute but also sent vast Armies into Sicily Sardinia and Spain This occasioned the Wars betwixt them and the Romans the two First they maintain'd with extraordinary Resolution and Valour but in the Third they were brought to utter Destruction If they had avoided to meddle with the Roman Affairs they might in all probability have been able for a great while to defend their Liberty Ambition therefore was the chief Cause of their Ruin since the Constitution of their Government was such as being Adapted for Trade did not require any great Possessions except a few Lands for the use of their Citizens and some Sea-Ports in Spain and Sicily for conveniency of Commerce and Shipping But the Conquests of large Countries were more hurtfull than profitable to them For those Generals who Commanded their Armies abroad proved at last dangerous to them thinking it below themselves after so much Glory and vast Riches obtained to be put in the same Rank with their Fellow Citizens The Inhabitants besides of this City were not so well fitted for Land-service so that they being obliged to fill up their Armies with Mercenary Souldiers collected out of several Nations these were a vast and certain Charge to them the hopes of the Benefit remaining uncertain And besides this their Faith was very inconstant and the Conquered places could scarce be trusted to those whose Faith might easily be bought by Money After their first War with the Romans they Experienced almost to their utter Ruin how dangerous it is to wage War altogether with Foreign and Mercenary Souldiers And therefore they could not possibly hold out against the Romans who fought with a much greater Constancy for their Native Country than these Foreign Mercenaries did for their Pay 'T was a Capital Errour in the Carthaginians that they did not take care in time so to Establish their Power at Sea that they needed not to have feared any thing from the Romans that way But after they had once let the Romans become Masters at Sea they could not but expect them one time or another at their City-gates At the time when Hannibal had such prodigious Success against the Romans it proved also a fatal Neglect in them that they did not timely send fresh Supplies to Re-inforce him so that he might have prosecuted the War to the Destruction of Rome For after they had once given leisure to the Romans to recollect themselves they conscious of their former danger never rested till they had rased Carthage to the ground § 12. It is worth the while to trace the Common-wealth of Rome back to its Original because none ever yet Equall'd it in Power and Greatness and because young Students are first Entred and best Read in the Roman History This City was perfectly made for War from whence the first had her Rise and afterwards her Fall Its first Inhabitants were a sorry Rabble of Indigent People the very Dregs of Italy being ignorant of what belonged to Commerce and not expert in any Handy-craft's Trade For the carrying on of the first Rome was not Commodiously Situated and the Latter was at that time unknown in Italy That small parcel of Ground which at first they had possess'd themselves of was not sufficient to maintain a considerable Number of People nor was there any vacant Ground in the Neighbourhood which could be Tilled for their use If therefore they would not always remain Beggars nothing was left them but their Swords wherewith to cut out their Fortune And truly Rome was nothing else but a Den of Wolves and its Inhabitants like Wolves always thirsting after their Neighbour's Goods and Blood living by continual Robberies It was then necessary for a City under these Circumstances to keep up a constant Stock of Valiant Citizens To effect this the better Romulus commanded that no Child should be kill'd except such as were very Deformed which barbarous Custom was also then very common among the Grecians Besides this he ordered that all Slaves at Rome together with their Liberty should have the Privilege of the City from whom afterwards descended great Families their Posterity being ambitious by great Deeds to Efface the Memory of their base Original But above all one thing did mightily contribute towards the Increase of Rome that Romulus did not suffer the Men to be put to the Sword in such places as were taken by force by the Romans nor would let them be sold for Slaves but receiving them into Rome granted them the same Privileges with the rest of the Citizens The Roman Writers give this for one reason why Athens and Sparta could not so long maintain their Conquests as Rome did since they seldom Naturalized Strangers whereas Romulus frequently used to receive the same as Citizens of Rome in the Evening with whom he had fought in the Morning For War cannot be carried on without a good Stock of Men nor can Conquests be maintain'd without a considerable Number of Valiant Souldiers upon whose Faith the Government can rely in case of an Attack But that the Conquered places might not be left destitute of Inhabitants and Rome might not be fill'd up with too much Rabble they used only to Transplant the best and richest Men of the Conquered places to Rome filling up their places with the poorest of the Roman Citizens who setling a continual good Correspondence betwixt the Conquered and the Romans served also for a Garrison in these places By these means the most Valiant and Richest Inhabitants of the Neighbouring Countries were drawn to Rome and the poorest among the Romans obtained thereby in those places large Possessions But although Necessity gave an Edge to the Roman Valour 't was not that alone that made them so War-like a People for the Courage of their Kings who instructed them in Military Affairs and hardned them to Dangers had a great share in it though the thing rightly considered it is not always adviseable to lay the Foundation of a State upon Military Constitutions since the Changes of War are uncertain and then it is not for the Quiet of any State that Martial Tempers should prevail too much in it Wherefore Peaceable times did never agree with the Romans and as soon as they were freed from the Danger of Foreign Enemies they sheath'd their Swords in each other's Bowels § 13. There were also other things worth our Observation which did greatly advance the Military Affairs of Rome One of the chiefest was That their King Servius Tullius had ordered that only the
within the space of 200 Years very few were left in whose places new Favourites of the Emperours were created who were willing to submit themselves to their Commands § 19. But this Monarchy being founded upon the Souldiery could not be of a long continuance for as soon as the Souldiers had once learn'd this Secret that they being the Supporters of the Monarchy could dispose of the Empire at pleasure and that the Senate and People were now empty Names the Emperours were not only oblig'd with double Pay and great Presents to purchase their Favour but they also began to kill such Emperours as were not pleasing to them and to fill up their room with such as could obtain their Favour And because one Army did claim the same Prerogative as well as the other not only the Pretorian Bands but also other Armies which were on the Frontiers undertook to do the same Hence came nothing but Misery and Confusion in the Roman Empire the Life of each Emperour depending on the Will of the covetous and unruly Souldiers so that no Emperour was assur'd to leave the Empire to his Posterity Oftentimes the bravest Princes were murther'd and in their room others set up of the meanest Rank and Capacity Oftentimes two or more were declared Emperours who used to make horrid slaughters among the Citizens in deciding their Titles to the Empire And this was the reason why not only very few of the ancient Emperours died a natural death but also the Power of this vast Empire was diminish'd to that degree by these intestine Wars that it did appear no otherwise than a Body without its Nerves Constantine the Great did also hasten its fall when he transferr'd the Imperial Court from Rome to Constantinople and sent away the Veterane Legions which guarded the Frontiers of the Empire along the Danube and the Rhine to the Easterly Parts whereby the Western Provinces destitute of their Guards became a prey to other Nations Besides this Theodosius divided the Empire betwixt his two Sons giving to Arcadius the Eastern to Honorius the Western parts which division did not a little contribute towards the destruction of the Empire The Western Parts became a prey to the Germans and Goths who about that time came in prodigious numbers to change their poor Habitations for the pleasant and rich Provinces of the Romans England the Romans left of their own accord as being not in a capacity to defend it against the Scots and having occasion for their Troops to defend France Spain fell to the share of the West-Goths The Vandals settled themselves in Africa The Goths Burgundians and Francks divided France betwixt them Rhaetia and Noricum was conquer'd by the Suevians and Bavarians A great part of Pannonia and Illyricum was possested by the Huns. The Goths settled a Kingdom in Italy and did not think Rome worthy to make it the place of Residence of the Gothick Kings § 20. Though the Western parts of the Roman Empire tell to the share of Foreign Nations yet the Eastern Provinces whoâe Capital City was Constantiââle remain'd for a great many hundred years after ãâã âhis Eastern Empire was neither in Power nor Splendour to be compar'd to the Ancient Roman Empire And Agathias the Vth. says That whereas heretofore the Roman Forces consisted of 645000 Men the same did amount in the times of Justinian scarce to 150000. 'T is true under the Reign of this Justinian the Empire began to recover something of its former Power Belisarius having destroyed the Empire of the Vandals in Africa as Narses did that of the Goths in Italy because these Nations were grown Effeminate and overcome with the deliciousness of a plentifull Country Yet did it again decrease by degrees the neighbouring Nations taking away one piece after another the Emperours were partly in fault themselves some of them being sunk in pleasures and grown quite effeminate others in continual Divisions destroying each other One part was subdu'd by the Bulgarians The Saracens conquer'd Syria Palestine Egypt Cilicia and other neighbouring Countries and raâaging the rest besieged Constantinople which City was once taken by Count Baldwin of Flanders but his Forces were obliged to quit it not long after The City also of Trebisond with the neighbouring Countries withdrawing from the Obedience of the rest of the Empire set up an Emperour of their own choosing At last the Turks entirely subdu'd this Empire who did not only conquer the Saracens but also afterwards swallow'd up the Remnants of the Eastern Empire of Constantinople Greece having before withdrawn it self from the Obedience of the Emperours was govern'd by its own petty Princes making thereby the Conquest of the Turks over them the easier till at last the City of Constantinople being taken by Storm by the Turks was afterwards made the place of Residence of the Ottoman Emperours CHAP. II. Of the Kingdom of Spain SPain was in ancient Times divided into a great many States independent of one another which was at that time the condition of most other Countries of Europe But by reason of this Division this otherwise War-like Nation was very instrumental to its being conquer'd by foreign Enemies To this may be added That the Spaniards did want good and understanding Generals under whose Conduct they might easily have resisted the Power of their Enemies For not to mention how the Celts pass'd out of Gaul into the next adjacent parts of Spain who being mixt with the Iberians were from thenceforward call'd Celtiberians neither how the Rhodians built Roses the Citizens of Zante Saguntum the Phoenicians Cadiz Malaga and other Cities the Carthaginians above the rest immediately after the first Punick War with the Romans began to conquer a great part of Spain Wherefore in the second Punick War the Romans did at first send their Forces into Spain where they fought so long with the Carthaginians till at last Scipio afterwards sir-nam'd the African made a great part of it a Roman Province the other parts were subdu'd by degrees till Augustus at last entirely subduing the Cantabrians who live next to the Pyrenean Mountains joined all Spain to the Roman Empire under whose Protection it was peaceably govern'd for a considerable time except that the Spaniards now and then were drawn in to take a part in the Civil Wars among the Romans § 2. But the Western parts of the Roman Empire declining the Vandals Suevians Alani and Silingi made an inrode into Spain and after many bloody Battels fought divided it betwixt them which Conquests nevertheless they did not enjoy long for the Vandals passing over into Africa the Alani were quite routed by the Suevians who having also subdu'd the Silingi were in a fair way of becoming Masters of all Spain if they had not been prevented by the West Goths who after they had under the Conduct of their King Alarick ransack'd Italy and Rome it self settled themselves upon the Borders lying betwixt Spain and France making
and Aznar Son of Eudo Duke of Aquitain having taken several Places from the Moors took upon himself with consent of the before-mentioned Garsias the Title of Earl of Arragon Lewis also Son of Charles the Great taking Barcelona constituted a Governour there whose Name was Bernard a Frenchman from whom descended the Earls of Barcelona About the time also of the above-mentioned Kings there were several Earls or Governours of Old Castile who acknowledged the foresaid Kings for their Soveraigns These Earls being once suspected by King Ordonius he call'd them together who appearing were all kill'd by his Order Wherefore the Old Castilians under the Reign of his Son Favila a cruel Tyrant with-drawing themselves from the Kingdom of Leon chose two Governours under the Name of Judges who were to administer all Civil and Military Affairs But this Form of Government did not last long among them § 4. After Favila Alphonso the IVth obtained the Kingdom under whose Reign Ferdinand Gonsalvo Earl of Castile perform'd great things both against the Moors and Sanctius Abareus and his Son Garsias Kings of Navarre whom he vanquish'd But Alfonso himself being unfit to Govern the Kingdom surrendred it to his Brother Ramirus who with the assistance of the before-mentioned Ferdinand beat the Moors in several Places He died in the Year 950 and was succeeded by his Son Ordonius a Valiant Prince but did not Reign long leaving the Kingdom to his Brother Sanctius Crassus He was Banish'd by Ordonius Sir-named the Wicked but soon restored by the help of the Moors It is said that by certain Articles made betwixt Sanctius and Ferdinand Earl of Castile it was agreed that Castile after that time should not be obliged to acknowledge any dependance on the Kings of Leon. He was succeeded by Ramirus who in his Minority was under Womens tuition and when grown up proved very useless to the Publick For under his Reign partly by civil Commotions partly by the In-roads made by the Moors the Kingdom was considerably weakened and in great danger of losing more several Places being taken from the Christians Under Veremund II. also the Moors did considerable mischief in those Parts taking and plundering besides a great many others the City of Leon to which Misfortunes the civil Commotions did greatly contribute But at last Veremund entring into a Confederacy with the King of Navarre and Garsias Earl of Castile forced the Moors out of his Kingdom Him succeeded his Son Alfonso V. under whose Reign there were great Intestine Commotions in Castile whereby the Moors were encouraged to attack it with such vigour that they over-threw Garsias and took him Prisoner whose Son Sanctius revenged himself afterwards upon the Moors After this great Dissentions being arisen among the Moors their Empire was divided into several Parts each Governour of its Province assuming the Name of King Alfonso succeeded his Son Veremund III. under whose Reign there happened a great Revolution in Spain For Garsias Earl of Castile being upon the point of being married to the King's Sister at Leon was there barbarously murthered by some of his Vassals Castile therefore falling to Sanctius King of Navarre who had married the Sister of Garsias he took upon him the Title of King of Castile This Sanctius Sir-named Major also waged War against Veremund who had no Children taking from him by force of Arms a considerable part of the Kingdom Whereupon a Peace was concluded whereby it was agreed that Sanctius should keep what he had taken before but that his Son Ferdinand should Marry Sanctia the Sister of Veremund she being Heiress to her Brother and to succeed him in the Kingdom of Leon. In this manner was Leon Navarre and Castile United in one House But in the mean while that Sanctius Major was in the Field against the Moors a great Misfortune happened at Home He had particularly recommended to the Care of his Queen a very fine Horse which Garsias her Eldest Son had a mind to have and would have obtained it from the Mother if the Master of the Horse had not opposed it telling them that his Father would be greatly displeased at it This denial wrought so upon the Son that he accused his Mother of committing Adultery with the Master of the Horse The Matter being examined the King 's Natural Son Ramirus profered to justifie the Innocency of the Queen in a Duel with Garsias and the King being uncertain what to do a Priest did at last enforce the Confession of the Calumny cast upon the Queen from Garsias whereupon Garsias being declared incapable of succeeding his Father in Castile which did belong to him by his Mother's side and Ramirus obtained the Succession in the Kingdom of Arragon as a recompence of his Fidelity This Sanctius Major died in the Year 1035. § 5. Thus all the Provinces of Spain which were possess'd by the Christians being joined in one House it seem'd an easie matter to root out the Moors divided among themselves and to restore Spain to its former state if the same had remained under one Head But the division made by Sanctius Major occasion'd most bloody and pernicious Wars This before-mentioned Sanctius had four Sons To the Eldest Garsias he left Navarre and Biscay to Ferdinand Castile to Gonsalvo Suprarbe and Ripagorsa and to Ramirus his Natural Son Arragon giving to each of them the Title of King These being all ambitious to be equal in Power and Greatness to their Father and thinking their Bounds too narrow fell quickly together by the Ears For whilest Garsias was gone in Pilgrimage to Rome Ramirus endeavoured to make himself Master of Navarre but the other returning home âhased him out of Arragon There arose also a War betwixt Ferdinand of Castile and his Brother-in-law Veremund King of Leon wherein the latter being slain in Battle Ferdinand became Master of Leon which did by Right of Succession belong to him He also took from the Moors a great part of Portugal After the Death of Gonsalvo the Third Son of Sanctius Major Ramirus made himself Master of his Territories and endeavoured also to recover by force of Arms Arragon from the King of Navarre Not long after Ferdinand of Castile and Garsias of Navarre waged War together about a certain Tract of Ground wherein Garsias was slain in a Battle By his Death Ramirus got an opportunity of recovering Arragon Ferdinand Sir-named the Great died in the Year 1065 dividing the Empire to the great detriment of Spain among his three Sons The Eldest Sanctius had Castile Alfonso Leon Garsias Gallicia and a part of Portugal with the Titles of Kings Sanctius waged War with Ramirus of Arragon whom he slew in a Battle but was beaten back again by Sanctius Son of Ramirus and the King of Navarre Afterward having driven Alfonso out of his Territories and taken Garsias Prisoner he took
possession of the Territories belonging to his Brothers but was slain in the Siege of Camora which City he endeavour'd to take from his Sister Then Alfonso his Brother who had hitherto dwelt with the Moorish King of Toledo made himself Master of Castile and Leon. And took from the Moors besides some other Places the City of Toledo which was in those days esteemed impregnable But the Moors in Spain having received fresh Re-inforcements out of Africa got new Courage and falling upon the Christians defeated them in two Battles till Alfonso got an entire Victory over them obliging the Moorish King of Corduba to pay him a yearly Tribute Nevertheless he was afterwards again over-thrown in a Battle fought with the Moors where he lost his only Son Sanctius whose Death he revenged soon after upon them He died in the Year 1109. Vrraca his Daughter was Heiress to the Kingdom she being Married to Alfonso King of Arragon Which Marriage under pretence of too near a Consanguinity and Adultery committed by the Queen was afterwards dissolved again But because Alfonso would nevertheless keep Castile as the Dowry of the Queen it caused great Intestine Wars and Divisions For Alfonso VIII Son of Vrraca by Raymond of Burgundy her first Husband who was come out of France to assist her Father in the Wars against the Moors was proclaimed King of Castile in the mean while that Alfonso of Arragon was busied in taking besides some other Places the City of Saragossa from the Moors At last a Peace was concluded betwixt Arragon and Castile Afterwards Alfonso of Castile made War against the Moors with great Success taking from them divers Places of Note But Alfonso of Arragon being slain in a Battle fought with the Moors and leaving no Children behind him those of Navarre chose for their King Garsias who was of the Race of their former Kings But the Arragonians conferr'd the Crown upon Ramirus Brother to the deceased King who had been a Monk Alfonso of Castile in Opposition to both pretending to have a Right to these Kingdoms conquered a great part of them causing himself with consent of Pope Innocent II. who was supposed to do it in spite to the German Emperours to be proclaimed Emperour of Spain But this difference was also at last composed it being agreed that Ramirus should give his only Daughter together with the Kingdom to Raymond Earl of Barcelona by which means Catalonia and Arragon were United then Alfonso entring into a Confederacy with the Kings of Navarre and Arragon Attack'd again the Moors taking from them the City of Almeria which in those days was a great Sea-port and Harbour for Privateers Raymond took from the Moors Tortosa Lerida and other strong Holds Alfonso died in the Year 1157. § 6. The same Alfonso though Spain had suffered sufficiently by its being divided into so many Governments left to his Son Sanctius Castile to Ferdinand Leon and Gallicia Sanctius who did nothing that is remarkable except that he beat twice those of Navarre died in the Year 1158 leaving his Son Alfonso IX a Child of four years of Age. During the time of his Minority there were great Disturbances in Castile occasioned partly by the Divisions among the Nobility partly by the Wars with Ferdinando of Leon and Sanctius of Navarre who took several Places from the Castilians But coming to his riper years he did extricate himself though not without great difficulty out of those Troubles In the War against the Moors who always kept the Spanish Kings in Exercise he suffered extreamly so that he was obliged to make a Truce with them because the Kings of Navarre and Leon at the same time fell upon him At last there was a Confederacy made betwixt these Kings with a certain agreement how such Places should be disposed of as should be taken from the Moors In the Year 1210 a most Memorable Expedition was undertaken against the Moors where presented themselves a great many Foreigners who came to Signalize themselves but a great many of them being soon tired out returned home At that time was fought the famous Battle of Lasa where 200000 Moors being slain they lost all their Strength In this Battle Sanctius King of Navarre breaking first through a Chain which surrounded the Moorish Army he afterwards bore a Chain with an Emerald in his Shield In this War was taken from the Moors besides other Places the City of Calatrava The King of Leon took Alcantara Alfonso died in the Year 1214 leaving behind him his Son Henry whose Minority occasioned great disturbances in the Kingdom he died without Issue in the Year 1217. He had two Sisters the Eldest Blanch was Married to Lewis VIII Son of Philip Augustus King of France The second Berengaria was Married to Alfonso King of Leon. The Crown by Right of Succession did belong to the Eldest and her Heirs But out of a hatred the States bore to Strangers they conferr'd the Kingdom upon Ferdinand Sir-named the Holy Son of Berengaria who with all speed imaginable possess'd himself of it before he could be prevented by his Father surmounting all the difficulties which were rais'd against him partly by his Father partly by some of the Nobility It is related by some That Blanch was not the eldest Sister but that some of the Castilian Noblemen did dispute the right of Berengaria to the Crown because the Pope had declar'd her marriage with Alfonso void and their Children illegitimate as being too near in Bloud By the death of Alfonso Leon and Castile were reunited under Ferdinand at what time the Moors suffer'd extreamly in their Affairs King James of Arragon took from them Majorca in the Year 1232. Minorca in the Year 1234. Yvica in the Year 1238. The City and Kingdom of Valencia Ferdinand took from them besides other places in the Year 1230 Merida and Badajoz In the Year 1236 the City and Kingdom of Corduba Murcia surrender'd it self to the protection of Castile In the Year 1243 Jaen Sevile and the greatest part of Andalusia But whilst he was making Preparations to carry the War into Africa he died in the Year 1252. § 7. The History of the next following Years is full of Troubles and Divisions Alfonso 't is true was famous in foreign Countries for his Wisdom and great skill in Astronomy so that it is reported of him that he used to say That if God would have advised with him at the time of the Creation of the World the World should have been made more uniform yet he was unfortunate at home and hated by his Subjects The first occasion of which was that he being desirous to fill his Treasury which was exhausted he caus'd the current Coin to be diminish'd which enhanc'd the price of every thing and whilst to prevent this he set certain rates on all Commodities which occasion'd a general scarcity of all things the
people not being willing to sell at his rates He was by some of the Electors chosen Roman Emperour but because his Children were then very young and great Divisions arose among his Nobles he delay'd for a great many Years to go thither and to receive the Imperial Crown till in the Year 1275 a fancy took him all on a sudden to go and take possession of the Empire though Rudolf of Habsburgh was already got into the Imperial Throne But his Journey was ended in Provence he returning from thence home by the persuasion of the Pope who afterwards excommunicated him and obliged him also to renounce the Title of Emperour After the death of Ferdinand his eldest Son Sanctius the younger Brother did aim at the Succession tho Ferdinand had left Children behind him This rais'd a Jealousie betwixt the Father and Son who rose in open Rebellion against his Father being assisted by the major part of the States which Commotion however ceas'd with the death of Alfonso Under the Reign of this King many Battels were fought against the Moors with various success In the Year also 1282 happened the Sicilian Vespers by which means Peter King of Arragon obtain'd the Kingdom of Sicily he having before a pretence to it as having married Constantia the Daughter of Manfred Against this Sanctius the Son of Ferdinand his elder Brother rais'd several disturbances which he overcame all by his Wisdom he dyed in the Year 1295. During the time of the Minority of his Son Ferdinand IV. the Kingdom of Castile was overwhelm'd with trouble After he came to Age he undertook an Expedition against the Moors taking from them Gibraltar and died in the flower of his Age. Under the Reign of this King James King of Arragon was presented with the Kingdom of Sardinia by the Pope who pretended to have a right of disposing of it and those of Pisa being then in possession of the same were afterwards beaten out by the Arragonians The Minority also of Alfonso XI was full of troubles At that time the Moors had again received a great Reinforcement out of Africa the Castilians nevertheless obtain'd a most signal Victory over them in the Year 1340 in which Battel 't is said 200000 were slain on the side of the Moors and but only 25000 Spaniards At that time Alzira was taken and a Peace concluded with the King of Granada under condition that he should be tributary to Castile This King died in the Siege of Gibraltar which he had lost before His Son Pieter sirnamed The Cruel reigned very tyrannically He drew the hatred of most of his Subjects upon himself by parting from his Queen Blanch whom he afterwards tho Innocent for the sake of a Concubine caus'd to be murther'd This occasion'd a Plot against him which he suppress'd with a great deal of Bloudshed In the mean while a War arose betwixt him and Pieter IV. King of Arragon who assisted the Rebels in Castile who had set up for their King Henry the King's Brother begotten on a Concubine call'd Eleonora Gusman With him also join'd a great many French Voluntiers so that falling upon Pieter of Castile he forc'd him to flee into Aquitain But he having rais'd there a considerable Army return'd into Spain defeated Henry and obliged him to flee into France but did not desist from his Tyranny whereby he quite lost the Affection of his Subjects And Henry having gather'd another Army in France return'd into Castile where being assisted by the Castilians he vanquish'd Pieter and in the flight kill'd him with his own Hands § 8. Out of the Race of this Henry II. sirnam'd The Bastard sprang afterwards Princes who prov'd very mischievous to Spain Henry himself did at first labour under great difficulties the neighbouring Nations attacking him every where yet he surmounted them and at last made Peace with them all But the Favour of his Nobles he bought with Money He died in the year 1379. His Son John endeavour'd to obtain the Crown of Portugal of Ferdinand its King whose Daughter he had married But the Portugueses out of a hatred against the Castilians set up for their King John natural Son to Pieter King of Portugal who maintained himself against the Castilians routing them near to Aliunbaret which Victory the Portugueses mightily boast of in their Histories Castile was at that time in great danger the English siding with the Portugueses under the Duke of Lancaster who having married Constantia the Daughter of Pieter sirnamed The Cruel pretended to the right of that Crown bearing also the Title and Arms But the business was at last compos'd by marrying the Daughter of the English Duke to the Prince of Castile after which also a Peace was concluded with Portugal John died by a fall from his Horse His Son Henry III. was a sickly Prince under whose Minority great Divisions arose in the Kingdom During the time of his Reign he did nothing remarkable except that he restor'd the Revenues which the Nobles had alienated from the Crown He died in the Year 1407 leaving behind him John II. a Child of two Months old The tuition of this Prince was besides his Mother committed to Ferdinand his Uncle to whom the States did offer the Kingdom which he generously refusing to accept of he obtain'd afterwards the Crown of Arragon This King being under the tuition of his Mother grown very Effeminate only addicted to Voluptuousness having no Genius nor inclination for publick Business committed the whole management to his Favourite Alvarez de Luna an ambitious Man which occasion'd great Jealousies in his Nobles against him This King taking his Favourite's part against the Nobility an open War ensu'd betwixt them the Rebels being headed by his own Son and the City of Toledo declar'd against the King At last the King being tir'd with the many Inconveniencies cut this Favourite's Head off but died himself in the Year next following Under the Reign of this King a War broke out betwixt the Spaniards and those of Granada wherein the first signaliz'd themselves to their advantage In the Year 1420 King Alfonso of Arragon was adopted by Joan Queen of Naples but a difference arising betwixt Joan and Alfonso she declar'd the said Adoption void and null receiving in his stead Lewis Duke of Anjou which afterwards occasion'd bloody Wars betwixt France and Spain Yet Alfonso at last kept the upper hand making himself Master of Naples and leaving the same to his natural Son Ferdinand In the Kingdom of Castile succeeded John his Son Henry IV. the scandal to the Spanish Nation He being incapable of begetting Children to take away this suspicion hired one Bertrand Corva who for this service was made Earl of Ledesma to lie with the Queen who having brought forth a Daughter call'd Joan Henry caus'd her to be proclaim'd Heiress to the Crown What confirm'd this the more was that
had projected against the Protestants in Germany as also that his Forces had receiv'd a considerable overthrow in Italy near Carizola from the French he made thereupon a Peace with Francis at Crespy in the County of Valois Then Charles undertook to subdue the Protestants entring for that purpose into a League with Pope Paul III. which War he carried on with such success that without great trouble he overthrew them making their chief Heads the Elector of Saxony and Landtgrave of Hesse Prisoners The Emperour made use of this Policy in fomenting Divisions betwixt Duke Maurice and his Cousin the Elector of Saxony and refusing to fight with them at first he thereby protracted the War foreseeing that a Confederacy under so many Heads would not last long and that the Cities which contributed the most towards it would grow quickly weary of the Charges of the War Francis also and Henry VIII were both of them lately dead who else questionless with all their Power would have oppos'd his designs of oppressing the Protestants thereby to make himself absolute Master in Germany The Heads also of the Protestant League did greatly contribute to their own Misfortune they having let slip several opportunities especially at first before the Emperour had rightly settled his Matters when they might have done him considerable mischief nevertheless Charles was no great gainer by these Victories because he used the Conquer'd whom he was not able to keep in Obedience by force with too much rigour keeping the Captive Princes in too close an Imprisonment He also disobliged Maurice Elector of Saxony after his Father-in-law the Landtgrave of Hesse had by his persuasions surrender'd himself to the Emperour The Elector therefore being persuaded by the Prayers of his Children and others who objected to him That by his Assistance their Religion and Liberty were in danger of being lost he fell unawares upon Charles whom under favour of the Night and a Fogg he forc'd to retire from Inspruck After this exploit a Peace was concluded by the Mediation of King Ferdinand where in the Treaty at Passaw the Protestant Religion was establish'd In the mean while Henry II. King of France coming to the assistance of the Protestants had taken Metz Toul and Verdun The Emperour attackt Metz again with great fury but having been fain to leave it after a considerable loss sustain'd he discharg'd his Fury upon Hesdin and Tervanne which he levell'd with the Ground In Italy the Imperialists took Siena which afterwards Philip II. gave to Cosmus Duke of Tuscany reserving to himself the Sovereignty and some Sea-ports At last Charles tir'd with the Toils of the Empire and the Infirmities of his Body resigned the Imperial Crown to his Brother Ferdinand who would not consent that the same should come to his Son Philip. But to Philip he gave all his Kingdoms and Territories except those in Germany which fell to Ferdinand's share reserving to himself only a yearly allowance of 100000 Ducats He had made a little before a Truce of five Years with France which was soon broke by the persuasions of the Pope who endeavouring to drive the Family of Colonna out of their Possessions and they being upheld by the Spaniards the French sided with the Pope But this War prov'd very unfortunate to the French they being routed at St. Quintins lost that City and the Mareschal de Thermes was also soundly beaten near Gravelin At last a Peace was again concluded at Chateau en Chambrasis by virtue of which the French were obliged to restore all what they had taken in Italy which had been the occasion of some Blood-shed by Francis and Henry But under-hand it was agreed That both the King of Spain and France should endeavour to root out the Hereticks as they call'd them which succeeded afterwards very ill both in Spain and France In the Year before this viz. 1558 died Charles in the Convent of St. Justus in Spain where he spent his last days in quiet His last Will and Testament tho never so rational was so far from being pleasing to the Inquisition that it wanted but little of having been burnt as Heretical But his Father Confessour and the rest of the Monks in that Convent who had been present were forc'd to undergo the severe Judgment of this Court § 11. Under the Reign of Philip II. the greatness of the Spanish Monarchy began to be at a stand neither had its Kings the same success as formerly to get vast Kingdoms by Marriages For from the match of Philip with Mary Queen of England came no Children And truly in my Opinion the Spanish Greatness receiv'd the first shock at that time when Charles V. surrender'd his Dominions in Germany to his Brother Ferdinand and afterwards had him elected King of the Romans by which means the Power of this House was divided and the Imperial Crown separated from the Spanish Monarchy Charles would fain have afterwards persuaded Ferdinand to transfer the Succession of the Imperial Crown upon Philip but he being persuaded by his Son Maximilian to keep what he had got would in no ways part with it He was also much belov'd by the Germans whereas they had an aversion against Philip who being a meer Spaniard did not as much as understand the German Tongue And Ferdinand and his Successours prov'd very good Princes who were not fond of the Spanish methods of Governing But that which gave the greatest shock to the Spanish Greatness were the Troubles arisen in the Netherlands The reason why this Evil grew incurable was because Philip being over fond of his ease would rather sit still in Spain than by his Presence endeavour to stop the current before it ran too violent tho' his Father did not think it too much to venture himself at the Discretion of Francis his Rival to appease the Tumults arisen only in the City of Ghent Another reason was That he took the most violent course by sending the Duke of Alva a cruel Man among the Netherlunders who being us'd to a mild sort of Government were thereby put into despair especially when they were inform'd That the Inquisition had declar'd Criminal not only those who were guilty of the Rebellion and pulling down the Images but also all such Catholicks as had not made resistance against them The Saying of Anthony Vargas a Spanish Minister is a famous as ridiculous Haeretici diruerunt templa boni nihil fecerunt contra ergo omnes debent patibulari i. e. The Hereticks demolish'd the Churches the Catholicks did not oppose them wherefore they ought all to be hang'd Besides this the Spaniards were much hated by the Netherlanders not only because of the great differences there was betwixt the Manners of these Nations but also because these latter had been in great esteem with Charles V. who was very like them in all his Behaviour On the contrary Philip only encourag'd the Spaniards who having an
extraordinary conceit of their own Abilities and taking the Netherlanders for Cowards did not think they had Courage enough to oppose their Designs The Spaniards also were well pleas'd to see the Netherlanders to begin first hoping the King would thereby take an opportunity to clip their Privileges and by making them all alike obtain an absolute Dominion over them This done they hoped to make these Countries their Armory and Store-house from whence they might with more ease invade France and England and raise the Spanish Monarchy to the highest degree of Greatness But the Netherlanders on the other side were resolv'd not to part with their Liberty nor to be treated as a conquer'd Nation And when Philip at his departure would leave Spanish Garrisons in the Netherlands and to soften the matter constituted the Prince of Orange and Earl of Egmont Generals over them yet could they not be persuaded to accept of the same alledging That the Netherlanders had got but very small Advantages by the Peace with France which they had procur'd by their own Valour if they now should be in danger of being subdu'd themselves by a foreign Power The neighbouring Princes also but especially Elizabeth Queen of England took an opportunity by these troubles to empty the vast Treasures of Spain and to exhaust its Strength The Protestant Princes also of Germany who hated the Spaniards were glad of this opportunity and assisted the Prince of Orange upon all occasions And the Emperours thought it more convenient to be at quiet and to please the Germans than to be too forward to assist their Cousins These Commotions in the Netherlands did also occasion the War betwixt Philip and Elizabeth Queen of England she not only affording assistance to the Netherlanders but also the English Privateers doing considerable mischief to the Spanish West-India Ships and the famous Francis Drake plunder'd the very Southern Coast of America On the other side Philip by supporting the Rebels in Ireland proved very troublesome to Queen Elizabeth At last Philip did resolve with one stroke to put down the whole Strength of England to which purpose he was equipping a great Fleet for several Years together which he call'd The Invincible the like never had been seen before those times The Fleet consisted of 150 Sail of Ships which carried 1600 great pieces of Brass Cannon and 1050 of Iron 8000 Seamen 20000 Souldiers besides Volunteers the Charge amounted daily to 30000 Ducats but the whole Preparations to twelve Milions of Ducats The Pope Sixtus V. also excommunicated Queen Elizabeth assigning her Kingdom to Philip. But all these Preparations came to nothing the greatest part of this Fleet being destroy'd partly by the English and Dutch partly by Tempests few return'd home and that in a most miserable condition so that there was scarce a Noble Family in Spain but went into Mourning for the loss of some Friend or another But the evenness of Temper is much to be admir'd in Philip who receiv'd this bad news without the least alteration giving only this Answer I did not send them out to fight against the Winds and Seas Afterwards the English and Dutch Fleets being joined beat the Spanish Fleet near Cadiz taking from the Spaniards not only a great many Ships richly laden but also the City of Cadiz it self which nevertheless was again left by the English General the Earl of Essex after he had plunder'd it to the great dishonour of the English who might from thence have done a great deal of mischief to the Spaniards Neither did Spain get any advantage by having entangled it self in the Troubles and as it was call'd the holy League made in France Philip 't is true propos'd to himself to have met with a fair opportunity by excluding the Bourbon Family to annex the Crown of France to his House or by raising Divisions in this Kingdom to swallow up one piece or another or to assist one of his Creatures in obtaining that Crown or at least by dividing it into so many Factions so to weaken its Strength as that it should not be able to recover it self for a considerable time But by the Courage and good Fortune of Henry IV. all these Measures were broke and he declaring himself a Catholick took away the Foundation whereupon the League was built Thus Philip lost his vast Expences and besides this suffer'd extreamly in his Affairs for in the mean time that he sent the Duke of Parma Governour of the Netherlands to the assistance of the League in France the Confederate Netherlanders had leisure given them to put themselves and their Affairs into a good posture Philip acted in this business according to the old proverb That he who hunts two Hares at once commonly catches neither of them Besides Henry IV. after he had restor'd his Affairs in France declar'd War against Philip which was nevertheless carried on in the Netherlands with various success the Count de Fuentes taking Cambray in the Year 1595 and in the Year next following the Archduke Albert Calais On the other side Henry recover'd Fere from the Spaniards In the Year 1597 the Spaniards took Amiens by surprise which Henry recover'd not without great difficulty At last a Peace was concluded in the same Year betwixt France and Spain at Vervin because Philip was unwilling to leave his Son who was but young entangl'd in a War with so great a Captain as Henry was and Henry was sensible that the Kingdom of France being enervated did greatly want a Peace Philip also waged several Wars against the Turks for the Pyrate Dragutes had taken from the Spaniards Tripoli after they had been in possession of it for forty Years To retake this Philip sent a strong Army which took the Isle of Gerbis but being afterwards beaten by the Turkish Fleet he lost together with the Island 18000 Men and 42 Ships In the Year 1564 Philip retook Pegnon de Velez In the Year 1566 Maltha was besieg'd by the Turks during the space of four Months which was reliev'd by Philip he forcing the Turks to raise the Siege with great loss In the Year 1571 the Confederate Fleet of Spain Venice and other Italian States under the Command of Don John of Austria did obtain a most signal Victory over the Turkish Fleet near Lepanto whereby the Turkish Naval Strength was weaken'd to that degree that they were never afterwards so formidable in those Seas as they were before But else the Spaniards had got no great Reputation in this War for by their delays that considerable Island of Rhodes was lost before In the Year 1573 Don John of Austria pass'd with an Army into Africa to retake Tunis which succeeded so well that he forc'd the City and added a new Fortification to it But in the Year next following the Turks sent a puissant Army thither and retook the City its Fortifications being not quite perfected as also Goletta which being not very well
thereby to avoid the hatred which the Spaniards naturally bear against the French And such is the Spanish pride that tho' they think it below themselves to meddle with those trifles yet they do not think much to be a poor Centinel in some Fort or another all their life time the honour of the Sword and hopes of becoming in time an Officer making them amends for what hardship they endure Their Pride Covetousness and rigorous proceedings make them hatefull to all such as are under their Command which are very unfit Qualifications for the maintaining of great Conquests For no body is willing to be despised by Foreign Governours Spain being mightily exhausted of Men and therefore incapable of raising great Armies within it self is very unfit to maintain vast Countries for which several reasons may be given For the Women here are not so fruitfull as in the Northern parts which is to be attributed to the heat of the Climate and the constitution of their spare Bodies Those parts also which are remote from the Sea-shore are not well peopled some of these Grounds being very barren not producing any thing for the subsistance of Mankind Whoring also being publickly allowed of here a great many of them will rather make shift with a Whore than to maintain a Wife and Children These also who have taken upon them holy Orders of whom there is a great number are obliged not to marry The Wars which they have waged against so many Nations but especially in Italy and the Netherlands have devoured a great many Spaniards A vast number have transplanted themselves into America being glad to go to a place where they may with a small beginning come to live very plentifully Before the discovery was made of America Ferdinand the Catholick had at once before the City of Granada an Army of 50000 Foot and 20000 Horse tho' Arragon did not concern it self in that War and Portugal and Navarre were at that time not united with Castile At last this Country was mightily dispeopled when Ferdinand after the taking of Granada and Philip III. banished a great many thousands of Jews and Marans who could not be kept in obedience in Spain these settling themselves in Africa retain to this day their hatred against the Christians robbing their Ships in those Seas But this is evident enough that the Spaniards could never have made a Conquest of those vast Countries by force of Arms if the greatest part of them had not fallen into their Hands by easier ways § 16. Concerning those Countries which are under the Jurisdiction of this Nation Spain is large enough in extent for the number of its Inhabitants but it is not fertile alike in all places for the most remote parts from the Sea-coasts are many of them barren not producing any thing for the subsistance of Men or Beasts But for the most part nearer to the Sea-side it is very fine and fruitfull There is abundance of Sheep here They have also very fine Horses but not in very great quantities having scarce enough for their own use This Kingdom is very well situate for Trade having on the one side the Ocean and on the other side being almost surrounded by the Mediterranean where they have most excellent Harbours The product of their Grounds and Commodities fit for Exportation are especially Wooll Silk Wine Oyl Raisons Almonds Figs Citrons Rice Soap Iron Salt and such like In former times the Spanish Gold-mines were most famous but now-a-days neither Gold nor Silver as far as I know is digged out in Spain Some will alledge for a reason That it is forbidden under severe penalties to keep it as a reserve in case of a great extremity But I am rather apt to believe That those Gold-mines have been long a-goe quite exhausted by the Avarice of the Spaniards § 17. The greatest Revenue of Spain comes from the East Indies from whence Gold and Silver like Rivulets are conveyed into Spain and from thence into the other parts of Europe At what time and by whom this Country which had been so long unknown to the Europeans was first discover'd we have already mentioned Tho' there are that pretend That America was discovered in the Year 1190 by one Madoe Son to Owen Gesneth a Prince in Wales who they say made two Voyages thither and having built a Fort in Florida or Virginia or as some say in Mexico died in America And this is the reason why in the Mexican Tongue abundance of British words are to be met withall and that the Spaniards at their first coming into America did find the remnants of some Christian Customs among the Inhabitants From whence some inferr That if the first discovery of a Country gives a good Title of Propriety to the Discoverers England would have as good if not a better Title to America than Spain but this we will leave to be decided by others But it is not so evident from whence Spain could claim a right of subduing that Countrey by force of Arms. For what is alledged among other pretences concerning the Bull of Alexander VI. wherein he did grant those Countries to Spain this does not only seem ridiculous to us but also to those Barbarians themselves who have ridicul'd it saying The Pope must be a strange sort of a Man who pretended to give away that which was none of his own But let this be as it will the Spaniards think it sufficient that they are in possession of it and if an exact scrutiny should be made into other matters of this nature it would appear that the Titles to most conquered Countries were none of the best But some of the most conscientious Spaniards do not justifie what Cruelties their Country-men committed in the beginning against those poor People of whom they kill'd without any provocation given a great many hundred thousands or destroyed them by forcing them to undergo intolerable hardships and making the rest their Slaves Tho' afterwards Charles V. being informed of their miserable condition ordered all the rest of the Americans to be set at liberty But the Spaniards are not Masters of all America but only of the middle part of it viz. The Kingdoms of Peru and Mexico and those vast Islands of Hispaniola Cuba and Porto Ricco Jamaica having been taken from them by the English These parts of America are now-a-days inhabited by five several sorts of People The first are the Spaniards who come thither out of Europe these are put in all Offices The second are called Crioliens who are born in America of Spanish Parents These are never employ'd in any Office as being ignorant of the Spanish Affairs and too much addicted to love their native Country of America wherefore the King is cautious in giving them any Command fearing lest they should withdraw themselves from the Obedience of Spain and set up a Government of their own especially because these Crioliens bear a great hatred against the European Spaniards For
this reason also the Governours are changed every three Years to take away the opportunity of strengthening their Interest too much who after their return into Spain are made Members of the Council for the Indies as being esteemed the most proper to advise concerning the preservation of that Country The third sort are called Metiffs who are born of a Spanish Father and an Indian Mother are in no esteem among them Those who are brought forth of the marriage of a Spaniard with a Metiff or of a Metiff and a Spanish Woman are called Quatralvos as having three parts of a Spaniard and one of an Indian But such as are born of a Metiff and an Indian Woman or of an Indian Man and a Metiffic are called Tresalvos as having three parts of an Indian and one of a Spaniard The fourth sort are the remnants of the ancient Inhabitants of whom a great many are to be met with especially in the Kingdoms of Peru and Mexico who are not so Barbarous as some may imagine there having been found among them such excellent Laws and Constitutions as would make some Europeans blush The fifth sort are the Moores or as the Spaniards call them Negroes who being bought in Africa are sent thither to do all sorts of drudgery These are generally very handy but very perfidious and refractary wherefore they must always be kept under a strict hand Such as are born of a Negro and an Indian Woman are called Mulats Yet is that part of America considering its bigness not very well stock'd with People since the Spaniards did in a most cruel manner root out the most of its ancient Inhabitants And if I remember well Hieronymus Benzonus says That all the Cities in America which are inhabited by the Spaniards joined together were scarce to be compared for number of People with the Suburbs of Milan Yet there are some who talk largely concerning Mexico viz. That it has betwixt 30 and 40000 Spanish Citizens who are most of them very wealthy so that it is reported there are 18000 Coaches kept in that City The Spaniards are not easily to be beaten out of America because most places which are in their possession are hard to come at and it is very difficult to transport such a number of Souldiers out of Europe as can be sufficient to attack any of these places Besides this the great difference of the Climate and Diet could not but occasion mortal sicknesses among them But in Peru especially they are very well settled there being scarce any access by Land and by Sea you are obliged to go round the South and remotest parts of America or else to come from the East Indies both which are such long Sea-voyages which an Army can scarce undergo without running the hazard of being destroy'd by Sickness Concerning the Riches of America 't is true the Spaniards at their first coming thither did find no coined Gold or Silver that being unknown in those days to the Inhabitants but an inconceivable quantity of uncoined Gold and Silver and abundance of Gold and Silver Vessels made without Iron Tools all which the Spaniards carry'd into Spain except what the Seas swallowed up in their Voyages which was very considerable But now-a-days those Rivers which formerly used to carry a Golden Sand are most exhausted and what is found there now is all dug up out of the Mines especially the Silver Mines of Porosi in Peru do afford an incredible quantity of Silver which is yearly together with some other Commodities transported in a Fleet into Spain Nevertheless a great part of this Silver belonging to Italian French English and Dutch Merchants the least part of it remains in Spain so that the Spaniards keep the Cow but others have the Milk Wherefore when the French and Spanish Ambassadours at Rome quarrel'd about Precedency and the latter to represent his Master's Greatness spoke very largely of the vast Riches of America the Frenchman answered That all Europe but especially Spain had been a considerable loser by them The Spaniards having employed themselves in searching after the Treasures of America were thereby become idle and had dispeopled their own Country The King of Spain trusting to his great Riches had begun unnecessary Wars Spain being the fountain from whence vast Riches were derived to other Nations did receive the least benefit of all by them since those Countries that furnish'd Spain with Souldiers and other Commodities did draw those Riches to themselves Formerly there were also Emeraulds in America and Pearls were found but that Stock is long since by the Avarice of the Spaniards quite exhausted There is besides this a great quantity of Commodities in America which are used in Physick and Dying Colours There is also great quantities of Sugars and Hides as appears in that in the Year 1587 the Spainsh Fleet transported 35444 Hides from St. Domingo and 64350 from New Spain For the Oxen and Cows which were first transported from Spain into America are grown so numerous that they shoot them for their Hides sake only throwing away the Flesh which is scarce eatable And as America is the best Appendix of the Spanish Kingdom so the Spaniards take all imaginable care to prevent its being separated from Spain They make among other things use of this Artifice That they will not allow any Manufactory to be set up in America so that the Inhabitants cannot be without the European Commodities which they do not suffer to be transported thither in any other Ships but their own § 18. Besides this the Canary Islands are in the possession of the Spaniards from whence are exported great quantities of Sugar and Wine it is credibly reported That England alone transports above 13000 Pipes of Canary at 20 l. per Pipe The Island of Sardinia also belongs to the Spaniards which Isle is pretty large but not very rich its Inhabitants being for the most part Barbarians The Isle of Sicily is of much greater value from whence great quantities of Corn and Silk are to be exported but the Inhabitants are an ill sort of People who must be kept under according to the old Proverb Insulani quidem mali Siculi autom pessimi Unto Sicily does belong the Isles of Maltha and Goza which was given in Fief from Charles V. to the Order of the Knights of Rhodes Spain also has a great part of Italy in its possession viz. The Kingdom of Naples who 's Capital City is scarce bridled by three Castles The Sovereignty of Siena and a great many strong Sea-ports and the Sea-coasts of Tuscany viz. Orbitello Porto Hercule Telamone Monte Argentario Porto Longone and the Castle of Piombino besides that noble Dukedom of Milan which is the Paradise of Italy as Italy is commonly called the Paradise of Europe They have also the Harbour of Final upon the Genouese Coast In the City of Milan Trade and Manufactory flourishes extreamly and this Dukedom is much valued by
the Spaniards because they have thereby a convenient Correspondence with the House of Austria As long as Burgundy and the Netherlands were united they might be compared to a Kingdom but now Burgundy is lost the seven united Provinces have separated themselves from the rest of the Netherlands and France has conquered a great part of the remainder And tho' in the Spanish Netherlands there are very fair and strong Cities left yet nevertheless it seems that the greatest benefit which Spain receives from them amounts to this That by them the French Arms are diverted from the other Spanish Territories that they commonly draw the Seat of War thither and serve to take off the edge of the French Fury In the East Indies the Philippine Islands belong to the Spaniards whose Capital City being Manilla was taken by them in the Year 1565 but these Islands are so inconsiderable that it has been often under debate whether it were not most convenient to abandon them Yet some Indian Commodities which from several places and especially from China are brought to Manilla are from thence transported to New-Spain and Mexico whereby there is kept a constant Communication betwixt the Spanish West and East Indies § 19. From what has been said it is evident that Spain is a potent Kingdom which has under its Jurisdiction rich and fair Countries abounding with all Necessaries not only sufficient for the use of its Inhabitants but also affording a great overplus for Exportation The Spaniards also do not want Wisdom in managing their State Affairs nor Valour to carry on a War Nevertheless this vast Kingdom has its Infirmities which have brought it so low that it is scarce able to stand upon its own Legs Among those is to be esteemed one the want of Inhabitants in Spain there being not a sufficient number both to keep in obedience such great Provinces and at the same time to make Head against a potent Enemy which want is not easily to be repaired out of those Countries which are under their subjection since it is the Interest of Spain rather to restrain the Courage of these Inhabitants for fear they should one time or another take Heart and shake off the Spanish Yoak And whenever they raise some Souldier in these Provinces they cannot trust them with the defence of their Native Country but are obliged to disperse them by sending them into other Parts under the Command only of Spaniards Spain therefore is scarce able to raise within it self a sufficient number of Souldiers for the Guard and Defence of its frontier places Wherefore whenever Spain happens to have War with other Nations it is obliged to make use of Foreign Souldiers and to raise those is not only very chargeable but also the King is not so well assured of their Faith as of that of his own Subjects The want of Inhabitants is also one reason why Spain cannot now-a-days keep a considerable Fleet at Sea which nevertheless is extreamly necessary to support the Monarchy of that Kingdom Another weakness is That the Spanish Provinces are mightily dis-joined they being divided by vast Seas and Countries These therefore cannot be maintained and governed without great difficulty for the Governours of the Provinces being remote from the sight of the Prince he cannot take so exact an account of their Actions and the oppressed Subjects want often opportunity to make their Complaints to the King besides that Men and Money are with great charge and danger sent out of Spain into these Provinces without hopes of ever returning into the Kingdom Their Strength cannot be kept together as being obliged to divide their Forces The more disjoined these Provinces are the more frontier Garrisons are to be maintained all which may be saved in a Kingdom whose parts are not so much dis-joined They are also liable to being attack'd in a great many places at once one Province not being able to assist another Besides this America being the Treasury of Spain is parted from it by the vast Ocean whereby their Silver Fleets are subject to the hazard of the Seas and Pyrates And if it happens that such a Fleet is lost the whole Government must needs suffer extreamly by the want of it the Inhabitants of Spain being so exhausted as not to be able to raise sufficient Summs to supply the Publick Necessities The Spaniards are also mighty deficient in regulating their West India Trade which is so ill managed that the greatest part of those Riches are conveyed to other Nations whereby they are empoured to chastise Spain with its own Money After the death of Philip II. it has also proved very prejudicial to Spain that by the carelessness of the succeeding Kings and during the long Minority of this present the Nobles have so increased their Power that they are now very backward in duely assisting the King and by impoverishing the King and Commonalty have got all the Riches to themselves It is also a common Disease in all Governments where the Popish Religion has got the upper hand That the Popish Clergy is very rich and potent and yet pretends by a Divine Right to be exempted from all publick burdens except that some of them in the utmost extremity vouchsafe to contribute some small portion for the defence of the whole but that not without consent of the Pope Yet the King of Spain has that Prerogative which he obtained from Pope Hadrian IV. that he has the disposal of all the chief Church Benefices in his Kingdom and he is also Head and Master of all the Ecclesiastical Orders of Knighthood in Spain And because the Kings of Spain have hitherto pretended to be the most zealous Protectours of the Papal Chair and Religion they have thereby so obliged the Zealots of the Roman Catholick Religion and especially the Jesuits that these have always been endeavouring to promote the Interest of Spain § 20. Lastly It is also worth our observation how Spain does behave it self in relation to its Neighbours and what Good or Evil it may again expect from them Spain therefore is opposite to the Coast of Barbary having also several Forts on that side viz. Pegnon de Velez Oran Arzilla and would be better if they had also Algiers and Tunis From hence Spain need not fear any thing now since it has quite freed it self from the very Remnants of the Moors But the Pyracies committted by those Corsaires is not so hurtfull to Spain as to other Nations who traffique with Spain Italy or Turky for the Spaniards seldom export their own Commodities into the other parts of Europe but these are exported by other Nations The Turks seem to be pretty near to the Islands of Sicily and Sardinia and to the Kingdom of Naples Yet are they not much feared by the Spaniards the Sea which lies betwixt them being an obstacle against making a Descent with a considerable Army in any of those Parts and if an Army should
greatly beloved both by his Father and the People and caused D. Agnes de Castro a very beautiful Lady who was without his consent married to his Son Pieter barbarously to be murthered which so exasperated Pieter that he taking up Arms against the Father did considerable mischief till at last the business was composed He died in the Year 1357. His Son Pieter was commonly called the Cruel tho' some will have this rather to have been spoken to his praise as having been an exact observer of Justice never sparing any Offender He died in the Year 1368. His Son Ferdinand contended with Henry the Bastard who had murthered his Brother Pieter sirnamed the Cruel King of Castile about the Kingdom of Castile because his Mother Beatrice had been Daughter of Sanctius IV. King of Castile and a great many of the Nobility and some Cities of that Kingdom declaring for him he waged War against the forementioned Henry But he being too strong for him he could not maintain his Pretensions but was obliged to make Peace However the War broke out afresh again betwixt them because Ferdinand had protected some who were banished out of Castile for High Treason neither would upon demand surrender them To revenge this Henry made an inrode into Portugal and finding no resistance over-ran the greatest part of the Country After the death of Henry Ferdinand made a Peace with his Son John but the same was soon violated again by the Portugueses who encouraged the Duke of Lancaster that married Constantia Daughter of Pieter King of Castile to pretend to the Crown of Castile He came with a good Army into Portugal but the English being quickly grown weary of the War in Spain and living very disorderly in Portugal a Peace was concluded on both sides At last Ferdinand married his Daughter Beatrice to John of Castile under condition that such Children as were born of their Bodies should succeed in the Kingdom of Portugal which was afterwards the occasion of bloody Wars This Ferdinand who by his frequent Wars had proved very pernicious to Portugal died in the Year 1383 being the last of the true Race of the Kings of Portugal § 3. After the death of Ferdinand great Troubles arose in Portugal most of the Portugueses not being able to brook living under the Subjection of the Castilians whom they mortally hated It was 't is true agreed on in the Articles of Marriage made betwixt the King of Castile and Beatrice Daughter of Ferdinand That her Mother Eleonora should have the Administration of the Government in Portugal till such Children as should be born of this Marriage should be of age But this Eleonora leaving all to the management of the Count of Ancira her much suspected Favourite she drew upon her self the hatred of the Portugueses John therefore natural Son of Pieter King of Portugal privately murther'd him whereby he got both the Favour of the People and encreased the hatred against the Queen Dowager But some of the Portugueses being much dissatisfy'd at these proceedings begg'd the King of Castile to take upon him the Crown of Portugal which he might in all likelyhood have obtained if he had been quick enough either by fair means or by force to have put himself into full possession of the same But he being uncertain in his Resolutions gave by his delays time and opportunity to the adverse Party to strengthen it self Wherefore he coming without an Army into Portugal his Mother-in-law resign'd to him the Government but he found but an indifferent Reception among the Portugueses they being very averse to him because he used very rarely to speak or converse with them Nevertheless a great many of the Nobility and some Cities did side with him but most out of a hatred to the Castilians chose for their Leader John the Bastard a wise and brave Man and much belov'd by the People The Castilians thereupon besieged Lisbon but their Army being for the most part destroyed by the Plague they were obliged to leave it without having got any advantage In the Year next following the Portugueses declar'd this John their King who very courageously attack'd those places which had declared for the Castilians and subdued the greatest part of them The Castilians then entred with an Army into Portugal but were entirely routed by this new King near Aliubarotta which Victory is yearly celebrated to this day among the Portugueses After this Battel all the rest of the Cities did without more adoe surrender themselves to the new King The Portugueses also calling unto their aid the Duke of Lancaster unto whom they had promised the Crown of Castile they enter'd into that Kingdom with an Army But the English having suffer'd extreamly by Sickness the Duke of Lancaster thought it most convenient to conclude a Peace with the Castilians whereupon it was agreed That the Son of the King of Castile should marry his only Daughter Catharine which he had by Constantia Daughter to Pieter King of Castile A Truce was also made betwixt Portugal and Castile at that time but the War soon breaking out again at last an everlasting Peace was concluded betwixt both Kingdoms so that John had the good fortune to maintain himself in the possession of the Crown of Portugal and reign'd with great applause After he was quietly settled in the Throne he undertook an Expedition into Africa and took the City Ceuta whose Son also first found out the Isle of Madera This King died in the Year 1433 and left a Memory that is to this day dear to the Portugueses § 4. His Son Edward was a very Virtuous Prince but did not reign long for at that time Portugal being over-run with the Plague he got the Infection by a Letter and died in the Year 1438. During his Reign his Brothers undertook a most unfortunate Expedition into Africa where being themselves taken Prisoners before Tangier they promised to restore to the Moors Ceuta for a Ransom leaving Don Ferdinand as a Hostage behind them But the States of Portugal refusing to stand to the Contract the Hostage was forc'd to end his days in Prison Alfonsus Son to this Edward was but six years old when his Father died whose Tuition was committed by his Father's last Will to his Mother But the States refusing to submit themselves to the Government of a Foreign Woman conferr'd the Administration of the Kingdom on Don Pedro Duke of Conimbria Brother to King Edward but he received a very slender Recompence for his Services for being falsely accused before the new King he was slain as he was going with some Troops to the King to justifie himself Alfonsus V. was else a very good Souldier and a brave Prince under whose Reign the Portugueses took several places on the Coast of Africa viz. Tangier Arcilla Alcassar and some others Good store of Gold was also transported out of Guinea into Portugal which he employ'd
late much decay'd He undertook therefore an Expedition into the next adjacent parts of Africa intending by light Skirmishes to try his Enemies He proposed afterwards a Voyage into the Indies but his Council opposing it it was agreed upon that he should undertake an Expedition into Africa an occasion presenting it self at that time for that Muley Mahomet King of Morocco being banish'd by his Uncle Muley Malucco craved the assistance of King Sebastian Wherefore notwithstanding the good Counsels of Philip King of Spain and others who dissuaded him from it he in person with a great but unexercised Army enter'd Africa and advancing against all Reason too far into the Country was obliged in a disadvantageous place to fight against a much more numerous Army wherefore the success of the Battel was answerable to the rash attempt his Army wherein was the flower of the Nobility of Portugal being miserably routed and the Souldiers all either cut to pieces or made Prisoners This Battel is famous because three Kings fell viz. King Sebastian the banish'd Muley Mahomet and Muley Malucco King of Morocco who during the time of the Battel died of a Fever This happened in the Year 1578. Him succeeded his Uncle Henry the Cardinal a very old Man under whose Reign there happened nothing worth mentioning but that perpetual contests were set on foot concerning the Succession Wherefore he dying in the Year 1580 Philip II. King of Spain thought it the most efficacious way to dispute with the Sword in hand and perceiving that the Portugueses out of that hatred which they bare to the Castilians were inclined to Anthony Son of Lewis de Beya natural Son to King John III. he sent the Duke d'Alba with a great Army into Portugal who quickly chased away Anthony and in few days became Master of the whole Kingdom all being forced soon to submit except the Isle of Tercera which was not reduced till after the French who came to its relief were beaten As the Portugueses did not without great reluctancy bear the Government of the Castilians so this Union with Castile proved very prejudicial to them afterwards For Philip who was for bringing the Netherlanders again under Obedience thought that nothing could do it more effectually than to stop their Trade and Commerce with Spain and Portugal For hitherto they had traded no further being used to fetch away their Commodities from thence and to convey them into the more Northern parts of Europe Wherefore Philip concluded that if this way of getting Money were once stop'd they would quickly grow poor and thereby be obliged to submit themselves But this design had a quite contrary effect for the Hollanders being themselves excluded from Trade with Spain and Portugal try'd about the end of the latter Age to sail to the East Indies And as soon as after a great many difficulties they had once gotten footing there they greatly impaired the Portugueses Trade who hitherto had only managed the same and afterwards took from them one Fort after another And the English with the assistance of Abbas King of Persia forced from them the famous City of Ormutz Nor was this all for the Hollanders took from them a great part of Brasile and several places on the Coast of Africa which the Hollanders in all probability would have had no reason to undertake if Portugal had remained a Kingdom by it self and had not been annexed to Spain § 7. But in the Year 1640 the Portugueses took an occasion to shake off the Spanish Yoak For Philip IV. then summoned the Portuguese Nobility to assist him in the War against the Catalonians who had rebelled against him Being therefore armed and finding an opportunity to consult with one another concerning those Troubles in which Spain was involv'd at that time they agreed to withdraw themselves from the Subjection of Spain proclaiming for their King the Duke of Braganza who stiled himself John IV. whose Grandmother had stood in competition with Philip II. for that Crown The Spaniards committed a gross mistake in this that they did not in time secure the Duke whom they knew to have a fair pretence to that Crown to be extreamly beloved by that Nation and to be in possession of the fourth part of the Kingdom The Spaniards being at that time entangled in Wars against France Holland and Catalonia the Portugueses had thereby good leisure given them to settle their Affairs They made also a Peace with Holland by virtue of which both Parties were to remain in possession of what they had gotten But this Peace did not last long for these places which were in the possession of the Hollanders in Brasile revolted to the Portugueses which the Hollanders looking upon as done by contrivance of the Portugueses denounced War against them And tho' they did not retake Brasile yet did they take a great many other places from them in the East Indies viz. Malacca the places on the Coast of the Isle of Zeylon on the Coast of Cormandel and on the Coast of Malabar Cochin Canaror Cranganor and some others and if they had not clapt up a Peace with them they would in all likely hood have also driven them out of Goa it self John IV. died in the Year 1656 leaving the Kingdom to his Son Alfonsus who was under Age but the Administration of the Government was in the mean time lodged with his Mother After the Pyrenean Treaty was concluded out of which Portugal was excluded by the Spaniards it being besides this agreed with France not to send any Assistances to the Portugueses the Spaniards fell upon the Portugueses in good earnest But these defended themselves bravely and notwithstanding the Articles of the Pyrenean Treaty the French King did give leave to the Earl of Schombergh and a great many other Frenchmen to enter into the Service of the Portugueses who routed the Spaniards in several Encounters but more especially near Extremos and Villa Vitiosa At last the French entering with a great Army into the Netherlands the Spaniards were willing to conclude a Peace with the Portugueses who were also glad to be once disentangled out of so tedious a War By virtue of this Peace Spain did resign all its Pretensions upon Portugal In the mean time Alfonsus was grown up a wild and awkward sort of a Man as Don Pedro's Friends have represented him to the World who besides this by a Distemper which he had in his tender Age was so disabled both in his Body and Mind that he was neither fit to rule nor marry Yet he taking from his Mother the Administration of Affairs upon himself who quickly after died married a Princess of Nemours descended from the House of Savoy who having lived with him about sixteen Months retired into a Monastery desiring to be divorced from him She alledged That Alfonsus was not only incapable of Matrimony but also that he had endeavoured
gross the King of France ridicul'd him asking How long he intended to lie in to whom William sent this Answer That as soon as he could go to Church after his lying in he had vow'd to sacrifice a thousand Candles in France and he was as good as his word for he was no sooner recover'd but he invaded France and burnt all where-ever he came But he having overheated himself he fell ill and died leaving by his last Will to his eldest Son Normandy but to the second called William the Crown of England § 6. William II. sirnamed Rufus met at first with some Disturbances occasioned by his Brother Robert who pretending to the Crown was back'd by a great many of the Nobility but he appeased him by promising to pay him yearly the Summ of 3000 Marks and that he should succeed him after his death But the Nobles who had dispersed themselves up and down in the Country he partly by fair means partly by force reduced to Obedience This Rebellion proved very beneficial to the English the Rebels being most of them Normans wherefore the King afterwards rely'd more upon the English as the most faithfull He waged War twice with Malcolm King of Scotland whom he forced in the first to swear him Fealty but in the last he killed both him and his eldest Son He also subdued the Province of Wales Among other Inventions to get Money one was remarkable for he summon'd together 20000 Men under pretence to go with them into Normandy but when they were just agoing to be shipp'd off he caused Proclamation to be made that every one who was willing to pay ten Shillings should have leave to stay at home unto which every one of them readily consented He was kill'd by a random shot in hunting Him succeeded his younger Brother Henry who being present when the King died seized upon his Treasures whereby he procured himself a great many Friends so that he was preferr'd before Robert his elder Brother who at that time assisted in the taking of Jerusalem which proved no less than the loss of a Crown to him For Henry the better to establish himself in the Throne remitted not only several Taxes which were laid upon the People by the former Kings but also secured unto his Interest the King of Scotland Edgar his most dangerous Neighbour by marrying his Sister Maud. 'T is reported that this Maud had vow'd Castity and that when her Brother forced her to marry she wish'd that such Children as should be born out of this Marriage might never prove fortunate which wish was afterwards sufficiently fulfilled in her Children and a great many of their Posterity Notwithstanding this Robert landed a great Army in England but Henry and Robert by the mediation of some Friends and a Promise of a yearly Pension to be paid to Robert from Henry were reconcil'd which Pension also afterwards Robert remitted to Henry But afterwards repenting of what he had done Henry was so exasperated against him that he made a Descent in Normandy with a great Army and vanquish'd him in a bloody Battel wherein he took him Prisoner He kept him not only a Prisoner all his life time but also at last put his Eyes out uniting Normandy to the Crown of England But King Lewis of France sirnamed Crassus being very jealous of the Greatness of Henry undertook with the assistance of Fulco Earl of Anjou and Baldwin Earl of Flanders to restore unto William Son of Robert the Dukedom of Normandy whereupon a bloody War ensued which was at last composed under this condition That William Son of Henry should swear Fealty to France for this Dukedom of Normandy And it obtained afterwards as a Custom That the King 's eldest Son was called Duke of Normandy as long as this Province was united to England The new Duke of Normandy did also marry the Daughter of the Earl of Anjou And William Son of Robert being then made Earl of Flanders and endeavouring a second time to regain Normandy was slain in that War It is related by some tho' others contradict it That this King was the first who admitted the Commons unto the Grand Council of the Kingdom unto which the Nobility and Bishops only were admitted before it came to be divided into the Higher and Lower House His Son William being by the carelessness of a drunken Master of a Ship drowned at Sea with a great many other persons of Quality of both Sexes as they were coming back from Normandy to England he endeavoured to settle the Crown upon his Daughter Maud and her Heirs she being at first married to the Emperour Henry IV. by whom she had no Children and afterwards to Geoffrey Plantagenet Son to Fulk Earl of Anjou Her Father made the States of England take Oaths of Fealty to her in his life time He died in the Year 1135 and with him ended the Male Race of the Norman Royal Family in England § 7. After the death of Henry Stephen Earl of Boulogne Henry's Sister's Son did by great Promises obtain the Crown of England notwithstanding that both he and the States had taken the Oaths to acknowledge Maud for their Sovereign which they endeavoured by a great many frivolous pretences to prove to be of no force The better to establish himself in the Throne he gained the Affection of the States with Presents and discharged the People of several Taxes giving Authority to the Nobility to build fortify'd Castles which afterwards proved very mischievous to him He also married his Son Eustace to Constantia the Daughter of Ludovicus Crassus King of France This King's Reign was overwhelmed with continual Troubles For the Scots at first and afterwards a great many of his Nobles trusting in their strong Castles raised great Disturbances yet he bridled the Insolence of the Scots giving them a signal overthrow But his greatest Contest was with the Empress Maud for she landing in England was received by a great many and King Stephen in a Battel fought near Chester was taken Prisoner But she refusing to restore to the Londoners King Edward''s Laws they sided with her Enemies and besieged her very closely in the City of Oxford from whence she narrowly escaped and King Stephen also got an opportunity to get out of Prison These Troubles continued till Henry Son of Maud came to the nineteenth Year of his age who being Lord of four large Dominions as having inherited Anjou by his Father's Normandy by his Mother's side Guienne and Poictou by his Wife Eleonora Daughter and Heiress of William the last Duke of Guienne he also endeavoured to obtain the Crown of England for which purpose he landed with an Army in England But he obtained his End without any great opposition for Eustace King Stephen's Son dying suddenly an Agreement was made betwixt them whereby Stephen adopted him and constituted him his Heir and Successour and died not long after in the Year 1124.
Henry II. therefore succeeded him who among other memorable Actions demolish'd such fortify'd Castles of the Nobility and Bishops as were built with the consent of King Stephen After he had reigned near eighteen Years in Peace and Quietness he had a mind to have his Son Henry crowned the better to secure the Succession he received him as his Copartner in the Government but he being married to Margaret the Daughter of Lewis the younger King of France this proved the cause of great Disturbances afterwards For some persuaded young Henry That his Father having abdicated himself from the Government had committed thereby the same to his management France envy'd that a King of England should have such vast Possessions in France The Scots wish'd for nothing more than to have an opportunity of committing Depredations in England Wherefore the French and Scots joining with young Henry fell upon Henry II. all at one time but were as vigorously repulsed by him the Scots especially suffered the most in this War and lost all Huntingtonshire A Peace was also concluded with France Adela Daughter of Lewis King of France being promised in marriage to Richard second Son of Henry But the old King as 't is reported falling in love with her privately kept her company and therefore opposed the consummation of the marriage betwixt her and his Son Richard This so exasperated Richard who after the death of his eldest Brother Henry was now the next Heir to the Crown that he made Head against his Father and Philip Augustus King of France taking hold of this opportunity took the City of Muns King Henry seeing himself besides this deserted by his Friends Wife and Children died in few days of Grief This Henry also conquer'd Ireland and united it to England which he and his Successours govern'd under the Title of Lords of Ireland till the time of Henry VIII who after he had withdrawn himself from the Obedience of the Pope to nettle him the more assumed the Title of King of Ireland because the Pope pretends to the sole right to bestow the Title of King in Christendom and that none ought to take it upon him without his consent wherefore the Pope afterwards to make his Pretence the more plausible freely gave the same Title to Mary Queen of England Henry also had some differences with Thomas Backet Archbishop of Canterbury who pretended it was derogatory to the Glory of God that the Priests according to the King's Commands should be subject to the Civil Judicatures There is a fabulous Relation concerning this Archbishop Thomas That he riding a Horse-back one time through a Village the Country Fellows cut off the Tail of his Horse and that their Children afterwards were born with such Tails § 8. Richard I. who succeeded his Father Henry in the Kingdom did out of a preposterous Zeal undertake an Expedition into the Holy Land with 35000 Men being accompained by Philip Augustus King of France In this War he took the Island of Cyprus which he gave to Guido Lusignanus who in consideration thereof resigned his Right to Jerusalem and in the Year 1192 he was present at the taking of Ptolemais where the Standard of Duke Leopold of Austria being set up first he pull'd it down again putting his own in the place But when they were in great hopes of gaining Jerusalem Philip returned home engaging himself by a solemn Oath that he would not injure Richard in any of his Dominions Hugo Duke of Burgundy afterwards followed his example which greatly encouraged Saladin And Richard understanding that the French were fallen into Normandy he also made a Peace with Saladin and taking his way by Land incognito was discovered in his Journey through Austria where Duke Leopold remembring the affront done to him near Ptolemais took him Prisoner and delivered him to the Emperour who after fifteen Months Imprisonment made him pay 100000 Pounds for his Ransom After his return home he found every thing in confusion the French having not only ravaged Normandy and other Provinces belonging to him but also his Brother had made a Pretension to the Crown but he obliged the latter to implore his Pardon and beat the French back into their own Country He died not long after of a wound which he received in a Siege of some inconsiderable place in France After his death his Brother John took upon him the Crown of England who was opposed by Arthur Earl of the lesser Britainy his elder Brother's Son who finding himself alone not strong enough sought for Aid of the King of France who was ready upon all occasions to create Troubles in England He took a great many Cities in Normandy and Anjou Wherefore King John was obliged to make a dishonourable Peace with him giving in marriage to Lewis King Philip's Son Blanch Daughter of Alfonsus King of Castile and of his Sister Eleonora to whom he gave as a Dowry all the Cities which Philip had taken from him except Angiers Then he married Isabella Daughter and Heiress of the Earl of Angoulesme who was promised before to Hugh Earl of Marche He to revenge this affront join'd his Forces with the King of France and Prince Arthur of Britainy and fell into Touraine and Anjou But King John falling upon them unawares routed the Enemy and took Prince Arthur Prisoner who died not long after a Prisoner in Roan But Constantia the Mother of Arthur made her Complaints to Philip King of France whose Vassal King John was on the score of such Provinces as he was possess'd of in France and the King of France summon'd King John to appear before him and to answer for the death of Arthur But he not appearing it was declar'd that King John had forfeited what Fiefs he was possess'd of in France and King Philip took from him Normandy 316 Years after Rollo the Norman had conquered the same But the French afterwards attack'd also Angiers where they were repulsed with great loss by King John whereupon a Truce was concluded betwixt them for two Years During which time he routed the Scots and suppressed the Rebels in Ireland and Wales The Truce being expired the War began afresh with France and King John's Army being routed he made another Truce with France But this ill success had much diminished his Authority among his Nobles who also hated him because he had imposed heavy Taxes upon them wherefore they with joint consent demanded from him the restitution of their ancient Privileges but perceiving that he only intended to give them fair Words for Deeds they called to their aid Lewis Son of Philip King of France who landing with a great Army in England was received with a general applause and whilst King John endeavoured to make Head against him he died overwhelm'd with Troubles § 9. Him succeeded his Son Henry III. whose tender Age wrought Compassion on most and extinguish'd the Hatred which had been
conceiv'd against his Father And the Earl of Pembroke to whose Tuition he was committed having totally routed the French near Lincoln and destroyed the French Forces at Sea that were sent to their assistance Lewis did renounce all his Pretensions upon the Crown of England and retir'd into France This King's Reign was very long but also very troublesom occasion'd chiefly by the great concourse of Foreigners into England who crept into all places of profit For the Pope sent at one time 300 Italians who being admitted into Church Benefices did so lay about them that their yearly Rents amounted to 60000 Marks of Silver which was a greater Revenue than the Crown had at that time And by reason of the Prodigality of the King tho' constantly burthening the People with Taxes he was always in great want of Money He married besides this the Daughter of the Earl of Provence who having abundance of poor Kindred they enrich'd themselves out of the Treasury of the King This caused at last an open War betwixt the King and the principal Men of the Kingdom in which Henry resign'd to the King of France all his Pretensions upon Normandy Anjou Poictou Touraine and Mans in consideration of the Summ of 300000 pounds paid him by the French King and he was himself taken Prisoner in the first Battel But his Son Prince Edward gathered another Army and killed the General of the Rebels Simon of Monfort Earl of Leicester delivering thereby his Father and suppressing the whole Rebellion He did nothing worth mentioning abroad except that he undertook two Expeditions into France both which prov'd fruitless He died in the Year 1272. Him succeed his Son Edward who was at that time in the Holy Land and tho' he did not come into England till a Year after his Father's death yet took quiet possession of the Crown This King entirely united the Principality of Wales to the Crown of England the last Prince Lyonel being slain in a Battel Under his Reign also began a bloody War and an implacable hatred was raised betwixt the English and Scotch Nations which for 300 Years after caused abundance of bloodshed betwixt both Nations The occasion was thus After the death of Alexander III. King of Scotland who died without Heirs there were several that pretended to the Crown of Scotland wherefore King Edward took upon him the Arbitration of this matter that Crown having depended on his Predecessours and the Scots being still obliged to do Homage to the King of England The matter being examined it so proved that John Baliol Earl of Galloway and Robert Bruce were found to have the best Title to that Crown But these two having contested for the same during the space of six whole Years Edward sent under hand to Bruce telling him That he would decide the difference concerning the Crown of Scotland in favour of him if he would swear Fealty to England which Bruce refused answering That he was not so fond of the Crown as to purchase the same with the prejudice of the Liberty of his Native Country But John Baliol receiving the same offer was made King of Scotland There was about that time a capital Quarrel in Scotland betwixt the Earl of Fife and the Family of Alberneth who had kill'd the Earl's Brother and the King of Scotland had by his Sentence absolv'd the latter The Earl therefore appeal'd to the English Court whither King Baliol was called to appear and to sit with the King in Parliament But as soon as this matter came under debate he was admonished to rise from his Seat and to give an account concerning his Sentence He pretended to answer by his Advocate which being denied him he was obliged to answer in person from the same place where others used to plead their Causes Which both he and the Scots resented as so signal an affront that no sooner was he returned home but he renounced his Oath to King Edward pretending the same to have been unjust and that it was not in his power to make such a promise and renewing the ancient Aliance with France he denounced War against England King Edward therefore enter'd Scotland with an Army took the best strong Holds and forced the Scots and their King to swear fealty to him their King he sent a Prisoner into England leaving considerable Forces in Scotland which were nevertheless soon after beaten out of Scotland by the Scots under the Conduct of a Gentleman of a mean Fortune whose name was William Wallis But King Edward soon returned kill'd 40000 Scots in a Battel near Torkirke and forced them to swear Fealty to him a third time Notwithstanding all these Oaths Robert Bruce who had been John Baliol's Competitour took upon him the Crown who was several times worsted but also beat the English at other times particularly when King Edward going with an Army against Robert in person fell sick and died This King Edward had also had some Differences before with France For some of his Subjects in Aquitain having done considerable mischief by Privateering on the Coast of Normandy King Philip sirnam'd the Handsome summon'd Edward to appear at his Court as his Vassal and to answer the same which Edward refusing to do he declared all his Possessions which he held from the Crown of France to be forfeited taking from him by force of Arms Bourdeaux and some other places against whom Edward enter'd into a Confederacy with the Earl of Flanders and the Emperour Adolphus But coming into Flanders with an Army and finding every thing in confusion and disorder he made a Truce with King Philip promising That his Son Edward should marry Isabella Philip's Daughter This King caused likewise all the Jews to be banished out of England not allowing them to carry away any thing more than what they could carry themselves § 10. Him succeeded his Son Edward II. who at the very beginning of his Reign married Isabella Daughter of Philip sirnamed the Handsom with whom he had for a Dowry Guienne and the County of Ponthieu the greatest part whereof had been taken from his Father by the French This King was very unfortunate in his Wars against the Scots who in the Battel fought near Bannoksborough with an Army of 30000 Men defeated 100000 English which struck such a terrour among them that 100 English durst scarce face three Scotchmen And the English were continually beaten by the Scots except in Ireland where they beat the Scots out who had enter'd that Kingdom so that Edward was at last obliged to make a Truce with them He met also with great Disturbances at home the great Men of the Kingdom pressing him without intermission to leave to their Mercy his Favourites Gaveston and after him the Spencers which he refusing to consent to they fell into open Rebellion in which they proving unsuccessfull several of the Nobility paid with their lives for it But the Queen
pretending that the Spencers had diverted the King's Love from her retir'd first into France and from thence into Hainault and returning with an Army took the King Prisoner and caused the Spencers to be executed The King was carried from place to place and greatly abused during his Imprisonment having been forced before by the Parliament to resign the Kingdom to his Son Edward At last about six Months after his Deposition he was miserably murther'd § 11. Edward III. was very young when the Crown was conferr'd upon him wherefore the Administration of the Government was during his Minority committed to his Mother and managed under her chiefly by her Favourite Roger Mortimer She immediately at the beginning made a dishonourable Peace with Scotland whereby Edward renounced the Sovereignty and all other Pretensions upon that Kingdom and the Scots renounced their Title to Cumberland and Northumberland This and some other matters laid to their charge was the reason why some Years after the Queen was condemned to a perpetual Imprisonment and Mortimer was hanged Afterwards a most cruel War broke out betwixt England and France for Lewis Philip and Charles all three Sons of Philip sirnamed the Handsom dying without Issue Edward did pretend a right to the French Crown as being the late King 's Sister's Son alledging That if his Mother as being a Woman might be thought incapable of governing the Realm the same ought not to be prejudicial to him as being a Man But Philip de Valois notwithstanding he was a degree farther of as being the late King's Father 's Brother's Son yet prevailed with the States who under pretence of the Salick Law and the hatred they bore to a Foreign Sovereign being besides this encouraged thereunto by the Earl of Artois set him upon the Throne Edward being afterwards summon'd by Philip to come in person and to do Homage for the Dukedom of Aquitain went thither in person he being then but young and England full of intestine Commotions notwithstanding this seemed to be very prejudicial to his Pretensions And King Edward appearing in the Church at Amiens with the Crown upon his Head his Sword and Spurs on was ordered to lay them aside and to take the Oath upon his Knees which so exasperated Edward that France afterwards felt the effects of it Not long after Edward Baliol Son of John Baliol made pretensions to the Crown of Scotland against the young King being assisted by King Edward notwithstanding King David of Scotland had married his Sister During which Commotions the English recovered Barwick upon Tweed and in one Battel killed 30000 Scots whereupon Edward Baliol did do Homage to the King of England for the Crown of Scotland By this time King Edward being come to his riper years upon the instigation of Robert Earl of Artois undertook an Expedition into France and taking upon him the Title and Arms of France renewed his Pretensions to that Crown In this Expedition he entirely routed the French Fleet near Sluys which was sent to hinder his landing and defeated 30000 Men. and after he had besieged Tournay he made a Truce with them for twelve Months In the mean while the English were engaged in a War with the Scots who under the Conduct of their former King David had driven out Edward Baliol. The time of the Truce being expir'd the War began afresh in France where among other places the English took Angoulesme King Edward himself came with a great Army into Normandy and took both there and in Picardy a great many places from the French At last a bloody Battel was fought betwixt them near Crecy in Picardy wherein the English tho' but 30000 strong fought against 60000 French killing 30000 upon the spot among whom were 1500 persons of Quality The next day after 7000 French were cut to pieces by the English who not knowing what had happened the day before were upon their march to the French Camp In this Battel no Quarter was given on either side Much about the same time King David of Scotland enter'd England with an Army of 60000 Men to make a Diversion in behalf of France but he was defeated in a great Battel and himself taken Prisoner The English had no less success the same Year in Britainy and Guienne In the Year next following King Edward took the City of Calais which he fill'd with English Inhabitants Prince Edward Son to Edward III. whom his Father had sent with an Army into Guienne behaved himself very valiantly making great havock where-ever he came John King of France drew out an Army against him of 60000 Men tho' the Prince was not above 8000 strong upon this the King thinking he had catch'd the Bird in the Net would not accept of any Conditions tho' never so advantageous But Prince Edward having posted his Men betwixt the Bushes and Vineyards from thence so gall'd the French Horse with his long Bows that they being repulsed put all the rest in confusion King John himself was taken Prisoner as also his youngest Son and above 1700 persons of Quality were slain This Battel was fought about two Leagues from Poictiers At last after King Edward had with three Armies over-run the greatest part of France a Peace was concluded by the Mediation of the Pope at Bretaigny not far from Chartres The Conditions of this Peace were That England besides what it had before in France should be put in possession of Poictou Zaintogne Rochelle Pais d' Aulnis Angoumois Perigord Limoisin Quercy Agenois and Bigorre with an absolute Sovereignty over the same besides this the City of Calais the Counties of Oye Guisnes and Ponthieu and three Millions of Crowns were to be given as a Ransom for the King and that King John should give his three younger Sons his Brother and thirty other persons of Quality as Hostages for the payment of the said Summs But that on the other side the English should restore all the other places which they had taken from the French and renounce their Right and Title to the Crown of France The Peace being thus concluded Prince Edward to whom his Father had given the Dukedom of Aquitain restored Peter King of Castile to his Kingdom But in his Journey the Souldiers being very mutinous for want of Pay he levyed an extraordinary Tax upon his Subjects which they complaining of to the King of France he summon'd the Prince to appear before him who answer'd He would suddenly appear with an Army of 60000 Men therefore Charles V. King of France denounced War against the English pretending that the promised Sovereignty at the last Peace was void because the Prince had not fulfilled the Articles of the same and had committed Hostilities against France But whilst Prince Edward was busie in making great Preparations against France he died suddenly and with him the English good Fortune for the French took from them all the Dukedom of
Minister of France who was more intent to maintain his private Interest and Greatness against the Dauphin than to make Head against the English A Congress was proposed to be held betwixt the two Kings but this Design was frustrated by the cunning of the Dauphin who gave the Duke hopes of an entire Reconciliation to be made betwixt them both And Monterau being named for the place where they should meet the Duke of Burgundy was there questionless by instigation of the Dauphin miserably murther'd For this reason his Son Duke Philip being resolved to revenge his Father's death declared openly for the English and by his Mediation obtain'd That King Henry should marry the Princess Catharine and during the life of his Wife's Father administer the Government in his name but after his death should succeed him in the Throne The Nuptials were afterwards celebrated at Troyes in Champaigne After the Treaty had been confirmed by solemn Oaths on both sides which was also ratify'd by the three Estates assembled in Paris where the Dauphin was summon'd to appear to answer concerning the death of the Duke of Burgundy But he not appearing Sentence was given against him That he should for ever be banish'd out of France There were also some who design'd to make him away and he was forced to go from place to place but his common place of Residence was Bourges wherefore they used to call him by way of ridiculing The King of Bourges In the mean time the English took one place after another from him At last King Henry being upon his March to raise the Siege of the City of Cosne on the Loire which was besieged by the Dauphin he fell sick in his Journey thither and being carried to Bois de Vicennes there died in the flower of his Age and Felicity leaving the Administration of France to his Brother the Duke of Bedford and the Administration of England to his second Brother the Duke of Gloucester § 15. Him succeeded his Son Henry VI. a Child of eight Months old who after he was grown up degenerated from his Father's Martial Valour and by his ill management lost what his Father had got eclipsing thereby the English Glory He was after the death of Charles VI. who died not long after Henry V. proclaimed King of France in Paris In opposition to him the Dauphin Charles VII also declared himself King of France with whom sided the Bravest among the French and a great many Scots were sent to his assistance But Philip Duke of Burgundy and John Duke of Britainy held to the Confederacy with the English which was renewed at that time And then they began to fall upon one another with great fury For the French received a great Defeat near Crevant in Burgundy and were soundly beaten near Verneuil In the Year 1425 the French had besieged St. Jaques de Beuveron with Forty thousand Men the Garrison being reduc'd to great extremity prayed with a loud voice to St. George of Salisbury The Besiegers hearing the name of Salisbury very frequently among the Besieged supposed that the Earl of Salisbury was coming to raise the Siege whereat the French were so terrify'd that they run away for fear of his Name This is certain that the English for a while were Masters where-ever they came but before Orleans the carreer of their Fortune was first stopt For tho during that Siege they beat the French who came to cut off their Provisions which Battel is commonly called the Battel of the Flemmings and the City would have surrender'd it self to the Duke of Burgundy which the English would not accept of yet did they not only lose in that Siege the brave Earl of Salisbury but also the French being encouraged by a Maid called Joan that was born in Lorraine beat the English from before Orleans This Maid did several great exploits against the English and led her self in person King Charles to his Coronation in Rheims At last she was taken Prisoner by the English in an Encounter who carried her to Roan where they burnt her for a Witch But because the English perceived that after the Coronation of Charles a great many Cities sided with him they also called over their King Henry out of England and crowned him King of France in Paris About the same time a Truce was concluded by Mediation of the Pope for six Years but it lasted not long for the French during the time of the Truce possess'd themselves of several places which they had brought over to their side by cunning Insinuations pretending That any thing gained without open violence did not violate the Truce And King Charles's Maxim was Not to fight with the English but to strive to get Advantages over them rather by Policy than open force But that which gave a great blow to the English was That the Duke of Burgundy having taken a distaste at the English upon some slight occasion was reconciled to King Charles There were some small Differences arisen betwixt the Duke of Bedford and the Duke of Burgundy to compose which a meeting was appointed at St. Omer But the time being near at hand a Dispute arose which of them should appear there first it being supposed that he who should come first did thereby yield the Precedency to the other wherefore the Duke of Bedford refused to come first alledging That he being Regent of France ought not in that Quality to give preference to a Vassal of France But the Duke of Burgundy stood upon his right of being Sovereign of the place where they were to meet so that the meeting being set aside the Duke of Burgundy broke quite off with the English and afterwards assisted King Charles against them The death of the Duke of Bedford proved another Misfortune to the English For the Duke of Somerset and the Duke of York both pretended to his place and tho' the latter did obtain it yet did the first always oppose his Designs so that before the new Regent arrived Paris which had been seventeen Years in the possession of the English and a great many other Cities did surrender themselves to King Charles Yet did the Duke of Gloucester beat the Duke of Burgundy before Calais making great havock in Flanders Artois and Hainault and the brave Talbot did considerable mischief to the French But when afterwards by a Truce made with France the fury of the War ceased for a little time there was a Foundation laid in England for intestine Commotions The King had promised marriage to the Daughter of the Earl of Armagnac to prevent which the French King had made both the Earl and his Daughter Prisoners The Earl of Suffolk who was then Ambassadour in France did propose thereupon without having received any Instructions to that purpose from the King a Match betwixt the King and Margaret Daughter of Renè Duke of Anjou and King of Naples and Sicily
the English King with fair words and to render the Duke of Burgundy suspected to him which had the design'd effect with Edward who considered with himself That Charles Duke of Burgundy having besieged Nuys did not send him the promised Succours so that the Peace was easily concluded the French having been very liberal to the English To confirm this Peace King Lewis proposed a Congress to be held betwixt him and Edward at a certain place where he without making any further difficulty appeared first in person and bestowed a good quantity of Wine upon the English Souldiers who soon after returned with their King who had got but little Honour in this Expedition into England But he behaved himself better against the Scots to whom he did considerable mischief In the mean time the Duke of Gloucester had rid himself of his elder Brother the Duke of Clarence thereby to advance himself one step nearer to the Crown At last King Edward being now resolved to enter again into a War with France since King Lewis made a very slight account of what he had promised in the last Peace after he was once rid of his Enemy he fell sick and died in the Year 1483. § 17. After the death of Edward IV. his Son Edward V. a Child of eleven Years of Age was proclaimed King but scarce enjoyed this Title ten Weeks For his Uncle Richard Duke of Gloucester the most bloody and wicked Man that ever the World beheld immediately made it his business to set the Crown upon his own Head Wherefore he first of all secured to himself the Tuition of the King 's and his Brother's Persons by making away their most trusty Friends Afterwards by the help of some Impudent Priests he got it spread abroad That Edward IV. was born in Adultery and that consequently the Crown did of right belong to himself as being the most like his Father At last the Duke of Buckingham did insinuate into the Lord Mayor of London That the Crown ought to be offered to Richard and his Proposal being approved by the Acclamations of a few Villains set on for that purpose it was divulged That the People had conferr'd the Crown upon Richard Having by these Intrigues obtain'd the Crown Richard III. got himself proclaimed King and having been crowned he caused the innocent King Edward V. and his Brother miserably to be murthered But soon after his Coronation a difference arose betwixt him and the Duke of Buckingham who had been chiefly instrumental in helping him to the Crown He therefore leaving the Court began to make a Party against the King with an intention to set the Crown upon the Head of Henry Earl of Richmond who was then an Exile in Britainy And tho' the Duke of Buckingham's Plot was discovered and he beheaded yet was not the Design stopt For the Earl of Richmond set fail with a great Fleet out of Britainy but being driven by contrary Winds on the Coast of Normandy he sought Aid of Charles VIII King of France which he readily granted him A great many English also went over to him who swore Allegiance to him he promising them upon Oath That he would marry the Princess Elizabeth Daughter of Edward IV. But Henry was within an ace of having been delivered up to Richard by the Treachery of one Pieter Landois Treasurer of the Duke of Britainy who had received a great Summ of Money from Richard for undertaking it for which reason he was afterwards hang'd by his Master's order Richard also had an Intention of marrying the Princess Elizabeth and therefore had privately made away his former Lady but was obliged to delay the consummation of the Match by reason of the approaching danger from Henry Who to prevent this intended Match did in all haste sail out of France and landing in Wales was kindly received by most Not long after he gave Battel to Richard where William Stanley with some thousands of Men went over to Henry and besides this a great many of Richard's Souldiers refusing to fight Richard himself was slain in the Field and the Crown being immediately there put upon Henry's Head he was proclaimed King § 18. Hitherto England had been miserably torn to pieces by the bloody Wars betwixt the Houses of York and Lancaster the first whereof bore a White the latter a Red Rose in their Shields For Henry IV. of the House of Lancaster had driven Richard II. from the Throne Edward IV. of the House of York dethroned again his Grandson Henry VI. And Henry VII of the House of Lancaster took from Edward the IV th's Brother Richard III. both his Crown and Life This King Henry marrying the Daughter of Edward IV. united the Red and White Roses and by his singular Wisdom did again settle the State of the Kingdom Yet was he not altogether free from Disturbances at home For first of all one Lambert Symnel Son to a Baker taking upon him the Name and Person of Edward Earl of Warwick caused himself to be proclaimed King in Ireland This Comedy was first invented by a Priest and encouraged by Margaret the Widow of Charles Duke of Burgundy Sister to Edward IV. who to spite Henry gave them all the Assistance she could This Symnel transported an Army out of Ireland into England but was routed by Henry and being taken Prisoner was made a Turnspit in the King's Kitchin In the Year 1491 Henry undertook an Expedition against France and besieged Bologne But the Emperour Maximilian failing in his promises of giving him Assistance he in consideration of a good Summ of Money made a Peace with France In the mean time Margaret Dutchess Dowager of Burgundy had set up another Impostor whose Name was Perkin Warbeck He pretended to be Richard a younger Son of King Edward IV. and knew so well how to act his part that he got a considerable Party in Ireland From thence he went to Paris where he was very well received France being then engaged in a War with England But a Peace being concluded betwixt them he retir'd to the Dutchess Margaret's Court. From thence he returned into Ireland and afterwards came into Scotland where being splendidly received by that King he was married to one of his Kinswomen and enter'd England with a confiderable Army This business might have proved very dangerous to England since there were at the same time great Tumults in England arisen about some new Taxes But the Rebels were beaten and the Scots obliged to retire with great loss into Scotland The Scots made thereupon a Peace with England promising among other things not to uphold by any ways the Impostor Perkin who fled from thence into Ireland and so came into Cornwall where he caused himself to be proclaimed King But perceiving that few came over to his side and the King's Forces coming upon him he took sanctuary in a Church and surrender'd himself to the King who committed
him a Prisoner to the Tower but he having twice made an attempt to escape was at last hang'd according to his demerits In the Year 1501 a Marriage was concluded betwixt James IV. King of Scotland and Margaret the Daughter of Henry which afterwards united England and Scotland under one King Arthur also eldest Son of Henry married Catharine Daughter of Ferdinand the Catholick But the Prince dying a few Weeks after the Wedding in the sixteenth Year of his Age and Henry being unwilling to give back the Dowry and desirous to maintain the new Alliance with Ferdinand married the said Catharine to his second Son Henry who was then but twelve Years of Age having obtained a Dispensation from Pope Julius II. under pretence that there had been no carnal knowledge betwixt them which afterwards proved the cause of great Alterations This King is reckoned among the wisest of his Age and the only thing which is reprehended in him is That he had a way by false Accusations against the rich to squeeze out of them great Summs of Money from them He died in the Year 1509. § 19. Henry VIII immediately upon his first accession to the Throne celebrated the Nuptials with his Brother's Widow more to fulfill his Father's Will than out of his own Inclination yet as long as he lived with her in Wedlock he govern'd the Realm very laudably and in the Court nothing was seen but Plays and Diversions As to his Transactions abroad upon the persuasions of Pope Julius II. and Ferdinand the Catholick he enter'd into a Consederacy with them against France which Confederacy was pretended to be made for the defence of the Holy See Ferdinand also put him in hopes of recovering Guienne wherefore Henry sent an Army into Biscay to fall in conjunction with the Spaniards into Guienne But Ferdinand having rather his Eye upon Navarre and being negligent in sending timely Succours to the English they returned home without doing any thing In the Year 1513 Henry enter'd France with a great Army where he lost his time in the taking of Terovane and Tournay which was wholly destroyed in spight of all the Attempts of the French to relieve it tho' Tournay was redeemed by Francis I. with a good Summ of Money But at that time Henry did not pursue his Advantage partly out of carelessness incident to young Men partly because he had carried on this War not so much for his own Interest as in favour of the Pope and so returned into England During the absence of Henry James IV. King of Scotland upon instigation of the French invaded England but received a great overthrow himself being killed in the Battel In the Year next following Henry perceiving that his Father-in-law Ferdinand did only impose upon him concluded a Peace with France giving his Sister Mary in marriage to King Lewis XII In the Year 1522 Henry again denounced War against Francis I. and sent considerable Forces into France which nevertheless both in the same and next following Year did nothing of moment and the Scots on the other side obtained not any advantages against the English But after Francis was taken Prisoner near Pavia it seem'd that Henry had met with a fair opportunity to give a great blow to France more especially since he had before prepared a Fleet which lay ready to make a Descent in Normandy yet he left Charles and made Peace with France And Charles after he thought he had obtained his aim did not make any great account of England leaving the Princess Mary Daughter of Henry to whom he had promised Marriage for the Princess of Portugal whom he married And whereas he used formerly to write to the King with his own Hand and subscribe himself Your Son and trusty Friend he now caused his Letters to be writ by his Secretary subscribing only his Name Charles And truly it seemed very necessary for Henry to keep a little the Ballance Tho' a great many are of opinion That Cardinal Woolsey had a great hand in this business who was no great Friend of Charles V. because he had not promoted him to the Papal Dignity and had denied him the Archbishoprick of Toledo of which he had put him in hopes at first neither did he subscribe himself any more Your Son and Cousin as he used to do But however it be Henry at that time saved France from an imminent danger After he had lived very peaceably and well with his Queen for the space of twenty Years he began to have a scruple of Conscience Whether he could lawfully live in Wedlock with his Brother's Widow which scruple he pretended was raised in him first by the President of Paris who was sent to treat concerning a Marriage betwixt Mary Daughter of Henry and the second Son of Francis Some say that he being weary of her was fallen in love with Anna Bullen and found out this way to be rid of her Yet this seems not so probable to some since he did not marry the said Anna Bullen till three Years after he pretended to the scruple of Conscience whereas the heat of Love does not usually admit of such delays Some will have it that Cardinal Woolsey raised this scruple first in him on purpose to nettle Charles V. and to please Francis I. in hopes after this Divorce to make up a Match betwixt Henry and the Dutchess of Alenson Sister of Francis But however it be the business was brought before the Pope who gave a Commission to the Cardinal Campegius to enquire in conjunction with Woolsey into the matter 'T is said That the Pope was willing to gratify Henry and for that purpose had sent a Bull to Campegius yet with this caution to keep it by him till further order But when he afterwards saw Charles V. to prove so successfull he durst not venture to do any thing that might displease him wherefore he ordered Campegius to burn the Bull and to delay the business to the utmost The Queen also refused to answer to their Commission but appealed to the Pope in person besides Charles V. and his Brother Ferdinand had protested against this Commission Woolsey did also perceive that the King was fallen in love with Anna Bullen which being likely to prove prejudicial to his Authority he persuaded the Pope underhand not to give his consent unto this Divorce Henry being informed what Intrigues the Cardinal was carrying on against him humbled the greatness of this haughty Prelate who died in the Year next following in great misery And Henry being made sensible that the Pope regarded more his own Interest than the merits of the Cause he forbid that any body should hence forward appeal to Rome or send thither any Money for Church Benefices He therefore sent to several Universities in France and Italy to desire their Opinions in this matter who all unanimously agreed in this That such a Marriage was against the Laws of
her Reign the English Trade was first established in Turkey and the East Indies the finest Coin as also the Manufactury of Serges and Bays was settled in England about the same time This Queen also brought first into Reputation the English Naval Strength which she was so jealous of that tho' she supported the Netherlanders against the Spaniards yet would she never consent that the Netherlanders should so augment their Sea Forces as that thereby they might be able to contest with England at Sea This Maxim which seem'd so necessary for England was not regarded by King James he being a lover of Peace And King Charles I. having always his Hands full with his Rebellious Subjects was not in a capacity to observe it wherefore the Dutch Power at Sea could neither by Cromwel nor by Charles II. be brought down again This most glorious and by her Subjects extreamly beloved Queen died in the Year 1602 having before appointed James VI. King of Scotland for her Successour § 23. After the death of Elizabeth James VI. King of Scotland was with an unanimous applause proclaimed King of England His Title to this Crown was derived from Margaret Daughter of Henry VII who was married to James IV. King of Scotland whose Son James V. left one only Daughter who was Mother of James VI. He at first shewed himself pretty favourable to the Papists fearing lest they might in the beginning of his Reign raise some Commotions against him Notwithstanding which immediately after his Coronation the Lord Cobham Gray and others enter'd into a Conspiracy against him Their main design was to root out the Line of James and to put in his place the Marchioness d' Arbelle she being also descended from the abovesaid Margaret Daughter of Henry VII This Lady was after the death of her Father married to Archibald Douglass by whom she had Margaret who was married to Maâthias Earl of Lenox and this Arbella being the Daughter of Charles Lenox the third Son of this Earl was by the intercession of Spain to have been married to the Duke of Savoy and by this means the Popish Religion was again to be introduced into England But the whole Plot being discover'd the Ring-leaders were punish'd yet not with that Severity as the hainousness of their Crime did deserve tho' in the Year next following all the Jesuits and Popish Priests were by a severe Proclamation banish'd out of England In the Year 1605 some Popish Villains had hir'd a Vault under the Parliament House which being fill'd up with a great many Barrels of Gunpowder they intended to have blown the King the Prince and the whole Parliament into the Air. But this devilish Design was discover'd for one of the Accomplices by a Letter that was obscurely written and deliver'd by an unknown person to a Footman of the Lord Mounteagle did intreat him not to come the next day into the Parliament House Which causing a suspicion in the King all the Vaults were search'd and the Powder found Hereupon the Parliament made an Act That all Subjects by a solemn Oath should acknowledge James for their lawfull Sovereign neither that the Pope had any Authority to Dethrone Sovereigns or to absolve Subjects from their Allegiance He concluded a Peace with Spain and was afterwards one of the Mediators of the Truce made betwixt Spain and Holland His Son-in-law the Elector Palatine being banish'd out of his Territories he assisted only with sending of Ambassadours and proposing of an Agreement all which the Spaniards render'd ineffectual His Son Prince Charles was sent into Spain to marry the Infanta where the Marriage Contract was concluded and confirmed by Oath but the Nuptials were deferred till the next year the Spaniards being willing to gain time and to see how things would be carried on in Germany for the House of Austria But when after the Prince's return into England the English would needs have the Restitution of the Elector Palatine inserted in the Articles the Match was broke off and tho' the Parliament voted a Subsidie to be employed towards the restoring of the Elector Palatine yet the Design came to nothing Under this King there was a period put to the Differences and Wars betwixt England and Scotland which hitherto had created abundance of Troubles to this Island And that nothing of jealousie might remain betwixt these two Nations about Preference in the Royal Title he introduced the Name of Great Britain which comprehends both the Kingdoms There was also set on foot a Treaty to unite both Kingdoms into one Body but it did not succeed because the Scots would not be Inferiour to the English Under this King's Reign Colonies were established in Virginia Bermudos and Ireland by which means the English have extended their Dominions but there are some who believe that this has weakened the English at home and that in all probability it would have been more profitable for England to have employed those people in Manufactury and Fishing of Herrings which produce such vast Riches to the Dutch in the very sight of the English Yet some are also of Opinion That it is good for the publick repose that the unruly Multitude do not grow too numerous in England The East India Trade was also greatly promoted at that time but the English could not come there in competition with the Dutch these having been before hand with them This King died in the Year 1625. § 24. His Son Charles I. succeeded him who after the Spanish Match was broke off married Henrietta Daughter of Henry IV. He equipp'd out a great Fleet against the Spaniards the English landed near Cadiz but being repulsed with loss returned without doing any thing and all Commerce was prohibited betwixt Spain and England He also broke with France and because the French Merchants had been ill treated by the English all Commerce was also prohibited betwixt these two Nations The English thereupon endeavoured to send Aid unto the City of Rochelle and landing in the Isle of Rhee besieged the Fort of St. Martin which being valiantly defended by one Toyras the English were repulsed with great loss In the Year next following they undertook to relieve Rochelle but in vain Whereupon Charles concluded a Peace with France in the Year 1629 and in the Year next following with Spain having by this War waged against these two Nations which were not so easie to be attack'd by one at the same time gained no Reputation to the dissatisfy'd Subjects and vast Debts Under this King arose very violent Divisions betwixt him and the Parliament which produced a most strange Revolution in that Kingdom It will be very well worth our while to enquire a little more narrowly into the true causes thereof That wife Queen Elizabeth held it for a constant maxim to oppose the growing power of Spain with all her might whereby she weaken'd Spain and not only enrich'd her Subjects but
also exercised them in Sea Affairs wherein consists the chief Strength and Security of this Kingdom Wherefore she always kept a good Correspondency with all such as were Enemies of the House of Austria she assisted France against the Designs of the Spaniards favoured the Protestant Princes in Germany upheld the Dutch against the Spaniards thereby the better to weaken so formidable a Neighbour looking upon the Netherlands as the Out-work of her Kingdom Besides this she finding continual employment for her Subjects abroad did not a little contribute towards the preserving the Health of the State for by this means a great deal of corrupt and inflamed Blood being taken away it prevented intestine Diseases in the State But King James took quite another course and perceiving that the Vnited Provinces were grown strongh enough not only to support themselves against Spain but also to dispute the Dominion of the Narrow Seas with England he left them to themselves and concluding a Peace with Spain establish'd a lasting Tranquility at home for his Inclinations were more for Books than Arms. And because Subjects in general are apt to follow the Inclinations of their Sovereigns the People laid aside all Warlike Exercises and fell into such Weaknesses and Vices as are commonly the product of Plenty and Peace And the King hoped when these Nations applyed themselves only to Trade and Commerce they would be diverted from having any thoughts of opposing his Authority He made it also his main endeavour to unite the Minds of the Scots and English by Naturalizing the English in Scotland and the Scots in England and by joining the great Families by Marriages But he was more especially carefull of establishing one Form of Religious Worship in both Kingdoms For tho' there was no great difference in the Articles of Faith yet the Ceremonies and Church Government were very different For Queen Elizabeth when she established the Protestant Religion retained many Ceremonies which were anciently used in the Primitive Church as also used by the Papists afterwards she maintained also the Authority of the Bishops yet under the Royal Power supposing that this Constitution was most suitable to a Monarchy considering that the Bishops had some dependence on the King and had their Votes in Parliament And it used to be the saying of King James No Bishop no King But this Constitution did not agree with those of the Reform'd Religion in Holland Switzerland and France partly because these Nations were used to a Democratical Liberty and therefore loved an Equality in the Church-Government as well as the State partly because they had suffered from some Kings and Bishops and therefore both were equally hated by them These would not allow of any Superiority among the Clergy but constituted the outward Church-Government by Presbyteries Classes and Synods neither would they admit any Ceremonies believing that the perfection of the Reformed Religion did consist in not having so much as anything tho'never so indifferent common with the Papists And according to this Form the Church of Scotland being establish'd the number of such as were of the same Opinion increased daily in England who were commonly called Presbyterians or Puritans And the Capriciousness of those who were of several Sentiments proved the more dangerous because these Nations being of a melancholy temper used to adhere stedfastly to their Opinions not to be removed from them King James being besides a great Enemy of the Puritans thought to have found out a way to suppress them in Scotland by inserting it among the Royal Prerogatives which was to be confirmed by the Parliament of Scotland That he had the Supream Power both in Spiritual and Temporal Affairs in the same manner in Scotland as in England By this means he hoped to model without any great difficulty the Church of Scotland according to that of England And tho' this Proposition was opposed by a great many in the Parliament of Scotland yet the King's party prevailed and a new Form of Church-Government was established in Scotland But the King had no sooner turned his back and was return'd into England but the common people made an Insurrection against the Bishops in Scotland who began to introduce there the Ceremonies of the Church of England § 25. Tho' King Charles I. was of a more warlike temper than his Father yet was he obliged tho' against his Will according to the Maxims of his Father to preserve Peace abroad to avoid the danger of being oblig'd to depend on the Capricious Humours of his Subjects And because he as well as his Father had a great dislike of the Power of the common people and of the Temper and Principles of the Puritans all his Thoughts were bent to find out ways how to secure himself from the danger of both And because the King could not impose any extraordinary Taxes without the consent of the Parliament Charles chose rather to controul his own Inclinations which were bent for War than to fawn upon the Parliament in hopes that its Heats which was for limiting the King's Power would by degrees diminish if it was not called together for a considerable time It is supposed that the Lord Treasurer Weston did confirm him in this Opinion who did expect to be call'd to an account by the Parliament The Parliament used anciently to provide a certain yearly Revenue for the King towards maintaining his Court and Fleet to secure the Commerce of the Kingdom which Revenue was not hereditary to the next Successour The first Parliament which was called by Charles I. had settled the Customs as part of his Revenue but when he afterwards having dissolved the same against the Opinion of the Male Contents his Revenues also began to be call'd in question it being their Opinion that nothing could so soon oblige the King to call a new Parliament as if what was necessary for his and the Courts Subsistence were withheld from him But the King however did not only receive the same Customs as his Predecessours had done but also augmented them with new Impositions to the yearly value of 800000 l. by which means the King who was firm in his Opinion was thought to have a Design to alter the ancient Constitution of the Government and to maintain himself without a Parliament which however was look'd upon as an impossibility by the generality of them For King James had left above 1200000 l. Debts which were since increased by Charles 400000 l. more which Money was expended in the Wars against France and Spain it was therefore not visible how he could extricate himself out of these Debts without the assistance of a Parliament since according to the fundamental Constitutions of the Realm he could not levy any Taxes upon the Subjects and to force them to pay any was beyond his Power having no Forces on foot but the Militia of the Kingdom And it was impossible to bring in such a Foreign Force as could be supposed to be able
several Opinions he prevented their easily joining against him § 30. After the death of Cromwell this unlawfull and violent form of Government could not be of a long continuance For tho' his Son Richard succeeded him in the Protectorship this was the Title used by Cromwell having refused the Name of King yet was he in no ways capable to bear such a weight Wherefore he was soon deposed by the Parliament which being divided within it self Monk who was then Governour of Scotland took this opportunity and marching with an Army out of Scotland into England possess'd himself of the City of London dissolv'd the Military Parliament and recall'd King Charles II. into his Kingdom This King did restore the ancient Form of Government in the Kingdom both in Spiritual and Temporal Matters for his Subjects were ready to gratify him in most respects as having been taught by Experience That the Frogs who despised to have a Block for their King got afterwards a Stork for their Master This King who judg'd that the Greatness of England did chiefly depend on the Dominion of the Seas and Commerce which was disputed by no body but the Dutch did in all probability bend all his Thoughts that way viz. How to make these proud Merchants more pliable his hopes being grounded upon what he had seen Cromwell do against them Wherefore he began a War with Holland which was carried on at first with equal losses on both sides But the English at last taking a Resolution to tire out the Dutch without coming to an Engagement they ventur'd at a bold stroke and to the great dishonour of the English enter'd the River of Thames firing some Ships at Chattam This obliged the King to make a Peace with them by the Mediation of Swedeland tho' the great success of the French Arms in Flanders may probably have contributed a great deal towards it Yet it seems as if ever since he had kept up a Resolution of Revenging himself upon them he being also again exasperated by the Rable in Holland who affronted him afterwards He therefore in the Year 1672 attack'd the Dutch at Sea whilst the King of France made War against them by Land But this War did not succeed according to his expectation for the Dutch did not only take from the English a great number of Merchant-ships but also the English could not master the Dutch in any of these Sea fights partly because the French would not fall on in good earnest partly because the Dutch acted very circumspectly not giving any opportunity to the English to make a Descent either on Holland or Zealand It is possible that the King's Intentions may perhaps have been frustrated by some Intrigues at home And because the English Nation began to grow very jealous of the great Successes of France the King was obliged to make a separate Peace with Holland and afterwards was receiv'd as a Mediatour betwixt the Parties then engag'd in War against one another § 31. The English Nation is very populous and fruitfull There are some who have reckoned that in England are 9913 Parishes in each Parish 80 Families which make 778183 Families and seven persons reckoned to each Family amounts to 6470800 Souls among which number it may be suppos'd to be above a Million of Men capable of bearing of Arms. This Nation is also very fit to settle Colonies in Foreign Countries because the English as soon as they are in the least settled in a place they quickly marry and remain there for their life time Whereas other Nations if they go into far distant Countries go only with an intent to get a little Money which they afterwards love to spend in their Native Country The English are also Courageous Brave not fearing Death For in former times their Land forces were much superiour to the French and ever since the times of Queen Elizabeth when they first began to apply themselves in earnest to the Sea they have not been inferiour in Skill and Courage to any Nation in the World except that the Dutch may be compared with them in Sea Affairs But this is to be observ'd of the English Valour that they commonly are very Furious and Brave at the beginning yet great Hardship Famine and other Inconveniencies they are not so well able to endure with Patience as being us'd to live in great Ease and Plenty in their own Country Wherefore Maurice Prince of Orange us'd to put the English that were sent to his assistance upon desperate Enterprizes before as he us'd to say they had digested the English Beef They are also very dexterous in Woollen and Silk Manufacturies and are generally great Improvers of other Arts and Mysteries Yet they are also somewhat Highminded inclining themselves to Diversion which is the reason that they do not so much Work as otherwise they might and yet they expect to be paid for their idle Hours as well as the rest which is the reason why they sell their Wares at a higher rate than others and that they envy such French Handycrafts-men who live among them and are seldom diverted from their daily Labour by any Pleasures They being generally of a melancholy temper makes them very Ingenious and when they apply themselevs to any Science they make great progress in the same if they hit the right way But by the same rule because there happens often to be an ill mixture of this melancholy temper abundance of Fanaticks and Enthusiasts are to be found among them who having form'd to themselves Opinions out of ill-grounded Principles adhere so stedfast to them that they are not by any ways to be removed from them Wherefore there is not any Nation under the Sun where more different and more absurd Opinions are to be met withall in Religion than in England The loose sort of people are addicted to Thieving and Robbing upon the High-way wherefore the Hangmen are always busie in England This Nation also loves to eat and drink extreamly well tho' there are some who will have it that the English have got their way of drinking so plentifully from the Netherlanders in the Wars of the Low-Countries and from thence have brought that ill Custom over into England which before they say was not in use there Their own Histories are sufficient evidences that they have been always inclined to Rebellion and intestine Commotions Wherefore their Kings can never be secure except they keep a watchfull Eye over the restless Spirit of the People § 32. The Scots are reported to have a share of Pride and Envy in them They are very apt to propose to themselves great Matters and to delight in their own Inventions They are good Land-Souldiers and can endure more hardship than the English neither are they so much addicted to their Belly both which they have from the barrenness of their Native Country They are very Revengefull and intestine Broils among the Noble Families were formerly very common
it relates to France or Spain of Poland and other such like States so it is easie for him to curb the Pirates on the Barbary Coast Which Nests of Pirates might have been easily destroyed long ago if they had not been let alone on purpose to render the Trade in the Mediterranean difficult to the Hamburgers and some others England has nothing to fear from Portugal and this must rather hope for assistance from England and Holland against Spain The Naval Strength of the Northern Crowns England need not be jealous of as long as the same is divided Yet it cannot be for the Interest of England if one of those Kings should become absolute Master of the East Sea or that they should be fain to depend on the Discretion of the Dutch Since the Naval Strength of Spain is mightily decay'd England need not fear any thing from thence Yet does it not seem to be the Interest of England to fall out with that Kingdom considering what a vast Trade the English have into Spain for Spain does either consume the English Commodities at home or else exchanges them for Silver by sending of them into America There are some who have computed that in case of a War with Spain the English would lose in effects above thirty Millions and besides this their Trade into the Levant and other places would be greatly endangered by the Privateers of Ostend Biscay Majorca and Minorca who at the time of the Wars under Cromwell took 1500 Merchant-ships from the English Tho' the Land Forces of France are now-adays much superiour to the English this Island both for its bigness and strength making up not above a third part of France yet the Naval Strength of France has hitherto not been able to come in competition with the English It is the chiefest Interest of England to keep up the Balance betwixt France and Spain and to take a special care that the King of France do not become Master of all the Netherlands for it is visible that thereby his Power at Sea would be encreas'd to that degree that he might enter on a Design of being even with England for what they have formerly done to France Holland seems to be the only obstacle that the English cannot be sole Masters of the Sea and Trade tho' for the rest they have no reason to fear the Dutch by Land but only at Sea because the Dutch Land Forces are not so considerable as to be able to undertake any thing of great moment Nevertheless how desirous soever the English are to be sole Masters at Sea yet does it not seem to be the Interest of England frequently to engage it self in Wars with Holland it having been observ'd that the Dutch since the Wars with England are rather increased in Valour Experience and Power at Sea And because other Nations are not likely to suffer that Holland should be swallow'd up by the English or that one Nation should have the Monopoly of Europe it seems therefore the best method for the English to let the Dutch trade as well as themselves and to set some others upon their Backs which may give them so much work as thereby to give a check to their growing Greatness and in the mean while take care to establish their own Power at Sea and Commerce abroad But least of all it would be for the Interest of England if Holland should be brought under the Yoak of the French King who without question by the additional Sea Forces of Holland and the advantage of the East India Trade would be superiour in Power to any in Europe CHAP. V. Of FRANCE § 1. AS far as we can search into the most ancient Histories it is evident from thânce That Gaul now call'd France has been a very powerfull and populous Country For the Gauls in ancient times had conquer'd a great part of Italy where they settled themselves who also when they had over-run Greece and some other neighbouring Countries inhabited a part of the Lesser Asia which was called from them Galatia or Gallo-gracia Yet formerly this so powerfull Country did never either rightly understand or exert its own Strength against other Nations because it was not then under the Government of one Prince but divided into a great many pââây States which were always at variance with one another This much facilitated the Conquest of the Romans over them who else stood not in fear of any Nation so much as the Gauls And tho' the incomparable Valour of Julius Caesar was chiefly instrumental in subduing this Nation yet with tân Legions he had work enough to effect it in ten Years time But as soon as the Romans had brought this fair Country under their Subjection they employ'd all means to suppress the Martial Spirit of this Nation in which they succeeded as well in this as in other Nations it being their Custom to civilize and refine the Manners of these Nations thereby to render them soft and eââeminate After France had been near 500 Years under the Domânion of the Romans it fell under the Reign of the Emperour Honorius into the Hands of the Barbarous Nations For the Goths after they had over-run Italy settled themselves in Gallia Narbonensis and the Burgundians conquer'd a considerable part of the rest But the Franks entring this Kingdom settled and maintained themselves in it giving it the Name of France after their own Name These Franks were for certain Germans tho' some of our Modern French Writers pretend to demonstrate That this Nation was a Colony of the ancient Gauls who being overstock'd with People at home passed over the Rhine and having settled a Colony in Germany after several hundred Years return'd into their Native Country But it is more probable That the Franks are the same Nations which were formerly encompass'd by the Rivers of the Mayn the Rhine the Weâer and the Sea and which in Tacitus's time were call'd Salii Bructeri Trisii Angrivani Chamari Sigambri and Chatti and who having enter'd into a mutual Confederacy against the Romans called themselves in spite of their Power Franks or a free People as not doubting but to be able to defend their Liberty against them And it is certain that they did transplant the German Tongue into France which was for a great while after in fashion among persons of the best Quality till at last they used themselves by degrees to the Latin Tongue formerly introduced by the Romans which being corrupted by the German Tongue produced the modern French Language It is also evident that the Race of the ancient Gauls was not quite extinguish'd but that both Nations were by degrees united in one yet with this difference that the Frankish Families made up the Body of the Nation § 2. But howsoever this be all Historians agree in this That the Franks did choose for their King about the Year 424 Pharamond who established among them wholsome Laws and
he did nothing He had for his Tutor and Administrator of the Kingdom Hugh Capet Earl of Paris After this King's Death his Uncle viz. Lewis sirnamed Outremer's Son laid claim to the Crown but was disappointed in his Pretensions by the great Power of Hugh Capet He afterwards endeavour'd to maintain his Right by force of Arms but was made a Prisoner and dying in Prison put an end to the Carolinian Race or at least to its Inheritance of the Crown of France which had been in its possession for at least 236 Years It is very remarkable that this Family lost the Kingdom through the same Errour which the former lost it For tho' this Family by prodigious Conquests had rais'd the Power of France yet were the Conquests soon after by the Divisions made of the Kingdom again dis-united and even a considerable part quite separated from that Kingdom and annexed to the German Empire Besides this by the Negligence of these Kings and the excessive Power of the great Men in the Kingdom France was reduced to a very low Condition § 6. As Hugh Capet the first Founder of the present Royal Family obtain'd the Crown not so much by right of Succession as by the assistance of the chief Men of the Kingdom who excluded the right Heir so as it is very probable he was obliged to remit a great many of the ancient Royal Prerogatives and to confirm to the great Men of the Kingdom the Power of governing their Provinces with the Titles of Dukes and Earls under condition that they should acknowledge themselves Vassals of the Kingdom yet not be obliged to depend absolutely on the King's Commands so that France at that time was like a mishapen and weak Body Hugh in the mean time re-united to the Crown which at that time had scarce any thing left which could be call'd her own the County of Paris the Dutchy of France wherein was comprehended all that lies betwixt the Rivers of Seine and the Loire and the County of Orleans Among the great Men of the Kingdom the chief were the Dukes of Normandy on whom also depended Britainy of Burgundy Aquitain and Gascoigne the Earls of Flanders Champaign and Tolouse the latter of which was also Duke of Languedock But the Counties of Vienne Provence Savoy and Dauphine belong'd to the Kingdom of Arelat which was a part of the German Empire Yet these Kings had at last the good Fortune to see all these Demi-Sovereign Princes extinguish'd and their Countries re-united to the Crown of France Hugh died in the Year 996 whose Son Robert a good natur'd Prince reign'd very peaceably he having reduc'd the Dukedom of Burgundy to which he after the Death of his Uncle was the next Heir under the entire Jurisdiction of the Crown The Tyranny exercis'd by the Pope against this King ought to be mention'd here For the King having an Intention of marrying Bertha of the House of Burgundy which Match was esteemed very beneficial to his State and the said Bertha standing with him in the fourth degree of Consanguinity besides that he had been Godfather to a Child of hers in her former Husband's time He desir'd and obtain'd the Consent of his Bishops the said Marriage being otherwise against the Canon Law But the Pope took hence an occasion to Excommunicate the King and the whole Kingdom which proved so mischievous that the King was deserted by all his Servants except three or four and no Body would touch the Victuals that came from his Table which was therefore thrown to the Dogs He died in the Year 1033. The Reign of his Son Henry was also not very famous except that he waged some inconsiderable Wars against his Vassals He presented his Brother Robert with the Dukedom of Burgundy from whence comes the Race of the Dukes of Burgundy descended from the Royal Blood He died in the Year 1060. His Son Philip did nothing memorable he was also for his Marriage excommunicated by the Pope but at last obtained a Dispensation Under the Reign of this King Philip William Duke of Normandy conquer'd England which prov'd to be the occasion of unspeakable Miseries to France for these two Kingdoms were ever after in continual Wars till the English were driven out of France About the same time the first Expedition was undertaken into the Holy Land which Extravagancy continued for near 200 Years after The Popes drew the most Benefit from these Expeditions assuming to themselves an Authority not only to command but also to protect all such as had listed themselves under the Cross Under this pretext also frequent Indulgences were sent abroad into the World and what was given towards the use of this War was collected and distributed by their Legates The King of France and other Kings receiv'd thereby this Benefit That these Wars carried off a great many turbulent Spirits And a great many of the Nobility used either to sell or else to mortgage their Estates and if any of them happened to die in the Expedition leaving no Heirs behind them their Estates fell to the King By this means also that prodigious number of People wherewith France was overstock'd at that time was much diminish'd whereby the Kings got an Opportunity to deal more easily with the rest Nevertheless when afterwards the Kings either by Instigation of the Popes or out of their own Inclinations undertook these Expeditions in their own Persons they found the dismal effects of it For by so doing the best of their Subjects were led to the Slaughter and yet it was impossible to maintain these Conquests as long as they were not Masters of Egypt Whereas if this Kingdom had been made the Seat of the intended Empire and the Store-house of the War a Kingdom might have been establish'd which would have been able to support it self by its own Strength This King died in the Year 1108. His Son Lewis sirnamed the Fat was always at variance with Henry I. King of England and in continual Troubles with the petty Lords in France who did considerable Mischiefs from their strong Castles yet he was too hard for them at last and died in the Year 1137. His Son Lewis VII sirnamed the Younger undertook upon the Persuasion of St. Bernhard an Expedition into the Holy Land but this prov'd a fatal Expedition for by the Defeat which he receiv'd at Pamphylia and the Siege of Damascus which he was forc'd to quit and the Fatigues of so great a Journey as well as the perfidiousness of some of the Commanders after he had ruin'd a great Army he returned with the miserable Remainders into France without having done any thing answerable to such an Undertaking But he committed the greatest Error when he divorced himself from his Lady Eleonora whether out of Jealousie or tenderness of Conscience is uncertain she being his Cousin in the third or fourth degree This Eleonora being also the only Heiress of
Aquitain and Poictou was immediately after married to Henry Duke of Normandy afterwards King of England the second of that Name who by this Match annexed these fair Countries to the Crown of England In fine having been kept in a continual alarm by his petty Vassals but especially by Henry II. King of England He died in the Year 1180. § 7. His Son Philip II. sirnamed Augustus or the Conquerour was at first engaged in a War against Henry II. King of England from whom he took several considerable places which however he restored afterwards to his Son Richard with whom he enter'd into a League to retake Jerusalem from the Saracens pursuant to which both the Kings went thither in Person with a considerable Force But a Jealousie arising betwixt these two Kings nothing was done worth mentioning for Richard accused Philip that he had an ill design against him in Sicily in their Voyage besides that he had refused to consummate the before intended Match betwixt his Sister and Richard Wherefore as soon as Ptolemais had been taken by their joint Forces Philip under pretence of Sickness returned into France leaving only with Richard Hugh III. Duke of Burgundy with some Troops who envying Richard hinder'd the taking of the City of Jerusalem After his return from that unfortunate Expedition to the Holy Land he undertook a War against Richard which he also carried on against his Brother John wherein Philip had much the better of the English for he took from them Normandy the Counties of Anjou Maine Touraine Berry and Poictou He was very instrumental in deposing the Earl of Tholouse who because he had taken into his Protection the Albigenses was excommunicated by the Pope Philip also obtained a great Victory near Bouvines betwixt Lisle and Tournay against the Emperour Otho IV. who being joined with the Earl of Flanders attack'd him with an Army of 150000 Men whilst the King of England was to fall into France on the side of Aquitain This King was so successfull in his Wars against England that his Son Lewis was very near obtaining the Crown of England And tho' he was chased again out of England yet did he after his Father's Death pursue his Victories against the English in France taking from them among others the City of Rochelle But this Lewis VIII did not reign long for he died in the Year 1226 leaving for Successour his Son Lewis IX sirnamed the Holy during whose Minority his Mother Blanch of Castile had the Supream Administration of Affairs and tho' some of the Nobility raised great Troubles against her she subdued them all by her singular Prudence In the Year 1244 the City of Jerusalem was ransack'd by some Persians who called themselves Chorasmii Lewis being about the same time dangerously ill made a Vow That if he recovered he would undertake an Expedition against those Infidels which he afterwards perform'd But before his departure he issued out his Proclamation throughout the Kingdom intimating that whoever had received any damage by his Souldiers should have Restitution made him which was performed accordingly In this Expedition he took the strong City of Damiata but the overflowing of the River Nile hindered him from taking Grand Cairo After the River was returned to its usual Bounds he vanquish'd the Enemy in two Battels but they having receiv'd new Reinforcements cut off the Provisions from the French who were also extreamly pester'd with the Scurvy The King then resolv'd to retreat towards Damiata but in his March thither they attack'd him gave him a terrible overthrow and took him Prisoner yet released him again for a Ransom of 400000 Livres he being obliged to restore also to them the City of Damiata Thus he marched with the Remainders of his Army which from 30000 Men was moulder'd away to 6000 to Ptolemais where after he had given what Assistance he could to the Christians he at last returned home Under the Reign of this King France got first an Opportunity to intermeddle in the Affairs of Italy from whence yet this Kingdom never reapt any great Benefit Manfred natural Son of the Emperour Frederick II. having first kill'd King Conrad his Brother made himself King of Naples and Sicily But the Pope on whom this Kingdom depended as a Fief being dissatisfy'd with Manfred offer'd the same to Charles Earl of Anjou Brother of Lewis IV. King of France which he having accepted of was crowned at Rome with Conditon that he should pay to the Pope 8000 Ounces of Gold make a yearly Present of a White Horse as an acknowledgment and if he was chosen Emperour that he should not unite that Kingdom with the Empire the Pope being unwilling to have any one more powerfull than himself in Italy Charles thereupon vanquish'd Manfred and having murthered him and his Children took possession of the Kingdom The young Conradin Duke of Swabia came with an Army to recover the Kingdom which was his Inheritance from his Grandfather but having been overthrown in a Battel near the Lake of Celano was made a Prisoner and in the Year next following had his Head cut off at Naples upon the Instigation of the Pope who being ask'd by Charles What he had best to do with his Prisoner answer'd Vita Conradini mors Caroli Mors Conradini vita Caroli i. e. The Life of Conradin is the Death of Charles The Death of Conradin the Life of Charles And as by the Death of this young Prince was extinguish'd the Noble Race of the Dukes of Swabia so this Charles laid the first Pretensions of France to the Kingdom of Naples In the mean while King Lewis being not satisfy'd with his former unfortunate Expedition against the Infidels resolved to try again his Fortune against Tunis either because he found that this place lay very convenient for his Brother's Kingdom of Sicily or because he hoped thereby to open a way for the Conquest of Egypt without which all the Expeditions into the Holy Land were likely to prove ineffectual But in this Siege he lost a great part of his Army by Sickness and he died himself there in the Year 1270. From a younger Son of this Lewis IV. viz. from Robert Earl of Clairmont sprang the Bourbon Family which now sways the Scepter of France § 8. His Son Philip sirnamed the Hardy succeeded him under whose Reign that considerable Earldom of Tholouse was united to the Crown of France Alfonsus Son of Lewis IX who had married the only Heiress of this Country happening to die without Issue in an Expedition into Africa Under the Reign also of this King fell out the so much celebrated Sicilian Vespers whereby all the French were at one blow extirpated out of Sicily The Business was thus Some Frenchmen had ravish'd the Wife of John of Porchyta born at Salerno who enflam'd with Revenge did seek for Aid of Pieter King of Arragon hoping by his Assistance to drive Charles
out of Sicily the Sicilians also being very averse to the French who had committed great Outrages in that Kingdom Pope Nicholus V. lent a helping hand who stood in fear of the Power of Charles as did also Michael Paleologus the Constantinopolitan Emperour because Charles had made some Pretensions to that Empire John therefore disguis'd in a Monks Habit travell'd about from place to place till he had brought his Design to Perfection It was next to a Miracle that the Design was not betray'd in three years time it having been so long a forming in several places At last it was put in Execution it being agreed upon that in the second Holyday in Easter at that very time when the Bells rung in to the Vespers all the French throughout the whole Kingdom of Sicily should be massacred at once which was done accordingly within two Hours time with great Barbarity no person having been spared in the Massacre Which being done Pieter King of Arragon possess'd himself of the Kingdom of Sicily And tho' the Pope order'd the Croisade to be preached up against Pieter and declared Charles the second Son of Philip King of Arragon and this Philip marched with a great Army to put his Son into possession yet it did prove labour in vain and Philip died in the Year 1285. His Son and Successour Philip sirnamed the Handsom upon some frivolous Pretences began a War with the English taking from of them the City of Bourdeaux and the greatest part of Aquitain which however they soon after recover'd by vertue of a Peace concluded betwixt them Not long after he attack'd the Earl of Flanders who by the Instigation of the English had enter'd into a Consederacy with a great many neighbouring Lords against him from whom he took most of his strong Holds But the Flemings being soon tired with the Insolencies committed by the French cut in pieces the French Garrisons whereupon the King sent an Army under the Command of Robert Earl of Artois to reduce them to Obedience but he was defeated near Courtray there being 20000 French slain upon the Spot which happened chiefly by a Misfortune that the Cavalry was misled into a moorish Ground It is related that the Flemings got above 8000 gilt Spurs as a Booty from the French And tho' afterwards there were 25000 killed of the Flemings yet they quickly recollecting themselves raised another Army of 60000 Men and obliged the King by a Peace made betwixt them to restore them to their ancient State This King Philip also with consent of the Pope suppress'd the rich Order of the Knights Templers and died in the Year 1314. Whom succeeded his three Sons each in his turn who all died without Issue and without doing any thing of moment The eldest Lewis X. sirnamed Hutin died in the Year 1316 whose Brother Philip sirnamed the Tall had a Contest for the Crown with his deceased Brother's Daughter Joan she being supported by her Mother's Brother the Duke of Burgundy but it was determined in favour of Philip by vertue of the Salick Law Under this King the Jews were banish'd out of France they having been accused of poisoning the Fountains He died in the Year 1322. Him succeeded the third Brother Charles IV. sirnamed the Handsom under whose Reign all the Italians and Lombards who being Usurers did exact upon the People were banished the Kingdom A War also was begun in Aquitain against the English but these Differences were quickly composed by the Intercession of Queen Isabella Sister of Charles He died in the Year 1328. § 9. After the Death of this King France was for a great many years together torn in pieces by very unfortunate and bloody Wars which had almost prov'd fatal to this Kingdom For a Contest arose about the Succession betwixt Philip of Valois Philip the Handsom's Brother's Son and Edward III. King of England the above-mention'd Philip the Handsom's Daughter 's Son The former pretended a right by vertue of the Salick Law which excludes the Females from the Succession But the latter tho' he did not deny the Salick Law yet did he alledge That this Law did not barr from the Succession the Sons born of the King's Daughters And it was certain that he was nearer a kin to the deceased King than Philip neither could any Precedent be brought where a Son of the King's Daughter had been excluded from the Succession to admit his Brother's Son Yet the Estates of France declared for Philip partly upon the persuasion of Robert Earl of Artois partly because they were unwilling to depend on England And tho' King Edward did dissemble at first this Affront and came in person to do homage to Philip for his Provinces which he was possess'd of in France yet not long after he began to show his Resentment the French having obliged him at the time when he performed the Ceremony of Homage to lay aside his Crown Scepter and Spurs Besides the States of England did persuade him not so easily to let fall his Pretensions and Robert Earl of Artois being fallen out with Philip about some Pretensions concerning the County of Artois did stir up King Edward to undertake a War against France In the mean time while Philip had defeated the Flemings who were risen in Rebellion against that Earl to that degree that of 16000 Men not one escaped the Sword In the Year 1336 the English began to make War against France which was carried on for some Years with equal Advantage on both sides and was interrupted by several Truces till at last Edward landed with an Army in Normandy and outbraving the French approach'd to the very Gates of Paris But Edward making soon after his Retreat through Picardy towards Flanders was overtaken by Philip near Albeville where a bloody Battel was fought betwixt them The French Forces being extreamly tir'd by a long March gave the English an easier Victory Besides this some Genoese Foot retreated immediately their Bows having been render'd useless by the rainy Weather which the Duke d' Alenzon perceiving and thinking it to have been done by Treachery fell with a Body of Horse in among them which caused the first Confusion The English also made use of four or five pieces of great Cannon against the French which being never seen before in France caused a great terrour in the French Army Several French Lords also being not well satisfy'd with the King were glad to see him defeated This Victory is the more remarkable because according to the French Historians the English were not above 24000 strong whereas the French were above 100000. Out of which number 30000 Foot Souldiers were slain and 1200 Horsemen among whom was the King of Bohemia This King tho' he was blind yet charg'd the Enemy on Horseback betwixt two of his Friends who had ty'd his Horse to theirs and they were all three found dead together The next day
there was a great slaughter made among some French Troops who not knowing what had pass'd the day before were on their March to join the French Camp After this Battel the English took Calais Philip having in vain attempted its relief with 15000 Men. This unfortunate King however received this one Comfort That the Dukedom of Dauphine was annexed to the Crown of France by a Gift of Hubert the last Duke with Condition that the eldest Son of the Kings of France should bear the Title of Dauphin This Hubert having conceived a mortal hatred against the then Earl of Savoy had before put himself under the Protection of France but when afterwards by an unfortunate Accident he kill'd his only Son he retir'd into a Monastery giving to the King of France the Possession of his Country This King Philip also bought Roussilion and Montpelier and was the first who imposed that so much abominated Tax in France upon Salt called the Gabell whereby the Subjects are obliged to pay for the Sun and Sea Water at so dear a rate Wherefore King Edward used to call him in jest The Author of the Salick Law He died in the Year 1356. § 10. His Son and Successour John was more unfortunate in his Wars against the English than his Father For the Truce being expir'd the War began afresh wherein Prince Edward made an Inrode with 12000 Men out of Aquitain destroying all roundabout him King John intending to cut off his Retreat overtook him with all his Forces near Maupertuis two Leagues from Poictiers The Prince offered the King Satisfaction for the Damage sustained which he refusing to accept of attack'd Prince Edward in his advantageous Post he being surrounded with Hedges and Vineyards but the English by the help of their Bows soon broke through his Van-guard and afterwards the whole Army which consisted of 50000 Men put them in Disorder killing upon the Spot as it is related by the French Historians 6000 French among whom were 1200 Gentlemen the King and his youngest Son were both made Prisoners The three eldest had the good Fortune to escape During the Father's Imprisonment Charles the Dauphin took upon him the Administration of Affairs but the People which had been sorely oppress'd hitherto being unwilling to obey it caused great Disorders in the Kingdom The Peasants rise up against the Nobility and the Citizens of Paris made heavy Complaints The Souldiers for want of Pay lived at Discretion and made a miserable havock in the Country Charles of Navarre added Fuel to the Fire in hopes to make his own Advantage by these Troublesome times and did not stick to make Pretensions to the Crown yet Matters were composed with him at last And the Estates of France refusing to accept of such Conditions as were proposed by the English the King of England enter'd France with a great Army and over-run the greatest part of it yet could not make himself Master of any fortify'd place Then a Peace was concluded at Bretigny a League from Chartres by vertue of which the French were to surrender to the English besides what they were possess'd of before Poictou Xaintonge Rochelle Pais d'Aulnis Angoumois Perigord Limosin Quercy Agenois and Bigorre with the Sovereignty over them besides this Calais and the Counties d'Oye Guisnes and Ponthieu and three Millions of Livers as a Ransom for the King's person This Peace was very hard for France and continued not long King John forced by Necessity was oblig'd to do another thing little becoming his Grandeur for he sold his Daughter to Galeas Viscount of Milan for 600000 Crowns giving her in Marriage to the said Viscount This King presented his youngest Son Philip sirnamed the Hardy with the Dukedom of Burgundy it being vacant by the Death of the last Duke From this Philip descended the famous Dukes of Burgundy whose Territories at last devolved to the House of Austria This King died in England whither he was gone to make satisfaction for his Son who being a Hostage there had made his escape Some say that he went to see a Lady there with whom he was much in love § 11. King John was succeeded by his Son Charles V. sirnamed the Wise who prudently made amends for the Rashness of his Grandfather and Father never engaging himself in Battels with the English but by protracting the War and secret Intrigues endeavoured to tire out their Courage The disbanded Souldiers had mutineer'd and were become so Insolent that no body durst oppose them These he sent into Spain where Pieter sirnamed the Cruel and Henry I. fought for the Crown of Castile These Forces had put the Pope in such a fear that in their March he presented them with 200000 Livers and a good store of Indulgences to divert them thereby form taking their way near Avignon Prince Edward also engaged himself in this War but got nothing by it but a sickly Body and great want of Money Wherefore he pretendâng to lay a Tax upon his Subjects in Guienne to pay off his Souldiers they complained thereof to the King of France who having well prepared himself and being informed that the Prince languished under a mortal Disease summon'd him to appear in Paris pretending that the Peace made at Bretigny was of no force since the English had not performed the Conditions and had since that time committed Hostilities wherefore he insisted upon his former right of Sovereignty over Aquitain And Prince Edward having sent him a disdainfull Answer King Charles denounced War against the English A great many Fast-days and Processions were kept by the King's Order in France and the Priests made it their business to represent the Justice of the King's Cause and the Injustice of the English to the People By this way he insinuated himself into the Favour of the French that lived under the English Jurisdiction and persuaded his own Subjects to be more free in paying their Taxes The Archbishop of Tholouse alone did by his cunning Persuasions bring over to his Party above fifty Cities and strong Castles The Constable Bertrand du Guesolin did also great mischief to the English with small Parties and worsted them not only in several Rencounters but also beat them out of Perigord and Limosin But in Guienne especially the English Affairs were in a bad condition after the Spanish Fleet which was sent to the Assistance of the French by Henry King of Castile had ruin'd the English near Rochelle After which exploit Poictiers was taken from them and Rochelle upon very advantageous Conditions surrender'd it self to the King of France And King Edward being detained by contrary Winds not being able to bring over timely Relief Xaintonge Angoumois and some other places followed the Example of the former The English not long after with an Army of 30000 Men marched from Calais cross the Country as far as Guienne ravaging and plundering by the way where-ever they
Which so incensed the Queen that she having conceiv'd an implacable Hatred against her Son sided with the Duke of Burgundy whose Party was thereby greatly strengthen'd Thus commenced the intestine Wars wherein both Parties were so exasperated against one another that they had little regard to the great Success of the English who in the mean time conquer'd all Normandy and Roan it self The Dauphin intending at one blow to root out the Evil of these intestine Commotions cunningly invited the Duke of Burgundy to come to an Agreement with him when at their second meeting at Monterau he caused him to be kill'd But this stroke had a quite contrary effect For the generality of the Nation abominated the fact and the Queen took from hence an Opportunity totally to ruin her Son and to exclude him from the Succession Wherefore entring into a League with the murther'd Duke's Son Philip a Peace was concluded with Henry V. King of England by vertue of which he was to marry Catharine the Daughter of Charles VI. and during his Life to be Regent of France and after his Death to be put into the full possession of the Crown of France That both the Crowns of France and England should be united yet that each Kingdom should be ruled according to its own Laws Besides this a Sentence was pronounc'd against the Dauphin in Paris That by reason of the Murther committed by him upon the Duke of Bargundy he was declared incapable of the Crown and that he for ever should be banish'd the Kingdom He appeal'd from this Sentence to God and his Sword and set his Court up at Poictiers so that at that time there was in France two Governments and two Courts But the Affairs of the Dauphin were in a very ill condition very few of the Provinces siding with him those that did were Anjou Poictou Tours Auvergne Berry and Languedock but all of them mightily exhausted of Money But it was happy for him that the brave King Henry V. died in the very Flower of his Age and good Fortune as likewise did not long after Charles VI. whose Life by the Infirmities of his Mind being incapable of governing the Kingdom had greatly obstructed the Welfare of the Kingdom § 13. Charles VII whom we hitherto have call'd the Dauphin caused himself immediately after his Father's Death to be proclaim'd King with the Assistance of the Bravest among the French nevertheless his Affairs at the beginning were under very ill Circumstances For the Duke of Bedford who was constituted Regent in France having caused young Henry VI. of England to be proclaimed King of France in Paris in conjunction with the Dukes of Burgundy and Britainy try'd all ways to expell him quite out of France His Forces were several times miserably beaten by the English the greatest part of the Cities abandon'd him so that the English used to call him in derision the King of Bourges because he used commonly to reside there He was at last become so poor that he rarely could dine in Publick and it was observ'd that one time he had nothing for his Dinner but a piece of roasted Mutton and a couple of Fowls Besides this most of the great Men about him being dissatisfy'd with the ambitious Proceedings of the Constable Richmond had left the Court and were driving on their own Intrigues The only Comfort left to Charles was that there was a misunderstanding betwixt the English and the Duke of Burgundy else if they had with their joint Forces vigorously attack'd Charles he in all probability could not have held out long against them The occasion happen'd thus Jaqueline Countess of Hennegau Holland Zealand and Friesland being divorced from her Husband John Duke of Brabant a Cousin of the Duke of Burgundy was married again to the Duke of Gloucester Brother of Henry V. The Duke of Burgundy taking his Cousin's part it caused great Heart-burning betwixt him and the Duke of Gloucester The Duke of Bedford endeavour'd to appease them yet did the Duke of Burgundy from that time entertain a Grudge against the English which encreased afterwards when the English refused to put the City of Orleans into the Hands of the Duke of Burgundy This City being besieged by the English was reduc'd to the utmost Extremity the French which attack'd a Convoy which was going to the English Camp having been entirely beaten Which Engagement is called la journée des Haranes or the Battel of the Herrings Charles's Affairs were then become so desperate that he had resolv'd to retire into Dauphine when upon a sudden an unlook'd for help was sent him For a Country Maid born in Lorraine whose Name was Joan did pretend that she was sent from God to relieve Orleans and to see the King crowned at Rheims Both which she effected striking thereby great terrour into the English whereas on the other side the French being greatly encouraged by this Success saw their Affairs from henceforward mend every day But this poor Wench following the Wars longer as it seems than she had in Commission was taken Prisoner making a Sally out of Compeigne and being deliver'd to the English was with great dishonour burnt as a Witch at Roan The English perceiving their Affairs not to go so forward as formerly resolv'd to give them new Life and Vigour by bringing over the young King Henry and having him crowned in Paris And to keep fair with the Duke of Burgundy they gave him the Counties of Brie and Champaigne yet all this proved insufficient The War therefore having been thus carried on for several Years only with light Skirmishes both Parties being tir'd out a Treaty was at last propos'd by Mediation of the Pope at Arras but the English rigorously insisting upon their Pretensions which were very hard they were deserted by the Duke of Burgundy who made a separate Peace with Charles upon very advantageous Conditions There befell also the English another Misfortune by the Death of the Duke of Bedford who hitherto had administred the Affairs in France with great Prudence After this the Cities of France surrender'd themselves one after another to Charles among which was Paris which submitted it self to its natural Lord. But because the English had made miserable havock throughout France and the French Souldiers themselves being ill paid had committed great Depredations without any Order or Discipline a great Famine ensu'd and afterwards a great Plague It is related that the Wolves did snatch the Children out of the Streets of the Suburbs of St. Anthony in Paris The War having been thus protracted for a considerable time a Truce was concluded for some Years The King to be rid of the Souldiers sent them into Alsace under pretence to disturb the Council at Basil They killed at once 4000 Swiss but having lost double the number soon after returned home again In the mean time the English were degenerated from their former Valour their
Forces were extreamly diminish'd in France and the Souldiers for want of Pay had given themselves over to Plunder They wanted good Officers their Places were not well provided and their Subjects weary of the Government England at home was divided within it self and the English weakened by two Overthrows which they had received from the Scots Charles therefore having met with this Opportunity resolv'd to beat the English at once out of France He took for a Pretence of the War that they had broken the Truce in Britainy and with the Scots and attacking them with great Vigour in several places at once he drove them within the space of thirteen Months out of Normandy The next Year after he took from them Aquitain Bayonne being the last which surrender'd it self so that the English had nothing left on the Continent of France but Calais and the County of Guines Bourdeaux soon after revolted from the French and sought for Aid of the English but the brave Talbot having been kill'd in an Engagement it was retaken and re-united to the French Crown after it had been 300 Years in the possession of the English Thus did this King re-unite the mangled Kingdom having expell'd the English out of its Bowels Nevertheless he did not entirely enjoy the Fruits of his good Fortune living at variance with his Son who for the space of thirteen Years came not to Court. And being at last persuaded that a Design was formed against his Life it so disturb'd him that for fear of being poisoned he starved himself § 14. Him succeeded his Son Lewis XI a cunning resolute and malicious Prince who laid the first Foundation of the absolute Power since exercised by the Kings of France whereas formerly the Royal Power was kept under by the Authority of the great Men of the Kingdom He began with reforming his Court and Ministers according to his Pleasure Of which the great Men of the kingdom foreseeing the Consequence they enter'd into a League which they called La Ligue du bien public the League for the publick good wherewith they pretended to defend the Publick against the King's arbitrary Proceedings Among these were the Dukes of Burgundy and Britainy who were willing to keep the King within bounds In the Year 1465 Charles the young Duke of Burgundy enter'd France with an Army and fought a Battel with the King near Montlehery wherein the Advantage was near equal but because the King retreated a little backwards the Night following the Duke of Burgundy pretended to have gained the Victory which put him upon those Enterprizes which afterwards cost him his Life The King extricated himself with a great deal of Cunning out of this danger for he released the Taxes and with great Promises and fine Words appeased the People all which as soon as the danger was pass'd he revok'd at pleasure To dissolve the knot of this Faction he made Divisions betwixt the most powerfull the bravest he brought over to his side by giving them particular Advantages the rest he ruined by his Policy especially by bribing their Friends and Servants And being in great want of Money he borrow'd great Summs of his Servants and such as refused to lend were put out of their Employments Which 't is said gave the first occasion that the Offices were afterwards sold in France But the Duke of Burgundy persisted in his Opposition who had in the Year 1468 hem'd him in at Peronne which danger he however escaped At last Lewis was rid of this his troublesome Enemy who had laid so many Designs against him he being kill'd by the Swiss near Nancy Lewis taking advantage of the great Confusion which was occasioned by the Death of the Duke in that Country took possession of the Dukedom of Burgundy under pretext that the same was an Appanage and brought over to his side the Cities situated on the River Some which had been under the Jurisdiction of Charles It was generally believ'd That Lewis by way of Marriage might easily have annexed the whole Inheritance of this Duke unto France if he had not conceived such an implacable hatred against this House that he was resolved to ruin it Two Years before the Death of the Duke of Burgundy King Edward IV. landed with a great Army in France whom Lewis with Presents and fair Promises persuaded to return home again He united to the Crown Provence Anjou and Muns having obtained the same by the last Will and Testament of Charles d' Anjou Count de Maine who was the last Male Heir of the House of Anjou notwithstanding that Rene Duke of Lorraine Son of Ygland d' Anjou pretended a Right to the same by his Mother's side In his latter days he lived miserably and grew ridiculous being in continual fear of death He died in the Year 1483. § 15. His Son Charles VIII had at the beginning of his Reign his Hands full with the Duke of Britainy and was marching with an Army to unite that Province by main force to the Crown But understanding that Maximilian of Austria had concluded a Match betwixt Anna the only Heiress of this Dukedom and himself the French King did think it no ways adviseable to let such a delicious Morsel fall to the share of the House of Austria but obliged the Bride partly by force partly by fair words to renounce Maximilian and to be married to himself whereby this Country was united to France And tho' Henry VII King of England did not look with a good Eye upon the growing Power of France and therefore with a great Army besieged Boulogne yet in consideration of a good Summ of Money he was prevailed upon to return home again especially since Maximilian who had received a double affront from Charles who had not only taken his Bride from him but also had sent back his Daughter Margaret which was promised to him in Marriage did not join his Forces with him according to Agreement Maximilian took Arras and St. Omer but being not able to go further he consented that his Son Philip Lord of the Netherlands might make a Truce with Charles On the other side Charles gave to Ferdinand the Catholick the Counties of Russilion and Cerdagne some say to engage him thereby not to oppose his intended Expedition against Naples Others say that Ferdinand corrupted Charles's Confessour to persuade him that he should restore that Country to its lawfull Sovereign France being thus by the Union with Britainy become an entire Kingdom it began to contrive how to obtain the Sovereignty over Italy Charles had a Pretension because the Right and Title of the Family of Anjo and Naples was by the Death of the last Duke of Anjou and Earl of Provence devolv'd to Lewis XI and consequently to himself But this young King received the greatest Encouragement from Lewis sirnamed Morus or the Black Duke of Milan who having Tuition of his Nephew
John Galeas the true Heir of this Dukedom but a weak Prince had under that Pretence made himself Master of the same This Duke fearing that he might be put out of possession by Ferdinand King of Naples whose Son Alfonsus's Daughter Isabella was married to John Galeas endeavour'd to give Ferdinand his Hands full of Work that he might not be at leisure to think of him knowing also that Ferdinand and his Son Alfonsus were much hated by their Subjects for their Tyranny and Impiety An Expedition was therefore undertaken against Naples which proved the occasion of continual Miseries to Italy for the space of forty Years for so long it was the Cock-pit for the French Germans and Spaniards and at last lost a great part of its ancient Liberty It seem'd to be fatal to Italy that the wise Italians either could or would not prevent this Expedition which was design'd two Years before Charles had at the beginning all the Success imaginable for the Italian Troops were in a very ill condition and there being no body who durst oppose him Florence and the Pope sided with him the latter declaring Charles King of Naples King Alfonsus stirr'd up by his own Conscience abdicated himself transferring all his Right and Title upon his Son Ferdinand But his Forces being soon beaten and dispers'd Charles made his solemn Entry into Naples with loud Acclamations Immediately the whole Kingdom submitted to him except the Isle of Iseria and the Cities of Brundisi and Gallipoli The Conquest of so fair a Kingdom and that within five Months time struck a Terrour into the Turkish Emperour himself being in fear at constantinople and Greece being ready to rebell as soon as the French should land on that side But the Face of Affairs was quickly changed for the French by their ill behaviour quickly lost the Favour of the Neapolitans the King minded nothing but Gaming and the rest following his Example were careless in maintaining their Conquest Besides this it was look'd upon as a thing of such Consequence by the rest of the Princes of Europe that the Emperour the Pope King Ferdinand of Arragon Venice and Milan enter'd into a Confederacy to drive the French out of Italy Charles therefore fearing lest his Retreat might be cut off took his Way by Land into France having left things but in an indifferent state of Defence in Naples In his March he was met by the Confederate Army near the River of Taro where a Battel was fought in which tho' there were more kill'd on the Confederate side than of the French yet he marched forward with such Precipitation as if he had lost the Battel Charles was no sooner returned into France but Ferdinand soon retook without great trouble the Kingdom of Naples to the great Dishonour of the French who were not able to maintain themselves there a whole Year of whom very few return'd alive into France Not long after Charles died without Issue § 16. Him succeeded Lewis XII formerly Duke of Orleans who not to lose Britainy married Anna Widow of the late King He made War soon after on Milan pretending a Right to that Dukedom by his Grandmother's side and having conquer'd the same within 21 days Lewis the Black was forc'd to fly with his Children and all his Treasure into Germany But the Inhabitants of Milan grew quickly weary of the French their free Conversation with the Women being especially intolerable to them and therefore recall'd their Duke who having got together an Army of Swiss was joyfully receiv'd and regain'd the whole Country except the Castle of Milan and the City of Novara But Lewis sending timely Relief the Duke ' s Swiss Souldiers refused to fight against the French so that the Duke endeavouring to save himself by flight in a common Souldiers Habit was taken Prisoner and kept ten Years in Prison at Loches where he died Thus the French got Milan and the City of Genoua again After so great Success Lewis began to think of the Kingdom of Naples To obtain which he made a League with Ferdinand the Catholick wherein it was agreed that they should divide the Kingdom betwixt them so that the French should have for their share Naples Terre de Labour and Abruzze and the Spaniards Poville and Calabria Each of them got his share without any great trouble Frederick King of Naples surrendring himself to King Lewis who allowed him a yearly Pension of 30000 Crowns But soon after new Differences arose betwixt these two haughty Nations concerning the Limits for the French pretended that the Country of Capitanate which is very considerable for its Taxes paid for Sheep which are there in great numbers did belong to Abruzze whereas the Spaniards would have it belong to Poville and from Words they came to Blows The French at first had somewhat the better but as soon as Gonsalvus de Cordoua that cunning Spaniard had broke their first Fury and Lewis did not send sufficient Relief they were as shamefully beaten again out of the Kingdom as they had been before Lewis endeavoured to revenge himself upon the Spaniards in the Year next following but tho' he attack'd them with four several Armies yet could he not gain any thing upon them Wherefore he made a Peace with Ferdinand and enter'd into an Alliance with him against Philip Son-in-law to Ferdinand who having after the death of Isabella taken from him the Kingdom of Castile was upheld by his Father Maximilian and back'd by Henry King of England whose Son had married his Wife's Sister In the Year 1507 the City of Genoua rebell'd against Lewis but was soon reduced to her former Obedience Then the War began afresh in Italy with the Venetians who being too much addicted to self-interest had drawn upon themselves the hatred of all their Neighbours having encroached upon every one of them and Lewis especially attributed to them his loss of the Kingdom of Naples To humble this proud State a League was concluded at Cambray betwixt the Emperour the Pope the Kings of France and Spain Lewis by entring into a Confederacy with his mortal Enemies had more regard to his Passion than his Interest it being certain that he might upon all occasions have trusted to the Friendship of the Venetians But now he was the first that fell upon them and defeated them in a great Battel near Giera d' Addua which caused such a Terror among them that they left all what they had on the Continent within twenty days and if Lewis had pursued his Victory whilst they were under this first Consternation he might doubtless have put a period to their Greatness But in the mean time that he marched back towards Milan not making the best of his Victory they got leisure to recover themselves especially since the Emperour Maximilian was not in earnest against them and Pope Julius II. was reconciled to them Nay in
from thence to Constantinople Francis thought to have met now with a fair Opportunity because Charles had suffered a considerable loss before Algier He therefore attack'd the Emperour with five several Armies at once But the strongest of all which lay before Perpignan did nothing the Second took some Places in the Country of Luxemburgh The Emperour Solyman also made a great Diversion in Hungary taking Gran and some other Places The great Pyrate Barbarossa arriv'd in Prevence with his Fleet but did more mischief than good to France But Charles on the other hand made an Alliance with Henry VIII who was dissatisfy'd with Francis because he had taken part with the Scots and would not renounce his Obedience to the Pope He after he had beat the Duke of Cleves who depended on the French besieged Landrecy with a great Army but to no purpose In the mean time the French had obtain'd a most signal Victory over the Imperial Forces near Cerisolles in Piedmont But the King could not prosecute his Victory being obliged to recall his Troops because the Emperour and Henry King of England had made an Agreement with an Army of 80000 Foot and 22000 Horse to fall into France the first by the Way of Champagne the second by the Way of Picardy to join their Forces near Paris to ransack the City and all the adjacent Countries as far as to the River Loire The Emperour took by the Way Luxemburgh lay six Weeks before Disier got abundance of Provision in Espernay and Chasteau Thierry which put the whole City of Paris into a great Consternation and no small Danger seemed to threaten that City if King Henry had joined his Forces in time according to his Promise But he losing his Time in the Sieges of Boulogne and Monstrevil Charles hearkened to a Peace which was concluded at Crespy By vertue of this Peace all the Places were restored and the Emperour promised to the Duke of Orleans the second Son of the King either his or his Brother's Daughter in Marriage and to give for her Dowry either Milan or the Netherlands which was not performed because the said Duke died in the Year next following Francis also made a Peace with England under Condition that he should have liberty to redeem Boulogne for a certain Summ of Money He died in the Year 1547. § 18. Him succeeded his Son Henry II. to whom fell the Marquisate of Saluzze as a Fief of Dauphine the last Marquiss Gabriel dying without Issue He severely chastiz'd the City of Bourdeaux which had rebelled against him In the Year next following he redeemed Boulogne for a certain Summ of Money from the English In the Year 1551 the Emperour being engaged in a War against the Turks and the German Princes being very jealous of his Greatness Henry thought to have met with a fit Opportunity to break with him He began therefore in the Netherlands and Piedmont and having made an Alliance with Maurice Elector of Saxony he marched with his Army towards the Rhine and surpriz'd by the Way the Cities of Metz Toul and Verdun and would have done the same with Strasbourgh if they had not been upon their Guard there But the Elector of Saxony having made a Peace with the Emperour without including the King and some Princes intreating him not to advance farther into the Empire he marched back into the Country of Luxembourgh where he took some Places The Emperour then besieged Metz with an Army of 100000 Men but the Duke of Guise defended himself so bravely that the Emperour was obliged to raise the Siege with great loss To revenge this Affront he attack'd Terouëne in Artois with great Fury and rased to the Ground this Fortress which had proved hitherto so troublesome to the Netherlands The same he did to Hesdin both the Garrisons being put to the Sword On the other side the French took Siena in Italy and several Places in the Island of Corsica but were again beaten out of Siena after they had been maul'd near Marciano In the Year 1556 a Truce was concluded at Vaucelles near Cambray the Emperour being desirous to leave the Kingdom to his Son to whom he had surrender'd the same in Peace But the Truce was scarce confirm'd by Oath when the French upon the Instigation of Pope Paul IV. broke the same again who having some Differences with Spain persuaded Henry to take his part The Duke of Guise was therefore sent into Italy with an Army but did nothing worth mentioning In the mean time King Philip had gathered an Army of 50000 Men hoping thereby to establish his Reputation in the beginning of his Reign and having also drawn England into the War he besieged St. Quintin into which place the Admiral Gaspar Coligny had thrown himself The Constable Montmorency advanced with an Army to the Relief of the Place but retreating again in sight of the Enemies they fell upon him and gave him a terrible Defeat France had been then in the utmost danger if this Victorious Army had march'd directly towards Paris and if the Enemies Design upon Lyons had not miscarry'd But King Philip feared least the Duke of Savoy who commanded his Army might take this Opportunity to reconcile himself to France upon some advantageous Conditions wherefore he would not let him march on far into the Country but took St. Quintin by Storm and lost his Time in the taking of Han Chastelet and Noyon This gave leisure to the French to recollect themselves and having recall'd the Duke of Guise out of Italy they retook Calais and those few other places which remained under the English thereabouts as likewise Thionville in the Year 1559. In the same Year a Project was set on foot to unite the Kingdom of Scotland with France by a Marriage betwixt Queen Mary and the Dauphine Francis but the same miscarried no Children being born of them The Mareschal de Fermes who made an Inrode into Flanders was soundly beaten near Gravelingen At last a Peace was concluded at Chasteau en Cambresis which prov'd very pernicious for France because for the Castle of Cambray the Cities of Han Chastelet and St. Quintin there were not only 198 Places redeliver'd to Spain and the Duke of Savoy restor'd but also this Peace was partly the Occasion of those intestine Wars which afterwards miserably tore in pieces the Kingdom of France It was also resolv'd in France not to intermeddle any more in the Italian Affairs and to dissolve the Alliance with the Turks After this Peace was concluded Henry was kill'd in a Turnament a Splinter of a broken Lance having got into his Eye for the King had challeng'd the Earl of Montgomery to run against him with an open Vizier and as soon as he was wounded he lost both his Senses and Speech and died within eleven days By this Accident the Wedding which he celebrated for his Sister Margaret which was married to Chilibert
Emanuel Duke of Savoy was very mournfully consummated § 19. Him succeeded his Son Francis II. under whose Reign the French Divisions began to break out with Fury in their own Bowels which continued near 40 Years whereas formerly the violent Heat of this Nation had been quell'd partly by the Wars with the English partly by the several Expeditions undertaken against Italy Concerning the Causes of these Intestine Wars it is to be observ'd That after the House of Valois came to the Crown the next in Blood were those of the House of Bourbon which House was grown so Potent by its Riches Power and Authority of a great many brave Persons which descended from it that the preceding Kings were grown extreamly jealous of it And tho' Francis I. at the beginning of his Reign did constitute the Duke of Bourbon Constable yet being soon convinced afterwards of the Reasons which had induc'd his Ancestors to keep under this House he us'd all his Endeavours to humble the said Charles of Bourbon For this Reason he enter'd into a Conspiracy against Francis which having been discover'd he went over to Charles V. and commanded as General in the Battel near Pavia where Francis was taken Prisoner and was slain in the storming of Rome By his Death the House of Bourbon receiv'd a great blow those who were left being look'd upon with a very ill Eye tho' they kept themselves very quiet to extinguish the Suspicion and Hatred conceiv'd against them The House of Bourbon being thus brought very low the two Houses of Montmorency and Guise held up their Heads under the Reign of Francis I. The first was one of the most ancient in France the latter was a Branch of the House of Lorrain The Head of the first was Annas Montmorency Constable of France of the latter Claude Duke of Guise Both of them were in great Favour and Authority with Francis I. but both fell into Disgrace at the latter end of his Reign being banish'd the Court It is related of Francis I. that just before his Death he advised his Son Henry to consult with neither of them in his Affairs since too great and too able Ministers proved often dangerous Yet notwithstanding this Henry II. did receive both Annas Montmorency and Francis de Guise the Son of Claude into his particular Favour who quickly grew jealous of one another the first taking much upon him because of his Experience in State Affairs and Gravity the latter being puff'd up with the Glory of Martial Exploits and the Applause of the People the Authority of the Duke of Guise was greatly encreas'd after he had repuls'd Charles V. from before Metz and taken Calais whereas the unfortunate Battel fought near St. Quintin and the ensuing dishonourable Peace were very prejudicial to Montmorency But the House of Guise got the greatest Advantage after Francis II. had marry'd Mary Queen of Scotland whose Mother was Sister to the Duke of Guise So that during the Reign of Francis II. the Duke of Guise and the Cardinal his Brother were the Men that bore the greatest Sway in the Kingdom which extreamly exasperated Montmorency and the two Brothers of Bourbon Anthony King of Navarre and the Prince of Conde seeing themselves thus neglected And tho' Anthony was of a very modest Behaviour watching only an Opportunity to regain his Kingdom of Navarre from the Spaniards and having a sufficient Revenue out of his Country of Bearn wherewithal to maintain himself yet the Prince of Conde was Ambitious Poor and of a turbulent Spirit who was not able to maintain his Grandeur without some considerable Employment Besides this he was continually stirr'd up by the Admiral Gaspar Coligny an ambitious cunning and fly Man who as his Enemies will have it was very forward to fish in troubled Waters his Brother d' Andelot also being of a very wild and turbulent Spirit These three only watch'd an Opportunity to raise Commotions in the Kingdom Thus the great Men of the Kingdom were divided into these several Factions at the Time when Francis II. began his Reign a Prince scarce sixteen Years old weak both in Body and Mind and therefore incapable to rule the Kingdom by himself Several therefore pretended to have a right to the Administration of the Government these of Bourbon as being the next Princes of the Blood the House of Guise as being nearly related to the Queen and the Queen Mother Catharine de Medicis the very pattern of an aspiring and cunning Woman hoped That whilst the Princes were in contest about the Administration of the Government it would fall to her share wherefore she always fomented the Divisions by keeping up the Balance betwixt them This Catharine first sided with the House of Guise dividing the Administration of Affairs with them so that she was to have the Supream Administration the Duke of Guise was to manage the Military Affairs and his Brother the Cardinal the Finances This Agreement being made betwixt them the Constable under pretence of his old Age was dismiss'd from Court and the Prince of Conde sent as Ambassadour into Spain These who were thus excluded had a meeting to consider which way they might free themselves from these Oppressions where it was resolv'd that the King of Navarre should intercede for them at Court who being put off with fair words and empty Promiess set himself at rest Conde was resolv'd to try his Fortune by force but having not a sufficient Interest Coligny advised him he should side with the Huguenots for so they callâd in France those who profess'd the Protestant Religion who labour'd then under a severe Persecution and wanted a Head under whose Conduct they might obtain the free Exercise of their Religion Besides that they mortally hated those of Guise whom they supposed to be the Authors of their Persecution The Business was thus concerted That the Huguenots should assemble in private and some of them by a humble Petition to request the free Exercise of their Religion at Court which if it should be refus'd the rest should be at hand to kill those of Guise and to force the King to receive the Prince of Conde for his chief Minister of State The Execution of this Design was undertaken by a certain Gentleman call'd Renaudie but the Enterprize being deferr'd for some time because the Court went from Blois to Amboise it was discover'd and thereby render'd inpracticable above twelve hundred that were taken paying with their Lives for it Conde was also sent to Prison and was just upon the point of receiving Sentence of Death when Francis II. after a very short Reign died suddenly of an Ulcer in the Head which caused great Alterations in the Affairs of the Kigdom § 20. Him succeeded his Brother Charles IX then scarce eleven Years old whose Tuition his Mother Catharine took immediately upon her self hoping to enjoy it quietly whilst the Houses of Bourbon and Guise were engag'd in mutual
given them for their Security But immediately in the Year next following the fifth War commenc'd at which time also a third Faction arose in France which was call'd that of the Politicians they pretended without having any regard to the Religious Differences to seek the publick Welfare to have the Queen remov'd from the Administration of the Government and the Italians and those of Guise to be banish'd the Kingdom of France The Heads of this Faction were those of the House of Montmorency who intended during these Troubles to play their own Game These were afterwards very instrumental in helping Henry IV. to the Crown During these Troubles Charles IX died leaving no legitimate Issue behind him § 21. After the Death of Charles IX the Crown fell to Henry III. who was at that time in Poland during whose absence his Mother Catharine govern'd the Kingdom which was in a very confus'd Estate He left Poland privately and taking his Way by Vienna and Venice arriv'd safely in France But after he had taken upon him the Administration of Affairs he deceiv'd every body in those Hopes which were conceiv'd of him before For he being addicted only to his Pleasures and Idleness was led away by his Favourites leaving the chief Administration of the Kingdom to his Mother The Huguenots Power encreas'd remarkably after the Duke of Alenson the Kings Brother sided with them and Conde and the Paltzgrave John Casimir led an Army out of Germany into France besides that the King of Navarre found means to make his escape out of Prison The fifth Peace was therefore concluded with the Huguenots whereby they obtain'd very advantageous Conditions About the same time a new Faction was set up which was compos'd of a great many small ones this was call'd The holy Vnion or League which reduc'd France to the most miserable Condition that could be The chief promoter of it was Henry Duke of Guise who perceiving that the great Authority which he had among the People made him to be hated by the King endeavour'd to make a Party of his own He made use especially of the Priests and common People of Paris among whom the Name of the Guises was in great Veneration He was encouraged to undertake this Design because the King was despis'd by all and the Women by their Intrigues rul'd at Court Besides this he pretended to be descended from the Race of Charles the Great which was excluded unjustly from the Crown by Hugh Capet The Pretence of this League was the Catholick Religion and there was a Draught made of this League which contain'd chiefly three things viz. The Defence of the Catholick Religion the Establishment of Henry III. in the Throne and the maintaining the Liberty of the Kingdom and the Assembly of the States Those who enter'd into this League promis'd to be obedient to such Head or General as should be chosen for the Defence of this League all which was confirm'd by Oath At the first setting up of this League the King conniv'd at it hoping thereby the sooner to subdue the Huguenots nay he himself subscrib'd the same at the Dyet at Blois declaring himself the Head of this League Then the sixth War was begun against the Huguenots but the King made Peace with them the same Year notwithstanding that they were in a very ill Condition neither was any thing done worth mentioning in this War The War being ended the King returning to his Pleasures confounded great Summs of Money and therefore laid new and heavy Impositions upon the People and his Favourites grew very Insolent which increas'd the Hatred against him and at the same time the Respect and Love of the People to those of Guise Besides this the Duke of Alenson the King's Brother declaring himself Lord of the Netherlands Philip King of Spain was provoked to revenge himself of the French and upheld the League In the Year 1579 the Seventh War was begun against the Huguenots wherein also they succeeded very ill Notwithstanding this the King made a Peace with them in the Year next following he being unwilling that they should be quite rooted out for fear that the League might prove too strong for himself The German Horse were also much fear'd and the Duke of Alenson was very forward to have the Peace concluded that he might be at leisure to employ his Forces in the Netherlands This Peace lasted five Years during which time the Hatred against the King increas'd daily because of the heavy Taxes which were devour'd by his Favourites He made himself also the more despis'd by playing too much the Hypocrite and by transforming himself almost into a Monk The French Glory was also much eclips'd when the Duke of Alenson behav'd himself so ill in the Netherlands and the French Fleet which was sent to the Assistance of Anthony the Bastard was totally ruin'd near Tercera But the League grew very strong after the Death of the Duke of Alenson the King 's younger Brother the King having no hopes of any Issue of his Body Then it was that the Duke of Guise propos'd to himself no less than the Crown tho' he for a colour set up the Cardinal of Bourbon thereby to exclude the King of Navarre And because it was suspected that the King favour'd the King of Navarre the Priests began to thunder in the Pulpits and to make horrid Exclamations that the Catholick Religion was lost the Duke of Guise enter'd into a Confederacy with Philip who was to furnish great Summs of Money under pretext of maintaining the Catholick Religion and to assist the Cardinal of Bourbon in obtaining the Crown but in effect this Intention was to uphold the Divisions in France thereby to disenable it to take part with the Netherlands Then the Leaguers began to break out into an open War and having taken a great many Towns oblig'd the King according to their Demands to forbid the Exercise of the Protestant Religion in France And so began the Eighth War against the Huguenots and if the King had been in earnest to ruin them they would have been in a very ill Condition For tho' the King of Navarre beat the Duke de Joyeuse near Coutras yet did he not prosecute his Victory And about the same time the Duke of Guise dispers'd the German and Swiss Forces which under the Command of Fabian de Dona were marching to the Assistance of the Huguenots This Army being destitute of a good Commander was miserably maul'd and the rest sent home in a very shamefull Condition This Victory acquir'd the Duke of Guise great Applause and Favour among the People and still lessen'd the Value of the King's Person so that the Priests now did not stick to exclaim against the King in their Sermons calling him a Tyrant The King therefore having resolv'd with himself to punish the Heads of the League in Paris they broke out into open Rebellion and having sent
might not be devoured by the House of Austria he was resolved to prevent with all his Might This is certain that his Preparations were greater than seem'd to be requisite only for the business of Juliers for he and his Allies had got 120000 Men together and prodigious Summs of Money The House of Austria on the other hand did not make the least Preparations just as if it had fore-known the fatal Blow which happened soon after The Army was marching towards the Netherlands and the King ready to follow in a few days having caused the Queen to be Crowned and constituted her Regent during his absence When the King going along the Street in Paris in his Coach which was fain to stop by reason of the great Croud of the People was by a desperate Ruffian whose Name was Francis Ravillac stabb'd with a Knife in his Belly so that he without uttering one word died immediately There are some who make no-question of it but that this Villain was set on to commit this fact and that it was not done without the knowledge of the Spaniards and the Queen her self And so fell this great Hero by the hands of a profligate Wretch after he had surmounted great Difficulties in ascending the Throne and had avoided above fifty several Conspiracies which being most contrived by the Priests against his Life were all timely discovered His Death proved very pernicious to the Kingdom because during the Minority of his Son the Power of the Great Men and also of the Huguenots did extreamly encrease § 23. His Son Lewis XIII succeeded him being scarce nine Years of Age and under the Tuition of his Mother Mary de Medicis she endeavour'd to preserve Peace abroad by Alliance and at home by Clemency and Liberality towards the great Men of the Kingdom who nevertheless several times raised Disturbances whereby they made their own advantage the Queen-Regent being not Powerfull enough to keep them in Obedience by force As soon as the King had taken upon himself the Management of Affairs he caused Concini Marshal d' Ancre who was born a Florentine to be killed he having been in great Power during the Queen's Regency and by his Pride Riches and Power drawn upon himself the Hatred of the Subjects by his Death he hoped to appease the dissatisfied Multitude The Queen-Mother was sent away from Court to Blois from whence she was carried away by the Duke d' Espernon And these Commotions were at last appeased by bestowing liberal Presents among the Great Men. About the same time Richlieu afterwards made a Cardinal began to be in great Esteem in Court who advised the King to establish his Authority and to take up by the Roots the intestine Evils of France He laid this down as a fundamental Principle That he should take from the Huguenots the power of doing him any mischief considering that such as were dissatisfied at any time or that were of a turbulent Spirit took always refuge and were assisted by them The first beginning was made in the King 's Patrimonial Province of Bearn where he caused the Catholick Religion to be re-establish'd The Huguenots being greatly dissatisfied thereat began to break out into Violence whence the King took an opportunity to recover several Places from them but sustained a considerable Loss in the Siege of Montauban till at last Peace was made with the Huguenots under condition that they should demolish all their new Fortifications except those of Montauban and Rochelle In the Year 1625 Cardinal Richlieu was made Chief Minister of France about which time also the second War with the Huguenots was ended But this Peace did not last long because those of Rochelle would not bear that the Fortress called Fort-Lewis should be built just under their Noses Richlieu therefore having taken a resolution at once to put an end to this War by the taking of Rochell besieg'd it so close both by Sea and Land that the English who had had very ill Success in the Isle of Rhée where they Landed could bring no Succours into the place Their Obstinacy was at last over-come by Famine of 18000 Citizens there having been not above 5000 left for they had lived without Bread for thirteen Weeks With this stroke the Strength of the Huguenots was broken Montauban upon the persuasion of the Cardinal having demolished its Works The cunning Duke of Roan also at last made his peace after he had been sufficiently troublesome to the King in Languedoc under condition that the Cities of Nismes and Montpelier should demolish their Fortifications but for the rest enjoy the free Exercise of their Religion And thus the Ulcer which had settled it self in the very Entrails of France was happily healed up It is related by some that these Civil Wars have devoured above a Million of People that 150 Millions were employed in paying of the Souldiers that nine Cities 400 Villages 20000 Churches 2000 Monasteries and 100000 Houses were burnt or laid level with the ground Then France applied all their care towards Foreign Affairs The King assisted the Duke of Nevers in obtaining the Dukedom of Mantua which belonged to him by Right of Succession but whom the Spaniards endeavour'd to exclude from the same as being a French-man In this War the Siege of Casal is most famous in the defence of which place the French gave incredible proofs of their Bravery At last the business was through the wise Management of the Popish Nuncio Mazarini who then laid the first Foundation of his future Greatness in France composed and the Duke of Nevers afterwards by the Treaty made at Chierasco establish'd in the Dukedoms of Mantua and Montferrat The King also bought Pignerol of the Duke of Savoy that so the French might not want a door into Italy France had also before taken part with the Grisons against the Inhabitants of the Valteline who had revolted being assisted by the Spaniards whereby he prevented this Country from falling into the Hands of the Spaniards and so Matters were restored to their former State In the Year 1631 France made an Alliance with Sweden allowing to that King a yearly Pension to assist him in opposing the Greatness of the House of Austria But when King Gustavus Adolphus began to be formidable on the Rhine he took the Elector of Treves into his protection putting a Garrison into Hermanstein which nevertheless in the Year 1636 was forced to a Surrender by Famine In the mean time the Queen-Mother and the Kings Brother the Duke of Orleans envying the Greatness of Richelieu had raised some tumults With them also sided Montmorency who paid for it with his Head and put an inglorious end to his noble Family which boasted to have been the first noble Family that embrac'd the Christian Religion in France And tho' this business was afterwards Composed the Queen Mother being received into Favour again yet was she so
Emperour clapt up a Peace with the Turks fearing lest the King of France might make use of this Opportunity to fall into the Netherlands Yet those Forces which were sent to the Assistance of the Venetians into Candie did not acquire so much Glory they being too forward and hot in the first Onset where they lost the Duke of Beaufort In the Year 1665 the King of France kindled a War betwixt the English and Dutch thereby to weaken their Naval Force which was so formidable to him and in the mean while to get leisure to conquer the Netherlands In the Year 1667 he enter'd the Netherlands in person and took Charleroy Lisle Tournay Doway Courtray Oudenarde and some other places pretending that the Netherlands did belong to him in right of his Queen by vertue of the jus devolutionis or right of devolution in Brabant notwithstanding that in the Marriage Contract she had renounc'd all her Title to it He also conquer'd the County of Burgundy but after having demolish'd the Fortifications he restor'd it again but kept those places which he had taken in the Netherlands by vertue of the Peace concluded at Aix la Chapelle The tripple Alliance as it is call'd made betwixt Sweden England and Holland which was intended for the Preservation of the Netherlands did greatly hasten this Peace tho' France afterwards found out a way to draw the English Court from this Alliance and to join with him in humbling the Hollanders who he said were too proud For tho' France all along had been in the Interest of Holland yet the King took it very ill that the Dutch had made a Peace at Munster without including France and that they had been so bold as to undertake the Preservation of the Netherlands and when afterwards the King put strong Garrisons into the conquer'd places they sent a Fleet on these Coasts as it were to brave him The tripple Alliance also was displeasing to him and some are of Opinion that the King of England who had not forgot the Business at Chatam and that the Peace concluded at Breda was not according to his wish had engag'd himself in this Alliance only to draw in the Dutch thereby and so to exasperate the King of France against them At last France in conjunction with England made War on Holland with prodigious Success at first for he took three Provinces viz. Gueldres Over-yssel and Vtrecht besides that he had already possess'd himself of some Passes leading into Holland But his Confederate the Bishop of Munster had not the same Success in the Siege of Groningen and afterwards lost Coeverden again And the Dutch had better Success at Sea where they behaved themselves bravely in four several Engagements whereas the French Fleet as the English say did not engage heartily Besides England grew Jealous of the great Success of the French which was one reason why the Parliament did in a manner oblige the King to make a separate Peace with Holland fearing that France after England and Holland had destroy'd one another at Sea might also at last fall upon them The Emperour and Elector of Brandenburgh endeavour'd immediately at the beginning of the War to give a Diversion to France but to no great purpose since they did nothing but ruin several Provinces in Germany and drew Turenne with his Army thither who ravag'd the Country but especially Westphalia The Elector of Brandenburgh made a Peace with France at Vossem whereby he got the Restitution of his strong Holds in the Dutchy of Cleves but as soon as he got them into his possession he made no great account of the Peace In the Year next following France took the strong City of Mastricht where the French both shew'd their Bravery and Dexterity in attacking of places On the other hand the Imperialists had good Success against Turenne who pretended to oppose their March for they trick'd him and having march'd to the lower Rhine in conjunction with the Spaniard and Prince of Orange took Bon This and the loss of Narden which the Dutch took caus'd the French to leave Vtrecht and all the other places in the United Provinces except Grave and Mastricht For it seem'd very difficult to maintain so many Garrisons and at the same time to have a sufficient Army in the Field to oppose the Enemy since it might easily have happen'd that all Correspondency with these places in the United Provinces might have been cut off by the Enemy Afterwards Spain and the whole German Empire declar'd against France and a great many were of Opinion That the joint Power of Spain Holland and Germany would be sufficient to curb the French and to carry the Seat of the War into France it self but this could not be effected 'T is true the Germans did take from the French Philipsburgh and beat them out of Treves where Mareschal de Crequi receiv'd a Defeat But on the other hand the Germans were several times also especially near Sintsheim and in Alsace worsted by the French and oblig'd to repass the Rhine And in the Year 1675 there was a great probability that it would not have gone very well with them on this side of the Rhine if the brave Turenne had not been kill'd by an accidental Shot which oblig'd the French who were ignorant of his Design after a sharp Engagement to retire on the other side of the Rhine For the rest Spain lost most by this War for the Franche Compte was taken from them Messina receiv'd voluntarily a French Garrison and the Dutch Fleet which was sent to the Assistance of the Spaniards into Sicily got nothing but Blows the brave Admiral de Ruyter being there slain tho' afterwards the French quitted Messina on their own accord Besides this the French took from them these strong holds Limburgh Conde Valenciennes Cambray Yper St. Omer Aire and several others The Prince of Orange retook Graves but in the Battel of Seneffe and St. Omer he was worsted and sustained a considerable loss before Mastricht At last France ended this War very gloriously for it self restoring to Holland what it had taken from those Provinces but kept Burgundy and a great many strong places in the Spanish Netherlands In Germany in lieu of Philipsburgh it got Friburgh and for the rest the Westphalian and Copenhagen Treaties were renewed by Virtue of which Sweden was restored to its own again § 25. To consider the French Nation whose History we have briefly related it must be observ'd That it is swarming if I may so speak with People and sow'd thick with Cities and Towns Under the Reign of Charles IX it is related That above twenty Millions of People paid the Poll Tax Some say That Richlieu affirm'd that by Computation France could bring into the Field 600000 Foot and 150000 Horse provided every Man that was able to bear Arms did go into the Field This Nation also has been always warlike nevertheless in
that it is absolutely against the Interest of some States to join themselves against France For as Affairs now stand Portugal is not likely to join with Spain Sweden with Denmark Poland with the House of Austria against France Neither is it probable that the Italian Princes will be desirous to assist the Emperour and Spain in subduing of France except we must suppose them to be willing to promote their own Ruin Neither is it likely that England and Holland will agree in a War against France for whilst one of them is engag'd in a War against France it seems to be the Interest of the other to stand Neuter and to promote its own Trade and Navigation It is also not very probable that the Princes of Germany especially those of the Protestant Religion should be willing to see France fall before the House of Austria since both their Power and Religion would stand upon slippery Ground if not supported by a Foreign Power Wherefore it seems to be no difficult task to persuade some of the Protestant Princes at least to sit still The Swiss also are not likely to co-operate with Spain and the House of Austria in the Conquest of France and therefore it would not be so difficult for France to defend it self against the House of Austria and all its Confederates Not to mention here that in such a case Sweden and Poland would not leave France if they were in a Condition to assist it But it is not probable that France should make any account upon an Alliance with the Turks except in the greatest Extremity for the Mahometan Princes have learn'd by Experience that where-ever they have intermedled with the Christians in their Wars these commonly have clapt up a Peace without including them or having any regard to their Interest On the other hand France seems not to be strong enough to overturn all the States of Europe by his Conquests For France may be the most potent Kingdom in Christendom but not the only one and by extending its Conquests too far it would be weaken'd within In the mean time those lesser States bordering upon France are in great danger to be devour'd by so flourishing a Kingdom CHAP VI. Of the United Provinces § 1. THat Country which is commonly call'd the Netherlands or the Lower Germany was anciently comprehended partly under Gaul partly under Germany according as they were situated either on this or the other side of the Rhine which was the ancient Boundary of these two vast Countries That part which was situated on this side of the Rhine was by Julius Caesar together with the rest of Gaul reduc'd under the Obedience of the Roman Empire Afterwards the Batavi and the Zealanders did also submit to the Romans yet so that they were rather esteem'd Allies than Subjects And when in the Fifth Century after the Birth of Christ the Francks establish'd a new Kingdom in France these Provinces were also at first united to it But at the same time when Germany was separated from France most of them fell to Germany few remaining with France The Governours of these Provinces did in process of time under the Names of Dukes and Earls make themselves Demi-Sovereigns as did also other Princes of Germany and France yet so that it was a general Maxim among them To rule the People with Mildness And for the Security of their Liberty they us'd to grant them great Privileges in the maintaining of which this Nation was always very forward The Estates also which consisted of the Clergy Nobility and Cities were always in great Authority and would not easily suffer that any new Impositions should be laid upon the People without their consent These Provinces according to the common computation are Seventeen in number viz. Four Dukedoms of Brabant Limburgh Luxemburgh and Gueldres Seven Earldoms of Flanders Artois Hainault Holland Zealand Namur and Zutphen Five Lordships of Friesland Malines Vtrecht Over-yssel and Groningen Antwerp has the title of a Marquisate of the Roman Empire These Provinces were anciently ruled each by its Prince or Lord but afterwards several of them were either by Inheritance Marriages or Contracts united together till most of them fell to the share of the House of Burgundy from whence they came to the House of Austria by the Marriage of Maximilian I. who had marry'd Mary the only Daughter of Charles surnamed The Hardy And were afterwards all united under Charles V. who govern'd them in Peace and Prosperity 'T is related that he had once taken a Resolution to make them one Kingdom which however he could not effect their Laws and Privileges being so different and they so jealous of one another that none of them would remit any thing of their Pretences in favour of the rest But the Reign of Charles V. over the Netherlands proved so very fortunate because he bore an extraordinary Affection to them and they to him For Charles was born in Ghent educated amongst them and liv'd a considerable time there His Humour suited very well with theirs he conversed with them in a friendly manner without haughtiness employing the Netherlanders frequently in his Affairs whereby this Nation was in great esteem at his Court But under the Reign of his Son Philip II. these Provinces were torn to Pieces by intestine Commotions and civil Wars which occasion'd the Rise of a potent Commonwealth in Europe This Government having prov'd the occasion of great Alterations it is worth our while to search both into the cause of these Commotions and the Origin of this new Government § 2. Philip II. therefore was not a little to be blam'd as being partly himself the cause of these civil Troubles for he being born in Spain and educated after the Spanish Fashion did favour only the Spainards representing in all his Behaviour a perfect haughty Spaniard which did mightily alienate the Minds of the Netherlanders especially after he resided altogether in Spain and did not so much as honour the Netherlands with his Presence thinking it perhaps below his Grandeur that he who was Master of so great a Kingdom and had such great Projects in his Head should trouble himself much about the Affairs of the Netherlanders Tho' in all Probability these might have been kept in Obedience by his Presence for his Father the sooner to appease a Tumult which was only risen in the City of Ghent did venture to take his journey through France and the Territories of Francis who was but lately reconcil'd to him Moreover William Prince of Orange a crafty thorough-pac'd and ambitious Man did not a little foment these Divisions For when Philip had taken a Resolution to go into Spain and to commit the Administration of the Netherlands to a Governour this Prince was contriving how Christina Dutchess of Lorrain might be constituted Regent of the Netherlands and how he by marrying her Daughter might bear the greatest sway in the Government But he miscarrying in both
easily have dissolved this Union And because the Affairs of the Netherlands grew worse and worse every day the Spaniards having taken one after another the Cities of Bois le Duc Breda Tournay Valenciennes Malines and Others and a great many of the Great Men being gone over to the Spanish Party The Prince of Orange on the other hand being well assured that the Spaniards one time or another would revenge themselves upon him and his friends and finding himself not in a capacity to maintain the Cause against them he persuaded the Estates of the Netherlands that they should renounce all Obedience to Philip who had violated their Privileges confirmed to them by Oath and make the Duke of Alenson their Soveraign with whom he had underhand made an agreement That the United Provinces should fall to his share And the Estates of Holland Zealand and Vtrecht were then for making him their Soveraign except the Cities of Amsterdam and Gouda and questionless it would have been done afterwards if his unexspected Death had not prevented it § 8. The Duke of Alenson having obtained the Soveraignty raised the Siege of Cambray which was besieged by the Spaniards and in the year next following was at Antwerp proclaimed Duke of Brabant and at Ghent Earl of Flanders But his Power being confined within very narrow Bounds by the Estates he by the advice of his Friends resolved to make himself Absolute He proposed to the Estates That if he should die without Issue these Countries might be United with the Crown of France which being denied him he took a strange Resolution viz. By surprize to make himself absolute Master of Antwerp and some other Cities For this purpose several Thousands of French were already got privately into Antwerp which were beaten out by the Citizens with considerable Loss They made the like Attempts upon several other Places on the same day which every-where miscarried except at Dendermond Dunkirk and Dixmuide And thus the French having lost at once all their credit and the affection of the Netherlanders the Duke of Alenson full of shame and confusion returned into France where he died soon after The French intermedling with the Affairs of the Netherlands had drawn with it another Evil which was That Foreign Souldiers were again brought into the Netherlands which was against the Agreement made with the Walloons Then the Duke of Parma re-took Dunkirk Newport Winoxbergen Menin Alost and some other Places in Flanders Ypres and Bruges did also submit And in the same Year the Affairs of the Estates received a great Blow by the Death of William Prince of Orange who was stabb'd in his Palace at Delft by a Burgundian whose Name was Balthasar Gerhard By whose Death the Netherlands being without a Head were left in great confusion § 9. After the Death of Prince William the Estates did make Maurice Son of the deceased Stadtholder of Holland Zealand and Vtrecht and he being but eighteen Years of Age they constituted the Earl of Hohenloe his Lieutenant But the Soveraignty they proffered to the King of France who being at that time distracted with intestine Wars was not at leisure to accept of it The Duke of Parma in the mean while taking advantage of this juncture of Affairs reduced Antwerp by Famine within a Twelve month's time as also Dendermond Ghent Brussels Malines and Nimeguen by Force After the Loss of Antwerp the Estates who were for submitting Themselves to any body but the Spaniards offered the Soveraignty over them to Queen Elizabeth which she refused to accept of Yet she entred with them into a more strict Alliance by virtue of which she obliged her self to maintain a certain number of Souldiers at her own Charge in the Netherlands which with all the other Forces of the Estates were to be Commanded by an English General And the Estates did Surrender to the Queen as a Security for the Charges she was to be at the Cities of Flushing Briel and Rammakens or Sceburgh upon Walchorn which were afterwards restored to the Estates for the Summ of One Million of Crowns The Queen sent Robert Dudley Earl of Leicester as General into Holland who being arrived there was made by the Estates their Governour-General and that with a greater Power then was acceptable to the Queen but he did no great Feats For the Duke of Parma not only took Grave and Venlo and forced him from before Zutphen but he also administer'd the publick Affairs at a strange rate to the great dissatisfaction of the Estates to whom he had rendred himself suspected Their Discontents were much augmented after William Stanley who was by the Earl of Leicester made Commander in Chief in Deventer had betray'd that City to the Spaniards The Year next following the Earl of Leicester attempted the Relief of Sluce in Flanders but to no purpose and being returned into Holland where he by several suspicious Undertakings augmented the Differences betwixt him and the Estates he returned very ill satisfied into England where by Command of the Queen he resign'd his Office of Governour § 10. Hitherto the Affairs of the United Netherlands whom henceforward we will call Hollanders had been in a very ill Condition but from this time forwards they began to mend a-pace and became more settled This was partly occasioned by the Ruin of the two Provinces of Brabant and Flanders which were reconciled to the King upon condition That such as would not profess themselves Roman Catholicks should leave the Country within a prefixed time A great many of these flocking into Holland made its Cities very populous Especially all the Traffick of Antwerp was transplanted to Amsterdam which rendred that City very Rich and Potent at Sea Besides this Philip like those who will hunt two Hares with one Dog did not only attempt to Invade England with a great Fleet but also sent in the Year next following the Duke of Parma with an Army to the Assistance of the League in France both which proving fruitless the Hollanders had in the mean while leisure given them to put themselves into a good posture Whereas the Duke of Parma had wisely advised the King that he should with all his Power first subdue the Hollanders before he engaged in another War For Maurice whom they had after the Departure of the Earl of Leicester made their Generalissimo both by Sea and Land had restored their lost Reputation His first Attempt was upon Breda which he took by a Stratagem In the Year next following he took Zutphen Deventer Hulst and Nimeguen And in the Year 1592 Steenwyck and Coeverden In the same Year the Death of the brave Duke of Parma proved a great Loss to the Spaniards For the Spanish Souldiers growing Mutinous every-where did not a little advance the Progresses of the Hollanders Gertrudenbergh was taken in the sight of the Spanish Army In the Year next following Groningen was reduced whereby the
United Provinces were made entire and secured on this side of the Rhine In the Year 1596 Albert Arch-Duke of Austria arrived as Governour of the Netherlands who began his Regency with the Taking of Hulst And because Philip being oppressed with Debts was fain to shut up his Exchequer Albert for want of Money was not in a capacity to undertake any thing of moment in the Year next following but was soundly beaten near Tougenhout And after the Trade of the Hollanders with Spain and Portugal whither they used to send their Ships under Foreign Flags had been quite cut off whereby the Spaniards hoped the sooner to reduce them to Obedience Necessity and the desire of Lucre taught them another way to obtain vast Riches For by this means the Hollanders were forced to try whether they could Sail themselves into the East-Indies and to attempt to find out a nearer Way thither round about the North. But this Design not succeding they took the common Course about Africa and having with incredible Pains in spite of all the Resistance made by the Portuguese settled a Trade there a great many Merchants and others who knew no better way to employ their Ready-money erected several Societies to Trade into the East-Indies All which were by virtue of a Patent granted by the Estates formed into one Company which did afterwards prodigiously encrease its Power in the East-Indies and has conveyed unconceivable Riches into Holland In the Year 1597 Maurice took Rhinebergh Meurs and all the rest of those Places of Over-Yssel which were as yet in the possession of Spain § 11. In the Year 1598 they found out another Decoy for the Hollanders For because it was generally pretended that they would not live under Spanish subjection Philip found out this artifice He Married his daughter Isabella Clara Eugenia to Albert Arch-Duke of Austria giving unto her as a Dowry Burgundy and the Netherlands yet with this Condition That the same should return to Spain if no Heirs proceeded from this Match which the Spaniards were very well assured of the Princess being pretty well in Age and besides this having been spoiled before by means of some Medicaments administred to her to prevent Conception The Netherlands being then by this means according to outward appearances freed from a Foreign Subjection as having got their own Prince it was hoped the Hollanders would the easier re-unite themselves with the other Provinces because a Peace being lately concluded betwixt France and Spain at Nervin the Hollanders had thereby lost their chief Confederate But the Hollanders remained stedfast in their former Resolution rejecting all Propositions of Peace made by the Emperour and the Arch Duke Albert. In the Year 1600 Maurice fell into Flanders with an intention to besiege Newport but was met by Albert where a bloody Battel ensued and Maurice obtained a most glorious Victory who was otherways always averse to Field-fights and would never have resolved at that time to have ventured the whole Fortune of Holland upon the Issue of a Battel if he had not been forced to it wherefore without attempting any thing farther he returned into Holland Albert then undertook the Siege of Ostend during which both sides did their utmost till Ambrose Spinola forc'd the place the besieg'd having no more room left to make any Retrenchments 'T is said that the Hollanders lost within the Town above 70000 Men and the Spaniards without a great many more But in the mean time the Spanish Fleet under the Command of Frederick Spinola was destroy'd and Rhinebergh Grave and Sluce taken by Maurice In the Year 1605 Spinola retook from the Hollanders Lingen Groll and Rhinebergh and Maurice sustain'd some loss before Antwerp The last glorious Action in this War was that of James Heemskirke who burned the Spanish Fleet in the Harbour of Gibraltar where he himself was kill'd The Spaniards therefore finding it impossible to reduce Holland by force which they found encreas'd in Strength by the War and being besides this jealous of Henry IV. and quite out of breath by this tedious War they resolv'd to make an end of it at any rate How desirous the Spaniards were of the Peace may easily be conjectur'd from hence That Albert himself propos'd the Treaty to be at the Hague and first sent Spinola himself thither as Embassadour whereas the Hollanders carry'd it very high and were very resolute The Business met with great difficulty before it could be brought to the conclusion of a Truce of twelve Years The greatest obstacle was that the Hollanders urg'd it closely That Spain without any Exception should declare them a free People which the Spanish Embassadours refusing to do at last this Medium was found out That Spain and the Archduke Albert did declare they would treat with the Netherlanders As a free Nation And they being not satisfy'd also with this the President Janin who was sent thither in behalf of France answer'd That the word As could not add much to the Strength of Spain nor diminish theirs and that it was their Business to secure themselves and their State by Arms and not by Words Both Parties kept what they were possess'd of and the Hollanders maintain'd their Navigation into the East Indies which the Spaniards would fain have got from them but the chief cause why the Hollanders at that time when their Affairs were in so good a Condition consented to a Truce seems to be that they began to be jealous of France for fear lest that King should snatch Flanders away upon a sudden which must needs have prov'd their Ruin Besides this Maurice being grown very Powerfull during this War was likely to be troublesome to their Liberty And this was the first step which Holland made towards the Establishment of a free Common-wealth § 12. Soon after the Truce was concluded the Hollanders were engaged in the Business concerning the Succession of the Country of Juliers for the Emperour after the death of the last Duke being very desirous to annex these Countries unto his House had sent the Archduke Leopold to make a Sequestration who took the strong City of Juliers but was beaten out again by the Hollanders with the Assistance of the French But a difference arising afterwards betwixt the Elector of Brandenburgh and the Duke of Newburgh who had at first made an Agreement betwixt themselves and the Duke of Newburgh having called to his Assistance Spinola who took the City of Wesel The Hollanders on the other hand sided with the Elector of Brandenburgh and put Garrisons into Rees and Emeric whereby the Country of Cleves was involved in the War of the Netherlands § 13. But there arose a more dangerous intestine Division in Holland betwixt the Arminians or Remonstrants as they are termed and others which Division was partly occasioned by a State-jealousie partly by Disputes among the Divines We have said before that Prince William did
as France and Spain were engag'd in a War And the Opinion being divided concerning this Business it was agreed upon by the Majority of the States-General who were great Friends of the Prince that the Prince should visit in person these Cities to try whether he could convince the Magistrates in this point Against this petition'd some of the Cities in Holland and especially Amsterdam fearing that if the Prince should come in person to them he might by changing the Magistrates and other Alterations do something which might prove prejudicial to their Liberty The Prince being dissatisfy'd at these proceedings reply'd That this was done to affront him and his Office and therefore desir'd that Reparation should be made him but the Cities insisted upon their former Resolution alledging that it was according to their Privileges Then the Prince took into Custody six of the States of Holland whom he suppos'd to be chiefly against him among whom the chiefest were the Sieur the Witt Burghermaster of Dort whom he sent all together Prisoners to the Castle of Louvesteyn He also privately order'd some Troops to march towards Amsterdam to surprize that City but some of these Troops having lost their way in the Night-time the Design was discover'd by the Hamburgher Post-boy And the Amsterdamers perceiving that the Prince intended to force them to a Complyance open'd their Sluces and put the Country round about it under Water At last the Business was agreed and the Prince had this Satisfaction given him that the Sieur Bicker Burghermaster of Amsterdam was depos'd and the Prisoners in the Castle of Louvestein were set at liberty under condition that they should be discharg'd from their places But this Business was likely to have been the occasion of more troubles if the Prince had not died soon after Soon after his death viz. in the Year 1650 on the 13th day of November his Princess was brought to Bed of William III. the present Prince of Orange In the Year 1651 the United Provinces held a grand Assembly where they renew'd the Union being now destitute of a Governour § 16. Not long after the Hollanders were engag'd in a heavy War with the English Parliament which at the beginning being very ambitious of their Friendship sent one Dorislaw to the Hague who before he had his publick Audience was murther'd by some Scots who were all mask'd And the Parliament having receiv'd no Satisfaction upon this account began to look with an ill Eye upon them which they little regarded till Cromwell had reduc'd the Scots And tho' the Parliament sent other Embassadours to the Hague yet the Dutch were not very forward but were for protracting the Treaty till the Embassadours having been affronted by the Rabble departed dissatisfy'd Whereupon the Parliament gave out Reprisals against them declaring withal That no Merchandises should be transported into England except in English Bottoms and the English Privateers began to fall every where upon the Dutch Merchant-ships The Hollanders who were not very unanimous among themselves did resolve at last to try first whether the Business might be compounded by fair means and if that did not succeed to begin the War in good earnest and for this purpose Embassadours were sent into England Tromp in the mean while was sent out with a Fleet to secure their Commerce and meeting with the English Admiral Blake and refusing to strike a bloody Engagement ensu'd which ended with equal loss on both sides The Hollanders pretended that this had happen'd by accident both Parties however made great Preparations for War and fought twice the Advantage remaining on the English side notwithstanding they were beaten near Lâghorn But in the last Engagement the Hollanders having lost their Admiral Tromp and seven and twenty Men of War they were oblig'd to conclude a Peace with Cromwell which was very advantageous and glorious on his side they being among other Articles oblig'd for the future never to make any one of the House of Orange their Stadtholder It was observ'd that the Dutch Ships were not large enough which Error the Hollanders corrected afterwards In the Year next following the Hollanders were grown jealous of the great Success of the Swedes against Poland and being desirous to prevent the Swedes from becoming Masters of Prussia they stirr'd up the King of Denmark against them But the Danes having been worsted in this War the Hollanders sent a Fleet to relieve Copenhagen which was besieg'd by the Swedes A bloody Battel was fought in the Oresound betwixt the Swedish and Dutch Fleets wherein the Hollanders lost two Admirals but nevertheless gain'd their point in relieving of Copenhagen And in the Year next following they also bore their share in the Battel of Funen till at last a Peace was concluded before Copenhagen to the small Satisfaction of the Danes who accused the Hollanders that they had not been zealous enough in their Assistance against the Swedes but the Hollanders were afraid that England and France might declare for Sweden and under that pretence fall upon them besides that they thought it their Interest not to let Denmark grow too powerfull § 17. Holland was then for a few Years at Peace till a bloody War broke out betwixt them and the English who could not but think the flourishing Trade and great Power of the Hollanders at Sea to be very prejudicial to them France blew up the Coals being desirous to see these two mighty States weaken one another's Power In this War the English had the Advantage in the first and third Engagements but the Hollanders in the second But the English at last being willing to save Charges did resolve only to infest the Hollanders by their Privateers and not to equipp a Fleet which the Hollanders taking an advantage of ventur'd to enter the River of Thames and having landed near Chattam they burn'd several Ships in the Harbour This oblig'd England to make a Peace with them which was by mediation of the Crown of Sweden concluded at Breda In this War Holland recover'd its Reputation which it had lost in Cromwell's time and shew'd it self not to be inferiour in Strength at Sea to England but they discover'd their Weakness on Land the Bishop of Munster having been very troublesome to them § 18. At last in the Year 1672 a prodigious Storm fell upon Holland which at first threaten'd its ruin France attacking it by Land and England by Sea It was surprising to see how the French in a few days time took the Provinces of Gueldres Over-yssel and Vtrecht which occasion'd so general a Consternation that some are of Opinion they might have taken Amsterdam it self if they had immediately gone towards it whilst the first Consternation lasted Some lay the fault upon Rochford who having receiv'd Orders to make an attempt upon that City tarry'd two days at Vtrecht which he bestow'd in receiving of Complements the Amsterdamers getting thereby time to take a Resolution for
The Country in general is more fit for Pasture than Tilling it producing scarce so much Corn as is sufficient for the fifth part of its Inhabitants But this want is made up by the Industry of the Inhabitants and the great conveniency of so many Rivers and the Seas fit for Fishing and Navigation The Herring Fishery and that of Codds brings in vast Riches to them and some English have computed That the Hollanders sell every Year 79200 Lasts which makes 138400 Tuns of Herrings which amount to the value of 1372000 l. not including what is transported into Spain Italy and France and what is consum'd at home But their Shipping and Commerce is of much greater Advantage to them which does flourish there to that degree that some are of Opinion That in Holland are more Ships than in all other parts of Europe Besides Holland's Situation in the midst of Europe makes it very fit for Trade so that it sends its Ships with great Conveniency into the East and Western Seas and though the Commodiousness of those vast Rivers of the Rhine Meuse Elbe Weser and Embs draw the Commodities out of Germany and in exchange for these vends its Manufacturies there For Holland has in regard especially of the Rhine and the Meuse a great Advantage in its Trade before England tho' this on the other hand has better Harbours and a deeper Coast And because Holland is at the latter end of the Year commonly overflown with Waters which makes the Air very thick and foggy Nature has been kind to this Country in that about that time the Wind blows much Easterly which disperses the Vapours refreshes the Air and renders it wholsome but from hence it is that their Harbours are often shut up with Ice for three Months together whereas they are always open in England The Hollanders trade almost into every Corner of the World they having been very carefull to erect Fortresses and Colonies in far distant Countries But the East-India Company especially has vastly encreas'd her Trade and Riches for this Company has extended her Trade from Basora which is situated near the great Bay of Persia at the very Mouth of the River Tigris all along a prodigious Tract of rich Ground near the Sea side as far as to the utmost parts of Japan she stands there in Confederacy with many Kings and with many of them has made Treaties of Monopolies and is possess'd of a great many strong Holds in those parts The Capital City there is Batavia in Java Major where the Governour General keeps a Court like a King under whose Jurisdiction are the other places The Company is Sovereign Mistress over all these Countries the chiefest of which are the Isles of Molucca and Banda Amboina Malacca the Coast of the Island of Zeilon Patiacatta Musulapatan Negapatan upon the Coast of Cormandel Cochin Cananor and Cranganor upon the Coast of Malabar and several more whether they have a free Trade in the East-Indies with China I cannot affirm tho' it is certain that the Chineses drive a great Trade with them in Batavia but in Japan they have the whole Trade alone no Portuguese being permitted to come there This Company is able to set out a Fleet of betwixt 40 and 50 Capital Ships and to raise an Army of 30000 Men. The first Funds of this Company did amount to sixty Tuns of Gold which in the space of six Years deducting all the Charges and Dividends made to the Owners was encreas'd to three hundred Tuns of Gold The Funds of the West-Indiâ Company was of fourscore Tuns of Gold and flourâsh'd extreamly at the beginning but ruin'd it self by making too great Dividends and not keeping a Fund sufficient for the carrying on of the War against Spain Besides those concern'd in this Company were more eager after Conquests than Trade and when Brasile revolted they receiv'd a capital blow Yet they are possess'd in Gumea of the Castle de Mina and if I am not mistaken of Loanda in Angola and some other places as also some of the Caribby Islands and of New Holland in the Northern parts of America They have also lately begun to erect some Colonies in Guiana and on the great River of Orenoque Some of the most curious have observ'd that a great many things concurr in Holland for the promoting of Trade which are not to be met withall all at once in any other Country As for example the great quantity of People the Conveniency and Security of the Country the small Interest which is paid for Money which shews the great Superfluity of ready Money the Severity us'd against Thieves Cheats and Banquerooteers the Bank of Amsterdam great number of Convoys and moderate Customs that they are so exact and regular in their way of Trading that the Magistrates are generally Merchants or at least such as have an Interest in Commerce That they are Masters in the East-Indies and that by reason of the Frugality and Industry of the Inhabitants far more Commodities are exported than imported And it is observable that tho' the Hollanders are Masters of the Spice in the Indies yet they use them least of all themselves They have also the greatest share in the Silk-trade in Persia and yet they cloath themselves in Woollen Cloath generally speaking Nay they sell their fine Cloaths abroad and send for courser out of England for their own use They sell their delicious Butter and send for other out of the North of England and Ireland for their use French Wines and Brandies are the chiefest Commodities which are consumed here yet even when they make a Debauch they are not overlavishing § 21. From what has been said it is manifest that the Strength of this Common-wealth is founded upon Trade and its Naval Force which is absolutely necessary to maintain the former nor is there any Country so stock'd with good Seamen for the setting out of a great Fleet. But on the Land-side where the Country cannot be under Water it is not near so strong For tho' they do not want Money to raise an Army of Foreigners yet is it not always adviseable for a Common-wealth to rely only upon such as have no other tye but their Pay since they may easily prove unfaithfull or else mis-led by the General assist him in over-turning the Liberty of the State And it has been in regard of this that some have advised that the Provinces of Holland and Zealand should separate themselves from the rest and only endeavour to strengthen themselves betwixt the Meuse the Rhine and South-sea and in case of Necessity by opening of their Sluces put the Country under-water but for the rest only endeavour to strengthen themselves at Sea But to examine this Proposition is not now my business There are several Inconveniences that proceed from the very Form of the Government of this State For to speak properly these seven Provinces do not make up one entire Common-wealth but there
such ill Success at the beginning of this War seems to be that by the great Eagerness of Gain and Trade their Martial Heat was almost extinguish'd and that after the Peace concluded at Munster they being not apprehensive of any Invasion by Land they only applied themselves to strengthen their Power at Sea and having dismissed their best Officers they had supplied their place with their own Relations whose Motto was Peace and a good Government For at the time of the War with England they had dismissed the Old English Bands and in the Year 1668 the French Troops both which were the flower of their Armies which of necessity must have been reduced into a very ill condition since the Prince of Orange had no more concern with them Besides this they thought themselves very secure not imagining that France would either dare or be able to attempt a Conquest over them as long as they were sure that the Emperour and Spain would side with them neither did they imagine that the English would join with the French against them And at last they hoped they would beat the English out of the Sea before France should be able to take three or four Places They relied upon the old Way of making of War when a whole Company was taken up with the Taking of one Place and when whole Books were composed of the Taking of Groll or the Sar of Ghent It is also believed that some of the Hollanders were not sorry that they had no great Success by Land hoping thereby to bring into discredit the Conduct and to diminish the Authority of the Prince whom they had been obliged to make their Captain-General against their Will § 22. As for the Neighbours of Holland and what it has to fear or to hope from them it seems that the English are the most dangerous Neighbours to the Hollanders they being the only Nation that have been formidable to them hitherto against their Pretensions to the Dominion of the Seas and Trade who are extreamly dissatisfied that this new Common-wealth which when it was in a very tottering condition was strongly upheld by them has now been before-hand with them in the East-Indies and daily spoil their Markets almost every-where For because an English-man is naturally proud and loves to live well whereas a Hollander minds nothing so much as his Gain being satisfied with an indifferent share nor spends any thing idly a Hollander can sell cheaper than an English-man and Strangers will always rather deal with the first than the last It is therefore in all probability the chief Interest of Holland not to irritate England and rather to allow them some Ceremonial Prerogatives at Sea such as striking and the like but withall to strengthen their Power at Sea that in case England should really contest with them for the Trade and Fishing it may be able to make head against them The Hollanders must also as much as is possible endeavour to encourage the same sort of Manufacture as is in England and either to make these Commodities better or at least to sell them cheaper thereby to get the advantage from them The Hollanders ought to stand in great fear of France on the Land-side especially since that King is their great Enemy having opposed for a considerable time all their Designs It is therefore very necessary to be in a good posture on the Land-side and to keep fair with the Princes of Germany who else would permit the French to march through their Territories or else perhaps join with him They must endeavour the Preservation of the Spanish Netherlands which they ought to consider as their Frontiers and whereby Spain is obliged always to Side with Holland against France They must take care to be provided with good Officers and to put the Province of Holland into a better Posture of Defence on the side of Gueldres It is not easie to be supposed that England and France will join again against Holland which may be prevented by the Hollanders It is also the Interest of Holland to take care that the Naval Strength of France do not increase too much and to prevent as much as in them lies that they do not settle a Trade in the East-Indies And because France draws the Riches of all Europe to it self by its Manufacturies the Hollanders must try to imitate them and furnish other Nations with the like From Spain Holland need fear nothing either by Sea or Land since that time that this Kingdom has lost all its labour against them Nay it is their Common Interest now that they cultivate a mutual good Understanding to stop the Progresses of the French in the Netherlands And the Spaniards have scarce any thing left them from which the Dutch could have any prospect of Benefit they being not in a Capacity to conquer or to maintain the West-Indies And though the Hollanders may be very troublesome to the Spanish Silver Fleets yet the Spanish Privateers may also do them considerable mischief Portugal has no Pretensions against Holland and it ought most to stand in fear of the Hollanders because these would be glad of an opportunity to take from the Portuguese Brosile and what they have left in the East-Indies which however they would not so easily be able to execute because the Hollanders are obliged to fetch their Bread out of the East-Sea they have always taken care that neither of the Northern Kings should be Master alone of the East-Sea which Balance is the easier kept now since the Sound is divided betwixt Sweden and Denmark And it is notorious enough what Game they have play'd with these two Kings For the rest it is the general Interest of Holland to keep fair with all other Princes thereby to maintain a free Commerce every-where And in these Places where they cannot Trade alone it is the Interest of the Hollanders either by goodness or cheapness of their Commodities and an easie Deportment to endeavour to draw the chief Benefit of Trade to themselves For this is the easier and less odious Way to heap up Riches than if they should attempt publickly to mix the Foreign Trade of all other Nations since it would prove impossible for them alone to maintain a general Monopoly CHAP. VII Of the SWITZERS § 1. THese Countries which are possess'd now by the Switzers belonged formerly to the German Empire but that they were united in one Commonwealth was occasioned thus the three small Counties of Vry Switz and Vnder-Walden which commonly are call'd the three Forest Towns enjoy'd very antient Privileges which they pretended to have been granted them by the Emperor Lewis Surnamed the Pious yet so that the Emperor used to send thither an Imperial Judge or Vicar who had the supreme Jurisdiction in criminal Affairs There were also some Monasteries in those Countries which tho they enjoy'd particular Privileges yet did they not interfere with their Liberty of the People
suspicious of all mankind And the whole Confederacy is altogether adapted for their common Defence and for the maintaining of a firm Union betwixt themselves The difference of Religion is also a main obstacle among them some of them being Roman Catholicks but most Protestants and both Parties great Zealots in their Religion Wherefore it seems a hard task to make them all truly unanimous except forc'd by the necessity of a common Danger And in this Democratical Government it is not to be supposed that one man can have sufficient Authority to sway the rest and to stir them up to any great and sudden Enterprise And this slowness of their publick Counsels is such a check upon their natural Valour at home that they can employ it no better than to sell it for a little money to other Nations § 10. This is the very reason why the Switzers are the best Neighbours in the World as being never to be feared and always ready to assist you in case of necessity if you pay them for it On the other hand they need not stand in great fear of their Neighbours The States of Italy are not in a capacity to do them any harm and Germany is not willing to hurt them If the House of Austria should attack them they are able to defend themselves and besides this they may in such a case be sure to be back'd by France France alone seems to be their most dangerous Neighbour and it has been the wonder of many why the Switzers rely altogether upon the French Alliance and Promises and do not in the least endeavour to secure their Country against the growing Power of France and that in the last war they left the Franche Comtè to the mercy of the French which opens the Passage into their Country and enables the French to levy Souldiers on their Frontiers at pleasure It seems therefore to be the present Interest of Switzerland not to imitate the French and nevertheless to take care that they do not make themselves Masters of their Frontier Places viz. of Geneva Newburgh on the Lake the Four Forest Towns and Constance That they do not send too great a number of their Men into the French Service whereby they may exhaust their own Stock of Souldiers and that such as are sent into the French Service may be engaged not to be forgetful of their Duty to their native Country so as to be ready to return home in case of necessity On the other hand France seems to have no great reason to attack the Switzers as long as they are quiet and do not pretend to oppose the French Designs it being evident that if France had once obtained its aim the Switzers would be obliged to submit themselves And it seems at this time more Advantageous for the French to make use of the Switzers as their Allies than by conquering them to make them refractory Subjects who by reason of their natural stubborness must be bridled by strong Garisons which would scarce be maintained out of the Revenues of so poor a Country CHAP. VIII Of the GERMAN Empire § 1. GErmany was not antiently one Common-wealth but divided into a great many States and independent of each other most of them being Democracies And tho some of them had their Kings yet these had more Authority to Advise than to Command These several States were at last united under the Government of the Francks The Kings of the Merovingean Family having undertaken several Expeditions into Germany did reduce several of these States under their Subjection And Charles the Great reduced all Germany under his Jurisdiction he being at the same time Master of France Italy Rome and a part of Spain all which Provinces he committed to the care of certain Governours who were called Graves or Marc-Graves The Saxons retained more of their antient Liberty than the rest wherefore the better to keep this then barbarous Nation in obedience he erected several Episcopal Sees in Saxony hoping by the influence of the Christian Doctrine to civilize this barbarous People Lewis Surnamed the Pious Son of Charles the Great had three Sons viz. Lotharius Lewis and Charles who divided the Empire of the Francks among them In this Division Lewis got for his share all Germany as far as it extends on this side of the Rhine and also some Countries on the other side of that River by reason of the Vineyards as 't is said which are on both sides All which he was possess'd of as Sovereign without being in any ways dependent on his elder Brother much less the younger who had France for his share And at that time Germany was first made a Kingdom independent of any other § 2. Carolomannus the Son of this Lewis did after the death of Charles the Bald who was King of France and had born the Title of Roman Emperour Conquer Italy and took upon him the Imperial Dignity notwithstanding that Lewis Son of Charles the Bald and King of France had upon instigation of the Pope assumed the same Title After him succeeded his younger Brother Carolus Crassus who maintained both the Kingdom of Italy and the Imperial Title But the great Men in Germany having deposed the said Charles they made Arnolph the Son of the abovementioned Carolomannus King of Germany who went into Italy and took upon him the Title of Roman Emperour for which had contended for a good while Berengarius Duke of Trioul and Guido Duke of Spoleto But after the death of Arnulph his Son Lewis Surnamed the Child obtained the Crown of Germany under whose Reign the Affairs of Germany were in so ill a condition that he had no leisure to look into those of Italy For Arnulph had called to his assistance the Hungarians against Zwentepold King of Bohemia and Moravia who had Rebell'd against him with whose assistance he reduced Zwentepold to obedience but the Hungarians who were at that time a most barbarous Nation having got a tast of Germany made an inroad into that Country ravaging every where with an inhuman Cruelty They also defeated Lewis near Augsburgh obliging him to pay them a yearly Tribute notwithstanding which they ravag'd and plundered wherever they came This overthrow was chiefly occasioned by the Kings tender Age and the Divisions of the great Men among themselves who aimed at nothing more than to establish their own Authority After the death of Lewis Cunrad Duke of Franconia was elected King Germany under whose Reign the Potent Dukes of Lorain Swabia Bavaria and Saxony did preteâd to maintain the Sovereignty over their own Countries and a Hereditary Possession which Cunrad was not able to prevent and because Henry Duke of Saxony was the most Potent and Cunrad feared that at last he might quite withdraw himself from the German Empire he upon his Death-bed advised the rest of the Princes of Germany to make him their King which was done accordingly
Interest of the Empire would have been his Rule and it would have been his business not to side with either of these two Potent and couragious Nations of the French and Spaniards but to have look'd upon them like an Arbitrator and whilst they had been fighting together to have according to the circumstances of Affairs sometimes ballanc'd one sometimes another so that one might not become Master of the other and thereby gain such advantages as might prove prejudicial to Germany For it is a far different case whether I come in betwixt two Parties as a Mediator or whether I am engaged to one certain Party For in the first Case I can engage my self as deep as I think fit and at least take care to come off harmless but in the latter case I must needs be a loser let things go how they will and at last another shall reap the Fruits of my Labour And to give a specious Colour to these Consequences so perjudicial to Germany Charles V. did gain this Point at the Dyet of Augsburgh upon the Estates at that time when having brought the Protestants very low no body durst oppose it that they should take upon them the Guarantie of the Circle of Burgundy whereby Germany was obliged to be always engaged in the Wars betwixt Spain and France and with its Treasure and Men to assist the Spaniards in the defence of the Netherlands I must confess that it is not the Interest of Germany to see these Countries fall altogether into the hands of France nevertheless it is not absolutely necessary that the Estates in Germany should Ruin themselves for their sake since there are others also who are better able and have the same Interest that Germany has to preserve these Provinces The attempt which Charles V. made against the Protestant Religion in Germany was a true Spanish Design For not to mention here the notorious Falsities in the Roman Catholick Religion I cannot for my life see what could move the Emperour if his aim had been for the sole Interest of the Empire to act contrary to the general Inclination of the Nation and not rather to take hold of this so favourable opportunity to free himself from the Tyranny of the Popes who for several Ages together had trampled upon the German Empire and with the superfluous Church-Lands to encrease his own and the Revenues of the Empire or at least to give liberty to the Bishops to Marry without quitting their Church Benefices If the Emperour would have given a helping hand the Reformation would have been as easily setled in Germany as it was in Sweden England and Denmark After these Spanish States Maxims had lain a while dormant they were at last revived and that with more vigour under the Reign of Ferdinand II. besides a great deal of misery which did from thence accrue to Germany this was the cause that the Estates of Germany to preserve their Liberty were obliged to seek for Foreign Aid by which means they maintain'd their Liberty but it had been questionless more advantageous to Germany not to have wanted the assistance of Foreigners who were not forgetful to make their own advantage by it Now if it may be supposed that there are some remnants of the Spanish Leaven it may easily be conjectur'd what jealousie and distrusts must be betwixt the Members of the Empire and how contrary and different their Counsels and Actions must needs be and tho perhaps by setling a good understanding betwixt the Supreme Head and Estates a medium might be found out to obviate this and some other inconveniencies yet theâe reign various and great Distempers amongst the Estates themselves which seem to render the best Remedies and Counsels either ineffectual or at least very difficult Among these must be counted the Religious Differences betwixt the Catholicks and the Protestants in general which Differences do not only depend on the several Opinions in Matters of Faith but also on a Worldly Interest the Catholicks endeavouring upon all occasions to recover such Possessions as were taken from them since the Reformation and the Protestants being resolved to maintain themselves in the Possession of them Wherefore it has been observ'd that sometimes the Roman Catholicks have been more guided by their particular Interest and by their Clergy than by that of the Publick Nay it is to be fear'd that if Germany should be vigorously attack'd by a potent Foreign Enemy that some of the Popish Bigots would not be so backward in submitting themselves under the yoke and be willing to lose one Eye provided the Protestants might lose both Beside the Protestants are again sub-divided into two Parties there being among them some differences concerning several Articles of Faith which by the heat of the Clergy were widen'd to that degree that both Parties were brought to the very brink of Ruin The great number of Estates augments the Distemper it being next to an impossibility that among so many there should not be some who either prompted by their passions obstinacy or for want of Understanding may not deviate from the true Interest or be misled by ill Counsellours to act against the same so that it would be a miracle to see so many Heads not well united The Estates are also very unequal in Power from whence it often happens that some of the most Potent are for being like Sovereigns and therefore being inclin'd rather to act according to their particular Interest and Grandeur than for the Publick they make little account how they Ruin the less powerful These therefore when they see that the Laws cannot protect them are at last oblig'd to take more care of their own preservation than of the Publick Liberty as thinking it indifferent by whom they are oppress'd Not to mention here the jealousies which is betwixt the three Colleges of the Empire and the several pretensions and differences which are among some of the Estates I could wish that I could find out as easie a remedy against these and some other the like Diseases as I have enumerated them and demonstrated their pernicious Consequences § 22 As to the Neighbours of Germany the Turks border upon Stiria Croatia and Hungary The two last do not properly belong to Germany but yet belong to the House of Austria and are like a Bulwork to it so that Germany is much concern'd in the preservation of them The Turkish Emperour has greater Revenues out of his vast Territories and perhaps is able to raise a greater number of Men than the Germans can do nevertheless he is not so formidable to them for the Hungarian Wars are very troublesom to the Turks because the Asiatick Forces and other supplies of Provision and Ammunition are not without great difficulty carried so far neither can these Forces be put into Winter Quarters there as being not used to so cold a Climate the neighbouring depopulated Provinces being also not able to maintain them The Turks
also are in continual fear that as soon as they have bent their whole Force against Hungary the Persians may fall upon them on the other side or some of the Bassa's towards the East Revolt from them And a well Disciplin'd Army of Germans will scarce shrink before all the Turkish Forces and when Germany is resolv'd to stand the brunt the Turks will I believe quâckly be weary of attacking it Italy is in no ways to be compared with Germany either for its strength or number of Men besides that it is divided into several States by which it is disabled to attack any Foreign State much less so Potent an Empire which being possess'd of some Passes leading into Italy might in time take an opportunity to renew its pretensions upon that Country The Switzers are very good Neighbours to Germany as having neither will nor power to attack it especially since they are destitute of good Horsemen Neither can Poland compare its strength with Germany for tho the Poles can bring a great number of Horse into the Field yet they are not to be compared with the German Horse much less their Foot to the German Infantry wherefore the Poles cannot undertake any considerable and if the Poles should enter into an Alliance with another Prince and make a diversion to the Germans by falling upon the back of them it would not be difficult for the Germans to be even with them since they are not well provided with Frontier Places or any strong Holds within the Country which are able to withstand an Enemy whereas in Germany they would meet with Places which would give them sufficient work And in such a case perhaps the Muscovites might easily be prevailed withal to fall vpon the back of them but it is not to be supposed that such a Commonwealth as this will easily attempt an offensive War against its Neighbours yet it is of great consequence to Germany that Poland may not be brought under subjection to the Turks or any other Power And these two Nations are able to do one another considerable Services if they would with their Joint-Forces attack the Turks Denmark has no pretensions upon Germany and the best Land-Forces of the Danes being Listed in Germany their Army may be Ruin'd only by the Emperours recalling the Germans out of that Service if they should attempt any thing against the Empire Neither do I believe that Germany but especially the Circles of the Higher and Lower Saxony will be so careless of their own Interest as to let Denmark become master of Hamborough and Lubeck England cannot do any harm to Germany except by disturbing the Trade of Hamburgh tho it seems to be the Interest of the English rather to enjoy the benefit of their Free Trade there On the other hand the Germans may do a service to the English against the Hollanders by Land whilst these are engag'd with them in a War at Sea Holland has neither power nor inclination to attack Germany For if the Germans should be recall'd out of the Service of the Dutch their Land-Forces would make but a very indifferent show Neither can they reap any benefit by making new Conquests but it seems rather to be for their purpose to keep fair with the Germans that in case of a War with their Neighbours they may make use of their assistance Spain cannot pretend to do any considerable mischief to Germany if the Head and Members are well united but if it should joyn with the Head against the Members it may prove mischievous especially by the assistance of their Money but in such a case there would questionless not be wanting some that would oppose its designs Swedeland alone is not so powerful as to be in any ways formidable to Germany neither is this Kingdom for making any more Conquests on that side since thereby it would lose more of its own strength than it can gain by them but on the other hand it is of great Consequence to Sweden that the state of Religion and of the Government remain in the same condition as it was setled in the Westphalian Peace neithat Germany be subjected or ruled by any absolute Power France has of late made itself so Powerful that this Kingdom alone may do more mischief to the Germans than any of the rest of their Neighbours France in consideration of its Form of Government has a considerable advantage over Germany for the King there has all the best Men and the Purses of his Subjects at command and employs them as he thinks fit But however such is the strength of Germany that if well united it need not much dread France for Germany is capable of raising as numerous if not more numerous Armies than France and may as easily recruit them Besides this the German Souldiers every thing duly consider'd will scarce turn their backs to the French There might also be a way found out for Germany to keep always a sufficient Army on foot against France at least it is not easily to be suppos'd that if France should attack Germany in good earnest all the rest of Europe would be lookers on but if Germany be divided within it self so that either one Party should join with France whilst some others stand Neuters till France has devour'd some of the Neighbouring States then nothing but fatal Consequences can attend it CHAP. IX Of DENMARK § 1. DENMARK is one of the most antient Kingdoms in Europe which was Established a great many years before the Birth of our Saviour but for want of good Histories it cannot be precisely determin'd at what time it had its beginning nor how long each of its antient Kings Reign'd or what were there great Deeds We will not therefore detain the Reader by inserting here there bare Names but only to touch upon such matters as are with some certainty transmitted to Posterity Among the most antient Kings Frotho III. is most famous who 't is said did Reign just before the Birth of Christ and was a most Potent Monarch who Rul'd over Denmark Sweden Norway England Ireland and other Neighbouring States The Borders of his Territories were on the East-side Russia and on the West-side the Rhine 'T is also related that he Conquer'd the Vandals which lived then in these Countries that now are call'd Pomerania and Mecklenburgh and that he was the first King that stiled himself King of the Vandals Gotrick 't is said did assist Wittekind the King of the Saxons against Charles the Great Erick is commonly reckon'd to have been the first Christian King of Denmark tho some pretend that his Brother Herald who Reign'd before him was the first Under this Kings Reign the Christian Religion was propagated in Denmark by the help of Ansgarius then Bishop of Bremen which afterwards King Gormo II. endeavouring to root out again was forc'd by the Emperour Henry sumamed the Bird Ketcher to grant the free
Emperour Justinian and Rome and Italy made a Province of the Grecian Empire then it was that the Popes took their opportunity to exempt themselves from the Jurisdiction of these Emperours whose Authority was mightily decayed in Italy partly by the ill management of their Governours at Ravenna partly by their own weakness and want of Strength for the Lombards were Masters in Italy and in the times of Justinian II. one Emperour was for ruining the other Besides this some of these Emperours were against the adoring of Images and Leo Isaurus quite ejected them out of the Churches because this adoration was wholly degenerated into Idolatry and as to the outward appearance the Saints were more regarded than God himself This undertaking was very vehemently opposed by Pope Gregory II. who stood up for the Images partly because the Roman Chair found this Superstition very advantageous partly because the Pope took it very ill that the Emperour should undertake a Reformation in Matters of Religion without his Knowledge and Consent and that at that time when he was busie to introduce the Ecclesiastical Monarchy in the Western parts partly also because he thought to have met with an opportunity to withdraw himself from the Jurisdiction of the Grecian Emperours The better to obtain his Aim he stirred up the Romans and Italians who hitherto had been under the Obedience of the Emperours to refuse to pay them Tribute and the Governour residing at Ravenna endeavouring to maintain the Emperour's Right was slain in a Tumult Whereby the Jurisdiction and Power of the Grecian Emperours was abolished in those parts of Italy and these Countries began to be free and independent on any Foreign Jurisdiction § 20. By these means the Pope had freed himself from the Jurisdiction of the Emperours of Constantinople but not long after he was threatened by another Enemy who being nearer at hand was likely to prove more troublesome to him than formerly the Emperours who lived at so considerable a distance For the Kings of the Longobards endeavoured first to make themselves Masters of those parts which were fallen off from the Emperour and afterwards of all Italy They had already taken Raâenna and there was none left in Italy who was able to stop their Victories The Popes were then hard put to it and knew not where to seek for Protection except of the Kings of France who at first endeavoured to finish these Differences by an amicable Composition but the Longobards not being willing to rest satisfied therewith they resolved by force of Arms to maintain the Italian Affairs They were easily prevailed upon to undertake this Business not only because Pope Zachary had approved of the Proceedings of Pepin who having abdicated the lawful King was from a Grand-Marshal become King of France but also they had thereby an opportunity offered them to make Conquests in Italy whereof the French Nation has been always very ambitious Pepin and afterwards Charles the Great having been so Fortunate in their Wars against the Longobards as to Conquer their whole Kingdom they gave to the Papal Chair all that Tract of Land which had been formerly under the Jurisdiction of the Grecian Governours There are some who are of Opinion that to obtain this Gift the Pope made use of the fictitious Donation of Constantine the Great which in those barbarous times was easily imposed upon the ignorant World Besides this the French Kings had great Obligations to the Pope for the above-mentioned reason and were also fond of acquiring the name of pious Princes by bestowing liberal Presents out of other Mens Possessions For it was in those Days a common Custom that Men of all degrees made it their Business to out-do one another in Liberality towards the Clergy Nay the Princes used to grant them these Possessions without any incumbrances that thereby the Ecclesiasticks might be sure to enjoy free possession of what they had bestowed upon them These extravagant Donations were none of the least Causes why the Clergy afterwards did labour with so much vehemency to withdraw themselves from the Jurisdiction of the Civil Magistrates as fearing that these extravagant Donations and Grants might be recalled and declared void by their Successours Wherefore it has been always a Maxim of Wise Men. that Princes by granting extravagant Priviledges and Gifts made their Subjects rather Jealous than Friends since those who have obtained them living always in fear that the same either in part or wholly may be taken away again imploy all means so to establish themselves as to be in a capacity to maintain themselves therein in spite of the Prince Those Learned Men who are of an impartial Judgment take it for granted that the Pope did pretend to exercise a Sovereign Power over these Countries granted to him by the French Kings but that the People refused the same as being for maintaining their Liberty and thinking it very odd that the Pope who was an Ecclesiastical Person should pretend to be also a Worldly Prince When therefore the Romans mutinied against Pope Leo III. he was forced to seek for Assistance from Charles the Great who restored the Pope But on the other hand the Pope and People of Rome proclaimed Charles Emperour whereby he was put into possession of the Sovereignty over that part of Italy which formerly belonged to the Jurisdiction of the Governours at Ravenna and the other remnants of the Western Empire so that the Pope afterwards enjoyed these Countries under the Sovereign Jurisdiction of the Emperour who therefore used to be called the Patron and Defender of the Church till the Reign of the Emperour Henry IV. § 21. But the Popes began at length to grow weary of the Imperial Protection because the Emperour's Consent was required in the Election of a Pope and if they were mutinous the Emperours used to check them and sometimes turn them out of the Chair To exempt themselves from this Power of the Emperours over them the Popes have for a long time together imployed all their Cunning and Labour before they could obtain their Aim They used to make it their constant Business to raise intestine Commotions against the Emperours sometimes in Germany sometimes in Italy thereby to diminish their Power and Authority The Bishops especially in Germany were always very busie as being dissatisfied that they were dependent on the Emperours who nominated the Bishops and therefore joyned with the Pope to assist him in setting up the Ecclesiastical Sovereignty The Reign of the Emperour Henry IV. furnished them with an opportunity to put in execution their Design this Emperour by his Debaucheries and ill management of Affairs living in discontents and continual broils with the Estates of Germany and as soon as Gregory VII who was before called Hildebrand a proud resolute and obstinate Man got into the Chair he began to exclaim against the Emperour that the granting of Church-Benefices did not belong to him since he made a Traffick with them and sold
out into a great Flame Whole Christendom was also in a miserable condition it being quite overwhelmed with Ceremonies the perverse Monks did what they pleased and had entangled tender Consciences in their Snares All Divinity was turned into Sophistry New Doctrines and Propositions were broached without any regard how they ought to be proved and maintained And the whole Clergy of all degrees had rendred their Lives and Conversations odious and despised to the World The late Popes Alexander VI. and Julius II. had been infamous for their Pride Treachery turbulent Spirit and other such like Vices as were very ill becoming Ecclesiastical persons Such Bishops as were fit for something had quite entangled themselves in worldly business a great many of them led a most scandalous Life and were more expert in Hunting than skilled in the Bible The Priests and Monks were over Head and Ears in Ignorance and scandalized the Common People by their Debaucheries and their Avarice was grown unsupportable to every body Besides all this those who first pretended to oppose Luther were a sort of simple miserable and some of them debauched wretches these when they saw Luther maintain his Arguments in a manner which was not common at that time were soon confounded and put to a nonplus not knowing where to begin or to end 'T is true in former Ages also the Clergy had not been free from Vices but the Ignorance of those barbarous times had served them for a Cloak But after Europe began to be restored to its flourishing condition and all sorts of Learning began to dispel the former darkness it was then that these abominable Spots became more conspicuous to the Eyes of the World As the ignorant Priests and Monks who could not bear the glance of this bright shining Light were stark mad at those who had restored Learning to Europe and did them all the mischief they could and when they found themselves worsted by them used to make a Point of Religion of their different Disputes and to accuse those of Heresie that were more Learned than themselves so these used to expose their folly and as much as in them lay to discover their Ignorance to the World 'T was upon this account the impudent Monks pick'd a quarrel with John Reuchlin whom they fain would have made a Heretick from whence that learned Gentleman Vlrick van Hutten if I remember right took an opportunity to expose them most miserably in Epistolis obscurorum virorum Whilst the War betwixt the Lovers and the Persecutors of Learning was carried on with great heat on both sides Luther's Doctrine appeared in the World And because the Monks made it their business to bring the most learned Men into the same Quarrel which they had against Luther in hopes to strike them both down at one blow this proved the occasion that most of the learned Men in Germany did actually side with Luther It is also undeniable that Erasmus of Rotterdam had a considerable share in the Reformation for he had before already discovered and reprehended a great many Abuses and Errors he had rejected the School Divinity and recommended the reading of the Bible and Fathers he had ridiculed the Barbarity and Ignorance which was upheld by the Monks and approved at first Luther's Cause tho he always excepted against his violent and biting way of writing His silence alone proved very mischievous to Luther's Adversaries For Erasmus being then esteemed the most learned Divine of his Age every body took his silence for a kind of an approbation of Luther's Cause And when he afterwards published his Treatise de libero Arbitrio it made no great impression upon the minds of the People since it sufficiently appeared that it was rather writ to please others than of his own inclination Besides that this was not the main Point in dispute and Luther did refute sufficiently his Propositions The Princes and Estates of Germany also having been sufficiently convinced that heavy Impositions had been laid upon them of late under several pretences by the Court of Rome for no other purpose but to maintain the Grandeur of the Ecclesiasticks at Rome were extremely dissatisfied with the Pope The general fear which was then in Germany of an Invasion by the Turks and the differences arisen betwixt Charles V. Francis I. and Henry VIII did greatly promote the Reformation since there was but little time for to think much of these Disputes Some are of Opinion that Charles V. did connive at the spreading of the Doctrine of Luther throughout Germany hoping by these Divisions to get an opportunity to suppress the antient Liberty of the Estates and to make himself Sovereign over Germany For else they say he might easily have quensh'd the Fire at first viz. in the year 1521. when he had Luther in his power at Wormes where he might have secured him which would have passed well enough for a State Trick But it is not so evident whether tho Luther had been murthered against the Publick Faith granted him thereby his Doctrine would have been rooted out it is more probable that the Emperor being then but young did not at that time foresee of what Consequence this business might prove afterwards and that he did not think it advisable at that juncture of time to break with the Elector of Saxony who was then in great Authority Neither could he pretend at the same time when he was engaged in a War against France and the Turks to attack the Princes of Germany that were then courted by Francis and who began to make Alliances with them Yet it is certain that under the pretence of Religion he afterwards made War upon the Protestant Estates of Germany and intended by their ruin to open himself the way to the Absolute Monarchy over Germany And tho he was very succesful in the War against the League made at Smalkald nevertheless he could not accomplish his projected design because he stood in need of the assistance of the German Princes against France and the Turks and to obtain the Imperial Crown for his Son Philip. Nay Paul III. himself dreaded the growing greatness of the Emperor to that degree that he stirr'd up the French to oppose his prevailing Power and to prevent the entire ruine of the Protestants allowed them to make use of the Alliance with the Turks against the Emperor who he feared intended a thorough Reformation of the Court of Rome And besides all this the ill Conduct of the Pope did great mischief to the Roman Catholick Party For it was a grand mistake in Leo X. that he with so much violence declared himself for these Merchants of Indulgences and by his Bull of the 9. of November in the year 1518. decided the Points in Controversie betwixt them whereby he cut of all hopes and means for an Accommodation It would questionless have been better for him to have stood Neuter and to have imposed silence upon both Parties and in
therefore sent some Regiments back into Sweden he divided his Army and having sent 14000 Men under the Command of George Duke of Lunenburgh into the Lower Saxony and Westphalia the last were ordered into Franconia and some Forces were also detached towards Silesia These Forces acted with good success agaist the Imperialists especially in Westphalia where the Duke of Lunenburgh took several places defeated the Earl of Mansfeld near Rinteln and besieged the City of Hamelen But in Silesia the Common Cause was not carried on with the same forwardness by reason of the misunderstanding betwixt the Swedish and Saxon Generals the latter of which keeping a secret Correspondency with Wallenstein left the Swedes in the Lurch who were at last miserably beaten by the said Wallenstein But in all other places they had better success where their Generals took several places of note and the Duke of Lunenburgh had also retaken the strong City of Hamelen by accord after having defeated 15000 Imperialists that were coming to its relief whereof 2000 were killed upon the spot and as many taken Prisoners Thus the Swedish Army were every where flourishing but in Silesia nevertheless the burthen of the War grew heavier upon them every day most of their Confederates being grown weary of the War and willing to be rid of the Swedes Whilst they laboured under these difficulties Wallenstein being faln in disgrace and killed by the Emperour's order they hoped to reap some advantage by this Change but the Emperour having made the King of Hungary his Son General of his Army who having taken Ratisbonne and being joined by the Spanish Forces that were marching towards the Netherlands besieged Nordlingen where the Swedish Avantguard intending to possess themselves of a Hill near that City were engaged with the Imperialists which occasioned a Battel betwixt the two Armies and the Swedish Left Wing having been brought into disorder by the Polish Hungarian and Croatian Horse was forced back upon their own Infantry which also were brought iuto Confusion and totally routed 6000 having been slain upon the spot a great number taken Prisoners among whom was Gustave Horn and 130 Colours were lost besides the whole Artillery and Baggage After this Battel the whole Upper Germany being over-run by the Imperialists and the Elector of Saxony having made a separate Peace with the Emperour the Swedish Affairs seem'd to be reduced to a very ill condition especially since the Elector of Brandenburgh also had sided with the Saxons and the Truce with the Poles was near expired about the same time which made the Swedes very desious of a Peace but the same not being to be obtained in Germany they were fain to prolong the Truce with the Poles for twenty six years and to restore to them their so dearly beloved Prussia and to draw France into Germany to their assistance to put them in the Possession of Philipsburgh Thus having in a manner settled their Affairs the War broke out betwixt them and the Elector of Saxony who offered them a recompence of mony for the Archbishoprick of Magdeburgh which the Swedes refusing to accept of there happened a sharp Engagement betwixt them near Allenburgh upon the Elbe where of 7000 Saxons one half were killed and the rest taken Prisoners Notwithstanding this advantage the Swedes had no small obstacles to surmount since the Emperour was in Possession of the whole Upper Germany and had besides this set the Elector of Saxony upon their Back which obliged the Swedes to take new Measures and being now left by all their Confederates they were at liberty at least to act more unanimously though perhaps with less force the effects of which appeared soon after for though the Elector of Saxony had the good fortune to retake Magdeburgh from the Swedes yet they soon after revenged this loss near Perlebergh where they attacked the said Elector with a less number in his fortified Camp and having routed his Army killed 5000 upon the spot besides what were killed in the pursuit 1100 being killed on the Swedish side and 3000 wounded and having soon after droven the Imperialists out of Hessia into Westphalia and regained Erffurt they were again in a fair way to get footing in High Germany They had also in the next ensuing year several Encounters with the Imperialists and Saxons which proved most to their advantage Banner having defeated eight Saxon Regiments near Edlenburgh and soon after 2000 more near Pegau and when the Imperialists thought to have got him with his whole Army into their Clutches near Custrin he got off with great dexterity but could not prevent but that the Imperialists took several places in Pomerania as also near the Rivers of Havel and Elbe George Duke of Lunenburgh having also declared against the Swedes who also began to be extremely jealous of Brandenburgh by reason of his pretension upon Pomerania after the death of Bagislaus XIV the last Duke of Pomerania who dyed this year an Alliance was concluded betwixt them and France for three years The Swedes having been brought the year before somewhat in the straits they now after having received fresh Recruits began to recover what they had lost the year before Banner having driven Gallas the Imperial General back even into the Hereditary Countries of the Emperour And Bernhard Duke of Weimar had the same success on the Rhine where having besieged Rhinefelden he fought twice with the Imperialists that came to its relief and having routed them in the second Engagement took Rhinefelden Kuteln and Fryburgh in Brisgau After this exploit having blocked up Brisack so closely that it was reduced to the utmost by Famine the Imperialists endeavoured to relieve it with 12000 Men which were so received by the said Duke that scarce 2500 escaped And not long after the Duke of Loraine having attempted its relief with 3500 Men the same were also cut in pieces and the place surrendred to the Duke The Imperialists having been thus routed both near the Rhine and in the Lower Saxony the Duke and John Banner had both taken a resolution to carry the War into the Emperour's Hereditary Countries and Banner marched straitways after several Defeats given to the Imperialists and Saxons into Bohemia where he in all likelihood might have had great success if the untimely death of Duke Bernhard who was to join him had not broke his Measures This Duke being sollicited by the French to surrender Brisack into their Hands which he refused was Poisoned by them and his Army with great promises and mony debauched to submit under the French Command The Imperialists then growing too strong for Banner alone in Bohemia he marched back into Misnia and Thuringia and having been joined by the Duke of Longueville who Commanded the Army of the lately deceased Duke of Weimar and by some Hessians and Lunenburghers near Erffurt which made up an Army of 21 Brigades and 2000 Horse he would fain have Fought the
payment of their Armies Besides this they had the Honour of having been instrumental in re-establishing several German Princes in their Territories and setling both the Quiet and Protestant Religion in Germany The War being thus ended to the great Honour of the Swedes the Queen who had already then taken a resolution of surrendring the Crown to her Nephew Charles Gustave would willingly have put an end to the Differences betwixt Sweden and Poland which were likely to revive again after the Truce expired but the Poles were so haughty in their Behaviour and refractory in their Transactions that no Peace could be concluded at that time Having therefore settled her Affairs and reserved a certain yearly allowance for her self during her life she surrendred the Crown to the said Charles Gustave her Nephew at the Dyet at Vpsal where he was Crowned the same day when she resigned the Government § 16. Charles Gustave finding the Treasury exhausted obtained at the first Dyet from the Estates that the fourth part of such Crown Lands as had been granted away since the Reign of Gustave Adolfe should be reunited with the Crown and having again settled the Military Affairs which were somewhat decayed since the last Peace resolved to force the Poles to an honourable Peace The better to execute his design he marched in Person into Poland where he met with such success that after having defeated some that would have opposed his passage not only the Polanders but also the Lithuanians submitted voluntarily swearing Allegiance to him and John Casimir their King was forced to fly into Silesia But whilst the King of Sweden was marched into Prussia the Poles with the assistance of the House of Austria having with the same readiness again forsaken his Interest were faln upon the Swedes in their Quarters of whom they killed a great many especially in Lithuania forcing the rest to seek for shelter in some strong Holds which were in their possession The King having put an end to the differences betwixt him and the Elector of Brandenburgh concerning Prussia in conjunction with the said Elector marched back towards Warsaw where he obtained a signal Victory over the Poles and Tartars and being in the beginning of the next year joined by Bogislaw Radzivil Prince of Transylvania would in all likelyhood have humbled the haughty Poles if the Danes had not threatened a dangerous diversion near Home and actually denounced War to Sweden This obliged the King to draw his main Army that way where he not only made great progresses both in Holstein and Bremen but also by a prodigy scarce to be believed by Posterity marched over the Ice into the Island of Tuhnen and from thence to other Islands and at last into Sealand where he carried all before him which brought the King of Denmark to such a distress that he was forced to clap up a sudden Peace at Rocshild giving to the Swedes Schonen Halland and Bleckingen the Isle of Bernholm besides several other Possessions in Norway But this Peace was of no long continuance for the King having again conceived a jealousie at the Danes Embarked his Forces in Holstein and under pretence of going towards Datzick landed in Sealand and besieged Copenhagen whilst Wrangel reduced the strong Fortress of Cronenburgh But the Danes being chiefly encouraged by their King's presence defended themselves bravely till the Dutch Fleet gave them relief which obliged the King after having attempted but in vain to take it by Storm to raise the Siege But the greatest misfortune befel the Swedes in the Island of Tuhnen where being over numbred by the joint Forces of the Imperialists Poles Brandenburghers and Danes they were totally routed near Nyborgh their Infantry being most cut to pieces and the rest made Prisoners The King being busie in repairing this loss was seized with an Epidemical Fever of which he dyed on the 23. of February § 17. Charles being but five years old when his Father dyed the Swedes applyed all their care to obtain an honourable Peace which was concluded with the Poles in the Monastery called Oliva near Dantzick wherein were also included the Emperour and Elector of Brandenburgh and King John Casimir resigned his pretension to the Crown of Sweden and the Poles to Livonia In the same month a Peace was concluded with Denmark much upon the same conditions which were agreed on formerly at Rocshild except that the Danes kept the Isle of Bornholm and Druntheim in Norway For the rest the Swedes were for preserving Peace with their Neighbours during the minority of the King till having broke off the Triple Alliance made betwixt them and the English and Dutch they sided with France against the Elector of Brandenburgh whom they pretended by sending an Army into his Territories to draw from the Interest of the Empire But this occasioned a heavy War to the King at the very beginning of his Reign wherein the Elector having routed the Swedish Army took all what the Swedes were possessed of in Pomerania as the Lunenburghers got into their possession the Dukedoms of Bremen and Veerden and the King of Denmark the City of Wismar and several considerable places in Shonen but the Danes having at last been routed at two Battels in Shonen the King after the Treaty of Nimeguen by a particular Peace was put again into the possession of his Countries in Germany very few excepted and Denmark was forced also to restore the places taken from the Swedes in Shonen This Peace having been again settled in Sweden the King married Vlrica Eleanora the present King of Denmark's Sister since which time the King has chiefly applied himself to settle his Military Affairs and Revenues and to maintain the Peace with his Neighbours § 18. The Swedish and Gothick Nation has antiently been famous for Warlike Archievements and is very fit to endure the Fatigues of War yet were their Military Affairs in former times but very indifferently ordered their chiefest Force consisting in the Boors till Gustave and his Successours with the assistance of some Scotch and German Officers and Souldiers have introduced such a Discipline as that now they do not stand in so much need of foreign Souldiers except it be to make up the number of Men wherewith they are not overstock'd especially since the late great Wars As in most other Kingdoms of Europe by reason of the multitude of their populous Cities the Estate of the Citizens is the fundamental part of the State so is in Sweden that of the Boors who enjoy more liberty in Sweden than in other Kingdoms and also send their Deputies to the Dyet where their consent is requisite to any new Taxes to be levied upon the Subjects This Nation loves to shew a great deal of gravity and reservedness which if not qualified by conversation with other Nations often degenerates into mistrustfulness They generally are apt to think
near Newport Siege of Ostend 1601. The Conquests on both sides A Truce of 12 Years 1609. A Quarrel about the Dutchy of Juliers The Differences between the Remonstrants and Contra-Remonstrants Afterwards manag'd by State Policy 1629. The Spanish War renew'd 1621 Prince Maurice dies 1625. Prince Frederick Henry I. 1627. A League Offensive between France and Holland 1635. 1636. Prince William II. Peace concluded at Munster 1648. War with Portugal Divisions in Holland Da Witt and others made Prisoners by the Prince The Birth of Prince William III. War with the English Parliament A Peace 1654. Differences with Swedeland 1660. The Second War with England 16â5 England and France declare War with Holland The Du Witts murther'd 1674. 1676. 1677. The Constitution Their Genius The Nature of ãâã Country Of their Shipping and Commerce East-India Company The West-India Company Strength and Weakness of this Common-wealth Form of Government Prince of Orange 1675. Whether it is their advantage to have a Soveraignty Other Defects of this Common-wealth 1665. The Neighbours of Holland England France Spain Portugal The Northern Crowns First Original of this Commonâealtâ Thâ first Vnâon of he Switz The Bâââel near Morgarten To fiâst design of this Confederacy Battel near Sempach Wars wiâh Charles Dukâ of Burgundy Their Allâes Some oâher Wars of thâ Switzers 1499. Thâir Wars with France 1513. 1515 The ãâã of the Soil The Genâns of this Nâtion Their strength and weakness Their neighbours Te antient condition of Germany Charles tâe Great Lewis the Pious Lewis K. of Germanâ C. Crassus 8â7 894. 899. Lewis the Child 9â5 9â1 Cunrad Henry the Faulconer Otto the Great â62 Otto II. Otto I 1001. 1024. Conrad II. 1034. Henry III Henry IV. The Pope gives him great trouble 1084. Hââ Sân Rââels 1106. Henry V. 1122. 1125. Lotharâus the Saxân Fredrick I. 1189. Henry VI. Philip 1208. Otto VI. Frederick II. The âueâfs and Gâbââlins 1245. 1254. A long inteâregnum 1255. Râdâlph âarl of Habsbuââh 1273. Adolph Albert I. 1308. ãâã VII ãâã by â Monk ãâ¦ã Excâmmunicâted bââââe Pope Charles IV. Tâe Golden Bull. Wenceslaus 1400. Fredârick oâ Bruâsâick Rupert Sigismund 1393. Albert II. Fredrick III Maximilian I. Charles V. 1517. The Reformation 1521. 1529. The Rise of the Name of Protestants 1530. The League at Smalkald 1546. 1552. A Peace concluded 1552. 1555. An Insurrection of the Boors 1525. 1532. He Resign Ferdinand I. Maximilian II. 1567. Râdolph II. 1612. Matthias Origin of the German Wars Thâ Evangelical Union The Bohemian Tumults 1618. Ferâinand I Tâe Crown of Bohemia offer'd to the Electoâ Palatin The ill succesâ of the Elector Palatin 1620. Thâ War spread in Geâmaây 1626. 1629. The Proclâmation concerning Churcâ Lanâs 1629. Gustavus Aâolphus 1630. 1632. Gustavus'â Dââth Thâ Waâ continueâ 1634. 1635. Peace of Osnâârugge and France 1648. 1637. Ferdinand tâe Third Leopold 1659. War with the Turk War with France Peace of Nimâeâân 1679. The Genius oâ this Nation Nature of ãâã Soil Its Commodities Form of Government Strenâth and weaknâss of this Empire Whâ the Emperour quitted the Kingdom of Arclat What is the Interest of the Electors The Conduct of Charles Of the Gaâranties of the Circle of Burâundy 1548. Ferdinand pursuâs thâ Spanish Mâxims Tââ difference betwâxt hâ Protestants ãâ¦ã Tâe Turks Italy âhâ Swisse Poland Denmark Englanâ Hollaâd Spâiâ Sweden France ãâ¦ã Kingdom ãâã III. Ericâ I. 846. Suen Oâttâ Canut II. 1087. Waldemar I. 1157. 1164. Canute VI. 1227. Erick V. Abâl. 1250. 1252. Christâph I. 1259. Erick VI. 1286. Erick VII Christoph II 1332. Wald. III. Olaus VI. 1396. Eric Pomerar 1438. Christopher 1439. Chrisâian I. 1458. 1463. John 1497. 1513. Christian II. Crowned K. of Swedeâ 1520. ãâ¦ã of his own Kingd 1532. 1546. 1559. Frederick I. Christian III 1556. Fredârick II 1560. 1570. Christian IV. 1613. 1625. 1629. 1643. 1645. Frââerick III 1657. War with Sweden ãâ¦ã Câpenhagen 1659. A Peace concluâed Thâ King âeclared absolute an tâe Crown herediâarâ Christian V. 1675. Hâ makâth War upon Swedân A Peace The Gânius oât is Nâtion The Norwegians Nature of the Soil Iâs defects Nâighbours of Denmark Germany Swââen Holland England Thâ Muscovites Poland France Origine of the Kingd of Poland Lechus Twelve Vayvods or Governours 700. Cracus Lechus II. Venda 750. Lescus I. 776. Lescus II. 804. Lescus III. Popiel I. Popiel II. 820. Piastus Zicmovitus Lescus IV. 902. Zicmovistus Micislaus ãâã 965. 999. Boleslaus Chrobry the first King of Poland Miccislaus II. Casimir I. Boleslaus the Hardy 1058. Vladislaus 1082. Boleslaus III. 1103. 1139. Vladislaus II. Boleslaus IV. 1146. Miccislaus III. 1174. Casimir 11780. Lescus V. 1213. The first Inroads oâ tâe Tartars Bâlesiaus V. 1226. Lâscus VI. 1279. Premislus 1291. Vladisl III. 1300. Casimir III. Lewis Jagello orVlaâisl IV. How Lithuania was united o Poland Vladisl V. 1445. Casimir IV. John Albert. Alexander Sigismund Sigismund is Augustus 1552. Henry of Valââs Duke of Anjou 1574. Steph. Batori Thâ Cosacks Sigism III. 1592. 1605. Thâ occasion of he War between Poland and Mâscâvy 1605. 1606. Basil great Duke of Muscovy 1086. Sigismund makes his a ãâ¦ã of these Troubles in Muscovy 1609. 1610. The Policy oâ the Muscâvites The Oversight of Sigismund The Poles defeated in Moldavia 1617. A War betwixt the Poles and Turks 1621. The Invasiof Gustavus Adolpâ us 1625. Vladis IV. 1634. 1635. The Cause of the War with the Cosacks John Casimir 1647. The Poles defeated by âhe Cosâââs The Muscovites join wâth the Câsacks 1653. The King of Sweden invades Poland The Battel of Warsaw Ragozi Prince of Transylvania invades Poland 1606. Michael Witsnowizki 1670. John Sobieski Tâe Genius of this Nation The Nature of the Soil c. Its Commodities The strength of the Kingdom Their weakness Their form of Government The Revenues of the King The Estates of the Kingdom Of the Administration of Justice Neighbours of Poland Germany The House of Austria in particular The Interest of Poland and Germany with reference to the Turk Brandenburgh Denmark and Sweden Moscovy The Tartars Moldavia The Cosackâ The antient State of Russia John Basilius John Basilewitz 1533. Theodore Iuanowitz Boris Guidenow 1605. 1606. Michael Fadorowitz 1613. 1645. Alexius Michaelowitz 1656. Theodore Alexowitz The Genius of this Nation The Nature of the Country and Commodities Form of Government Strength of the Country Neighbours of Muscovy The Persiant Tartars Poland Sweden Politick Reflections upon Popedom The Blindness of Heathens in Matters of Religion The Constitution of the Jewish Religion The Christian Religion is proper for all the world Not contrary to Civil Government No other Religion or Philosophy comparable to it Concerning the outward Government of Religion What is meant by the external Government of Religion The Consideration of this Question according to the nature of Religion in general According to the Nature of the Christian Religion in particular First propagation of the Christian Religion The Methods of God in Establishing the Christian Religion Way the meanest first converted Persecution of the
first Church The Calumnies against the Primitive Christians The Politick Reasons of the Romans against it The first Church Government What persuasions arise thence Constantine could not quite alter the former State of the Church Of making Bishops Of Presiding in Councils Abuses in the Councilâ Of the Episcopal Jurisdiction Concerning Marriages Concerning Excommunication The Origin of the Authority of the Popes Barbarity and Ignorance contributed to it The Causes of this ignorance S. Hierom's Dream The Pedantry introduced into the Schools The Greek and Roman Polititians prejudicial to Monarchy Why Rome was made the place of Residence of the Ecclesiastical Monarchy Metropolitans Patriarchs Of the Popes Power Further Increase of the Ecclesiastical Sovereignty What contributed to it The Popes Confirmation of Bishops Of the Monk Winifred Annals Riches of the Church The Policies of the Popes in the Croisade Multitude of Ecclesiasticks Fryars and Nuââ Mendicants The Motives to embrace this manner of Life Prejudicial to the regular Clergy How the Church was freed from all Power over it How the Popes withdrew themselves from their subjction to the Emperours The Pope seeks for Protection in France The Pope withdraws himself from the Obedience of the Emperours and establishes an Ecclesiastical Sovereignty Pope Gregory excommunicates Hen IV. The Pope endeavours to subject the Emperour 1122. Disputes in England about the investiture of Bâshops 1107. The Pope prâtends to a Power over Princes even to depose them How they colour over this Power The Papal Authority opposed The Schisms much weakned their Power 1433. Hence an occasion taken to bridle the Popes Power by general Councils Concerning the Seat of the Popes being transferred to Avignon Luther gives a great blow to the Grandeur of the Pope The Vertues and Faults of Leo. Luther opposes Indulgences Afterwards the Popes Power The Circumstances of these times The Ignorance of Luther's Adversaries Erasmus favoured Luther The Princes of Germany dissatisfied with the Pope The ill Conduct of Leo and Cardinal Cajetan Why the Doctrine of Luther was not spread farther Divisions among the Protestants The Licenciousness of some Protestants The University of Paris Zwinglius and Calvin The Popish Sovereignty recovered The Bishops Priests and Monks more Regular and Learn'd than heretofore How they make Converts The House of Austria most Zealous for Popery The Temporal State of the Pope His Dominions His Forces How he stands with relation to Germany Spain and France Particular Constitution of the Popish Monarchy as Spiritual Why the Popish Sovereignty was to be exercised in the Form of a Monarchy Way it must be an elective Monarchy Why the Pope was to live in a State of Celibacy The Conclave What Qualifications are necessary for one that is to be chosen Pope College of the Cardinals The Popes enrich thâir Kindred Cardinal Patroon Concerning the Celibacy of the Popish Clergy Their Number The Popish Doctrine suted to the Sââe As that of the Popââs Power The prohibition of the Laietya reading the Scripturea Traditions Venial and Mortal Sins Penance Merit of good Works Ceremonies Half Communion Marriage made a Sacrament Extreme Unction Purgatory Reliques Prayers to Saints The Universities have promoted the Popish Sovereignty Why the Jesuits have taken upon them the Education of the Youth Licensing of Books Excommunication and Inquisition Some Reasons why the People remain in the Communion of the Church of Rome What States are tied by a particular Interest to the Church of Rome Italy Poland Portugal Germany Spain France Formalities observed by the Nuncio ' s in France The main Pillar of the Popish Monarchy The Pope's Inâlination towards the Protestants No Peace is to be exspected betwixt the Roman Catholicks and Protestants Strength of the Protestants and Papists Divisions of the Protestants Other Inconveniencies The Hugonoâs of France to Protestants of Poland Of Germany The best way to preserve the Reformed Religion Whether the Lutherans and those of the Reformed Religion are likely to agree Socinians and Anabaptists Sweden the most antient Kingdom in Europe First Founders of the Gothick Nation Othin or Woden Frotho Battel fought near Brovalla Ingellus Bero. A. C. 829. The Christian Doctrine first taught in Sweden Amund Olaus A. C. 853. Ingo A. C. 890. Erick Erick Seghersell Stenchill the Mild. Olaus The Swedes and Gothes united in one Kingdom Amund Amund Slemme Haquin the Red. Stenchill Ingo the Pious Halstan A. C. 1086. Philip. Ingo A. C. 1138. Ragwold Knaphofde Swercher II. Erick the Holy A. C. 1154. 1160. Charles the Son of Swercher 1168. Cnut Erickson Swercher III. 1207. 1208. 1210. Erick Cnutson 1219. Erick Lespe Celibacy of Clergy introduced in Sweden 1250. Waldemar 1251. 1263. 1266. 1275. Magnus 1279. 1288. 1290. Birger II. 1292. 1298. 1303. 1305. 1308. 1317. 1319. Magnus Smocck 1357. 1361. 1363. Albert Duke of Mecklenburgh 1364. 1365. 1371. 1376. Margaret 12. Sept. 1388. The Battel of Talâoping 1394. 1395. Erick Duke of Pomerania Union made at Calmar betwixt Sweden Denmark and Norway 1396. 1410. 1412. Charles Cnutson 1436. 1437. Christopher Duke of Bavaria 1439. 1448. Charles Cnutson Christian I. 1458. 1464. Erick Axelson 1466. 1468. 1470. 1471. 1481. John II. 1497. 1503. 1504. 1511. Steen Sture the younger 1512. 1513. 1520. Gustavus I. 1523. Reformation begun in Sweden First Translation of the New Testament into Swedish 1527. Church Lands reduced in Sweden 1528. The Protestant Religion Established in Sweden 1533. 1542. 1544. The Kingdom of Sweden made Hereditary and the Popish Religion abolished 1556. 1559. Eriâk XIV 1561. The Titles of Earls and Barons introduced John III. 1568. 1571. War with the Moscovites 1577. New Liturgy introduced 1582. 1587. 1592. Sigismund 1594. 1598. 1599. 1600. Sigismund deposed 1604. Charles IX Warbetwixt the Swedes and Poles in Livonia 1611. Gustavus Adolphus 1613. Peace with the Muscovites 1617. 1617. 1620. 1626. The War carried on against the Poles in Prussia 1627. 1629. Truce with Poland German War 1626. 1623. 1630. Charles Gustave lands with his Forces in Germany 1631. Alliance made with France The City of Magdeburgh taken by the Imperialists 10 May. Battel near Leipzick 7. Sept. 1637. Battel near Lutzen Nov. 6. King Gustave Adolfe killed Christina 1633. 1634. Aug. 27. Battel of Nordlingen Truce prolonged with the Poles War betwixt the Swedes and Elector of Saxony 1637. 1638. Alliance with France 1641. May 10. 1642. Battel fought near Leipzick Oct. 23. War with Denmark 1644. 1645. Peace with Denmark 1643. July 16. Peace made at Munster and Osnabrug 1654. Jun. 6. Charles Gustave The War with Poland renewed 1656. War with Denmark 1658. Siege of Copenhagen Battel in Tuhnen 1666. Charles IX Peace made with the Poles May 3. May 23. Peace made with Denmark 1674. The Swedes routed by the Elector of Brandenburgh 1678. The nature and qualification of the Swedish Nation Condition of the Country and its Strength Neighbours of Sweden Muscovites Poles Germany Denmark France Holland England Spain and Portugal